Leigh has been a regular fixture of all the fashion weeks this season, and has showcased a variety of looks that excellently demonstrate her signature aesthetic. Typically it consists of a high-fashion minidress, sky-high stilettos, a tailored blazer or leather jacket, and of course that razor-sharp bob of hair. Mostly she sticks to a très fashionable palette of black, or nearly black, with the occasional splash of luxurious colours like blood red, deep purple and midnight blue. Sometimes this high-octane style can verge on the severe, but most of the time it hits the fashion nail on the head. Of the many outfits she donned during this fashion season, I've chosen one she wore in Paris (below). I love this because it's one of her more wearable looks, and also because it showcases Leigh's innate ability to tackle a tricky trend with effortless ease - in this case, tartan.
Tartan (or plaid, or simply checks, whichever you please) is a tricky beast to tame. It is a pattern which appears with somewhat surprising regularity on the catwalks (we can hold Vivienne Westwood partly responsible for that), but which is so incredibly difficult to get right. In fact I think it's probably the hardest pattern to wear, given the number of pitfalls it is possible to fall into. Don a checked shirt and you could quite easily resemble a lumberjack, a preppy Jack Wills-addicted teen, a fake-tanned Scouser, or, perhaps worst of all, just someone who really is not very stylish. Don't even get me started on checks run through with silver thread: chavtastic. A tartan skirt is no less of a fashion minefield. You will either seem to have wandered erroneously out of your bagpiping club, or to be a Blair Waldorf-wannabe schoolgirl.
But don't give up hope. If you are of a sufficiently stylish disposition (which, given that you're reading this, I of course assume you are), you will no doubt find a way to navigate a safe path through the treacherous tartan minefield. Having myself purchased a couple of checked shirts over the years which, after initially seeming promising, I just could not grow to love, I had almost given up on tartan entirely. But last December, among the delights of the Boxing Day sales, I happened upon the most beautiful tartan coat (from Topshop... duh). It was double-breasted, trench-style with a flared skirt, and made of lovely hairy wool. Its checks were navy blue and forest green, and an exposed gold zip coupled with a bevy of delicious gold buttons served to enhance its charm. I snapped it up immediately and, as you can probably tell by my loving description, have never regretted it. Note, then, that much as the sophisticated colour palette and gold details contribute to the success of my coat, so are the drop-waist cut, cerulean blue checks and luxurious silk all crucial components of Leigh's elegant choice of dress. Still, even this dream of a frock could have the potential to veer into tacky territory had Leigh paired it with, say, a denim jacket and ballet flats. Tartan requires some fierce accessories to keep it in high-fashion territory, which is why Leigh gets it spot on with a leather biker (generally a safe bet to fashion-up any outfit), chic understated heels and a classic Chanel handbag.
So, now that I've quite finished exalting Miss Lezark's expert handling of this tricky trend, let's move onto how to make this look your own. Admittedly it almost goes against what I've been saying to try to offer up a cheaper tartan option, and from what I can see there's not much in the way of plaid perfection on the high street at the moment. So I would suggest biding your time and keeping in mind the golden rules: choose a dark, chic colour palette; nothing with frills or capped sleeves or, God forbid, metallics; make sure the fabric is luxurious - no cheap flimsy cotton please. Now, after much scouring I've found a possible alternative to Leigh's dress courtesy of Warehouse's Check Shirt Dress, reduced from £40 to £15. But proceed with caution, because there is certainly potential for disaster with this one. Firstly, I really don't like the silly little capped sleeves, so would probably hack them off. Secondly, I would almost certainly replace the boring buttons with some chic gold ones. But I do approve of the colour palette, so if you're prepared to make those two changes, you could do a lot worse for £15. However, if you're less than confident, I would suggest trying a slightly less difficult pattern, such as a painterly or digital print, or the perenially fashionable leopard print, or indeed just waiting until the high street turns up a nice tartan gem (you may be waiting a while, though).
Once you've selected your dress, pair it with a classic black biker jacket such as Miss Selfridge's Black Authentic Leather Biker, £120; it's worth investing in one if you haven't yet because, even though they've been around for a while, Christopher Bailey has ensured they won't be going anywhere any time soon. If you've got the budget then of course a classic Chanel handbag will up the ante of any outfit, but in the meantime settle for Asos' Quilted Suedette Lock Bag, just £16 (loving the suedette finish for a modern twist on quilted leather). Finish off your outfit with a classic pair of black lace-up shoe boots like New Look's Lace Up Platform Heel, £44.99.
All done. Now you have all the necessary components to produce an outfit befitting a chic young model/DJ/muse of Karl Lagerfeld. While you may never rack up as many cool points as Leigh Lezark, you can at least look the part.
Picture of Leigh Lezark: Glamourmagazine.co.uk
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