It’s a gradual cycle isn’t it, the way in which trends and specific pieces of clothing come and go, take wide-leg trousers which are back after the following: the return of shearling, seventies takes over the catwalks, mustard is the key colour to wear and then BAM – wide-legs have taken centre-stage. God I love wide-leg trousers, to be more specific I love these wide-leg trousers that I bought from Arket that have gone straight to the top of my ‘what did I wear before these?’ purchases, alongside COS polo-necks and my Joseph dungarees. These trousers are beautifully cut in the finest wool, meaning they lightly hang and drape in such a flattering way – even with beaten-up Stan Smith’s; ‘Tone where are your trousers from? If they’re still in-stock I need to buy them now’ said a friend – they’re that good.
But can you wear them with flats? Do you have to wear them with heels? The 1970s put them with platforms and the 1990s pointed courts but 2017 says trainers are the smart and cooler choice for both day and night, at the moment the chunkier and uglier the cooler. In this week’s How to Style with Antonia O’Brien video I wear three different outfits showing how I make them work.
My first port of call was colour and I am wearing my Cos polo-neck that I’ve had for years; they have the same fine merino wool in the same brilliant orange in-store now. Navy looks FANTASTIC with bright orange and FYI it was a hugely popular combination on the spring catwalks. Dressing and layering similar colours looks expensive and thoughtfully stylish and will work across lots of colours from pinks (think pale against Pepto-Bismol) to camels (chic) and brights like here.
When styling the wide-leg trouser with a blazer for a sleek suit style, I didn’t want it to look too stiff and corporate so I’m wearing it with a a silky leopard print pyjama shirt and matching/ clashing it with a leopard print clutch bag; don’t be afraid to wear the same print together but no more that three styles or it will be overload!
And finally, head-to-toe navy is an elegantly-cool day-to-evening look so here I’m wearing a button-down blouse that ribbon-ties at the nape of the neck and for a bit of colour and polish, huge emerald green earrings. When wearing one colour, consider different textures (I feel like I always say this but it’s true!) and the devil really is in the detail to add interest to an outfit.
