In Her Shoes
Doreen Koe Pattijn is a firm believer in making your wardrobe work for you
er walk-in wardrobe is the stuff of every fashion maven’s dream. Suffused with natural light, it features a floor-to-ceiling mirror, a white stone island and is filled with neatly arranged apparel, jewellery, bags and row upon row of shoes. Carrie Bradshaw, eat your heart out. Since hanging up her tailored suits and fitted dresses a couple of months ago, ex-banker Doreen Koe Pattijn now has a greater freedom with her sartorial choices. These days, she might be clad in shorts and a linen top while walking her dog, or pounding the pavement in a Lucas Hugh activewear ensemble. But embracing a more active lifestyle doesn’t mean she has compromised on her style, which she describes as “classic chic with a playful twist”. Mixing Louis Vuitton and Dolce & Gabbana with Isabel Marant and Maje, Doreen relies on an arsenal of statement accessories to transform classic silhouettes. The avid online shopper is so adept at manoeuvring through her favourite websites (Net-a-porter, Farfetch and Shopbop) that she can anticipate how a garment would feel just by reading the fabric composition details. Her idea of a major fashion crime is not putting any thought into what you wear: “You’ll never see me in anything sloppy,” she says. “I even wear heels on the plane; I don’t care if my feet hurt, if the outfit needs to be paired with heels, nothing will stop me!”
Trends have to work for you, not against you