Fall Whites

One of the easiest colours, or I should say one of the two easiest colours to match when pulling an outfit together is white. White goes with just about everything; if you think about the classic all-American look, you’ve got a white t-shirt and blue jeans… ask just about any family photographer! White is a basic, and so the false claim that you can’t wear white after Labour Day, is exactly that: false. I can’t get down with any arbitrary dress rule if it limits my ability to express myself, especially if it means throwing out an entire colour from my wardrobe!

Wearing white, or even all white head-to-toe, is one of my favourite looks. I rock white all year round, because white is seasonless in my books. This year, about a week or two after Labour Day, I pulled out all the stops At Holt Renfrew with my white cashmere Zimmerman sweater, Zimmerman midi skirt, and Vanina pearl bag. I accented the look with gold Miu Miu pumps, and I think my blond hair also added an extra brightness to the whole look.

When I think of white, I don’t immediately think of summer. Instead, that picturesque snowy day comes to mind and makes me want to put on a fuzzy mohair white sweater or a slick pair of white boots matched with a furry white coat or crisp white leather jacket. Tone-on-tone is one of my favourite ways to slay a white look, but for those less adventurous, an easier way to incorporate white into your fall or winter wear is a white camisole, white purse, white blazer, white pumps, or white hat (tuque or fedora!). I’m also a major fan of white jeans and I cannot abide by the convention that white jeans are limited to summer styling. I wear my white jeans straight through all year round, because honestly, who’s going to stop me!?

Another simple way to integrate white into your wardrobe through the seasons is to reach for ivory-toned or off-white garments. I can’t help but think of certain iconic looks sported by Diane Keaton with that perfect beige turtleneck with the matching corduroy, the white blouse or the full on ivory power suit. My version of that is basically the one you see here. I’m not sure it’s my signature look, but if I could live in an outfit, I might pick this one.

When it comes to white, I think the only major rule to live by is to avoid wearing it on someone else’s wedding day. If you’re not the bride, do not wear white. But even then there are some exceptions I’m sure.

There are so many great colours trending this fall. At Fashion Week I saw a lot of bright tones and fall neutrals, I also saw a lot of patterns weaving through like florals and stripes. But one colour basically ran through every presentation and runway show, no designer can put a line together without it: white. Even a fall collection isn’t complete without it.

Photography by Patricia Brochu