Forget millennial pink and wear purple instead

You’ll see as we move into fall that jewel tones and deeper shades, such as mustard, will start creeping into sight. But until then, why not retain a sense of freshness with a bright purple such as lilac, orchid or amethyst? Designer Roksanda Illincic tapped the trend with a monochromatic suit in a sweet shade of lavender and when worn with a bit of black (in, say, a blouse or trousers), purple pieces can remain in your wardrobe rotation as a staple. Just temper them with a neutral, and voila!

If, like me, you plan to hold on to summer as long as possible, J.Crew’s snappy, strappy sandals with bold buckles can take you through days at the office and weekends out and about; they would look gorgeous with a printed maxi dress or smart suit with cropped trousers. Tibi’s wide-leg jeans are certainly eye-catching, so wear them with a simple button-up shirt and white sneakers to keep the look polished.

A new Danish brand has recently come to my attention. Its basics, crafted from alpaca wool, are classic and the label serves an important social cause: Carcel employs women in the Peruvian prison system to make their wares, offering them fair wages and a chance to develop a skill. Scoop up a soft, sweatshirt-style top by the company and wear it with dark denim or light khaki bottoms; the hue is just that versatile. There’s a reason purple reigns, after all.

Have a style query that needs solving? Send your questions to oparker@globeandmail.com.

Carcel Uni baby alpaca t-shirt, US$190 through net-a-porter.com.

Garment dyed twill wide-leg jeans, US$425 through tibi.com.

Suede strappy buckled sandals, $162 through jcrew.com.

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