As we head into Autumn and temperatures cool, an additional layer is necessary. A long cardigan that can be worn indoors or outdoors is one way to go. Some of my clients will throw on a jacket when they head out the door, but switch back to a cardigan when working or staying at home because it’s more cosy and comfortable. The long cardigan can be streamlined and straight, voluminous, draping, round-hemmed, cocooned, a ruana, or a sweater jacket.

Here are some easy ways to style long cardigans across a range of silhouettes and levels of dressiness. The examples are mostly neutral and pattern-free, but feel free to add colour and pattern. Some people wear regular shoes at home, while others wear slippers, slides, footies, at-home-only shoes, socks, or go barefoot. It’s all good as long as you’re comfortable and your feet feel supported.

1. Over a Dress

Wearing a long cardigan over a comfy dress works a lot better than you might expect, and is quite flattering. Don’t worry about the different hem lengths — just wear it. Cardigans work best with sleeveless and long-sleeved dresses because there’s no sleeve bunching. But if the cardigan sleeves are wide and roomy, layering over most sleeved dresses will work too.

2. With Jeans

Combine a layering top with a pair of jeans, a long cardigan, and whatever you wear on your feet at home. The layering top can be a blouse, shirt, tank or tee. Wear the top tucked or untucked, and it needn’t be white. The jeans here are skinny and straight but you can wear any jeans silhouette. To balance the volume, you might prefer an oversized cardigan with narrow jeans, and wide-hemmed jeans with a streamlined cardigan.

3. With Athleisure

Combine a tee or tank with a long cosy cardigan and a pair of leggings, joggers, trackpants, or other type of Athleisure pants. Black or grey leggings with a white, black or grey tee are an easy combination. Although it’s not shown here, create a column of colour under the cardigan for a more streamlined look. Sneakers complete the sporty vibe, but whatever you wear on your feet at home is good.

4. With Loungewear

This is the most casual of the looks, and can be reserved for lazy days if it’s too casual to wear while working at home. Perhaps it’s a version you wear first thing in the morning before a shower, when you unwind in the evening, or after a workout. Combine a tee or tank with a pair of pyjama bottoms or sweatpants, and throw a long cardigan over the lot. Cozy socks or slippers finish off the look.

5. With Harem Pants

Create an avant-garde vibe by combining a tee, shell top, blouse or turtleneck with a pair of harem or lantern pants. A pair of flowing and wide knitted pants can work too. Keep the top untucked. Layer a cocoon, draping, or round-hemmed long cardigan over the top. Slip-on sneakers complete the look, but whatever you wear at home on your feet is fab. Add jewellery and watch as desired.

Fully and partially elasticated waistbands are more popular than ever. More common on pants and shorts, but also seen on dresses, rompers, jumpsuits, tops and toppers. Here’s an assortment of items with elasticated waistbands for reference.

The comfort and size flexibility of full or half elasticated waistbands are their greatest advantage. They expand and contract with the width and shape of the waistline, thereby creating a very forgiving fit. The elasticated waist will fit and move with size fluctuations, remaining extremely comfortable. There’s no digging into the waist when you sit down, or after a meal. The stretch of the elastic will also mould to the shape of curves from waist to hip, which means that if you have a swayback or a relatively smaller waist and larger hip, the waistband will fit without the need to alter the size of the waist.

On the other hand, the visual impact of an elasticated waist isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. It wasn’t that long ago that style experts in an awfully fickle and subjective fashion world were very down on bottoms with elasticated waists. They equated them with pyjamas and sweatpants. A structured waistband was thought to be the most flattering and streamlining option.

These days elasticated waistbands are verging on trendy. The Athleisure trend has given them a fashionable lease of life. Joggers and bottoms made of technical fabrics are usually made with full or half elasticated waists to promote ease and comfort. The strong influences of ‘80s and ‘90s aesthetics in today’s fashion took it a step further. Paperbag waists, tube skirts, bias-cut skirts, pleated skirts, knitted pants, utility pants, and palazzo-style flowing pants work exceptionally well with some elastic in the waist. Jeans, culottes and chinos can look fabulous too.

They come in many variations, and some versions look a lot more streamlined and structured than others depending on the cut, silhouette, and fabric of the item. And a partially elasticated waistband with front zipper and button opening looks more structured than its fully elasticated cousin.

Gone are the days that you have to hide your elasticated waistband. Showcase it with a cropped, tucked, or semi-tucked top. Or cover it with a topper or untucked top. Whatever works best for the look you are creating.

Other than lounge pants, I don’t currently have pants with elasticated waistbands, but would absolutely wear them again like I did back in the ‘80s and ‘90s. I have to be careful with the fit because elasticated waists on pants and jeans tend to migrate upwards on my body type when the rise is too long, which feels uncomfortable on the crotch point. They can also pouf out too much on the tummy area when I sit if there is too much fabric. I do better with bias cut and pleated skirts with elastic waists, and have one of each at the moment. They are great.

Over to you. How do you feel about wearing full or partially elasticated waistbands on items other than pyjamas and loungewear?

Since the start of the pandemic and stay-at-home measures, has your style become more casual, or has it stayed the same? If you were already a very casual dresser who has continued to dress casually, you bat for Team The Same. If you worked from home before the pandemic, you might bat for Team The Same. If you’re an essential worker who continues to work in your regular work environment, you might bat for Team the Same.

My own style over the last six months hasn’t changed much. I continue to wear my dressy and smart casual clothes with polished toppers, structured handbags and pearls, despite a socially restricted lifestyle, with no travel, and no in-person client meetings. I style my hair and wear make-up every day. I work from home, run errands and go on grocery runs, cook, clean, and walk our Yorkie Sam. I’ve found that my handbags and footwear are more important than ever because I’m out and about on foot with doggy in tow and not in a car. I need extra COVID-19 measures with me whenever I walk out the front door, AND exceptionally comfortable shoes all the time.

I bat for Team More Casual because I haven’t worn my wedding rings, bracelets, or any shoes but fashion sneakers since the beginning of March. I wore my sandals once, but not for long. My sneakers keep my feet very happy, effectively dress down my dressy looks, and feel right for the times. I also have two pairs of at-home-only sneakers to keep my feet supported.

Although these changes are subtle, they have made my style more casual. When life normalizes and is less socially restrictive, I’ll happily wear my rings and bracelets again, and re-welcome other footwear. That said, I also predict a shift in my post-pandemic footwear style. I think I’ll wear fashion sneakers to client meetings, thereby embracing the business casual and smart casual look with a polished pair of sneakers. Previously I had a rule: no sneakers when working with clients unless I’m shopping the NAS and on my feet for 14 hours. But since my sneaker style is non-athletic, crisp, simple, and I keep them very clean, I’m going for it. Why not! The world has changed forever, and part of me has changed with it.

Over to you. Has your style this year become more casual, or has it stayed the same? If the former, how exactly has your style become more casual, and do you see the change making a more permanent impact? No batting for both teams, but on the bench there are spicy salmon poke bowls with seaweed, rice, cucumber, and edamame in takeout boxes so that you can eat in the safety of your home.

My word, have I been moody with my poor white denim jacket. When I bought it a few seasons ago, I loved the fit, short length, gorgeous quality denim, and very crisp white shade of denim. It’s easy to launder, soft, a little stretchy, very comfortable, robust, and doesn’t need ironing. The only thing that was slightly off about it was the silver hardware. Since I bat for Team Gold, I would have preferred brass or gold buttons. I thought what the heck, it will be okay. The silver will blend into my outfits.

I wore the white denim jacket for a season, and the silver buttons only bothered me a little. But as time went on they bothered me more and more, to a point where I could barely wear it. More often than not, I would opt for a denim jacket with brass or gold buttons instead.

Fast forward to this Spring and Summer, and my white denim jacket is back to being a wardrobe workhorse, silver buttons and all. I choose it regularly because it works well over dresses, skirts, and high-waisted pants and jeans. The dresses I couldn’t wear with this jacket last year, are complete wins with it this year. They’re the same dresses with the same jacket. Nothing has changed, other than the thoughts in my head. I’m fine with the silver buttons and hardly notice them.

Sometimes it’s not about logic, and emotions rule the day. Good thing I held on to the jacket. Does this type of moody reaction to a wardrobe item happen to you too?