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Do you listen to ‘Anna Wintour’ and what comes to mind? The bob and the sunglasses, probably. It’s the Vogue supreme’s instantly recognizable style that has helped cement her status as an icon of our times.
The In Vogue documentary now streaming on Disney+, with commentary from Anna, leaves one thing in doubt: Approaching 75, she’s more committed than ever to her personal style, and it works as well as ever.
This October, her style will be on display again in the West End debut of Elton John’s musical The Devil Wears Prada, based on the hit 2003 film and novel said to be about author Lauren Weisberger’s experience as Anna’s assistant. in New York.
Here, we list five ways fashion’s biggest lady continues to win in style, and how you can incorporate them into your fall wardrobe; no need to access Vogue’s fashion closet.
Anna in a custom version of a £2,104 Prada dress in April
Flowers without grandmother
When asked to describe her style, Anna dismissively said it was “boring.” What she meant is consistent. Often this is expressed in a floral dress. Most importantly, this is not an aged, blooming flower, as is often the stock of Mrs. Doubtfire et al.
Floral print dress, £159, karenmillen.com
Rather, Anna prefers colorful, graphic floral prints from brands like Erdem and Prada. Retreating to muddy grays and neutrals as the years go by has the opposite effect of what you’re looking for. Instead, bold colors and patterns infuse youth into an outfit.
When once asked how to add excitement to an all-black outfit, Anna responded, “Don’t wear all black.” It looks too gloomy, like I’m going to a funeral. Quite. Head to Karen Millen for floral prints that could be mistaken for those from fashion house Emilia Wickstead.
Invest in accessories
We can all learn something from Anna’s luxury accessories. She still wears the same style of custom-made Manolo Blahnik shoes he created for her in 1994.
For us mortals, good shoes or bags are key to enhancing an urban look. Demellier has bags from £300 with the quality and elegance of the £3,000+ Prada and Chanel styles favored by Anna. For shoes, The Outnet (theoutnet.com) has Manolo Blahniks at 70 percent off. Timex’s £75 Cavatina watch is similar to its Ralph Lauren Saddle watch.
Tailoring
Wearing a tailored dress and bouclé jacket to attend the Carolina Herrera show in New York this month
Light blue and white checkered jacket, £110, sisterjane.com
Green jacket, £79.99, mango.com
Tailoring along with bold floral designs are one of the cornerstones of Anna’s consistency.
In the ’90s, this came in the form of Chanel miniskirt suits: she wore them during both of her pregnancies, supposedly simply unzipping the back zipper of the skirt and covering it with the jacket as she grew in size. As she grew older, she replaced the Chanel suits with floral dresses, but kept the bouclé jackets on top, and both the dresses and the jackets remain impeccably tailored.
Once again, the beauty of this is that it is a democratic shortcut to elegance. Even the cheapest high street dress can be made more Anna with a trip to the dry cleaners to have it tailored exactly to your body, while Chanel-inspired jackets to wear over said dresses abound on the high street. Head to Sister Jane to find designs you won’t find on anyone else.
Smart signatures
Anna’s signature styles are not mere decorative flourishes – they serve a purpose. Those dark sunglasses? It is said that he uses them so that designers cannot see his reaction to his collections when they are in the front row.
Another of her looks adaptable to the masses? Their signature large necklaces. She layers her favorite, a lilac stone creation by jeweler SJ Phillips estimated to cost £15,000, along with several others in a variety of colours; You will notice that he is almost never without them.
Wearing colored glass beads close to your face is the jewelry equivalent of a facelift: It casts a flattering light on the skin that can be recreated with costume jewelry.
Essentiel Antwerp and Dominique Denaive have great options for under £200. If you’re on a tighter budget, try Zara’s charm necklace for £25.99 (zara.com).
Cocktail coat
Anna wears a custom embroidered Loewe coat at this year’s Met Gala
Gold tweed coat, £95, riverisland.com
Pink silk coat, £355, shibumistyle.com
Blue velvet coat, £275, nrbyclothing.com
Here comes the cocktail coat, the wardrobe staple you never knew you needed.
Anna’s allegiance to statement coats demonstrates her clever way of combining practicality and style, providing warmth alongside whimsical, fairytale-worthy beauty.
Its opulence dates back to a time when the coat was the focal point of an ensemble and was worn at glamorous events, such as the opera.
Anna wore a floor-length, embroidered Loewe creation at this year’s Met Gala.
No invitation from the Met? The appeal of the cocktail coat lies in its versatility: it adds elegance even to jeans. Just don’t tell Anna. Indie brand Shibumi makes silk versions in vibrant hues, while River
Island’s gold, bouclé, sequin-embroidered coat is a great investment at £95.