|| 19 March 2023

Kat's Black & White Wardrobe Part 3

Hats don’t play a big part in my wardrobe. My winter collection consists of a cashmere beanie, a wonderful velvet beret, complete with feather, now 40 years old, and which I intend to wear at my daughter’s wedding (if it ever happens!) with the black velvet shirt dress. The last one is a little velvet number with a veil, which could be substituted. Who knows?

 

Oleg Cassini, Jackie’s American coutourier, said, in his book “Dressing Jaqueline Kennedy for the White House”, that she had “une tete de chapeau”. She did not, and she knew it: hence the pillbox, a sort of non-hat, that sat on the back of her (largish) head, and very large hair. When asked if her life would change as First Lady, she replied “Oh yes. I’ll wear hats.” Meaning this was not something she was looking forward to!

For hats, you need a small head, and a small, well-boned face. Think Audrey Hepburn. Sophia Loren also wore hats well. So do I: it’s a pity one so seldom has the occasion to wear one!

 

 

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I passed Cos yesterday, on the way to a lunch date in the Kings Road, and, there in the window, was a duplicate of the white cotton dress I bought last year: but in black. Needless to say, in I went, and bought two, in a size small, didn’t need to try them on.

It occurred to me then that I hadn’t mentioned size when discussing my wardrobe, and I am well aware that dress size is one of the many silly things women obsess about.

It seems to me that, back in the day, when I was young, sizing was much more reliable. I was a U.K. size 12, in Vogue dress patterns, and store bought clothing in that size would almost always fit. If it didn’t, the reason was usually that the cut was wrong for me, not the size. I think that is something that many women forget: they try on a garment, it doesn’t fit, they go up a size, they can get into it alright, but they get depressed at the thought of wearing a 14 instead of a 12. And the wretched garment still doesn’t look good on them.

My Cos dresses are size small. My Spanx jeans, jeggings and leggings (these are truly wonderful for anyone who likes slim fitting pants, but you do need to go up a size) are size XL (and, for the record, I do not have big hips or a big backside!). When I reveal my spring/summer wardrobe, there will be shirts in sizes from UK10 to UK16, and they all fit. It is bizarre, but it is a good illustration that clothing sizes are totally unreliable these days, and nothing to get hung up about.

What matters far more than size is shape. If a garment isn’t the right shape for your shape, it will look lousy no matter what size it is: if it is “your” size it will still pull in all the wrong places, and you will look fat, if you go up a size it will look sloppy and you will still look fat!

Also worth considering is the style of the thing: some garments just look better sloppy, some look better more fitted. This might seem obvious, but it’s worth mentioning because I know how reluctant some people are to go up a size, even when bigger looks better. This cuts both ways, except for pants, I like loose fitting clothes and often have to force myself to go down a size to avoid getting swamped. And, no, I don’t get a little thrill out of looking better in a 12 than a 14 or 16. It’s just that particular garment. It is just a number on a label. If the thing fits and looks good, that’s all that matters.

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image: Kat on the beach in Deauville

Merci to our Chic & Slim Special Correspondent Kat for sharing her wardrobe.