Reviewing the latest Uniqlo x IDF collection

I have often fallen for the Uniqlo x Ines de la Fressange collections – they just seem to capture a sort of easy chicness that I find very appealing. You can find them in several of my previous wardrobe related posts, such as my 2022 clothing round-up (read here), which featured the linen blend jacket from the previous collection. However, much as I love the look of these pieces, I often find the IDF (that’s Ines de la Fressange of course, not Israeli Defence Forces!) pieces don’t actually work on me as well I hope they would. With this in mind, I’m trying to resist the urge to purchase, and be truly critical about which pieces I love and why. This latest collection claims to draw inspiration from India, although I can’t see that coming through particularly strongly in either the shapes or the fabrics. There are some classic pieces and some more unusual ones, in the typically timeless range of materials.

So here is my summary of the pieces that may well find their way into my wardrobe, and those that, nice though they may be, won’t be offered the space.

Pick – Belt

Starting off with an accessory. Anyone who’s taken even a cursory look at my fashion posts will know that I love green, and this belt is no exception. Although colourful accessories can sometimes age poorly, there is a lot to be said for the power of an interesting accessory to revive older pieces in your wardrobe. A belt like this would be a great addition to brighten up a simple pair of jeans or to cinch in a black dress. It’s also available in brown and black, but I already have very similar belts, so it’d need to be in this gorgeous green to really be adding something to my wardrobe. There is also a narrower version, but I like the width of this one, which I think would sit better with my preferred higher-rise trousers and skirts.

Pass – Cotton V-Neck Flare Sleeveless dress

Now this is the type of dress that I would definitely have fallen for in the past. It’s just my length, and I love gingham, almost to the extent of buying anything I see in it. However, if I’m honest with myself, I can see this ending up not getting much use. Thinking about one of my recent clothing mistakes posts (read here), I’m not sure how I’d layer things over these wide, almost off the shoulder straps. I also think v-necks like this can be quite hard to pull off – I prefer a crew or boatneck if I can find it. Finally, although you can’t really see it in this photo because they’ve styled it with a belt (even though the dress doesn’t seem to have belt loops), it has a strongly defined waist. This can be a blessing or a curse in a garment for me: I love having a bit of definition in this area, but often on dresses they don’t fall on my natural waistline. It looks like it might be the case here, with a fairly high cut waist, sneaking into the rib-cage area. So while I can see this being a gorgeous piece on some people (including the model), I’m not sure it would get enough wear to justify a spot in my wardrobe.

Pick – 3D Knit Striped Boatneck sweater

I am certain that I have owned several versions of this kind of jumper over the years, but amazingly I don’t have one at the moment. This is such a classic, timeless shape, which happens to be having a bit of a moment with the minimalist/capsule wardrobe types. Think examples from Sezanne or Arket which you see all over Instagram. This piece from Uniqlo could almost be a dupe for those. Although the materials aren’t quite as premium (a mixture of acrylic, lyocell and linen), it’s a much more affordable piece. It comes in the more classic black/cream and red/cream colourways, the latter being a good option if you want to embrace the current trend of adding a pop of red to your otherwise neutral outfits. But I think this cheerful turquoise is my favourite, and adds a bit of difference. I’d be quite surprised if this didn’t end up in my wardrobe before the season is out.

Pass – Cotton Silk Scarf

I frequently try to convince myself that I’m the sort of person who can pull off a scarf (metaphorically – literally speaking I can!). There is something so subtly chic about a large, silk scarf in a pretty print, which seems to add an easy elegance to the outfit and make the wearer look singularly put-together. This is such a sweet version – and with little pops of the green that I love. However, I’ve got to admit that I’m just not cut-out for this style. I’m all for ease, comfort, and slightly all over the place outfits, and I can just see this being twisted out of shape, falling off my shoulders awkwardly, or being left on a train. So much as I love the idea of this piece, it’s one that I’ll be leaving on the shelf.

Pick – Linen Cotton Gather Skirt

We’re on much firmer and more familiar territory with this skirt (and it doesn’t hurt that they’ve styled it with one of my other picks). I love this type of skirt – so easy to wear, comfortable, and versatile. It’s even got pockets! My only concern with this piece (and I do prefer it in the beige to the black colourway) is that it might be slightly transparent (another one of my clothing mistakes). So I think this is a piece I’d need to buy in store to be certain of, but otherwise it would slot really easily into my wardrobe, and I can see myself getting a lot of use out of it.

Pass – Linen Cotton Wide Gather pants

This is another of those styles that I love on other people, but just doesn’t seem to work that well on me. I think the shape doesn’t quite work with my wider hips, and trousers like this can often end up sitting quite uncomfortably and bulking out in weird places (essentially with lots of fabric gathered around my crotch!). This is a bit confusing as the trousers are essentially the same cut as the skirt above, but something about how they fall versus how a skirt falls just doesn’t seem to fit with me. I love the wide-leg look, and I have a few pairs of trousers and culottes in slightly different shapes that work for me, but much as I’d love to get on board with this pair and this current iteration, I think it’s one that I best avoid, to prevent disappointment.

Pick – Jacquard Crew Neck Cardigan

A final pick, and one I don’t feel quite so certain about. I like all the colourways this one comes in, but I think the black is the one I would find easiest to incorporate in my wardrobe. I’m not quite sure about the length of this cardigan – I tend to like things either longer so I can tuck them in, or a bit more cropped so they’re more sitting at the waist. However, in Melbourne’s changeable weather, it’s always nice to have slightly more visually interesting or playful layering options. I often find myself wearing the same black jumper over and over again, so having something like this which can layer but still has a bit of pattern is quite appealing. I might need to mull this one over a bit (and see if it turns up in the sale), but I can see it being a good wardrobe workhorse in the colder months.

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That’s it for my reflections on the latest Ines de la Fressange and Uniqlo collection. As usual, there are some pieces I really love, and I’m pleased to have been able to reason myself out of buying some that I ostensibly like, but don’t think would really work for me. Which is your favourite of the pieces I chose, and do you agree with my passes? I think it’s so important to consider how clothes work on our own bodies and with our existing wardrobes, and I’d love to hear how you deal with this in your own collections. Please share any thoughts or reflections of your own in a comment.