While the warm spring weather has many of us reaching for our favourite floral frocks as soon as the sun comes out, Cate Blanchett has given us pause for thought with the chic outfit that she donned to attend the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
The actress posed for pictures in The King's Trust Garden in her role as an ambassador for the charity alongside a host of celebrities including David Beckham, Mary Berry and of course, King Charles and Queen Camilla.
However, unlike many of the other female guests, Blanchett chose not to wear florals, instead opting for a sophisticated, tailored look. Borrowing from the spring/summer fashion trends, Cate's sharp suiting turned our heads for its out-of-the-box styling twist. At first glance, her outfit looked like a woman's trouser suit, but on closer inspection, we noted that it's actually made up of similar separates to create a more relaxed take on tailoring with a business-casual feel.
HOW TO DO DRESSED DOWN TAILORING
While Cate's no stranger to donning a gorgeous gown for the red carpet, the actress is regularly seen in sharply tailored looks in a selection of colours from pale pink to this week's steely grey and brown combination.
By choosing tailored separates in similar earthy tones, Cate creates a visually cohesive look that ties together but without the formality of matching suiting.
Adding a contrasting element in the form of a pale blue cotton shirt that she wore rakishly undone with the cuffs poking out from the jacket's sleeves, Blanchett's borrowed-from-the-boys look was a refreshing alternative to the pastel hues and pretty dresses of other attendees.
The actress completed her louche look with another casual element in the form of a pair of black canvas trainers but we couldn't help but spy her nod to one of her favourite red carpet designers in the form of a pair of sunglasses and quiet luxury handbag from Louis Vuitton.
While Cate's designer tailoring might be out of reach of many of us, the good news is that you can recreate the look easily and for a fraction of the price.
Get the look
Trust one of our favourite french clothing brands, Sezane to create the perfect slouchy grey blazer. It will dress up even your most comfortable jeans and white t-shirt combo.
In a rich chocolate brown and with a flattering pleat, these horseshoe cut suit trousers from Zara make a smart alternative to our favourite barrel leg jeans.
Wear this oversized cotton shirt with a couple of buttons undone, pull out the cuffs and don't forget to pop your collar for added insouciance.
Converse Chuck Taylor Low Tops are some of the most comfortable trainers but in this all-black colourway, they could easily be mistaken for a dress shoe. Smart AND comfortable? Winning.
A perennial sunglasses trends style, cat's eye sunglasses are a firm Hollywood favourite. We love Le Specs flattering oversized take on the look.
Discreetly carrying a Louis Vuitton Trunk Bag, Cate Blanchett's sold-out arm candy would set you back a cool £2,700. Aspinal of London's timeless Trunk bag, however, has all of the chic characteristics at less than a quarter of the price tag.
Cate Blanchett's stylish twist on women's tailoring is making us rethink our summer wardrobe. While suits can often require a high original outlay before you get the cost benefit of wearing the pieces together and separately, Cate's clever take on the look has just opened up a host of styling possibilities.
A chic one to consider for smart casual outfit ideas, it's time to start mix and matching those tailored trousers with a host of your best blazers. To ensure your outfit looks cohesive, opt for different tones of the same colour. You can always add a colour contrast through a blouse, shirt or t-shirt, but your jacket and trousers shouldn't be fighting for attention.
This is a relaxed ensemble and ideally suited to day events or summer outfits for work, as such, keep your accessories pared back and muted, going either jewellery free, or opting for discreet necklaces or stud earrings to round off your outfit. A pair of muted trainers is casual and comfortable, or some leather loafers would also do the trick.
