Style Cubed

She loves shopping - clothes, shoes, handbags... even the indent you get on your hand from carrying too many hangers to the changing room. And while she knows her PPQ from her Primark, that doesn't mean she can afford it. This is TV presenter Cat Cubie's irreverent and entertaining insight to the world of fashion...

Collared

By Cat Cubie on 15 Dec 2010 No comments

I feel like I’ve been harping on about sheer shirts, so it seems only right for me to finally write about this trend. Last year we did the boyfriend and ‘oh so comfy’ flannel but, as you’ll probably have noticed, this year fashion got frumpy. In A/W 2010 the only way to wear your shirt is buttoned up.

I have many style icons, past and present, but no matter how hard I’ve tried I can’t help but look to Alexa Chung for trendspiration. I have a girl crush. There, I said it. And she definitely pops her collar.

The best thing about being buttoned up (apart from keeping out those winter chills) is that you don’t really need anything new; ideal if, like me, you’re saving your pennies for Christmas presents. A crisp white shirt is surely a wardrobe staple and all you need to do is do it up. It really is that simple. If you don’t have one handy, a wee trick I learned from a stylist a few years back: go to a charity shop get any white shirt and cut the collar off. Then you have a ‘collar necklace’ that can be teemed with high-necked jumpers and dresses to cheat the look.

At first this ‘look’ might seem matronly or even slightly schoolgirl but paired with the right elements (a little bit like over-the-knee socks) there’s no reason for this trend to look contrived. And a shirt goes with everything, from carrot pants to shorts and mini shirts. Wear your buttoned-up-shirt tucked into high-waisters or go floaty and romantic and a little less well behaved... I’ve been wearing mine with some leather shorts and last year’s black with gold bobble jumper from Topshop (A/W 09) or with a black ribbon as a tie to add detail to the neckline.

There are some great, affordable shirts perfect for the button-up look at Uniqlo, particularly Jil Sander's collection.

I’ve a feeling that this trend might well run into the Spring (and Summer, given the British weather) so I reckon it’s probably worth buttoning down for the long haul!