Ask A Stylist: Summer Suiting, Black Leather Sandals & ‘Old Bottega’
Real style queries from my subscribers, answered by yours truly.
I need a summer suit for my corporate PR role. I feel my best in separates but want to look…trendy? Stylish? Basically my best self? I like the idea of an oversized linen suit but that fabric creases easily and I commute by tube daily. Where do you suggest looking?
Ah summer in London, a heady mix of city scents I’d rather not divulge here (smell: rotten eggs) and when commuting by packed and delightfully sweaty tube, it’s hard to feel pulled together for the office. But we love our city! Joseph is a brand I (and every fashion editor) has in their wardrobe for good reason. A brand born in London with an atelier in Paris, Joseph has exemplified the modern woman for forty years. If you need to switch up your corporate working wardrobe, this is the go-to brand for suiting and separates.
Lucky we don’t need massive 80s shoulder pads to do our jobs well (albeit the way women’s rights are being rewound, possibly we do?) and I would urge you to think a little outside the box here. For example, traditional masculine suiting can feel modern and soft through the nuances of fabric and fit. Varying separates can be worn together to give the illusion of a suit too. The most important aspect is to look at fabric composition - you’re right that a 100% linen suit would look too relaxed for a corporate office setting - but a heady silk and viscose mix? That is indeed doable, and breathable. Silk alone is too delicate for daily wear and tear but when mixed with sturdy viscose it really comes into its own as a resilient textile.
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You’ve got the option of brilliant classic, investment separates in the Jospeh foundations collection alongside my pick: The Gibellina Jacquard Amelot Jacket. With a suit shape but a relaxed fit, this belted jacket is the perfect go-between in my eyes. Paired with the matching wide-legged Gibellina Mawn trousers it gives a tailored but elegant uniform. The sesame golden hue is also a very good neutral for every day and would suit most summer-kissed skin tones. I would wear with cocoa accents like a chunkier loafer for the office or rich toned flat sandal and translate to evening with a bold lip. My top tip? Keep an eye on The Outnet for Joseph past season - with investment pieces you don’t need to worry about them looking dated and you may just find exactly what you’re looking for.
I wanted to ask your thoughts about these Alex Eagle sandals? Would they be a good summer ‘palette cleanser,’ would they style well with many outfit options?
Firstly, I love that you asked if these are a good palette cleanser! Just like between courses, a ‘palette cleanser’ (a play on an artist’s palette where you mix colours) is an enhancement that neutralises the flavours between courses and brings you back to the present. In my style speak - it’s an element that you can add to many outfits to consistently ground your look. Mostly, it’s a clever sustainable buy that helps you style effortlessly across multiple events.
The sandal you’re asking after is the Giardini black leather in calfskin. Italian made (beautiful) with a chunkier cross ankle strap and embossed logo. These sandals read quite ‘sporty’ to me and while I think they would look amazing with crisp nylon shorts or linen co-ords, I don’t love the shape with more ethereal or bohemian dresses so it’s mostly about your personal style. The higher cut across can visually shorten your leg and I personally think the design needs a heftier sole to balance the shape for trousers too. I would suggest the staple Toteme Chunky black sandal if you want a similarly priced piece and vibe or the A. Emery Jalen leather sandal for an ankle strap that is visually deceptive and lengthening.
I recently came into some inheritance and want to portion off a bit to buy myself a designer bag for work. I’m open to preloved instead of new but I just don’t want something that will date quickly! It has to be timeless. So many options, so little time to decide.
There are so many variables here, the biggest one being ‘do you carry a laptop for work and if so, what size?’ Many people fall head over heels for a bag that becomes redundant once they try and squeeze a 15 inch laptop between the seams. In this day and age you can pay an extortionate amount for a designer bag and honestly? I don’t think you need to. If it were me, I would look to a Tomas Maier era ‘old Bottega’ bag on Vestiaire Collective. Bottega has had a very fashion-forward renaissance under Daniel Lee but it still sits at the pinnacle of quality in leather goods. What I like about Bottega is that it remains relevant in style throughout the life of its loyal clientele - aka it’s built to last and has its own timeless aesthetic. The new designs are more abstract, padded and colourful as if to attract a younger clientele but I prefer the finer intrecciato that displays the brands timeless craftmanship. I like this cream pre-loved Hobo on VC (although it will sell fast!) If you’re after brand new, I would suggest the newer large Hob for work as it’s roomy, elegant and understated - a true forever bag. I can’t remember if one of my French managers was particularly good at her job but I do recall that she carried a chocolate brown, quietly elegant Bottega hobo bag for the year I worked with her. After all, Bottega originally used the slogan, ‘When your own initials are enough.’
Until next week!
xC
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LOVE the Working Girl reference.