softgrey
flaunt the imperfection
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- Jan 28, 2004
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Hats on for that flouncy, Seventies feel
(Filed: 03/09/2004)
There is a fun alternative to twee suits. Clare Coulson says many designers are being inspired by the floral, feminine styles of Ossie Clark
There is, thankfully, some respite to the ubiquitous tweedy, ladylike trend that will dominate fashion this autumn. Michael Kors, Roberto Cavalli and even Missoni are all flying the flag for Seventies bohemia – albeit in an ultra-luxurious way – and, while these looks can seem a little too exuberant on the catwalk, when scaled down they make a great alternative to all those twee suits.
Begin with a dress. The Ossie Clark retrospective, held at the V&A last summer, has had a knock-on effect. The ultra-feminine dresses that Clark created during his short-lived career, with their fitted silhouettes, flouncy sleeves and graphic, floral prints have inspired countless designers. Alice Temperley has some brilliant, vivid, graphic prints in her autumn collection that capture the mood of the prints Celia Birtwell produced with Clark in the late Sixties and early Seventies.
Nicholas Knightly at Mulberry also seems to have been dipping into the archives. The label's blooming clothing collection, which gets stronger each season, has beautiful, bell-sleeved, printed, empire-line dresses and similar blouses, too. The new Limited collection at Marks & Spencer, which launches this week (and is the strongest range the store has produced in years), has a pretty, floral-print, chiffon empire-line blouse and a navy blue, fitted silk dress with red polka dots and a real Ossie Clark feel.
The right accessories are crucial to nailing the Seventies look. A floppy felt hat will give you an instant bohemian air. Luisa Beccaria and Michael Kors both included them in their autumn collections and James Lock, the hatters tucked away in St James's, London, has the best selection of colours, from soft sage green and sludgy mustard, through to deep claret and rich purple. On the high street, there are more tame versions, which are good buys, even though the colours are less delicious. Dorothy Perkins and Miss Selfridge both have them in chocolate brown while Kookai has a deep purple felt hat with a tan leather trim.
Complete the look with a pair of stack-heeled boots. Buy a pair of classic, knee-high tan boots and they will not only give all those floral prints a bit of an edge, but will also make the look a whole lot more practical once the weather gets more autumnal.
(Filed: 03/09/2004)
There is a fun alternative to twee suits. Clare Coulson says many designers are being inspired by the floral, feminine styles of Ossie Clark
There is, thankfully, some respite to the ubiquitous tweedy, ladylike trend that will dominate fashion this autumn. Michael Kors, Roberto Cavalli and even Missoni are all flying the flag for Seventies bohemia – albeit in an ultra-luxurious way – and, while these looks can seem a little too exuberant on the catwalk, when scaled down they make a great alternative to all those twee suits.
Begin with a dress. The Ossie Clark retrospective, held at the V&A last summer, has had a knock-on effect. The ultra-feminine dresses that Clark created during his short-lived career, with their fitted silhouettes, flouncy sleeves and graphic, floral prints have inspired countless designers. Alice Temperley has some brilliant, vivid, graphic prints in her autumn collection that capture the mood of the prints Celia Birtwell produced with Clark in the late Sixties and early Seventies.
Nicholas Knightly at Mulberry also seems to have been dipping into the archives. The label's blooming clothing collection, which gets stronger each season, has beautiful, bell-sleeved, printed, empire-line dresses and similar blouses, too. The new Limited collection at Marks & Spencer, which launches this week (and is the strongest range the store has produced in years), has a pretty, floral-print, chiffon empire-line blouse and a navy blue, fitted silk dress with red polka dots and a real Ossie Clark feel.
The right accessories are crucial to nailing the Seventies look. A floppy felt hat will give you an instant bohemian air. Luisa Beccaria and Michael Kors both included them in their autumn collections and James Lock, the hatters tucked away in St James's, London, has the best selection of colours, from soft sage green and sludgy mustard, through to deep claret and rich purple. On the high street, there are more tame versions, which are good buys, even though the colours are less delicious. Dorothy Perkins and Miss Selfridge both have them in chocolate brown while Kookai has a deep purple felt hat with a tan leather trim.
Complete the look with a pair of stack-heeled boots. Buy a pair of classic, knee-high tan boots and they will not only give all those floral prints a bit of an edge, but will also make the look a whole lot more practical once the weather gets more autumnal.
