75 day hard style challenge #6

this week I 'pick one piece'

I like the idea of outfit repeating, changing something small to change the feel of the outfit and getting the most from your wardrobe. There is a problem though and its that I don’t want to wear the same outfit one day after the other, and to be honest it doesn’t really fit my lifestyle as one day I might be at the park and the next day I might be working from the office.

So when I read this article from Always Overdressed I thought this might be something that could work for me.

Pick One Piece

This week is a little different to normal as it was the February schools long weekend so I was off work a couple of extra days and could dress a little more casually.

Sunday

Jumper (Old Zara), Jeans, ribbed tank, leopard print loafers, chain, charm

Sunday was a bit of an unusual activity day: I went to a sound bath in Glasgow’s west end and a lunch in a nice pub. So I was needing to dress nicely for lunch (which was delicious), but also comfortably enough to lie on a yoga mat for an hour and a half.

The sound bath was really interesting, I felt at times really relaxed in an almost trance and occasionally a little anxious and emotional. I think I will need to do it again to figure out if it was for me, but it did feel like a real act of self care.

The jumper was a hand me down from my mum (very lucky to have a stylish mum!). I thought this outfit worked and it walked the line of put together but very comfortable, although I took socks and wore them at the sound bath as I didn’t want my feet to get cold.

Monday

wrap cardigan, sambas

The one thing I brought over from the previous day was the M&S carrot jeans. This was a simple (read bland) and comfy outfit which I wore to have lunch with my parents and my son.

Tuesday

Navy cotton trousers (old M&S)

The one thing from Monday was my grey wrap cardigan (and I guess my Sambas) which I paired with my navy cotton trousers. This was the day my son had a play date at his friends house where the mum and I had a catch up. Then I realised I am 100 years old as I sat a little awkwardly on her couch and got SUCH a sore lower back.

Objectively there is nothing wrong with this outfit, but it was boring and I didn’t feel great in it. I was bored with my outfit the day before and I am bored with it this day too and here in lies the problem with outfit repeating for me.

Wednesday

merino wool vest (old M&S), ribbed navy cardigan (old H&M)

This day was a day sponsored by my 7 year old so it involved a jigsaw, eating pizza and 2 games of tin pin bowling. The one thing from the day before was my navy cotton trousers. I was comfortable, but the outfit just didn’t work.

This navy ribbed cardigan is like a vestige from my previous life and I just don’t like the way it looks now, it did not make me feel good. This was in permanent rotation back when I just wanted to cover myself up and blend into the background which is no longer the case, it was too slouchy and too oversized. It has already been removed from my wardrobe.

That being said though I really like the combination of navy and brown and the fact that leopard print goes with navy shows that leopard really is a neutral.

Thursday

striped linen shirt (old H&M), red cord necklace, green converse

OMG (you all cry) the navy cotton trousers again, this was for a day in the office and I paired them with an oversized blue and white striped linen shirt. I felt really good in this outfit, it felt put together but relaxed and the little pop of red in the necklace freshened it up.

Friday

old Uniqlo trousers, old Zara cream jumper, green Crocs

This was a work from home day where the one thing from Thursday was my linen shirt. I would never normally wear such an ‘outfit’ for working from home but you know what it felt great, maybe everyone is right, you are more productive when you get properly dressed. And please remember my Crocs are my slippers!

Saturday

black culottes, black t-shirt, denim shirt (old Tu), pre-loved barn jacket (Vinted)

As I am sure you can see - there is no item from the day before. I picked my son from school and walked down a pretty muddy path and my trousers got splashed with mud all up the back so they were washed rather than re-worn.

This day it was actually sunny in Scotland in February (gasp!) and I went to a kids football b-day party and then for a walk at a country park. I made the most of it by wearing my COS culottes as they haven’t had much action yet. I think having the tight black t-shirt kept it from looking too oversized and just bloody love my shoes.

Lessons Learned

1. when I am off my work and just on mum duty I default to very comfortable and relatively boring outfits, maybe I need to work on that

2. I think these old M&S navy cotton trousers are absolute workhorses in my wardrobe

3. the more effort I put into my work from home looks the harder I work, I think

4. leopard print shoes are revolutionary

5. I am not sure that this just one thing approached really worked for me, it really hemmed me in, I was very careful with what I picked to make sure I had something to wear tomorrow. I think you can tell by some of my outfits that the repetition was a little dull

I would love it if you would leave me a comment with any tips you have for outfit repeating without getting bored