It’s winter here in balmy Brisbane, which means mostly glorious 21 degree days (that’s Celsius, northern friends!) and city-wide chatter bemoaning how nippy, brisk and downright freezing it is. As a Queenslander who spent the past four years living in chilly Melbourne, I’m a winter snob of some renown. You think this is cold, I smirk maniacally to my Brisbane pals. Try getting around when it’s 11 degrees max and raining! Meanwhile I’m wedded to my fluffy dressing gown and cranking the Dimplex radiator up so high it’s started smelling like singed hair. (I am nothing if not complex.) But whatever the weather in your part of the world—whether it’s the start of the splendid northern summer or if roaring fires beckon down south—it’s easy to stay on point fashion-wise with a few insider tricks.
How, I hear you ask? It’s simply a matter of adapting style trends from recent international fashion weeks (see my post on MBFWA here) to suit your climate at home, whether that’s in Berlin, Bora Bora or Brissie. 3 current trends that I’m especially fond of are relaxed suiting, volume, and zingy brights. They’re a breeze to pair back with your existing wardrobe—which for those of us without the wads of cash to create a ‘drobe from scratch each season is of vital importance—and they can be tweaked to suit a range of temperatures. This glamorous wide leg pant from Zimmermann ticks off multiple style trends so effortlessly you can swan about without even needing to know what they are. Zip it up, toss on a pair of heels and you’re good to go.
Relaxed suiting was seen everywhere at the MBFWA ‘18 Resort shows, with Bianca Spender and Dion Lee in particular nailing the cool slouchy look. Breezy wide leg pants were paired with everything from oversized blazers to cut-out turtlenecks and logo tees, with the effect being chic and relaxed. This Zimmermann number would pair gorgeously with a crisp white blazer, but I’ve styled it here with a long-sleeved printed emerald top from H&M for a hit of colour (more on that in a moment). The beauty of fashion trends such as this one is that you can dip into them when the mood strikes without having to deck yourself out head-to-toe. Stylish bonus: wide leg pants provide cover when the temperature dips.
Volume is another excellent recent trend. Similar to cubist art, voluminous clothing adds interest to a look by toying with the viewer’s sense of proportion. In this case the volume of the pant minimises my waist and elongates my legs (thank you dear Zimmermann!) Because I decided against hemming these pants I have to wear them with heels—meaning I trot them out less often—but when I do I feel like an Amazonian queen. Let’s be frank: volume can be tricky to wear if you’re petite. Tricky, not impossible. It’s simply a matter of experimenting and deciding which feature you want to highlight (for example, a petite gal could rock an oversized blazer dress with nude heels that show off her pins.) Regardless of your body type, in my book voluminous pieces are best paired with streamlined separates such as this emerald top. Even six foot goddesses like Giselle could be swamped by full-length volume. Theoretically.
Which brings me to the season’s zingy brights. Optic white is absolutely a colour and a key trend from the Resort runways (crimson and cobalt blue were also prevalent.) This is one style trend that looks fabulous worn head-to-toe (pair it with sizzling white boots for extra fashion cred), and that sings whether the birds are twittering or if frigid rain is pelting down. Not to be neglected, our Aussie colours of green and gold also cropped up at designers such as Ginger & Smart. This irreverent glittered pineapple bag from the kiddy section of Seed Heritage (find similar below) is so fresh and fun I feel like breaking into a salsa whenever I wear it. It reminds me of lazy summer days at the beach, eating pineapple from sandy containers as sticky juice courses down my arms… Of course here in Brisbane’s glacial winter, a girl can only dream. 🙂
xo
PHOTOGRAPHY – Sharleen Christie
PANTS – Zimmermann
TOP – H&M
BAG – Seed Heritage
SHOES – Jimmy Choo
RINGS – Gag & Lou
So Great!!!!
http://angtiyang.com
Thanks so much Nasha! I adore Angti & Yang’s colourful Aureole bags – the lavender one in particular has stolen my heart. Thanks for reading 🙂
Love your writing, Antonia! Witty and meaningful and I am compelled to read every word because it is truly enjoyable. See you with flute in hand soon I hope x
Thank you so much Nadia, that brought a huge smile to my face! I’m so glad that my passion for writing is coming across – I get such a kick out of it (which is fortunate since I’m 3 months off submitting my PhD in creative writing – eeek!) I’d absolutely love to share a glass or three next time we meet. Looking forward to it! Thanks so much for reading. xo