Mort Rainey Would Approve

It seems to be a typical British Summer this year. What with a tantalisingly few and short lived days of wonderful sunshine, followed by the inevitable thick cover of dark clouds and oddly warm rain. Indeed my thoughts have turned from dressing to keep cool, to the beautiful idea of layering. I have to admit that I adore dressing for the in between seasons (i.e. Spring and Autumn), due to the endless versatility and chances to experiment inherent in the seasonally required layering.

Thinking about the concept of Summer layering, my thoughts turned to various Spring collections, now past, seeking out looks to fit in with my current wishlist. I quickly went back to the Spring 2007 collection by Takahiro Miyashita for his label Number (N)ine. The effortlessly cool and casual layering seems to be perfect for the current weather, and indeed the romantic style of the collection is somewhat more than appealing. The soft and faded finishes employed within the collection were the perfect accompaniment to retiring to the welcome shade of cool late summer's days following weeks out exploring in the sunshine.

In terms of construction, I was fascinated by the treatment of the fabrics used for the garments, which allowed for a very relaxed and soft finish. The use of washed and painted leather, creased and faded cottons, and even well worn, flocked denim gave the garments a comfortably lived in and aged feel. Indeed this was helped by the colour palette of light earthy tones, often contrasted by deep hues of blue. The lighter looks, often paired with faded blues and off whites certainly seemed a fantastic choice for summer.

The layering was masterfully executed, with vests, t-shirts, shirts, waistcoats and jackets all working together to create a rich and complex visual depth. The inner garments peeked over the top of the often unbuttoned outer pieces displaying the potential versatility both of the looks and the individual garments themselves. Although the silhouettes were somewhat relaxed and casual, the inner pieces maintained fitted and slouchy, which when paired with the billowy shirts, or long jackets, gave a wonderful and well thought out contrast in fits.

The trousers were for the most parts slim without being constrictive, and indeed they worked beautifully against the somewhat slouchy fitted uppers. Again showing versatility of skill, one does however note the looser cut jeans and tan trousers, which worked equally well for the looks. Although the leather boots may have been rather heavier than most would opt for in the warmer months, the suedes and light leathers actually helped finish the looks, where other footwear may not have been so appropriate. There was the romantic feel of an explorer in the choice of boots. Indeed, one that was helped by the accessory options of the hats and wrap around scarves.

A masterfully layered and beautifully faded and worn collection, the looks were definitely cool, and somehow oddly romantic. I feel that they would work perfectly for the Summer weather we seem to be having here in London as of late. And indeed, given the opportunity, these would be looks that I would happily wear on into the autumnal months.

Currently playing: The Killing - Secret Window OST

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