English Version | “It's so fine and yet so terrible to stand in front of a blank canvas” - Paul Cézanne

14 Apr 2022
By Ana Murcho

White, that color that is never fashionable and yet never goes out of style.

Jennifer Lopez and Katy Perry are the ones to blame. Though we can also blame Marilyn Monroe. And Sharon Stone. But first things first. In January 2021, at Joe Biden's inauguration ceremony as President of the United States of America, both the interpreter of Let's Get Loud and the singer of I Kissed a Girl wore white: the former a stunning Chanel Haute Couture suit, the latter a tailor-made Thom Browne outfit. Wearing white in total look mode in the warm months is nothing extraordinary, but wearing head-to-toe white when it's below zero degrees and the whole world is expecting your outfit to be some kind of replica of your country's flag, well, that’s something else. So when two of the most famous artists on the planet chose that “seemingly neutral” color to honor the new occupant of the White House, critics took note: that could only be a sign. And it was. It was a sign that the hope, peace and calm that fled in the dark Trump years could be back. That, and an atrocious need to embrace a more refined style, after being locked indoors for so long — but there's no point in going on about this forever, is there? The luminosity emanated by Lopez and Perry quickly spread to the streets, where fashion lives in a more pristine way. White didn’t return to the closet, not even during cold season, and the street style queens have shown themselves faithful to the color, which guarantees an effortless and refined effect — few shades worn head to toe manage the feat of making someone a few thousand dollars richer, even if the pieces are vintage bought for three pennies at a fair. The big news for spring/summer 2022, besides the amazing bleach-colored power suits that every woman should have in her closet, regardless of whether she works in an office or not, is the white dress. The white dress? Yes. Enter any reinterpretation of the idea of “white dress”, such as those presented by Khaite, Givenchy, Saint Laurent, Louis Vuitton, Alexander McQueen, Altuzarra, Simone Rocha or Erdem, and we get a small sense of what designers have in mind.

Important remark: one does not have to be part of the 2022 brides' club to wear white. Never was, now even less so. And you don't have to “sell ice cream” to wear white shorts and a white tank top, either. Don't be fooled. Bet on irreverent textures, different cuts, unexpected fabrics. Take risks. Do you prefer to play it safe? The white shirt is a basic that never fails. The polo is back. That pleated miniskirt (the same one you wear on the tennis courts) is one of this season's hits. Linen blazers are an alternative to consider. If none of these work, decide on an accessory: no one can resist a pair of white sneakers. Nowadays, there is no brand that doesn't have them — but don't go by hype, go by your heart; if not at first sight, wait until you find the ones that make you smile. Or go for a wallet in white. In leather or nylon. Before you roll your eyes, know that there's no reason for it to get dirty — as long as you’re cautious, of course. You'll love it for the rest of your days. That''ll come when you buy another one, in a different color. If you still don't think white might be an option for you, take a look at the images of Marilyn Monroe during the filming of The Seven Year Itch (1955) or review that leg crossing of Sharon Stone in Fatal Instinct (1992). What were they both wearing? White. Plus, remember Elizabeth Taylor's négligé in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958)? White. And that “piece”, designed by Richard Tyler, that Toni Braxton chose for the Grammys in 2001 and led her to assume, “I decided that before I got married and had children, I would wear this.” White. What was it? You'd better Google it to see it. After that you will hardly continue to think that white is a girls’ thing.

Translated from the original on The Quote Issue, published in April 2022. For full credits and stories, check the print version.