Welcome to The Great Try-On. With fall on the horizon, we seized the opportunity to try on some of the best fall pieces from some of your favourite brands, documenting the process along the way. We believe that the most foolproof way to shop online is to see an item IRL and to read candid reviews, so we hope that this leads you to some successful autumn purchases.
I felt like I won the jackpot when our senior editor Allyson Payer told me I was the lucky editor who would get to test drive The Frankie Shop’s new arrivals. It’s a fashion person’s brand (industry insiders are very loyal followers), but their minimal-cool aesthetic is approachable to a wider spectrum of people too. I also love how the brand feels perfectly current, but is steers away from super trendy. In other words, once you find your perfect The Frankie Shop piece, you’ll want to wear it for many seasons to come. Speaking of your ideal item, read on to see if any of my favorites from my test drive might just be yours too.
My Review: When you think of a leather vest, a moto vest might come to mind, but wow, this is so much better. The design is understated and sleek, and the fact that it’s in leather adds a touch of edge. I want to wear this now and can picture still being into it 50 years from now. It’s the kind of thing Mary-Kate or Ashley Olsen would wear. It’s pretty roomy, so you could easily fit a chunky sweater or even a coat underneath. I also liked that you can zip it from the top and the bottom, so you can leave just a little bit zipped at the bust.
My Review of the Blazer: One thing I love about The Frankie Shop is their cuts are always on point. When it comes to blazers that means perfectly oversized and slouchy without overwhelming you. Their materials are punching above their weight too; they clearly look more expensive than they are. The thing about this blazer though, is that you have to get the matching vest too. I’m sorry, I don’t make the rules; the three-piece suit just happens to be the look right now. It’s sold out in the beige, but I think the darker color looks excellent for autumn.
My Review of the Vest: 2021 is the year of the suiting vest. If the shrunken ones feel too ’90s (I do think they are harder to pull off), may I suggest an oversized blazer vest like the one I’m wearing. As for styling I decided to really commit by adding a little extra vest underneath. Why the heck not?
My Review of the Trousers: These trousers are the bomb: high quality and very on trend. I swear everyone wants a baggy trouser right now. That might be why they’re sold out, but The Frankie Shop is known for their trousers, so they have lots of other great options. I’m 5’4” and they’d work best with a heel so they aren’t dragging. I’m wearing a size medium here and would normally take a small, so they may sit higher on the waist in your correct size.
My Review: Yet another faux leather vest, and it won’t be the last one. This one’s most compelling feature is the funnel neck. I found it looks best half unzipped and flipped up a little. It’s a bit oversized, so I like the look of pairing it with a skinnier pant to play on the proportions. And just like all of The Frankie Shop’s vegan leather, the quality feels super luxe.
My Review: This cargo vest has it all: pockets, epaulettes, and quality vegan leather. There are about a million ways to style it, but I am partial to how it looks over a trench coat. Like the other vests, it definitely runs oversized. The black is an easy choice, but I’m also quite smitten with the army green.
These seem under priced, so I’m going to get my pair while they’re still in stock.
Hello, fall. We’re ready for you now.
Oh the black leather blazer in my closet just got jealous.
The bold shoulder tank has been replaced by the super chic tee version.
The fall basic you’ll wear until it’s falling apart.
Luxe traveler coming through.
While you’re at it, the matching button down isn’t a bad idea. Next up, check out I Got to Try on Whatever I Wanted From Reformation—These 7 Pieces Won Me Over.
