The Shopping List: MAY
Featuring more faux fur than we were expecting, a quest for the perfect neck scarf and an audacious bag worth waiting for.
If there was ever a sign that everything old is new again, the return of sleaze as the leading aesthetic choice for young, hot people is it. Only today, the proclivity for sartorial chaos and mess isn’t dubbed “Indie Sleaze” as it was in the late aughts. It’s now “Trashcore”.
Trashcore is the late stage version of Indie Sleaze — a more overt subversion of mainstream trends that champions a dishevelled, grubby, singular visual language. If there ever was a true opposite to “quiet luxury”, Trashcore is it (think: Justin’s rough finish versus Hailey’s glazed polish). Style has become so homogenised that there was nowhere else to go but to the edges of what most would consider stylish. There’s a natural oppositional reflex at work here, like a dog leaning against you when you try to nudge it off the bed at 3am.
Maybe it’s all just part of the cyclical nature of style and celebrity, and Trashcore will come and go with all the sticking power of old felt. But before you discount this as just another fad optimised for the algorithm, we think there is something to the Trashcore trend: the value it places on individuality. On a point of view, expressed through your style. On breaking rules, goddammit!
Let this be a reminder to not rush to throw things away, even when you think you’ve emotionally or stylistically outgrown them. You never know: you might just want to start dressing like Erin Wasson again.
On that note, onto this month’s selects.
Sophie
DEERING / The Afterglow Jacket — $650
Okay I know I said that my style has been verging on the side of minimalism recently but this is totally a neutral!? Perhaps this gal hasn’t really lost her stripes. It may be my recent And Just Like That rewatch in the lead up to the new season, or call it a recession indicator, i’m back baby! Well, not really. Time and budget are still a deafening factor with all my new purchases but a gal can dream. There’s something about a slow economy that calls for dress-up-box-style dressing. I’ll take any amount of fanciful right now.
While everything on my wishlist is a neutral, it’s also very textured — so it will all pair well while also being a quick injection of interesting. I’m also living for this.
Annie
KUJTEN / Small Cashmere Bandana – $190
Ladies and gentlemen (gentle..man?…hello…?), the relief I felt when I stumbled across this delightful Paris-born brand and its chic Mongolian cashmere scarves. I had searched high and low for a similar scarf by an Australian brand that I really loved, but alas nothing was quite hitting the mark for me (this conundrum was only made worse by the fact I’d ruled out Oroton’s lovely scarves because I may or may not have bought one as a gift for Sophie’s birthday and if I buy anything else she already owns, she might call the authorities on me).
I’ve been doing a lot of style and outfit moodboarding in lieu of reading before bed (not a habit I’m looking to keep, but right now I can make it through approximately three and a half pars of this excellent book before my eyelids close with all the determination of a working dog). While my ideal style is rooted in classic minimalism, it’s got flourishes of vintage soul thrown in there too. I love when there’s a playful, knowing tension in my outfit: a silk lace slip dress with an oversized vintage leather jacket, ultra baggy jeans with a pair of spindly fine-heeled sandals; a summer crochet bag with a fur coat, or an oversized suit (read: serious) with a neck scarf (read: whimsical).
There is something so simple and so effective about a loosely tied neck scarf with a white t-shirt and jeans. And while I cannot comprehend ever attaching a Labubu to my bag, I can see a use case for this scarf tied around my new suede bucket bag. Voila! And all it took was three days of effectively non-stop investigation to find the perfect one. So effortless, so French.
It also comes in a larger size, if you want to wear it like a jacket too.
Also on my shortlist were this Lemaire number, this P Johnson number and this Nanushka number (LOVE) for anyone looking for a silk option. Of course, you could also trawl for a second-hand/vintage option on eBay, Etsy, the Real Real (love this YSL) or Vestiaire Collective (this Salvatore Ferragamo option is calling my name).
Sophie
INDRESS / Meryl Brooch — $400
Occasionally we’ll include an international brand in our newsletters and this is one of those times. I can’t stop thinking about this brooch, which is often a good indicator for being a worthwhile purchase. As mentioned above, my personal wardrobe has been a erring on the side of neutral and minimalism, so i’m desperately seeking quick texture to add to my looks. Insert INDRESS brooch here.
Another quick way to inject a little more excitement into your outfits when you’re attempting not to spend any money? Explore your partner / best mate’s wardrobe. I’ve been wearing my guy’s old khaki Incu Collection short mac coat this week, similar here, and instantly felt that hit of fresh inspiration that only comes with a new purchase. But it needed a dose of whimsy and I think this is it. I ADORE all of the other colour ways, but in the spirit of maximal bang for buck, I think keeping it neutral will allow me to wear it more often.
I also found this Etsy dupe. Or perhaps it was here first! Who knows. But I do love the floppiness of the INDRESS option. Sigh.
Annie
P JOHNSON / Crepe Knit Tee Dress — $795
Yes, it’s expensive and no, I probably won’t be able to take it home any time soon, but allow me to explain why I have included this.
A couple of weeks ago, I was happily caught in the orbit of one Katya Wachtel thanks to an event we were both speaking at. Katya is the editorial director at Broadsheet and an exceptionally thoughtful, stylish, clever woman. At the event, Katya was wearing a long, straight, very simple black t-shirt dress, with no accessories to speak of except an elephant grey Loewe bag and her signature black frame glasses. It was a micro masterclass in elegance. The dress itself was quite obviously beautifully made and hung on the body just so. I initially assumed the dress was from The Row or perhaps Jil Sander, but Katya confirmed it was this P Johnson number — crafted from a viscose crepe knit fabrication that gives just the right amount of weight and shape so as to fall in one clean, confident line. The sort of dress you could imagine Joan Didion prescribing as a cure-all to your travel wardrobe woes. The perfect base to build endless outfits around, swapping accessories in and out to mix up the feel.
It’s really easy to get fatigued by the whole ‘capsule wardrobe’ concept, but it’s pieces like this that encapsulate (hehe) why it can be such a useful way to build the foundations of your wardrobe. Buy once, buy well, wear often, own forever.
Sophie
OROTON / Gold Foil Skirt — $499
I want to wear this piece with something ultra casual, like a grey marle slub sweater and thongs (still in denial it’s nearly winter). Or with one of my kid’s very oversized tees a la Michelle Pfeiffer in One Fine Day.
Again, give me all of the fanciful right now!
Annie
PANAME / Shiela Bag — $460
Now, I know this bag is currently sold out — but I did some digging on Mane’s Instagram account and it looks like they will be coming back in stock. Which is great news if, like me (and evidently Soph) you have a soft spot for clothes and accessories that could double as an extra on Sesame Street.
The colour, the shag, the audacity. It’s a home run for me. My notifications are ON!
Sophie
ALIAS MAE / Olive— $219.95
I’m still on the hunt for a flat winter shoe that adds the same relaxed element to a look as a thong or slide does in the summer. I think that’s the core issue we’re dealing with here, a closed toe naturally leans slightly more formal so we don’t have that quick footwear fix for a buttoned up, layered wintery look.
I don’t feel at home in a ballet flat (although I am coming around to this round/square toe, and I don’t mind a modern silhouette like these. I also found these snakey gals but I’d need to see them on). It’s also a rare occasion that i’ll feel myself wearing a loafer (if I did it’d be these, these or these). But what I do tend to lean towards is a pointed toe slide or kitten heel. The slide obviously lends that relaxed element I crave in winter, but the point gives polished. Throw in the playfulness of the fur and we have a perfect equation.
Annie
ETSY (various) / Suede Jacket — $POA!
I bookmarked this outfit from Prada’s FW23 runway a while ago. It speaks directly to the aforementioned tension I love in an outfit: the sheer, delicate, almost bridal miniskirt with the heavy, utilitarian grey knit and then that oversized suede blazer that looks like it was plucked from a flea market in Paris.
Suede jackets are everywhere at the moment, and there are definitely some great options on the Australian market — I like this one by Witchery (on sale for a pretty convincing $479.95) and this one by RM Williams (I’d size up) but I haven’t seen a great blazer shape I love. This one from Dissh is OK but it’s too long for my liking. There is a real fine line between oversized and chic, and oversized and comical. I also really want something darker, like the Prada one above.
I’ve been scouring Etsy for this Goldilocks jacket and while I don’t think I’ve quite found The One, I don’t mind the look of this one, or this one. Maybe even this one. Jury’s out. Send me your reccs!
Sophie
BASSIKE / Contrast Scoop Hem Long Sleeve Top — $160
Every. Single. Day. I’m reaching for an interesting long sleeve base layer. It’s a basic so it really shouldn’t matter that much should it? WRONG. Intense reaction, but it’s true. These pieces are the foundation on which we build our looks so they should be strong pieces. They don’t have to be expensive but they should represent you and your style.
My checklist when it comes to a basic top:
Thick neck band: I prefer them. They’re more modern. I think it’s a streetwear influence? I am not sure
Natural fibre with texture: if I can help it, I will always choose a natural fibre because they feel so much better and wear so well over time. And the texture adds dimension. Say you’re wearing a beige trench and a solid grey trouser, adding a top with even the slightest bit of texture will lend so much more to an overall look than another flat fabric would. An interesting look is all about layer and texture
Detail: the extra long sleeve, the baseball style, the raw hem, the uneven hem, the drop shoulder. These are all design details that are added to create a unique top
I find if I am wearing a really considered base layer, I always feel more put together. I honestly save my favourite base layer tops for when I am going to be the most social that week so I know they’re not in the wash. One might say I need to invest in more of them.
The Michelle Pfieffer Dino top - an unsung fashion moment. I love the cashmere bandanna!