I’m a great believer in investment dressing. When I can afford it. And when a jacket, or pair of pants, or in this case a suit, fits well, is a timeless classic, and makes me feel like a million bucks, I can usually afford it. Well, within reason, of course. Because, like Mater reminded me the other day in her discussion of a well-loved scarf, the CPW (cost per wear) (thanks Stacey and Clinton, for that phrase) goes down every time, and every season, that I wear said investment purchase.
And since I bought this Max Mara jacket (and the matching pants) sometime in the early 2000s… hauling it out of my closet after all this time makes it… well… practically free.
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| In one-half of my old Max Mara suit, with Current Elliott jeans and Paul Green boots. |
After I wrote a post last week on “lightening up my wardrobe a little” in anticipation of spring, and realized how much I still loved this old jacket, I inspired myself. And I went in search of other ideas for styling the jacket and pants together, or even the pants by themselves.
Then this morning I received an e-mail from Matches Fashion with their take on “Paris Fashion Week Trends.” And wide-leg trousers, apparently the very “definition of elegance,” are apparently one of those trends. Well, well, well. I am apparently ahead of the curve, people. Because I happen to have a pair of wide-leg trousers that match that Max Mara jacket. And since I bought them in 2000 (give or take a year), I’m so ahead of the curve I had to store them for ten or fifteen years to wait for all the other fashionistas to catch up. Apparently.
Here are a few looks that were featured in the Matches Fashion wide-leg trouser edit. Trouser suits for work, and trouser suits for play. Cropped wide-leg pants, and full length wide-leg pants. With a jacket or without.
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| Looks from Stella McCartney, Max Mara, and Vince found on Matchesfashion.com: wide-leg trousers. |
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| Looks from Valentino, A.L.C., and Sport Max found on Matchesfashion.com: wide-leg trousers |
I tried my old suit on with a Gap mint-green tee shirt, with my sleeveless navy and white gingham blouse from Equipment, with flats, with boots, and with sneakers. I tried the pants alone with a boxy, 3/4 sleeve, cotton sweater from Theory, and a favourite pair of bronze Stuart Weitzman sling-back heels. I even pinned up the pants to simulate the length of the cropped ones above, from Valentino. Okay… so that looked really stupid. But, the possibilities, while not endless, were pretty varied. What doesn’t go with navy? I finally settled on my Stan Smith adidas, a blue and white striped cotton sweater from Brooks Brothers, a pair of Kate Spade white hoop earrings. And my prized “like-a-Chanel” vintage brooch that I bought at the Marché aux Puces de Saint-Ouen in Paris last spring. Ha. I feel so sophisticated saying that. I did have to make a teensy adjustment to the belt to be able to breathe while wearing it. But let’s not dwell on that.
I like my suit with the few updates I made. It actually looks better in real life; the material is soft and stretchy, the pants have a lot of movement when I walk. I may hem them a bit, since I doubt very much that I’ll wear them with heels. We’ll see.
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| With a couple of updates, this old suit, still suits me. |
I can wear the suit with the belt, or without. The tea cup is optional. But in the spirit of my “truth in blogging” post… I must admit that I cannot wear a short sweater like this without the jacket. It appears that wide-leg trousers, with a high waist, flatten my butt and accentuate the middle-age middle in the front. Hence, without the jacket I am in danger of looking like that strange “pushmi-pullyu” creature from Dr. Doolittle… the exact same coming and going. Not, I repeat, not a flattering look, my friends.
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| My Max Mara suit is more comfortable without the belt |
22 thoughts on “This Old Suit: Updating An Investment Piece from Years Gone By”
So great! The Stan Smith sneakers update the suit so convincingly, and you get to be comfortable at the same time.What I find really satisfying about being able to wear my own "vintage" (and I haven't anything quite as stellar as your suit) is not so much the investment repaid (although I'm not sneezing at that!) but the confirmation about something in my taste, my personal Style, that persists. And when you can mix those old pieces credibly with current trends, I think that's really the sweet spot. You're not just being slavish to fads, but you're adopting and adapting into a look that's current but that's also uniquely You. To me, that's Style! You got it! 😉
Thanks, Frances. I love it when I stash something I love and then get to wear it again years later…feel like high-fiving myself.
It looks great with the sneakers and I'd love to see it with a plain white tee and no brooch – just really casual.
Thanks, Kathy. The suit does look good with a plain white tee…I'm sure I'll be wearing it like that this summer.
It's a great piece to have and fits so well. I love it belted with the sneakers…you just went to casual chic!
Thanks, Pam. The belt makes it into an entirely different look, doesn't it?
Ha! I just took two pairs of wide leg pants into the tailor to get 1/2" taken up, so I can wear them with flats. Like you, they were quality and fit so well that I didn't part with them. Doing my happy dance while styling here.
Good for you, Joanne. Feels great to outsmart the fashion gods, doesn't it?
Like finding a buried treasure! You look grrreat!
charlene h.
Thanks, Charlene. It sure feels like finding buried treasure.
I also have some good quality wide leg pants in my closet that I have never parted with and plan to wear this summer. They are so cool to wear in the heat when you want to be covered.
Smart of you to hang onto them, Christy. I can think of a couple of pairs that I gave away years ago that would be perfect this season.
That look really suits you Sue . I'm tempted to copy but it's tricky without long legs . I always used to wear my wide trousers with heels to balance things up but I will dig them out & see how it goes . The fabric of your suit looks the usual maxmara quality , those trousers hang beautifully .
Wendy in York
Thanks, Wendy. Max Mara stuff never wears out….I may "grow" out of some things… but let's not talk about that. My suit was also hemmed for heels, since I always wore it to work, or conferences etc. I want it to be much more casual now…so I'll probably hem the pants. They are a pinch too long.
I seem to remember your post on organising clothes for Paris was one of the first I commented on as we'd just returned hone from a visit there! Doesn't time fly! Your suit looks great. I've always liked wide trousers especially with flats. The jacket looks perfect with jeans and both pieces work well together. You probably feel like you've acquired a few brand new outfits! I've a black jacket that I've had a few years. It only seemed to work with smart trousers or dresses and looked dreadful with jeans, so all in all it's had very little wear. This Winter I tried it again with jeans … Skinnies in grey and black with boots and it looks great! I love it and I've worn it so much. Feels as though I have a new jacket …stylish and not at all dated.
Hope you're having a good weekend. It's been glorious here today …warm and sunny. Hard to believe two days ago I was taking pictures of the river, (which had flooded) surrounded by a grey fog! Looked very atmospheric and a little spooky!!
Rosie
Your jacket sound great, Rosie. As do your river shots… love a spooky, foggy photograph. It's warm (above zero, anyway) and sunny here too.
It looks really cool with the sneakers – belted and not. Did you think, when you bought it, that that would be what you did with it? Very en trend. Great example of why there is no reason to let anything go, ever. Oh wait … that's just my problem! But seriously, looks great.
Charlie
Fur Earwig
Thanks, Charlie. I would never have guessed when I bought that suit that I would ever wear it with white sneakers! High heels maybe… but definitely not sneakers.
Great investment piece – and I love how the trousers look with your sneakers! xo
-Patti
http://notdeadyetstyle.com
Thanks, Patti.
Susan, I cheering from the other side of the computer and most likely the world! I actually pulled out an old navy pinstripe suit just last week and altered the length of the pants so I could wear them with my new white addidas, what a fun and updated look. Apparently we think quite alike, which I like knowing since you are one fashion queen. You look absolutely amazing!
Thanks, Trina. Great minds and all that, eh?
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