The tail end of winter always hits me by surprise. A 31 deg C day will pop up out of nowhere, cascading into the start of spring even though technically – technically – winter isn’t over yet. And it’s worth noting that Sydney winters as they are translate to “winter lite”.
One thing I finally switched up this season, was sorting myself out with a digital wardrobe cataloguing app so that I had a real visual representation of my outfits. Numbers are one thing, but they only tell you half of the story.
Getting a visual overview of what I was wearing too feels like a game changer and also tells me so much more about my style than how many times I wore a singular item. I’ve been using Indyx (which, FYI I’m a stylist on the app so you can book with me for The Feed or a Lookbook!), and for the sake of transparency I’ve popped my July and August outfit boards here to give you a good sense of how I’ve been dressing lately.
Also from a numbers perspective, I made the switch to manually tracking my most worn pieces to relying on Indyx for that data in mid-season, so I’ve blended the wear count in order to get a more rounded and accurate view of what I wore on repeat.
Let’s get in my winter most worn items.
MOST WORN TOP
Outfits often tend to be about function, and one of the things that I’m starting to realise about my wardrobe is that I place more stock into accessories or the “third” piece than the actual top I’m wearing. Sure, there are exceptions, but those don’t generally end up being items that get high rotational value for the season. What this tells me? As long as I have the basics – and ample variations to see me through the week – I’ll always find a way to dial up the outfit through other staple pieces.
That said, most worn top for winter? This merino long sleeve from Arket which I have in black. This is such a great base layer; thin, semi-sheer, lightweight and not scratchy. Mine have worn incredibly well. If you can’t access Arket, these ones from COS are essentially the same thing.
MOST WORN SWEATER
One of the things I’ve been reviewing a bit recently has been the type of necklines I gravitate towards. This is a tip I often tell my styling clients to consider, and reviewing my own wardrobe I’m acutely aware that I favour a crew neck over all else. V-necks just aren’t for me (realisation hit a few years back so I avoid buying these), and rollneck or mock neck sweaters I don’t mind, but I feel like I am less likely to wear these over a crew.
So, it’s interesting to see that the most worn knit was a repeat from Autumn, this oversized roll neck sweater from The Frankie Shop. I can see why I wore this a lot. It’s charcoal and not black, so the contrast level is dialled down somewhat. The fabric is a breathable merino and cotton blend so it’s comfortable to wear and surprisingly heavyweight so keeps you warm too.
MOST WORN COAT OR JACKET
I’m often saying buy once, buy well. And the one area of your wardrobe where I think this applies most is for outerwear. Both the coat and jacket which ended up in my most worn for the season are ones I’ve had for a couple of years, and there’s two key points of note.
One, the quality has held up – I’ve maintained them as best I can, but also, they still look good because I opted for items made from quality materials. But two, I went with styles that are reasonably classic. As in, they aren’t going to date over time.
The most worn coat was a Mansur Gavriel number. A black double faced coat I’ve had for a few years now and purchased pre loved. I love the drama of a full length coat, and this one in particular has the dropped lapel and relaxed fit which lean in on that. It’s also black and goes with everything. Ten out of ten, no notes.
My most worn jacket was a trench from Kindersalmon; this always elicits questions when I wear it. It’s probably worth mentioning here that while I love a trench, the style of your most worn jacket might look different. If you aren’t a trench wearer – or don’t think that you would be – don’t fall into the trap of adding this item to your closet. Because chances are, it’ll likely go unworn. Or… you’ll never feel like yourself when you wear it. Anyway, this trench I really enjoy because it is oversized and the water resistant outer has a starchy stiffness to it that creates a sense of structure and shape. It’s a basic that feels anything but as it makes a simple outfit immediately look more interesting.
MOST WORN SKIRT
Another repeat from autumn so I won’t drone on about this one too much. But instead, just to say that you want to consider the details. My most worn skirt was a trouser skirt of all things – this one from Goelia – but what set it apart was not only the fabrication, but the construction. It’s a poly blend which means it’s easy to care for. Then it has a side split detail that gives you a bit of airflow when walking but also has movement. But the detail I like the most is the half elasticated waist. The front is flat, classic zip closure, but then you have the ease of the elastic at the back (perfect if you bloat throughout the day like I do).
MOST WORN JEANS
I’ll never not find it wild that less than five years ago you couldn’t have gotten me out of my skinny jeans. A two decades long style crutch… and listen, I’m not about to “quit” the skinny jean, but they’ve since been succeeded by the straight leg as my sartorial preference (and I know I’m not alone here!).
What the visual overview of my seasonal most worn highlighted for me, was that I tend to wear a darker pair of pants or jeans 80% of the week. Clearly a symptom of having two young kids who tend to treat your clothing with reckless abandon (hello peanut butter everywhere!). So, I suppose it would have been easy for my most worn pair of jeans to be a faded black.
The ones I did end up reaching for the most are the way high style from Everlane. Which I think at this very moment, are going down as one of my favourite jeans of all time. I sized down one to a 25 in this style as they’re slightly generous in the fit, but everything about them is just good. Love the slight touch of stretch, the high rise, the inseam options (I’m wearing the long here – great for a full length style on me). Also this blue rinse is great for dialling up and down depending on whether you want to wear them for a night out, or a casual weekend.
MOST WORN TROUSERS
Are you getting the sense that when I love something, I wear it on repeat? Most worn trousers of the season were again these charcoal grey cropped pair from DISSH. Similar to The Frankie Shop knit, I like that these are a rich charcoal grey that allow me to create contrast that feels a lot less harsh than black. While I’ve technically been colour typed within the “winter” family, I have an olive complexion so colour analysis as a whole can be a bit more complicated given my complexion tends to change from season to season.
One thing I’ve noticed over the years is that while that high contrast of wearing black can make my eyes look super clear, it also has the power to wash me out completely and drain the life from my face. Which is why I’ve been leaning on these darker neutrals like charcoal to achieve that same sort of effect which feels a bit more subdued.
Anyway, these pants surprise me, but also, don’t. Cropped pants might not be trending, but if my online vs IRL trends video reminded me is that a lot of what you see on socials exists within the vacuum of social media. As in, just wear what you love.
These particular pants are fab as you can throw them in the wash, they come out looking perfect. And sometimes you just crave a cropped pant over something full length. Because some things never change.
MOST WORN SHOES
There’s one brand that I have been leaning on heavily for shoes and bags; Madewell. Few shoes in my wardrobe are anywhere near as comfortable as these leather Mary janes which happened to be my most worn winter shoe, and this is a huge consideration when I’m getting ready. I think also, I’ve just been impressed with how generally robust they are too as I’ve not yet gotten any scuffs (despite being my clumsiest when wearing these).
Some of the factors that I think make these a winner for me…
One, the elasticated “Mary-jane” strap. This adds in a nice detailed quality, but also, means the shoes don’t slip off your feet at all. They’re firmly on there. It doesn’t dig in either.
Two, the colour. It’s a rich burgundy brown which has turned out to be one of the most versatile neutrals I’ve ever added to my wardrobe and seems to pair well with everything.
Three, the almond shaped toe. It’s a good middle ground which doesn’t feel to formal nor too casual.
They also come in so many colours too.
MOST WORN BAG
My other key accessory for the season is my bag, which again, no surprises was my Madewell bucket tote. You can read my full review here if you’re curious, and honestly, there’s little else I’d add. Sure, my kids are doing their best to try and scuff it up, but it still looks incredibly despite that. I reached for this 43 times over the season (so, approximately half of winter), and similar to the shoes, it’s because it hit all my key criteria for my bags, while being an incredibly versatile and easy to wear colour.
A reminder to you that your neutrals don’t need to be black or tan.
If I had cause to get this in every single colour I probably would. It’s that good.
OTHER MOST WORN ACCESSORIES
A couple of final honourable mentions as these pieces often tend to form a core part of my outfit. Andersons leather belts. I own this belt both in mock croc and the pebbled leather, and reach for both interchangeably. Love the angular shape of the buckle, the width of the belt is just right, the style quite simple. Quality exceeded expectations (though do expect hardware to fade over time).
And also, my Vieux sunglasses. I love the concept of this brand, where there’s a limited number of each style and then that’s it. I have this interesting olive/tortoise colour which is truly the perfect neutral and I love that the shape combines both soft and sharper elements.
