Lisa ARMSTRONG
Back in August, The New York Times read the last rites over fashion, suggesting we’d all be in sweatpants for ever more. Judging by the best sellers at Whistles (leather jackets), Boden (an exuberantly embroidered coat) and John Lewis (cashmere, and they’ve also introduced the relatively formal workwear brand The Fold into their mix), this is far from the full story.
Speaking of which, when The Fold asked its customers what motivated them to dress the way they do at work, 78 per cent explained they used their outfits as a visual CV. A big incentive in choosing what to wear was how much it communicated their seniority. Even without that goal, five months mining the ultra-casual section of our wardrobes has left many yearning for something a bit more inspiring.
Not that there’s anything wrong with the concept of sweatpants per se (although track pants sound more hygienic). Provided they’re well executed – big proviso – jogging pants can semaphore open-mindedness and relaxed flexibility. At Nrby they’ve been elevated, in midnight-blue velvet with elasticated ankles or in charcoal jersey with ankle ties, to become de facto trousers. You get all the advantages of a trackie, chief of which is a forgiving waistband, plus the allure of velvet. Pop on the right kind of shoes (this may be the moment to venture into a small heel, if the mood grabs you) and they ooze a kind of softglamour, which could as easily work on a dinner date as at your desk.
Joanne Hooper, a former buying director at John Lewis, set up Nrby in March 2019, expressly to provide the kind of clothes many of us wear in real life when we’re at home or grabbing a coffee locally. But now, as many of us contemplate a return to company workplaces, the Nrby proposal is looking like an optimal way of dressing most of the time. Essentially, it’s composed of a core of comfortable, stretchy, drapey, elasticated “basics”, utilitarian classics, such as denim or canvas and cuddly teddy-bear textures that work as well with knits and T-shirts as
Knits infiltrate every category this autumn, shirts included
they do with silk blouses and jackets.
Jackets, also in velvet, are precisely what Nrby has added to the mix this season, in shots of turquoise or navy. Me+em also has a velvet blazer, in a zingy shade of pumpkin, that goes with far more than you’d imagine. Boden has a velvet one in dark leafy green… so yes, velvet tailoring, one of the big hits of winter 2019, is back and a potent purveyor of confidence-dressing. Corduroy is also a winning fabric for blazers. The advantage of both these fabrics is that while they excel at soft-glamour, they’re as far from the traditional corporate road map as the Blue Ridge Mountains. So is a contrast-edged boyfriend cardigan, or any kind of wool indoor-coat that can be belted or left loose, depending on your mood. Knits infiltrate every category this autumn, including dresses, skirts and shirts. It’s another example of designers adapting to a new kind of workwear. Match or tone adjacent shades and keep layers fluid and streamlined, like this tempting duo from Whistles, for an outfit that feels both cosy and sleek.
One of the more productive lessons from all those video meetings is that colour lifts a mundane staple as well as the spirits. If you’re looking for subtlety, Mercer, an American brand, offers flattering in-between shades – teal’s a universally complimentary shade that goes with everything – and crease-proof fabrics. Mercer started out with comfortable suits but this winter is fielding fit and flare dresses that can be layered up as the weather and context requires.
The transition from WFH clothes to Out and About clothes becomes less of a jolt if you build in feel-good textures. Those aforementioned teddy-bear mixes are essentially posh versions of a fleece, but a whole lot better looking. Make that very posh, with chunky zippers, piping in some cases and good tailoring – wear them over lacy camisoles and silky or masculine trousers, with a glossy belt for a versatile look.
Tank tops feature in many collections this winter and bring warmth, contrasting colour and definition and interest to summer blouses. They’re particularly useful under jackets, when another set of sleeves would prove too bulky, and worn over summer dresses. Look for a stepped hem – it’s smarter and more contemporary than traditional, slightly blouson-effect hems. Me+em’s oatmeal tank isn’t cheap but a good quality and cut, with a detachable funnel neck – versatility is prized in the new flexi paradigm – and will add longevity to lightweight pieces. The key to easy workwear is mixing utility and feminine pieces – a kitten heel with a tracksuit, a broderie-anglaise shirt with a tractor-sole boot, a midi or maxi skirt with a cropped or safari jacket.
Like so many changes in 2020, these hybrid looks have been a long time coming, but accelerated through lockdown, as designers worked from their own homes, along with many of us. Given that it evolved from the ground up rather than being imposed on us from a catwalk or a remote design studio, it will be interesting to see whether Easy Workwear becomes one of the defining sartorial legacies of 2020.