Silence in the classroom please! The results of another fashion month, following runway shows in New York, London, Milan and Paris, are in. If you want to score a fashion A moving forward, you need to apply an E for effort. Structure and tailoring are taking off, with eccentric additions elevated by investment pieces. If you’re going to wear a louche loafer, make sure that you dress it up with a perfectly cut sports jacket. The coolest cocktail dress can be anchored by high-polish riding boots. There’s still room for a rebel spirit with animal print accessories and some comic strip styling but make sure that you get the basics right. Smarten up, crack the formula and you will be top of the class.
WOMEN
Wintry white
Straight-leg jeans, worn with heels, create an illusion of length. White might seem an unusual choice, but use it to punctuate dark tops, coats and boots. At Paris Fashion Week, actor Sarah Pidgeon, who plays Carolyn Bessette in the TV series Love Story, demonstrates that an impending winter doesn’t always lead to the blues. Frame “Le Sleek” jeans, $435.
Starring roll
Meet the most versatile piece in this season’s wardrobe – not the breathtaking Chanel skirt worn by Hamnet actor Jessie Buckley at the NY premiere of The Bride! , but her turtleneck. With a statement skirt, it’s black-tie ready; beneath a blazer or sports jacket, it’s all business; and it gives jeans instant star power. Scanlan Theodore “Babywool Polo”, $160.
Long game
As tailoring continues to trend, there’s nothing like the right pair of black boots to anchor a slim skirt. Flat is classic, but sometimes you just need height: look for sturdy square or block heels rather than stiletto styles. Bridgerton’s Yerin Ha, in a Louis Vuitton minidress at a season 4 screening, shows us how it’s done. Charles and Keith “Block-heel Knee-high” boots, $173.
Python crush
Snakeskin bags are slithering out of fashion hibernation and offer a welcome contrast to block-colour coats and jackets. Consider going rectangular, like Naomi Watts in Paris earlier this month; known as an east-west bag, this style is functional enough for the office (you’ll need a case for your laptop!) and, in python print, can hold its own after hours at a table in a smart restaurant. Oroton “Louisa” shoulder bag, $479.
Tiers before bedtime
Slip dresses – fine lace layering, rouleau straps, a scalloped hem – won’t go quietly and are still the
best way to make an entrance. Wear underneath an oversized jacket, pristine trench or cropped leather jacket and, like Olivia Rodrigo at this year’s Paris Fashion Week, dare to bare shoulders if the occasion permits.. Zimmermann “Luna Tiered Lace Slip” dress, $1875.
MEN
Walk the line
Apple Martin garners most of the nepo-baby attention in the Goop household, but it was Moses Martin’s time to shine at Paris Fashion Week in a striped, knitted jumper in the spirit of Charlie Brown. A streamlined evolution of last season’s rugby top, it still scores major style points, its bright colours enlivening autumn tweeds and denim. Polo Ralph Lauren “Striped Cable-knit Sweater”, $416.
Six appeal
As clothing becomes more conservative, with suits, ties and pleated trousers crowding the menswear runways, sunglasses offer a rare chance to express individuality. In Milan in January, Heated Rivalry star Hudson Williams demonstrates the appeal of the hexagonal shape, which offers more edge – six of them – than the norm. Uniqlo “Hexagon” sunglasses, $30.
Front and centre
After years of wearing flat-front chinos, men are rediscovering the joy of billowing pleated pants. Volume below the belt balances out the strict lines of suit jackets and can add a touch of formality to fitted denim jackets. A generous cut means bigger pockets, too, as Heated Rivalry breakout star Connor Storrie discovers on the LA red carpet. Venroy “Relaxed Pleat” pants, $240.
Prep school
Yes, ballet shoes for men are trending. Love Story’s Paul Anthony Kelly, who plays John F. Kennedy jnr in the TV series, sticks to a safer middle ground, though, in soft black loafers. The leather should be pliable enough to pass for a slipper and the vamp low enough to show your preppy white socks. Celine “Aura” loafers, $1500.
Put a pin in it
The power suit is getting a boost with the increasing popularity of Wall Street-style pinstripes.
On the red carpet, Harry Styles favours a bold, chalky outline but, in the office, finer lines mean business; stick to solid-colour shirts and ties to give them space. After hours, the jacket can pull a double shift with jeans. MJ Bale “Caputo” jacket, $699.
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