Don’t Call Me Cute (Fashion Me Now)

I might be a serial down-dresser but that doesn’t mean I’m immune to the appeal of girlish charms. Seeing Clueless as an impressionable 11 year-old will do that to do you…

As a teen, it was always a massive diss if one of your peers called you ‘dressed up’ as you emerged down the stairs… As if making any kind of effort was a form of weakness and looking like you’d just heaved yourself out of bed was preferable. No one wanted to look like they’d cared one iota when mixing with the opposite sex especially; stained tracksuit bottoms with a silky camisole and black kohl liner was our don’t-give-a-shit uniform aged 14. It actually drove me mad sometimes, when I actually did want to indulge my inner Cher, dress-up and look, well, nice rather cool, but that weird, post-90s sensibility has stuck with me into adulthood. I’m always far more comfortable in my own skin when I arrive at a party underdressed rather than overdressed and when you live for jeans and leather trousers over embellished dresses, its pretty hard to ever be the latter.

But once in a while, I like a bit of sugar, spice and all things nice like the rest of them. Case in point, the new LK Bennett x Bionda Castana chequered Mary-Janes that launch globally today. Forever a sucker for a good gingham check, at first I thought about tomboying them up with loose-fit jeans and an oversized shirt but on second inspection, I decided to go all out with a new Asos frilly-necked top (that looks amazing with a silk cami over it) and AYAI leather ribbon choker. Tiny little details that tie together perfectly. Keeping it monochrome with frayed hems and hair that never wants to do anything but frizz keeps the whole thing ‘me’ while still being sweet enough to give you a toothache.

Ph. by Frances Davison
Created in collaboration with the new LK Bennett X Bionda Castana Collection.

Lucy Williams

Don’t Call Me Cute