July 03, 2020 at 06:05AM Raffia tote bags have been a hallmark of the quintessential summer wardrobe for decades. From Brigitte Bardot to Kate Moss and Alexa Chung, over the years many stylish women have chosen the item for beach days, park picnics and beyond. However, while the carryall has typically held an under-the-radar, effortless kind of appeal, recently raffia tote bags have become quite the It item thanks to Spanish luxury brand, Loewe. Featuring an adjustable leather handle and the brand’s instantly recognizable insignia, Loewe’s raffia totes bags have become somewhat ubiquitous amongst the fashion set. From Camille Charriere to Pernille Teisbeak, the item—which is available in various colours and sizes—has graced my Instagram feed more times than I can count in recent weeks, undeniably solidifying itself as one of the most popular staples of the season. Of course, while the bag might be seen as ‘trending’ right now, the beauty of the Loewe tote is that it is a timeless investment, that will see you through summers to come. Just ask a 1960s era-Bridgitte Bardot. Keep scrolling to see how the fashion set is styling the luxury item and shop Loewe raffia bags below. Next up, the biggest S/S 20 fashion trends you need to know. Author Zoe Anastasiou | Whowhatwear Selected by CWC
Tag: Who What Wear
I Just Found So Much Chic Swimwear on the High Street
July 03, 2020 at 06:02AM First thing’s first: Yes, I do acknowledge the irony of offering up a swimwear edit while we are still in the midst of a lockdown and our holiday plans have been put on ice. Well, I don’t know if it’s just me, but I’ve found myself poring over the latest bikini drops, and I’m even adding a couple to my basket. Weird, right? Regardless of whether you have a garden, a balcony, a nearby patch of grass or just a window, I have to admit that there’s something unexpectedly escapist about throwing on a swimsuit, grabbing a cold drink and basking in the sun (remember to wear SPF, kids). It just so happens that the high street’s swimwear offering is off-the-charts good this year, and brands such as Monki and COS have been creating expensive-looking clean-lined styles that could easily be mistaken for designer iterations. Highlights include Monki’s cobalt blue one-piece and & Other Stories’ sheared bikini top, ASOS’s fuller bust rust-coloured two-piece and COS’s chic asymmetric navy swimsuit. Scroll down to see and shop the high-street swimwear buys that were made for window sunbathing. Up Next: Your Guide to the Key Trends for Summer 2020 Author Joy Montgomery | Whowhatwear Selected by CWC
16 Feel-Good Items on My Summer Wish List
July 03, 2020 at 06:00AM Hello! It’s Elinor Block, Who What Wear’s assistant editor, sharing with you my picks for the month. As we’re easing out of lockdown, I’ve had time to think about the products—fashion, beauty and lifestyle—that have genuinely kept me going. I don’t have any real words of wisdom for how I kept (mostly) sane, but sticking to a routine has been invaluable. That includes getting properly dressed in the mornings in clothes I love and putting on makeup. It also includes wearing a smartwatch, which has helped me stay on top of my activity levels. And I’ve never been watch person before. I’ve also recently moved houses, so finding pieces that are as useful as they are beautiful (I’m paraphrasing William Morris’s classic mantra) is important without going overboard on the budget. While it might all seem a bit frivolous, when you take into consideration how much time we’ve all spent at home, these items below have gone a long way in making me feel like I’m ready for the day ahead. Keep scrolling to see my favourite bits for the month. A smart pair of trousers that also has an elasticated waist is exactly what I need right now. I’m a sucker for a great jumpsuit, and I couldn’t resist this Topshop one. Florals + a bold red = the perfect summer dress. I bought this loose jersey dress from H&M, and it’s honestly one of the best purchases I’ve made this summer. This loose-fitting shirt
The Summer Trend I’m Wearing to Feel Comfy and Pulled-Together
July 03, 2020 at 06:00AM It’s official: The fashion world is losing it over linen this summer. Be it a midi dress or shorts, structured blazer or a button-up skirt, there are very few wardrobe staples that this fabric hasn’t had its way with. Historically, my main issue with linen is that it can look a bit, well, earthy. Its textural finish paired with a slouchy silhouette can end up resulting in “Gwyneth Paltrow at a yoga retreat” vibes. And while this isn’t necessarily a bad thing (in fact, it’s very useful for holidays), if you want something city-ready to wear for both remote working and the occasional trip out for coffee, it’s not so useful. Enter the linen suit. First thing’s first: The 2020 linen suit comes in many iterations. Naturally, there’s plenty of polished two-pieces that wouldn’t look out of place in an office, but what I’ve loved is how some influencers have incorporated mis-matched linen blazers and trousers to give a more eclectic finish. You can basically make it as pulled-together or as laid back as you like. Most of the designs this season come in beige and cream hues, which are classic enough to look good for many seasons to come. However, if you’re looking for a little more personality, you will also find brighter shades from the likes of Joseph and ASOS. Personally, I’ll be wearing my suit with a white tee and Birkenstocks for a Zoom-ready smart-casual look, but I can also imagine Joseph’s lilac-coloured get-up looking fab with a chunky chain and heels for a 20201 wedding.
This Beauty Members Club Offers Some of the Best Affordable Products Around
July 02, 2020 at 05:30PM As an editor who lives and breathes all things beauty, even I must admit that the industry is a little saturated with products that offer very similar results with differing price tags. Don’t get me wrong. I love a luxury beauty item as much as the next person, but I am willing to admit that an expensive price tag doesn’t always equal high-end results. Gone are the days of affordable products being filled with drying alcohols, fragrances and pore-clogging silcones; the affordable brands making headlines in 2020 are here to compete. One of the most obvious stars of the affordable market over the last couple of years has been beauty members club Beauty Pie. Offering seriously high-quality products, Beauty Pie cuts out the middleman and saves money where other brands don’t. Costly go-betweens with manufacturers and retailers are cut, there’s no celebrity marketing, no stores, and it removes any chance of retailer markups (because there are no other retailers). A product that might usually cost £100 can be yours for £11. To access the products, the idea is that members pay a small monthly fee, starting from £5, that allows them to shop at heavily discounted prices. If you don’t want to commit to a membership? You can still buy the products, just at a higher price. And I must admit, when it first launched, my thoughts were that it provided an interesting and niche business model but would likely only appeal to serious beauty buffs and have a relatively short
From Shorts to Sweaters, These Are the Chic Basics French Girls Are Wearing RN
July 02, 2020 at 12:00PM If there’s one thing that French fashion girls know how to do, it’s champion a chic basic. Whether it’s a simple white-tee-and-jeans combo, a timeless tote or ageless outwear, it’s undoubtedly part of the reason that they’re known for their effortless and age-defying style. As always, we’re ready and willing to glean any new insights into the workings of a Parisian wardrobe, so we did a bit of research to try and identify the recurring themes in the summer outfits of Instagram’s most stylish. You’ll be pleased to hear that they’re all unbelievably easy to incorporate into your own new-season capsule—you may even have a couple of the below items sitting in your wardrobe right now. It’s all about refreshing them with a bit of Gallic glamour. So without further ado, we present to you the five basics that we’ve spotted on French girls this summer. Take notes and prepare to reap the rewards. Author Joy Montgomery | Whowhatwear Selected by CWC
If Your Hair Is Snapping, These Are the Habits You Need to Change ASAP
July 02, 2020 at 06:30AM Over the past few weeks, it’s safe to say that we have all experienced a beauty mishap or two. From patchy, half-fallen-out lash extensions to grown-out manicures and toes that need some serious tending to, there’s no doubt that our beauty routines have recently been flipped on their heads. The biggest issues that it seems almost everyone is facing, though, are those to do with our hair. Being unable to get out to salons means that many of us are currently facing unsightly roots and split ends and even risking at-home haircuts in a bid to better the situation. One of the most common complaints that I have come across, however, is that of hair breakage. In fact, almost everyone I have spoken to agrees that their hair seems to be snapping much more than it ever has before. Unsure whether your short strands are breakage or just baby hairs? “Loss of elasticity in hair leads to snapping. Healthy hair will be able to ping back into shape. The stress test is when it’s wet, if you pull the hair and it bounces back, it’s healthy,” says Paul Edmonds, celebrity hairstylist and official BAFTA partner. While there’s no doubt that regular trims are essential for keeping hair healthy and strong, there are some things that will help prevent further hair breakage. Keep scrolling to discover the hair habits that experts warn could be causing your strands to snap and what you can do to help. Okay, it might seem obvious, but overprocessing
16 High-Street Summer Dresses That Minimalists Will Love
July 02, 2020 at 06:13AM I remember flicking through fashion magazines as a teenager and becoming convinced that the only acceptable way to navigate summer as a stylish woman was to become this vision of bohemianism. Floor-grazing linen dresses, suede fringing, peasant blouses and gladiator sandals were the It pieces at the time. One would drift from music festival to music festival, all the while keeping those cream espadrilles in pristine condition. I blame Sienna Miller. It took me far longer than I’d care to admit to realise that, in fact, this is not a style persona that works for me (no matter how many peasant skirts I buy). I just like tailoring too much. However, it was when I ventured into a COS store that everything clicked into place. While I’ll never be a complete fashion purist, there was something about the brand’s simplicity and clean-lined minimalism that made everything feel so chic. As luck would have it, the last 12 months have seen minimalistic style continue its upward trajectory, with influencers foregoing the look-at-me extraversion that proliferated in 2018 and instead opting for unprinted shirtdresses, simple slips and voluminous smocks. So many brands, from & Other Stories to Arket, are embracing the less-is-more approach, and this is great news for people like me who can’t quite get on board with boho. If this rings true for you too, scroll down to shop my minimalistic dress edit, and see how influencers are wearing theirs. Style Notes: Smock dresses are a fab option for minimalist-style lovers. Make like Alexis Foreman and pair yours with chunky
19 ASOS Dresses That Will Work All Year Round
July 02, 2020 at 06:06AM ASOS is perhaps most loved for its dress section (whether it’s a summer smock or knitted winter number), and this season, the brand has outdone itself. Upon browsing the new-in section, we couldn’t help but notice that ASOS is serving up a host of summer-ready frocks—some of which are promptly selling out. Buy them now and rest assured you’ll wear them all year round. We know all too well that it can be difficult to sift through the thousands (seriously—there are thousands) of options and find those dresses that no one will believe you got at high-street prices. So we’ve done the hard work for you and looked at every single one of ASOS’s standout summer dresses in order to bring you the best styles you need to see. Consider your time and wardrobe saved by our superpowers. Scroll down to see what we’ve found. This post was originally published at an earlier time and has since been updated. Up next, the biggest spring/summer 2020 fashion trends to know. Author Maxine Eggenberger | Whowhatwear Selected by CWC
The Basic ’90s Trend That Is Making the Rounds on Instagram
July 02, 2020 at 06:00AM While it’s by no means the most important gauge when it comes to your wardrobe, there is something to be said for the “Instagram litmus test,” i.e., posting something on the platform in order to get a general consensus. As a shopping editor, I find it surprisingly useful. Of course, we don’t all want to be walking around in outfits that have only exceeded 100 likes on social media, but sometimes it can be helpful to get a sense of what is having a moment and which trends our readers are drawing toward. Perhaps unsurprisingly considering the current fascination with the frock, the last post on my feed that received the most love was a shot of a ‘90s floral strap dress that I nabbed at a charity shop last year. Me in my vintage ’90s maxi dress. Characterised by a figure-skimming cut and strappy neckline, this summer staple harks back to the minimalist styles championed by the likes of Rachel and Phoebe from Friends. It’s also one of those trends that tip-toe the line between fancy and casual, a factor that can be determined by both the fabric and the way in which you style it. This year’s iterations come either in textural cotton and linen fabrics or silken satins, but the great thing is that both can easily be grounded with chunky sandals or elevated with strappy heels. One particular linen ASOS style (as seen on Naaomi Ross) saw serious success this June with its flattering mint-green shade and clean-lined silhouette. It might be close to selling out, but it’s also available in white—you can thank