a colour for all seasons
white-hot white
Breaking the pre-Memorial Day Rule, Ice Princesses in winter whites made a rebellious emergence in cold-weather fashion:
luxurious white lambswool worn with white tweed trousers under long, luxe—you guessed it, white—cashmere coats. This trend, which only got brighter as the snow melted, is causing a whiteout this summer—sans the cashmere and tweed. It’s all about wearing white on white in any combination you can think of—the more white, the more might.
The new
basic black
This white-hot trend goes leaps-and-bounds above and beyond the ubiquitous
summer-white tee, worn strategically to show off that gorgeous tan or
effortlessly with a pair of Paper Denim jeans. Head-to-toe white means no
animal prints, no floral patterns, no vibrant bursts of color (well,
except for an accessory or two), and no indigo denim. It may sound
spartan, but only in contrast to the colors of the Pucci rainbow. It can
be as minimalist as the clean lines of Calvin Klein or as spirited as a
four-tiered ruffle skirt.
Highly voguish and widely accessible, wearing white on white is a look that can be dressed up or down, hits every price point and doesn’t play favorites (though a little sun doesn’t hurt). It has just enough innocence to make it pure and fresh, just enough swank and sophistication to make it a class act. Decidedly demure, the right white makes a Puritan-meets-Prada-perfect statement.
Best dressed
There’s nothing hipper and sexier than a slinky, white satin floor-length
gown for a formal event—and it doesn’t even have to be your wedding to get
away with it. White dresses and skirts are showing up everywhere—formal or
flirty, long or short, straight or ruffled, in all their white glory or
trimmed starkly in black.
Go white for show-stopping glamour without attitude. A contradiction in itself, a white dress commands attention without asking for it. It’s a coy, discreet way of saying “Look at me, look at me.”
Warning: wearing a white dress to a wedding when you’re not the bride might turn heads for the wrong reasons. It’s a long-standing tradition—whether white is in style or not—that the one walking down the aisle is the only one in white.
Office-right
white
Clean and classy, the all-white single breasted suit is Hollywood’s take
on professional chic—substituting a thin clutch purse for the leather
briefcase, and a movie premier for an office job. For those of us who
don’t have the pocketbook for a Michael Kors or Dolce & Gabbaba, you can
accomplish the same working-girl panache with smart white slacks and
blazer—just don’t forget the stilettos.
A more casual dressed-for-success look is a pair of linen trousers and pintuck blouse, both in natural shades of white. Subtle in its delicate simplicity, this outfit can be spruced up with a colorful pair of two-tone pumps.
How to wear it
Stock up on summer separates and stay white for weeks. The textbook
approach calls for mixing and matching these summer-right whites: cargos,
wide-leg slacks, ribbed boy tank, tiny tee, cigarette pants, kick-pleat
skirt, button blouse with ruffled cap sleeves, classic fitted button down,
white jeans, lacy shirts, and anything else that makes you feel white-hot.
Pairing a ruffle-down mini with a racer tank takes guts and looks adorable, if you can pull it off. Be careful—the slightest misstep can leave you looking dressed for the tennis court (substitute oversized Jackie O sunglasses for a visor, sexy stacked heels for tennis shoes).
Will it last?
Just like basic black, bright white will never lose its luster. Your
separates are safe from a too-short shelf life, but it’s likely they won’t
get to spend a lot of time together next season. As for all-white suits
and dresses, wear them often while they still shine—such a striking style
doesn’t have longevity. Soon to be replaced by the next, new fashion fad,
the bright-white trend will be nothing more than a pale memory.