What to wear to shake up 2018
Re-inventing your style could be as simple as ive new items of clothing.
If you’re looking to give what you wear a little nudge into more adventurous territory this year, designer Jessica Grubisa - one-half of Auckland label Harman Grubisa suggests you start by ignoring a piece of advice from none other than Coco Chanel.
“Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off,” the fashion legend once said.
“I completely disagree with Coco,” says Grubisa. “I think you should put one more thing on before you leave the house.”
Chanel suggested we say more by wearing less in the pursuit of her famed elegance. Grubisa advises the opposite. Turn up the volume, ladies.
And if, like me, you came to the end of 2017 and realised your “signature look” had become a pair of black cotton AS Colour trousers and a spotty Kowtow sweatshirt (great those these are!) - not to mention finding yourself seduced more and more by multi-purpose mother-wear and on a slippery slope to too-tired-to-care drudge dressing - being louder in your choice of clothing, and adding one more thing, seems a better tonic than pared-back elegance.
Reject “boring, safe” black and experiment with colour, Grubisa says. “Colour often looks better on people than black,” she says. “Don’t be afraid of colour.”
It’s likely you’ve read these fighting fashion words about boldness and colour before, but, tellingly, Grubisa also says be on the lookout for bliss.
“I’m an emotional purchaser,” she says. “If it makes me feel something, I am going to buy it.”
“I want to feel bliss when I wear [clothes].”
We asked Grubisa to suggest the five key pieces she would invest in to kickstart a mini wardrobe overhaul. Her picks were a coat, a “great white shirt”, a bag, shoes and a piece of statement jewellery.
Two of her own selections in these categories are Harman Grubisa.
“The Marina coat from our current season is the perfect trans-seasonal update - it’s an effortless silhouette that will add subtle edge to any summer outfit.”
Grubisa advises looking for “unexpected twists on classics” in your five pieces, for versatility.
The twist in her coat choice is its short sleeves. The piece works well with a jeans and a T-shirt, but you can also wear it to a wedding. The twist in her white Harman Grubisa shirt choice is the wrap design.
“This cotton wrap shirt has ties to synch in the waist. You can wrap this multiple ways, depending on personal preference.”
As well as provoking feelings of bliss and taking risks with colour, Grubisa suggests the pieces you choose are well-made items in natural fabrics like pure silk and linen.
“Always focus on quality and longevity,” she says. “These are pieces you [will] keep forever.”
And never lose sight of you in the process.
“These statement pieces have to fit into your wardrobe, not destroy it,” she says.