Clothes My Husband Hates

A new series in which I show you how I get dressed.

Welcome to my new semi-regular feature that looks at how I put together clothes.

A few things about me.

• I like clothes. Really, really a lot. Probably too much.

• I really like getting dressed. And as such, I spend a lot of time putting together outfits in my head. What Gaby Roslin calls ‘Shopping in your wardrobe’. I do it constantly. It’s a low-key creative outlet for me that gives me joy. This isn’t the same as my Instagram series #weekonawall but it’s likely these are some of the looks that enter my head and may well end up in the mix at some point. 

• I’ve become more adventurous as I’ve gotten older in my use of colour and more confident in putting things together that a younger me would have been too nervy about ‘what others might think’. Older me is all, ‘Balls to that - wear what YOU like.’ So what I like might not always be what you like and that is fine. But often, on my Instagram, followers tell me I put things together in ways they wouldn’t have thought of, so I thought I’d start offering up some ideas from time to time here.

• The clothes featured will always be my own. A mix of old and new. I’ll provide links where I can. 

OK - let’s wear some #clothesmyhusbandhates

1 RED BLAZER, 8 LOOKS

I’ve been looking for a red blazer for ages. Blazers are such a great wardrobe staple and I have a few in all the right sensible colours - black, white, navy - so I wanted something fun. And then I came across one that was half price in Arket. It was half price because it was on their summer clearance rail. It’s not winter woolly, no, but I think that makes it great to wear in a centrally heated office or a sweaty train. Winter warmth will come from what I layer under and over it. Here’s a few ways I’ll be wearing it.

Seventies ‘off’ colours

Trousers Tory Sport Top Me+Em Shoes Sezane Bag Jimmy Choo (old)

These ochre (unkind people might say ‘baby shit brown’) trousers have been a favourite of mine since I got hold of them last year. The Tory Sport brand is brilliant for elevated casual pieces, which has probably evolved into my main aesthetic these days. Anyway, the bold red is a great foil for them. Styled here with a simple, neutral top from Me+Em but I’d also add another colour block like this:

Same credits as above except for lilac cardigan, which is old Arket

Marching band preppy

Shirt old JCrew Trousers Golden Goose Trainers battered old Adidas

Again, sporty bottoms that I’m really happy to wear to the office. Even though my husband says they are clown trousers. But that’s OK, I like being the thing that looks a bit mad walking down the street on a grey London day. Also: I love, love, love this shirt which cost a fortune a few years ago from JCrew. It sheds like a motherf**ker and is dry clean only which I loathe for white clothes. So I don’t wear it very often. Recently I asked the amazing Nicole Akong to top up the feathers for me so it lives to fight another day. It always makes me happy when I do wear it and always elicits compliments from strangers. The sleeves are absolutely meant to pop surprisingly out of blazer sleeves. I bought some armbands from John Lewis to invisibly ruche up sleeves when needed. But hairbands work too.

Print clash

Shirt Lisou Skirt old Sonia Rykiel Trainers Adidas

This is the kind of thing that back when she worked with us, my nanny would have called ‘very brave’. But I think the red jacket sort of pulls the two clashing prints together in a ‘Come on now, be friends’ kind of way. 

4. Always with denim

   

   It’s true, I’m a sucker for a primary palette. It’s why I needed the red jacket, to be the bright foil to all my denim and navy outfits. 

More primary preppy

T shirt Batch1 Jeans Wiggy Kit Shoes Stradivarius

I have a lot of slogan/novelty T shirts  - I buy a lot from Uniqlo and Batch1. I like them best when the rest of the outfit is a little more polished. These jeans from Wiggy Kit are a great way to wear denim for work days, as the stitching detail makes them feel a bit posher than your average pair of jeans.

McDonald’s chic

Tank top Uniqlo Trousers old Me+Em Trainers Adidas

Go on, do it. People will smile. Or laugh at you, but laughing is still smiling. Spread the joy. I really do want fries with this.

Pastel power

Top Wyse Trousers Madeleine Thompson Trainers Adidas

The bold red works well with quieter shades too. And pink and red is a classic.

8. French it up

   

   Shirt Arket Scarf old Arket Jeans Me+Em Shoes River Island

   I saw something like this on a Pinterest board. A chic Left Bank Parisienne adding a scarf to the most basic of outfits and elevating instantly. So I’m copying it. I love scarves, but out of everything I wear, they’re often the thing I put on, then take off again worrying that I look pretentious. I don’t know why. So I’m referring myself to my ‘Balls to that!’ advice from earlier. 

So there you go, some styling ideas from me. Let me know if this has been entertaining/of any use!