Cropped Pullover, Zara

This season, in order to offset the lack of cool in many of the (more Hitchcock-ian than Gainsbourg) headlining looks, and to add a touch of effortlessness to the preppy or retro ensembles, we will have to mix styles and materials.

With the arrival of fall, the full-cut skirt is ready to dethrone the mini, jeans are ready to recant their destroyed-look religions, pants are vacillating between wildly retro and Capri lengths, and dresses are becoming infatuated with Brit floral prints.

In other words, if we are not careful, we may end up banning all traces of casualness from our closets. Those who dreamt about being Bardot will wake up to the bad surprise of seeing themselves transformed into Bree Van De Kamp.

In order to avoid this kind of inconvenience, we will have to apply the rule: "avoid the total look, adopt the loose knits." A quick look at Dries Van Noten and Marc Jacobs will suffice to understand that this winter will be about the stretched out pullover, perfect for accompanying the bourgeois "it" looks of the moment.

With its wide neckline, loose knit and - ideally -- cropped shape, this pullover will take the retro neurosis out of the "vintage" pieces by adding a bit of a contemporary feel to the look.

If we take this Zara piece as an example, high-waisted Chloé's, Mad Men full skirts, and even the Dolce&Gabbana narrow ones can, all be paired with a boyish pullover, leaving the diaphanous blouses, push-up bustiers and other lace tops to the total-look control freaks. Remember - the idea is to seem relaxed in the face of the slightly stiff, classical-chic wave rolling over the fashion world.

Short pullover with elbow patches, 30 euros at Zara :
http://www.zara.com/PULL-COURT-A-COUDIERES