Wear with: pumps with a metallic finish. Accessorize the look with stacked thin bangles, or wear a blazer and a loosely wrapped scarf for a rock-chick look.
Brands to try: Topshop, UNIQLO, True Religion, See by Chloé, Balenciaga, Chloé.
Blouse, Marlene Birger.
A seriously pretty top can create a great look in an instant.
Whether it’s a fresh, cotton blouse, a sparkly vest or a stripy sweater, a well-chosen top can completely change your look. There’s such a brilliant selection of tops out there right now that none of us has to rely on just our favourite T-shirts any more. I admit, nothing looks fresher than a white vest and jeans in summer, but I think there are so many good reasons not to just reach for your favourite tee or sweater every day.
One of the handiest styling tips that I’ve learned lately is that creating a great look on your top half is all down to detail. But, again, I would say that the best tops for you are the ones that suit your shape, and that you feel most comfortable in. So, plain or patterned, simple or smart, in this chapter I’ll suggest many ways to dress your tops up or down to suit your style, and explain how to create a practical but pretty collection of classic tops – including some great jackets – to wear with your jeans, skirts and trousers.
Top, Dorothy Perkins.
Everyday favourites
T-shirts, vests and racer-backs
SIMPLY GORGEOUS
When choosing T-shirts, I go for finer, looser styles that you can shape with a belt, or close-fitting designs like a simple vest. I love vests with shorts and skirts. If my skin’s nicely tanned, I might wear a brightly coloured vest, or if I’m wearing a simple white one I’ll drape some fine gold chains around my neck.
Photograph © Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images.
A little extra detail on a vest top adds extra style.
JEAN GENIUS
Tanks and racer-backs can look great with jeans. I’ve seen Scarlett Johansson do this look in a simple, stylish way; with some three-quarter-length denim capri pants and a plain white, cotton vest. Her gorgeous curvy figure brought a real old-fashioned sexiness to the look that made me think of the Pink Ladies in Grease.
EXTRA PRETTY
If you can do that Fifties kind of thing, it can look really cute, but I’d say you have to be careful with vests as they can easily slip into ‘builder’ territory, and if they don’t suit your shape, the effect can be a little too masculine. Layering a fine cotton shirt on top of a vest will help avoid this. Remember, too, to go for nude-coloured bras under white vests, so that they don’t show through. It’s nicer not to have bra straps showing, so go for tank-shaped vests, which should cover them.
SUPER SMART
Another thing I look for in a T-shirt is good-quality fabric: silk or fine cotton adds a smartness that stops a tee feeling too loose and casual, while a little more detail will look dressier. It’s just the kind of thing that Joseph, See by Chloé and Topshop Unique do really well – they take a great basic T-shirt shape and make it in a luxurious or silky material. I often spend a little extra on smart T-shirts, and I find that those are the ones that last longer and wash up really well.
ALL IN THE NAME
I’m not as keen as I used to be about logos on clothes. Small ones are fine, but you have to be careful with large logos. Saying that, I remember about 13 years ago I had a pair of red Moschino jeans with ‘Moschino’ written all over them. I thought they were fab at the time!
Real Style Note
If you’re curvy, go for fitted tops that show off your shape.
If you’re worried about your tummy, pick a looser style with sleeve detail and a low-cut or buttoned neckline to draw attention away from it.
If you’re tall, choose a vest to highlight your waist and wear it with a fitted jacket of the same length. Elle Macpherson looks great in this combination.
If you like to cover your bum, choose a tee with sleeve and neck detail – like a ruffle- to draw attention away from the bits you feel conscious of. I’d also try wearing longer styles that skim your hips.
Blouse, Wallis.
All-time classic
The white shirt
White shirts never go out of fashion – whether you wear one to the office every day or buy one every summer, there are not many people I know who don’t wear one at some point. The good news is that they don’t just come in straight ‘office’ styles anymore. Stores like Gap, Marks & Spencer and Hennes do several versions of classic white shirts now, as do most of the big designers. Chanel always do quite special ones, but I like the Chloé shirts, as they always have something more going on – like pleats around the neckline – and this stops them looking and feeling too stiff. I’d tend to stick to this type of shirt for during the day, but really, the brilliant thing about a white shirt is that it goes with almost anything. The key is to keep it as pristine and as white as you can; once it loses its sharpness you’ll need to buy a new one.
Style Tip
Choose a crisp, fitted white blouse for a polished look or a looser, softer, hippy style for casual days. Pull your shirt in at the waist with a wide tan or black belt for a sleeker look.
Blouse, Marlene Birger.
Dressing the part
Beautiful blouses
I love silky or chiffon blouses. I might go for a chiffon one that’ nicely fitted around the body but that has big, full or puffy sleeves. This can look just as lovely and glamorous with a pencil skirt or some high-waisted jeans as it would with classic trousers or a skirt. Smock styles with jewels and stones around the neckline can also work during the day, and short-sleeved blouses tend to look better in daytime, too.
NIGHT BRIGHTS
For night, choose loose, wide-neck blouses that sit slightly off the shoulder, as they can look just the right side of sexy – as can pussy-bow necklines and ruffle-front styles. I’d say that a plain blouse in a lush fabric and a bright or block colour doesn’t