How many of us feel their arms need to be slimmed down or have bingo wings? How many of us have gone to a dinner dance during the winter and have frozen or had to invest in a pashmina to cover our arms and keep us warm? I can see you all putting your hands up, me too.
In the past there have been campaigns by well known magazines, asking manufacturers to put sleeves in garments – and are they? No they are not. I was out personal shopping with a client recently and I could only find one evening dress with sleeves.
So, this season is no exception and it is not only relevant to dresses and tops, we see the return of the Gilet in the fashion stakes and the sleeveless coat! (It reminds me of a recent genius piece of marketing I saw in a sandwich chain – the breadless sandwich – isn’t that a salad I thought to myself? They were selling like hot cakes!)
Both are an anomaly to me. Jackets and coats should have sleeves just by their very nature – right?
The Gilet is often seen as a garment worn to give extra warmth to the core of your body leaving your arms free for practical tasks. Forget practical, this is now to be a core fashion item in your wardrobe.
This season you can choose denim style or be a biker babe. The dedicated denim lovers can ‘rock’ their jean jackets without sleeves. They can be thrown over anything and worn with white shirts to sequinned pencil skirts. The biker babes are wearing theirs to toughen up summer frocks or layering with winter knits. The best bit though is you can DIY the look and cut off the sleeves of an old worn jacket.
OK, I’ve been won over on the Gilet front!
So what about the long sleeveless jacket? Long lines, fluid tailoring and premium fabrics are essential for a chic sleeveless jacket. Style with a super-slim polo top and skinnies to keep it current and casual. Top tip: if you buy one in neutral colours you can mix and match for work to achieve a tailored, sophisticated look.
Sleeveless jackets and coats may not deliver in terms of warmth but they are certainly this Autumn/Winter’s hottest trend!