5 Things Friday - 5 Autumn Outfit Formulas
5 Things Friday - 5 Autumn Outfit Formulas
Not sure where to start with your autumn looks? Try this exercise to give you 5 looks you will wear on repeat this season.
The start of a new season can be a little overwhelming when it comes to your wardrobe. You’re probably still hanging on to some of your late summer pieces, starting to unpack your autumn wardrobe from its storage and at the same time being tempted by what’s new in the shops. Does this make you feel like you have a wardrobe full of clothes but nothing to wear? It’s a common complaint and I too can feel overwhelmed at this time of year as I try not to be seduced into buying everything that tempts me! Before I press ‘add to basket’, I always ask myself whether this will work for me and how I will wear it? It’s really important to understand your wardrobe needs rather than wants in order to avoid making that ‘only wore it once’ purchase that I’m sure we’ve all been guilty of.
Think of 5 Uniforms You Need
I originally got this idea from Liz at
who suggested 7 uniforms to help you create a look for all eventualities. I’m sticking with 5 (it is 5 Things afterall!) but you may need more or less depending on your daily life. The idea is to take a note of how you spend your days and the various activities you do that need a different outfit. Having recently changed my lifestyle a little (giving up working 2 days a week in education), this exercise is a great way for me to also have a rework of my style and needs.My occasions were
WFH - now takes up the biggest part of my week.
Weekends - Trips out, brunch dates and shopping.
Dog Walking - At least once, sometimes twice a day
Errand Days - Running into town to do jobs
Research Days - Shopping, events
Evenings Out - Meals with friends and family and the odd date night
I know what your thinking, that’s 6! The dog walking was an after thought but actually its something I do EVERY single day so of course I need an outfit for it! It’s easy to overlook some of the most important stuff because style isn’t necessarily your number one thought when walking the dog, but I definitely need more dog walking outfits than going out looks. I suggest you really think about what your week looks like, and don’t forget to include ‘the school run’, or ‘college day’ if those are things you do regularly.
I have found this little exercise really useful in determining where I actually need to make some purchases and where I need to stop. I know they say dress for the life you want rather than the life you have, but that can lead to a wardrobe of unused clothes! It helps to understand the balance of your wardrobe. Do you keep buying ‘going out tops’ when in fact you only go out a few times a month? Have you got a wardrobe full of casual items but in fact you’ve gone back to work - or the opposite and retired but are still hanging onto your corporate clothes? It only took me an hour, but it was an hour well spent, and I ended up with 6 looks that I can rely on when I don’t have time to think.
1. Working from home
Co-Ord Shirt+Jeans+MV necklace+MV earrings+Boston Birkenstocks + Rock&Ruby Socks
A large part of my week now involves WFH and for me that looks like sitting at my desk, Zoom meetings and styling sessions. I did all this before but usually after work, or at weekends, so I’m now trying hard to structure my week a little more. My WFH uniform has comfort as the No1 factor (think elastic waistbands and soft fabrics), but I want to feel that I can jump on a Zoom call without getting changed! Equally, I want to feel good about what I’m wearing for my own self esteem. I’ve said before that feeling good about myself very strongly correlates to liking what I’m wearing. Being at home the majority of the time could easily lead to endless joggers and sweater days, but I know for my own self estem that’s not going to be a good thing in the long term. I’ve shown you this Arket co-ord previously, but it has been an absolute winner for me this season. It's so comfortable, with soft fabric and an elastic waist and, being a co-ord, I always feel a little more put together when wearing it. It’s casual enough to wear at home and if I need to pop out to town I’d probably throw on my Sezane trench or Uniqlo quilted jacket. When it gets chillier I’ll layer a breton or long sleeve top underneath. The Bostons are out for autumn and my feet always freeze when I’m sitting at my desk (kitchen table) so a pair of Rock&Ruby socks is a must. Don’t forget accessories; I may be at home but I always wear my favourite necklace and earrings.
2. Weekends
Barn Jacket+Cashmere Jumper+Tee+Straight Leg Jeans+Trainers+Suede Bag
Weekends need a multi-tasking uniform. I usually end up doing a variety of things, but on Saturdays in particular I like to try and have some time off from chores and work and spend some time with the husband, which often involves brunch and a mooch around town. I succumbed to the barn jacket - I actually have a picture of me aged 14 in an identical one I bought from Next circa 1985! In my defence I’ve been wearing a quilted jacket for the last few years and fancied a change, plus as a casual jacket I can see it will get lots of wear. A cashmere crew neck is my jumper of choice before we start with all the chunky knits, and I’m embracing more colour this autumn so a rich olive green is going to work well with all my browns and navys. I wear lots of wide-leg jeans but I like my Cos straight legs with this look, it seems a bit smarter, especially with an oversized jacket. Autumn footwear is trainers or loafers for me. I just bought the suede M&S loafers but nine times out of ten I reach for trainers. I love my Adidas trainers but on rainy days I get my favourite chelsea boots out or, if it’s really cold, this look works well with my Air&Grace boots.
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