today i'm channelling... ashley olsen

I should start off by warning you, early on, that I am completely and utterly obsessed with the Olsen twins. I literally think they are the coolest humans in the world, and their coffee table tome, Influence, is my bible. Not only are they genuinely accepted by the fashion elite as style aficionados and bona fide designers, but their entire lives are a lesson in how to be amazing. But I mainly love them because, in a sea of celebrities being constantly lauded for their style when in fact all they have is the money to pay someone to dress them (ahem Cheryl Cole), the Olsens' edgy, minimalist and unapologetically individual fashion sense really stands out. And even if I can't have their ridiculously fit houses and endless stacks of Louboutins (sigh), I can at the very least imitate their looks with some cheap and cheerful pieces from the high street.

Today's inspiration is Ashley looking rather delightful at the amFAR Gala in New York:

I love how she manages to incorporate countless trends into her look (jumpsuits, neutral shades, tribal prints, box clutches) and still look as though she threw it on in five minutes with an air of nonchalance. The outfit also effortlessly manages to avoid looking too busy or too slave-to-the-trends. You see why I love her so? Anyway, I'll be copying this look with a few genius high-street pieces (or at least I would if I had the money).

First up is Kookai's Lace Front Military Jumpsuit, which is £75 at Asos.com. Yes it's a wee bit on the pricey side, but it's a dead ringer for Ms Olsen's, and is sure to be a whole lot cheaper than the original, which is in fact from the Olsens' own line The Row. The lovely nude shade and slouchy fit make it super versatile. You could get away with any kind of jacket on top of said jumpsuit, but I do love Ashley's unexpected addition of a Dries Van Noten tribal one. Similar specimens of outerwear are unfortunately in short supply on the high street; I perused Asos's excellent Africa collection, which is full of amazing tribal-print maxidresses, jumpsuits and bags, but sadly found no suitable item. The closest I've come is Miss Selfridge's Black Embellished Detail Cape, £55, but the appliqué is floral rather than tribal. I also rather like River Island's 3/4 Sleeve Jacket in cream with silver stripes, but this colourway might not work with the nude jumpsuit. Rather than accept a poor substitute, I may be inclined to throw on a little leather bomber instead, and add the tribal detail with a chunky beaded necklace.

Finally, feast your eyes on Asos's Black Leather Keyhole Clutch Bag. £60 is a lot for a tiny wee bag, granted, but it is simply divine, and the perfect thing to add a slightly tough edge to this ensemble. So that's my outfit sorted then. Now if only I had a posh New York Gala to go to...

Picture of Ashley Olsen: Elleuk.com