John and Yoko dressed in white on their wedding day in 1969, photo by John Nutter
I received the best email the other day from an old
friend. The subject line was "The White Album". I liked it before even opening it.
Dear dear Bria,
I am wondering if in your new editorial capacity,
you can help me. A couple of months ago I began wearing all white...all
shades of white (preferring milk and ivory) to be sure, but all white
nonetheless. I am set for trousers and tops, but I am having a hard time
finding dresses (knee length or longer) or skirts that aren't weird or too
frou. I wondered if you might do a little Lovejoy on whiteness. Or maybe
you can just point me in the right directions. I'm sure you're busy. But
I'd be so grateful. I feel quite lost about it.
I've boxed all the black up in the basement. I don't think I am going back.
I hope all is well with you.
Lisa
And after that, I liked the email even more. I love these challenges. I immediately had images of John and Yoko, Bianca Jagger (she seems to have stuck with the white thing over the years), and
Anton Newcombe floating around in my head. I too had a white period once, though I never took it all the way. I just found I felt very fresh and uplifted when I wore all white. You kind of do feel pure when you wear it. I had a pair of Navy issue white cotton twill dungarees from the 40's that I wore to tatters. You can buy current navy whites online
here as well as the charming Navy issue skirt and midi blouse. With my navy pants I also liked to wear a voile Kurta like
these.
So here we go--a collection of white options for Lisa and anyone else who wants to freshen up. Memorial Day is nearly here, if you're into fashion traditions.
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Did you know that
Banana Republic started out as a safari-themed store? You can still see traces of their very cool heritage in some of their items. They usually have quite a few white options during the warmer months.
A precursor to the J. Peterman Catalog, the Banana Republic catalogs were witty and creative and more fun than a barrel of monkeys and giraffes and camels. You can see examples of them in this 1986 book which has over 300 color illustrations.
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Speaking of
J. Peterman, they make some really terrific pants and skirts, especially for those who favor 30's or 40's cuts. Their fabrics and construction tend to be top-notch.
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Another store catering to the worldly or armchair traveler is
Orvis. You have to have your frump radar turned up to its highest setting but there are some gems to be found.
This denim skirt receives high marks from customers and is in my favorite midi length. The
Step In Yoke Waist Skirt is also great--it has a 40's vibe to it and is also available in white, though in limited sizes.
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Boden is one of my personal favorites place to shop. I have liked everything I have ever ordered from them and when I need long-wearing wardrobe basics it's one of the first places I turn to. On my somewhat curvy figure, the cuts are always flattering. I don't love their prints and sometimes they will put a purple polka dot lining in an otherwise perfect khaki trench. I guess a lot of people think that's a fun little surprise but it kills me. Still, there are a lot of great solid pieces and a LOT of terrific white skirts and dresses. Another thing I love about Boden is that they offer longer lengths in many of their styles which is great for those of us who are on the tall side or just like a bit more cover.
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At Le Train Bleu I carried a friendly-priced collection called
Whitewash Clothing. Their styles are all white, cream, or black and made out of breezy natural fibers. Their styles are romantic and vintage-inspired, often reminding me of
Noa Noa.
Red Onion Clothing carries them online.
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Some romantic styles, very
Wide Sargasso Sea, from master of bohemian clothing
Johnny Was.
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And finally, some cleaner styles from ASOS. They never disappoint. And they have a nifty color search option on their site so you can browse all their white items together.
ASOS Full Skirt In Clean Cotton, $52.19 $20.87
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Thank you to Lisa for the inspiring challenge--that was fun! I'm going to go eat some mustard and blueberries now. Anyone else have any fun fashion hunts I can help with? Drop me a line at lovejoymag @ gmail.com.
