The London Lookbook: Recycled style
The Autumn/Winter collections were peppered with mid 20th century inspired looks; Prada, Bottega Veneta, Dolce and Gabbana, Jonathan Saunders and Lanvin all paid reverence to the refined elegance of the Hitchcock heroine. The Lady Like look is right up my ally – it’s a good fit for my vintage aesthetic and suits my body type – freaky teeny waist and a trunk chock-full of junk.
As much as I love to buy new clothes, shelling out for a new outfit every week would result in inevitable bankruptcy. Fortunately my training as a stylist comes in handy for creating on trend looks with my old clobber. I’ve taken inspiration from Mrs Prada by cinching in my old red coat with a vintage belt. I’ve further embellished with vintage broaches that I’ve had for years. When wearing a mid-century inspired outfit it’s important to keep the look grounded in the present – I wore my hair loose and un-blow dried to avoid costume drama territory.
The fashion industry is often criticised for encouraging shoppers blindly to buy new clothes despite financial and environmental concerns. I choose to look at new trends somewhat differently; it’s not a prescriptive instruction that designers dictate from their ivory fashion tower, but rather an inspirational jumping off point. Being on trend doesn’t necessarily mean maxing out credit cards or slavishly wearing looks that look rubbish. It’s knowing what works for you and expressing what inspires you – this can be done with a little clever styling and imagination. If there’s nothing in the current season that you like, just say stuff it and go your own way.
