Evening wear for women

There is no fixed rule, which is why it is so hard to dress for. In practice it means one considered piece worn with relaxed ones. A tailored blazer over a knit and trousers reads smart casual. So does a shirt with cropped trousers and flats. The trick is one structured item, not three.

Three things change it: structure, texture and colour. Soft shoulders instead of padded ones. Cotton, linen or a textured wool instead of a smooth worsted. Warmer or lighter shades instead of navy and charcoal. Patch pockets on a jacket also read casual straight away.

Yes, and it is the most common way our casual blazers get worn. It works best when the jacket is unstructured and cut in a textured cloth. A sharp worsted blazer over jeans tends to look like a suit jacket that has lost its trousers. Bring the jeans you wear most to your fitting so we can set the length and shape around them.

Not always. A full lining gives a smoother finish and helps the jacket slide over knitwear. A half lining or no lining at all is lighter and cooler. We usually suggest half lined for spring and autumn, unlined for summer linen, and fully lined if you layer heavily in winter.

It depends on where you want the eye to land, not on your height alone. A cropped jacket finishing at the waist lifts the waistline and works well with a high rise trouser. A longline jacket finishing mid thigh lengthens the whole line and sits well over something slim. We put both shapes on you at the first fitting rather than guess.

Cropped trousers finish above the ankle, so they shorten the leg a little. That is fine with a high rise and a slim shoe. If you are petite, or want more length, a full length trouser with a small break usually reads better. Again, we try both on your body.

High rise sits at your natural waist and defines it, which suits tucked in knits and shirts. Mid rise sits a couple of inches lower and feels more relaxed, which is easier if you wear tops loose over the waistband. Most clients end up with one of each.

Yes, if you accept the creasing as part of the look. Linen is cool, gets softer with wear, and ages beautifully. If you want the feel without the deep creases, a linen and cotton or linen and wool blend holds its shape far better and is a good first step.

Merino is fine, warm for its weight, and the easiest to wear under a jacket without bulk. Cashmere is softer and warmer but more delicate, so it is better in pieces worn on their own. Cotton is cooler and good for spring and summer, though it holds less shape over time.

Pilling comes from friction, usually under the arms and wherever a bag strap sits. Choose a longer staple yarn, rest the knit between wears, wash it by hand or on a wool cycle, and dry it flat. A comb or de-pilling stone once a season keeps it looking new.

High twist wool trousers, a soft unstructured jacket and fine merino knitwear. All three fold small, resist creasing and shake out overnight. Cotton shirts pack well too. Save linen for trips where you can hang things properly on arrival.

Often, yes. A mid grey or navy trouser in a smooth cloth leans formal. The same shape in cotton, olive or a soft check leans casual. Choose the cloth carefully and one trouser shape can cover both halves of your week. See our workwear tailoring for women for the other half.

Yes, and we encourage it. Bring in the coat, the jeans or the shoes you wear most, and we will match colour, length and proportion to them. It is one of the most useful things you can do at a first consultation, and it stops you commissioning something that sits awkwardly with everything else.

Less often than you would think. Brush a jacket after wear and hang it to air. Cotton and linen shirts wash normally. Wool trousers only need cleaning a few times a year if you rotate them. Over-cleaning is what wears these pieces out, not wearing them.