Every so often the Loft comes up with winning blouse silhouettes for my clients, and that’s exactly what happened last week. Great patterns and silhouettes in interesting colour combinations. They might run a size big.

• Loft Fanfare Utility Blouse: An unusual colour palette of navy, burgundy and blush. The pattern is as amazing as the pocket placement on the chest, which is subtle and works on a larger bust. Fab with burgundy bottoms.
• Loft Autumn Plaid Blouse: A plaid blouse that's great for apple shapes and inverted triangles. Read the rave reviews.
• Loft Boho Bloom Top: This blouse is very billowy so consider yourself warned. Not as streamlined as in the photo, but the shorter length gives it structure. Best on those who can fill out the top. Flirty Boho Fabness.
• Loft Medallion Blouse: I like this blouse best because mustard and navy are a winning combination, and the shoulder insets in contrasting pattern are unique. The blouse looks as great untucked. Fab with navy bottoms and animal print footwear. '70s Pyjama Fabness.
• Loft Collarless Utility Blouse: An unusual colour combination in a feathered pattern. Best worn semi or fully tucked. Fab on an apple or inverted triangle. Good on an hourglass with a large bust.

I recently declared my cobalt blouse a seldom worn item. In fact, it had gone unworn for well over a year because I went off cobalt and preferred stiff shirts over soft blouses. But I never stopped liking the blouse, so I kept it. The fabric is luxurious and I adore the fit. I assumed I’d wear it again when the mood struck me.

No sooner had I declared the piece “seldom worn” than it came back into frequent rotation. Suddenly I found myself missing the blouse whenever it was at the cleaners. That’s how frequently I’ve been wearing it over the last few months. 

It’s interesting how your feelings about a certain item in your wardrobe can change over time. In this case, our unseasonably mild weather has been particularly blouse-friendly. My increased need to incorporate soft and pretty pieces into my outfits has shifted me away from my masculine shirts and towards my blouses. Wearing the blouse with a refreshed jeans capsule has made it feel new. And I have fallen back in love with cobalt blue. 

Here are two combinations (with the exact pieces from my wardrobe) that I was wearing most frequently with the blouse before the weather turned cold. I particularly liked the cobalt paired with sour greens and warm cognac: 

Combination 1

Combination 2

I think the point here is that if you love an item, you should hesitate to pass it on if it falls out of rotation. There is quite a high likelihood that items will come back into favour when there are changes in the internal and external factors that impact your style. 

That’s exactly what happened here. I’m glad that I held on to the item. If I passed it on using the “purge what you haven’t worn in the last year” guideline, I wouldn’t have a favourite blouse!

Raf Simons leaving Dior, a British Vogue colouring book, Vince’s first fashion collaboration and other style news that made the rounds this week.

• Made2Measure, which debuted exclusively on Apple TV on Tuesday, is the first digital network dedicated entirely to fashion.
• After three and a half years as artistic director at Dior, Raf Simons is leaving the French luxury fashion house.
• For its first collaboration, a 16-piece capsule collection, Vince has teamed up with Garance Doré.
• A new Met exhibition highlights the origins of textile design and patterns from the Renaissance.
• South Africa got its first H&M store with the flagship store opening in Cape Town last Saturday. 
• Kate Lanphear is stepping down as editor-in-chief of Maxim.
• British Vogue now has its own colouring book featuring hand-drawn designs inspired by the fashions of the 1950s.

Fun Fashion Fact

Did you know that after Honey Ryder — played by Ursula Andress — emerged from the Caribbean Sea sporting that iconic white bikini in Dr. No, sales of the two-piece swimsuit rocketed. The bikini was auctioned in 2001 for charity and sold for almost $54,000.

This ensemble was inspired by designers Nicholas K and Rick Owens. The silhouettes are very asymmetrical, arty and drapey. The outfits are dramatic, layered, intricate, ruched, monochromatic and hard-edged. The fabrications are generally knitted, which conveys a casual vibe. The trims on the items are usually leather, silver hardware, mesh or nylon insets. Some items are rugged and distressed. The avant-garde aesthetic is an acquired taste with a high longevity factor. 

The colour palette for the look is for the most part black and grey, with the occasional pop of murky olive, brown, burgundy and white. Denim is absent. Outfit proportions are just flattering enough, creating sufficient structure in the right places to prevent the look from wearing you. You’ll get a good sense for post apocalyptic style from these pictures.

There is an art to creating this vibe and it takes practice. But once you begin combining all sorts of drapey knits together in one colour or tonal colours, you’ll get into the groove and have fun with it. I’m going to give two easy renditions to get you started.

Here are the components:

Bottoms: Choose a pair of leather or pleather skinnies. If you don’t have those, regular black skinny pants will do — either full length or cropped. Black harem pants are the next best silhouette. If you don’t have those, black joggers or upscale track pants will work just fine, especially when you pull them up to create a scrunched effect at the lower leg. 

Layered Tops: Layer an asymmetrical drapey topper over a similarly asymmetrical drapey top in the same colour or tonal colours. Sometimes you can layer three pieces over one another for a fab effect. Layer short over long, long over short, or keep the layers a similar length. Some of the items can be VERY long and voluminous. Their asymmetrical hems give them structure. 

To create structure you can add a black waist-cinching obi belt when the pieces are soft and floppy, as seen with the black cardigan on the far right. 

Footwear: You’re after fairly severe black footwear. Think pointy toe pumps or loafers. Peep-toe booties, chunky flatform sandals and buckled sneakers.   

Accessories: Finish off the outfit with a black handbag. Think angular clutch, upscale backpack or slouchy satchel. A slouchy black beanie is a good choice for headgear. Add jewellery, eyewear and watch as desired.

I haven’t included skirts and dresses here because those are a little more complicated to incorporate, but feel free to experiment with those pieces too. And if you’re after post apocalyptic lite, substitute the bottoms for blue jeans and add a handbag in a colour other than black.