Grown-up style: Joseph

So. Fashion label Joseph is 40 this year. And to celebrate the brand has launched a website. If you're feeling flush, click away now. I can remember back in the olden days, when I first moved to London, buying Joseph trousers (in the sale) and own-brand perfume in a super-cool hip flask. The shop on Draycot Avenue is where I discovered APC. Having lost its mojo over the years, Joseph has finally got its buzz back, recovered the midpoint position on that French/British venn diagram of style. And will be showing at London Fashion Week in 2013. There's a great article on the background story by Julia Neel, here.

Browsing the Joseph site, I found myself unconsciously drawn to yet another navy coat with shiny gold buttons, either my memory's going or I remain utterly consistent in my fashion choices. For variety's sake, I decided to lead with this shaggy grey number instead. Which made me think about the two sides of my wardrobe. My Split-Personality Style. Half minimal, menswear-inspired dressing, half bohemian, hippy-punk. The second-hand army surplus jacket or the boyfriend blazer? Both finished off with a sprinkling of glitz. You can take the girl out of the trashy seaside town but....

In fact, I like it best when both world's collide: camouflage and chiffon, leopard print and lean tailoring, Liz Taylor earrings and a slouchy denim shirt. It's all about taking the pared-down (almost to the point of plain) edge off minimalism, by adding an unexpected twist. Just check out those white shoes.



Does your wardrobe suffer from Split-Personality Style?