Fashion News Roundup: October 2020

A new buy-back and resale programme, Japanese designer Kenzo Takada has passed away, and other style news that caught our attention this month.

Fashion Fact

Did you know that make-up artist Lillian Brown, who passed away at age 106, was not only the preferred make-up artist of nine American presidents, but also advised on diction, apparel, and scene setting. I found this article detailing her life and career very interesting.

Outfit Formula: Cosy Corduroy Pants

Corduroy pants are gaining momentum across a range of silhouettes, colours and wales. Matching corduroy pant suits with a ‘70s flavour have made a comeback too. Some corduroy pants are dressier than others, but for the most part I think of corduroy as a casual fabric. The larger the wale, the more casual the vibe. Many of my clients wear corduroy pants as an alternative to jeans. They generally find them warmer, colour-rich, and more comfortable and cosy than denim.

H&M
Corduroy Pants
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Mango
Cotton Corduroy Pants
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H&M
Corduroy Pants
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I have a complicated relationship with corduroy pants. I loved them as a child in the ‘70s. My green, red and navy corduroy bottoms were favourites. I especially loved my moss green corduroy culottes. Other than a brief encounter with a pair of low-rise toffee bootcuts from Guess in the ‘90s, I gave corduroy bottoms a miss. They weren’t my cup of tea, maybe because I overdid things as a child and associated them with kids’ clothes.

Out of the blue this year, I was drawn to a pair of turquoise straight leg pants from sustainable and ethical Boden. The yummy-to-me colour, great quality, and fabulous fit ticked off the boxes. The fabric was coincidentally corduroy. Hubs Greg loves them, and that was the final convincing I needed.

The corduroy pants allow me to create a column of colour with a matching coat and pullover, which are items I’ve had on my shopping list for years. I’d have preferred the fabric of the pants to be wool, but what the heck. It’s my wildcard purchase for the year and I’m back on Team Cosy Corduroy Pants

Boden
Westmoreland Sweater
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Boden
Knight Coat
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Here are four fun and cosy corduroy pants looks, none of which are hard-edged. Some vibes are more maximal and dressy than others. The corduroy pant silhouettes are wide, but feel free to substitute them for skinnies or straight legs.

1. Rainbow Fabness

Create a rainbow of colour with a pair of non-neutral corduroy pants. Combine the cords with a multi-striped colour-rich pullover and a tweed jacket or wool coat that picks up one of the colours of the stripes. Finish off the look with a footwear and bag complement in the same colour. Here the red of the complement is repeated in the stripes. I like this look best, although I’d wear red boots or white hi-tops instead of ballet flats.

Frances Valentine Jane Corduroy Pant Pink

2. Earthy Salmon

Combine a bunch of light-coloured earth tones together and see what happens. Here, I like the ‘70s integrity of the look, and the interesting shade of salmon of the cords that don’t match but work with the rest of the outfit. The caramel, chocolate and pearl grey pullover works well with the beret and boots. I see a tan, caramel or grey topper over the lot and bag to match. Olive and tan corduroy pants could work too.

Anthropologie Pilcro High Rise Bootcut Corduroy Pants

3. Pattern-Mixed Neutrals

Although neutral, this is a maximal look that combines high contrast and three patterns. The smaller scale of the patterns and their matching colour palette makes them work together in a beautifully quiet yet loud way. The cream top picks up the cream in the soles of the shoes and patterns, thereby brightening the palette. Subbing the cream top for a black one tones things down, as would black footwear. You could create a more minimal look with a black column of colour and black footwear.

Nuuly Cropped Wide Leg Corduroys

4. Bubblegum Cinnamon

This unique mix of brights and earth tones is clever, and my second favourite. The clash creates harmony, thanks to details that pull the look together. Combine a pair of earthy cord pants with a bright pink patterned pullover. Add white footwear if the pullover has white components. The earthy tortoiseshell bag repeats the earthiness of the pants. Alternatively, combine a solid bright pink pullover with cinnamon corduroy bottoms, and finish off the look with cream footwear and bag. I like the idea of a bright pink wool coat to top things off. Add jewellery, eyewear and watch as desired.

Eloquii Cropped Corduroy Flare Leg Pant

Team Crossbody or Team Any Other Bag

You are on Team Crossbody if you sport a crossbody bag all or most of the time. You are on Team Any Other Bag if you don’t. Note that any type of handbag counts for Team Any Other Bag. You are also on that team if you don’t carry a handbag at all. 

I bat for Team Crossbody, but this was not always the case. I used to find crossbody bags uncomfortable on my neck and shoulders. I got annoyed with the body of the bag on my hips. But the devil is in the detail. After figuring out the types of crossbody bags that work, the types of straps that are comfortable, and making sure that I don’t pack everything and the kitchen sink into my bags, I am as comfortable as can be. I wear crossbodies 99% of the time because I’m on foot and need my hands to carry other things like groceries, dry-cleaning, packages to return to the post office, and our Yorkie Sam. I LOVE how practical they are. Aesthetically, I also think crossbody bags look great.

Fortunately, all my satchels and clutches convert to crossbody bags so I have the option of sporting them with or without a strap. I also have an assortment of guitar straps that attach to the satchels making them even more comfortable.

Over to you. Do you bat for Team Crossbody or Team Any Other Bag. Tell us why, and no batting for both teams. If you can’t pick a side, sit this one out on the bench where there’s sushi and South African malva pudding in takeout boxes to eat in the safety of your homes.

Roundups

Simpler Items

This week's list of top picks list is about basic pieces.

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Assorted Items

Items for Summer, both in and out of air conditioning.

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Casual Summer Vibes

This week's top picks are good for a casual Summer vibe.

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Summery Earth Tones

These items are for those who like to wear casual earth tones in warm and hot weather.

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Hints of Spring

Some tried-and-tested winning items to refresh your style for Spring.

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Dressier Items

An assortment of dressier top picks might be just what the doctor ordered.

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Outstanding Outfit Bloggers

Striking Patterns and Playful Accents

Christine lives in Stuttgart, Germany, and documents her outfits on her Instagram account. Her relatable style is a mix of casual looks with the occasional dressy accent. Our blogger loves pattern, rocks skirts and dresses, and her gorgeous curls add pizzazz to everything she wears.

Christine Stuttgart - 1

A silky just-above-the knee dress is a great option for a warm day. The silky material has a subtle sheen that makes Christine’s beautiful shiny curls stand out even more. The flattering diagonal sleeves and V-neck create an interesting and structured visual effect. Eye-catching zebra- print pumps with cute bow detailing work great with the black dress, and add a touch of pattern to the look. The light blue handbag is unexpected, and brings softness to the black and white palette. Christine finishes off the look with bright red lipstick.

Christine Stuttgart - 2

Christine has layered a simple white tee under a spaghetti-strap dress with V-neckline. The playful white polka dots on the cinnamon dress echo the white of the tee, as do her white slides with warm gold buckle. The midi dress accentuates our blogger’s waist and flares out for a flattering and breezy effect. A light-wash denim jacket acts as the third piece, and casualizes the look. The tailored fit creates structure. The mustard headband adds casual glam and refers back to the gold buckle on the footwear. Mirrored sunnies, a dainty necklace and red lippy complete the look.

Christine Stuttgart - 3

The full pleated denim midi skirt is the star of the show here. Christine has tucked a blue and white striped slogan tee. Tucking the tee shows the skirt’s self-belt and lengthens the leg line from the hips up. Pairing the polished skirt with white athletic sneaks with light blue accents dresses down the outfit in that on-trend, very-now way. Christine’s circular straw bag echoes the colour of the Paris logo, and gives the outfit that extra Summery vibe. Our blogger’s bright orange-red tassel earrings and green headband are the sassy finishing touches.

Christine Stuttgart - 4

Christine combines her love for The Beatles and stripes in this eye-catching casual outfit. She’s paired the fluid fit white Beatles tee with wide-legged cropped trousers. Semi-tucking the tee exposes the tied belt on the trousers and lengthens the leg line. The graphic black and white stripes further elongate the look. Our blogger’s red and white striped pool slides are a fun and playful nod back to the striped pants, and add punchy colour to the black and white. She keeps the accessories to a minimum with only a dainty ankle bracelet. Putting her hair up adds to the playful vibe, and bright red lipstick matches the footwear perfectly.

Christine Stuttgart - 5

This is a great example of how Christine likes to mix romantic pieces with hard-edged footwear. She’s paired a patterned midi dress with black-patterned pointy-toe boots. The studded buckles give the boots a hard-edged Western rocker vibe that juxtaposes splendidly with the boho-prairie vibe of her dress. The black stripes running down the skirt part of the dress create vertical integrity, while the horizontal set-ins around the collar and hem draw the eye from left to right. Christine accessorizes with a taupe chain-strap bag and toffee headband that echo the colours in the dress. A dramatic dark red lip fits the mood of this outfit perfectly.

Christine Stuttgart - 6

Christine is rocking this romantic Fall look in soft neutrals. She’s layered a dressy white button-down tunic over light-wash skinny jeans. Tying the self-belt in a bow adds to the romantic vibe, and accentuates our blogger’s waist. Tall boots are making a comeback, and this flat pair in a gorgeous light toffee colour works beautifully with the light blue denim. Christine is wearing her hair down and is sporting a jaunty beret, which also plays up the soft romantic vibe. Also note how the beret bookends the boots. A gold bracelet and ring, and fiery red lipstick are the polished finishing touches.

I can’t wait to hear what you think of Christine’s wonderful outfits. Let us know in the comments, and then hop on over to her Instagram account to browse the rest of her looks.

The Pros and Cons of Blazers

A blazer looks like a suit jacket. It’s most often a formal and structured topper, but casual and unstructured versions are also available. Most are lined and made of woven fabric, but knits and unlined versions are gaining momentum. Lengths and fits vary. Tailored and gently fluid fits at hip lengths are the most traditional blazer silhouette.

My clientele run the gamut when it comes to blazers. Some adore them and have a large assortment. Some feel off in a blazer and do not wear them at all. And others keep a few on hand and enjoy the times they come out to play.

Here’s how I would summarize the reasons for this wide range of opinions on the blazer.

Pros

  • It’s a classic with a high longevity factor
  • It adds interest to an outfit and finishes it off
  • It adds polish, dressiness, structure, and a sharp integrity to a look
  • It provides practical insulation, especially in cold, air-conditioned settings
  • It’s a versatile item that can dress up casual bottoms, like jeans, joggers, corduroy and athleisure pants
  • It can effectively streamline the contour of the body
  • It conveys a sense of authority and professionalism, making the wearer feel pulled together and powerful
  • Knitted blazers are soft, stretchy and comfortable

Cons

  • It is constricting and not as comfortable as a cardigan
  • Woven versions can be hard to fit on broader shoulders and a larger bust 
  • It looks too stiff and straight
  • It looks too classic
  • It feels conservative and overly corporate
  • It’s too formal for a casual lifestyle
  • It is an impractical item that is only worn a few times a year
  • It’s not as practical and easy as a coat
  • It’s hard to layer under a coat
  • It’s not as rock ’n’ roll as a moto, aviator, or denim jacket

I love blazers for the advantages I listed, and personally find them comfortable in gently fluid fits. They are practical for my climate, excellent in air conditioning, easy to fit when I pick the right brands, and can layer them under many of my coats.

That said, I am not as fond of classic and simple streamlined neutral blazers as I used to be. I’ve gravitated towards blazers that are playful, bold and energizing in some way, because those are the ones I keep on wearing.

Here is my current collection of blazers. The first four are the ones I wear the most and give me great joy. A thick checked blazer that’s like a short coat, a velvet floral, a navy polka dot, and a denim blazer with a large cuff that you can’t see in the photo. The burgundy pinstripe blazer is part of a matching suit, which makes me happy too. The very old navy Theory blazer is practical for plane travel, so I keep it around. I hardly ever wear the two old Smythe blazers because they are grey and lack the energizing integrity and fun factor I seek in a blazer these days. But I keep them on the off chance that I might change my mind.

Over to you. Do you wear blazers, and how do they feature in your style?

Veronica Beard Aitana Dickey Jacket

Torrid Light Taupe Plaid Double Knit Blazer