The year comfy clothes came into their own
Photos: Claire Pepper
Someone asked me recently if lockdown has changed how I dress. Not really. Feel-good clothes have always been factored into my life, even in the days when comfy was a dirty word (or two). Finally, this year the rest of the world has caught up. The elasticated waist is having a fashion moment. Comfortable clothes are cool at last. Over the past few months we have all reconsidered how we dress, what we wear and why we wear it. Restrictive clothing and ill-fitting faff-y garments have been furloughed. Comfy clothes have come into their own. But, regardless of what anyone says about luxury loungewear and designer sports gear – I’m still not convinced. No matter how many times I read about Working From Home (WFH) in silk pyjamas, embracing the ‘nap’ dress or game-changing cashmere joggers, I’m sticking to my uniform (not yawniform). I want to be comfortable, relaxed and Just Smart Enough.
While the sale of leggings has soared, I only wear them on my bicycle or when perfecting my Downward Dog (still doing Yoga With Adriene, whoop), WFH and too relaxed doesn’t work for me. An outfit has to have some kind of structure, I can’t be the only one who is desperate to get back into my tailored jackets (?) For me, it’s all about the contrast. Teaming a lovely cashmere jumper with a pair of workwear-inspired trousers; or wearing my scrumptious corduroy jumpsuit layered over a jersey roll neck. Doing the double slouch doesn’t make me feel productive – I like my daily work routine with a side order of get-up-and-go. When I did the phone interview for Woman’s Hour, I applied proper makeup (for the first time in a long while) and wore a slinky jersey shirt, old coated black jeans and stompy boots. The WFH look was finished off with a pair of statement earrings. And that was just for the radio. I felt comfy, relaxed and Just Smart Enough. Ready to get down to creative business. The good news is that this comfy, half-and-half dressing doesn’t involve buying overpriced loungewear or designer sports kit, an outfit upgrade could merely involve a rummage through your wardrobe to unleash an old favourite.
Feeling comfortable means feeling relaxed not constricted, confident not self-conscious.
Style Notes: the cocoon coat is Jaeger from a few seasons ago. Sadly, Jaeger is one of the UK retailers that has gone into administration this year. There were problems on the high street before the pandemic but yesterday as other stores closed down, 25k jobs were lost. These are precarious times and this situation does disproportionately affect women. The lovely cashmere sweater was a generous gift from the London-based label aethel who are keen to reduce environmental impact and manufacture in the UK using Loro Piana cashmere yarn. One of the co-founders used to work for the Department of Energy and Climate Change on the climate change negotiations. Balloon trousers are Kin at John Lewis. The loafers are an old Margaret Howell sample sale bargain and the leather tote is ancient Ally Capellino – and I really ought to condition it. Any suggestions?
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Discussion (34 Comments)
Mrs Tonia says:
How to save an old leather handbag : I use neutral shoe polish in a tube rubbed into leather with soft cloth. I do the same with metallic leather shoes.
Julie says:
I use Connolly Hide Care Cream on my Mulberry handbags and it does a great job of reconditioning. This website gives you some information about use. I have no connection with them, I found it when searching for Connolly:
https://www.saddler.co.uk/?cr=1487&pr=1369&pdesc=connolly_hide_food_for_leather_with_lanolin
We have also a great family owned shop in Derby (where I live) which also reconditions handbags, I’m sure there are similar shops in or near London but not likely to be cheap!maudie says:
Those camel trousers are gorgeous – where are they from? I have the same (ancient) Ally Cap. tote bag and as it was so battered I took a chance and stuck it in the washing machine on a woolly wash. Air dried it and then soaked it in leather conditioning cream overnight. Transformed!
That sounds quite drastic, Maudie – I might skip the washer and go straight to the conditioning! The trousers are Kin at John Lewis, not available at the minute but I’m sure they’ll run something similar in spring…
Pilar Fonseca says:
Here in spain we usually use Nivea cream, the first one produced, the thick white one on the blue tin..I use it in all my handbags, and a thick cape when I put my boots away when the winter ends. It nourishes incredlbly.
Love your blogAnna says:
I used to use Nivea on patent leather shoes! let it soak in and wipe off. I imagine you could also use saddle wax, Alyson.
Kim says:
I was given the Nivea information by a leather shop in Spain too. He said that leather was just skin so Nivea was the right thing. Sounds weird at first and then obvious.
lizzie g says:
hi alyson, like marie says, your hair is looking great. I’m wearing a pair of super comfy Weekday 100% cotton carpenter jeans and a 25 year old charcoal alpaca John Rocha sample sale roll neck sweater, over a GAP featherlight cotton tee. My problem with athleisure as full time uniform is why wear polyester or high synthetic mixes close to your skin all day, or such tight clothes. I also see the glamour and comfort of cashmere palazzo pants but dont they need washing too often than is good for cashmere? and i’m sure sitting at a desk at home the bum would be baggy and pilled after a day or so for me. So. yes please for the cashmere, but for beautiful top halves, scarves, (a sweater dress maybe), and the underneath and bottom half breathable and washable with no faffing and with good pockets so i dont drop my phone 10 times a day. A structured jacket or coat on top to feel more put together when i need to. And a silk scarf, jewellery, perfume for added joy, glamour and appreciation of the good things in life, just waiting in my wardrobe, no time like the present.
Robyn says:
I’m looking for trousers that aren’t so high waisted. I’m short waisted and high waist pants end up almost to my bra band. Not very comfortable.
Nicola says:
Completely identify with this. I have a corporate job and always varied between “full battle dress” and smart casual depending on the diary (hmmm, interesting choice of metaphor, confirming a career change should be explored…) and working from home have shifted into a cocooning jumper, jeans and a simple face for the everyday and always perfume. Eau Dynamisante or L’eau de rien if I’m feeling moody (in a good way…). Stomping boots added for the daily walk. Today’s woolie is a Toast tweedy cardie coat and am feeling comfy and swish!
Sara says:
Sounds like several of your contributors know about reconditioning leather. I wondered about watching The Repair Shop for Susie Fletcher, the wonderful leather worker, who can renovate anything, it seems; she usually talks through what she’s doing and names names! Might be some good knowledge there?
I love the colours you’ve combined in your first pic, grey with camel= spot on.
As I am now retired, I have got used to less dressing up than when at work and I cannot work up enthusiasm for the full Monty when at home and not going out at all. Goodness only knows how much I’ve saved on make-up this year. I plan that all my clothes will be utilised once more, hopefully next year, vaccine permitting and I will be pleased to treat them all as brand new, like having a totally new wardrobe. I do a couple of zoom meetings and do the full slap, hair and a good top for those; I quite enjoy that but feel fine in my leggings and stripy long tunic tops for days when I’m not out of the door or on screen. Bare feet are good treats for my feet, too.Once again I read your words and feel we’re on the same page 🙂 Yes jackets, you are not the only one. I LOVE jackets they are my ‘one’ weakness but with nowhere to go they mostly sleep in my wardrobe – I do wear some jackety/cardis but it’s not the same. I really like the camel with grey outfit, the elegant gentlewoman you always are.
I have a leather recommendation as well – I bought a Mulberry planner on Ebay and was recommended to use Renapur Clean & Feed Kit – I used it on a miserable black leather blazer I purchased at a car boot (a most satisfying £5 purchase!) and it worked like magic.
Am now heading over to the Woman’s Hour website!
Viv Butler says:
Absolutely love the camel outfit Alyson! Looks to be a lovely caramelly camel too, and the trousers, makes me want to throw out my wardrobe and start again !
Hi Alyson,
Love the camel tones on you.
With regards to restoring leather, I was looking into this to do the same thing. Take a look at a company called ‘The Restory’ https://the-restory.com/ I went to a talk a year or so ago about women in business and the owner of the company was one of the speakers. I immediately followed their Instagram account, their posts are quite memorizing! Love to watch the restoration in progress. I don’t know how expensive they are yet as I haven’t gone that far but if you have a well-loved designer piece, it’s probably worth it.
Melanie 🙂
Helen Neill says:
Hi,
Great post and love that sweater, Alyson! I was recommended Renapur to maintain some lovely Enny bags I bought on EBay and it does the job perfectlyLove your blog. Make me miss the colder days when cashmere, camel coats and warm, snuggly outfits were a must. The last years I have been living in the Canary Islands, the islands of more or less permeant spring-summer – sunshine, palms, blue sea and endless white beaches. I love it, I love the lifestyle – but sometimes I miss the changing seasons and the need for wardrobe changes…. Now my autumn-winter wardrobe is hanging unused as I can’t travel and visit family and friend in Norway for Christmas and the winter season. But – It is nice to plan for times when we can hop on a plane again – and get from one season to another in a jiffy.
P.S. Saw your pic in Woman and Home, (street style) pretty damn stylish! Without too much flattery, best on page. Shows style is utterly ageless , deceptively simple too, although some of us know it’s not always as easy as (you make) it looks. Add the pic to this page?
K says:
I put boot protector on new shoes and purses, once, and they never get beat up in the first place!
Susanna Singer says:
I retired just as pandemic restrictions went full-on, and what to wear has been a real puzzle. I’m involved enough in WFH community and semi-professional activities that I need the Just Smart Enough look in order to be credible, even on Zoom. I also find I feel more credible to myself in the midst of this transition when I make an effort to look more structured – thank you so much for putting into words and pictures what I’m struggling to achieve. As the weather gets colder in northern California, I am revisiting my tweed skirts and finding slouchier jumpers, unstructured coats, textured tights (and stompy boots!) to get a “country gentlewoman” rather than “city gentlewoman” look. Your articles are always an inspiration!
anon says:
I love that the Aethel knitwear is made in Haringey where I live. Having not bought any clothing apart from some bras since the beginning of the year, I can see an Aethel cardigan on my horizons. Not so keen on those big side slits on the sweaters which just look drafty to me.
I wasn’t sure about the slits but then they are quite good for WFH/ sitting at the computer. Apparently, the Aethel team is already responding to your draft-y concern. They have an outsized roll neck without slits – in the final stages of design and will be knitting it up in Haringey in time for February.
p.s.
I succumbed to the cardie and got hand delivery by one of the bosses on the very same day – it does help to live pretty near their manufacturing location! I love it and it is by far the warmest item of knitwear I own. The only drawbacks are the length – as I get older any cropping in knitwear tends to be a little unflattering, and a slightly slim fit but I think that is my problem, not theirs! It is beautifully made.Fantastic! I’ve been looking at the cardis myself. Have you tried it with trousers that sit higher on the waist?
Angela O'Neill Blair says:
Hi Alyson, the outfit is great, camel looks fantastic against your hair colour. My favourite WFH formula is a loose tunic type dress with either opaque tights or leggings and a Diane Keaton style rollneck underneath. It’s comfy but I still feel dressed. I also always apply lipstick and perfume before my first video conference call of the day.
Martine Large says:
I’ve just tested Nivea on my very shabby leather sofa and it works. I spread it on thickly and left it to soak in, and you can really see the difference. I may have to try it on me.
Great outfit. I love the neutral colour palette and how you combined your beige set with a grey long coat. You look fantastic.
Liz 
Marie 
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Good morning Alyson. I’m with you on all the points you make here. Much to my surprise, I was complimented by zoom yoga teacher whom I see in real life on my “glamorous” appearance the other day. On zoom camera she asked if I was going anywhere special after class. As if, with lockdown on. I was wearing old work out clothing but had put a zebra silk scarf around my neck and full makeup to cheer myself. I explained these small touches including a dab of Miss Dior eau de toilette were morale boosters for me alone. Scarf incidentally is a Jaeger one from 90s hardwashed and still a touch of luxury on a chilly day. As you describe about dressing for radio it’s all about feeling the part. The soft cashmere socks, a piece of silk or cashmere around the neck, a nice bracelet or two, necklaces or earrings perk up humdrum outfits. Like you I look at my jackets and wonder where I will be wearing them when these days. They can be worn I suppose out of sight under a big tweed or down coat. Thanks again for providing a useful perspective on dressing under tier restrictions.