The Editor's Letter
"I haven’t bought any new clothes all year. This is a terrible thing for the editor of a fashion magazine to admit. I haven’t fallen out of love with clothes, I didn’t have my assets seized or anything. I was just finding myself overwhelmed with stuff."
I haven’t bought any new clothes all year. This is a terrible thing for the editor of a fashion magazine to admit. I haven’t fallen out of love with clothes, I didn’t have my assets seized or anything. I was just finding myself overwhelmed with stuff, and we’ve been planning to pack up and move house at the end of the year and knowing that made every new thing I purchased feel like another thing that one day soon I’d be required to put into a box and then, at the other end, take out of a box. Stuff suddenly felt exhausting, like a job. And then it became a sort of personal challenge, to get through the year without any more accumulation. Admittedly, I’m often (and luckily) gifted clothes, and I can also borrow them when I have an event or somewhere special to go - so it’s not as extreme a fashion diet as it sounds. And I did buy some things - but smart things, things I knew I’d get all the wear in the world out of, like a pair of grey Frankie Shop pants, an astoundingly good pair of jeans from Zara, new Cortez because I don’t care what the shoe of the moment is, I’m a Cortez girl through and through.
It hasn’t been easy. There have been so many beautiful things I’ve wanted to buy, things that I felt would change my life in some minor or major way. Things that spoke to that urge in us that can only be satisfied by newness and the dopamine hit of adding to cart. There have been so many times - maybe every second day - when the very particular jigsaw puzzle made up of the occasion and the weather and my mood and current tolerance for shoe pain and and level of bloat and where I’m at in my cycle and what isn’t in the laundry basket and what doesn’t need a steam can’t be pulled together by anything I’m currently looking at in my wardrobe. But I stayed the course, if only for the anticipation of the thrill I’d get once my revenge shopping era starts in 2025.
This is a new fashion season though, so if ever there was a time to give in to the hunger for newness, this is it. In an effort to not just buy the first thing that catches my bower bird eye though, I asked the InStyle team what they’d invest in for the season if they could only buy one thing. The only issue is that now I want all of it.
Love,
Justine x
The InStyle Editors' New Season Picks
State of Escape Solstice Crossbody
The neoprene fabric makes it practical for summer (moreso than my other go-to bag, a gigantic suede tote), and it's roomier than you expect it to be. Built for fun! — Laura, Executive Editor
One piece? I'd like a whole spring/summer wardrobe from A.Emery, but I love the easy, dress-up/dress-down, '90s vibe of this silky white slip. Equally chic in chocolate brown. — Kat, Associate Editor
Acne Studios Crew Neck T-Shirt
A fresh set of t-shirts. Love these Acne studio oversize crew necks- a wardrobe staple. — Sarah, Creative Director
This dress would be my dream buy for now and forever. It ticks so many boxes for me: long, flowing, caramel and Chloé. — Rachel, Fashion Director
Christopher Esber Crystal Flip Flop
Flip flop are the shoe of the szn and have me in a choke hold. I love these ones from Esber that have a little glitter flare to take me from beach to party. — Annie, Fashion Editor
The wedge means they’re comfortable and I’ll be able to wear them for hours, great colour and just enough quirk that they’re cool but will still go with most of my wardrobe and not date too fast. Also appro for both work and play — tick tick tick! — Courtney, Features & Digital Editor
Not necessarily new season but I really want a nice big roomie bag to schlep all my things to and from the office and still look cute when I go out after work, I've definitely been influenced but this one really does seem like the perfect work/play bag. — Grace, Client Services Manager
Looks of the season
Fashion’s new mood, as worn by modelling’s next big thing, Stella Hanan
What makes them tick
Forget socks; your timepiece is the truest indicator of your age
A matter of taste
“Ah, good taste! What a dreadful thing...the enemy of creativeness!” So said Picasso. But what does taste even mean? And, asks Kathryn Madden, are we losing the ability to cultivate our own?