Growing up, I was never a fan of navy blue – not quite blue, not quite black, it was just mediocre, and matronly. It was the colour of the pleated skirt my primary school teacher wore, the dull jacket and trousers uniform of office workers, the tatty school jumper I had to wear in high school – in short, the associations were never fashionable. So when I made a beeline for this combo in Zara this summer in Istanbul, I surprised myself.
After grabbing this bargain cardi on Sunday at Outfit for a tenner, my perfect combo was complete.
The striped, tie at the waist top is a cool take on the summer’s huge striped shirts trend, and looks pretty cool with boy jeans too, for a more casual look.
And the trousers! If you have to get one pair this autumn, make sure it is these! Quirky, cool and comfortable. With the kickflares, they are pretty flattering too. I paired the look with blue pumps I got from a 5-pound shop in Notting Hill a few years back and my new Trullo NY bag – masterfully colour-coordinated.
I loved this look so much I had to go back out in the evening for some more street style looks. It was only then I noticed the golden buttons on my trousers matching the golden detailing on my bag. Military buttons? Check. By the way, you can also undo the buttons up to your knees for some extra swag.
