It’s February, so why are these clothes still in your wardrobe?

Now that workers are returning to the office, with committed TWaTs (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday office workers) considering Mondays and Fridays, handbags need to accommodate more than a smartphone, face mask and sunscreen.

Micro bags were perfect for decoration but hobo styles offer room for a bento box lunch and more leather or canvas real estate to flaunt designer credentials.

Hobo handbags are slouchy with a crescent shape, taking their increasingly problematic name from itinerant American workers in the late 19th Century and the bindles they carried. The bags enjoyed a resurgence in the seventies and noughties before riding back into fashion as part of the Y2K revival.

Bella Hadid modelled a four-figure denim version on the runway at Givenchy in Paris, while $93 metallic silver versions from Source Unknown were front row at Berlin Fashion Week.

The smart casual silhouette is perfect for carrying into the central business district in the morning and home from the central social district in the evening. You can even fit your micro handbag inside if you’re finding it difficult to let go.

Goodbye: Pink and green. Hello: Lavender haze

We might be stuck with pink, thanks to Margot Robbie’s upcoming Barbie movie but designers are moving on. At last month’s haute couture show Valentino creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli, who created an entire show dedicated to pink in March, transitioned to lavender with sheer gowns, solid suiting and ruffled dresses.

It’s closer to forecaster Pantone’s 2022 colour of the year Very Peri than their 2023 selection Viva Magenta and calmer on the retina. Rival forecasters WSGN got it right back in 2020 when they predicted the rise of Digital Lavender.

“Digital Lavender is a gender-inclusive colour that is already established in the youth market,” the WGSN report said. “Recuperative rituals will become a top priority for consumers who want to protect and improve their mental health, and Digital Lavender will connect to this focus on wellbeing, offering a sense of stability and balance.”

Balance might be what Barbie needs with her permanently arched feet.

Goodbye: White sneakers. Hello: Black boots

The shock of wearing sneakers with suits and shirts has diminished as they outnumber brogues and court shoes on city streets. New tactics are required from fashion frontliners.

Heavy black boots marched back into the spotlight beneath floaty dresses on the likes of Anne Hathaway and tailored shorts at Thom Browne, offering utilitarian energy with a punk charge.

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New Zealand accessories label Deadly Ponies has included stompers in its first complete shoe collection, launching at the end of February.

“A great boot combines functionality with timeless design,” says Deadly Ponies founder Liam Bowden. “We have seen chunky boots driving footwear trends as people embrace practicality within their wardrobes and pieces suited for multiple occasions. They can dress an outfit up and down.”

Even the king of deconstruction, Giorgio Armani, is tied up in the construction boot game with models wearing them down the runway in Milan.

Think of it as your best foot forward for the remaining 11 months of the year.

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