Some winters we feel like slobbing out, and designers are kind enough to send baggy knits, luxury track pants and oversize jumpers down the AW14 catwalks so we can burrow away into voluminous cosy folds and pretend we're hedgehogs until next spring.
Sadly, this season, no such luck. It’s all about indulging in the slick, siren call of a suit. It’s all about sharp shoulders, cigarette trousers, and enjoying the feeling of striding out in an outfit that suggests you’ve got your shit together, even if you most definately haven’t. Stella McCartney, Givenchy, Gucci and Christian Dior all presented precise tailoring, from structural, almost architectural styles, to classic, close-cut tuxedo-style suits in opulent tones.
It's no surprise, then, that the high street is inundated with awesome suits inspired by the big-dawgs, including the midnight blue velvet tux that Cara D stepped out in recently. Here’s some tips on how to style them:
Rely On A Roll Neck
Roll neck jumpers (they used to be called polo-necks in my day, but who am I to argue with fandangled fashion advances) are a great way for dressing down a suit. There’s just something about them that removes tailoring from a business and boardroom context and throws it full throttle into a fashion statement. Try a roll neck in the exact shade of your suit, or pick a complementary, bright colour to mix it up a little.
Go Big, Or Go Home
Wide legged trousers have overtaken the skinny for AW14, and general oversizing is a key way to make your suit look super fashion. If you’re going to do this look you should try the men’s department as you might find more items to suit, literally.
Read More::a[Blogger Girl In Menswear Tells Us How To Wear Guys Clothes And Make Them Look Amazing]{href='https://thedebrief.co.uk/2014/11/blogger-girl-in-menswear-tells-us-how-to-wear-guys-clothes-and-look-amazing' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer'}
Do Sandwich Suit Dressing
Your suit doesn’t have to be your finishing, outer layer – use it as the ‘meat’ of your outfit, and wear a shirt underneath and a topcoat as your final flourish. If you’re uber-duper fashiony, you will want to wear your coat on your shoulders. We don’t recommend this when it’s windy, just sayin’. We love the tonal greys, navy and white of this look, but consider introducing different prints and textures on each layer for more of a statement suit look.
Mix Up Your Shirt Selection
You don’t have to stick to office rules – pick a sheer, metallic or textured shirt to wear under a plain coloured suit (or if you're super brave mix your patterns). An unexpected shirt choice is the key to reinventing your suit season after season, and is much cheaper than buying new tailoring each year.
**Pick Plaid **
Plaid is a huge trend this season (yeah, we know, you’re sick of us talking about it), but never does it look more effective than on a coordinating suit. Wear a plain top under the jacket, and pair with minimalist accessories to avoid detracting from the punch of the print, but consider wearing two different plaids on top and bottom for a less predictable take on the trend.
Live In Cloud-Cuckoo-Land And Buy A White One
If you’re an avid spag bol fan, then this one probably isn’t for you. But the white suit has a certain appeal about it – it suggests that you live a completely indulgent rather fabulous life where stain potential doesn’t exist, and it certainly isn’t an issue. Wide legged whites feel more modern than a tight-fitting cut, fyi.
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Pictures: Getty, Jason Lloyd-Evans, Vanessa Jackman
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.