Running the gamut of matinees to soirées, you can never go wrong in a dress and a pair of heels. Seasons and fashion trends may dictate silhouette, hemline and the amount of coverage on your feet, but this timeless combination will forever be the cornerstone of dressier looks.
Each of the last century’s decades ushered in a defining spirit that helped shape its distinct look, and in the process drafted an implicit code that still influences the way we express ourselves sartorially today. In short, an H-line minidress and mid-calf boots lend themselves to a ‘60s look – so something revolutionary, and boundary-breaking. Switch out that lithe silhouette for something more hourglass with strong shoulders and you have yourself the vivacity and feistiness of the ‘80s. You get the picture.
In keeping with our blog launch, which we kicked off with a swanky affair in Johannesburg last Thursday, we’ll run through a few of-the-moment party picks that your wardrobe can’t do without.
Slipdresses and stilettos
Seen on the likes of everyone’s favourite trendsetter, Rihanna, and the Kardashian-Jenners, this reborn ‘90s look is minimalism gone sexy. Louche, fluid satin is cut along the bias to skim the body, while towering, strappy heels creep up the shin in concert with your hemline – the higher your hemline, the higher the shaft of your shoes. Mid-calf dresses work with regular heeled sandals or their shootie cousins. Finish off the look with a baseball cap for some street style edge.
Full skirts and kitten heels
Not quite Duchess of Cambridge, and more Dior’s New Look. Full skirts are the bedrock of this silhouette, which champions the demure and refined over all else. Look to off-the-shoulder, plunging necklines to complete full, light skirts and complete your look with lower set heels in a pointed toe.
New workwear
While not always comprised of a dress, this look pivots on reworked officewear staples, like the banker shirt, and novel cut shooties. The traditional shirt is spliced to sit on the body asymmetrically, creating a thoroughly modern outlook that is firmly rooted in the emergent spirit of this century’s second decade. Complete your look with slingback heel slippers.
Flounces, florals, anything goes
Guys, like girls, just wanna have fun. Alas, when your shirt is buttoned all the way to the top and you have nary an inch to move in your suit jacket, fun may be painfully in short order. In a bid to help you reclaim your funhood, it being fragile after all, we’ve put together a primer on how to salvage your suited up look from the depths of corporate-looking despair. Read away.
Having ceded the evolutionary advantage of a full body of fuzz we are now forced to look to other means to preen ourselves and stand out in a crowd like the birds of paradise we wish we could be. Thankfully capitalism has come to our rescue with a slew of options (okay, a slew for women and not so many for men), which now includes the novel, the groundbreaking, and the downright photographable: quirky socks and dress shoes. That’s right, to keep from drowning in a sea of black or navy suits, and white shirts, your best bet to stake your claim to your uniqueness is with a pair of bright, over the top socks.
Now, while this may seem easy enough – if it were this post wouldn’t exist – it can go awfully awry. For starters, consider where you’ll be wearing said suit, dress shoes and socks. This modern duo might get you turned away at the door to the opera, but if black tie attire is not stipulated then all is fair game. The first part to nail, however, is your shoes.
While trends may dictate when something’s hot or not, there are a handful of fail-safes you can turn to when you’re not quite sure what to wear to a special event. In a word, derby. The derby is your run of the mill formal shoe that has the round toe, an open vamp and little else. On the bottom it’s anchored by a substantial, just-right sole, and on top it is sturdy leather. Yes, leather shoes are pricier, but they also mould to the shape of your feet and the way you walk over time. If you’re more adventurous at heart, then reach for a brogued pair, which has that debonair flair, or go for more textured pairs like monk strap shoes or Belgian slippers. As always, black is a safe bet, but feel free to choose brown or any lighter colour if your suit is lighter than charcoal – unconventional colours wouldn’t hurt either, especially if your shoes have velvet uppers.
All that’s left then is the cherry on top (bottom?). Looks aren’t everything, in life or in the socks department, so make sure that whichever pair you settle on is well-made from premium materials so that you wouldn’t mind wearing them at length. As a rule, try to go for pairs that carry as few of the colours as the rest of your outfit as possible. So, for a navy blue suit and black shoes look try a pair in warmer tones. Patterns come down to taste, so if you’re a stripes fan, go for it by all means, but ensure that there is sufficient contrast between what you’re wearing and what you’ll be flashing on your ankles. And there you have it. Have at it, boys. Oh, and one more thing, make sure those trousers are cropped.
