The weekly one where I show you what I’ve worn Monday-Friday.
I’ve decided to shift things slightly.
This weekly round up will now become a regular feature available to all free subscribers- a deep dive into the outfits you can already see over on Instagram through the week. (Head to Instagram to watch my daily Get Ready With Me reels every morning.)
I’ll then keep all longer-format styling/inspo articles (one per week, usually sent on a Wednesday) reserved for my paid subs.
Thank you so much for being here, whether paid or free, every time a new person subscribes, it puts a huge smile on my face!
Looking back over these weekly What I Wore articles, I can see I’ve started to use this opening paragraph to kind of download the week. To sum-up and get it off my chest, whatever it was.
…thing is, I sat this week and wrote out my Recap for the month:
…and so, I feel like I’ve offloaded to the max (for the time being) it was a deep emotional-dive kind of newsletter!
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When I sit and go through my recent outfits, I do feel it’s all a bit of a mish-mash, no real theme for the weeks, no real focus.
I think it’s the coming-to-the-end-of-the-season-boredom kicking in.
I’m really feeling the need for an overhaul of sorts. Something to kick me into gear and fill me with enthusiasm. A new season usually serves pretty well in this department, and we’re on the cusp- so close it’s a tease- but since it is somehow still puffa coat weather out there (much to my dismay and frustration) I’m turning instead to a little trick I put into practice late on last year to deep cleanse my wardrobe (still need to write up that article, eek!)
I breifly mentioned in last week’s article…
…how I really honed into my “three words”. It’s a concept from Allison Bornstein’s book that comes in reeeal handy if you’re editing down your wardrobe.
If you already read the below in my previous article, please feel free to skip forward a paragraph or two. But for those of you that are new to this…
The way it works is that you pick three words. Each word falls into a different category and plays a specific role in helping you hone into what it is that makes you tick when it comes to nailing an outfit.
Word One- this word, at its core, is practical. You find it by being honest with yourself about what it is that you lean into everyday. What is it that makes you feel confident? What is the essence that marries together all your favourite (but regular) outfits.
Word Two- this word should be aspirational. Where do you want to be with your style? What do you imagine for yourself in terms of how you put your outfits together? This word should be your guiding star.
Word Three- this word is emotive. How do you want to feel in your clothes?
My words…
comfort/ eclectic /whimsical
To break them down for you-
Comfort - if a garment is not comfortable, or comforting in some way, I. WILL. NOT. WEAR. IT. It just doesn't happen. I know this about myself.
Eclectic - I really hate the word eclectic, but it communicates my aim. I like a mish-mash. A pick and mix approach to dressing. It’s the magpie in me.
Whimsical- I’m an eternal romantic (pisces sun, cancer moon here) and I like to feel this whimsy everyday when I get dressed. I rarely put on an outfit without (even a tiny) element of whimsy.
My thoughts here are to conduct an experiment of sorts:
This week I got ready in a very haphazard, chaotic way- no real focus or editing going on. No real reason for picking the combinations I did with regards to how it looked (more how it felt, but you'll hear all about that below.)
For this experiment, I propose a quick-fire analysis of these outfits, here today, then I’ll head on holiday for 10 days (and will present you with a bumper holiday-outfit round up on the 11th April.) Week commencing 14th April, I’ll get dressed each morning paying close attention to my three words, using them to construct an outfit each day. We can then compare and contrast together. Fun game? Hope so.
In the meantime, I challenge you to have a go at honing into your three words. Comment below and let me know how you get on, what you decide on and why.
Monday.
Ok. Already quickly uploading and skimming this week’s outfits through the lens of my three words, I can see why I’m feeling in a funk- it’s clear which facet(s) of my outfit personality are being neglected.
I’ve a feeling this practice is going to be helpful.
I can preface the rest of the analysis of looks this week by saying that word number one “comfort” will always be satisfied. Like, always.
I literally never wear anything I don't feel comfortable in- I don’t buy clothing that doesn’t feel comfortable when worn. Those of you who wear Stalf on the daily will probably already understand that comfort is one of the the main driving forces behind my design process.
Perhaps I should clarify that I’m referring to physical comfort here.
I’m not talking about pushing yourself outside of your style comfort zone- challenging your own preconception about what you wear- that’s one of my favourite pastimes.
I know for a fact that many women who stumble upon Stalf don’t start with the Cocoon Jumpsuit (in Ice Cream pink could deffo be regarded as “out there” or perhaps “man-repelling”) rather, they’ll begin with sweats or a more classic linen blouse, and sure enough, most work their way towards something more “adventurous” (depending on your own personal barometer.)
Personally, I love to challenge myself in terms of what I’m comfortable wearing. Will I turn up to the school run looking like a cross between a Charles Dickens character and Sesame Street (and occasionally regret my choices as a result?) Absolutely. But will I feel physically comfortable whilst doing so? Absolutely.
Monday’s outfit ticks the comfort box, yes. Double sweats and a trusty pink shirt. Thinking back, it was actually the second outfit I pulled on that morning- got fully dressed only to despair with how it looked and started again (unusual for me).
It’s the last two boxes it fails to tick. I’d say the reason I still went with it is because it’s one of those outfit combinations that I’ve revisited solidly for a decade or so (in some iteration or another) and so it feels like “me”, even though the “me” that honed my words feels like it didn't meet the mark.
Tuesday.
Tuesday is similar. I really think this week I was dressing for that number one word. When I say “comfort” is my top priority, yes, I’m talking about not having a waistband cutting off my blood supply, or a crotch that’s disappearing somewhere it shouldn't, but some times it’s more than that.
There are weeks when I’m stressed, I’m simmering at a 9.5/10 holding it all together (I know for a fact that we all get there once in a while) and those weeks, I really can’t bear to wear anything other than 100% comfort. I self-soothe with the clothing I put on.
Tuesday’s outfit has that written all over it.
The Dungas are fast becoming my 100% reliables. The ones I turn to for the above. If it wasn’t these, it’d be the Sweats in a size up from usual.
Do you notice I’m not wearing jewellery? Another sign. My sister texted our group chat last week asking if we ever felt “trapped by (our) jewellery”. Do you have that? I knew exactly what she meant.
The checked blouse is at least a nod to whimsy or romance (albeit an almost imperceptible one.)
Wednesday.
Alright, Wednesday I felt good. I got into work early, smashed through my to-do-list, put on make up (!!) even curled my hair (a bit.)
This Frosty Lilac sweatshirting needs to come back into the collection- it’s the most perfectly uplifting, delicate yet punchy shade of lilac. Who’s with me?
You already know I’m comfortable (word one, tick).
What this outfit might lack in eclectic eccentricity (although I’d argue that any detail that feels like a surprise eg. layered gemstones, little gold shell clasp on the second necklace, adds in something here) it makes up for with romance & whimsy. Something about the combo of textures and fabrics (the lightest weight of fine, white linen with pastel cosiness with sturdy yet soft thunder grey corduroy) mixed with twinkles of gold, silver and aquamarines, the corozo buttons on the Work Trousers, XL pockets… all combine and deliver juuuust enough to register on the barometer.
Regardless of the analysis, in a week where I floated somewhat subconsciously in and out of my outfits for the most part, this one actually felt good to pull on. Sometimes you wear something and you just feel good, you know? These are often the outfits I haphazardly cobble together and stumble upon and then trip over myself to analyse and recreate.
Thursday.
The piles of folded clothing all over the floor of my dressing room in the background of picture one below, probably shed enough light on the reason why I was back to maximum comfort dressing come Thursday. Impending holiday spurs packing-chaos-doom.
Having said that, I really can’t stress enough that if you’re looking to self soothe with clothing, you really can’t go wrong with our Sweatshirt Jumpsuit. I often overlook it in favour of the Dungas or Cocoon Jumpsuit, but it still has that absolute no-compromise-ease. It’s like it settles me when I pull it on- I snuggle into its reassurance.
We’re not really achieving a lot here again with regards to words 2 and 3 and I think that’s helpful for me to reflect on. I knew I’d been in a funk getting dressed this week, but now I can see whyyyyy I wasn’t hitting my own mark- to have some simple steps to check, words to tick off, is just helpful.
Friday.
Good Friday. And it was.
I took my two boys out for the day to grab some last minute holiday supplies. We sang in the car the whole way there. We ate junk food, browsed the shops, they gleefully scanned their own suncream in boots on the self-service checkouts (easily pleased!)
Can you see with this outfit I found my mojo again.
Comfort- yes.
Pick and Mix- yes. I’ve deffo ticked the pick and mix box with this one.
Romance- I’d argue that I achieve an element of whimsy with the playful colours, patterns, textures, the jewellery’s back on.
I’m here for this outfit. So much so that I sent a text to my colleague, Lucy, asking her to put in some samples of this blouse shape in our new checks (eek, coming in May.)
At the end of all that, I find I’ve actually inspired myself again. I’ve given myself a framework to come back to post-holiday. I can’t wait to get begin, in a couple of week’s time.
Holiday outfits aside (it’s always fun to dress for a holiday, tweak your style-personality, shift your perspective, forgo trousers and/or top and still be socially accepted) I’m buzzing to get stuck into my three words rule come the 15th.
Until then, send me your words!! Either below in the comments, or in the group chat thread we have here on substack, I’d love to see your Stalf outfits too!
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Here ends my weekly round up. Wishing you a wonderful weekend!
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