While our fingertips are still searching "vintage knit balaclava," our hearts are saying "sage plissé midi dress." The exact arrival of bare-leg-friendly temps is still TBD — groundhogs aren't known to give the most accurate weather forecasts — but there's one thing we can be certain of: This upcoming season, we're in serious need of some luxury.
Banana Republic's new spring 2021 collection delivers this handily with an elegant (and ultra-flattering) color palette of neutral, earth, and botanical tones in breezy, effortless shapes. What's more, you can feel good about copping a forever-essential trench or a slouchy oatmeal-colored ribbed pant, because the line is made with better-for-the-environment fabrics like natural linen and responsible wool. Ahead, see some of our top picks from the range, including First Lady-level-chic D-ring trousers and a printed frock ideal for galloping through a field of thistle.
Banana Republic Stripe Cotton-Linen Balloon-Sleeve Top, $, available at Banana Republic
Banana Republic Balloon-Leg Jean, $, available at Banana Republic
Banana Republic Floral Maxi Dress, $, available at Banana Republic
Banana Republic Ribbed Sweater Dress, $, available at Banana Republic
Banana Republic Pleated Maxi Dress, $, available at Banana Republic
Banana Republic Organic Cotton Scoop-Neck Sweater, $, available at Banana Republic
Banana Republic Mid-Rise Skinny Cargo Chino, $, available at Banana Republic
Banana Republic Essential Trench Coat, $, available at Banana Republic
Banana Republic Cotton-Hemp Crew-Neck Sweater, $, available at Banana Republic
Banana Republic Satin 7" Bermuda Short, $, available at Banana Republic
Banana Republic Cotton-Hemp Cable-Knit Sweater, $, available at Banana Republic
Banana Republic High-Rise Skinny Jean, $, available at Banana Republic
Banana Republic Organic Cotton-TENCEL™ Maxi Dress, $, available at Banana Republic
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On Thursday, Lady Gaga was spotted in Rome looking every bit as angelic as the cherubs carved throughout the Italian capital. There on location for the upcoming Ridley Scott true crime film Gucci, the Grammy and Oscar winner wore a white suit by Max Mara, with a matching face mask and bucket bag. But, of course, the look wasn’t without a touch of Gaga. Adorning her feet were her signature seven-inch patent leather boots.
You don’t have to be a Little Monster to recognize the sky-high boots from Gaga’s many runway, red carpet, and concert appearances. Similar in height to Alexander McQueen’s armadillo boots that Gaga also popularized, the Pleaser boots are easier to come by, though equally hard to walk in. But Gaga’s proven herself to be plenty capable of pulling off the shoes anyone else would certainly break an ankle in. That said, given that we’re in a pandemic and all — one that’s resulted in many people opting for slippers and sneakers over heels — we half expected Gaga to store away her Pleasers for the time being. At the least, we assumed she’d leave them at home while walking on Rome’s cobblestone streets. And yet, her latest look proves we were wrong to doubt her commitment to them.
Though this is the first time she’s sported her Pleaser boots, the singer-actor-beauty entrepreneur has been showing off an enviable wardrobe in Italy this week. On Tuesday, she wore a camel-colored coat from Max Mara’s spring ‘21 collection, which she paired with black-and-maroon heels and a large Celine tote bag. And with plenty more filming left to do in the country that built Gucci, this is likely only the beginning of her sartorial jaunt through Italy.
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When was the last time you got dressed up? Or better yet, the last time you got dressed up for an actual occasion? I can’t recall an experience in the last year for which jeans and a T-shirt didn’t suffice. Then again, I’m not yet eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine, and therefore, haven’t had to pick out an outfit for what Brooklyn-based actress Ashlie Atkinson — someone whohasreceived her first shot — calls “the event of [the] year.” For her, the answer to the question above is easy: She wore a full-length, sequin gown to her vaccination appointment.
Wearing a sequined full-length gown to my vaccine appointment because it’s the EVENT OF MY YEAR pic.twitter.com/zkqxT8KvME
“When I finally got an appointment, I was really excited. It’s the biggest thing I’m going to do this year,” Atkinson tells Refinery29, days after her appointment. The dress, which had been gathering dust in the back of her closet for more than a year, was originally purchased for Atkinson’s since-canceled roller derby league’s annual gala last September. Not knowing when or if she’d get another chance to wear the formal gown, she wore it for her first shot — with white, slush-proof plastic boots, heirloom earrings that had been passed down from her grandmother to her mom to her, and a face mask that was made by one of her best friends. “I was fully representing all of my loved ones,” she says.
Atkinson had meningitis as a child and, 10 years ago, suffered a pulmonary embolism, which, in part, qualified her for the vaccine. When she received the appointment, she was excited to finally have an opportunity to go to the hospital under optimistic circumstances.
In the past, Atkinson says that she’s often felt the need to dress up when going to the doctor, because of the way people make assumptions about her based on her weight. “I don’t have the luxury to go in wearing UGGs and yoga pants,” she explains. “As a fat person, I always dress up as a self-preservation measure. I do it to make them understand that I have value, and that I care about myself, and that they should care about me as well, though I’m not normally in sequins.” Getting a vaccine was a way for Atkinson to dress up, not as a defense tactic, but as an expression of joy. “I just really wanted to celebrate the moment,” she says.
In Cheshire, England, Bethany Hughes, a customer service and sales agent for an airline, also recently got vaccinated. She, too, planned an outfit for the occasion: a white T-shirt printed with The Fortune Cat, a symbol of good luck and protection in Chinese and Japanese culture, on its pocket; a pleated skirt, and tights, with the caption. “I chose my T-shirt for two reasons: (1) It was recently Chinese New Year,” she says. “And (2) I was feeling a bit nervous about the vaccine as it was my first in nearly 10 years, and the lucky cat denotes good luck.” In addition, she says she wanted her outfit to show off her tattoos because they are a part of her self-expression. “My high-waisted, black, flare skirt makes me feel feminine and powerful, swishing around through the local rugby ground where the vaccines were being administered.” According to her, tights were a welcome escape from the baggy joggers she’s been living in.
Brooklyn-based blogger Yvonne Moreltweeted prior to her appointment: “I have my outfit ready for my vaccine on Sunday. I am going to be so extra. It’s deserved.” As a Type 1 diabetic, Morel’s spent most of the last year at home, worrying about her health and thinking she “would never see the end of this,” she tells Refinery29. “However, as things started to look ‘up,’ I began taking advantage of the few times I have been able to comfortably go outside by making sure to dress up.” For the occasion, she paired her favorite ASOS pants with Adidas sneakers and a sweatshirt with the phrase, “Daughter of an immigrant” printed across the front. The latter is from a brand of the same name, which was founded as a way to say thank you to all the parents that “bravely crossed borders” for their children, according to the website. “I always said I would wear this sweatshirt when I get my vaccine because my mom — along with my dad and brother — are very much the reasons why I have been able to remain as calm and positive as I have during this pandemic,” she says. “She was born and raised in the Dominican Republic.”
Chloe Tear, a disability blogger and content designer for a disability charity called Scope, also took her outfit into consideration before heading to get her first vaccine shot in Leeds, England. She wore a floral face mask, overalls covered with tiny (French!) cats, and a yellow raincoat. “I chose this outfit to make me feel empowered,” she tells Refinery29. Despite meeting the criteria for the vaccine due to her having Cerebral palsy, Tear wrote on Instagram that she was initially left off the list for England’s group-six qualification. She had to fight to get herself a shot — something that she recognizes is a problem, not only for her but for all people who have disabilities. “It’s not something we should have to fight for,” she says, “but these dungarees empowered me to keep fighting for my rights and to support others to do the same.”
Shelley Benhoff, from Orlando, Florida, wore heels and a tiara to her vaccination appointment on Friday. Like Tear, these items made her feel powerful and confident. Because she’s at high risk of severe illness from COVID, Benhoff has hardly left her house since last March. “Like so many, this past year has been very hard for me,” she says. “Fashion is a way of expressing myself that I have been denied for a year now.” In a way, her appointment marked the end of that chapter for her.
Atkinson echoes that sentiment. “We’ve had very little to look forward to. So, it’s really been nice to have something to be excited about.” After all, it’s not just a doctor’s appointment. It’s the aftertimes finally visible on the horizon.
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बिग बॉस14 रनर अप और सिंगर राहुल वैद्य और उनकी गर्लफ्रेंड दिशा परमार को मुंबई के अंधेरी इलाके में स्पॉट किया गया। िस दौरान नैचरल ब्यूटी दिशा काफी स्टाइलिश और खूबसूरत नजर आ रही थीं। (फोटो साभार:योगेन शाह)
