Who What Wear

October 14, 2021 at 08:00AM Out of all the fashion staples in our wardrobe, the coat is probably the item that worked the hardest last year, and something tells us the same will be said for 2021. As we enter September, while we are no longer in full lockdown, the humble coat will inevitably become an essential part of our style arsenal, whether we’re relishing our new-found freedom with dinners out, chilling at home or trekking into the office for the first time. Luckily, the new season is set to usher in a host of outwear trends that combine both form and function.The elevated puffer is, of course, sticking around and is surely one of the warmest things you can throw on on a chilly November morning, but this year they come with more streamlined quilting which is perfect for layering. There’s also plenty of colour via the saturated shades that hit the runway at Prada…

October 14, 2021 at 08:00AM Over the years, I’ve accumulated quite a nice collection of lingerie, had multiple bra fittings and received quotes from some of the biggest experts in the industry on the dos and don'ts of lingerie across the board. Most of these rules are easy enough to follow, except for one (at least for me). During my most recent lingerie fitting for a story I wrote on what it’s like to wear lingerie sets for a week straight, the saleswoman assisting me told me that if I’m not storing my lingerie properly, I’m basically killing it, not getting my money’s worth, and so on and so forth.Instantly I switched into panic mode as I realised all my lingerie was currently stuffed in my drawer along with the rest of my five-for-£20 underwear and random assortment of sports bras. In other words,…

October 14, 2021 at 08:00AM Up until about six years ago, aside from holiday sandals, I never used to wear flat shoes. Instead, I’d teeter around in heels, whatever the occasion—be it a night out or a trip to the supermarket. I guess I had subscribed to the idea that working in the fashion industry meant practical things such as flat shoes weren’t part of the uniform. In my defence, flat shoes weren’t given the same treatment that they are today.Then the tide turned. From Céline’s (when the brand still boasted its accent) Glove shoes to Gucci’s once-again-iconic Jordaan loafers, the humble flat was given the haute treatment by a host of brands. Now, you’ll find plentiful flat shoes that look just as pretty as heels, if not more so.It’s official—flat shoes are cool, and I wear them around the clock. Not only are they…

October 14, 2021 at 08:00AM For the majority of my life, I haven’t had a particularly loving relationship with my hair. I always deemed it flat, fine and lifeless, and I longed for the sort of waves and curls that bounced as I walked. For the entirety of my pre-teen and teenage years, I experimented with countless hair trends (from an inverted bob with fringe to a scruffy shag) in an effort to find a style that complemented my limp, straight strands.But as I entered adult life, I realised it was time to admit defeat and embrace the cards I was dealt. So since the age of 18, I have mostly sported the same long hairstyle. And while I’ve spent a lot of time resenting my hair, I recently realised that, when it’s healthy, it really works. In fact, my super-long, sleek hair has sort of become my most defining beauty characteristic.Nowadays, my long…

October 14, 2021 at 07:00AM I’m a big advocate for the capsule wardrobe—an armoire filled with cherry-picked items that, to borrow from Marie Kondo, give me only joy when wearing them. Conscious shopping is something I’ve adopted too in the past eight and a half years since moving to Paris, and it’s also incidentally something I write about in my new book, Practising Parisienne: Lifestyle Secrets From the City of Lights, which is out now. I’ve found that Parisians have a knack for picking forever pieces, are less likely to buy into fast fashion and have a penchant for vintage and pre-loved clothing that they mix in with more up-to-date styles. They have certainly inspired my own style that’s a lot less try-hard than it used to be, and I now invest in pieces that last: elevated basics that I can wear again and again,…

October 14, 2021 at 06:30AM If you’re a regular Who What Wear reader, you’ll already know how often we turn to Missoma for our jewellery needs. Whether we’re looking to elevate our own outfits (honestly, everyone in the office has something from the brand), or recommending, say, the perfect gold hoops to you guys, Missoma is always our first port of call for pieces that are chic, special and won’t break the bank. So when we heard about Missoma’s advent calendar, we could hardly contain our excitement. Yes, beauty advent calendars are great and all, but jewellery doesn’t run out after a few weeks, does it? All we have to say is sign us up.This year’s version comes in a sleek black and gold palette in line with the brand’s mission to create “jewellery for everyone.” It’s filled with Missoma’s best-selling jewellery worth over…

October 14, 2021 at 06:25AM Christmas parties might not be the main thing on your mind right now, but according to industry insiders, this year is set to be a big one for event dressing, with fashion buyers investing in glitzy gowns and spangled heels across the board. Perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised. After all, those of us who love to don our glad rags have been sorely deprived over the last 18 months and, if we are able to, will take any opportunity to glam up over the Christmas period.   While I am definitely a sucker for a good trouser suit, I am going to focus on a Christmas staple for this article: the party dress. Thankfully, there are plenty of options to choose from—it’s definitely not a one-style-fits-all situation—from sequins and velvet to colour-pop pieces and ankle-grazing hemlines, there’ll be something for everyone. Personally, after a five-year-long affair with the midi…

October 14, 2021 at 06:06AM Whenever someone finds out I’m Scottish, they always ask two things: 1) Do I like haggis? And 2) does everyone wear tartan? Stereotypes aside, these are my answers. 1) No, but lots of my family and friends do, and 2) no, but me? I wear all the tartan I can get.I’ve always loved tartan outfits, particularly in the colder months when the thick weave loans itself perfectly to the plummeting temperatures. And now, for autumn/winter 2021, I have a feeling lots of you will be joining me in my show of tartan appreciation, as the timeless check is already trending for the season ahead.Vivienne Westwood, Molly Goddard, Dior, Alessandra Rich, Longchamp, and Charles Jeffrey Loverboy are just a few of the brands noted in our bumper trend report that dedicated runway looks to the heritage motif, thus firmly cementing its status…

October 14, 2021 at 06:04AM As a child of the ‘90s, I’ll admit that there are many trends of that decade that I’d rather leave behind (pencil-thin eyebrows and towering Spice Girls–esque platform sneakers among them). And while I did dabble in some of the era’s more questionable looks—including butterfly clips and plastic chokers—I’m convinced the decade is far chicer than we give it credit for.  You only have to look as far as celebrity throwbacks featuring Gwyneth Paltrow, Naomi Campbell or Jennifer Aniston to see that the most standout looks from the '90s were often the simplest. From knit dresses to chic silk slips, the outfits that can be categorised as easy and effortless are also the most prominent looks that have stood the test of time. With this in mind, I delved into the archive and found a treasure trove of easy '90s looks that I’d…

October 14, 2021 at 06:00AM Wrapping my hair at night is something that’s been instilled in me since I was a little kid. When my hair was freshly styled for school on Monday, my mum would pop on a headscarf or turban (or if one couldn’t be found, a pair of tights), so over the past 29 years, I have tried my fair share of silk hair wraps.The industry has come a long way, and now there is a plethora of chic and effective silk hair wraps to keep your hair healthy. If you’re not aware of the benefits of wearing a silky hair wrap, here’s the lowdown: Silk reduces friction and therefore prevents excess damage and fragility. The texture also helps prevent frizz. Plus, cotton is known to draw moisture out of the hair and scalp, whereas silk is less likely to do this.…