Although relatively unknown to the general public, Ana Gimeno Brugada, is a prominent figure in the world of fashion. With her maximalist androgynous style, she’s been making waves in fashion circles for many years. She’s a firm favourite with street fashion photographers and as a result, features prominently in press coverage of Milan’s Fashion Week. You may not have heard of her before, but as an older woman with a truly unique take on fashion, I’m hoping that she will interest you and help to inspire your over 60 style.
In this post I’m going to be looking at the key elements of her look and hopefully encouraging you to follow her example and be more adventurous in your outfit choices.
Who is Ana Gimeno Brugada?
Google doesn’t have a great deal of information about Ana. I couldn’t even find out her exact age. What is known is that Ana Is a Spanish born freelance fashion consultant and stylist based in Milan, whose clients include Dries Van Noten and Brunello Cucinelli.
She’s essentially a behind the scenes person, yet her singular take on fashion attracts notice from some of the biggest names in the fashion world.
With her shaggy mop of grey hair, long, slim figure and a wardrobe stuffed with menswear, vintage, designer and high street, Ana produces outfits that are extraordinary and completely unique to her.
In 2016 she was included in Vogue’s list of The Best Dressed Men in Fashion, and heralded as “the human being putting the freshest, most modern twists on traditional menswear staples.”
And in 2015, a Wall Street journalist, Jacob Gallagher, wrote on twitter “Ana Gimeno Brugada is dressing better than roughly 99.999% of the men at Pitti this year,”.
Traditional menswear may be the foundation of Ana’s look, but what makes it truly unique is the way that she layers in and mixes vibrant colours, clashing prints and accessories to create an apparently effortless and elegant chic.
The Key Elements of Ana’s Style
Menswear
For Ana it’s always trousers, never dresses or skirts. Much of her core wardrobe, comes from menswear, and Prada Uomo and Gucci menswear are key favourites.
But it’s how she wears these classic masculine staples that makes her look so interesting. The photo opposite can be used as an example.
Here, Ana turns up the sleeves of a masculine coat to show off the satin lining and the double cuffs of a striped shirt. The pussy bow adds a touch of femininity, which contrasts with the traditionally masculine bucket hat and grey scarf. There’s also a subtle blending of colours, patterns and textures to this outfit. A crisp blue and white striped shirt contrasts with the checked hat and the soft and cozy purple sweater. A ridged grey scarf adds texture on the smooth coat, and the hat introduces a sharp turquoise green to the colour scheme. Like many of her outfits, it shouldn’t work but somehow it just does!
Trousers
Ana’s trousers are usually carrot-shaped and tapered through the leg. They’re loose and worn low on her hips in a masculine style. Hems almost always finish just above the ankles, and are either cropped or rolled up to showcase the shoes.
Shoes are always flat.
Ana favours the Gucci loafer or mule, often worn with statement socks. The socks can be plain or patterned and designed to tone or clash with their accompanying shoes.
Shirts & blouses
Oversize shirts feature in all sorts of colours, patterns and textures: Menswear style button-downs in classic stripes, frilly front shirts and outrageously patterned blouses. All are either tucked in to the low waisted trousers, or casually left loose depending on how it best balances the outfit.
Jackets
Jackets range from masculine oversized to short and fitted. Classic designer pieces like a Chanel jacket also appear in Ana’s outfits, but are always worn with something completely unexpected.
Accessories
Of course, for all great stylists accessories are key.
For jewellery, Ana frequently wears a vintage Hermes watch worn with lots of crest or signet rings. Necklaces and jingly bracelets also feature strongly.
Sunglasses are a key component of Ana’s look, and are always vintage.
Scarves offer another opportunity to add colour, pattern and texture and Ana wears them frequently. From little neckerchiefs to generous shawls, they add colour, balance and interest to her look.
Ana is often pictured with a little Louis Vuitton folio bag in her hand but she’s also seen on the street with generous sized and brightly coloured totes.
Belts are worn through trouser loops and are often over-long, with the loose end left hanging down in front.
Confidence
Of course, the key accessory of all is confidence. Ana dresses for herself and as a result her fashion choices exude self-assurance.
Quick Note – I can’t include many of the photos of Ana because they’re subject to copyright. However, you can get a great flavour of her look from photographer Acielle’s website Style Du Monde. Do check it out, it has some amazing shots and you’ll be able to see the full diversity of Ana’s outfits all on one page. Just click the link above or the one on the photo left.
Conclusion
In a fashion world that’s often fixated on youth and the next ‘new thing’, Ana Gimeno Brugada stands out because of her timeless and unique style. Her enduring influence is a testament to the power of embracing one’s unique sense of style with confidence. It reminds us that style knows no age barrier, and that confidence really is your most important accessory. I hope that you enjoyed this piece, and that Ana’s effortless elegance will inspire you to go out and express your own individuality in whatever way works best for you.
Thank you for reading the post. I’d really love to hear your opinion of Ana’s eclectic and androgynous style, I know it’s not for everyone, so what do you think? Love it or hate it? Put your thoughts in the comment box below.
Sian. X
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