1 week Ago By Daisy Jones
Well, it’s that time of the year again...
When the weather suddenly switches from “sort of mild, but OK” to “I can’t feel my fingers, please don’t make me go outside”. It’s not always easy to know what to wear during these darker autumn months , especially when most of us aren’t quite ready to lug out the monster-sized puffer coats and ski-grade gloves just yet. Which is why I was pleasantly surprised to see another autumn outfit combo hitting the streets of London this past weekend in full force: the groupie ’fit, an outfit combo that is both practical and timelessly stylish – and also won’t break the bank if you know where to thrift .
The groupie ’fit – so named for Kate Hudson ’s immortal turn as Penny Lane in Almost Famous (2000) – would be nothing without its central staple: the ’70s-style, faux fur-lined coat (or the “Penny Lane coat” as we’ve come to think of it). The Penny Lane coat has seen a resurgence in recent years, in no small part due to its playful Noughties appeal. Bella Hadid , Olivia Rodrigo and Suki Waterhouse have long favoured a Penny Lane coat, meanwhile voluminous, tactile outerwear has become a go-to option for the coming party season, in the run up to Christmas.
But what to wear with the Penny Lane coat? Well, it wouldn’t be true groupie style without a band tee now, would it? This is the combo that I kept spotting around Portobello, Brick Lane and at Princess May car boot in Dalston, and this is the combo that makes it the perfect autumn formula (not too cold, but not overly wrapped up either). Bonus points if its a ’70s band and bonus, bonus points if it’s a raglan T-shirt. If you need any pointers, it’s worth looking at everything Suki Waterhouse has ever worn, ever – although of course she’ll always be the rockstar, never the groupie.
And to finish? The groupie formula can only ever be rounded off with a boot – cowboy boots if you’re wanting to go fully throwback, or a square-toe like Hadid if you want to toughen up the look more generally. The best thing about the groupie ’fit – apart from the fact it looks hot on everyone, including the guys, who yes, can be groupies too – is that it’s a fully vintage look, meaning that you don’t necessarily have to spend thousands in order to achieve it. You can’t move for these coats on Depop and Vinted, and obviously any thrift store worth its salt will have a gazillion band T-shirts and cowboy boots to choose from.
If you want to really commit to the Almost Famous vibe there is, in fact, plenty of unofficial Stillwater merch to be found online...
Although that might be a bit much, even for this autumn..
