STYLE WATCH WITH GRACE CAHILL
From the catwalk to your wardrobe… Grace Cahill on the fashion fixes that work in the real world
CERTAIN MONTHS OF THE YEAR do impractical things to our wardrobes. What do you realistically buy in August when the sales are over and summer feels like an afterthought but it’s still too warm to make any autumnal decisions? The tricky in-between period tends to transcend function – I usually make the kind of impulsive purchases that rarely make sense with my wardrobe but pull at my heartstrings. Did I ever imagine I would be swooning over a silky scarf print co-ord in Zara – the sort of garment you spot on the beach in Marbella – for a day out in Dublin? I did not. Yet there I was last Saturday looking at a flimsy, scarf-patterned handkerchief top pondering all the possibilities.
You can blame Queen Elizabeth for the impractical prints that are already stirring our sartorial yearning for drapy halterneck tops and asymmetric dresses. Last season she gave young Irish designer Richard Quinn’s elaborate scarf prints the seal of approval after attending his AW show and put in a personal order for his ethereal coat dresses.
Others designers like Toga, Salvatore Ferragamo and Jacquemus have taken traditional scarf motifs and blown them up to create elaborate creations – everything from silky retro prints on kaftans and maxi dresses to neater pleated skirts. Besides Quinn, a new cult Parisian designer named Marine Serre has released a collection saturated with scarfy patterns. She has garnered attention for upcycling prints so her patchwork dresses and skirts can all be designed sustainably.
Happily, there are already versions spilling onto the high street from silky matching co-ords at Zara (€39.95, pictured above right), which captures a more bohemian spirit to Mango’s romantic midi dresses in more chintzy scarf prints (€89.95). Whistles, Warehouse and Dorothy Perkins also have the ultimate day out dresses in romantic silky scarf patterns that come in wrap and long, flowy button-up silhouettes.
To keep your look grown-up, simplicity is key. Swirls of paisley, petals, curls and swirls instantly give life and vibrancy to a outfit but they can also look too busy. To make more impractical prints work, blend them with sleek, tailored pieces that will balance out zany, eye-catching prints. Footwear? The right pair is key – otherwise you veer into mumsy territory. Wedges or embellished heels are not advised. Rather, try block heels, mules or, coming into colder weather, patent leather boots. If you can’t do heels, try simple black trainers.
For other dreamy scarf print references, Google Victoria Beckham’s scarf print midi – the designer put a demure twist on the look earlier this year with a neat turtleneck and knee-high boots. If you’re still not convinced, you can rarely go wrong with a silky pattern around your neck – Alexa Chung is a lesson in cool, refined scarf wearing.
“TO MAKE IMPRACTICAL PRINTS WORK, BLEND THEM WITH SLEEK, TAILORED PIECES”