Saturday 15 January 2011

High Street Pick of the Week - The 2011 Style File

This is the second in the 2011 series of building your wardrobe from recommended items from the high street. Of course if you are not in the UK many of the brands featured will be replicated around the globe in differing regional retailers but lots of the items I will pick no doubt will be available on the internet on global sites.

Last week wide leg jeans were selected and someone asked me to contextualise the basis of the wardrobe. It was a good question although a little difficult to answer preciously as I fearfully of being too prescriptive and not enabling you to be creative.

What probably more useful is to know what I imagine it to be. Because you can challenge my perspective and but your spin on it. I know I'm not thinking of baroque or gothic overtones when I choose items, but say you love crosses and black nail varnish, you could wear the wide leg jeans with a long sleeve grey t-shirt and accessorise with black nails and a gothic cross. I love the cut and looks of the 1930s and 1970s butyou might prefer the 1940s oe 1950s. I love Barbara Streisand's costumes in The Way We Were and I love the Italian chic of Antonioni's L'Eclisse. You will have your favourite looks from films. I much prefer the voluptuous excess of Dolce & Gabanna to the chic minimalism of Celine but of course you might prefer Celine to D&G. I hope with the style file to offer items that you can interpret and wear with the way you'd imagine the items being worn.

What the 2011 style file series offers is a reference for you in respect of building a great workable mix and match wardrobe. I will keep things fairly simple but hope that some items will be wonderful additions.

So back to this weeks pick.


You do need a great versatile skirt and the pencil or sheath skirt is the one regardless of body shape or size. This one is from Zara at £39.99 but you can find one almost anywhere. The reason I've picked this item now and not a top, is that the current crop of sheath skirts are in the right length, make the proportions correct so you can wear them more successfully. Once again it will be the type of top and the accessories you choose that will adjust any misgivings you may have.

You can wear this skirt with a plain white tee, or a completely over the top ruffled shirt. All you have to do is adjust how you compose the look. If you wearing a white t-shirt then hair scraped back in a bun with red lipstick and white plimsolls is a big step away from wearing it with a red almost flamenco style shirt and fishnets and heels. See versatility!

16 comments:

  1. Hi there-that is a fabulous skirt, I need to add one to my wardrobe this year and I love the fit and cut on this one! Have a great weekend! XX

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  2. What a great idea!...I have a D&G Pencil Skirt that never comes out of the cupboard, but now I know how to dress it down, it might come out to play more often.

    xxn

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  3. I like this skirt, I always struggle to find a perfect fit so this looks like a great option. xx

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  4. Oh that is nice. I don't pay enough attention to basics like this and I really should be going out and finding them. Length and shape are tricky for me when it comes to skirts so a day in the changing rooms may be called for.

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  5. That skirt is the perfect length. I just saw a red blouse today and thought it would be perfect with a pencil skirt, I shall take this as a sign.

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  6. So funny - just bought a skirt exactly like this on sale at Talbots of all places - I plan on wearing with everything including a white t or man tailored shirt. Since I LOVE accessories - I thought this would be the perfect canvas.

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  7. can't go wrong with a great fitting pencil skirt! xx

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  8. I never thought to wear a pencil skirt with white plimsolls, not even in the 80ies when nearly all I wore were plimsolls. But, I'm definitely going to try that this summer. Great idea!

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  9. I love anything by Zara, and especially their 'suggestions' or rather they style the pieces themselves.. Your ideas we're good too, I too would totally go for a blouse a tucked in for sure, otherwise the skirt doesn't look as good! And it just has to be worn with high heels, because it just doesn't look good with flats.. for some strange reason :P

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  10. I just keep wearing the slim skirts from the suits from my corporate days!

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  11. Smart though it may be, sadly it is much too "unforgiving", (as my gran would have said ) for me.
    I would look like the back end of a bus...

    QM
    x

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  12. This is a fab skirt, but you know what ? What if all the magazines were not allowed to persuade us to spend money we don't have this year. What would they write about then ? I would really love it if I could open a magazine and find things other than the latest @must have@ item, or some editor telling me that it's time to re think my wardrobe etc,. Who has the money besides the editors ? I just long for a new approach.....

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  13. Ballet News - I hope that if everyone builds a wardrobe based on useful versatile items and their own preferences they will spend less, work their wardrobe harder and go to the ballet more!

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  14. Dear Kate, you have found a gap in my wardrobe (apart from the jeans) I don't have a skirt this length only dresses. I need one! Hope you're having a great weekend. Let's speak tomorrow if you're free xx

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  15. I just this week found my first rebuilding my wardrobe item and it was a perfect LBD. My next purchase is going to be a PERFECT black pencil skirt. I wish I could take you with me to shop for it.

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  16. Love the idea of a white t-shirt and plimsolls. What with this and Pearl's post I am determined to wear a t-shirt this year...

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Thank you for commenting, much appreciated. Sorry about no longer offering anonymous comments but spamming had become a very annoying issue. xxx