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Two generations, one problem solved: this week, our duo tackle spring layers
Charlie Gowans-Eglinton, 32
Ifind winter the trickiest of the seasons to dress for, as a heavy winter coat can so easily sap all the joy out of an outfit. You’ll go off a brightly coloured one by midwinter, but navy or black is so cheerless – so unless you can afford multiple warm winter coats, you’re damned whatever you do. Which is why, the moment the daffs start to come up, I swap said coat for a pair: a base coat and top coat.
The top layer can be a trench, duster or mac – whatever you already have, as long as the sleeves aren’t too tight. Visually, it looks best if this top coat is the longer of the two – a just-above-the-knee trench coat is spot on.
The base coat is the piece that you may not already have in your wardrobe, so here’s what to look for. First, the fabric should be on the softer side – anything too stiff will be uncomfortable to layer. Secondly, it should be hip-length, different enough in length to the top coat to look intentional. Finally, it should be belted, to create a waistline despite all those layers.
The best styles are utility-style button-front shackets (shirt/jacket hybrids) that come with matching belts.
Colour-wise, this season’s preoccupation with browns and beiges will serve you well, perhaps with a little army-green thrown into the mix. Any shades in this palette will complement each other well, but they’ll also work with almost everything else in your wardrobe – and they’re trans-seasonal.
This viscose jacket from Warehouse is my pick of the bunch. It’s both jacket and top, making it extra versatile – in summer, it works well over printed dresses, it’s great over tailored black trousers when it’s a bit cooler, and, at this time of year, it layers easily: no heavy coat required.
eri owans, 63
The cuticles of all my fingers are torn with the constant washing of my hands, but the sun came out on Sunday morning and the breeze was warm and full of summer promise. So, like you, I’m carrying on, hopeful that I won’t catch the virus, careful that I don’t, and sanguine lest I do. And I’m irrationally enjoying layering my clothes so I can slip off the jacket I have on in meetings and sit down at my desk in a notionally cleaner underlayer. Peeling off my top layer makes me feel a bit sanitised after being with lots of people and before I can head for a shower. And if the layer below is beautiful, I also feel happier, which really is a mood boost, if not an immunity one. So to the ubiquitous silk shirt – not just a layer but an event. There are so many beautiful silk shirts on the racks just now but I’m very taken with a rainbow of silks from & Other Stories. I was looking at their range because Charlie bought me a pair of their wide-leg trousers and the fit is fantastic. I usually wear a 12, but in these I’m a 16, so you might want to try them before you buy – worth it because the tailoring is so flattering. So, when I was looking for a new blouse, I looked here first. I’ve chosen the mint green, even though I haven’t worn gelati colours since the Seventies. The neck is quite masculine; I’m really not a fan of overloading softly draped silk, with frills and pussy bows and unrestrained girlieness. A little restraint in the styling makes it very wearable. Besides, the V-neck is perfect for a string of pearls. This shirt is good for a full tuck-in, a French tuck with the back loose, or indeed untucked.