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Telegraph
12-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Author Yomi Adegoke: ‘I'm not a minimalist – especially on the red carpet'
'I think clothes can tell you a lot about a person,' says Yomi Adegoke. 'They're so integral to who my characters are because they're so integral to who I am.' As for how exactly this multi-award-winning author and journalist makes use of sartorial self-expression? That depends on the day. Like many freelance creatives, Adegoke, 33, often works from home – in Thornton Heath, south London, a stone's throw from her childhood home. But her workwear wardrobe reinterprets the old advice that dressing up can aid productivity; instead of stiff office attire, she favours luxurious pyjamas. Elegantly cut pieces from Olivia von Halle, Stripe & Stare, Sleeper and The White Company have seen her through the writing of Slay in Your Lane, a guide to life for young black British women (co-authored with her best friend Elizabeth Uviebinené), and her debut novel, The List. 'I get away with the pyjamas because to the untrained eye, it looks like I'm wearing normal clothes,' she says, praising the rise in elevated sleepwear as daywear. A refreshing disregard for restrictive fashion rules is something of a theme for Adegoke. Growing up with what she calls a 'top-heavy' frame, she sometimes found it difficult to shop for pieces that suited her, or avoided things the industry decreed weren't 'meant for her'. That's a thing of the past, she says, thanks to designers such as Olivia Ozi-Oiza Chance, Edeline Lee and Sinéad O'Dwyer, who cut for a broader spectrum of shapes and sizes. 'The pieces aren't made with a particular body type in mind, they're made with making women look good in mind,' she says. 'That's allowed a level of experimentation that historically wasn't there.' It's to these new-gen brands, as well as more familiar names such as Roksanda and Erdem, that Adegoke turns for black-tie dressing. When she's not exhibiting her penchant for haute pyjamas, she's a regular on the red carpet, choosing captivating, covetable dresses for book launches, industry parties and awards ceremonies including the Baftas. She knows the power of bold colours, and isn't afraid of overdressing. 'I'm certainly not a minimalist, especially for red carpet stuff,' she says. 'I always err on the side of wanting to dress up more. They're not everyday occasions so I like to really pull out the stops.' She credits this flair for joy-sparking glamour to her late grandmother. 'She was just really, really chic and maximalist with her fashion,' says Adegoke. 'Her clothing was so dramatic and so expressive. For her funeral we had four outfit changes – that's just her to a tee.' Another sartorial tribute was drawn from a Nigerian tradition called aso-ebi, a dress code that sees guests cut different styles of clothing from the same fabric. 'My nana's favourite colour was gold so we had 700 or so people dressed in the same yellow fabric in different cuts,' she explains. Back in London, Adegoke maintains an interest in tailoring, personalising pieces she's found online at Net-a-Porter and Mytheresa at nearby alteration spot Top Stitch. 'I don't think I've shopped in person in years,' she says, adding that she scours sites such as Vestiaire Collective, Vinted and eBay for second-hand designer gems. Currently in her basket? A Fendi Multipocket Baguette, which has reportedly been there for at least a year. 'I'm trying to legitimise it as a purchase,' she says. 'My bag collection is extensive – almost embarrassingly large.' But the focus remains on quality, and she's developed a habit of buying herself investment bags to mark career successes such as book publications and television deals (the rights for The List have been snapped up). Given that she's now working on her second novel, that Baguette can't be far off. Five personal style rules 1. Break the rules 'I love to clash. I enjoy doing things you're not supposed to do, like putting silver and gold jewellery together.' 2. Don't underestimate accessories 'Accessories often matter more to me than the actual clothes I'm wearing. You could wear rags but have a great bag and shoes to do up the outfit.' 3. Mark achievements with investment pieces 'The pieces I've bought myself to celebrate successes mean a lot to me.' 4. Embrace 'ugly' shoes 'Since lockdown I have a real thing for comfortable shoes. I love my Crocs and have even worn them to more formal events, dressing them up with a nice bag.' 5. Wear what you want 'As I've got older, I've stopped caring about what you're 'meant to' wear to suit certain shapes. I'm grateful that things are more diverse in terms of thinking now.'
Telegraph
15-02-2025
- Lifestyle
- Telegraph
Big Bridget Jones pants are back – and this time they're sexy
Fifty years after the thong was first introduced into our underwear drawers, the death knell has been rung. In a recent survey carried out by lingerie brand Victoria's Secret, 77 per cent of women said they prefer a full-coverage pant over a thong or G-string. My own knicker collection hasn't featured thongs in years. Having lived through the dental-floss-as-underwear heyday of the Noughties and endured the wedgies that came with it, my taste is now steadfastly comfort first. I'm not the only 30-plus who has been turned off tiny smalls; four in five of those aged between 31 and 45 said they preferred bigger pants. Among 18 to 30-year-olds, 51 per cent have switched from little to large. In fact, searches for 'briefs' on the Victoria's Secret website have increased by 153 per cent in the last year. For a brand which has long promoted a high-octane sexy aesthetic and is famed for catwalk shows in which supermodels parade miniscule undies, this shift is notable. It's also indicative of a wider sea change within our underwear drawers. Big pants are back – thank goodness. 'Women have better things to worry about than wedgies and VPL,' says Katie Lopes, co-founder of Stripe & Stare. A forerunner in the big knicker revolution, the brand's original knicker - a mid-rise, full coverage style made from super-soft Tencel – is the best seller, currently accounting for 42 per cent of sales. By contrast, sales of its thongs have dropped from 15 to 5 per cent since it was launched in 2017. 'I wanted [to make] underwear that was designed by women, looked great and was so unbelievably comfortable you could put them on and forget you're wearing them. Like your favourite T-shirt and jeans,' says Lopes. Mission accomplished. So popular are the British brand's big knickers, they've garnered an international fanbase including Oprah Winfrey and mega-influencer Camille Charrière. While comfort is undoubtedly a driving force behind the big knickers revival, we can also thank current style nostalgia: '1990's style is having a big influence on the nation's knickers, including fuller shapes such as high legs, full briefs and anti-chafing cycle short shapes,' says Soozie Jenkinson, head of lingerie design at Marks & Spencer. The retailer's new Kyoto high waist high leg knicker promises a VPL-free streamline silhouette – perfect for slipping under Nineties-inspired straight leg jeans and slip skirts. With the fourth instalment of Bridget Jones now in cinemas, the boom in big pants is certainly timely. However, where Bridget's navel-grazing knickers were once the butt of the joke (literally) they've since shaken off their frazzled English women association and are no longer something to induce toe-curling embarrassment – even in the event of being revealed by a frisky Daniel Cleaver-type. Just ask Kim Kardashian. The reality star-turned-businesswoman has made a fortune selling huge pants under her Skims underwear label, which has recently been valued at $4 billion. Consider the bestselling boy short, an A-list version of Bridget's signature pants, coming in breathable cotton jersey and a palette of chic neutrals – rather than custard-cream beige. 'Big pants do not mean frumpy pants any more', says Lopes. Indeed they do not. At the start of the year, Stripe & Stare launched a collection of printed styles in collaboration with popular dress label, Rixo, meaning you can now wear your leopard print midi dress with coordinating pants – choose between high-rise, mid-rise and hipster style (£18, On the subject of cut, it's worth thinking about which to choose for maximum comfort and desired silhouette. 'Wearing knickers that nip in at the smallest bit of your waist give all shapes an enhanced 1950s type of silhouette. High waist knickers are great if you want to avoid a muffin top,' says Georgia Larsen, founder of lingerie brand Dora Larsen, which excels in non-granny big pants. The graphic high waist knicker is the bestselling style: 'We get lots of feedback from our customers who find a bigger brief more flattering.' If you're rounder on the bottom half and find big pants can feel somewhat like a nappy, try a mid-rise waistband with a higher cut leg for elongation. The everyday brief from Underdays (£20, has a shaping cross-over waist band and an extra long gusset for additional coverage, too. For those seeking a perkier look, go for a cheekier Miami or Brazilian cut (both of which are also trending at Marks & Spencer). Speaking from experience, the slightly skimpier bottom coverage gives a lifted effect – think of it as the underwear equivalent of well placed jeans pockets. When it comes to fabric, breathable cotton and Tencel are best for everyday wear. They're moisture-wicking too, making them a good choice when working out. After something slinkier? Larsen recommends tulle or lace with elastane, which gives a comfortable stretch without compromising on sexiness. And to avoid the dreaded VPL, look for a flat-stitched or lace edging rather than a thicker piece of elastic which will dig in. Under particularly close-fitting skirts and trousers a seam-free style will go undetected. Uniqlo's AIRism briefs (£9.90, are so subtle I wear them under leggings – after all, no one wants to flash their knicker line when in downward dog.
