J Crew in London: Jenna Lyons' 10 commandments
US chain J Crew opens its first London store this week. To mark the occasion, creative director Jenna Lyons shares her top 10 style rules with us
1. Don't divide your wardrobe into smart and casual, but mix them up— "For example, if you have one of our flip-hem wool skirts, you can wear it smart and flirty with a blazer and shirt and jewels and a heel. But you can also wear it dressed down, with an oversized sweatshirt and New Balance trainers."
2. Trend is a dirty word to me"What I care about are changes in proportion.— When it feels like pants are getting skinnier, or waistbands are moving a little higher, that matters to me. But we're not about clothes you buy because they're on trend, we're about beautiful pieces you buy because you want to wear them every day."
3. Freshening up your look doesn't always have to be about buying something new—"We might have a sweater on sale for six months, and we'll shoot it in six different ways for the catalogue, which comes out monthly. It's a challenge, but that's where the fun is. We're all about suggesting new ways to wear the clothes you have."
4. Party dressing should never be head-to-toe shine and sparkle—"If you're wearing a jewelled top, then maybe wear it with a menswear trouser and a loafer. Things that play off each other, instead of matching up, create a fun mood."
5. Details matter—"I'm obsessed with our double-faced cashmere grey T-shirt, which has a lime green lining. That little glimpse is such a great surprise."
6. Mix colours in your jewellery, as well as your clothes—"Try a stack of bracelets on each wrist, and rings on both hands, in a mix of yellow and rose- gold."
7. Don't feel you have to wear a quirky look every day—"Sometimes you are in the mood for a white shirt – that's fine. You can totally default to a pair of black or navy pants. That's always allowed!"
8. A masculine element will make any outfit more chic—"Menswear is at the heart of everything we do at J Crew. Even if it's a very fancy, feminine piece, like a jewelled T-shirt, if you drill down you'll find a tailored shape at its root."
9. Don't ignore all those fabulous neon orange and moss-green pieces because you are not confident with colour—"Colour isn't easy for anyone. It's not easy for me! It's a challenge. It feels good to embrace a challenge."
10. You can't go wrong with cashmere—"A pair of cashmere socks might not be original, but it's always a great Christmas gift, because nobody buys themselves cashmere socks."
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