What to wear right now: The khaki utility jacket
Field jacket, cords and brogues – no, I’m not heading off to Chipping Norton (and if I was it would be to throw non-Farrow & Ball paint over the Shed of Shame). This outfit is intended to say spring, not Sloane. The baby pink cords are from Swedish label The Cords & Co, whose womens – and menswear offerings are made up entirely of corduroy. CEO Omar Varts explains the company’s corduroy-only ethos beautifully, ‘I love its history – from royal cloth to working class hero. It has a dressed-up, dressed-down aesthetic and is as much a choice for mountaineering as for poetry writing. I love its texture, its stripes, its ribs, its ups and downs.’ Keeping it Scandi, the new khaki utility jacket is from & Other Stories. Having conducted a short reconnaissance mission, this was the best army jacket in my sights and a perfect trans-seasonal cover-up. I’m always on the look-out for cool colour combinations and this khaki and pink mixture works for me. Having always shied away from pastels in the past, adding the khaki utility jacket creates a joyful juxtaposition and helps toughen things up a bit.
My brogues are from Grenson (sample sale, last year), cords are from The Cords & Co’s menswear collection, now sold out – but here’s some more military green and a plethora of pink pants:
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Discussion (39 Comments)
Claire B says:
Love this jacket! And it looks great with the pink, fabulous outfit!
Oh and if you do decide on the paint throwing expedition, let me know and I’ll be there to hand you the paint pot (and a few other things I could think of) …SARAH t says:
Love khaki jackets, have three in the wardrobe at the moment. Never thought to team with pink trousers, lucky I have a pair of light pink M&S chinos recently perchased that will go great with them. Love your style, keep up the good work. Being fifty is great, being invisible is not!
Linda B Kerr says:
Great outfit. I will wear my khaki jacket today with yellow pants and a white T. Thanks for the inspiration!
Avie says:
I thought I wanted to be in your gang, Alyson, but you don’t play nice yourself, do you! Fair enough if privately, you don’t like David Cameron, but to give voice on your blog to ideas of vandalism to his property is simply not on. Am removing myself from following you on all media. Very disappointed!
Anna says:
Love the jacket, but unfortunately I hate army green/khaki on me, so not for me. Hiwevsr, I love the kind of jacket and have a blue Madewell one that’s similar.
Love the jacket, but unfortunately I hate army green/khaki on me, so not for me. However, I love the kind of jacket and have a blue Madewell one that’s similar.
lka says:
I don’t understand the political jab at Cameron. Irrelevant and snarky…Leaving your post.
I don’t understand the political jab at Cameron. Irrelevant and snarky…Leaving your post.
Ok, now I understand…Tried to post above, and was blocked. So, only left to think that you get to be nasty because it’s your blog, and your friends get to be nasty because they agree with you, but I can’t register a polite dissent without being blocked!
Good-bye!!!
maudie says:
Sorry, I try not to comment politically but I think the blog’s leavers are being precious! I thought Alyson’s comment was intelligently amusing. Surely with age, comes accepting other people’s points of view?
A Murphy says:
Agree with several comments above re DCameron, whether you like him or not, I would suggest this is not the place to make silly comments…..rather ‘ Twitterish’ I thought & not in a good way! Or is this blog only for those of a leftish disposition, would be good to know!!
“A plethora of pink pants”… wish I’d said that:) I like how the khaki jacket and the rugged fabric toughen up the pastel pink. An inspired choice, for sure.
Thanks Alyson….. re political comments I think we all need to remember we live in very divided times !!
fabhat says:
Crikey, what a fuss – it’s a blooming JOKE! A left leaning one it’s true – but I think most people would know that about Alyson’s views …
Anyway enough of that – nice jacket!
P.S: ..See you in Chipping!
Helga says:
Love this outfit – especially the stripes peeping out! Has given me the confidence to bust out my corduroys again, and going to check out the Cords & Co too.
Brenda says:
Oh sigh… is it really not possible to make a joke without people getting in a huff and making nasty/insinuating comments about how this blog is only for lefties, etc? Relax and lighten up.
Step says:
I do love a khaki jacket – I’m keen to investigate the &other stories offering. My son is very keen on Cords cords and we visited the Soho emporium ‘en famille’. He bought some stone coloured ones for a study trip and was very pleased with them.
Michele K says:
Hey, Alyson! I’m obsessed with my new army green utility jacket so I love seeing this post. Had to have one after seeing it on my fashionista 20-something daughter. Wish I could post the pic of the two of us on mother’s day in nearly matching jackets and our favorite Ray Ban aviators. We didn’t plan to match but said, “Twinning is winning, Mom”. Mine is from Nordstrom by Levi’s https://shop.nordstrom.com/s/levis-parachute-hooded-cotton-utility-jacket/4258224?origin=category-personalizedsort&fashioncolor=ARMY%20GREEN
Nicole K says:
One of my favorite looks on you…and there are so many! Such style in simplicity. You introduced me to & Other Stories (I’m in the U.S.) and I have loved everything I purchased from them. As for the political stuff, it’s your blog you decide the content and it seems a rather mild joke to me.
Jodi Brown says:
We live in a liberal democracy, the beauty of which is that we are allowed to poke fun at the rich and powerful.
Farrow and Ball is far too expensive though. Maybe trade emulsion…..Mrs Tonia says:
No political asides here only enthusiastic comments about Alyson in the fetching outfit of khaki army jacket and pastel cords with matching brogues. Really after my own heart. Have been wearing all week my own similar version of this jacket. I own four. As a green eyed girl, this has always been my favourite colour. My jacket was bought in Madrid from Adolfo Dominguez boutique on Serrano at least three or four springs ago. It was all the pockets is square in shape, bought a bit oversized so I can layer t-shirts and green hoodie underneath and has a pretty gingham lining. I don’t wear it with pale pink and not pastel trews with these legs but all shades of denim and black jeans, loose beige chinos and various olive trousers of which I have many pairs in different shades of green. As a counterpoint this year ochre tops, Liberty print tops and burnt orange and lavender linen, newly rehabilitate from my stored wardrobe back catalogue. Works as a neutral with red handbags metallics in silver or bronze leather too. As ever Alyson you look charming and relaxed in this getup. A good change from the blue on blue ensembles. Hair looking sharp. Like the colour and blunt cut long bob. Following a previous blog about products for transitioning grey hair I sent off for some samples from the White Hot Hair website to try before I commit to bottles of purple shampoo. I occasionally use the expensive bottle of the stuff from a Clerkenwell hair salon after consultation with a colourist. Only I follow an application with a second one of my regular shampoo for coloured shampoo Rene Furterer and Living Proof Restore conditioner, the best for producing shiny, smooth well-groomed hair without faff.
In these divided times in every country and society this blog should not have to deal with negative comments in my opinion. I’m only a Guardian reading follower of Channel 4 news journalists but I also read the Times and Sunday Times and Vogue, UK, US and French as well as Grazia.
caroline says:
Love this look and must find myself some pink cords to go with my khaki jacket! I will never unfollow you because of a little reference to a politician – they are all sucking too much joy from my life as it is and I won’t let them take my favourite blogs too. 🙂
So chic. How I wish I could wear that color near my face without looking like I have liver damage.
Belle says:
You look great in this, love it!
As for the Shed of Shame comment, people do need to lighten up & it’s their loss if they choose not to follow you…Just popped up on my mobile – the Thomas Maier collection for Uniqlo – cotton Flight Jacket – £50 and an absolute stunner! Gorgeous cross between grey and khaki.
I love the jacket Alyson. Field/combat jackets are popular with men too, often worn over a tailored suit or jacket. I like the washed/worn look of yours – just as it should be.
That’s a pretty damn stylish jacket! I’ve made a similar sort of lightweight version for myself recently using an old Rag & Bone shirtdress I bought about 10 years ago. I just loved the sleeves, the neckline and the beautiful shade of green but in reality, it was just too short for me to be comfortable in it. Having only worn it a few times over the years I decided to chop it up and give it a new lease of life – et voila, the perfect spring jacket!
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Great! I like this image very much! Everything is perfect!