Most of 200-plus lots are complete looks, with some showing signs of repeated mending by late designer A taffeta ball gown with the span of a light aircraft is one of the more magnificent items to go on sale at Christie’s in June as part of an auction of the personal wardrobe of Dame Vivienne Westwood. From her 1999 Dressed to Scale collection, the gown may be dramatic but is a drop in the ocean among more than 200 lots of fashion, jewellery and accessories worn by the late designer, activist and patron saint of punk over the decades ..read more

Scheme is part of effort to reduce ‘staggering’ quantities of textiles going to landfill or incinerator Instead of throwing stained, ripped and misshapen clothing in the bin, Britons are being asked to stick the dregs of their wardrobe in the post in a trial aimed at tackling the “staggering” quantity of textiles sent to landfill or incinerated each year. A third of consumers do not know what to do with tops, dresses and trousers that can no longer be worn, figures show, with a similar number admitting to putting such items in their household waste bin ..read more

Woman Begging With Two Children, by an unknown artist, shows what appears to be a denim skirt in 17th-century Italy The origin of the world’s most enduringly popular fabric is in ­dispute, as a new exhibition spotlights a claim that firmly links denim with 17th-­century Italy and takes its history back 200 years. Blue denim, that all-American ­symbol of informality and a life lived on the open range, is already also contentiously attributed to ­southern France, while modern jeans ­mythology still has it that Levi Strauss, a German immigrant, first came up with the idea of making workwear ..read more

Bright colours, neutral or time for a change? The idea of a signature look has always appealed to me. Or actually perhaps it is more accurate to say that I admire those who have managed to adopt one and then have stuck to it – people whose wardrobe is solely made up of (chic) black clothing or have a minimalist makeup approach that consists of black mascara, nothing else. I understand the pared-down mantra means less drama in the mornings, but gosh what a commitment. Personally, I lack the discipline, much preferring the chaos of choice. Hence, the closest I’ve come to a signature look is a co ..read more

Swimwear to stand out in, Sandro’s collaboration with French artist Louis Barthélemy and Ganni’s size-inclusive collection ..read more

As younger and younger people buy anti-ageing products, we look at the influences behind the trend Younger generations are known for sharing their extensive skincare habits online. Generation Z, those born between the mid-1990s and early-2010s, and the cohort succeeding them, known as Generation Alpha, appear to be obsessed with trying to halt the ageing effects of time. Even children as young as 10 are putting pressure on their parents to buy them expensive, anti-ageing products. In the latest example of this fascination, gen Z has adopted another technique to stop wrinkles: a quirky-shaped s ..read more

Prepare for more team colours on the high street, because ‘sport/fashion has exploded into the mainstream’, according to one fashion expert It is nearly the end of the season but fashion has other plans: earlier this month Swedish luxury fashion label Acne Studios launched a £360 mock football shirt. Even though it makes Nike’s £124 England tops seem like a bargain, it is close to sold out. Acne calls it an “appliquéd logo-print striped mesh T-shirt”, but to all intents and purposes it is a football shirt. It features the name of the label where a sponsor would be; a little white and navy-stri ..read more

It may not be groundbreaking, but a flowery frock is my go-to as the weather warms – so embrace this rite of spring in style Daylight, that mythical creature mostly glimpsed out of the office window in the 27 months since Christmas, now stretches into the evenings. On the street, the candy-sweet chime of the ice-cream van harmonises with the lazy hum of Lime bikes. This can mean only one thing. The time has come. You open your wardrobe and reach for a floral dress. It is a rite of spring. Except that every year this precious moment is tarnished, just a little bit, by the voice in your hea ..read more

Rishi Sunak has killed them off, at least for now. So while your Sambas take a breather and wait for the storm to pass, here are some other looks led by trainers not yet tainted by having cropped up in the halls of government ..read more

Clearing out your wardrobe? Here’s how you can stop good quality clothing from ending up in landfill Change by Degrees offers life hacks and sustainable living tips each Saturday to help reduce your household’s carbon footprint Got a question or tip for reducing household emissions? Email us at changebydegrees@theguardian.com It’s a Saturday morning and I’m pulling clothes out of my suitcase and hanging them on a rack. Around me are three others attending their own displays. We’re all here for the same purpose – to find a more sustainable way to part with the clothes we no longer need. Selli ..read more