Ashley Benson's Oversized Turtleneck Looks So Cozy, It Actually Makes Us Excited For Cold Weather
Not everyone enjoys trading T-shirts and cutoffs for chunky sweaters and black jeans, but Ashley Benson definitely does. Speaking to InStyle ahead of a photo shoot for the brand La Ligne, the actress reveals she’s a big fan of fall fashion.
“New York in fall is my favorite,” she tells us, before listing the pieces she can’t wait to break out again. “I love wearing boots — tall boots, ankle boots. I like oversized turtlenecks, blazers, good trench coats, skinny jeans, leather pants — all in dark colors. I'm usually always in black.”
With that in mind, it makes sense that Ashley would end up wearing a black, oversized turtleneck ($450) for these breathtaking shots. The pictures are part of La Ligne’s iconic portrait series, La Bande, in which the founders — Meredith Melling, Valerie Macaulay, and Molly Howard — ask a few of their favorite people to style themselves in the brand's designs, before capturing the looks in black and white photos. Benson is just one part of a very large, very powerful group, which includes both men and women from a variety of different industries.
“We always had a vision of celebrating the women — and men! — around us and illustrating the intimacy between a woman and her wardrobe,” Macaulay explains to InStyle when talking about the ongoing project. “Sometimes, people choose to wear the same piece and the results are completely different, which is the point. [La Ligne] is the line, the thread, that runs through each picture, but it is the individual that makes the portraits unique.”
Howard agrees. "These are people who inspire us, who are out in the world making their mark, and doing it their own way." Plus, according to Melling, it's helpful for the future of their line. "It's always interesting to us as co-founders to see what pieces our La Bande subjects gravitate towards. Our eyes and ears are always open."
As for Benson, she's very much into La Ligne’s classic vibe, and expresses her love for everything striped, which just so happens to be the brand’s bread and butter (and where it gets its name).
“All of the striped shirts and the sundresses are comfy, chic, and really simple,” she says. “That's kind of my style. I don't like to be too much.”
Benson says that her everyday style is pretty timeless, and when it comes to outerwear, she has a bit of a leather jacket problem.
“I probably have at least 15 pairs of black leather jackets. I don't know why I need that many, but I just keep wanting to get new ones. I also have just a ton of trench coats, because I moved to New York three years ago and wanted to invest in a lot of coats.”
As Benson describes what’s in her wardrobe, we can’t help but wonder: is she the type of person who lets friends raid her closet? Or does she keep her prized possessions on major lockdown?
“Oh, I share clothes all the time,” she admits. “Me and my best friend share clothes; me and my girlfriend [Cara Delevingne] share clothes. It’s very easy — and fun.”
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The star only has one rule when it comes to borrowing her stuff.
“I guess just ask or say you're borrowing it. One time, I had just bought this trench coat from The Row — I'd never worn it — and I show up to dinner and my friend's wearing it. I was like, ‘What the f*ck? I literally just got that!’ She's like, ‘I needed a coat!’ I'm like, ‘My brand new one?!’ But she looked good in it, so it was fine.”
We can only imagine that Benson will want to stock up on — and, perhaps, share — some of the fall pieces from La Ligne, which will be worn by even more well-known faces as the rest of the La Bande series rolls out. As for what’s next for the brand? Melling, Macaulay, and Howard tell us via email that they're planning more of the same.
“More stores, more categories, more fabulous women, and more stripes!”
