Life in plastic

The polymer took pride of place in many of the SS13 shows, and now it’s on the high street. Getting the look is as easy as PVC, says Emma McCarthy
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25 February 2013

Plastic is no stranger to the catwalks. Of course, the fashion pack are usually far more familiar watching models walking on it than wearing it. But for spring/summer 13, the material officially made its move from hardware to ready-to-wear. From Christopher Kane’s crinkly plastic frills and Perspex wingnut fastenings to Holly Fulton’s rose- print vinyl dresses, the transparent stuff was everywhere. But, as most of us who live on planet normal will be aware, the looks on the catwalk are not always so easily translated into our day-to-day wardrobes.

Just ask Girls star Marnie. While hosting a trendy art crowd party during last week’s episode, we saw actress Allison Williams’ character frocking up in a transparent high-shine vinyl dress, atop a gold croc-print bandeau top and pencil skirt. While this is easily the most high fashion item we’ve yet to see on the hit US show, the plastic portion of the outfit, sadly, didn’t make it to the end of the night, with Marnie preferring to carry it rather than wear it home.

But for us mere mortals, all is not lost. It seems there is a knack for making the tricky textile work — and if anyone was going to find the solution, it was the high street. Here are five ways of making the plastic trend work for you, no catwalk required.

Keeping up appearances

Say the word “plastic trousers” to someone and you’re likely to collect a fair few puzzled expressions. Show them J Crew’s polka-dot pair, however, and suddenly it all starts to make sense. Printing a crinkled, glossy metallic sheen onto fabric, this clever interpretation includes an additional top layer of Lurex threads to complete the sweet wrapper effect. (£262, jcrew.com)

The vinyl vibe

Remember: matte is not your mate. From vinyl-coated prints to glossed leather, a quick topcoat of varnish is all you need to dip your toe into the trend. Head to ASOS to sample the best of the art attack bunch. (£20, skirt, £95; asos.com)

Take a slice

When it comes to the sort of plastic found in your local B&Q, it’s advisable to leave it to the professionals. But that’s not to say it should be avoided entirely. Bypass head-to-toe looks in favour of Swedish brand Monki, which has made good use of the material by adding panels to wool skirts (below) and the pockets on denim shirts and jeans. (£30, monki.com)

Floor it

What do kitchen floors and Jaeger’s heritage tweed have in common? This season, they’re both laminated. Bringing traditional fabrics bang up to date, the British brand has ensured its outerwear offering is keeping up with the trend thanks to a generous coat of lacquer. And this isn’t the only thing they have in common — they’re both wipe-clean as well. (£350, jaeger.co.uk)

All in the details

Without any such silly limitations of having to be practical, flexible and able to handle a spin cycle, accessories are where the hard stuff really comes into its own. From Perspex heeled shoes to clear clutch bags and giant Lucite rings, pile it on to placky it up.

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