Like many people during the first lockdown in 2020, I watched A LOT of television and in the process; became hooked on Apple TV's "The Morning Show." Season 2 has recently finished and (without giving anything away), it's a fast paced study of a top Network TV Morning Show and the people that make it all happen. Stars include Jennifer Aniston, Steve Carell, Reese Witherspoon and Billy Crudup; so as you can imagine, with a line up this good, the acting is superb. It's well worth a watch.
Featured are the two main Anchors, with shiny screen personas but paper-thin personal lives. In turn, they're supported by a much-maligned production team; who hold it all together on a daily basis, whilst all the time running the race to get to the best stories first. At the top of this toxic castle, are the machiavellian Board (including a charismatic new CEO) who, let's face it, really control the narrative.
Aniston's character - Alex Levy - is a woman at the very top of her game. Seemingly, on the face of it, she has everything. A gold-dipped career, a to-die-for apartment in Manhattan, more money than she could possibly ever need and an adoring fan base. But, she's of a certain age and, as such, she's acutely aware she's sat atop a house of cards; essentially waiting for it to topple the moment she's declared no longer "relevant".
It goes without saying, she's a tough cookie and make no mistake, clothes are this woman's armour. Alex Levy's wardrobe is a masterclass in understated, self confident chic and (in my opinion at least) the stylists for the show, nailed her look. Nothing is showy, nothing tries too hard and yet it screams self assured, high-end swagger. Just like the practical -yet luxury- neutral toned classics that form the basis of her wardrobe (think the camel coat, the no logo tote bag that costs a months salary, the cashmere sweater etc.), Alex Levy has been here longer than you, can do more than you do and will be here long after you've crashed and burned. Loser. You get the point?
Anyway, back to the burning subject of the day - clothes. Using our mood board, let's have a look at the key pieces that make up just one of her looks and how you can recreate it without having to sell a body part or two. (We'll also throw in some other great pieces from across the series). Because we're nice like that....
The Classic Camel Coat
If you're looking to invest in a coat that will cover all bases, look no further. A great camel coat is lightweight yet warm, can be dressed up or down and can be worn in Autumn through Spring, making it a great investment.
To emulate Alex's look choose a three quarter length style with mens tailoring cues. Avoid belted versions which can be too dressy or, at worst, make you look like a sack of spuds tied in the middle. This one from Esprit is made from recycled wool, has a strong true camel shade, all the right styling notes and, better still, currently has 20% off at £79.99
The White Leather Sneakers
I have an ongoing love affair with white leather sneakers (
okay, an unhealthy obsession; what can I say, I'm working on it ) and it's highly likely that the ones Jennifer wears as Alex are by Common Projects. These beauties are currently available through Net -A-Porter for £320 but if, like me, a: you just couldn't spend that on a pair of trainers and sleep at night and b: you essentially live in the middle of a field; some reasonably priced alternatives might be easier to live with. Like the
Fit Flop Urban Rally Leather trainers in White from
The Shoe Gallery Prestwick or
Fit Flop Official . Or there's good
old Nike Air Force 1's (I buy the young adult ones which are essentially the same shoe and half the price).
Sorry Nike.
The No Logo Tote Bag
In season one, Alex is seen carrying the Valextra Brera top handle tote. In two different colours, no less (it's £2800 a pop). This under the radar brand is essentially the Hermes of Italy, offering super low key styles, hand-crafted from the best leathers. Their barely-discernible logos and general un-flashiness mean that fashion bloggers and reality TV stars tend to give it a swerve; making it a perfect choice for this character.
To achieve a similar look at a far less eye-watering price; we've a couple of great styles on the website right now. If you want genuine leather, our
"Dara" tote bag is amazing value at £95; or for a vegan friendly version, opt for our
"Levy" tote bag for just £39.
The Crew Neck Cashmere Sweater
Throughout the show, Alex wears several different cashmere sweaters, even casually using one like a scarf around her neck. For someone that gets up in the dark and needs something stylish and lightweight to throw on, let's face it, it's a great choice. Cashmere is temperature regulating, so you can wear it virtually all year round. We think a classic crew neck style is the most wearable.
Try our
"Lotty" cashmere sweater (above) for the real deal
(Marks & Spencer also do amazing cashmere by the way) or, if you're looking for a budget option;
Bon Marche do some great acrylic super-soft sweaters in many different colours.
The Relaxed Fit Black Trouser
Although the outfit we're recreating here is one of Alex's off duty looks, it is anything but sloppy and finding a great relaxed trouser; is actually more difficult than you'd think. It's likely that the pair Jen wears in the show are by Jil Sander or Rick Owens but we've a couple of great purse-friendly options.
This style of dressing is pretty much my favourite and there's so many to-die-for styles we see in the show; quite frankly, it's dizzying. As a result, it's super, super hard to reduce it to just a handful of items; however here's a few pieces I think are worth a final mention, including some highly wearable accessories.
The Flap Front Leather Shoulder Bag
In the beginning of Season 2, Alex is taking some time out from work and has dropped the larger tote for a cross-body style. The one she wears is the Celine Besace (£1550) and (true to form), she has it in two colour ways.
To be fair, I'm personally far more relaxed about spending serious moolah on a great leather bag that you'll have for years and years; than I am on, say a pair of shoes (which are far more difficult to keep pristine). So, if you just love the Celine and that's the one for you - all power to you friend. However, if a handbag that costs the same as your first car, sends you into a cold-sweat; calm down dear. Here are some great alternatives that seriously look the part, all at sensible prices.
For a vegan-friendly/ option try our
Oakmont Shoulder Bag (in four great neutrals). For a real luxury leather style at a great price you can choose our
Mally Retro Style Shoulder Bag which is actually a doppelganger for another, more expensive, Celine style. I have this glorious bag myself (in taupe) and I just love it. We have it in three different sizes (small, medium and large) and in over fifteen colours, including, of course, great neutrals. We also have
this style in Vegan Leather although sizes and colours are more limited.
The stripe sweater.
Stripes are a
perennial go-to for classic dressers and in season one, Alex wears a Saint Laurent black and white cashmere stripe knit. If you're feeling fancy, it's still available on Net-A-Porter but you can achieve a similar look with our
high neck stripe sweater .
The Rectangular Gold Chain Necklace
Fast becoming a classic piece, we see Alex wearing one in Season 2. Hers is the
Nicole Landaw 14k Solid Link Long Necklace, costing around £5000 of your finest British Pounds. If you search across the Interweb, there are literally hundreds of gold plated alternatives you could choose but our
Melinda Maria Carrie Chain Necklace is a great quality piece at a sensible price.
Cat Eye Black Sunglasses
Confession. I covet the Celine Cat Eye black sunnies we see Alex wearing in Season 2. Again, look after them and you'll have them for years, they'll always look stylish, so by all means, splurge. For those of you who no sooner look at a pair of sunglasses than loose them; some alternatives are this pair from And Other Stories or our very own "Solid Plan" version. Both cost under £40.
If you just love this style, we'd very much recommend following Lydia Jane Tomlinson's Instagram where you can find many, many how-to's and lots of inspiration.
