The 8 Most Important Fashion Rules We’ve Learned From Victoria Beckham

When we hear the name Victoria Beckham, a montage-style summary of her fashion and music career flashes before our eyes: the chicest designs from her eponymous label, Posh’s signature little Gucci dress, “Wannabe” and “Spice Up Your Life” on repeat… She is a woman of many successes—two major careers in one lifetime—not to mention her accomplished husband, David Beckham, and their four stunning children together. Today, in honor of her 42nd birthday, we’ve rounded up some of her most fashionable looks through the years, along with her best style tips to live by. Read on for our favorite fashion rules, plus shop some of the Victoria Beckham items we are currently obsessing over.

“Trust your gut, not a stylist or a rule maker. There is nothing worse than seeing a woman out in clothes that she obviously thinks she should wear. Her discomfort is what you see first. And like I said before, look at yourself from every possible angle before you leave the house,” she told InStyle.

“[Corsetry] can help give an illusion of shape by using a bigger shoulder pad, and having a corset gives the illusion of having a tiny waist,” she told Time.

“It’s great to make a statement now and again, but try and stick to a few classic guidelines,” she told Glamour. “I always think if you’re revealing lots of cleavage, you should have your legs hidden. Or if you want to show some leg, wear a jumper dress on top. Don’t let it all hang out; it’s much sexier to leave a little to the imagination.”

“I rarely buy anything that’s obviously from a particular season’s collection. Invest in clothes you can wear from season to season,” she told Glamour. “Buy classics that will never date.”

“A great dress makes a woman feel special and should be easy to wear. To be able to put on a perfect dress and know that it is flattering from every angle is really important to me,” she told Stylist.

“Keeping things simple. My motto is 'less is more' and I live by that. I try not to wear anything overly complicated,” she told InStyle UK.

"I also wear their [Gap Kids] T-shirts inside out with a pair of my jeans and a fabulous pair of sunglasses. That’s a look that just can’t go wrong,” she told Glamour.

“The right bag, shoes, or sunglasses can make or transform the look of an outfit. I never leave the house without sunnies, so I own loads of pairs. Even if you’re not that keen on the clothes, always check a designer’s bags, shoes, jewelry, and sunglasses,” she told Glamour.

Now, shop some of our favorite pieces from her collection.