The winter period often brings out an inner sense of maximalism even in the quietest of dressers, from festive reds or greens to dashings of metallics or the quintessential sequins and glitter or rhinestones - the general consensus is to wear something more statement-y in honour of the celebratory season.
But the fashion set is teaching us a thing or two this year about a muted outfit formula that has maximum impact: head-toe-toe white.
The Princess of Wales was the most recent champion of the ethereal look, when she hosted the 'Together At Christmas' Carol Service at Westminster Abbey on Friday.
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Granted, all-white ensembles are often spotted during the cold-weather period thanks to being both chic and timeless, but the quiet luxury style aesthetic that has reigned over 2023 has no doubt fuelled the obsession for seriously chic, tonal ensembles in angelic snow-clad hues this season.
Our favourite effortlessly stylish sartorial icons, who all have differing personal styles, have been nailing the all-white looks recently. Here are some of our favourite ways the fashion set has styled all-white this winter
Princess Kate:
Wear for: Christmas Eve drinks
© GettyOne of the stylish royal’s favourite fashion hacks for creating a uniformed and put-together look is wearing the same colour palette head-to-toe including accessories. But all-white is a rare ensemble for the princess.
Also, this year she eschewed her typical Christmastime coat dress in favour of modern separates that may have symbolised the beginning of a new fashion era. She opted for the High Waisted Straight Trousers from British equestrian label Holland Cooper with two statement gold buttons at the waist paired with a tailored long coat from Chris Kerr.
Instead of her usual blazer and trouser combo, she simply tucked in a fitted cashmere crewneck jumper from Kiltane to give her look an air of warmth and relaxation. A white Strathberry handbag, Gianvito Rossi suede pumps and Van Cleef & Arpels jewellery finished off her look.
Victoria Beckham
Wear for: Wintery evening work events
If you’re going from the office to an evening soiree, Victoria’s latest white suit style is perfect.
Though all-white looks have been top of the singer-cum-fashion designer’s agenda since 1998, she has redesigned the classic two-piece as part of her eponymous fashion line and I am slightly obsessed.
For a girl's lunch in Miami on Saturday with her daughter Harper, VB wore a suit consisting of her go-to fit and flare, long-length trousers, paired with a blazer with an oversized fit and padded shoulders to create a formal-cool boxy silhouette. The sleeves meanwhile are scrunched just below the elbow to give a slightly more relaxed feel. The proportions of her blazer combined with her perfectly tailored crease trousers create the ultimate modern silhouette that still feels streamlined.
Though Victoria’s suit from her SS24 collection isn’t available yet, I suggest looking at It-girl labels including The Row, Khaite and Aligne, The Frankie Shop and Anine Bing.
The pièce de résistance in Victoria’s look was her white plunge neck baselayer, which is perfect for taking the suit from day to night.
Queen Letizia of Spain
Wear for: Dressy drinks with the girls
© Carlos AlvarezAt the 2023 Francisco Cerecedo Journalism Awards in Madrid in November, Letizia stunned in a white wool suit from Boss featuring a slim-fit tuxedo-style jacket and matching pleated straight-leg trousers.
Her ensemble perfected the art of wearing a fitted tailored suit during party season. She too proved the power of a suitable baselayer to transform the aesthetic of a suit. The stylish royal layered with a white satin cami with lace trim and paired with gold slingbacks and a matching clutch from Spanish label Magrit.
Metallic accessories are of course major right now. Whether you have gold like Letizia or silver like the influencers, metallic heels and a matching bag are essential this season for giving any outfit a trendy but festive feel, including an all-white outfit.
Anne Hathaway
Wear for: Festive parties
© GothamWe’ve said plenty of times now that Anne Hathaway is nailing her current cool-girl style era. And all-white is her go-to right now - from the 2023 Fashion Awards to her appearance on Tonight with Jimmy Fallon. My personal favourite however is the mini dress look she wore at the end of November appearing on the Kelly Clarkson show.
Anne wore a white bouclé mini dress layered with a matching double-breasted blazer and white Louboutin pumps with a scalloped edge.
Wearing a mini dress in this bitter weather takes some bravery, but the bouclé material effortlessly took a potentially summer-clad silhouette to utterly winter-appropriate.
The Duchess of Sussex
Wear for: Christmas Day cool
© InstagramMeghan Markle is the queen of minimalism. Her style agenda consists of ultra-elegant and timeless outfits from the world’s most coveted fashion designers.
Most recently she schooled us in taking the same trousers from summer to winter, by wearing her trusty Ralph Lauren silk wide-leg pants paired with a simple, super elegant tonal crew neck jumper. Meghan wore the trousers to Wimbledon once and paired them with a preppy blue and white striped Ralph Lauren shirt and a white boater hat.
She finished off her wintery white look by using gold accessories to elevate it. She wore a Cartier watch and ‘Love’ bangle, her ‘Evil Eye’ bracelet from Lorraine Schwartz and the ‘Wave’ earrings from ethical British jewellery brand Edge of Ember.
Though Meghan’s shoes were not on show, this look is perfect for wearing with tonal court heels or your favourite trainers. Wide-leg trousers over straight or cigarette give an outfit a more relaxed feel, and pairing oversized pants with either New Balance or Adidas Samba’s is an influencer favourite fashion hack right now.
