Winter blues and paler hues
It's so easy to wear darks all winter, to bury myself in a cloud cover of blacks and grays. But when I saw this picture on The Sartorialist web site, I realized what a lift lights can be in winter. The glammy Parisienne garnered plenty of compliments, and she made me rethink what's wintry. She's in Paris: no snowbanks, no -18C (as it is here today) with -35C windchill, and she's probably wearing fine leather boots or even street shoes. Still, she made me think, is it necessary to dress in only sombre tones in winter?
Though her head-to-toe pale palette screams "I don't worry about dry cleaning bills" and I do, I'm still inspired to hunt for a few accessories to break up the gloom.
House of Ireland palest gray cashmere scarf, $64.
Gotta get out of the black coat. How about this Marc by Marc Jacobs pink short wool jacket, far left below, $550 from Net-a-porter?
For less obvious cloning, I liked this Blumarine shawl collar puffer jacket, near left, which escapes the suburban carpool look by virtue of great details, $799 on sale at Saks online.In Canada, fur is practical. Really, this lavender mink stroller would be so useful to me. I'm swooning over all the colours offered (black, blue iris and th
is luminous pale lavender).Think how it would light up a frozen Friday night. Purrr, only $3, 900 from La Fayette Furs, which I could about swing by saving on cleaning a white jacket.
You'd be crazy to wear pale wool pants in our heavy winter weather.
But these heavy cotton city
cords are $19.99 on sale at J. Crew, in saffron or ivory. The inevitable salt stains and splatters launder out. At this price, a couple of pairs are not going to hurt even if they last only for the season.
Comments
I think colour is really important in winter - it helps to keep me buoyant and semi-sane! But, just as in summer, it has to be the right colour to compliment hair and skintone. If I wore the pale colours of the Sartorialist Parisienne I would look ill! I try to go for rich browns and oranges.
Last week I got very excited when looking at one of my old Hermes scarves - I discovered an area of orange in the centre that I'd never noticed before. By folding it on the bias I was able wear a 'new' scarf with the most beautiful burnt orange lighting my face. If anyone ever asks me how to beat the credit crunch, I would say that a re-examination of your Hermes scarves wouldn't cost you a penny!
The pink coat and puffer coat you show are very attractive but unless driving would not really keep me warm in the right places! That's the trouble with growing old - one just becomes SO practical. I think fur is hard to beat for warmth and elegance combined when it comes to winter.
On another note, Tintin turns 80 today, perhaps your scarf will turn up in time for you to toast his longevity. Here's hoping.
Mulberry, rich turquoise, Kelly Green...now that would work for me.