Ask a stylist: what textures go well together?

What kind of textures go well together? For example does linen go well with silk, does cotton go well with more canvas textures, etc?

In my mind, when it comes to fabric pairings, opposites really do attract.

Some of my favourite mixes for winter dressing are leather and cashmere, suede and crisp cotton, heavy twill trousers with a silk shirt, ribbed knits with sharp tailoring, satin with denim, or a soft sweatshirt with a light wool trouser. 

Picture the classic Ralph Lauren ad campaigns. A pristine, crisp white shirt with jeans, a tweed jacket and leather trousers — there is a reason they work so well. The texture mixes add interest and lend “depth” to an outfit preventing it from looking flat or boring. 

For casual weekend looks, I would always start with a jean. If you’re more of a straight, angular figure then don’t go mad on the elastane — you will look better in a non-stretch denim, which gives a more structured shape. Denim is a famously tough fabric with a twill weave (woven diagonally) and one of the best foils for almost anything you want to wear with it. Cotton, merino, cashmere, tailored wools, leather, satin . . . you name it, it works with denim.

I really rate Los Angeles denim brand Agolde — its jeans are well cut and they last. The Wyman straight leg has a hint of the old Levi’s 501, but is easier to wear as it is less tapered (£260, matchesfashion.com). This works for a shorter body and long legs as it’s a lower rise. 

Pair with a cotton poplin shirt from Arket (£55, arket.com) or a high-quality T-shirt from Sunspel. “The classic” style works for most necks but choose a V-neck or scoop if your bust is full (£65, sunspel.com).

Now you can layer on top with a cardigan from Allude (£355, net-a-porter.com). To avoid looking like a 1950s schoolmarm, push your sleeves and lightly tuck it on one side. The soft yarn contrasts with the stiffer denim so that they set each other off. 

If you want to add more drama, choose a leather jacket over a tee or shirt. Who can forget the iconic image of Marlon Brando in this very combination for The Wild One? Leather pops well against the flat cotton or the rigid denims. If you’re curvy you will want a supple leather. Armani’s nappa leather biker moulds around the body beautifully (£590, armani.com). Straighter figures can cope with a structured blazer such as Joseph’s leather jacket in nappa (£1,395, joseph-fashion.com)

Flip this look on its head and pair a leather skirt with a simple merino knit (skirt, £1,350, ralphlauren.co.uk). Try the Derbyshire-based John Smedley’s merino, which is hard-wearing and doesn’t pill, and is available in a host of colours. I’m rather taken with the bronze hue of its Calvert sweater (£200, johnsmedley.com). If you’d rather avoid leather, try a crunched velvet skirt, like this vintage Junya Watanabe (€280, resee.com).

You are trying to complement the innate quality of one fabric by sitting it against something completely different

Top it all off with a sumptuous, cosy, full on texture fest of a coat (£455, farfetch.com) or invest in this stunning blue soft shearling coat by Raey (£1,795, matchesfashion.com). Here you have the flatness of the knit serving as a quiet base for the leather to take centre stage in all its glossy glory. The soft tactility of the coat adds depth.

(As an aside, I simply cannot recommend a coloured coat enough. Remember that you always take a coat off (although you might be sitting indoors in it this particular winter) so adding a bit of pizzazz here is a way to make an entrance. I always get lots of compliments whenever I wear my bright red coat.)

To finish up, how about a going out look? There are myriad combinations to choose from. Team a bright pink strapless crepe dress with no texture (£750, net-a-porter.com) with a pink velvet jacket. Keep it modern with this relaxed velvet blazer (£295, meandem.com) or this bold red vintage option by Haider Ackermann (€400, resee.com).

If you want some lustre and sheen then slip into this simple satin dress  from Loewe (£895, net-a-porter.com) and colour clash with the same blazer. Both these dresses cry out for a fabric with surface interest to balance out their flatness. It could just as easily be a fake fur or a vintage feather jacket.

There are various velvet suits in red, green and purple, on the market. Check out Stella McCartney, Reiss, Max Mara, Cefinn and NRBY. I like Zadig & Voltaire’s velvet jacket blazer in red with matching trousers (blazer, £500, zadig-et-voltaire.com; trousers, £260, zadig-et-voltaire.com). Wear these with a simple cami underneath (£120, matchesfashion.com).  

Sequins offer both texture and shine so you can keep the other elements flat. This sparkly skirt in silver from Dorothee Schumacher (£390, farfetch.com) sits well with a simple, short sleeved cashmere knit (sorry, yes, it’s pink again — £311, farfetch.com) or go with a cotton tee if you want to tone it down. See Prada’s cotton rib vest and sparkly skirt look from this season’s catwalk as inspiration. Finish it off with a sharp jacket for good measure (£700, net-a-porter.com). 

In summary you are trying to complement the innate quality of one fabric by sitting it against something completely different. This is when outfits get that wow factor — they start to feel interesting, tactile, a talking point. Go forth and experiment!

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