Wrapping up the year by sharing 12 of my favourite outfits I wore in 2023. By no means an exhaustive list, but reflections are always fascinating as it can tell you a lot about your personal style. Taking a look at my own favourites, there’s a few key takeaways:
- I love a dramatic silhouette. Wide leg trousers, oversized knitwear or jackets. But that element of big and slouchy features in almost every look.
- Dainty shoes are my happy place. Having experimented plenty with chunkier styles, I’ll always love these on others but for me what feels right is a shoe that has a slimmer profile. Leans into the more feminine side of my personal style.
- I’ve really embraced a straight/wide leg pant. Very practical if you’re a mum, but also, that floor sweeping trouser length combined with a high waist makes your legs look a mile long. Total no brainer.
So in rough, chronological order, here goes…
OUTFIT #1
Wearing Wynn Hamlynn dress, The Frankie Shop blazer, Tibi strappy sandals, Chanel vintage classic flap
If I hadn’t found an occasion to wear this, I’d say this was a complete fantasy self buy. A tropical printed dress with wired “cut out” that can be manipulated to create a really dramatic neckline. This was my birthday outfit for lunch at Ursula’s, and felt toned down when worn with the oversized blazer (also helped to cover me up a little!). Balanced out the big with a super dainty sandal. If you’re a Tibi-fan, then you can see those elements of big, slim, and skin in practice here.
OUTFIT #2
Wearing Staple the Label mini dress, Camilla & Marc blazer, Jil Sander sandals, More Joy cap, Saben mini coco bag (15% off with JAMIELOVESSABEN)
Mixing different styles in this outfit. Feminine with sporty, tailored with minimal. And that’s why it works. There’s friction in the mix, with paired items that feel antithesis to each other. Also, was part of my obsession with wearing baseball caps and styling them with anything and everything last summer. A reminder to bring them back into rotation. And also, there’s something about wearing pieces that bring you real joy. My little Saben mini bag being a great example of this. One of those items in my closet that gives me a little smile every time I reach for it.
OUTFIT #3
Wearing M&S tee, M&S midi skirt, Tibi denim shacket, Tibi strappy sandals, Sezane bag
Tonal outfits are a great way to add visual length, but also, look effortlessly chic. Personally I love the mix of varying whites, I think it adds more dimension and stops the outfit feeling flat. The bag in a cognac brown acts as that showstopping piece against a clean outfit backdrop. Something I quite like doing with outfits is playing around with visual breaks/lines, and you can see that visible here with the waistline, where the jacket falls to, and also the hemline of the skirt vs the strappy detail of the sandals. Sandals with a strap at the ankle tend to add a strong visual break which can cut you off or break up your body in an awkward way. It works here as the straps are very fine, in addition to being quite similar in tone to my complexion.
OUTFIT #4
Wearing Goelia striped wool cardigan (25% off with JAMIE25), Facade Pattern trousers (10% off with mademoiselle2023), About Arianne ballet flats, Acne Studios mini musubi bag
An outfit wearing nothing but favourites. Always bound to be a winner. The different here being the silhouette I opted for. Usually, I’d highlight my waist. Instead, opted to wear the striped knit jacket loose, which has a bit of a boxy look. Cropped trousers can shorten your legs, so I always recommend wearing them with a shoe in a similar tone (or with boots that have a high shaft for winter looks), as this helps to visually extend the line of your pants. Daintier shoes have a “lighter” look, too. Adding in warmth through my bag, which is the only “pop” of colour here. The origami-esque design adds some softness to the overall silhouette.
OUTFIT #5
Wearing Toteme striped knit, Deiji Studios skirt, Arket boots, Chanel vintage classic flap bag
Essentially an all black look, featuring another striped knit. One of my many style kryptonite. I left it loose here to convey a sense of ease and casual nature, as my accessories are more refined. The boots with the cuban heel are fashion forward and modern, whereas the bag is a luxury staple and instantly feels dressed up. You can see what I was referring to earlier with boots, where the shaft extends up into my skirt – it extends the visual line for a clean look.
OUTFIT #6
Wearing Waikei sweatshirt, FRONTROW trousers, Aeyde sandals, The Curated shoulder bag
The sweatshirt that just makes me smile. Love the little Maltese pups on the front. It’s a playful touch, with is softened by the classic grey marle hue of the sweater. Being more of a slouchy piece that’s hip length, I like to wear this tucked. Another special piece in this outfit are the trousers which are a desaturated blue crinkly nylon. A really simple way to wear colour is to pair it back to a neutral, and I find grey is a great choice as in a medium hue doesn’t create too much contrast. Texture obviously being a great way to keep an outfit feeling interesting, we have the soft cosy sweatshirt, the crinkly nylon, the smooth leather and shiny mock croc.
OUTFIT #7
Wearing DISSH strapless top, Mo&Co trousers, Marle blazer, Tibi sandals, OLEADA bag (15% off with code Jamie15)
Rediscovering your style postpartum takes time. I found this out the hard way after my first pregnancy, so it came as less of a shock the second time around. But still, that desire to feel “like yourself” is always just there, in the background. This outfit to me signified that moment where I felt like me. It was minimal, chic, elegant. Yet somehow fuss-free. And while I liked plenty of outfits leading up to this point, it signalled a shift in thinking (and feeling). And I think you can see what I’m referring to here. A blazer is typically more of a formal piece; something you might use to dress up an outfit. But in a soft fabrication and worn with a casual sandal, it feels chilled out. The trousers are sleek, a great fit that make me feel good regardless of how I wear them. All black felt like a no brainer (despite being sans kid while wearing this ‘fit) as it added to that chic appeal I was craving. But also, it’s a reflection of my way to “dress up”. A slightly more elevated version of your every day outfit. I’ve taken to wearing black straight leg trousers a lot of late, and worn with a strapless top and blazer it feels more refined and suited for a special occasion. Changing up the accessories is an easy way to dial up or dial down the drama.
OUTFIT #8
Wearing La Saison Sportive sweater (use code Mademoiselle for 15% off), Mo&Co trousers, Tibi sandals
Same-same as the previous outfit, with a simple update. Switched out the bandeau and blazer for a super slouchy sweater. You can see how just a small change can feel like a totally different outfit. And it’s why I’m always saying that small wardrobes have the power to feel BIG based on the styling (and careful curation of pieces!). This knit in particular has become a favourite of mine as it’s a fine merino wool which feels ultra luxurious; the friction point in the style being how slouchy and oversized it is. For those wondering how to tuck a sweater like this, I have shared a how-to guide on YouTube HERE, or alternatively a condensed version on Instagram HERE. Basically, when you love an outfit, an easy way to update it is to cycle out or rotate one of the pieces. In this case, the top/jacket combination for an oversized sweater.
OUTFIT #9
Wearing Posse linen vest, Arket jeans, About Arianne ballet flats, Saben cassia bag (15% off with JAMIELOVESSABEN)
A day when I wanted a high contrast look, pairing white with (almost) black. A key styling trick I’ve used here is to think about how I’ve put my outfit together in blocks of colour. To avoid adding any awkward visual breaks, I’ve gone with a shoe that matches the colour of my jeans. You can see here just how seamless this is, which is enhanced by the addition of a black bag. These longline linen vests have been a bit of a trend piece for 2023, and I’m not immune to the influence of others. So, it didn’t take long for me to start coveting multiple different options. I quickly realised on reflection that I had this linen version from Posse – which up until that point I’d been wearing solely as part of a set – which already fulfilled that role in my wardrobe. This is one of the reasons why I try to stick by my 30 day shopping rule. Essentially, a wait it out tactic to try and reduce the instances of impulse buys that I would just never wear. One of my shopping tricks from years back that I’ll be taking with me into 2024.
OUTFIT #10
Wearing H&M tank (AU link here), Sportscraft trousers, Andersons belt, Tibi sandals, St Agni bag, Karen Walker sunglasses (also here)
When we really start to hone in on our personal style, certain themes will begin to emerge. It might be related to colour, texture, silhouette, accessories… the list goes on. But commonalities will present which you’ll start to identify in outfits you really love. Mine are simple. Longline silhouettes. A balance of refined/slim pieces with more relaxed styles. Addition of texture whether through key outfit pieces or accessories. Tonal head to toe looks. The presence of a “third” piece. This outfit has a similar feel to looks 7 and 8; the cut of the trousers worn with those thong sandals. Clearly a winning combination I’ll be dining out on for months (and years) to come. What I’m drawn to most with this outfit is how simple it is. I didn’t try hard to style it, instead opting for pieces that I knew I felt comfortable in. The textural belt and bag being bonus extras.
OUTFIT #11
Wearing H&M rib top (AU link here), Assembly Label jeans, Aeyde Mary janes, Demaker bag (10% off with Mademoiselle2023)
At this point you’ve likely heard of the “sandwich rule”. A styling trick where you match the colour of your shoes with your top. While it won’t always feel right, it’s a good tool to have at your disposal when you’re fussing about with your outfit trying to get the right balance. What occurred to me was that the sandwich rule doesn’t apply just to colour. But also to style. You can see this in action here. The top and the shoes are both refined, elegant, and feel slightly dressed up. Add a silk slip skirt and you can see that one-note vibe come through. Which is great in the right setting. But for every day, I want to have this toned down. Which is where the wide straight leg jeans come in. Chill, casual, or informal. These feel the opposite of refined. The jean I’d wear on the weekend with a big slouchy sweater. In this setting, they’re dolled up, living their best life with fancier pieces. The overall effect is balanced. Like I’ve put in some effort, but am 75% of the way rather than 100%. You can use this trick to dial down the vibe of fancier pieces too. Sandwich it between two more chilled out casual styles.
OUTFIT #12
Wearing Bondi Born dress, Sezane sandals, MONOROW bag (10% off with Mademoiselle2023)
Final favourite look of the year is one I wore just this past week. Summer dressing when you live in a hot climate can quickly feel tired. Living in a handful of simple silhouettes without much variation has a bit of a Groundhog Day effect. And as much as I love the summer, it’s usually this time of year that I’m the most dissatisfied with my wardrobe. Especially on days when I’m at home – whether that’s working doing Zoom calls/admin work, or looking after my kids – I’ll often default to easy cotton top + denim shorts. A winning combination when it’s hot, but creatively uninspiring. So as a way to break out of that rut, I’ll switch out to a beautifully designed dress; mini or maxi length. Using wrong shoe theory here to make the dress feel more interesting – this is where you pair a shoe with your outfit that feels kind of wrong. This elegant maxi calls for a dainty strappy sandal. Something unassuming (also in black) that feels analogous to the style of the dress. But what it needs is friction, which I get by pairing it with a clunky wide strap sandal in a rich brown. The chunkier style also has the effect of grounding the outfit.
So that is my year in looks. At least, my favourite looks of the year (in chronological order).
I say this often in my YT videos, but I’m always grateful for the time that you spend – either watching my videos or reading my website posts (or newsletter). Thank you, thank you, thank you. Wishing you and yours the very best as we head into a new year. May it be a joyous start to 2024 – looking forward to seeing you on the other side!
