Navy and ecru stripes, or any configuration of those shades, are the most stylish of combinations. Their association with those maddeningly sophisticated French, of sailing off the coast of Maine, all Jackie O, or generally just of cruise wear and sunnier skies -whatever - it's always a winner in the style stakes and can be worn by everybody. Dismiss those preconceptions and the idea that horizontal stripes make you look bigger, wider, you don't need to hang on to the advice from "Jackie" magazine - buy the right size and you will look fab whatever your shape.
If there is one piece to invest in, and I strongly advise that you do, it would be a Breton Style T Shirt. It's a timeless classic and can be worn in endless combinations, managing to look casual and laid back in one pairing and smart and sophisticated in another. Whatever you wear it with it is always chic.
I bought this top a couple of years ago and it comes out year after year. It's the benchmark of Breton tops for me. It is made from soft cotton jersey, not too heavy and not too flimsy. No need to worry about the smoothness of your bra with this one, or the lumps and bumps at the back ( or perhaps that's only me ?) . I can't recommend it enough. Because it's Boden the quality is excellent, it has washed beautifully and is the same as the day I bought it. Price wise it's not at the budget end but if you make it the basis of your spring wardrobe , it will more than return your investment. I've mentioned it before but Boden often run excellent discounts, typically on a sliding scale fron 25% down to 10% over a period. Get on their mailing list and order it then.
It also comes in the dominant navy background and a number of other colour combinations but, for my money, these two are the essential colour combos.
It is incredibly versatile, looking fab with a denim skirt.
It's rare to get a denim skirt in such a rich and dark colour which gives it greater scope in the dress up/dress down stakes. It is 98% cotton with that vital 2% elastane to allow for movement and breathing- always a plus I find ! You wouldn't want too great a stretch though - why is it that this zip front denim skirt style, unless carefully done, gives you a massively protruding stomach when in profile?!
There's also the conventional indigo denim skirt
Some tops need a particular shape of trouser to " work" . Not so our magical Breton top. It's equally stylish with all the shapes below, and probably a few others I haven't thought of.
These are straight leg and a cotton/ elastane mix, fitted through waist , hip and thigh and are full length. Smart and sharp.
This is one of Boden's best sellers with good reason and looks set to continue so this season. The style which, in my opinion has never been away, is now very much on trend according to The Times' Fashion Editor, Anna Murphy. In her column "This week I'm wearing..." on Saturday 16th May 2015 she asserts that they can be "youthful and cool" and cites Conseuelo Castiglioni (Marni) and Rebecca Lowthorpe (Assistant Editor of Elle) as devotees. She also references their styles of choice from a stomach lurching £360 to a mildly less nauseous £355 ! It might be fine in Fashion La La Land but if I started to justify that kind of price to my Friends (or Heaven forbid , my Mother ), they would think I'd lost my mind ! If only because they would know how many other fine purchases I could make with the balance!
I can't leave the subject of Anna Murphy without sharing this. I feel a bit mean but.. that's never stopped me in the past. She seems like a really lovely woman and I salute anyone who manages to get herself a commission for a feature entitled "A week with the Super Rich", or a title similar to that. Lovely and clever ! But, honestly, the prices of the items she selects in her weekly column are eye watering and applicable only to the uber wealthy or the seriously delusional . I forgive her that though. Perhaps when one lives in that world, reality becomes skewed but in a recent article she made the fashion world seem like a crazy version of St Trinians! Holding up a" Mover " in the fashion world ( I apologise for forgetting her name) Anna suggested, looking to said Fashionista, as a serious style tip .... to leave one side of your shirt tucked in and the other side hanging down, out of your waistband!! Hilarious ! That the shirt was green suede made it even more silly. Does she never eat pasta napolitana ?!! Doesn't it remind you of everyone needing to have a fat tie at school or risk being uncool! ! Mental !
Clearly, you don't need to consider investment at this level when you have Boden... or Marks and Spencer, or Hobbs, or Next or Zara.... need I go on ? The cropped leg however, is going to be big in Autumn/Winter 2015 too, from Stella Mc Cartney to DKNY (thank you Anna), so they are certainly worth considering now. They do dispense with the shoe height dilemma-no need to stress that you choose the right heels for the hemline.
Although the Boden pair (above) are fitted through the waist , hip and thigh , with a straight leg, there are other styles. They are also around in carrot top - big at the top, then tapering towards the ankle and also in wide leg. The latter veers towards culottes which, with all the very best intentions, I cannot like myself in unless I teeter around in heels and I'm not really prepared to do that any more ! With the latter styles you should look to wear a more fitted top in order to the balance the width at the bottom. With the slim leg, fitted or relaxed and baggy tops work well. It feels very Audrey Hepburn with our hero Breton Top- but then I've always been an imaginative kind of girl !Don't disabuse me at this late stage in life- I don't need to know if I look more like a Stevadore!
Navy Linen Blend Trousers Next £20
Really useful, really comfortable. Comes in Petite, Regular, Long and Extra Long from sizes 8-22 so a truly egalitarian trouser. They are made from a linen 55% viscose 45% mix which ameliorates the crease factor and in a number of colours - black, navy, red, taupe and white. Brilliant for the more relaxed nautical look.
The length de jour for the casual look.
Ditto. If they are good enough for Alexa.....
On to Jackets !
I am really loving the jersey jackets around at the moment , largely because of their versatility . Perhaps not sufficiently powerful to wear in seriously high powered work meetings but more than able to hold its own in the everyday business world - with the added bonus that its actually possible to work in in comfort. Stretchy you see!
This smart and clean cut jacket from Oasis is a great alternative to the conventional blazer. It will pop over all your striped tops and complement any of your chosen bottoms. Dress up or down ,T Shirt or silky blouse, an excellent wardrobe staple.
More jersey jacket options include:
2 jackets for the price of one!
I am uncomfortable using the word" waterfall" for this jacket with its connotations of the style wilderness. I prefer it as a drapey and oversized design-which it is. With the zip pocket feature and the generous cut of the fabric it looks far more luxe than the price tag suggests.
The bold stripes looked really effective with white skinny jeans and a T shirt and it works equally well with the more relaxed Next Linen mix wide legs (above). Giving the option to sharpen up the trousers I have added a Cream Jacquard Top from Warehouse £18
Should you need a more substantial jacket to those in jersey, a cotton mix, boxy jacket, preferably double breasted , is very much on trend.
I look a little embattled in the photograph- the queue for the changing room was massive so I was forced to take a picture in public. Which I hate. The purpose of including the picture is to better illustrate the design details of the jacket. It has bracelet length sleeves and fits quite snugly on the shoulders and flares out from just under the bust. For me, that means I prefer a more narrow style on the bottom. If you are less vertically challenged however, this cropped style can look magnificent with wide leg trousers. Its a groovy matelot look, as styled by Jean Paul Gaultier!
This semi fitted jacket from Boden also ticks all the style boxes although on this one the sleeves are full length. For some reason Boden style it with a pair of shorts but if I needed a coat as significant as this one, I'd sure as hell be needing something on my legs ! Perhaps I didn't spend enough time ( indeed any time) on Holkham beach!!
Tops
To make the most of the striped theme you need to be able to mix and match. I've pulled together a few different styles from which to stretch out as many options as possible.
Striped Wide Leg Trousers Next £50
I've slipped these trousers in here because I think they are fabulous and I love the idea of teaming them with the M&S blouse above. They are quite generous in cut ( I tried them ) and the fact that they are made in regular, long and extra long supports my contention that they are probably not ideally suited to the petite amongst us. Horses for courses !
A cream top or two will never go amiss with this colour combination, or any other in your wardrobe. The following two, from Warehouse, bridge the gap between T Shirt and formal blouse.
Cream Jacquard Top Warehouse £18
If all you want is a plain Vanilla T Shirt...
Perfect for chillier days and very similar to the £5 Bargain in Primark in Eye Spied 3
I was so taken with the idea of navy and ecru that I decided to widen my own choices. For £50 I bought the following three-skirt and two tops-from Next- and am confident that it will be absorbed very nicely into my bulging wardrobe.
If you're buying a tube skirt you need to ensure that the fabric is of sufficient quality to skim over any lumps and bumps. For the very reasonable price of £18, this does.
This top is great value and looks a lot more than £14. The front is a very detailed broderie pattern but the back is jersey T Shirt material. At first this may seem something of a swizz. It isn't and it works very well, allowing for greater freedom of movement than a purely embroidered top which can be stiff and restrictive.
Very importantly, both tops are long enough to cover your tummy!
Finally, a quick round up of the dresses which caught my eye, starting with one which, coincidentally, appeared in The Style Magazine of the Sunday Times today. Wish I'd published yesterday but, so it goes!!
Seatown Shirt Dress Boden £79
Coastal Cobalt Multi Stripe Shirt Dress Lands End £49.95 (with 25% off til May 26 th )
Lands End have got some really good things at the moment so I think they may be the subject of my next Eye Spied. Whilst the discount still applies !
Cotton Rich Thin Striped Tunic Dress Per Una £39.50
Textured Chevron Striped Dress Warehouse £27 (from £36 )
I love the simplicity and sharpness of this dress. The panelling at the side is so clever, drawing the eye inwards, creating a slimmer silhouette. Perhaps not for my lifestyle but definitely for someone !
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