WHAT’S IN MY WARDROBE – CHECKS

The beauty of winter is its unwavering reliability. Each year, fads find their way onto the fashion radar but fall off just as quickly. Not so much when it comes to stalwart prints like the humble check.

Whether heritage-inspired houndstooth, rebellious tartan or geometrically-clean box checks, their continued presence is reassuring in on an otherwise fickle landscape. As prints go, its clean lines and geometric rigour safeguard the silhouette while offering just the right amount of visual interest. What’s more, it’s peerless pedigree ensures it always stays in the game.

Take this look, for instance. The oversized check coat and mismatched wide leg trousers redefine traditional power suiting, especially when combined with a wool/cashmere polo neck. I like to box clever and wear together for maximum impact or divide and conquer for canny cost-per-wear snaps. Off-duty? I swap my beloved Perspex heels for a pair of Adidas Samba sneakers and throw in a Mickey Mouse tee for good measure. Perfect parts professional and playful.

CREDITS

Hair: Aviary Lane; Make-up: Judi Wong; Photo: Hazel Coonagh

Coat, H&M; Top, COS; Trousers, Topshop; Shoes, Dries Van Noten; Bag, Parfois; Watch, Michael Kors; Ring, Pilgrim