One coat five ways

February 24, 2015 ~ juliabegbie ~ Leave a comment

Some garments are never unfashionable. As trends come and go, they occasionally rise to the height of fashion and then ease back into their long-established and comfortable position as a trusted and timeless classic.

One such item is the trench coat.

Burberry is responsible for the most classic and desirable version. Great, stiff fabric; just the right neutral shade (neither too pink nor too white); the cut and details pared back to achieve a tasteful, minimalistic chic:

The Burberry trench coat is an aspirational product, and a bit of a stretch for most of us, financially. But spring is approaching, and the trench is the perfect transitional jacket. So because it is having a bit of a moment, I thought that I’d suggest a few more affordable ways that you can nod to the trend this season.

Starting with the traditional shape, Marks and Spencer has a couple of options, both under £100:

(Left, and Right)

Alternatively, ASOS is riffing on the theme with this trench dress:

Which would also look great over cigarette pants and a semi-sheer long-sleeved top.

Now, if like me you feel it’s unbecoming to parade your nipped-in waist – oh alright, so I’m a bit thick around the middle right now – then loose hanging is probably best, so here is a nautically-inspired model from Laura Ashley:

A bit less formal and great fun for the summer.

In a similar vein, Poetry has a loosely-structured coat which offers limited protection from the weather, being more of a glamorous cover-up:

Finally, one of my favourite brands, Max Mara, is responsible for this fabulously elegant and versatile coat in black:

Great for the apples and the pears!

Accent

February 9, 2015February 9, 2015 ~ juliabegbie ~ Leave a comment

I love accessories. In my opinion they are every bit as important as the outfits they adorn – maybe even more so.

I have two particularly stylish friends who treat their clothes as a uniform – simple lines and all in one quiet colour. The clothes are not the main event: they are just the backdrop for their accessories. After years of joint shopping trips, they both have huge collections of scarves, bracelets, flat shoes and bags, and by using their knowledge of colour theory to compose carefully co-ordinated suites of accessories, they are two of the best-dressed people I know. A grey base layer is brought to life with a splash of burnt orange; a dull claret silhouette is rendered sharp by a dash of mustard.

Dressing is like cooking: accessories are the seasoning, the aroma of spice or the bite of chilli that elevates a dish and makes it memorable. Not too much, mind you, or they will overwhelm. One item too many and instead of making a startling impact you can look like you’re trying too hard. A subtle sprinkling is the goal: follow Coco Chanel’s advice and always take off one piece of jewellery before leaving the house.

But accessories are only one of the ways you can deploy the design principle of ACCENT.

Accent is a small amount of contrasting decoration used to create drama in an overall scheme. The contrast can be of texture, tone, or colour. Presenting two well-chosen elements in opposition enhances the beauty of both.

Please allow Victoria Beckham to demonstrate:

The silky silver dress and tonally-matching make-up provides a neutral backdrop for the striking ring: the bold, statement ring makes the dress appear more elegantly restrained. Each accentuates the best qualities of the other, and the different light-reflecting qualities of the materials (faceted and smooth) create a powerful contrast. Add more detail here and the effect would be lost.

Accent creates drama.

Outfit

This monochromatic outfit of black with a simple white T-shirt is smart but unspectacular until the splashes of acid yellow are added, creating a contrast in both colour and tone. And by involving the design principle of repetition, the effect is reinforced. Either the necklace or backpack on its own would be striking, but in combination the outfit says: this isn’t an accident! The result is a confident and striking statement.

Bomber jacket by ASOS, T-shirt by ASOS, turn-up trousers by Boden, shoes by Whistles, necklace by Cos, and rucksack by Brooks

Roomy denims

January 22, 2015January 20, 2015 ~ juliabegbie ~ Leave a comment

Roomy Denim

Hmm … what to wear for a trip to edgy Shoreditch, to visit the London store of Ally Capellino?

If you aren’t familiar with the brand, it is admired for the minimal contemporary styling of its bags, like these nappa leather rucksacks in spring colours.

Which (note to self) would work well with jeans and the New Balance gingham trainers I mentioned in my last post.

For spring/summer 2015, looser denim profiles are proliferating on the catwalk, so Toast has introduced a new cut: Artist Jeans are high-waisted in Japanese cotton selvedge denim. They come in sizes 6-18 and in regular and long options: these will do nicely for my day out!

The reason for the pilgrimage across town is that there has been a fresh delivery at Ally Capellino of silver Yoko rucksacks.

So here is my outfit for East London:

Toast Artist Jeans. Marks and Spencer two-tone bomber jacket. ASOS White Collection t-shirt. Superga Flatforms. Cos blue glass necklace.

And, of course, returning with the Ally Capellino Yoko rucksack.