For men — well, let’s just say that voluminous Bermuda shorts worn with socks and lace-up shoes is the new bottom-half suit for warm weather.
Except that it isn’t. At least, not for the 99 percent of fashionable but businesslike consumers, who need to put on something on in the morning that will not provoke ridicule, snarkiness or even the most slightly raised eyebrow from anyone during the workday — whether loud-mouthed taxi drivers, colleagues in the cafeteria or somber chief executives.
All of which is why, runway conceit notwithstanding, luxury houses all insist they have got more in their collections than fashion magazine fodder. To test that theory, we went shopping with two business executives, neither of whom is in the fashion trade, at some of Milan’s top boutiques. The question: Is there anything truly office-ready in the spring offerings?
One of the executives, whom you will meet farther down, is Stefano Mantegazza, head of European business for NTT Data, a global player in information technology. But let us first go to the fitting room with Kelly Russell, an American-born, Milan-based working mother of three.
As managing director of the Riccardo Catella Foundation, a nonprofit organization that promotes community and cultural projects to benefit urban spaces, Ms. Russell is as likely to have lofty meetings with city officials as she is with public schools, where she is organizing a vegetable garden program for Fuori Expo 2015.
And she does it all in straight-leg trouser suits or form-fitting pencil skirts, with heels that never go over an 85-millimeter, or 3.3-inch, maximum.
“I’m probably more conservative than I have to be,” Ms. Russell says. “But certain things just don’t feel right in the office.” Tops on her no-no list are skirts above the knee, jeans, extremely high heels and anything sheer, which essentially obliterates 95 percent of what was on the spring runways.
And so, we head to Jil Sander, a brand known for its friendly dialogue with working women, and where Ms. Russell has recently bought a navy blue jersey pant suit.
At first glance, she dismisses the new collection’s hot pops of color, another big runway trend, as too bold, and the angular-cut suiting in double-faced cotton as potentially too stiff.
But once she tries on a pair of Sander’s tomato orange straight leg pants (€460, or $590) with a crisp, boxy, white short-sleeved shirt (€440), she warms up.
“I don’t have anything else like this in my closet — I’d wear this on a casual day,” she says, scooping up the pants but leaving the shirt behind. “The price doesn’t make sense. I really only buy a few important pieces per season, and the rest I’ll find on sale or at the cheaper brands.”
Also on her radar: a knit jersey navy blue dress (€700) with a form-fitting, but demure, cut to the knee and an open-flap neckline. “It even has a pocket!” she exclaims (a highly prized detail for any woman wielding pen and cellphone). She deems the dress the perfect workhorse and keeps it on her wish list for spring.
At Alexander McQueen, it is hard to see beyond the crystal-crusted black jackets or the satin jackets with elaborate painted details or the suits made from intricate black and gold beehive embroidery.
“It’s absolutely beautiful, but most of this feels like evening wear to me,” Ms. Russell remarks, sotto voce. She does, however, zero in on a snug, gold and black patterned knit dress (€945) that could make an appearance at work, thanks to its demure cap-sleeved top and knee length. “I’d wear a long black jacket with it to the office and then be ready for dinner out after work.” Dress, welcome to the corner office!
Article source: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/15/business/global/among-the-pink-organza-down-to-earth-basics-for-business.html?partner=rss&emc=rss