Dressing like Barbara (Hepworth)

barbara h Yep, I’m still enamoured with Barbara and I’ve been browsing the internet to see if I can Dress Like Barbara…well, dress a bit like Barbara, she was keen on a wrapped and belted jacket being whip thin, but I’m going for a more generously waisted feel.

But my Babs-crush does coincide with a bit of a cord moment on the high street, and she wore quite a bit of cord, either as work trousers or jackets, glam-ed up with great shirt, fab jewels and a brightly coloured scarf. Here are a few Babs-friendly ideas… margaret howellFor the best belt and wrapped cord look this season, you’re going to have to shell out for this Margaret Howell trench, or the boyfriend slouch blazer, but both are expensive, so lets move on… top and bottom I really love these wool Oxford Turnups  at Boden at £71, they look like something Barbara might have worn for a smart-ish day in the studio, together with Toast’s warm but practical Roya soft corded jersey top, at £65, which looks like a great winter T shirt. shirts For Barbara’s belted (or not) cord jacket look, I’m thinking this longer length Toast light cord jacket at £175 would work, over the fine poplin stripe man’s shirt (much of Bab’s look has an androgynous feel) at £95. scarves and trews For cord bottoms, I like Boden’s Straight leg cord jeans in many colours and a reasonable £34 (there’s a special offer on currently it appears) and we have to have a scarf, perhaps Barbara would like the Liberty pink quartz silk one at £75 boden skirts1 I can’t help feeling Barbara would have loved a kilt, for wandering around the Cornish countryside in, topped with a warm sweater. The Boden jumbo cord one at £44 is available in some great colours, although maybe she’d have stuck to a classic camel or navy, who knows? And the M&S wool kimono jumper is currently on special offer at £64, it’s bracelet length sleeves wouldn’t have got in the way of any carving or painting…. boden blouses Barbara liked a bit of glamour and the odd bright colour, so I think these Boden silk shirts (£95) would meet her approval for wearing under her jackets, I adore the colour-clas poppy and fuchsia combo (left) but the white and navy version looks infinitely useful. Imagine worn with wide leg trousers and a nice flat brogues…toast dresses Arty painters smocks anyone? Surely Babs would love these Toast ones at £95? Pockets for chisels and pencils, roomy enough to scrabble over marble, polka dot scarf worn tied at the neck perhaps… &otherstories And then there’s the essential scarf, I’ve bought this one at £12 from &Other Stories, by far my favourite high street store so far this autumn (more of that later) which is a sort of half way house scarf…some way between a headband and a scarf. it’s made of black crepe de chine and I tie it in a bow just below my ear. it’s hit and miss as to how chic  it looks, but just like art, practise makes perfect.

6 Comments

  • jane says:

    I’ve pretty much taken up residence in & Other Stories its luring me in more than Cos at the moment which is saying something, its nice to have another not too high priced store for grown up shopping looking forward to your take on this. I am rather partial to that poppy shirt above too.

  • Amanda says:

    I LOVE &Other Stories currently, such a nice collection this year and much sparkier than COS at the moment, blog post next week.
    Ax

  • Jo says:

    Completely agree re: & Other Stories. I do like Cos still, it’s just that it does seem to take itself quite seriously, whereas & Other Stories just does lovely frocks (most with sleeves..!) that I want to wear at weekends – it seems that there is less overthinking maybe. Have just ordered 2 maxi dresses and a leopard print skirt, have high hopes…! The one thing I would change is their over-reliance on viscose, which just doesn’t stay looking great for that long. I think one year’s regular wear is what I can hope to get from a viscose dress, compared to my silk dresses from Jaeger that last for years. Having said that, they are much more expensive (though I always shop at Jaeger outlets because why wouldn’t you?) at Jaeger. Swings and roundabouts.

  • Pamela says:

    I really enjoyed this post, lots of wearable ideas – thank you.
    Do you think the headband/house scarf is going to have a moment? I do like to wear one but it’s not always an easy look to carry off. I think you can get away with anything in London, but out here in the sticks one has to be a little more circumspect!

  • amanda says:

    Pamela, yep, we have it on good authority that scarves as hair accessories are bubbling under as a trend, although i don’t think it’s going to be major major. It’s been around for a couple of season, but picking up…note the gorgeous thick hairbands in the recent Chloe windows as well as scarves on catwalks. It needs to feel modern, so perhaps geometrics and polka dots rather than Laura Ashley florals. Hope that helps! Ax

  • Pamela says:

    Thanks for the good advice, and just in time – you must have seen me reaching for the Libery floral scarf!

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