November's New Trend: The Trophy Jacket

Charlie Dawson helps you get dressed in the morning

A new trend in 60 seconds

THE TROPHY JACKET

If you like to think of yourself as a trophy wife, girlfriend, or mistress even, then here’s the item that will define you this winter: the “trophy jacket”. It can be spotted on clothes rails from 100 paces for all its embellished, rhinestone-studded, bejewelled and “matadorian” glory. And according to website WWW.fashionontrend.co.uk: “Moschino have designed some beautifully delicate versions, covered in pins and crystals but it’s Dolce & Gabbana’s ornate brocade trophy jacket and sequin jacket that are the real winners.” For high street options, you can find the trophy jacket at Topshop, Mango and H&M.

“They vary in silhouette, but all are highly decorative and have big identities,” says Harriet Quick, fashion features director at British Vogue.

Quite right Hatty. In the same way that fashion bods like to dictate that pewter is the new grey, which was the new black, which was the new brown, which was the new… “ahh! Quit with the colour palette musical chairs!”… then know that the trophy jacket replaces the “It-bag” as a statement piece for putting a transforming exclamation mark on skinny jeans, tube dresses or itsy-bitsy playsuits.

Last issue we donned our pencil skirt and grabbed our pointing stick to teach you all about the merits of the boulder shoulder, and the TJ and BS are happy bedfellows. Wedge in some padding and you’ve nailed two trends in one.

So, how to wear them to look like a trophy and not third prize at the raffle? Do a “Mossy” and slip on a bolero Matadorian number over a white cotton tee or vest top and bleached denim skinnies. Or be like Cheryl “Girls Aloud” Cole (pictured, right) and go military. Or with any TJ remotely classically tailored, fun up with a micro mini. Winner takes it all, baby!