Have you got the memo yet? Figured out how to win round one in 2015 fashion’s game? C’mon, catch up. Right now, the way to appear fashionable is to look interesting rather than beautiful. Missed the not-so-subtle clues? Joan Didion is the much celebrated poster girl for Céline, while Joni Mitchell plus guitar fronts the new Saint Laurent campaign. Both champion relentless cool rather than classic beauty. And yes, we are suckers for this. Who isn’t?
Lanvin wanted in on the action too. It has cast Anna Cleveland next to her mother Pat smiling broadly and showing off her character rather than dentistry perfection. Cleveland also stars in the upcoming issue of the CR Fashion Book, Carine Roitfeld’s glossy expression of her current obsessions. And Roitfeld’s self-proclaimed current fad is the concept of jolie laide. “In fashion, it’s always better to be an interesting person than a beautiful one,” she has said. “Character is much more fascinating than pure good looks.” And Roitfeld would know the truth in this. She is bonafide fashion icon who has admits she has admitted to having a touch of the Iggy Pops about her (see below).
There has been a shift towards dressing interesting ahead of looking beautiful on the red carpet too. At the Golden Globes at the weekend, fashion’s pervading mood could be detected in Lorde’s suit and cropped top. The message: why be boring in peach tulle? (Yes, we know she is beautiful too, but that’s just not the point.) When Hollywood tries to look interesting not beautiful, you know there has been a mood change.
Of course, these are women who are genuinely interesting. They have written brilliant books and songs and immeasurably changed the course of fashion and pop culture. But most of us haven’t. Some of us can’t think of our favourite album or the best book we’ve ever read. So how to dress like you’re interesting when you’re not? Here’s our cheat sheet for the fast track towards looking wise and beguiling.
1. Wear polo necks
Steal from the beatniks, man. Polo necks say clever/cerebral/interesting. They don’t say stupid/vacuous/dull. Wear with oversized sunglasses to make your point. You’re not a librarian, you are full of character and serious thought. Plus, you know how to misbehave at a party. Yes, fashion semantics really are as crass as this.
2. Skew your proportions
Do it often, otherwise your point may be missed. Wearing high-waisted jeans with ankle-swinging hems would do it. See Charlotte Gainsbourg’s Alexa Chung’s new AC for AG jeans, which are the denim expression of jolie laide. Equally haute jolie laide, stylist and best friend of Louis Vuitton designer Nicolas Ghesquiere Marie-Amelie Sauve is all over a similar cut.
3. Wear what we call in fashion ‘a piece’
This is something that stands alone and doesn’t necessarily fit with the rest of what you are wearing. Again, we’re thinking of Didion and her statement pendant. Don’t dress around it – let it stick out like a sore thumb. The art of looking confident while wearing something outre makes you look like you might have interesting things to say. Think of some while people stare at your giant scrap metal lump of a pendant.
4. Get your makeup a bit wrong
Risky, this one, but a sure sign that you are less about beauty more about “character”. Prada is currently pushing a pencilled-in browliner which sits about the eyebrow. Your acquaintances will definitely find this interesting, especially over gchat, particularly behind your back.
5. Bright fake fur is your friend
Buy a Shrimps fake-fur stole and wear with abandon. Suddenly you’re a “moment”; you’ve won the room. In five seconds flat, you will semaphore that you value being interesting over being beautiful.
Disclaimer: non of the above points may save you. You could just be dull.
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