Blending fashion with practicality and nostalgia …
Tales From My Wardrobe, a style series from THE GLOSS community, is a love letter to favourite pieces and hard-earned investment buys that all have a story to tell. These are the pieces we reach for again and again, the hard-earned investment purchases that make us smile with each wear, and the items that supercede mere ‘clothing’ to carry memories and foster emotional connection. From Irish designer Orla Kiely’s print-heavy wardrobe to artist Alison Conneely’s practical but eclectic collection of clothing, this is your chance to take a sneak peek into the most treasured possessions of stylish women and read all of the meaningful stories behind them. Here, Charlotte Temple, creative director of heritage Irish fashion brand Magee 1866, takes us into her thoughtfully curated wardrobe.
The most sentimental item I own is a bright pink Donegal tweed jacket which belonged to my grandmother. It has beautiful, trellis-style sleeves where the yarn is open and criss-crossed on a pink lining – it’s a work of art. I’m generally not a wearer of bright pink, but this works with so many pieces in my wardrobe. I like to contrast it with classic black, white or navy. My grandmother had an innate sense of style, something I hope I inherited.
My favourite item right now is a pair of Rag & Bone wide leg jeans. In spite of being a creative director, I tend not to follow trends or whims; I wear what works for me. I lived in skinny jeans for years, but about three months ago I gave in and bought a couple of pairs of wide-leg options. I love them: they’re comfortable and great when paired with a T-shirt or linen shirt, and a boyfriend blazer.
The piece that paid for itself in cost-per-wear is an Etro jumpsuit. I’m a big fan of jumpsuits – get a good one and it feels like wearing pyjamas! This one has been to weddings, parties, lunches and everything in between. I try to buy less but buy well, and wear my pieces again and again.
The biggest wardrobe investment I’ve made was a Celine wax jacket with a soft camel and chocolate brown tweed houndstooth lining. The least ‘fashion’ thing I own that I wear all the time is a plain crew-neck jumper in merino wool or cashmere. I usually go for camel, navy or stripes – all timeless.
The most recent item I bought is a Rossignol ski jacket and trousers. I love skiing and spend a lot of time in the mountains. I had been eyeing it for ages and finally bought it at the end of the ski season, so it will get a lot of use next year.
Right now, rather than lusting after a piece of clothing I’m coveting jewellery. I love the brand Annoushka which has the most incredible charms. A fine gold chain with a dolphin charm is on my dream shopping list. I grew up by the sea in Co Donegal and spent hours in my dad’s boat scanning the horizon for dolphins, with mixed success. As a child (and still today), I find these graceful and intelligent animals mesmerising.
When it comes to finding hidden gems, I love Firstdibs.com. I’m happy to shop online, but I’m a tactile person, so I love rifling through clothes rails in stores. I’m very fussy on how a fabric should feel and hang; it’s essential for what I do. I would say 99 per cent of my wardrobe is made up of natural fabrics like wool, cashmere, cotton, linen and silk.
The piece that has a story to it is the Sophie coat by Magee 1866 which launched last autumn. It’s an oversized coat: wearing it’s like being enveloped in a huge tweed blanket. I wanted to create a coat that could be worn the world over, something that spoke winter (my favourite season). I spend a lot of time trawling through the archives, where decades of fashion history is on cardboard hangers and little swatches in leather-bound books. I’ve always been drawn to black and white as it will never date. Looking back to the 1960s, when our fabrics were introduced onto the fashion scene by Sybil Connolly and Irene Gilbert, they were all about bánín white tweeds and blacks with oversized salt and pepper patterns. They look as good now as they did then. For the last few seasons, I kept pulling out this dramatic black and white St. Brigid’s Cross pattern, wondering what to use it for – then Sophie was born. It’s something we’ll run each season in classic wool fabrics, and it’s a piece of Donegal that can be passed from generation to generation. @magee1866
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