Photos: Anna Wintour; Courtesy of ideeli.com; stylebistro.com; fashion.telegraph.co.uk;
Among all of the neutrals, I like camel the most. It’s not heavy compared to black, not harsh compared to white. Also doesn’t make me depressed as the 50 shades of grey do. It’s warm, understated, and sophisticated. It’s the color of the earth: makes us feel sturdy and reliable. It compliments all the other beautiful colors without competing. It’s the color you usually ignore, but couldn’t live without.
In this series, let’s talk about one fall/winter wardrobe essential in this color–the timeless, versatile camel coat and ways to accessorize it. Since Anna Wintour is the icon who impressed me most with her camel coat (see how many ways she styled hers above), I want to dedicate the first part to women of her age. It might be an insult to say that some of you are “in her age”, since–I still cannot believe it–she is already 63 year old. But all the looks above is perfect for any 40s and beyond.
As you can see, she paired camel with almost any color: from cool colors (different shades of blue, purple and green) to warm colors (orange, red and brown). For a long coat like this, dress or skirt that worn underneath shouldn’t be longer than the coat. Besides the bright colors, some dynamic prints can add a youthful and fashionable vibe to the look (like the leopard printed dress, striped skirt on her).
My favorite part is how she treated this fur-trimmed coat like any trenchcoat: wear thick long scarves or delicate printed ones, or just with a statement necklace. I think the key is picking one with relatively smaller fur collar, and the color of the fur should be pure camel, instead of a mix of different brown shades. Thus it can be a sleek and sophisticated canvas for anything around your neck.
Below are my favorite picks that are great for 40s and above:
Weekend MaxMara wool/cashmere trenchcoat (It is as timeless and elegant as the classic camel coat by MaxMara with half of the price. The fur trim instantly gives the coat a glamorous vibe.)
Vivienne Westwood R camel origami collar wool coat (50% off here, also here. This 71-year-old designer is a free spirit and perpetually young at heart. I love everything she designed. This piece has the signature Vivienne Westwood style with a twist. The asymmetric lapel shows off your fashion taste while still being age-appropriate, great for many occasions.)
Ralph Lauren lady Polo coat (on sale plus extra 25% off now! The long lapel and elegant retro silhouette reminiscent of the one on Anna Wintour. It’s an easy DIY if you want to add a fur trim to the top part of the collar for the similar effect as Anna Wintour’s )
A camel coat truly is a timeless piece that worth the investment. If you already scored one, below are some winter accessories inspired by Anna Wintour that will surely add effortlessly chicness to your look!
From left:
Sam Edelman suede boots
Maxmara classic coat (a timeless classic!)
Tasha collar necklace (great style under $50! Great style here. Along with Anna Wintour’s bob hairstyle and strappy sandals that have become her signature are her colored, crystal necklaces. As you can see from the right look above in our first image. She has been frequently spotted wearing one since three years ago)
Paul Smith scarf (great buy in a variety of colors here)
Hope today’s entry can give you some inspirations! More looks come in my next entry for those of you in your 20s and 30s!
