Cabbages and Roses is a lifestyle brand that is now part owned by Jigsaw founders John and Belle Robinson and the extra investment is helping them expand. We will shortly see more Cabbages in nine Jigsaw stores this autumn and the brands own charmingly merchandised retail outlets are worth seeking out.
The homewear and fabric collection make you wish you had a rural cottage retreat you could buy the pretty china and floral cottons for and the clothes have a grown up romance and artful femininity that is kept firmly grounded by being made from practical, old-school fabrics such as soft tweeds, thick woven linens and slubby check cottons.
The shapes are incredibly easy to wear, although the simple shapes take well to a bit of imaginative layering from the more creative types.
Founder Christine Strutt has a very grounded approach to dressing her age and told us “I don’t think we should mind not being able to show our bad bits as we get older, we should learn to dress with grace and elegance, it’s too disturbing for the young to see the scary sights some women dress like, over-tight clothes and all that flesh, they look horrendous! Our customers have a sense of humour and don’t take themselves too seriously, they prefer to dress with an irreverence to all that silly stuff, they prefer to look well covered and fine". (Don't you love the use of the word 'fine'?)
What (we asked) were the very best styles for our Women's Room readers from the summer range?
"An A -line cashmere pullover. This is the perfect shape, most Cabbages clothes are based on the 'golden triangle' – slim fitting at the top spreading in an A-line shape – this fine soft cashmere is perfect length to hide bottoms. AND we are giving 20% to Maggie’s Cancer Care Centres. Mrs Gordon Brown has got one.
An A-line long stripe tee – as above – perfect for every day. Maureen (Dougherty) at Egg ( cool concept boutique, we’ll tell you about later) has ordered 10 in case they run out!
All cashmere cardigans – designed to throw on over short sleeved dresses – can be worn on shoulders to distract from fat arms.
Collarless tape front coat – elegant and different – perfect for posh occasions, but I wear with black jeans so can be dressed up and dressed down. (we have seen Christine wearing this, she looked lovely in it)
Sun dress – wore one on hols and everybody I met wanted one – good for hiding tummies and great colour to work with cashmere cardi’s." We're off to shop……
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