What I Actually Wore #0138
Serial #: 0138
Date: 15/08/2013
Weather: 18°C / 64°F
Time Allowed: 10 minutes
Often my winter outfits start out by assessing the forecast temperature, and whether I can be bothered wearing tights. Usually the answer is ‘no’ to that question (I generally hate tights). I then toss up between over-the-knee socks (will they keep me warm?) and trousers (do I feel like wearing pants, and if I do, which length will work with comfortable walking shoes? … I should draw an infographic for this process!). This morning, these wool-blend OTK socks were appealing, although according to my notes I wore the dark brown pair, not the beige ones in the photograph.
When I saw [the suit] in the boutique I was immediately enamoured of the jacket because of the sleeves.
I chose the Spanish designer suit I bought as a souvenir from Sitges, in the northern Catalonian region in Spain a couple of years earlier. When I saw it in the boutique I was immediately enamoured of the jacket because of the sleeves. There are various influences at play: vaguely Renaissance-look sleeves, a Regency cropped length, a Mandarin collar and cheongsam-inspired fastening – a very interesting mix! I would have preferred a longer waist-length however as the crop can make it difficult to wear.
I also love the herringbone fabric, a type of tweed that always fools me into thinking it is winter weight, but in fact it is a linen/viscose blend. As it was a cool day, I also wore my 1970s suede Zhivago coat on top.
Although even on the half-off sale, the suit was a splurge, I still – five years on – have it hanging in my closet.
Underneath I am wearing a wool/silk knit. Out of the accessories, only the raspberry suede peeptoes have survived – the very soft socks sadly wore out to the point the feet were nothing but darns (although I still have the dark brown version and wore them last week in fact), and the modern fedora has a nicer vintage 1970s successor. I still have all the jewellery too. As for the sunglasses … I look at them now and hate them! I instantly thought ‘fly’s eyes’! If I find they are still in the box I store my plethora of sunglasses in, they shall be immediately expelled.
I’m pleased to also read in my notes that I received lots of compliments for this outfit – at work, on the street and in the theatre when I went out in the evening. If I wore it today, I probably would not style it very differently.
Items:
Suit: Celia Velo
Top: secondhand
Socks: Philippe Matignon
Hat: Milana
Earrings: Baku (now defunct)
Ring: Autore
Watch: Kenneth Cole
Sunglasses: MinkPink
Shoes: Wittner
Photos: Septemer 2013