I’m pretty sure I made a blog post with the same objective last year and, apart from a few sneaky lol purchases, I’ve pretty much stuck to my word.
I’ve never been a subscriber to the belief that you have to dress a certain way at a certain age, but personally I’ve found that as I’ve got older and found myself in increasingly responsible roles, it’s felt better to dress a bit more sensibly. At least at work, anyway – the Rude Dog tshirt might just have to wait for the weekends. Or at least Fridays.
With that in mind, here’s a dream outfit from Avenue 32 that hopefully straddles looking like a professional that you can trust with your advertising budget and representing my inner overgrown goth.
1. APC Red Basique Sweatshirt, £81 – I’m glad that statement sweaters are a thing now. It’s like the grown-up skater teenager equivalent of a tasteful cardigan; i.e. really useful for work and easily switched up with collars or jewellery. Viva la sweater!
2. 3.1 Phillip Lim Pashli Backpack, £740 - well, a girl can dream. I have a few ‘good’ bags and if and when I invest in another, I’m pretty sure it’s going to be a backpack because after three weeks of physio, I’m not letting this dream new back go. Wait, does that make me sound old?
3. APC Bordeaux Ribbed Socks, £25 - until last year, I only had one pair of socks and they were for the gym and occasional hiking excursions. The downside of wearing predominantly skirts and dresses is that you don’t really need socks (unless you are 16 and can carry off socks and sandals). Then I got a pair of sturdy leather ankle boots and realised that a bunched-up sock poking out the top could be a strong look. I duly bought a pair of socks and lost one somewhere between the front door and my bedroom after one day – well, it was Christmas. And no, I’ve never found them. And yes, I live in a small flat. These would be a good replacement and I’m all for matching my outfit to my accessories.
4. APC Black Leather Boots, £248 - see above. I have worn my equivalent boots pretty much daily since I bought them last year, leading me to understand just why buying staple wardrobe pieces is such a good idea. Black leather boots = not such instant gratification but daily wear. Gold glitter boots = instant thrill, worn twice in four years. I get it!
5. Pamela Love Gold Plated Eagle Claw Necklace, £230; Estelle Dévé Gold Plated Aurora Bracelet, £105 and Tiaa Ring Set, £125 - all for expressing personality through accessory choice and I reckon gold lets you get away with a lot more.
6. Frends Gold and Black Taylor Headphones, £180 – because if you’re going to be sitting with your headphones on being antisocial, it might as well be with something stylish. Headband-style headphones have the added bonus of being completely unsubtle too, unlike my paltry, and easily-disguised by long hair, in-ear ones.
7. JW Anderson Black Leather Mini Skirt, £330 - we live in truly enlightened times that we (well, many of us) can get away with wearing leather mini skirts to the office and not have people mentally view us like this - although really, who would complain?
[Collaborated post]
Sun, silence and happiness
When putting together a fantasy Avenue 32 wishlist, my thoughts naturally turned to the glorious weather we’re enjoying. Specifically, what I’d like to wear for a long walk in the countryside armed only with a book and enough cash to buy a pint and pork pie at some mythical rural pub.
Once an art student, always an art student – this American edition of Nancy Mitford’s The Pursuit of Love has been lurking in my saved Feedly items for a while and this seemed the perfect opportunity to use it as a basis for some kind of palette for my fictional English day out.
And, tying everything together and setting the scene for a gloriously solitary sunny day in the country… here’s a dreamy passage from the book to mull on;
She lay back, and all was light and warmth. Life, she though, is sometimes sad and often dull, but there are currants in the cake and here is one of them… Sun, silence, and happiness.
Blissful. And even more blissful to be enjoying that trio in a tasteful outfit, worthy of one of Nancy’s protagonists.
1. Alexander Lewis Lilac Wool Waffle Jumper, £430 - there’s a wealth of beautiful fabrics from Alexander Lewis on Avenue 31, including on some dreamy 60s hats and Judy Jetson dresses. Love a waffle knit and lilac stops things from being too wintery – although we all know that a jumper is a useful addition on an English evening when the sun goes down.
2. APC Chambray Cotton Shorts, £66 - something remarkably Famous Five about the shape of these shorts, and lord knows I love chambray. APC also have a chambray jumpsuit that I can’t even think about because I’m too hot, but which would be smashing for when things cool down slightly.
3. Zoe Lee Silver Shoe Boots, £182 - it’s a recurring joke amongst my family that I never wear sensible footwear for outdoor activities, so I’d be happy to prove the point in these silver sandals. The heel’s only tiny. It’s fine. I’m fine. I walk everywhere in these…
4. APC Brick Leather Half Moon Bag, £290 - see previous point. Who needs a rucksack when you could be storing your water bottle and Kendal mint cake in a glossy red leather bag with gold embossing?
5. Wunderkind Purple Ocelot Cat-Eyes, £195 - well these are just perfect. Enter your own sunglasses heaven round about here.
6. Vilshenko Ivory Silk Ekaterina Blouse, £210 - maybe an expensive silk blouse alos falls into the same category as number three… but if a billowing silky blouse is good enough for Meatloaf and Mr Darcy, it’s good enough for me. And besides, that embroidery is just crying out for a lying-in-the-grass Instagram shot.
7. Marie Mercié Natural Lilli Hat, £310 - because what’s a day out in the countryside without a straw hat?
