Accessory trends come in and go out according to the mysterious cycles of a fashion addict’s moods, planetary alignments, technology, and taste– but one accessory always on trend is that drink in your hand at a party or bar. If you’re the kind of woman for whom dressing is obsessing, choosing a cocktail based on your couture just might be the next horizon of fashion and party bliss.
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Taste in food, drink, art, movies, fashion accessories — you name it — is tricky to define due to its subjective nature. That being said, pairing what you like to drink with what you like to wear can achieve the same pinnacles of je ne c’est quoi notoriety as muscadet and oysters or high-top Converse and your oldest, skinniest jeans.
15-Year Old Single Malt Scotch
Single malt scotch, especially at around 15 years of age, is one of the most singularly pleasurable drinks a serious liquor connoisseur can experience. Perfected among the green hills of Scotland, a single malt scotch is made with malted barley and water as its sole ingredients. Aged and matured in oak casks for 15 years, the best distilleries produce a liquor smooth and smoky with lingering dark, more piquant fruit notes like raisins, currants and dried figs. An excellent scotch pairs best with items of like quality and distinctiveness:
Fur. Whether it’s a simple stole or a faux fox-trimmed denim jacket, fur — because it comes from a single and valuable source — is a perfect complement to two-fingers of scotch.
Golds and yellows. As long as the fabric is real and not synthetic, wearing the hues of the moon and a precious metal will imply the same recognition of history over the buzz and whir of contemporary society that a well-aged scotch does.
A Glass of Cabernet
Cabernet sauvignon is one of the most popular grape varietals in the world and for good reason: Rich, robust and still easy to drink, a glass of this velvety red wine elevates almost any scene and its drinker to a more elegant plane. Grown and cultivated wherever there are vineyards, its origins are French; as such, it pairs well with pieces and materials that are classic and undeniable:
Cashmere. Even if it’s a simple cardigan or scarf, the subtle and understated quality of cashmere is a perfect match to a good glass of cabernet.
Silk. If it was born out of a fashion tradition older than the cotton gin, it will look good with this wine. This makes silk, with its millennia-old history, a perfect accompaniment.
Beer
Whether you drink it in a glass or a bottle, beer is the quintessential everyman’s drink. Give in to the stereotype — and play down your feminine side. Pair your beer with jeans, sneakers and many multi-length necklace layers. Wear a short skirt, a tomboy’s bare legs, Converse and put a ribbon in your ponytail.
The Perfect Manhattan
The Manhattan is a classic American cocktail born out of 1870s New York featuring American whiskey, sweet vermouth and bitters. The Perfect Manhattan (as opposed to the traditional or “classic”) spins this recipe slightly by adding dry vermouth, creating a more complex drink that packs the slightest bitter punch to the palette. Ideally garnished with an orange or lemon twist, the Perfect Manhattan pairs best with:
Anything by a hip, new American designer. Think Harbison or any of your friends who dropped out of art school to wait tables while designing and making clothes.
Primary colors. The Perfect Manhattan is a bold-tasting drink that is all booze. Primary colors —with their attention-grabbing ways — will make sure your look is a true match.
Champagne
The drink of celebration, a glass of champagne can be enjoyed any time of year and for no reason other than its vibrant taste. Because it is associated with good news, drinking a glass of champagne borrows from a cultural and emotional history of joyful events: weddings, coronations, promotions and engagements. Drink champagne when you wear more reserved colors and hues to bring a bit more verve to your look. Whenever you wear vintage or family jewelry, a glass of champagne will act as a foil, allowing those pieces to shine more brightly.
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