Sorry, stealth-wealth fans: I’m here to tell you that kooky style is simply superior. Lately, fashion has been heading towards an era of clean, refined minimalism—and the bevy of neutral tones and quietly-luxurious garments are enough to put anyone to sleep. What ever happened to personality? What ever happened to fun? Enter Helena Bonham Carter, who’s here to remind us that dressing up should be an exercise in self-expression and taking risks. This morning, the actor was spotted running errands in London wearing an eclectic outfit only she could pull off: It’s clashing, it’s camp, and well, it’s utterly fabulous, too.
There’s no cream linens or discreet Phoebe Philo bags here: Carter embraced a more maximalist approach to dressing, pairing a graphic tee with a red floral-print skirt, complete with a ruffled hemline. She juxtaposed the prints against even more prints, including a red tartan jacket and a floral scarf to match her skirt. Why did all the pattern-mixing work so well, you ask? They’re all in varying hues of red, which instantly married them together.
Even her offbeat accessories, somehow, jived: Carter chose black sneakers and a hunter green tote bag, giving the whole ensemble a more casual, dressed-down feel. She also gets bonus points for wearing not one, but two pairs of glasses on top of her head. (More is more!) Say what you want about her eccentric styling, but you can’t say that it’s boring. And in the current climate of clothes that are designed to whisper, it’s refreshing to see someone scream for once. Finally—fun!