A New Year always brings new opportunities, especially when it comes to personal style. However, since rules are usually meant to be broken, don’t take these resolutions as written in stone–just think of them as good advice!

1.) Stop following trends and simply wear what works for you. I happen to love Giambattista Valli’s coats for Moncler Gamme Rouge, which would doubtless look fab with jeans and make any sort of outfit instantly chic.

2.) Don’t be afraid to play with color on your nails. Butter has wonderful lacquers in unusual colors, including, above, The Black Knight (a metallic purple), The Full Monty (a bright gold) and Big Smoke (a deep, rich navy).

3.) Shop in unusual places, like small boutiques and markets. For example, I always stop by the Azzedine Alaïa boutique, above, whenever I’m in Paris.

4.) Step away from those “safe” shoes you’ve been wearing forever. This is an amazingly creative period for shoe design, so try something new–perhaps a pair of strappy heels in exotic leather by hot new designer, Burak Uyan.

5.) Shop in your own closet! When Gianni Versace was alive I was mad for his designs and bought pieces every season, so now I have quite a collection. Recently, I took some of the best items to Paris for the Haute Couture, and felt excited all over again by Versace’s glamour. I love wearing great clothes from my closet: I’m almost guaranteed not to see anyone else in the same dress and, best of all, everything still fits perfectly, even after all these years!

6.) Start the new year with a new fragrance—like my own Sortir le Soir, a warm, bright, modern gardenia. It may sound simple, but a great perfume can really work wonders by altering perspective and truly changing your mood.

7.) Fashion is global now, so use travel to broaden your ideas about what’s chic. I recently visited Tel Aviv, where I discovered some great young designers, dined in marvelous restaurants and had fun browsing flea markets!

8.) Improve your posture—and your overall health–by trying classes like Catwalk Confidence at New York Sports Club; Kula Yoga (on Warren Street, in New York); or Barre Burn, above, at Equinox Fitness.

9.) Drink more water––it’s very good for the skin. I like San Pellegrino sparkling water, especially with its chic, jewel-draped BVLGARI label.

10.) Support a young designer! Vivien Dadouche, above, right, the award-winning créateur behind Viviani haute couture, was unknown to me until I met him through friends in Paris and wound up wearing some of his clothes for a HYPE magazine photo shoot at the Hôtel de Crillon (above, left).

And, of course, I wish you the best of everything in the brand-new year!