'I style celebs and "normal people". They always ask me these 4 questions.'

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It's no secret that trends come and go faster than you can say 'wide-leg jeans'. But when it comes to common fashion conundrums, some things just stand the test of time.

No matter whether you're Kylie Minogue or a 'normal' gal like you and I, we can all find ourselves asking the same questions into the mirror, with no clue what style to reach for. And more times than not, we end up in a puddle of clothes on our bedroom floor proclaiming that we 'hate everything'. Oh, just me?

Watch: The Nothing To Wear hosts on whether skinny jeans are back to stay. Post continues below.

On a recent episode of Nothing To Wear, Leigh Campbell sat down with one of Australia's most celebrated stylists, Donny Galella, to discuss his most-asked fashion questions.

Here's what he said.

Can I still wear skinny jeans?

The question on everyone's lips: are skinny jeans in or… not?

"Look, loose jeans, baggy jeans are a trend, but if you put them on and you feel frumpy, you don't feel good, then don't wear them," Donny says.

"Keep wearing your skinny jeans, cause you're gonna wear your skinny jeans and you're gonna feel good about yourself, and that's what fashion should do."

As we know by now, trends are cyclical, so it can be tricky to stay in the loop. By the time you throw out all of your skinny jeans, they'll be back on your feed.

But, if you're not sure how to style them with some 2025 flair, Donny says to play around with your shape and proportions.

"Bring that oversized [look] to your top and add some volume, add a big oversized shirt or a beautiful oversized blazer."

He says if you're looking to try something new and forego your beloved skinnies (or just never want to revisit them), straight-leg jeans are a great timeless option that also look flattering on most people.

Image: Instagram/@anoukyve, @zaraamaria.

How can I make myself look taller?

As someone who has styled his fair share of petite celebs — think: Samantha Jade, Dannii Minogue, Jessica Mauboy — Donny says he has heard this question time and time again from the short girl community.

He says, "Some things that [the celebrities] do is, number one, always a nude pump, especially a nude platform pump."

But he advises avoiding ankle straps or low-cut boots, as these can cut off your legs and make them look even shorter.

You can also play with your hair to give the illusion of extra height.

"Wearing your hair up high creates this illusion of extra height, so a high bun, a high pony, will elongate as well," Donny says.

When it comes to clothes, "Vertical lines on your body will elongate you and make you look tall. Also, colour blocking is good, so if you're wearing the same colour head to toe, that will create this illusion of extra height."

 "If you cut yourself, say you wore a white top and a black bottom, you're cutting yourself into two blocks of colour. But if you wore the same colour head to toe, you're looking long and elongating, which is what we want to do."

How can I hide my tummy?

The truth is, as much as we love our bodies, sometimes we may want to dress to disguise certain areas and add a little additional coverage.

Donny's advice is to choose clothes that you feel confident in. It might sound simple, but there's really no use buying something that you are going to be worried about while you wear it.

To hide your tummy (or avoid eyes being drawn to the area), he recommends opting for clothes with a little more shape or detail around the torso.

"Anything that has maybe a bit of ruching, pleating detail, anything that's gonna keep the area a little bit busy."

"So, for example, if you're going for a plain white t-shirt, maybe it might have a bit of gathering, or a bit of ruching detail on that, so every time you wear that white t-shirt, you don't have to worry about adjusting yourself."

He says if you're feeling brave, you can also play with prints that can act as a kind of optical illusion to hide any uneven bits.

"I think a lot of people are scared of prints, but prints are actually really clever because they're busy, they can keep that area busy as well."

If you'd prefer to dress more on the simple side, he says it can also come down to accessories.

"The other trick I find is using statement accessories because you know as soon as I see you, I see your beautiful necklace and your gorgeous glasses, and that's where my eye is drawn to."

Image: Instagram/ @zuzanastraska, @trendingwithtinsley.

How do I build the perfect wardrobe?

The ultimate question. How do we build a wardrobe filled with items we love, we reach for and that works well together?

According to Donny, it's a two-step approach.

You can't start building until you've mastered the base. So he recommends doing a "detox" of sorts on your current 'drobe. Do a stocktake of items that can be donated or tossed, and even items you might have forgotten about that you can bring back to life.

Once this is complete, he recommends creating an "essentials list" of what you think your perfect wardrobe needs to avoid overbuying.

He says there are about 12-15 essentials a good wardrobe needs, like: a classic white t-shirt, a good blazer, a good skirt, a little black dress, good jeans and don't forget, good underwear. Donny says prioritising underwear is like "building a house. You need good foundations. If they're not right, your house won't be right."

He says versatility is key, "choosing a versatile piece, like a go-to shirt dress, is great. Shirt dresses go from day to night. You can drop the kids off in a shirt dress, then if you're going on a hot date night, add some heels, add a lip."

Sometimes the answers to our questions are simple, we just require a little helping hand.

Next time you're about to pull out of an event because "nothing looks good!", remember to try these tips on finding a style you love and feel fantastic in.

For more helpful style advice and shopping recommendations, subscribe to the weekly Nothing to Wear Substack, listen to the Nothing to Wear podcast or watch Nothing to Wear on YouTube.

Listen to the entire episode of Nothing To Wear, here.

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Feature image: Supplied.