6 1GT Wednesday September 16 2020 | the times

fashion

I

feel myself on the verge of

becoming something I am not.

Demanding is what I have long

been when it comes to clothes.

Needy is what I think I may

be becoming. I have always

wanted a lot. Now I want

everything. Suddenly I am

a bad girlfriend. Strictly in the

fashion sense, I hasten to add.

More particularly what I find myself

coveting is preposterous levels of ease

mixed with equally preposterous levels

of fabulousness. I want the boy next

door spliced with the man with the

golden gun. Maybe not a gun, on

reflection. However, golden boots,

those I want.

Fashion is always in part a

psychological endeavour. We buy it to

make ourselves feel different and/or

better. I am a pretty happy individual

by and large. I don’t normally

experience the need to feel that

different or better. Fashion for me is

usually a flourish, not a rebuild. Yet

right now I feel about as au courant as

a Sinclair home computer. You don’t

need me to go into why. I imagine you

are feeling it too.

Here are my ten sartorial kick-starts

for autumn. Pull out the versions you

already have in your wardrobe, as I

have, or track down these ones in the

shops. Yet embrace them, do.

The FFF

Introducing the exemplification of

my fashion as therapy theorem, the

fantastic flexible frock. Fantastic

because there’s something special

about this dress, be it the print, the

palette, or both. Flexible because it’s a

loose-fit midi or maxi that can thus be

worn any which way, including — on

bad days, the kind of days when you

can barely manage to get out of bed —

as a nightie.

Point is, though, with a dress like

Phoebe Grace’s maxi Betty in the

black branch print on sunset pink or

khaki (£295, phoebe-grace.co.uk) or

Essentiel Antwerp’s houndstooth-

floral mash-up Wurich midi (£225,

essentiel-antwerp.com), those days

won’t happen.

Some crazy camel

Never thought I would succumb

to the front-row blight that is

— yawn — camel. But that’s

because camel has never looked

so characterful.

It’s paired with neon green in

Essentiel Antwerp’s v-neck (£205,

essentiel-antwerp.com). Another

approach is to partner a classic camel

piece with something else that pops.

I love camel with red, or purple, or

pretty much anything punchy, come

to think of it.

Forget the basics. What we all need is a sartorial

kick-start. Great boots? A fabulous dress? The right

necklace? Here’s my checklist, says Anna Murphy

The reboot boots

I have spent the past couple of days

in Ivylee’s silver cowboy boots (£323,

ivyleecopenhagan.com). I am not

sure of the exact equation of stomp to

boot, but I know the sum of those

addends is a massive improvement of

mood. Hush’s rose gold or metallic

fuchsia kitten heels also proffer

top-notch best-foot-forwardness

(£185, hush-uk.com).

The luxe layerable jacket

It has become one of the hardest-

working items in my wardrobe,

whatever the season. Great over a

lightweight dress, but also over a

chunky knit. I have been wearing

mine for weeks, weather depending. I

will continue to wear it for weeks,

weather depending. That’s still not

enough for me. Told you I was

difficult. I also demand bells and

What to buy now:

10 ways to get a

style pick-me-up

The reboot

boots

£235 essentiel-

antwerp.com

£159.

whistles.com

£

ivyleecopenhagen.co

m

£1,

celticandco.com

The cracking

coat

£389 Max

janedavidso