january wardrobe staples

quilted jacket / half-zip sweatshirt / oversize sweatshirt / cotton tee / ribbed turtleneck / striped long sleeve / waffle henley / crop knit sweater / cable knit sweater (similar) / rust knit sweater / wide leg denim / straight leg denim (similar) / raw hem denim (similar) / sneaker / high top sneaker (similar) / clogs

It’s been just about a month since I heard about the 75 Hard Style Challenge through one of my favorite podcasts, Celebrity Memoir Book Club. I’d started working through The Wardrobe Architect months ago but frankly lost interest a few weeks into the process. It’s one thing to envision what we want our outfit formulas to be and quite another to collect data on what they currently are.

I started a few days “late” but have really enjoyed documenting my outfits this month. I already get dressed every day, anyway, so the only added step is taking a quick video of my outfit.

I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again, noticing what we’re regularly wearing is a key part of an edited wardrobe!

Since I can’t be chill about, like, anything, I made myself a spreadsheet to take stock of what I wear over the challenge to see if any patterns form. It’s just the kind of tedium I enjoy—meticulously going through my archive and cataloging the items I’ve worn and how many times I’ve worn them—but the bonus is I get a glimpse into what my wardrobe staples are. Not the wardrobe staples that fashion sites or Pinterest graphics would have me believing I needed for a well-rounded wardrobe, nope! The beauty of this challenge and of documenting our outfits, in general, is that we get to see exactly what works FOR US and what our lives and values require. It’s not a nebulously dreamed up idea of what our closet essentials are, it’s grounded in reality and data. I don’t know about you, but I find this sort of thing thrilling!

tops

It turns out I have a steady rotation of nine tees and knits that I enjoy wearing in the winter, at least this winter. Of the nine, I have to say my favorites are the striped long sleeve, the houndstooth-esque patterned cropped knit, and the coppery-brown long-sleeve tee. They all feel effortless yet stylish and are some of the most reached-for pieces in my wardrobe!

bottoms

It’s no secret I love Madewell’s denim—specifically their Perfect Vintage Jean style! It’s been my go-to for years because it offers that lovely French-girl fit in the bum with enough room in the leg so I don’t have to tug at the legs of the denim all day long to keep them from riding up. I bought some pre-loved Perfect Vintage jeans through Madewell’s partnership with ThredUp and I loved the dark wash so much I kept them even though they were a smidge too tight for me. So it’s no surprise that two of the three most worn denim this month were PVJ. What did surprise me is that both are medium wash denim: one with a raw hem and the other with a finished hem. I expected to see the dark wash feature more prominently if I’m honest! The dark horse of my denim collection is my wide leg pair from Everlane. I got them for Christmas and have been enjoying wearing and styling them this month! I feel on trend but also exceedingly comfortable. It’s a win-win.

outerwear

There’s one jacket that I reach for again and again, and that’s my quilted utility jacket from Old Navy. I put it on my Christmas wish list last year and have worn the heck out of it since receiving it! I told a friend the other day that when Old Navy nails it, they NAIL IT. It’s an affordable yet quality quilted jacket that I’ll be wearing for years to come.

shoes

Here’s an off-brand thing about me: for all of my talk about edited/curated wardrobes, I have lots and lots of shoes. Next to jeans, they might be my favorite thing to shop for! This month I had three shoes on heavy rotation: high-top sneakers, Birkenstock Boston clogs, and Vans Old Skool V sneakers. The high top sneakers are unfortunately no longer available on J Crew’s website, but they’re truly a great sneaker and there are lots listed on Poshmark! I always tell myself I don’t have enough footwear despite my overflowing collection, so I’m looking forward to being able to see which shoes are actually getting worn and which I can let go of at the end of this challenge.

all in all

Something that’s becoming clearer through documenting my outfits every day is that I love a shoe that’s easy to slip on. I’m working to establish a better morning routine and rhythm so I’m not always rushing to get dressed but — especially on weekdays — I need the ease of a slip on (or velcro) shoe. I’m also noticing that I’m craving a casual slip on, weather-resistant boot like Blundstones since my rain boots no longer fit comfortably after three pregnancies and my Chelsea boots that I wore so much last year weirdly feel too dressed up these days. I’m also noticing that I’m gravitating towards pants with a wider leg but that are still snug around the waist. Unsurprisingly, I have yet to wear a dress or a skirt. I’m gonna push myself to wear each at least once this month since I love the idea of a knit sweater with a midi skirt and boots. The wheels in my head are already turning…