Scarves are underrated. We don’t big them up nearly enough. ButFantastic Man (above and below) has recognised this oversight and given a whole feature to the combined joy and pragmatism of this unsung wardrobe hero.
I love a winter scarf. I have several classic fringed ones – The ancient Burberry check with its felted ‘boiled wool’ effect (after being accidentally shrunk in the wash); the two-tone Drakes; the camel Johnstons of Elgin, as big as a blanket. But there’s also a treasured hand knitted Scottish fairisle that’s so chunky it almost stands up on its own. The bigger ones are amazing for keeping icy gales at bay on one of *those* particularly blustery days when you feel the full wrath of the universe seemingly coming to get you.
And then there are the idiosyncratic fashion ones – Hades’ Narcissus print (below) and Stooges punky graphics (below), Toast’sjacquards* and Jo Gordon’s geometrics come to mind. Or the new guard of neck warmers – like these tweedy wool and cashmere knitted collars (below) that Britta from Balcon Preysing sent me on Instagram. The tweedy wool collars are handmade in Munich, while the cashmeres are produced by a small Italian manufacture. Being a former fashion editor, Britta understands the power of a knitted collar as a stylish but practical fashion accessory. In our damp and windy climate where you’ll easily wear your scarf for more than three months a year, you may as well choose one (or two) you truly love.
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WORDS: Disneyrollergirl / Navaz Batliwalla IMAGES: Mark Borthwick for Fantastic Man x5; Hades x 2; Balcon Preysing x 4 NOTE: Most images are digitally enhanced. Some posts use affiliate links* and PR samples. Please read my privacy and cookies policy here
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Shops are back! Cash is cool! Corporate-core is a vibe! It’s like the 2020s never happened lol. Sweats, leggings and Crocs have been demoted and tailoring and tactile tops have regained their position in the corner office for AW24. And with the global slowdown of luxury, we’re also witnessing the demise of loud logos on clothes and accessories. Instead, discreet luxury totes whisper subtle brand codes (the Toteme ‘T’!) and it’s grocery stores and ‘hypebeast snacks’ that are the new entry-level status signifiers. Oh, and high-end lipstick is the eternal ‘affordable luxury’ treat for uncertain times. Because some things never change…
2/ PIERPOINT CHIC. I’m wayyyy late to the ‘Industry’ party and boy, has it been a ride. I’m up to the season three finale but can’t quite bring myself to go in… Anyway, apparently the show has been getting attention for its corpcore styling; think Yas’s silk shirts (below), Harper’s quiet luxe tailoring and Eric’s suave Brioni suits. The interview with Industry’s writers and costume designer on Fashion People is worth a listen. My take? Joseph shirts*, Carven tailoring, crease-front pants from Arket* (below) and slim-fit merino knits from Theory*.
3/ HOSPITALITY MERCH.Bloomberg recently reported that hotel tote bags are the new bookshop totes, while fashion brands are collaborating with hotels on pyjamas, eye masks and caps as a flex and nostalgic souvenir. Personally, I’m more about the classics – vintage coasters and ashtrays from The Ritz* or Cafe de Flore*available from Chairish. And on the news that 80s triple-A-list hangout Tramp has reopened, I’ve just dusted off my 2000 NYE Tramp commemorative ashtray.
4/ COLOUR COMBOS. Pink and green – not the most autumnal palette but maybe that’s why I like it. It’s a combo I’ve always loved but Prada reignited the flame with its menswear twinset of pea soup green and Pepto Bismol* (below), while Dries did as only Dries can in coral pink and oversize green checks* (below). More subdued, dark brown and blue suddenly seem fresh together, thanks mostly to Tods*, whose overlong tobacco trousers* and double-shirt styling were a favourite runway look and Toteme, whose voluminous cotton poplin shirt* is the perfect shade of cornflower blue. On the knitwear front, Studio Nicholson’s beautifully-proportioned Molve cable knit in espresso is a more sophisticated partner to blue jeans than black or navy.
I’m forever fantasising about cream and white layers. This lends itself to different weights and textures as demonstrated by 3.1 Phillip Lim (below), Hermès (below), or more minimal layers of slouchy cream cricket trousers or white jeans, white rollneck and ivory knit (channelling 90s Helmut Lang, below). Joseph* is my-go to for creamy winter turtlenecks or fine gauge roll necks, while Navygrey’s ‘authentic V-neck’* is just the right weight of chunky for layering over a tissue-thin knit.
5/ LOGO-LESS BAGS. One thing to thank the luxury slowdown for: logo-free handbags. The Balenciaga Rodeo* in supple lambskin has a gently worn-in vibe reminiscent of a Cristobal Balenciaga vintage heirloom (below). And Toteme’sramping up its bag game with its versatile bucket bag* (below) and Mini T Flap* with its discreet embossed T logo (below).
6/ HYPEBEAST GROCERS.I’ve been personally tracking this one for a while. As fashion types cut down on gratuitous spending, they’re investing more on everyday ‘pantry’ staples. Think Single & Fat olive oil (below), Dusty Knuckle sourdough (yep) and cutely packaged butter. From Starbucks ‘aesthetic drinks’ to ridiculous ‘curated fridges’, there’s a desire for the food we consume to be as pretty and status signalling as the clothes we wear. That also means the grocery stores we frequent have now become fashion hot spots for certain gourmet hypebeasts. Erewhon, anybody? As The Future Laboratory reveals in its Food & Drinks Futures 2024-2025 report (sub req) “[pop-up grocers] and other corner stores and bodegas have become purveyors of sustenance that double as social currency”. Instyle has the lowdown.
7/ ROUGE ALLURE. While fancy snacks and food staples may be the affordable luxury entrée for new gens, for old Gen X like me, it’s still about the good old ‘Lipstick Effect’. It’s working on me. I’m hankering for a strong red lip having recently appreciated Tilda Swinton having a NARS moment in 1996’s Female Perversions (below) while her bold application of Velvet Ribbon by Lisa Eldridge* in her latest film, The Room Next Door cements her status as a lipstick icon. Typically, the hottest new red on my radar is also the most expensive. Celine’sRouge Triomphe (below) is a classic red satin, applies like a dream and costs £62 from Celine stores or online.
9/ PONY POWER. With Jilly Cooper’s Rivals on our screens, it’s no surprise to see an uptick in all things posh and horsey. In fashion that translates to vintage Hermès carrés, horsebit motifs in jewellery*, and of course, the classic riding boot. Go for the amped-up Gucci offering (choose from extra tall riding boot* – below – or short jodhpur boot*) or Decathlon’s synthetic boot. At £19.99 it’s a total steal and a dead ringer for the Harrods ones I used to wear in my 20s – perfect rainwear it has to be said. On the beauty front, it’s all about dressage hair – think show bows – and sensual leather-based fragrances. Perfumer H has nailed it with its Saddle eau de parfum (below) an animalic blend of ‘dirty amber’, orange blossom and musk.
10/ CASH IS COOL. Let’s hear it for old fashioned values returning to cafes and eateries. New north London foodie bookshop-slash-lunch-spot, The Yellow Bittern is cash-only, reservations by phone (or postcard!) and – gasp – there’s no Instagram account. (Follow owner Hugh Corcoran instead). And over west side, Foreign Exchange News (below) is an Italian-style neighbourhood cafe serving coffee and pastries out front with a currency exchange out back. Cute! Cash – the great equaliser – is welcome and an array of indie magazines is available to buy or browse to give your eyeballs a rest and ease doom scroll fatigue.
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WORDS: Disneyrollergirl / Navaz Batliwalla IMAGES: Miu Miu; COS; Toast x2; Industry; Arket; Sporty & Rich x Le Bristol; Cafe de Flore/Chairish; Prada; Dries van Noten; Tods; 3.1 Phillip Lim;Helmut Lang by Elfie Semotan; Hermès; Balenciaga; Toteme x2; Single & Fat; Erewhon; Female Perversions; Celine; MII; Lemaire; Boo George for Harper’s Bazaar; Perfumer H; Foreign Exchange Cafe NOTE: Most images are digitally enhanced. Some posts use affiliate links* and PR samples. Please read my privacy and cookies policy here
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I’ve been enjoying reading about director Janicza Bravo in The Gentlewoman and the FT.
After clocking her boyish style, I wasn’t surprised to learn she started out as a stylist and costume designer. With her trouser suits, caps, Derby shoes and cropped hair, she has a great, distinctive look, and through the recent Gentlewoman feature, I discovered the brand Kallmeyer, whose trouser suit she wears in the photos below.
Anyway, I’ve not seen any of Bravo’s work yet, but her brand of what she describes as “stress comedy” (finding the humour in cringe situations) has my interest piqued. Her BBC drama, The Listeners airs on BBC1 and iPlayer from November 19th.
WORDS: Disneyrollergirl / Navaz Batliwalla IMAGES: FT Weekend/Cian Oba-Smith; The Gentlewoman/Lola & Pani x 2 NOTE: Most images are digitally enhanced. Some posts use affiliate links and PR samples. Please read my privacy and cookies policy here
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“I do think we are starting to feel ecom fatigue. We are leaning more towards the desire to have an experience and take time and pleasure in the discovery of new and exciting brands. We live our lives very differently today. We look at our feeds constantly, bombarded by imagery and products to buy. So maybe we need to be more aware as to what people actually do with their time and put the personality of the store at the forefront of the experience.” Kate Phelan on reviving Harvey Nichols* in her new role as creative director, FT
WORDS: Disneyrollergirl / Navaz Batliwalla IMAGE: Kate Phelan by Paul Wetherell NOTE: Most images are digitally enhanced. Some posts use affiliate links* and PR samples. Please read my privacy and cookies policy here
CLICK HERE to get Disneyrollergirl blog posts straight to your inbox once a week CLICK HERE to buy my book, The New Garconne: How to be a Modern Gentlewoman CLICK HERE to buy my beauty book, Face Values: The New Beauty Rituals and Skincare
