The Collection: Céline Pre-Fall 2013

Holy Moly Céline Pre-Fall 2013, I need you in my life.

The Essentials: White Jeans

Love them or hate them: there's nothing like a pair of white jeans to divide sartorial opinion. Once confined to the likes of a perma tanned Liz Hurley and the Euro-trash, white jeans have had a bit of a renaissance in recent months. A staple among editors during the Autumn/Winter 2012 collections, they were spotted on pretty much every member of French Vogue's fashion desk from editor-in-chief Emanuelle Alt to stylist Géraldine Saglio. Garance Doré has professed her undying love for them, and American Vogue's eternally chic Tonne Goodman is a life-long devotee. But how to wear them without looking like an extra in a Wham! video? I think the key is to pair them with something long and loose-fitting on top preferably in a dark hue (unless you're blessed with a waif like figure à la Alt). Off-white could be a more flattering and less obvious choice. But most of all steer clear of super tight drainpipes at all costs... a cropped or rolled up straight leg look is definitely the way to go.

The Essentials: The Polo Neck

If black polo necks make you think of the milk tray man, think again. My most recent acquisition from COS has become a much loved staple in recent weeks. Made out of merino wool, it's the perfect weight for that tricky stage between seasons. I like to wear mine tucked into a leather A-line skirt with black opaque tights in a nod to the sixties, but I love the way it's paired in the images above with a classic pair of cigarette pants. Hey, if it's good enough for Phoebe Philo, it's good enough for me...

(images life.com via la mignonette's tumblr)

Trans-seasonal wish list

Travelling between a warm and heady Parisian springtime and a much less clement London got me thinking about the need to master the art of trans-seasonal dressing. I've always been a winter clothes (read coats) enthusiast, finding it tiresome to shop for summer items that I spend a maximum of two weeks of the year wearing. In recent months, I have found myself less and less inclined to purchase clothes specifically for my summer holidays. I instead anticipate 'borrowing' items from my everyday autumn/winter wardrobe such as breton tops and lightweight shirts and pairing them with denim shorts and sandals (ideally this pair from 3.1 Phillip Lim) rather than with my usual staple of black jeans.

Today's constantly changing weather conditions have rendered seasonal fashion obsolete resulting in a need for more transitional clothing. Dressing for that tricky 'in-between' stage requires a mastering of loose and light layering - think jackets or a lightweight spring coat layered over a loose tee with rolled up jeans or a sweater dress paired with bare legs as demonstrated on The Sartorialist. I foresee my key investment for summer being a jacket, the ultimate trans-seasonal item. I particularly like this version from Vanessa Bruno Athé or this denim style by A.P.C.

And if you're in need of more summer wardrobe inspiration, check out Lin's series of Summer Days posts. They act as an A-Z of summer essentials!

(Photo credit: various, all from my tumblr)