COMPLETE THE LOOK
Her Majesty is a big fan – proof that this colour has year-round staying power
Wool bouclé coat
(£175) with navy, camel, black, burgundy (lilac and burgundy; very collegiate), olive green and racing green.
I really could sit for hours and just absorb what people wear and this is a colour that draws the right amount of attention. Recently, I have noticed it works beautifully with sky blue on a crisp sunny day – but bring in a third, more grounded colour (such as navy blue) to keep the look relevant to the time of year.
The two tops I’m wearing here show lilac in full force, but an easy way to bring it into your look is through a scarf, roll neck sweater or a great handbag. And of course we all read colour differently, so if you find that these shades are too strong, then seek out the perfect lilac for you.
And it’s not just for the ladies. I have to applaud the unisex brand Sheep Inc (left), because its approach to the colour really does work on both men and women. All I would stress is that lilac on a man can denote casual, so I would avoid it for the boardroom: reserve it for weekends, holidays and working from home. If that still feels too much of a lurch forward in the style stakes, then find a checked shirt that includes it in some way, such as ones from Orvis or Purdey (right). We don’t want to scare the locals.
Mind you, if Daniel Craig can turn up to the premiere of his final Bond film in a raspberry pink velvet jacket, then, gentlemen, you can definitely shake things up with a dash of lilac – without causing too much of a stir.