The clothes that make a woman well-dressed – whatever her age
We all think we know the definition of well dressed, but in reality it’s highly subjective. For some it’s the Duchess of Cambridge in a classic Emilia Wickstead fit and flare dress and court shoes. For others it’s Cate Blanchett rocking an edgy Alexander McQueen black trouser suit with humongous, statement, cobalt, ruffled sleeves. For me this season, it’s theoretically Vanessa Kirby, at the Valentino show in Paris, wearing a fitted white trouser suit with lace inserts.
I say theoretically because – well, white lace. It’s not the wardrobe staple you’re going to turn to on the average work morning is it? Unless your work happens to be Actress with Front Row ticket. And even then, I couldn’t help but notice that Kirby had a PR on hand (in practical black) who kept adjusting that white jacket whenever a photographer moved into view.
The point is, being well dressed isn’t necessarily about acquiring the showiest zingers you can find. It’s not about having a wardrobe of anonymous basics either. Sure, you need them as foundations, but you also, to extend the architectural metaphor, need the paint, the rugs and the furniture. The paint is, no surprise here, your colour scheme. Unless you have bottomless resources, my advice is to decide what your neutrals are navy, grey, camel, whatever (there was, surprise surprise, so much black on the Paris catwalks over the past 10 days) and then to restrict any additional colours to one of three or four different groups that all go together.
Arguably, everyone should have one really strong piece in their wardrobe in a kerpow shade – to stop things being utterly predictable. It doesn’t have to be theatrical – remember how Victoria Beckham, in Paris this week to promote her collection (without a catwalk show), used to go for blinding head-to-toe shades? These days she’s more sophisticated, mixing colours that are adjacent to one another on the colour wheel – a good tip for anyone who wants to shake things up without looking like a children’s TV presenter.
That colour needs to be one which really suits your skin tone and that you’re fairly sure you can live with on repeat wears. Seventy per cent of the Valentino show on Sunday was in a searing pink – bold, considering the house’s signature shade is red. But pink is meant to be happy and uplifting. What I can categorically tell you is that a little goes a long way, but what a way. With black, navy or even a dash of yellow or orange (a bag or shoe), it could just be the colour you find yourself turning to when you need an instant, relatively effortless, uplift.
Talking of bags, I’ve yet to see an oversized, puffy or saggy thing that adds anything to an outfit. Of course there are times we need to cart a lot around – in which case, a well constructed tote looks best. The rest of the time, a sleek shape, as slimline as is workable, is a classic investment – and back on top of the fashion agenda. On the catwalks at The Row, Chloé, Victoria Beckham, Saint Laurent and off them, on Catherine Deneuve and yes, Victoria Beckham – all over the place in fact – they abounded, either cross-body, shoulder or top handled. Plenty to choose from if you’re looking for an update.
It’s a given that everyone needs a good trench coat, a la Demi Moore, but the wrong one is a wardrobe blocker. You feel you should wear it and therefore don’t get rid of it, and yet every time you put it on, it doesn’t look or feel quite right. There’s so much variation in terms of volume, shoulder details (to épaulette or not to épaulette? Not to, if you’re quite small; keep it fuss and bulk-free).
One lesson from Paris this week among the variety is that a trench no longer has to be beige, navy or even khaki. Nor does it have to be boxy of shoulder or straight up and down. Sacai’s are swashbuckling, with strong, wide lapels, but also with waists that can be adjusted for maximum flattering. Find the shade, or even the pattern (there are lots of checked trenches around) that you love and it will be your round-the-year friend.
It’s a similar story with dresses. We could all do with The Perfect One. The good news is that the much heralded return of bodycon, Apprentice-style dresses has been challenged. Silky, fit and flare dresses (understated but chic enough to wear anywhere at Hermès) are in good supply in 2022 and so much more grown-up and flattering than oversized prairie dresses.
Talking of the Duchess of Cambridge, the Catherine Walker Prince of Wales check blazer she wore recently is one of the best examples of a timeless investment piece that, every other year or so, becomes a bona fide fashion statement. Checked jackets – from blazers to cropped, boxy cuts or nipped-in shapes like Dior’s Bar jacket – are all over the catwalks. They’re a much better bet than navy or black, which can be quite hard to match up with other navy or black pieces, as they go with everything and, however strictly cut, never look severe or banal.
If tailoring is your thing, then a colourful trouser suit, as opposed to black (a bit hotel manager), navy (a bit boring) or white (high maintenance) – is the way forward as it can look relaxed during the day and is easy to dress up at night. Cobalt is the colour to beat this season, in terms of practicality and being universally flattering. But don’t rule out a pale shade if your heart’s set on it. You need to love the clothes you wear, and a cream trouser suit in corduroy (washable) or a flecked tweed, a la Carla Bruni, is a more pragmatic buy than you might think. If orange or fuchsia is more to your taste, rest assured, there’s a trouser suit out there.
There are also trousers to suit everyone and having spent a very chilly few days in Paris this week, I can only say, merci. There are icily cold days when a skirt or dress just doesn’t cut it. Fortuitously, there’s a new shape in town that might just eclipse those Parisian drainpipes: loose legged, pleated from the waist, which sits at the navel. It’s flattering, feminine and looks elegant with blouses, cropped jumpers and most jackets.
A great jumpsuit is another standby of the well dressed – all the ease of a dress with some youthful attitude. The newest, such as Stella McCartney’s distressed velvet, bring some tailoring to the equation. They are the dream round-the-clock, dress it up, dress it down, with heels or with trainers, wardrobe staple.
Costume jewellery (or real if your bank account allows) also punches way above its weight and allotted space. Saint Laurent’s monochrome show was full of the kind of stand-out, gobstopper-sized rings and sculpted bangles that transform simple classics into something stunning. Saint Laurent also had beautiful black patent, chisel-toed shoes with gold hardware, although I think shoe of the season goes to Chanel’s teeny kitten heel slingbacks – black patent again. Even the most rigorous minimalist needs one or two striking pieces that will make her tightly edited wardrobe work three times more efficiently. After all, another definition of being well dressed in 2022 is having just the right amount of clothes so you always have something to wear but are never suffocated by too much choice.
The stylish pieces that make a woman well-dressed
Corduroy jumpsuit, £295, Usisi Sister; Cotton blend trench, £197, 12Storeez; Printed dress, £169, Whistles; Gold plated, onyx and crystal ring, £110, Soru; Cotton trousers, £79, Cos; Envelope clutch bag, £200, S. Joon; Recycled polyester coat, £38.50, La Redoute
