If I had a speck of glitter for every time I've been asked about the importance of tunics worn with leggings in fashion, I'd have a pair at least of Miu Miu glitter bootees. And if I have to write one more article about whether or not the combination of tunics and leggings warrant as an outfit then I'll eat my dog. The sausage one. Without mustard, preferably. Anyhoo. 

Before I begin on today's dress/on pant/on leg/let's add on shoes just for good measure, we need to first address the most hideous elephant in the room. I'm sorry. You might as well begin hating me now, but tunics worn with leggings does not an outfit make. Never. Not at size 8, nor at size 18, not if you're a supermodel height or a small-scale actor in the Hobbit. Nada. The only time it's acceptable is when you're dressing for Halloween as "Middle aged woman from Hamilton". Sorry Hamilton. Got it? Do I need to say more? 

Given my "quelle horreur!" at the tunic with leggings look, it's no wonder I was a little concerned when this trend began popping up on the runway:

Roksanda Ilincic, and Ralph Can-you-say-Stepford-Wife Lauren.

I give you dress on pants. The reason I'm calling these dresses and not tunics is in crisis-aversion. The problem with the "tunic and leggings" look is that more often than not the "tunic" is confused with "top", and a top is worn with the leggings - a severe fashion (and society) no-no. And thar blows the crux of the problem. So though any of you with half a brain will note that the pictured above dresses are slimline and straight in cut and are in fact tunics, for want of a lesser crisis we will forever call them dresses. For if aforementioned wallies mistake these "tunics" worn over pants with "tops", well then they'd just be wearing pants and tops, wouldn't they? Just something to ponder on.  

In order for this trend to work your "dress" must stop on the knee or shorter. While my initial gag reflex of tunics was simmering down, I realised that this is a look that is not only rather elegant, it's also brilliantly flattering on all manner of body shapes, and hides all sorts of lumpy sins. It's also near impossible to tell where the legs begin, hence potentially implying that you have the pins of a giraffe-ish model. 

I decided to take the trend for a spin. Crash test dummy ride if you know what I mean:

Cheap as chips dress from Boohoo (all of $40 sheet-yea), old pleather truusers from Dotti although similar ones here, and Alexander Wang heels.

You know I'm not one for clean line prep - let's call me a maximalist, not a minimalist - so the runway versions needed a little touch of flavour before being deemed acceptable on my bod. My flavour being print, colour mashing, texture, adornment, or all of the above (in the simplest way possible, of course). I tried another look:

Storm dress, Rockbourne necklace, Dries van Noten pants scored pre-loved from Soup, and Dries van Noten mermaid heels. Ruddy face and messy hair from No Makeup and In A Rush. On sale. 

Spells "mature daywear chic", does it not? Throw a bold jacket into the mix and I do believe we have a winning outfit. Got a tunic dress in your closet? Throw it on over some pants. Just make sure they're a slim fit and that the dress stops on your knee or above, else you'll look like an Indian groom on his wedding day. Don't have a dress like this and need one?  

Try this or this

Or this if you're pregnant, or this if you're cold. 

And just quickly before I toodle to Wellington for the weekend, I had to show you this:

Would you rather spend $1400 on this sweet-as Valentino clutch... 

Or throw a casual $20 at this similar studded clutchy-poos from Glassons? 

Just asking...

 

Happy weekend!

XX B!

 

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