Look Du Jour: Spring Red

What: Spring red Carven skirt suit (sample), Isabel Marant pumps, Club Monaco top (c/o), Ostwalk Helgason for ALDO Rise bag (c/o), Anne Bowes Jewellery necklace & Accessorize ring

Where: Carven x NO NAME launch party (and many more, see here)

Oh, Carven. I could not even begin to count the ways I love you. Any brand that advocates non-stop collar wearing and has an entire wall of detachable ones in their store was obviously going to be my cup of tea but even this shared affinity couldn’t do justice to my hands down fashion obsession with the brand. Most of the pieces appear entirely at odds with the studied slouch and perennial nonchalance rocked by most women in the French fashion capital yet Carven still manages to feel like the quintessential Parisian label. To be honest, I suspect that even the most committed Marant clad left bank ladies can’t resist its ingenue charms and secretly have a stash of flirty A line minis and lace insert cardigans that they would secretly rather be wearing than Stan Smith’s and leather pants. I was lucky enough to be lent this exquisite resort 2014 skirt suit for the Carven x NO NAME launch party a couple of weeks ago and it took every ounce of willpower I possess to give it back. In retrospect, I wish I’d purchased it back in January as I reckon it could be seriously versatile. For an evening ‘do I paired it with my favourite lace top from Club Monaco (you’ve seen it on here a lot, no?), even trustier Isabel Marant pumps (ditto), a bag from Ostwald Helgason’s amazing collection for ALDO Rise and a necklace my mum, jewellery designer Anne Bowes, gave me for Christmas. Had I been trotting it out before dark I’d probably have gone for a simple sweater and ballet flats… Or maybe even the aforementioned Stan Smith’s. Believe it or not I own a pair and they’re possibly the most comfortable thing ever. You could also totally split the pieces, that jacket would be just the thing to perk up a pair of skinny jeans and a plain white tee. Dammit, why did I not buy this suit!?

Love Ella. X

Images by Holly McGlynn