Camouflage and Sequins

A sequin skirt is a wardrobe necessity.  In fact, I discussed the importance of having one in my very first blog post.  I wear my sequin skirts in the daytime ALL the time, but I dress them down so I don’t look like I had too many cocktails the previous night and I’m just making my way home.  Also, I think it is important to forget that you’re wearing sequins when you wear them during the day.  You have to be as blasé as if you were wearing denim in order to OWN the sparkle.

Lately, I’ve been wearing the somewhat unlikely pairing of a camouflage jacket with a silver sequin skirt.  I wore it to a party,  to a lunch, and to the David Hockney preview at the Royal Academy.  It seemed right every time; it made a statement and was a little offbeat without being completely bonkers.   The skirt is an old Malene Birger one and the jacket is a new acquisition from Topshop.  This particular jacket (which is selling fast, so be quick if you like it) has tidy lapels like a blazer and a belt to give it some ladylike shape. These details ensure that it doesn’t look like I’m actually going off to join the Army!  What I love most is the juxtaposition of them… rugged badass camouflage right next to glittering silver sequins.  The marked contrast, like a ball gown with a biker jacket,  is what makes it work for me.  I’m going to give you lots of photos to let you make up your own mind about it.  Here, I’ve teamed it with some silver aviator sunglasses, kitten heels, and the sparkliest clutch I own.

Well camouflaged in the mean streets of West London

Sunglasses: Ray-Ban  Jacket: Topshop  Cuff: Hermes  Clutch: Louboutin  Shoes: Valentino  Skirt: Malene Birger  Photos: Lottie Anderson

In the bright sun, the shiny sequins were just KAPOW.   I was mesmerised by my own skirt!  Anyone who knows me at all is aware that I adore the shiny.  The glittery.  The sparkly. Which got me thinking…

Why do some people (like me) love sparkly things so much?  Is it coincidental that the most expensive thing that money can buy, a diamond, is also the sparkliest?  I don’t think so.  I read a study once that said that our primitive desire for shiny and sparkly things stems from our desire for water, the most vital resource for our survival.  Sunlight on water is sparkly, and if you don’t find beauty in light dancing on water, then you probably aren’t human.  Water isn’t just pretty though, it is what we are mostly made of, so the humans who were attuned to shiny things were ensuring their survival by making certain that they sought out their most basic need.  So, I’m convinced when I wear sequins and other sparkly things that it is merely a reflection (see what I did there?) of my survival skills.  A sequin is basically a small, shiny, modern symbol of our survival instinct.  How appropriate then to wear them with a survivalist-camouflage jacket!

A sequin is basically a small, shiny, modern symbol of our survival instinct.

What do you think about the combination?

A thorn amongst the roses

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