What I've Learnt From Two Weeks of Bad Outfits

Because not everyday can be a slay, right?

Eagle-eyed readers might have spotted that there’s been a two-week hiatus in my ‘Everything I Wore This Week’ wardrobe diary posts, and that’s for two reasons. One, I was away with family and allowed myself to do something I don’t do often - not open my laptop. I rested! It was lush! And two, well, my outfits were… bad. I just wasn’t in the mood. You’ve been there, right? You’re uninspired, and the act of getting ready feels redundant, and that’s ok. It can be a factory reset of sorts. IT’S NOT THAT DEEP! I am, however, a Virgo/Type A/Eldest Daughter triple threat, so I like to dig in and find solutions. Let’s troubleshoot together here…

London/meeting days I have DOWN.

I’m being a tad overdramatic here because not every outfit was ‘bad’. In fact, there’s one category where I feel like I comfortably nail it every time, and that’s my London days. A weekly event where I commute to the capital for a day of meetings and events, and it’s an occasion where I get to lean a little more into the ‘polished’ side of my three words (polished, undone and classic). It’s my favourite day to get dressed for! So that’s lesson number one: When there’s a more refined edge to my outfits, I’m pretty chuffed with the overall outcome. Turn that sophistication dial up, baby!

Some working from home outfits from April.

The weather over the past two weeks has been pretty grand in the U.K - look at those slices of sunshine!! - which has allowed for some slightly less bundled-up and more spring-feeling working-from-home looks, too. WFH is ultimately what I spend the majority of my week doing, so it’s a category I have a lot of time to play with. And I like these outfits! I’ve found myself gravitating towards two formulas in particular:

• Navy + brown + an animal print pair of shoes

• Brown + white + black (with a hefty dollop of gold jewellery as always)

Comfortable and a little uninspired, but still my most-worn jeans ever*

Ok, ok, so we’ve established that it wasn’t all bad. Here’s where the wheels came off - a family holiday to Devon. Ultimate chill time (or at least as chill as it can be with a three-year-old!). Windy walks, beach time come rain or shine, carvery dinners and fish and chip suppers. To be honest, personal style wasn’t high on the agenda. Relaxed time spent with your family is a time to do exactly that - who cares what you’re wearing! But I packed in a rush, didn’t give myself that many options, and it resulted in a solid C+ in the outfit department - could do better.

An outfit that I didn’t mind!

We had a few dinners booked, where all 25 family members piled into the same place, and for those evenings, I packed the above: v-neck cashmere jumper + light wool jacket + a deeper-wash pair of jeans + leopard print flats. Still pared back, but a little fancier than what I was wearing during the days whilst we were away, and I didn’t mind it. Again, the polished dial was turned up a little, making me feel more in my comfort zone and finding that middle ground between the outfit I’d LOVE to be wearing and what was practical for the event ahead.

My workout for the day - carrying a very tired little dude across SAND.

It wasn’t a full fashion crisis because what I packed did the job. IT’S FINE. But there was room for improvement, for sure. So here’s what I’d do differently. Firstly, there was a severe lack of comfy clothing. I was on holiday!? What was I thinking?! I oscillated between jeans and pyjamas, but I needed a few more in-between clothes for those in-between moments; you know, cooking dinner, popping to the shops, playing cards, the cosy part of a rainy morning. Pieces that could have created more of a DONNI*-esque vibe…

Outfits like this would have been *real* helpful.

IG: @sobalera

Ok, so I found a solution for a chicer-feeling set of comfy clothes that already lived in my wardrobe, but how do I solve the problem of finding an outfit suitable for the outdoor elements? Whilst completing my daily scrolling exercise routine, I came across the above photos. WAIT - do I need a barn jacket?! Is that what’s been missing this whole time?! Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not suggesting I’d climb up Baggy Point with a Birkin bag (Croyde Bay holiday-ers, where you at?), nor a pair of Tabis or a silk scarf, but this outfit felt like a good starting point to borrow elements from. Something super polished, that I could dial down a bit this time.

Now it’s never nice to break up with your clothing items. It feels wasteful, both in a monetary sense and an environmental one. But if I’m being honest with myself, my wrap-style black parka jacket from ARKET in the picture above is never a piece that I’m excited to wear. Ever. It’s a ‘needs must’ situation. It’s practical. But almost entirely so. And here’s the thing - I rarely need it. I am not someone who has a dog or a small child that requires naps in a buggy (anymore!!!), so if it’s raining, there’s a high chance that I’m staying in the dry! I’m a fair-weather gal these days! Perhaps something more versatile would have more use in my wardrobe?

So I clicked around to find the origins of the barn jacket in the photo and TA-DAH it’s fricking Toteme. Of course it is…

Oh she’s a BEAUTY*.

This style of jacket could marry together the comfort that I need, whilst adding a little more polish than a puffer. Me and puffer jackets historically don’t get on, and it’s a piece that always ends up on my Vinted pile. It’s time to let it go. My compromise is a puffer layer - like the one from UNIQLO*. A super thin puffer that you can wear under your usual jacket, adding warmth without extra bulk. Using what I already have in my wardrobe, I’d style the jacket like this…

Sunglasses* / earrings* / coat* / jumper* / jeans* / bag* / boots (similar*)

• I’d wear darker denim. Wearing the pale wash jeans with the black jacket was throwing me off - too contrasty. I have a pair from AGOLDE that would pair beautifully with the coat's rich chocolate brown tones.

• Swap the Converse. I don’t mind the Converse, but I have a pair of (now discontinued) leather boots from Dear Frances that are equally comfortable and probably easier to clean. They would have worked just as well and levelled up the outfit.

• Don’t forget the details. A tote over Mark’s rucksack, a pair of earrings and my usual sunglasses. All small tweaks and low-lift ways to switch things up.

Some dupes for ya: Alex Mill*, Whistles* & Stradivarius*

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Whilst I don’t love that the conclusion is ‘WELP - I need to buy something new!!!’, it’s the push I need to shift something out of my wardrobe that I no longer love, nor even like. And sometimes we need that!! Ultimately, it’s April, and I hope my jacket-wearing days are coming to an end for the season. So it’s a purchase I’ll sit on till autumn, and if the itch is still there for a delicious-looking barn jacket, then I’ll scratch it. But I’ve learnt something from my ‘meh’ outfits, and thanks to this debrief, I’ll be able to pack smarter next time:

• Don’t pack in a rush.

• Make sure you have plenty of comfy ‘indoor’ options.

• Pack plenty of small upgrades: jewellery, belts, sunglasses etc.

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Right - I’m back on it! I’ve been a little tardy in replying to comments here and in the chat and keeping up to date with my favourite reads, too, so I’m going to spend the next few days squirrelling away and catching up. A new Style Edit will come your way tomorrow, and I’ll be back in my usual routine of posting a Wardrobe Diary on Sunday evenings. I’m cooking and I hope you’re hungry…

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