Fashion
Nautical but nice
"Hello sailor," says Grainne Byrne
Thinking back to the innocent eras, when Brando and Hepburn were role models and the raciest thing a celebrity could do was smoke a cigarette tricolore schemes and styles were ultra-cool and très chic without necessary being expensive. A modern take on simple '50s fashion with a Saint Tropez slant is the en vogue direction for summer styling.
A good foundation on which to work the "Hello sailor" style is a classic pair of white jeans or trousers. Worn religiously by Liz Hurley, J-Lo and co., white jeans are amazing for brown skin and have a holiday freshness about them. There are many brilliant white denims in skinny silhouettes or with a kick flare in designer stores and on the high street. The bootleg denim is big for summer, and for seasons ahead a welcome change from squeeze-into skinnies is a bell bottom finish to flatter the figure.
Fitted blazers are nipped to the waist for ladies this summer and are reminiscent of school days and cricket clubs. This trend is also mirrored in menswear, although blazers are a more relaxed and comfortable option for cruising gents. Navy jackets with white trims and old school badges give the tri-colour trend a flash of irony and fun. (Please note: cravats and deck shoes are entirely optional. This is summer fashion, not fancy dress.)
Still strong too are faithful, white plimsoles or canvas flats, ideal for throwing on with a pair of on trend indigo or red denim jeans. They can also be worn with bare legs and denim skirts for a care-free summer look. Men have been rocking the white plims for longer than ladies, and both sexes find them easy for casual days and nights whatever the occasion. Wedges have been high on summers must have list for decades, and this season they enjoy a nautical twist in navy canvas with espadrille-style ties and fastenings.
T-shirts, vests and shirts in plaid check or populated with patchwork anchors all make a cheeky reference to sailing this summer. French-style blue and white fitted T-shirts and vest tops work well with jeans, chino-style trousers, skirts and even under a casual suit. Accessorise glamorously and opt for gold over silver jewellery to ensure your look is more Monaco than Portobello.
The man from Del Monte even has a look-in this summer, as light beige and champagne suits are dusted off to enjoy the sunshine. Fedora hats keep cool heads protected from the sun's harmful rays, while helping you to look sophisticated and even edgy. Other accessories, such as red white and blue earrings, hair bands, scarves and matching bags, add to the nautical look.
Basic apparel for the nautical look in no more than two or three colours makes for a functional, classic, working wardrobe in most colour schemes, with pieces moving in and out of season as the weather adjusts. Make sure you're sporting a dash of red, a splash of white or a blemish of bleu, and you'll be sailing into the summer in style.
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