The New Classics

There are few things more effective than the grueling process of packing and repacking to make any woman realise that, first, we were not born for this (because I need a few different incarnations of boyfriend jeans and an extra bottle of the same shampoo, just in case), and second, what we dismissed for all of our adolescent years as being an urban myth by which fathers and significant others might curb our sartorial spending (what else but “the average woman only wears 20% of her wardrobe”) is, in fact, blindingly true. Somehow, even based on

what I have carefully edited into a suitcase to head overseas, I still spend the majority of my week or two abroad rotating the same 20% of my 20kg.

Note: underwear is not to be included in this calculation.

Interestingly, in my case, t-shirts rarely make the cut (after twenty-one years of field-testing on the situation, I have finally come to the conclusion that cotton jersey tees make my arms look too odd to put money into). Shirting of the male variety, jackets as

tops, and jeans that you’re not going to sweat through on the subway – ironically what I usually wear on the plane – speak to whatever degree or nature of work and physical exertion I subject myself to. Recently, I seem to also have taken a liking to midi-skirts* – which is fascinating to me, because I have sworn in the past to never ever wearing skirts without weather-inappropriate trousers beneath. Next minute, I’ve done the exact opposite several times in the past two weeks, and now, twice more. Perhaps I’m getting weak. I blame it on fashion.

But, I digress. Today, based on the same pieces I ended up putting on ever other morning during New York Fashion Week for the in between showroom appointments and meetings, I’m calling these the New Classics. Forget about what your mother and her monthly magazines tell you about that blasted little black dress, or the ultimate office pencil skirt, or slim-tailored white shirts. If your shirt is going to be white, make it a denim jacket with a belt to give you a waist. If your skirt needs to be to-the-knee, make it a flared hem so you can actually stride down the hall without falling on your face. Quite frankly, I

don’t want to hear about your little black dress, or even your medium black jumpsuit – I’m of the belief that, unless you’re in a tropical location (preferably butt naked or in something overwhelmingly kaftan-esque), or swanning a red-carpet (and even then, I’d prefer a pantsuit any day), you should never resort to just the one garment. As a matter of self-expression, always layer something. It doesn’t need to be three jackets and a petticoat – the right hat, sunglasses, scarf, or bag will get credit where credit is due, too. As I said a few months ago: basics are not to be basic. And now, classics are no longer your classic classics.

LOOK 1: Josh Goot Clean Cotton Drill Crop Top and Long Sleeve Shirt, Nobody Denim Midi Jeans

LOOK 2: Nobody Denim Dazed Jacket, ASOS Belt, Chloé Crepe A-Line Skirt

LOOK 3: Three Floor Sleeveless Trench, Anna Quan Funnel Neck Top, MAX&CO Striped Skirt (call Sydney store 02 9369 4480), Mode Collective Lace-Up Heels

shot on Nikon D600 with 80-400mm lens

*probably because knees look like old men’s faces

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