Get dressed with Camille Charrière
London-based, Parisian-born brand consultant CAMILLE CHARRIÈRE, aka Camille Over The Rainbow, has amassed a huge following thanks to her nonchalant chic and quirky humor. Here, she shares her fail-safe styling tips – you’re going to want to try these…
Be yourself
“I think the main difference between Parisian and London style is that in France a lot of people look very elegant but it is quite uniform, which I find restrictive. The great thing about English style is that there are no rules; you can play around with fashion and if you make a mistake, who cares? Tomorrow is a new day. The point of fashion is to have fun. It sounds quite schizophrenic, but some mornings I wake up and want to look more French, so I’ll keep it really effortless, and other days I want to take advantage of the fact that I live in a city that’s eclectic, so I’ll experiment more.”
Pick favorites
“I love Attico; it creates such fun pieces that really make you stand out and feel fantastic, plus it still feels like an editor’s secret – but it won’t be for long. I’m also obsessed with the designers, Gilda Ambrosio and Giorgia Tordini; they’re so sexy, just the full package. Another brand I’m really feeling at the moment is Burberry; I’m on the hunt for a few fun but classic plaid pieces. I’m also a huge fan of JW Anderson’s own brand and what he’s doing at Loewe – I think it’s edgy yet still feminine and, most importantly, it’s very true to him. His clothes are a pleasure to wear; they make you feel really sophisticated and chic.”
Embrace the weather
“Layers are the key to nailing trans-seasonal style because you can just peel them off when you need to. I wear feminine pieces during the summer but more ‘high fashion’ for winter – I’ll wear sculptural pieces and pile on the layers, but coats are my real weakness. Everything else I get bored of, but I’ll keep a good coat for years and years. I couldn’t pick a favorite, but my supersized Vetements trench, Acne Studios teddy bear jacket and velvet Simone Rocha military coat are all up there. Basically, I’m not afraid of volume and I hate being cold. There’s nothing sillier than wearing an outfit that isn’t weather-appropriate – there’s no need to suffer to look good.”
Put your own spin on party season
“It’s very un-French of me but I am obsessed with party dresses. I’ve grown up surrounded by the English culture of buying loads of OTT, sequined dresses for party season, and I’ve been well and truly corrupted. They just look great and make you feel so special. I’ll admit that they aren’t the most wearable pieces, but I make a point of repurposing mine; they also look great paired with boots and big knits. Anthony Vaccarello is my god – he’s a leg man so all his clothes are suited to my frame; I have two Saint Laurent party dresses and they’re both incredible, so sexy and easy. If you style them with high heels it can look a bit intimidating, so I prefer wearing sneakers – that way I have more freedom to move around and have fun.”
Keep it simple
“When it comes to beauty I’m really low maintenance, but I never leave the house without clean hair. I have highlights, so if I don’t wash my hair every day it gets really dark and just doesn’t look right. Once that’s done, I just comb it through with my fingers and let it air-dry. My approach to makeup is similar: I think nice skin is the most important thing, so I’ll just add a base, do some contouring and then maybe a little mascara. My go-to brands are Sisley Paris, NARS and Tom Ford Beauty. I always keep a few Tom Ford copper and gold glow sticks in my bag; I like to apply them to my eyes when I want to give my look a lift. Recently I’ve started dabbling with more experimental eye colors, like orange; I think they work really well with my blue eyes.”
Great jewels don’t date
“I like to throw on an outfit in the morning without thinking about my jewelry, so I have the same bits and bobs that I wear all the time, like my Catbird anklet, mismatched earrings and a signet ring. When I don’t wear them, I feel naked – jewelry should be like your second skin. It also makes a really special gift: my friend Anissa Kermiche made me the perfect pair of hoops for my 30th birthday and I was asked about them so frequently that she ended up adding them to her collection. I also bought myself an amazing pair of Sophie Bille Brahe hoop earrings that I literally never take off. They’re the most expensive thing I’ve ever purchased for myself, but it’s a really nice feeling to invest in something so timeless and gorgeous that you know you’ll cherish it forever, and maybe even pass down to your own daughter one day.”
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