WAIST LAND
Tonal dressing made the humble belt an endangered species as wearers became afraid to interrupt the flow of colour with a strip of leather. Fortunately, keeping your pants up is back in fashion. Belts lend definition to high-waisted trousers and can alter a silhouette faster than a shopping-centre tailor. Keep it preppy with subtle logos and autumnal shades.
SHOW SOME FLARE
While we slowly broke up with our skinny jeans, our faithful flares waited patiently in the wings. Skinny jeans were all about holding things in; flares, which team so well with sandals and boots, allow you to fly your fashion flag high. Add a vintage-band T-shirt to pay tribute to the late style icon Jane Birkin (pictured below) – or a striped shirt and tweed jacket for some early-’80s dash.
GREATEST KNITS
Blame it on that deli scene, but When Harry Met Sally is a highly underrated fashion film, with Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal both showing some serious style as they fall in love across the years. Channel Ryan’s red jumper (pictured below) – without committing to cable-knit – in this bold V-neck from the year’s National Designer Award winner, Haulier. The boxy silhouette makes it a perfect solution for him and her.
NOW YOU SEE IT . . .
The nights are getting longer but before winter ushers in a season of social hibernation, step out into the moonlight in a nightwear-inspired dress. Think of it as an upgrade to pyjama dressing – although one that evokes sensuality rather than zeds. The 1930s have had a strong influence on the runways of late, with silk and lace venturing outdoors. With its contrasting panels playing hide-and-seek, this Cue midi dress nods to the current sheer trend.
CHORE ROSTER
Just when we learnt what a “shacket” was, we find it’s been usurped by the humble chore jacket. Often called a French worker’s jacket in a desperate grab for chic credentials, this simple item is made of durable material and looks cool in situations where a blazer’s too stiff. Make like the French and stick to blue, or follow MJ Bale’s lead and don a pattern that packs a gentle punch. Street-style photographer Bill Cunningham (pictured below) famously wore a blue chore jacket for most of his working life – and if it was good enough for Bill …
WATER BABY
Schiaparelli sent lobster necklaces and crab jewellery down the runway in Paris recently, prompting some brands to plunge into ocean inspiration. Sarah Munro, creative director of jewellers Sarah & Sebastian, is a keen diver who already spends a good deal of time beneath the waves to kickstart the creative process. Rather than swim with crustaceans, Munro has been inspired by kelp in her latest, gleaming collection.
HEAD BOY
Beanies and baseball caps once occupied the high ground, but a new broader brim is staking its claim as a style leader. Cowboy accessories are galloping to the front of men’s wardrobes, thanks to Western-infused runway shows from Louis Vuitton and Willy Chavarria; even Beyoncé is on board with her country crossover hit, Texas Hold ’Em. Add some Aussie edge by dipping into the Akubra archives, the colour black proving equally stylish in town and country.
