Your 2023 wardrobe refresher course . . .
Unlike most resolutions — exercise more, drink less — fashion resolutions need to change every year. We want different things from our clothes depending on where we are in our lives. every year that passes, sorry to say, we all need to take an age-appropriate check.
What was minimal and flattering becomes hard and plain; what was pretty becomes blowsy — but, by the same token, what looked a bit dull two years ago can now look elegant. (i’ve just resurrected a pinstripe jacket that put years on me pre-lockdown and now somehow takes them off.)
You cannot predict this stuff, you can only learn from what has worked in the previous 12 months and keep an open mind. So this is what we’ve learned in 2022, and what we’re looking forward to in 2023… 1even
if it was your summer go- to, the pretty prints moment is running out of steam, mainly because we’ve done it to death.
LOOKING FORWARD: Go for abstract prints or bold colour mixes.
2
You don’t need to be allover smart any more (apart from for weddings and rare formal parties). What you need is the half- smart halfcasual outfit: smart on the bottom, casual on the top, or the other way around.
every time i’ve thought of wearing a trouser suit in the past two years, i’ve ended up wearing either the jacket or the trousers. A full suit still feels too formal.
LOOKING FORWARD: Anna Wintour showcased the halfand-half look wearing a black fitted sweater and glittery midi skirt to actor bill nighy’s film screening last month ( far right). This counts as a payattention moment as Wintour is the naturally smart editorin-chief of u.S. vogue and this was not a casual occasion.
Sweater plus a flashy skirt and boots — take note. 3TiGhTS
are somehow ageing, which is why boots of all lengths are a godsend. LOOKING FORWARD: platforms, cropped cowboy boots and skinny black ankle boots are not just for our daughters — they move on the clothes you own and liven them up. 4STAnDouT
earrings are a great way to upgrade a look.
LOOKING FORWARD: Some big grey pearl drop earrings i last wore in 1980 are all of a sudden perfect with a velvet blazer and black jeans. Jewellery is an instant booster in a way it hasn’t been for a while. 5TexTure,
as much as colour, is the key to keeping clothes looking interesting. plain suiting does nothing for most of us any more, so it has
to be velvet, corduroy, tweedy, checked or striped.
LOOKING FORWARD: only wear black if it’s velvet, silk or cord, and if you’re thinking of black ankle boots, try glossy patent. 6pink
has got boring. it has been overplayed, although an accent of pink still works. LOOKING FORWARD: Colours come and go but the right red sticks around and maintains its dazzle factor whatever your age. Wear it head-to-toe.
7
You need a good well-cut sweater — round or roll neck. This is a moderniser for skirts and trousers (see Anna Wintour).
LOOKING FORWARD: if you look good in a shorter, puff-sleeved style, get that too. 8There
are now as many trouser styles as there are ice- cream flavours, but here are the ones that give you three solid, wearable looks: the classic tailored man pant for work;
the cropped bootcut to wear with boots or heels for a sharp smart- casual look; and the wide palazzo which, dressed up, is good for evening. LOOKING FORWARD: Wear smart jeans with tailoring. 9A
blAzer is (still) the most useful item in your wardrobe. Double-breasted, single-breasted, slung over a dress or dressing up jeans, it doesn’t come any easier. LOOKING FORWARD: An opulent blazer and a stylish coat of many colours will put new life into your wardrobe. 10A
zip adds versatility. A dress with a zip can be cleavage-revealing or sporty and streamlined. A zip-up cardigan is half way to being a relaxed jacket. A zip- up jumpsuit is either racetrack utilitarian or cocktail racy. LOOKING FORWARD: A zip gives you more wear out of any item of clothing.
11
Some fun in the mix is essential. The spark that ignites all your careful purchases is the thing that makes you smile.
LOOKING FORWARD: Search for something that puts a wink in your outfit.