There’s something brave about wearing lengths of white aren’t there; wearing a blank canvas that is wide-open and ready to have coffee, bolognese or red wine spilt down it. Wearing white implies that you’re an adult, you’re competent and classy and able to keep your clothes clean; your wardrobe is mostly dry clean only and you don’t let outside factors like children and cocktail coupes affect what you wear. I love white but have inherited an inability to get both my food and drink to my mouth without shlirping or spilling it down my front. With spring flirting with us it feels like time to lighten and brighten my wardrobe, well, and my hair but that’s not what I’m talking about.
Just ahead of last month’s London Fashion Week I took a turn around Jaeger’s store on Marylebone High Street and felt a pang for their white tailoring. Listen, one thing you should know about me is that I have a wardrobe bursting with tailoring from tuxedos to blazers and sleeveless jackets – but what I’m missing is a white coat. But how will I wear it? Is it me? Am I grown up enough? Is it too Hilary Clinton? Jaeger styles it effortlessly with a grey knit and blush pink wide-leg trousers but how would I make it my own? On this idea I thought I would set myself a ‘how-to-style’ challenge: one coat, three days, three different ways to wear it. This is how I made it work…
Look 1.
An easy look for when the weather begins to warm up and you’re feeling a bit braver with colour, stripes and denim are classic and look fresh with white tailoring. It isn’t quite slip-ons weather yet but Zara’s mules work so well with trousers and the white-on-white looks and feels new (and is such a delight after months of wearing boots!) Courtesy of footwear and accessories brand Mansur Gavriel mules are everywhere this spring and although these aren’t available anymore, these open toe slingbacks are *adds to shopping basket.
Look 2.
Looking at this now it really is quite Hilary Clinton circa 2016 isn’t it?! I think wearing white with white looks sleek and expensive, just be careful not to mix your creams and whites and try to match them as closely as possible; a yellow-cream will look dirty against a clean blue-white. In my opinion, there is always room for leopard print; I’ve had this Equipment shirt for years and price-per-wear (the best way to justify spending more than you should!) it has been well worth it; similar styles here. To punctuate all-white and print I chose patent Mary-Jane’s; Topshop have a really cute pair at the moment and I guarantee they work with everything from cutoff jeans to floral dresses and leather trousers.
Look 3.
I don’t often wear tights and trainers but there was something appealing about a smart tailored coat in contrast to a leather skirt and Stan Smith’s. As we move into spring I am going to have to let go of my polo-necks – but not yet! Here I am wearing Cos (men’s) knitwear with a silk scarf folded at the neck to add in some striped colour. I think every wardrobe needs a leather skirt; this is a wrap style from Reiss (from years ago) and I wear it across all seasons with knitwear, sandals, jumpers and silk vests.
#Jaegerstyle
Jaeger | Boyfriend Coat | £350
