Step away from the ketchup white’s back
WeARING all white from top to toe? Surely a sartorial affectation for the irredeemably smug. And certainly not for anyone who does their own laundry.
Wearing all-white is Bianca Jagger marrying Mick (in the whitest of white tuxedos). It’s elizabeth Hurley well, just being elizabeth Hurley. To wear top-to-toe white is to invite trouble. When a character in a film appears in a lily-white two-piece, it is only a matter of time before they get splattered in mud, gore, chianti, or all of the above.
But wearing white from head to foot is a thing in fashion right now. And intriguingly, it will continue to be one for next season. Yes, that would be top-to-toe white in winter, too. See glorious white coats at Swiss fashion house Akris, and scrumptious layered knits on the runway at Michael Kors, if you don’t believe me.
While I can’t deny finding this trend disconcerting, I realise I’m wearing more white than I’ve worn in years. White sneakers are my go-to flats, even with a summer dress.
I’m absolutely in love with the new balloon-sleeved crisp white blouses that are coming into stores right now, which look so flattering and fresh with high- waisted wide trousers. COS have some great examples ( cosstores.com).
And I’ve certainly long been on-board with the ‘ white for night’ phenomenon.
AWHITe or cream tux jacket is, after all, a bulletproof party cover-up — much cooler over a long floral dress than a dreaded pashmina, and super chic atop a silk pyjama shirt and jeans.
On the High Street, I love the white two-piece in Maje, with a tailored jacket (reduced to £140, maje.com) and wide trousers for £ 111, and the brilliant tux jacket at Zara (£59.99, zara.com). (Let’s face it, if you have children or pets, there is no reason to buy white tailoring at any place other than the High Street. One tomato ketchup hug and the game’s all over).
But why has wearing all white taken hold in the collective imagination? For me, it’s all about fashion designers’ ongoing love affair with the Nineties.
Rifat Ozbek’s famous 1990 ‘white collection’ ushered in the New Age of sartorial purity after the decadent glitziness of the avaricious eighties.
These days, should you get a yen to wear a white hoodie anywhere other than the gym, I would suggest a lovely cashmere blend such as Tory Sport’s (£165, mytheresa.com). And top it off with a gorgeous cocoon coat from Carven (£580,
stylebop.com) in investmentworthy vanilla, rather than harsh iPhone white.
What is getting me excited is a much more textured, layered way of wearing white — think shaggy wool and shearling (a hint of Game Of Thrones).
My new favourite German label Dorothee Schumacher has interpreted this particular ‘warrior white’ trend for winter rather beautifully.
The joy of this approach is you can experiment with pieces you already own — an oversized white shirt, a magnoliacoloured cable-knit jumper and a dove grey soft trench would look great together.
Here, ladies, one’s confident knowledge of Farrow & Ball paint charts comes into play. These subtle tone combinations are fashion’s equivalent of Wimborne White, Skimming Stone and All White.
On this note, expect to see long ruffly party dresses on the High Street in antique white tones. As ever with these things, the trick is to keep your accessories sharp — think sleek black ankle boots — or it might go a bit Miss Havisham. You have been warned!