I want to look like an architect

[NinaRose]

Met up with some of my old school friends last week. A couple of them are architects and looked great: edgy, quirky yet classy in a simple kind of way. Neither of them has a lot of money so I doubt they spend much on their clothes but they looked much better than some of the other people there who clearly had (spent a lot).

I desperately want the same look, where do I start? Which shops or labels do I look up?

Wall London? you would be eaten alive if you turned up in this

Omg! The link is a joke flora right?

Architects - play it down. White shirt. Black frame glasses. Done

Ok maybe some cigarette pants. Or a print. So understated, love the idea of it.

Hair natural. A must. Pulled up and twisted into a messy bun.

Or skinnies. Anyway labels mentioned here sound good.

Ha! I saw thread and thought Cos too!

I look AWFUL in Cos

Also thought Cos and & Other Stories, and natural fibres.

Although, I have a friend at Foster + Partners (Norman Foster's firm), and she doesn't dress like this. The exception that proves the rule?

Thought they all had to wear one of these? .

Funny that foster and partners is Norman fosters firm.

I put that information in as I don't work in architecture, so didn't know that was his firm (but obv know of Normal Foster). Perhaps there are other people reading the thread who wouldn't have known either.

Yeh I didn't know either Belinda

It's the female architects who do dress like this who are the exception that prove the rule. Architects tend to all have a personal style that they stick with through thick and thin, but not a blanket uniform that we all wear! I'd say that generally fussiness is out, but obviously there will be some who like fussy and overly detailed things. Architects tend not to follow fashion too much, and also have a tendency to be a bit 'out there'.

It's like the expectation that all male architects wear dark turtlenecks and thick rimmed specs; all female architects should wear loose fitting, monochrome clothes, minimal makeup etc. Total nonsense.

I probably know hundreds architects and none of them dress like this.

As an aside, I often wonder if the tendency for female architects to shy away from overly fussy things (i.e more feminine?) is because of the fact in recent times it was a very, very male dominated industry? S+B probably isn't the place for that discussion though.

The couple I know don't do Cos straight lines just really simple stuff, not high fashion.

Not over styled in any way. They look good.

I think when I joined in with this thread I wasn't thinking all architects really do dress like that. (The female architects I've met were german and polish and dressed in quite a hippie way) More that it's a frivolous style concept, kicked off by a couple of architects the OP met but actually more about a particular look. Like "librarian chic".

I like it though, my look is much more bright prints and colour, but I'm inspired to mix in a couple of those clean monochrome lines, especially for winter.

What Santa Maria said

Hair needs to be neat and plain . Short is good , geometric bob, longer ok as long as it's blunt cut, no floaty layers

Hair colour needs to look natural , no garish highlights or roots

Ditto make up , needs to be a natural look (not necessarily no make up )

Accessories should be few, simple, bold and expensive looking . Nothing "cute "

Plain nail polish only and no long talons

Shoes should be flats or chunky heels. No stilettos, courts

Socks, bare legs or opaques only. No thin tights

Nothing " pretty " or " girly " . No frill, tiny florals

Fabrics and shapes should be structured , perhaps slightly oversized but not baggy .

Doesn't need to be black, another dark neutral such as grey or navy ok

Quirky shapes, classic with a twist

Nothing too tight, no cleavage, not too much flesh , no short mini skirts ( unless with opaques ) , nothing " sexy"

IMHO age is no barrier to carrying off this look, it works great on women even in their 70s. But the structured loose fit can make you look a bit heavier, so IS a challenge if you are bigger than a size 18 ish, unless you are very tall .

It's great on petite women as long as they are slim .

yeah, sorry

#wine

i suppose its like anything 'teacher/geek chic' 'librarian chic'

hardly anyone looks like it they all wear sodding white stuff

Darn you, I know 3 architects and they dress very casually.
I have now been on th COS website & spent EUR 290

Yup. I've succumbed, after having admired a jacket yesterday worn by a saleswoman in one of my favourite craft shops - "oh this, it's from Cos!" IT WAS MEANT TO BE, my spending £130.00 on two items

Bought 3 silk t-shirts, really lovely, plus a silk jumpsuit, that I will get tailored to fit my smallness.
Thank you for the tip!

I bought a blazer and a leather trimmed shirt.

Most of us aren't big followers of fashion but do tend to stick with our own styles. I would say classic simple pieces are popular, black, white, grey are staples in my wardrobe but in nice fabrics - silk tops are a particular weakness.
Nice jewellery - clean shaped bits of silver, can make an outfit. I would say most of us have nice architectural jewellery. Usually silver as we aren't that well off.

Wish I was on commission to cos

Do post links to your new purchases . Or even better -a photo

Here: this is the one I'm most looking forward to trying on: www.cosstores.com/dk/Shop/Women/Tops/Leather_panel_top/46885-18692841.1

ooh i likey

I had no idea there was a ruler & pencil "look".