You’re probably wondering why, in the month of May,
I’m talking to you about the sort of accessories you’d
normally associate with winter. Before you stop reading, let me
remind you that a) although you may have been lulled into a false
sense of security by the recent glimpses of sunshine, this is
Oxford not the Mediterranean, and rain/cold/greyness can strike
at any time; b) in the world of fashion, you need to think ahead. In the Autumn/Winter 2004 shows, designers provided us with
lots of treats in the accessories department and I think quite a
few of them could be put to good use right now. The key with
accessories is to be original so try to avoid buying from the
High Street chains. In Oxford this is no easy task, but there are
a few individual stores where you can find original pieces. Try,
for example, the newly opened Lolapoloza on Blue-Boar Street (see
below), or the Covered Market. Perhaps I’m preaching to the converted, this being the
kingdom of the Pashmina after all (see the pontifications of the
Lower Camera), but I still insist that scarves add that extra
touch to any outfit. I admit, Pashminas are the perfect
transition item when it’s too warm for a winter coat and too
cold to ditch any kind of cosy clothing, but girls, let’s
remember that there are other types of scarves! Be brave: try out the far more original and up-to-the-minute,
fifties-style silk chiffon scarves – they both complement
fashion’s current love for ladylike chic, and are
surprisingly warm too. If you want to be truly ahead, replace
your scarf with a cape, again another nifty between-seasons item
and one which featured heavily on the Autumn/Winter 2004
catwalks. Capes like Missoni’s rainbow striped version can
brighten up an otherwise plain outfit whereas neutral versions
like those shown at Celine and Helmut Lang are likely to become
staples in many a fashionista’s wardrobe. There’s no need to persuade you that belts look good in
any season but fashion designers’ current obsession with the
waist means that this accessory (a belt, not a waist) is assuming
more importance than ever before. There is a reason why Kylie has
decided to hang up her hotpants and don waist-enhancing corsets
and wide belts instead – they look good. A key trend at the
moment is to wear belts with long tops or summer dresses over
jeans. For colder days, simply replace the dress with a jumper a
la Matthew Williamson. Coin belts, the choice of Karl Lagerfield
at Chanel, or vintagelooking distressed leather versions, look
great slung casually low on the hips. You may think of gloves as more of a necessity than a fashion
item but things are about to change – many designers ranging
from Jasper Conran to Dolce and Gabbana featured gloves in their
recent shows. Suppress any images in your mind of granny’s
knitted mittens; we’re talking about tight, sleek gloves
made of the softest leather and oh-so-covetable. On the continent, the stylish people have been using the glove
as a key fashion accessory for some time now, creating
beautifully crafted versions in all the colours of the rainbow. Outside of London, the UK has been slow to pick up on this
trend but the aforementioned Lolapoloza shop in Oxford is one of
the places where you won’t be stumped for choice they are
shipping the Italian versions over here and I suggest you take a
peak before writing off the idea that gloves are a fashion item
you can get excited about.ARCHIVE: 4th week TT 2004
All the trimmings
