Trend? What trend? Jane and Beryl's top 10 non-trends
Monday 25 February 2019 |
| M&S contrast stitch blazer £79 |
Spring's latest trend is... guess what, no trend at all. So are trends a thing of the past? Have the Great British Public finally freed themselves from the shackles of fast fashion? Jane and Beryl have heard the rumour, but are rather hoping it isn't true. They are trying very hard to be proper grown ups, but have come to the conclusion that if classic kit is the way forward, they may have to wear pink knickers underneath... Here is their top 10 trend-less pieces for spring 19.
The tea dress
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| Dress Somerset by Alice Temperley £99 |
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| Jigsaw dress £150 |
Jane preferred this Jigsaw dress, seduced as usual by anything of a blue hue, but our Bezza can't quite get Mrs Fox, from Dad's Army out of her mind. Could this be because her privates are on parade? Too much tittage, too much stomach, too much knicker line, she politely puts it back.
The trouser suit
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| John Lewis & Partners single breasted longline blazer £120, Wide leg trousers £99 |
Jane is happy, happy, happy in the androgynous trouser suit, and here is a fine one from the John Lewis's own collection. The sizing is a bit strange and Jane has reversed her usual 14 top and 12 trousers with a size 12 jacket and 14 trousers, but hey, ho, as we know size is an illusion. Jane feels very comfortable and at home in this. Would she buy? It's a good price but if she is being totally honest, the colour is bit too Kermit the frog for her taste and she feels doesn't count as a classic.
The blazer
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| Ink contrast button blazer £129 and matching trousers £89 Mint Velvet |
This is perhaps more like it colourwise and adheres to the blazer rules with such a classic shape and contouring. As honesty is her new policy, Jane does think however that she looks somewhat like her late grandfather in his Royal Horse Artillery blazer, only lacking the silk handkerchief and breast insignia to complete the military look - and not in a good way.
The Breton and the denim jean
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| Boden jeans £50, Weekend by Max Mara sweater £180 Superga plimsolls £50 |
Beloved off duty gear of the Duchess of Cambridge, Jane possibly rightly maintains that no self respecting classic spring edit would exclude the Breton tee or jumper. Beryl cannot reconcile herself to this one however, which is a migraine in knitted form. She is feeling happy and carefree though in the Boden Jeans and Superga pumps. The jeans at £50 don't seem bad value, but spending £50 on a pair of white plimmes when your address is Cow-pat Cottage, Muddy Puddle, Lower Rainsflood, seems like asking for trouble.
The white t-shirt/grey cardi
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| T-shirt Fenn, Wright Manson £69, Cardi Madewell £98 |
Ahh, the T-shirt and cardi conundrum. These items perhaps can be considered truly trend-less, if indeed anything can. Jane and Beryl suspect that many a WOACA lives and breathes in this uniform on a daily basis: fling it on and off we go on another school run, weekly shop, whatever. The white T staple can, of course, just as well come from M&S as anywhere else for under a tenner and the price tag of £145 on this one has Jane and Beryl running screaming from the changing room. Perhaps it washes well and will last forever? Hmm.
The Chanel jacket
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| Dress pre-loved Samantha Sung £49 Jacket LK Bennett £325 Shoes M&S £55 past season |
A Chanel-style jacket is probably on many a WOACA's best dressed wish-list, and this LK Bennett one looks great with Beryl's Samantha Sung shirt dress. Beryl is however having a bit of bother with the £325 price tag, which frankly makes her head spin. She is clearly on stinge factor eight today, because there is a lot of cost per wear commitment in this jacket. Beryl is just not sure that she is mature enough for this kind of relationship with her clothes.
The white shirt
The white shirt
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| Shirt Weekend by Max Mara £145, Ink button wide leg trouser £89, Mint Velvet |
The fashion editors are forever whinging on about how no woman's wardrobe is complete without a crisp white shirt blah, blah, blah, (a bit too crisp perhaps looking at how creased it is). Jane has never been sure about this, but must confess that she rather likes this one (so she should at £145, says Beryl)
It is certainly that most useful of things, a conjunction item, not exciting of and in itself, but shows off other bits of kit: could win best supporting role rather than best actress. Jane does feel she is about to present to the board though...
The trench
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| Boden Mac £160 |
Ok, Johnny Boden all is forgiven. (see Whatever Happened to Johnny Boden? blog). Beryl has found at least two things in store (John Lewis) that she really has the hots for. She loves this macintosh, piping down the sleeves
and a lining, to die for. Also bright yellow suede ankle boots! Yes she knows Jane, Mrs Sensible purchases only today, mutter mutter...
The pussy bow blouse and black trouser combo
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| Blouse and trousers, Somerset by Alice Temperley both £79 |
Hyacinth Bouquet, here we come, or was it Mrs Thatcher, or both? Jane has never felt truly at home in a pussy bow which is why she has left this one with its ties slouchily undone. Beryl is more of a fan and again they are good as conjunction items. This is a particularly fine one and at £79, you would have to really love it, in Jane's view, to get it on the nominations list.
Every WOACA surely has a pair of black trews somewhere lurking in her wardrobe, but if she doesn't, Jane would wholly recommend these easy-wearing numbers. Jane has to confess that even post wardrobe weed, she has at least three pairs already.
The white jean
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| Spotty Camilla top Fenn Wright Manson £99, jeans £33 Lauren by Ralph Lauren reduced from £110 Superga pumps £50 Last summer nearly every gal Beryl knows sported a pair of crisp white jeans and these Ralph Lauren ones seem rather a bargain. A navy and white polka dot sleeveless top with a flattering tie to hide your tummy, could lurk in your wardrobe for many a year. Suddenly Beryl hears the sound of brakes screeching to a halt. This top is £99, the same price as the Alice Temperley dress, which has double the amount of fabric. Beryl finds it hard to pay nigh on a £100 for a sleeveless shirt, that is just sort of nice. So she vows to leave non fashion purchases for the sale, as the very point of these is that this year, or next year, they will not be very different. Jane and Beryl are rather startled to find that the pieces they have gathered actually make a rather good capsule wardrobe - who knew that that was all there was to it? Thanks to John Lewis & Partners' new personal styling service launched this week. To book an appointment go to johnlewis.com/personalstyling Coming next, some actual spring trends |
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