(Cl)out with the old, and in with the new
The word ‘whirlwind’ comes to mind when I think over the last couple of weeks. Resurfacing after a very relaxing all-inclusive holiday and plunging headfirst into the deluge of ‘real life’, the juggle was real. A full-inbox return to the 9 to 5 + an admin and emotion-heavy return to school + a week of lone parenting (husband was at a conference) and + a new puppy! They say there’s never a good time, but there couldn’t have been a worse time than this week. But we dug deep and here we are at the end of the week, pretty exhausted, but delighting in new cuteness ❤️🌭
So in with the new - new pup, new starts and new season. The focus of this post is to find a healthy balance between new and ‘old’. By ‘old’ I mean, what’s already in your wardrobe, has clout* and is ripe for reinvention with this season’s slant, and what might be ‘old’ for someone else, but new to you, aka preloved/ vintage treasures.
*to have clout is to have influence or power. In popular culture, people with clout are seen as popular and cool.
New season style can be exciting and intoxicating, but it can also feel a bit overwhelming. My feed and inbox are awash with inspiration and it’s hard not to get sucked into what I apparently need to want, need to know and need to buy in order to fully prepare myself for the season ahead, such as:
The must-have item - a barn/ canvas jacket, and barrel jeans, if you’re asking.
The colour of the season - burgundy, followed closely by khaki and plum.
There’s no denying it’s all very lovely! While there was a time when I would have bought into the frenzy, now with age comes wisdom (some, at least!), confidence and a deeper understanding of my own personal style, wants and needs, and it has become easier to curb the urges. It would seem that I’m not the only one feeling this way:
“I’m trying to ignore the noise and focus on what I’m craving, what I want to wear, and where the gaps are in my wardrobe.” “The older you get, the less appealing trendy clothes become. Someone who is always perfectly on trend does not necessarily read as stylish or sophisticated; they read as slightly amateur. Focus on cultivating your own personal taste and sense of style. Hopefully it will continue to evolve as you get older.”And
“Developing true personal style is a decades-long journey, often going through the gong show of trying on different selves and figuring out your place in the world…..when I see stylish women who are say 50+, they may be wearing nothing current, but the way they style and carry their clothes seems imbued with a lifetime of experience. Sometimes I can’t help but stare and wonder more about them — their life, where they’ve been and what they’ve seen.”Seasonal trends can be so fleeting. Instead of focusing on the new season ‘must haves’, how about shifting our focus to developing our own true personal style, and buying into what uniquely speaks to us, be that old or new?
Inspiration
During my little Substack hiatus, I’ve been busy snapping images and outfits which have inspired me and squirrelling them away to share with you. As always, these are intended to be for inspiration rather than for temptation (see recent post on topic).
As you’ll see the golden thread through my inspiration piece is those deep rich autumnal hues that are everywhere. From top left clockwise:
I love Mecah May Wirht’s teaming of dark brown with dark indigo barrel jeans. I’m still reeling over
’s most excellent piece last week about how flashing some skin can balance an outfit, and now can’t un-see it! This outfit is a great example with Mecah lifting the darkness of the rest of the look with open toe strappy sandals.
Francesca’s mood board for transitioning from summer to ‘fall’ with versatile layers and trending tones at whatfrancescawore hits all the right notes.
Lu Hough needs no introduction in her updated take on the classic white tee + blue jeans pairing, with these COH barrel leg jeans (linked below) in action.
Marilyn is a relatively new find for me and I’m so pleased! This outfit epitomizes clever transitional dressing, with the mix of burgundy knitwear, tailored loose trousers and that peek of toe again. And don’t underestimate the power of the humble bandana scarf to add another element and one which I explored a few weeks ago (see below).
If you don’t subscribe/ follow
The Jones Report yet, you’re missing out! Her writing is so accessible and last week’s piece is no exception with her styling tips from CPHFW. This teaming of a sporty sweatshirt + midi skirt is so inspiring and right up my street.
Wish list pieces
So what’s on my autumn wish list and which I think will fit with my developing personal style, my lifestyle and my wardrobe gaps? Well here’s my list!
A cropped wool grey cardigan to team with high waisted jeans and to act as a base against which the new autumnal colours can pop, such as this one from COS.
A pair of timeless flats in burgundy (as a nod to the colour of the season), such as these from H&M (yes H&M!).
A pair of mid blue jeans with an interesting silhouette (could be barrel, tapered, straight leg) but not too ‘out there’, such as these from Citizens of Humanity (as seen on Lu Hough).
A slouchy suede bag in any colour but black (just a personal preference), such as this one from Staud (which has been on my preloved watch list for months).
I had a little play around with these wish list pieces and my own wardrobe in Indyx - such a great tool to do a little virtual styling and see how items might ‘fit’ with your wardrobe. I’m really pleased with the outcome below! I’ve also included two non-wish list pieces, a ‘barn’ jacket and Lie Studio-esque gold earrings both from H&M (they’re on fire this season!) and look sooo good here.
I have so many holiday outfits and packing lessons to share with you, so stay tuned next week for this! I hope you’ve a lovely week and to see you next weekend, Jenny x
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Thank you for the kind mention, Jenny! I love your wishlist items too, even though they are "on trend", they're very classic autumnal pieces so they seem like a worthwhile investment.
Oh, you are my groove! I’m all about sustainability (I’m 95% second hand), and discovering the delicious freedom of wearing whatever the heck I want, but still keeping a finger on trends and shopping my closet for my own interpretation.
I’m excited to see how your outfits play with these trends. All over the suede and burgundy, for me.
Loved your article, thank you.💕