PUSH YOUR BOUNDARIES...
I've never identified much with the Chloé girl - she has always felt a little too feminine and girly for my liking. That all changed though when I saw the photos from the Autumn/Winter 12 collection that showed in Paris recently...
The milky pastel colour palette that is so popular for spring was taken through and used on thick utilitarian winter gear. Swoon. I honestly couldn't be happier about this. While I love a good burgundy, forrest green and navy I've been itching for something different to see me through the cold months. The soft pink cocooned shaped bomber jacket with curved shoulders is absolute heaven. I also love the slouchy taupe trousers with dark stripe up the side and the straight skirts that hit at the knee. As a girl that has been struggling to transition into dressing like a semi-serious adult this collection is right up my street. It's feminine, pretty and natural (signature Chloé) but also wearable, practical and a bit edgy.
There was one aspect of the collection that had me squirming uncomfortably in my chair: long shorts. They came in a slew of colors, hit below the knee and had a distinctively sporty vibe. Elasticated waists, a plastic-y sheen, plus a scrunched leg opening... errr, forgive me for saying, this sounds like the least flattering idea ever. Nothing about it should strike a chord with me.
Notorious for wearing offensively short-shorts, my poor mother has had to take me aside on countless occasions and ask me to swap into more appropriate summer attire: 'No one here wants to see your butt cheeks', she'd say. 'But long shorts suck' I'd think. They're unflattering and so lame. Plus, everyone knows the allure of a girl in short shorts (hello, remember Daisy).
The reality is that longer shorts have crept their way into quite a few collections - at Topshop they were tweedy and at Valentino they came in caramel colored leather. Every bit of respect I have for my legs is yelling that this is a bad idea, especially for winter (I have an instinctual hatred towards tights, you see). Somehow though, I've been won over by the shorts from Chloé. I love that they push the boundaries of what the brand is known for. Yeah, they probably won't jive with every woman and they might be a bit tricky to style... but, if I'm honest, they're the main reason I've fallen so hard for the collection. I like a bit of a challenge and appreciate that Clare Waight Keller isn't taking the brand down the most obvious, or easy, path.
Other covetable and notable moments from the collection include the detailing on outwear (could I fit my canon 550d in the pocket of that coat?!), the simple clutches and heels with ankle straps (oooo la la, I never thought I'd want to wear an ankle strapped shoe but now I do).
Photos compiled from Style.com - view the full collection here