March Style Notes

March has been one of those months which has flown by in the blink of an eye. And with it, the start of autumn; a shift in season that I’m relishing, especially as it carries the reality of being able to layer (yay!), and pull out my abundant knitwear collection.

Wearing Tibi peplum top; MVN the label skirt (old but this is similar); & Other Stories cardigan; Tibi sandals; Acne Studios mini musubi bag; Linjer earrings; Monica Vinader bracelet

I thought for something different, I could wrap up this month’s style by chatting through my sartorial observations for March. Perhaps this might be best reflected on quarterly, but I thought we’d start here, and see how we go…

My peplum obsession is *back*

Something I’ve found really fascinating to reflect on has been the cyclical nature of my personal style. How I’ve shifted towards and away from certain silhouettes, as I go through seasons in life and time. Most notably now, has been my obsession with peplum tops. This was a big part of my personal style a decade ago, but I eventually moved on as I began to favour defining my waist more and more. It’s this realisation that’s made me look at the way I curate my closet more closely. 

My initial reaction, when I’m no longer wearing a style, would be to pass it on to a new home so it can get another “life”. Though what I’m realising is that in many respects I may be better off “shelving” a piece until I’m ready to come back to it. The absurdity of repurchasing a piece I sold a decade ago (this Tibi peplum top), is not lost on me.

Oversized elements are key

Appreciating that this next style note isn’t going to be to everyone’s taste, but mirroring previous months, I’ve continued to incorporate some oversized element into my outfits. The pieces are the same; basics most people would own, but in exaggerated silhouettes. Following that theme in my previous point, what I’m chasing here is an element of perceived modernity. Something that feels new and fresh in that moment. When in reality, I was wearing oversized proportions (large tanks with longline cardigans) with slimmer fitting closet staples almost two decades ago. 

What I’m most focused on when pairing an outfit is how to create balance with my proportions. It’s not just the “core” items of the outfit that relay this intent. But how I style my hair, choose my jewellery, wear my makeup. The way I adjust my clothing through pushing up sleeves, or choosing whether or not to tuck in a sweater. How much skin is exposed. And the weight and structure of my shoes. 

Take the above outfit for example. There’s a lot of loose fitting proportions for the key elements of the look. The skirt may be fitted at the waist, but the presence of the peplum disguises that. The sweater is also oversized, but the length comes down further than my hip or lowest point, so as to not exaggerate a feature of my body that I don’t want to highlight. It’s also all one colour, creating a column look which visually gives the appearance of height or length. Exposing skin on my chest and legs are where I add in some balance. It breaks things up, and also adds in a slimmer proportion which is absent from the clothing pieces. 

To break things down a little further… What I like about this is that it gives me options with the shoes. I wanted the square toe sandal for modernity. The little conical heel gives me literal height but also elevates the outfit and makes it feel slightly more dressy, despite the casual nature of the knit. Switching those shoes to these boots, the outfit would have more of a weekend casual vibe. Yet still feel balanced. 

I’ve been less preoccupied with “planning” ahead

Perhaps this is a knock on effect from my low buy, but instead of actually sitting down and mapping out how I want my autumn wardrobe to look, I’m focused inwards on remixing what I have. This is one of the benefits to having a capsule wardrobe in practice; everything you put on looks and feels like you. The trick to keeping it interesting is by utilising style hacks, or continuing to “shop” your closet. Not to say I have a small closet by anyone’s standards (quite the opposite!). But years of building up my basics have meant that despite having desires for something new, I have a good understanding of what I will and won’t wear. The former making up the entirety of my closet at this point.

I think also in part, that this lends itself to the fact that I’m not excited by upcoming trends for 2022. While you could easily argue that elements of my style are trendy and part of the current fashion zeitgeist – oversized blazers, straight leg jeans, neutrals, brown tones – these things have always been lurking in the background. The main difference being everyone is wearing them (for) now.