Happy New Year! I’m kicking off 2015 with a look that has a high happiness factor because white-out is one of my favourite trends of all time. Some feel powerful wearing black from head to toe, but I feel powerful wearing white from head to toe. Something about soft, pretty and crisp shades of white makes me feel invincible, modern and bold, despite it being an impractical combination and a low contrast against my hair colour and complexion. I think it’s important to assess how we feel in an outfit, instead of only taking fit, proportion and conventional colour theory into account.
I wore this outfit to a 40th birthday party at a restaurant near the end of 2014. In that case I wore it with a gold clutch, but here you see it with a brand new ink blue graphic wardrobe pet that was a Christmas gift from a dear friend.
Outfits that are made up of both new and old items put an extra spring in my step, and this one is no exception. The cream trousers were a birthday gift from Greg. The chunky Zara pullover is a few seasons old. The coat is five years old, and the booties are from Spring 2014.
Of all the white-out combinations that I’ve shown on YLF, this is the most trendy because it pairs a cropped pullover with high-waisted trousers, which is something I haven’t done since the ‘80s. Unless you want to intentionally expose the midriff, creating more coverage with the bottom is the way to go when wearing a cropped top. I’m also wearing a self-colour camisole under the pullover for warmth and coverage.
Creating the right fit with a cropped top and pair of high-waisted trousers is key to making me feel confident instead of exposed and uncomfortable. I sized up in the Club Monaco trousers to create a loose tailored fit. This caused them to be too loose on the waist, so I had the waistband altered. I can now wear them without a belt and they stay put.
The cropped pullover is fluid and heavily welted with a structured wide welt, which creates a blouson effect. The boxy blouson, slightly roomy fit and extra length of the trousers are a big part of what makes me comfortable in this combination. If either item were tighter or shorter, I’d feel too self-conscious.
Texture is one way to add depth to an outfit that is a single colour from head to toe. In this case the coat, trousers, shoes and pullover are all different textures, which makes the white less flat. The column of colour creates a long vertical line from head to toe, which makes a difference if you feel that wearing white makes you appear larger than you are. Although the heels on the booties are square, the pointy toe box further elongates the leg line.
A small number of black and ink blue accents break up the white-out in an effective way. The black leather piping around the pockets of the trousers picks up the black trim on the cream booties, which in turn picks up the black buttons on the coat, and the dark pattern on the clutch. These accents are especially noticeable from the side and when the outfit is in motion. My green specs and lipstick provide the smallest touch of colour, which helps liven up the expanse of white when my coat is off and I’ve put down my bag. Watch and wedding ring are all I need in the jewellery department.
We at YLF wish you a happy and healthy New Year.