The Guardian’s fashion editor on tips for the well-dressed man to the ethical issues of fast fashion, how to wear jewellery and whether Andy Burnham looks good PetertheGray asks : Why are so many high end items made from synthetic fibres? And are synthetics always bad? Jess: The answer to the first part of your question is just, price. As to the second part - as a rule of thumb, natural fibres are…
How does a rabbi choose her shoes? Why does a psychoanalyst like slogan tees? And why does a doctor avoid wearing scrubs at work? Seven striking dressers share their surprising style stories Andrew Geldart, 65, retired engineer, Cornwall Continue reading...
Vintage classics from WH Smith, M&S and Tesco are being bought online, perhaps as part of a nostalgic return to owning tangible items When it comes to everyday objects, a supermarket carrier bag could be the ultimate one – a thing we’re more accustomed to squeezing into a drawer or using until it falls apart than giving any special treatment. But these most mundane items are now enjoying something…
Mod fashion, nod to 80s excess or symbol of tradition? Andy Burnham’s wardrobe choice transcends class divisions The sartorial evolution of Andy Burnham reached another milestone this week when the prime minister appeared at a photocall in Derbyshire wearing a pair of braces under his suit. Navy, slimline and button-on rather than clipped, they were barely visible while he posed for a photo in…
The latest craze on Instagram reveals how quickly personal expression can be absorbed into a homogenised feed and exploited by brands For those looking for the defining social media trend of summer 2026, it’s time to call off the search party. A new phrase is dominating algorithms and entering the English lexicon. Continue reading...
Alterations that don’t cost a fortune can transform old trousers, jackets or shirts into bespoke pieces When I started shopping in vintage stores, I fell into the trap of thinking that if something wasn’t in my size there was nothing to be done. I’d still buy beautiful shirts that were huge, but never end up wearing them. I persevered with trousers that were three sizes too big and just scrunched…
First Nations designers, models, artists and artisans from across Australia gathered on Larrakia Country in Darwin this week for the Country to Couture runway show and the National Indigenous Fashion awards. In between, Guardian Australia photographed several of the featured models and designers Delvene Cockatoo-Collins wins National Indigenous Fashion award for textiles harvested on Country First…
Our guest columnist reveals how he found his personal style, from jumpsuits to high-waisted trousers Other than the jumpsuits, I don’t think I wore anything particularly groundbreaking when I appeared on The Traitors. I just think the bar for men’s fashion is so low that for me to come on television in a chunky mint green jumper and a pair of high-waisted jeans – which is probably one of the most…
Minty fresh flavours are out, gold plated toothbrushes are in, and dental experts are sceptical • Don’t get Fashion Statement delivered to your inbox? Sign up here First it came for handwash. Then deodorant. Now, the fancification trend has claimed its next victim: dental products. From £20 toothpastes to bottles of mouthwash that sound more like a perfume than a breath freshener, a new wave of…
Adding layers doesn’t have to leave you a hot mess – think sheer scarves and crochet with flashes of colour to elevate your look Perhaps I shouldn’t admit this, but I’m in two minds about summer dressing. Part of me believes summer is about joy, sunshine and good times, and clothes should embrace all of that. This woman loves Pucci and owns not one but two silver kaftans. The other part of me…
Every time I get my hair done, I find myself confronted with rising costs, and dizzyingly long maintenance regimes • Don’t already get The Long Wave in your inbox? Sign up here This week, I tried to book in for some knotless braids at the last minute. I knew I was going to be writing about how the simple pleasure of getting a head of box braids is starting to feel increasingly complicated, and…
A physio, a tailor and a historian on the style trends that can put women in hospital and how to avoid the dangers “Buyer beware” is one of the oldest principles in English law. Now, a pair of wide legged trousers from Zara is bringing the phrase back to the forefront of shoppers’ minds. On social media the £25.99 wide-legged trousers from the high-street retailer have earned the moniker “Zara…
Thanks to gen Z resellers and platforms like Depop, thrifting has lost its subcultural roots - and ballooned into a $350bn business Vintage boutique owner Janelle Best has been rummaging in thrift shop bins since the 90s. When she started, she says, there was a stigma about it. “It was either you were a freak, or you were poor – and I was a freak.” At first, she did it to source stage outfits…
Brands are making clothes that can be adapted by the wearer. But with fast fashion giants getting in on the act, perhaps we should just stick to wearing our cardigans backwards • Don’t get Fashion Statement delivered to your inbox? Sign up here I’m sitting on my bedroom floor trying to fasten the sleeves back on to a new top. I haven’t had an unfortunate accident with scissors; the removable…
Experts weigh in on wellness culture’s obsession with natural fibers and the growing trend of people shunning plastic-based clothing A few months ago, Lane Koch made a decision: she would purge her family’s closets of all plastic-based fabrics and replace them with natural fibers, such as cotton and linen. Koch, a longtime Republican political strategist who was a senior staffer on Robert F…
Film star promotes Christopher Nolan film epic wearing gold artefacts dating back almost 3,000 years The Odyssey is a story about a Greek king’s long journey home. But a pair of earrings worn on the new film adaptation’s press tour – and their long separation from their homeland – is sparking controversy. At a photocall in London, Zendaya, who plays the goddess Athena in the Christopher Nolan film…
Surfboards, knee-length shorts, wetsuits, flip-flops: all have been seen on the catwalks this year. But what do actual surfers think of the trend? We went to Newquay to find out Summer is here, and with it the annual scramble to decide what kind of season we’re supposed to be having. What will it be? On offer in 2026 are “ freaky sandal summer ”, which requires you to wear weird shoes, and “…
Using tinted tips and undercuts, footballers are rewriting what ‘professional’ looks like in elite sport in the process Don’t get Fashion Statement delivered to your inbox? Sign up here At the World Cup this summer locs, or what are commonly known as “dreadlocks”, have become as ubiquitous as free kicks. Defenders pin theirs back for clear sight-lines; forwards loosen and shape theirs for the…
Fashion is getting braver with accessories again, so lean into it by embracing loud earrings and chunky pendants This summer, I want jewellery that makes some noise. Real noise – earrings that swish, bangles that clatter – and visual noise as well. Stuff to wear when you want to be seen and heard. The total opposite, in other words, of the jewellery most of us have been wearing lately. Charming,…
Maria Grazia Chiuri returns to city of birth with haute couture inspired by kimono shapes and draping the body “This is a cultural problem, and a political problem,” said Maria Grazia Chiuri before her first haute couture catwalk show for Fendi. The problem, as the designer sees it, is Italy’s unwillingness to acknowledge fashion’s role in culture by giving it space in museums. To challenge this,…
Italian designer brings sculptural silhouettes and playful palettes to storied house, while it is hats off to Giorgio’s niece at her second Armani Privé show The house of Balenciaga takes haute couture very seriously indeed. Cristóbal Balenciaga was so horrified by the rise of mass-produced clothes that in 1968 he abruptly shuttered his brand and retired to his native Spain, announcing that “high…
Storytelling collection opens with mousseline skirt suit and ends with simple black dress in spirit of label’s founder The first model on the Chanel catwalk was wearing a sheer mousseline skirt suit and carrying a tiny century-old leatherbound book of fairytales that once belonged to Coco Chanel herself. With the Lord of the Rings soundtrack booming through a stage set of giant parasol-scale…
From frozen hot-water bottles to a frizzy hair hack – our fashion team share their wisdom • The best summer sandals for men and women On a typical day in high summer you’ll come across two types of people: those who suffer and those who revel. Perhaps you’re a bit of both – you love beaches, but hate hay fever. Or perhaps you burn in the sun, but live for the longer nights sipping pink gin…
Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons say Milan fashion week collection demonstrates rejection of ‘useless design’ Speaking backstage before the Prada show at Milan fashion week on Sunday, the co-designers Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons described their latest collection as “breaking the perception of what is perceived as typical luxury in high fashion right now”. This was a purified version of Prada. The…
Designer turns to the accessory that launched his empire as he invokes the golden age of Italian sport For his second standalone menswear show in Milan, Ralph Lauren reverted to the accessory that launched his empire in 1967 – ties. Skinny silk ties featuring subtle swirly prints were neatly knotted and used as the finishing touch to elegant pinstripe suits, while more brightly printed or striped…
Whether it’s Harry Styles’s retro tailoring, CMAT’s joyful mash-ups or Metallica’s silver tones, here’s how to nail concert dressing – without looking like a tribute act • What to wear to a festival this summer Over the past few years, dressing to see your favourite artists live has moved on from just throwing on a band tee and calling it a day. With ticket prices higher than ever, concerts are…
Designer suggests decision to stage show in Los Angeles is part of strategy to deepen label’s cinema presence Like Christian Dior, the founder of the house he now leads, fashion designer Jonathan Anderson’s ambition is to be not just a Parisian couturier but a Hollywood power player. “We think of Dior as this romantic character, but he was also a very savvy businessman,” said Anderson before a…
In need of a February pep talk? Our fashion expert’s must-haves are here to lift your mood • How to dress in cold weather Let’s get real. Few of us look or feel at our most fabulous in February. It’s been cold and dark for, what, 18 months? Feels like it. Getting dressed feels less stylish self-expression than huddling for warmth. But there are reasons to be cheerful – or, more to the point,…
It is a little weird that beauty culture is convincing people to surgically saw off their facial skin and sew it back on tighter Tell us: what are the best and worst gifts you’ve ever received? Dear Ugly, I’m 36 and I don’t need or want a facelift – but lately I feel like I’m being made to want a facelift. Is it weird that facelifts are becoming normalized for women my age, or am I being too…
