When in doubt, wear stripes

Years ago I used to go to London every couple of months - I had lots of friends living there and I felt more at home in London than in Tallinn. With my friends, I went to various interesting events, but the one thing that was a constant headache was the question - what to wear to the event and how does one follow the dress code in detail?

I used to love dresses also back then, but felt that I would need a more comfortable solution for the winter in England. I've always been inspired by men's fashion, so I was watching The Thomas Crown Affair where the main character, played by Pierce Brosnan, looked especially good in suits. So I was thinking - while watching the film - why not wear a suit for a change? So I had two pinstripe suits made in Estonia. One navy, the other one black. When I went to London, I packed my suits, grabbed a few white shirts and three-four ties. Regardless of where I went, I always wore the pinstripe suit, a white shirt, and a tie. And I got so many compliments. I went to the Harrods Christmas party in my suit, Mart Laar's book presentation, danced at the night club of The Dorchester. A few years later I got fed up with the suit and when I became a mother, my style got a lot more comfortable. But all those memories came back to me when I saw this pinstripe coat by Reserved. I didn't doubt for a second that I had to have that coat! It's nice and long and warm enough for the Estonian climate. In addition to that, it provides a dash of elegance that not all coats can do. It also makes the wearer visually more slender. I mixed this outfit with white trainers and a rose gold Karl Lagerfeld cross body that work together unexpectedly well. What's your comfort zone piece of clothing? I can say for sure - when in doubt, wear stripes.

Outfit details:

Coat: Reserved

Crossbody: Karl Lagerfeld

Aastaid tagasi käisin iga paari kuu tagant Londonis, mul oli seal palju sõpru ja tundsin end Londonis kodusemalt, kui Eestis. Koos sõpradega käisin omakorda erinevatel põnevatel üritustel. Kuid mind saatis toona alati üks ja seesama peavalu – mida järjekordsele üritusele selga panna ja kuidas ikkagi täpselt dresscode´i järgida?   

Ma armastasin ka toona väga kleite, siis tundsin pidevalt, et vajaksin just talvisel ajal Inglismaal mugavamat lahendust. Kord vaatasin Thomas Crowni Afääri, kus peategelest kehastanud Pierce Brosnan nägi ülikondades erakordselt hea välja. Mõtlesin filmi vaadates, et miks ei võiks mina vahelduseks hoopis ülikonda kanda? Nii lasin endale Eestis kaks peenetriibuga ülikonda õmmelda, üks tumesininene ja teine must. Londonisse sõites pakkisin kleitdikeste asemele kohvrisse oma ülikonnad, mõned valged särgid ja kolm-neli lipsu. Ükskõik, kuhu ma ei läinud, kandsin alati oma peenetriibuga ülikonda, valget särki ja lipsu. Ja ma sain meeletult komplimente. Oma ülikonnas väisasin Harrodsi jõulupidu, Mart Laari raamatuesitlust, kus aukülaliseks oli Margaret Thatcher ja käisin Dorchesteri hotelli ööklubis tantsimas. Paar aastat hiljem tüdinesid oma ülikondadest ja emaks saades muutus mu stiil sootuks mugavaks (loe: tossud ja teksad pluss T-särk). 

Kõik need mälestused kerkisid minu silme ette, kui nägin seda Reservedi triibulist mantlit. Ma ei kahelnud hetkekski, et just selle pean endale saama! See on mõnusalt pikk ja annab Eesti kliimas sooja. Lisaks kingib ta annuse elegantsust, midakaugeltki iga mantel ei suuda. Samuti teeb ta kandja visuaalselt sihvakamaks. Seekordse outfiti miksisin valgete tossudega ja rosegold Karl Lagerfeld kotiga, mis minu jaoks mõjuvad kokku mõnusad ootamatusena. Milline on sinu turvatsooni riideese? Mina võin kindlalt öelda: „Kui kahtled, kanna triipu.”

Photos: Kristi Kullerkupp