Welcome to The Closet
Where clothes are less complicated
First off, welcome! Secondly, thank you for signing up to my new newsletter, The Closet. Each week you’ll receive a new style-related nugget, from me, in your inbox (mark as “not spam” if you want to make sure you receive it), and each week we’ll embark on a shared journey into the wardrobe of the world (or something like that).
In today’s newsletter - the first - I’m going to share a few spring style considerations, and we’re also going to take a little poll - scroll down to read and to get involved…
First a Little Background
I worked in men’s fashion magazines for 15 years, and during my time in the flannel trenches I learned some important life lessons. First: Always wear socks which are long enough to cover your ankles if your trousers should ride up - looks neater (more on socks later). Second: when wearing a double breasted blazer you must never fasten the bottom button. Third: the fashion industry loves to make real people feel like they know absolutely nothing about clothes (even though we all wear them, all the time).
Which is where this Substack, The Closet, comes in. I wanted to create a safe space where real questions about real clothes are free to be asked. Like - what does smart casual actually mean? What length of sock works best with pedal pushers? And what’s with all the silly double breasted buttoning rules? I want this to be the place where our community can ask style related questions, trade style advice with me and one another, and engage in a more human side of the fashion industry - where clothes are less complicated.
So who am I?
I’m a writer, stylist, author and lover of fugly shoes. I spent most of my career as a fashion journalist and editor, cutting my style teeth on Esquire magazine where I was style director and then over at GQ. I even won a couple of awards for my work. Nowadays I’m editorial director of Soho House, but you can catch me in The Financial Times every now and then where I contribute.
In September 2023 I’ll be releasing my debut book, The Closet. It’s a coming-of-age-meets-coming-out memoir. Each chapter of the book focuses on a garment from the wardrobe of my past; from the cornflower blue Princess dress I desperately wanted to wear as a toddler, but felt ashamed to do so, to the red velvet cape I wore when I dressed up as a Tudor “peasant” on a school trip (evidence below). The Closet is a paean to the clothes we care about and the stories they tell. Other newsletter writers might add a link to pre-order their book here, but I’d never dream of being so crass.
Spring Style Considerations
The happiest season is here - so here are my key style considerations to bear on mind as we all begin to shrug of the dull old chrysalis of winter.
Be mindful when eschewing socks
One of the most joyful things about the weather warming up is that we no longer need to wear boots. I love boots, of course. Chelsea flat-forms in particular, but they’re heavy and cumbersome and this Winter has been LONG so our legs are TIRED. So by all means bring out your trainers, slippers, espadrilles and mules but be mindful before you go sock-less.
Not only is it highly likely that your ankles will get cold the moment the sun goes in, but a chink of melanin-free flesh can really lower the tone of your look if you’re not very careful. Socks with summer shoes are fantastic if you get the colours right (a yellow babouche slipper worn with a navy silk sock and some wide, cropped jeans, for instance), so stick to sheathing your lowest area until it gets too hot to do so anymore.
Good style is rooted in utility, so if the bits you’re wearing knee-down don’t serve an obvious purpose (aka, keeping your perfectly sun-kissed ankles aerated as the mercury rises), take a beat before you bin the socks.
When in doubt, layer
Bit obvious this, but if you dress for chilly mornings in a jumper and winter coat you’ll be boiling by lunchtime, so layer up in order to layer down as the day progresses. Next consideration, less basic (promise).
(Cate Blanchett in Tår is your layering guru)
The best, most recent example of exemplary layering is Cate Blanchett’s character Lydia Tår in the film of the same name. Her behaviour is monstrous, of course, but her way with layers (think: a cotton roll neck worn beneath a roomy cotton Studio Nicholson shirt, over-layered with an alpaca sweater on the shoulders and a perfectly cut long line blazer), is second to none. Take note.
Play with your colours
Everyone’s banging on about “getting your colours done” right now (listen to this Saturday’s Women’s Hour on BBC Radio 4 for proof) and there’s some truth behind the hype. If you work with a professional colourist to figure out whether you’re a “bright spring” or “deep autumn” you’ll be better equipped to dress year round. Sure, the terms are a little vomitous, but a colour chart which clearly delineates which hues you should buy to make you look your best? Gamechanger. (Try House of Colour for a good place to start). I’ll tell you my colours when we know each other a little better.
It’s never too early in the season for a slipper
There is nothing chicer than an (outdoor) slipper. See the Babouche styles at Sabah, the suede loafer slippers at Margiela, and the easy mules at Birkenstock for proof. Leave the socks on for now, as we’ve discussed.
Consider a Peshawari Sandal
If you’re feeling brave and want to wear a sandal, avoid anything that shows too much toe this early in the season and instead go for a Peshwari sandal or chappal. Worn across the subcontinent in Pakistan, Afghanistan and some regions of India, the shoes are half way between a loafer and a slipper, meaning they’re perfect for spring. The priciest (but most beautiful) can be found at Bottega Veneta, a more affordable option is at Grenson.
Make Shawls a Thing!
I’m a bit obsessed with Noughties-era Jude Law at the moment. Styled by William Gilchrist (also of the Rolling Stones), Law’s go to look was a light summer scarf - let’s call it a shawl - in a similar tone to his blazer, worn with a low cut T-shirt and a saggy beanie. Skip the Tee and the headwear, and stay for the shawls and drape away, like you’re Joanna Lumley “discovering” a former colony. Extreme Cashmere’s bandanas are DELICIOUS, as are Brunello Cucinelli’s summer scarves - which are really shawls.
The Poll
To help me make this newsletter as useful and entertaining as possible I’m conducting a little poll. Let’s go!