FASHION THRILLERS
Liz Jones, style expert
FEELING gloomy you have nowhere to go? Think again! There is so much great fashion out there that will lift your spirits, and remind you that you will, one day, be venturing back to the office, out on a date, or to a far-flung clime. LOUNGEWEAR LOCKDOWN THREE: it’s more important than ever to be comfy at home, but please do it stylishly, or depression beckons.
Avoid rhino grey, unless you want to be ground into Chinese medicine. And please no cashmere: lounge pants will sag at the knee and bobble quickly. Ditto, ditch sweater dresses and sweatshirt dresses: too draughty and slobby. Forget too, velour by Juicy Couture: too Towie.
The most wanted lounge label for spring is les Tien, from LA. A hoodie is from £195, bottoms from £185, and every-thing is lined in fleece, so you feel you never left your bed.
equally fab but cheaper brands include iris & ink and Cos.
SLIPPERS ARE THE NEW STILETTOS: The new slipper for the new lockdown is the comfy slide: no backs to tread down, and easy to put on, so you can believe you are tightening your buttocks while padding round the kitchen foraging for food.
Best of all is the chunky sock, scrunched round your ankle like Meg ryan in sleep-less in seattle: best by far are irish wool socks for under £10, from etsy.
SWEATERS: No one to hug? Mar-ried to a man who keeps turning down the central heating? sweat-ers have never been cosier, or more on trend. reiss knitwear is great quality: i love a chunky polo neck with a pink border. You can scroll the neck over your head if he opens a window.
By far the best knitwear brand is smedley: made in Britain, machine washable, never bobbles, from £110, sale now on. runner up is Navygrey: all sloppy and relaxed, the wool is traceable, and not cashmere but just as soft and more durable, from £150. THE INVESTMENT UNDOING COAT: Off for your mandatory walk? A big, heavy wool coat can be a little over-whelming, and hot, but if you really want to channel Nicole Kidman, why not buy the olive trench from simply Be, for just £45?
Or how about a pea coat? less weight, and just as warm. i love a wool-blend pea coat by reiss, £ 325. The cream is lovely, but navy is more practical if you have dogs. THE PUFFA COAT: Too depressed to leave your duvet? Take it with you! Padded coats are very Val d’isère, but the good news is, you won’t break a limb. The duvet coat from Next, £85, has a viscose lining, so is feather- and down-free, which is vegan! Fashionable and doing Veganuary, all in one fell swoop.