Outfit: 30X30 Capsule Days 27 & 28

It’s funny how you can swing from feeling like you have a million outfit options at your fingertips, to feeling as though there’s only a handful of items you can reach for as part of a capsule wardrobe. As we come up to the end of the 30 day challenge, that’s weighed on me in a sense. I suppose, because I’ve found myself reaching for the same selection of staples to build many of my outfits.

Wearing Isabel Marant Etoile t-shirt; Madewell skinny jeans*; Vince coatigan (old but similar one here); Vaneli two tone pumps; Linjer crossbody bag*

Perhaps what’s been highlighted to me most has been my reliance on denim. The Madewell jeans I’m wearing above, and the Zara faded black jeans have been the two items I’ve wanted to wear repeatedly. Even going so far as to throw them on if I’ve had to have an unexpected midday change. As much as I’ve wanted to step away from denim as a core part of my style uniform, I’ve leaned into it as part of this capsule.

One thing it’s reinforced in me? How important those staple items are in our wardrobe – and how hard-working they can be (if we let them). The jeans I’m wearing; the shoes I’ve slipped on almost daily. I’d quite happily repeat them week in and week out over the majority of the other items in my closet.

I went for a simple outfit combination for Monday. A linen striped tee, skinny jeans, and an oversized wool coatigan for warmth. Overall a pretty casual outfit, but it felt a little elevated by the addition of my two tone pumps. They have a knack of making an outfit feel a bit more “put together”.

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It occurred to me as I was putting this outfit together, that I probably hadn’t worn a button down shirt with trousers since I wrapped up at my last job. Working from home, I’ve put a focus on balancing tailored pieces with casual wardrobe basics. It’s a good example of how our style can quickly evolve depending on our lifestyle.

Wearing H&M shirt (sold out but similar); Forcast black trousers; & Other Stories wool cardigan; Charlotte Olympia kitty flats; Cuyana leather tote bag

I still like to wear tailored trousers. While I was lamenting above about how denim is something I’ve come to lean on, I feel like I can balance out my outfits by swapping jeans for trousers every now and then. This particular pair have a side zip closure which creates a seamless silhouette.

Some of the strategies I employed to make this outfit feel a little less formal? The shirt is a cotton poplin, so has some structure to it, but it’s two sizes larger than I’d usually go for which adds more of a relaxed nature to the silhouette. This extra volume shows in the outfit, and adds a more casual vibe, particularly with the addition of a wool cardigan on top, which conceals the collar.

I also went with a fun shoe – my Charlotte Olympia kitty flats. Sneakers could have worked well with this outfit too, but I just love the quirky design of these shoes. Somehow, they just manage to go with absolutely everything.