SHE’S A RICH GIRL
A LOOK BEST DESCRIBED AS “BOUGIE” IS TAKING THE FASHION WORLD BY STORM. BUT WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR YOUR WARDROBE?
Berets, blazers and pussybow blouses – fashion embraces “bougie”.
SOME TRENDS ARE PREDICTABLE, given their connection to pop culture and world events. When Kim Kardashian and Yeezy made bike shorts a thing, they suddenly infiltrated the highly-respected runways of Fendi, Dior and Prada. Hillary Clinton spent the better part of a year lighting up our screens in pantsuits of various hues, then female suiting became all the rage. After the
Blade Runner remake, futuristic fashion via tiny sunglasses and iridescent accessories appeared. It was a surprise, then, that the dominant trend of AW19 referenced a style worn by middle-to-upper-class Europeans in the 18th century known as the bourgeoisie. Rebellion to our reality-tv era? Response to our Netflix obsession with period dramas? Whatever the catalyst, we’re on board.
The aesthetic isn’t new, but with all the luxe fabrications and rich-looking neutrals now on offer, it sure has us excited about donning a cape and culottes. We got our first taste of modern bougie in the pre-fall collections. Gucci combined a glossy blazer and waistcoat, full-length skirt and tiger-print shoes; Hermès offered camel-coloured jackets with navy jeans; Salvatore Ferragamo had check coats with mid-thigh boots; while Camilla and Marc included jodhpurs-esque pants.
At the AW19 shows, we saw Burberry do pussy bows, pleated skirts and gloves, while Victoria Beckham included crisp shirts worn with check pencil skirts. But Celine embodied the trend best as Hedi Slimane paid homage to the brand’s equestrian roots courtesy of horsebit motifs and leather accessories.
It only takes a couple of key investments to make this trend your own. The backbone of the new bougie is wearability, which means structured blazers, high-waisted pants, blue denim and silk shirts – in short, the staples you should already own. The addition of a statement scarf, boot or checked anything will allow you to dip your toes in. It’s all in the blue-ribbon attitude, darling.
“It ONLY TAKES a COUPLE OF INVESTMENT PIECES to MAKE this TREND YOUR OWN”