shopping

Everybody wants to be Aimé Leon Dore



Aimé Leon Dore

Amazing really. There’s nothing fundamentally new about Aimé Leon Dore (chinos and varsity jackets – groundbreaking!), but the branding execution, styling, casting, collabs and community-building are masterful. It’s just had investment from LVMH and it seems to be the new preppy-revivalist playbook that everyone (read: Brooks Brothers, J Crew) is following closely.

The latest collection drops online at 11am EST tomorrow. (more…)



The beauty gesture: solid perfume



Henry Jacques solid perfume Clic Clac accessory

Solid perfumes are back.

Glossier has revived its much loved but discontinued Glossier You solid perfume* in a new refillable format (below). Even better, it’s alcohol-free, water-free and vegan. The previous version wasn’t refillable, so Glossier pressed pause while it perfected the product. The benefits of this cult new (and permanent) version are that its small, pebble-like case is portable and travel-friendly, while the solid balm formula allows for more precise application. The balm refill comes in a small tin tray that slots into the container via a magnet. The Glossier You scent is the same; a musky skin scent that’s subtle and personal. Buy it here*. (more…)



Shop the post: Twice as nice



double scarf styling

“There’s no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing.” So said English walker Alfred Wainwright. (Or Billy Connolly, or lots of Norwegians, according to who you listen to.) If you agree and you’re reading this while sheltering from New York’s brutal winter, you have my sympathy. And a novel suggestion for staying warm; doubling up on neck wear.

This is something I used to do a lot, but I kind of forgot about it over the years. Wearing two scarves gives you double insulation as you’re trapping warmth in between the layers. The wider your scarves, the better as you’re then covering your whole neck as well as your ears.

Styling-wise, it gives you all sorts of options for colour, weight and texture play. For example, twist two complementary colours* together, wear a padded nylon scarf with a similar size wool one (above by Jil Sander* and Khaite*), or for minimal bulk, go for lighter-weight knits* (more…)



Gentlewoman style: Max Mara archives



Max Mara archive

I have a soft spot for Max Mara. In my first job, I had a favourite Max Mara black coat that made me feel very grown up and stealth-chic (until it was swiped off the back of a chair from Costa coffee in Broadwick Street as I sat in a meeting across the road from my office at The National Magazine Company). It was the era of understated, 90s style and a Max Mara coat conferred a certain minimalist sophistication mixed with style anonymity.

“It’s about the logic of a man’s wardrobe, but for women,” (more…)