The less time I have, the more I’m finding myself leaning on those wardrobe fail safes. They’re the items in my closet that I feel like I can truly rely on. What makes them a “fail safe” is knowing that those pieces will always look good on you, and make you feel good. No matter what.
Wearing Mott & Bow tee; Arket jeans; H&M blazer (also similar); Vaneli two tone pumps (also here); Linjer Lana bag, necklace & rings (10% off jewellery with “mademoiselle10”); Mejuri necklace; Timeless Pearly earrings
My spring capsule wardrobe experience has really gotten me thinking about the way I categorise the items in my closet. It’s long been centered around seasonal basics and occasions. I’m not trying to complicate the relationship I have with my wardrobe. But, I am finding this current approach a little too simplistic for my current needs.
One thing I pinpointed while thinking about it over the weekend, was that I’ve really lost touch with of which items that feel like me, but are also suited to my lifestyle. And that’s sort of the style journey I’m on at the moment. Last week even, every day felt like a mish mash of outfits. To quote a popular saying; some days I felt like the clothes were wearing me, and not the other way around.
The term “wardrobe fail safes” isn’t new to me in the context of my wardrobe. But it is a concept I’m planning to lean into a little more. And the way I see it, this’ll help me to identify which items in my closet I can quickly pull out to ground an outfit. Or, add to a base piece or two, which I’m feeling stuck with styling wise.
While they’ll hold the key characteristics of your personal style, these wardrobe fail safes might not necessarily be a “classic” piece. It’s inherently you, but it’s more the fit, the way the colour looks against your skin, and the actual type of item, that makes you feel good every time you put it on.
There’s two wardrobe fail safes in this outfit, though only one of them is an actual item.
Let’s kick things off at my feet, with my beloved two-toned pumps. For me, these are a fail-safe for many reasons. They’re comfortable enough to wear every day despite the low block heel. The silhouette feels timeless and has elements of that classic Parisian style I’m often trying to inject into my outfits. But most importantly, I know that they’ll look good with pretty much any outfit. They add balance with silhouettes and colour palettes, the almond toe is leg lengthening, and I get a mood boost just from throwing them on. It’s probably little surprise that I’m highlighting these as one of my go-to wardrobe fail safes; I mean, they have popped up in almost every seasonal most worn wrap up I’ve ever shared.
The other wardrobe fail safe in this outfit speaks more to a concept; cropped pants. This isn’t to say that every cropped trouser I try is going to make me feel like a million dollars. The Arket jeans I’m wearing above for example, well, they sometimes take “work” to figure out the best way to style them. But when paired with the right pieces, I love them on me. The outfit above is case in point.
At this point what I’d really love? A few free hours on the weekend to rediscover my wardrobe. Figure out where my wardrobe fail safes lie, determine the “supporting cast”, and perhaps set aside a few items which I love, but aren’t working for my current lifestyle.
Clearly, there’s still a fragment of me that’s continuing to explore my sense of self, and my personal style along with it.
