For those of you who may not be familiar with Albaray, let me introduce you to the brand. It was started by three women - Karen, Paula and Kirstie - who between them have more than 25 years experience in the fashion industry. During the pandemic in 2020 they were given time to pause and reflect on their roles in the industry. They were in agreement that moving forward they wanted to be more thoughtful and environmentally conscious and with this in mind, Albaray was born.

Their clothes are simple, elegant and timeless with a buildable quality, and by that I mean that most pieces go with other pieces designed by the brand.

As always when we collaborate, I like to visit the offices and see the collection in its entirety. Seeing clothes online is one thing but seeing them in real life is so much better. I like to touch and feel and see the subtlety of colours and pattern. Up close, Albaray clothes do not disappoint. The attention to detail is sometimes lost online and I think that this is the case for some of the clothes that we are wearing here.

The colour combination of the floral waistcoat and jacket is really lovely. The waistcoat has a pale blue piping which is a subtle detail that you don’t always find on the high street. The jacket has an elasticated waistband at the back which facilitates the silhouette of a bomber jacket. It’s a cool detail which adds a more trend-led edge.

This denim shirt is made from a weighty cotton that holds its shape well but is not too heavy that it is stiff. The jeans are some of the best fitting jeans that I have worn in a very long time. I am just under 5.6” and the length is perfect for me, the hem sits neatly on my ankle. I like the straight leg and high waist (you feel nicely held in) and lack of fading. They are a very traditional, true blue denim. As a result, they could easily be worn for smarter occasions as well as during the day. A beautiful blouse for an evening event would look fab.

Mum is nearly 5.8” and can often find that lengths are too short, particularly on the high-street, but this skirt is perfect. We love a two-piece and this is a goodie. I wanted mum to tuck the shirt in to provide the overall look of a dress but of course, should you not want to, the outfit would work with it un-tucked too. As I mentioned in last week’s post, two-pieces offer versatility which is always a good thing.

P.S. the skirt has pockets! Phew.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALEX MOONEY

SUE WEARS…

Short sleeved shirt, £75, Albaray

Skirt, £79, Albaray

Quilted waistcoat, £79, Albaray

Cream cardigan, £69, Albaray

Short trench coat, £135, Albaray

Ballet flats, Boden but old

HANNAH WEARS…

Denim shirt, £69, Albaray

Jeans, £79, Albaray

Quilted jacket, £110, Albaray

Short trench coat, as above

Belt, Topshop but old

Velvet Mary-jane shoes, £85, Flabelus

Sunglasses, £150, Cubitts (colour Beechwood)

This is a paid collaboration with Albaray - all outfit choices are of course, our own.

-STYLE EDIT-

Discount code - GRAHAMST20 - 20% off at checkout (valid for 1 week, full price only)