Cool Clothes, Not Black

Pleat-front pants, oversized shirt or tee, Sambas or New Balance, waisted belt, some form of gold jewellery — does this aesthetic sound familiar? It should, because it’s been dominating every form of social media for a while now.

I’m not blaming you if you also bought into this trend, because it’s been pretty impossible not to. Designers such as The Row, Khaite and Toteme have inspired countless chain-store variations to make this entire look super accessible to the masses. I’ve got an insane amount of beige and black hanging in my wardrobe right now and I’ll admit, while it’s pretty easy to style outfits this way, I’m starting to tire of the vibe. Perhaps it’s because I’m a mum in her early 40s, perhaps it’s because I’m a fashion editor and get bored of trends easily, or perhaps it’s because I’m kind of sick of seeing the Gen Z and Millennial influencer set all wearing the exact same uniform. Lately I’ve been craving more from fashion — more variety, more individuality, more… fun?

It’s a tough one to describe, because the last thing I want to promote is the retired art teacher look (no disrespect). Real talk, I’m not going to be shopping at Gorman anytime soon, but I do want a certain sense of uniqueness when I get dressed every morning. Colour comes into it, yes, but so too does a great silhouette or an unexpected accessory.

I’m ready to have more fun with my outfits and I think the below edit is a great place to start. Are you coming?