Street fashion: Fresh takes on style classics

This article first appeared in Harper’s Bazaar Singapore, the leading fashion glossy on the best of style, beauty, design, travel and the arts. Go to harpersbazaar.com.sg and follow @harpersbazaarsg on Instagram; harpersbazaarsingapore on Facebook. The September 2023 issue is out on newsstands now.

Buckle up

Behold, the return of big buckle energy – very much reminiscent of Y2K culture.

Wear a giant belt across your chest like a bustier, keep it timeless on a bag or have it featured on a harness-like coat that pulls the whole look together.

Buckled accessories are another way to channel the trend. Try cute buckle motif earrings. Or let an oversize buckle anchor everything from an evening gown to a pair of chunky loafers.

White out 

One way to look instantly fresh is to dress in an all-white ensemble.

Play up the crisp shade with varying textures, lengths and silhouettes for added interest and dimension, or simply throw on accessories of a contrasting colour to pull the look together.

Cream-hued add-ons are a safe way to start. Keep it feminine and chic with frills and pearls, or go for a masculine and edgy look with tailored numbers.

Opt for sheer pieces or flash a little skin for a cheeky take on an otherwise pure look.

Next, put on some attitude and you are ready for the street, not the aisle.

Glam gams

If there is one hot accessory from the fall/winter 2023 runways, it is hosiery.

From Renaissance days when men – think Henry VIII – wore them both for warmth and as a status symbol, to the 1940s when nylon stockings were the rage, to the Swinging Sixties when coloured tights were matched with minis for fun-loving looks – inner wear is truly in style again.

Miu Miu’s inspired take paired coloured tights with fresh yet classic staples in playful, sheer layers. Delicate white lace stockings were seen at Chanel, styled with its camellia-laden slingbacks for a vision of timeless elegance.

Meanwhile, at Isabel Marant, crystal-embellished sheer tights seemed tailor-made for the party season and paired perfectly with peekaboo minidresses.

High street

It is time to raise the stakes when the jet set stomp out in chic, sturdy platform steppers.

Ground your highlighter-hued ensemble with chunky-soled boots or add a pop of colour to your otherwise monochromatic look with a pair of fuchsia platform pumps.

Aim to achieve balance in your overall look. Opt for clog-like shoes to complete a modern Japanese, zen-like vibe or take on a summer style with raised espadrilles and denim. Added height without the calf training of stiletto heels – it is a win-win.

Past perfect

Forget about perfection this season. Designers are unravelling garments by exposing the seams, loose threads and even layers that define a well-tailored jacket.

While this idea was first seen in the early 1990s when the fashion set took to deconstruction in response to the extravagance of the 1980s, this season offers a more refined take.

At Fendi, a classic cardigan came undone at the neckline and hung as a halter, while Sacai’s exposed vest shoulder pad was spruced up with sequins trailing into a frock.

No stranger to the movement, Maison Margiela’s hand-stitched sheer panel gave a peek into the layers beneath, complete with safety pins on the skirt’s waistband for an eclectic vibe.

The right clutch

While some may immediately identify these as clutches or even top-handle bags, the fashion-savvy like to think that these elbow candies propose a distinct style of their own.

Designers sent models down the runway, whether dressed to the nines, casually togged or office-ready, with bags hugged tightly to the chest. It was as if they were designed to be something you can grab and hold on to.

At Gucci, models slung the strap over the shoulder and slid a hand through its signature horse-bit turned handle; likewise at Victoria Beckham. Fingers were entwined in Miu Miu’s multi-strapped number and clutched under the arm, while at Valentino, the hand was more nonchalantly slipped through.