London - Fashion Week here was all of a kerfuffle over the news that, from next September, you will be able to buy Burberry’s catwalk collection immediately - should you feel so stirred. “See-now, buy-now” is the new mantra.
Well, I’m ahead of all that: I’ve seen what I’m taking away from fashion week, and I’m here to say we can all buy it right now. Something glittery this way comes.
What I have fixed on since sitting through 35 shows is that a judicious bit of glitter is the ideal partner to black. Together, they make an ingenious, and cost-efficient, team. Glitter’s not just for Christmas - it’s for now.
This hit me while watching the debut catwalk show by shoe designer Charlotte Olympia. All the models were wearing variations of beautifully cut, just-below-the-knee black dresses, suits and elegant coats, but on their feet and in their hands was a happy, humorous explosion of eye-catching twinkle. Platform shoes, block-heeled velvet Mary Janes with sparkle in the heels, Lurex envelope bags decorated with stars: it all looked so good.
And because of the chic sobriety of the clothes, Charlotte was clearly tipping a knowing wink that this combo is not just for parties. Done properly, it’s here to spark up our days, too.
Where Charlotte ventured first, innumerable designers followed on the London catwalk with extravagantly embroidered, sequinned and beaded gowns - creating a bona fide trend with a nostalgic nod to the Thirties, Forties and Seventies.
I am not up for investing in a full-on, sequinned red-carpet number. One-wear dresses don’t fit my parsimonious bottom line.
No, what I’m aiming for is a bit of mood-changing sparkle in the form of a shirt, a pair of shoes, a sequinned or decorated bag - though definitely not all worn at the same time.
To do this properly, you have to put a large safety zone between your appreciation of good-taste fun and bling-tastic vulgarity. And don’t even think about jersey T-shirts with iron-on crystals or bejazzled denim in any form. I’m sure I didn’t have to tell you that.
The challenge more commonly lies in persuading the sensible woman that even a speck of sparkle is permissable for daywear.
Yet I can promise, having tried it, that it turns out to be a low-cost experiment that can look classy.
EVERYDAY SEQUINS - THE RULES
Concentrate sparkle in one piece only.
Shoes with glittery heels should be worn with entirely sober black.
An envelope bag with cartoon sparkle is a daytime cheerer-upper.
Avoid rhinestone cowgirl denim at all costs.
Daily Mail