The Daily Telegraph - Saturday - The Telegraph Magazine
Ginnie Chadwyck-healey Yes please to dungarees
As regular readers of this column will know, I am a firm believer in buying fewer, better pieces. If we ponder each purchase and sharpen our mindset as to what is futureproof, we reduce consumption and, long-term, save money. They might also work as vehicles for other (probably unworn) pieces staring at you, crying out to be worn in new ways.
Milldred is my brand of choice today. Focusing only on dungarees, this is a small, emerging company run by Milly Marsden. The attention to design detail and pattern-cutting (both take place in London before the pieces are made in India) set them apart. Gone are the days of dungarees only suiting pregnancy. They can be cut loose if you don’t want to feel restricted, they can be light and linen for summer, or a heavyweight velvet – great with a silk shirt – for evening.
They have staying power, as Marsden affirms: ‘In the fast-paced world of fashion, dungarees have maintained a comparatively simple, functional design over their history. They’re the original wardrobe staple. Ours are made to be worn all year round, year after year.’
Milldred’s dungarees are organic cotton and, even better, use organic dyes. Standard dyes can cause irreversible damage to local rivers, and eventually the ocean. The world needs colour, but kind colour.
How would I wear them? With a T-shirt, a ruffle collar, a Breton top, with a roll-neck in winter, with an overshirt, with a swimsuit on holiday, with gingham, florals, silk and polka dots. They are a great way to wear all those tops languishing in your wardrobe. Make a concerted effort to mix things up. Challenge yourself over a week: take one pair of dungarees and change your top each day – it’s as good as retail therapy. Dungarees are a reliable foundation.
Shoes-wise, they require a neat flat; a plimsoll, a Birkenstock, a hi-top, a Chelsea boot (see penelopechilvers.com) or a loafer. Consider the dungarees as a way to rotate shoes and boots, blouses and tees. Think of your clothes like the cast of Toy Story. Unearth them, let them come out and play!