Olive Layers: La Redoute Laura Clement Coat

I think I went through some kind of fashion ‘phase’ when I was younger of spending a lot of time in baggy, khaki-coloured utility pants, which at that time I viewed as a sort of comfortable alternative to skinny jeans, misguided though I realize that concept was! It’s certainly a stage of dressing that has led me to avoid khaki like the plague until recent years, quite possibly only as recently as this FW14 when Balmain, Emilio Pucci, Calvin Klein and Isabel Marant placed military khaki back on the catwalks.

Many of these FW14 styles took inspiration from a soldier’s uniform and showed stricter silhouettes and structured looks. In this current outfit post, I’m wearing one of the only double breasted styles I own – a coat from Laura Clement at La Redoute. Perhaps more of an olive drab or avocado shade than a khaki, there is something quite comforting about wearing green – it appears to denotes safety, nature and harmony because of its presence as the most pervasive colour in the natural world.

“He had that curious love of green, which in individuals is always the sign of a subtle artistic temperament, and in nations is said to denote a laxity, if not a decadence of morals.” Oscar Wilde

Khaki is of course about camouflage, so wearing green is a little like wearing black in the fashion world I feel – you don’t really want to be noticed, which reminds me of this quote by Yohji Yamamoto:

“Black is modest and arrogant at the same time. Black is lazy and easy – but mysterious. But above all, black says this ‘I don’t bother you, and you don’t bother me‘.”

I think the key to wearing khaki and olive tones is to stick to classic looks. Since olive is about as earthy and muted as colours come, it’s a great option for timeless classics, like this coat from La Redoute here. To view more styles from Laura Clement, click HERE.

Wearing: La Redoute coat; New Look loafers from ASOS; Black slim cropped pants from GAP; Sweater, Pop Boutique at ASOS. Bag: Maison Martin Margiela. Photos: Beth Morton Photography.