Trending: spring’s technicolour trouser suits
Caroline Issa
Caroline Issa admits that she dressed very conservatively in her first career as a management consultant, almost 20-years ago, ‘I had a brown suit, a black suit, a grey suit and a navy suit. In fact, the first thing I bought when I earned some money was a Jil Sander suit.’ Now chief executive and director of Tank magazine, Issa is often snapped outside fashion shows wearing a technicolour two-piece, ‘As I get older, I enjoy playing around more; I’m more confident in who I am now and like to express myself,’ she told me, ‘I love colour and texture and tailoring gives me that masculine-feminine twist I like to fall back on.’
Neat, chic and far from boring, I’ve always been a fan of the trouser suit. It’s the confidence-boosting double-act that can take the wearer anywhere. And even though I tend to spend my life in neutrals (make that, navy and khaki) and shy away from bold colour, earlier this year I collaborated on an Instagram-only workwear project with Next and was immediately drawn to this ochre trouser suit. Surprised myself there…
Photo: Claire Pepper
If the silhouette is clean and the fabric has stretch, it’s easier to brave the brights. Although it had a great response on Instagram, head-to-toe Crayola colour is not very me. I Know My Style and will probably stick to toned-down tailoring. When investing in a suit, choose the colour carefully. Go for a shade that will mix and match and give you extra wardrobe mileage, as Issa advocates, ‘I break it down and wear the jacket and trousers separately – with jeans, sneakers and a white t-shirt during the day and a shirt, loafers and chandelier earrings at night.’ I would also recommend avoiding this season’s oversized 1980s vibe and opting for a sharp, classic silhouette. Then add accessories to give it some edge: metallic shoes, statement sandals, sunglasses and sneakers, are easy ways to embellish a run-around spring trouser suit.
Caroline Issa photos: Acielle at Style du Monde
Colourful trouser suits aplenty here….
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Discussion (13 Comments)
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Hello Kate, have you looked at Boden? The carnival blazer comes in a navy blossom print and has matching trousers. I wore something similar here (patterned rather than floral, but still Boden) https://thatsnotmyage.com/lifestyle/merry-christmas-joyeux-noel-happy-holidays/
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Catherine Mendez says:
With the greatest of respect Alyson, for of course you know your own style, I think you look sensational in the golden suit!
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I went looking for a bright suit the other day. Ended up buying a pair of muted yellow cropped pants from Theory, but no suit. The only colourful pant suits I saw were pastel pink or blue, or turquoise. A little too “aging senator’s wife” than “older but still got it”… if you know what I mean. Ha. Currently still looking….
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Mrs Tonia says:
I like this look, colourful trouser suits, on models or celebs in photos. When I had a good wardrobe of trouser suits back in the day mine were grey with texture, black wool crepe, Prince of Wales check and celadon green. Sadly I no longer have any of these apart from two Prince of Wales check jackets which I do wear with dark trousers. I would love to reintroduce some good tailoring into my wardrobe. But the quality of fabric and fit I’d like is probably now extremely expensive. If I got something like this it would be as investment dressing. And probably a darkish neutral. I’m with Alyson in the idea of adding pops of colour via shoes, handbags, tops including bright t- shirts. Time to get out the pink, the red, the chrome yellow bags, shoes, coats and scarves to brighten up more neutral clothing.
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kathryn says:
Love, love, love. There is nothing I appreciate more, clothes-wise, than a sharp suit, in beautiful fabric, tailored within an inch of its life.
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Sharan says:
These colorful suits are gorgeous. Bold is the way to go–it looks very chic and modern to me.
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Wow! I would never have expected to see you in such a bright coloured suit, but it looks great!
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Deborah says:
Now that I’ve gone grey (found great support here for that), I find I want more color in my life. I had brown hair before and I kept mostly everything to neutrals but now I’m ready to swing. I love the trouser suits but I have also gained weight and am now busty and find these suits hard to get a good fit. I’m willing to spend the money but where do you go when most designers stop at a size 12? And even the 12 feels like an 8! I have a lot of Eileen Fisher because she’s so comfortable and there are some other brands with clean lines that I like (Cuyana, for example–I’m blanking on the names of others right now)! Plus, when you show pictures, would you include some plus size models? I love most of the looks but just don’t feel I can wear them. It’ll help to see some ladies in larger sizes in these clothes. Thanks, Alyson–you’re the only blog I follow!
Helen 
Isobel 
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I have really been winding away from dresses and have started buying pants which is a first for me – but I have just fallen in love with the Girl Meets Boy look with flat shoes. If anyone can suggest other budget friendly suit makers that do a darling suit in say …. florals, please holler. I want the fun of a floral dress with the ease and edge of suit without the Gucci floral suit price tag. I welcome any guidance from this great community to teach me more about how to build a gentlewoman’s wardrobe.