THE JOURNAL

The third Monday of the first month of the calendar year isn’t an official holiday. But with late December’s festivities now a barely a dim twinkle in our memory banks, and the next pay day yet to appear on the horizon, it deserves some sort of recognition. Hence the phrase “Blue Monday” has stuck. To which we say: other colours are available. Indeed, should you wish to dress your way out of a mid-winter funk, then there’s a rainbow of options out there. Why not try on some of these pieces for inspiration?
01. The Cherry Los Angeles red wide-leg trousers

Can red trousers be blue collar? Once sartorial signifiers of wealth, the money has since shifted to quiet luxury, leaving them open to reinterpretation. Cherry Los Angeles’ industrious and hardwearing workpants in this vibrant tone, then, come with tool loops, reinforced knees and we assume a knowing wink.
02. The bright yellow TOM FORD sweater

03. The JW Anderson double-breasted green tweed coat

This relaxed, boxy wool overcoat from JW Anderson is exactly the topmost layer you’d want in your arsenal as you face the darkest days of winter. That it also comes in a jaunty flecked bottle green is a bonus.
04. The Casablanca retro track jacket

Inspired by the sports gear of the 1970s and 1980s – but also wouldn’t look out of place on Damon Albarn or a Gallagher brother in 1994 – this Casablanca navy-blue zip-up top with a splash of zingy green is an easy piece to wear. Pop the collar for bonus insouciance.
05. The Mr P. red cashmere sweater

The soft, smooth handle makes this cashmere knit a feel-good piece even before we get to the tomato-red colour. We can think of at least 57 different outfits to wear it with.
06. The TOM FORD green suede running shoes

Here, TOM FORD takes the sleek style of 1970s athletic shoes and, well, runs with it. As you’d expect from the brand, the materials are top-notch and the suede uppers come in a resplendent shade of green.
07. The whimsical KAPITAL zip-up cardigan

08. The vibrant God’s True Cashmere checked shirt

You might recognise the logo on the chest. This orange-hued piece from Brad Pitt’s label God’s True Cashmere is part of a collaboration with Harley-Davison. And while the flannel shirt is a key part of the wardrobe for American bike mechanics, you might want to swerve the garage while wearing this – it’s made in Italy from cashmere.
09. The Elder Statesman’s verdant-green half-zip sweater

Whether we’re talking half- or quarter-zips is perhaps splitting hairs, if not fractions. Certainly zip-through knitwear is enjoying quite the glow up of late. But rarely has one looked as lush as this hero piece, in signature cashmere, by The Elder Statesman.
10. The colour-block Beams Plus mohair sweater

This fuzzy polo sweater by Beams Plus taps into the abstract grids of Piet Mondrian – and, by extension, Yves Saint Laurent’s designs from 60 years ago. But is it art? Artful, certainly.
11. The hot-pink TOM FORD hoodie

Sure, hot pink might not be a shade that typically sits in your comfort zone. And yet, rendered in a luxurious loopback cotton-jersey hoodie by TOM FORD, you’ll feel right at home. (Especially if your home is your Mojo Dojo Casa House.)
12. The Consciously Crafted Acne Studios jacket

Acne Studios turns 30 this year and this bright blue jacket might be a good way to celebrate. Not only is it emblazoned with “1996”, the year of the Swedish label’s founding, it nods to the vintage styles of that era, too. It’s also made from lower-impact materials, earning its place on our Consciously Crafted collection.
13. The self-assured Valentino Garavani sweater

It’s said that then-jobbing actor Sean Connery – something of a departure from the English gentleman of Ian Fleming’s novels – secured the role of James Bond after sauntering into the audition “like a panther”. Try not to exude the same kind of confidence while wearing this big cat-emblazoned wool sweater from Alessandro Michele at Valentino Garavani.