Shopping, my wardrobe
A spree without the fee
Hello and welcome, or welcome back. Either way, it’s good to have you here! We have made it through another week and are, well, very ready for some down time. For me, this usually involves a glut of saved Substack reads, which I like devour in one go. Heaven!
In this week’s post, I’m focusing on an approach to sustainable style for which is fun, free and refreshingly creative (I could also add non-consumptive here but thought 3 adjectives was punchier 😆):
Shopping your own wardrobe.
With Spring finally springing here in the UK, I feel as though my style inspiration block (think writers block) is also finally lifting. Earlier this week, I restacked the following excellent article from
saying “I thought that I was uniquely bored with IG, influencer culture and consumerism but it turns out our relationship with social media is on the turn” - this eye-opening piece suggests that it’s not me feeling this way, but that it’s actually a thing! A great read.
Seeking style inspiration hasn’t always felt like a positive path for me. Before I started on this journey, I used to feel a sense of mild to moderate panic, as I scrolled, and felt as if I had to ‘obtain’ what I saw or else I would be ‘missing out’. Sound familiar? This feeling unfortunately is what keeps us consuming - in another corker of a piece,
explores how our ‘fear’ of not fitting in, not being accepted and not being part of something, is harnessed by consumer culture to keep us shopping:Late-capitalist consumer culture relies on our constant, continual destabilisation. We must be kept forever self-doubting, wanting, running to keep up. We must be kept forever shopping. But no matter how much we shop, we’ll never be enough.
The ‘new’ me is seeking her style inspiration from like-minded people, who care what they consume, are true to themselves and are unique in their style. Such a freeing and refreshing focus! This has led to me feeling much more confident in my own style and, rather than feeling the need for that exact item, knowing that a version, variation or iteration of an item is ‘enough’, can often achieve the same ‘feel’ of an outfit, and can make an outfit feel more ‘you’.
So this week, I’ve been turning my focus to my own wardrobe, to what I have, what I can combine and what I can re-create. For this post, I have re-created 6 outfits from some of my favourite style muses, using what I already own. This simple ‘technique’ felt so creative and so wholesomely joyful! I’m in good company too with
playing dress up recently and re-creating looks from A/W 2024 shows, such a fun idea.
Tan suede and blue jeans
I LOVE this colour combo and have loved rediscovering my preloved Mango suede fringed jacket and A.Emery sandals (a very good out of season sale purchase early last year) in re-creating it. Oh, to have these abs of steel! In the absence of such discipline, I chose to show a glimpse of an underlayer to draw the eye to my waistline. A slightly more modest and middle age take on this outfit!
Oversized and casual
I have such a style crush on Anouk. Her styling meanders from classic tailoring to chic casual with such ease. Her three style words are casual, effortless and personal, which I love, following the train of thought of wearing what you own and feel good in. I love how simple this outfit is and how the silhouette and proportions do all the work. My re-created outfit features this Raey sweatshirt, which is truly one of my wardrobe hero pieces - I probably wear it once a week! It’s enormous and putting it on feels like an all-enveloping hug - very important some days. I would highly recommend snapping this up (or any Raey sweatshirt for that matter!) before Matches disappears.
Utility, but dressed up
Would it be actually a My Style Rush post if I didn’t include an outfit from Irene Kim? (*Snort laugh) I just find her style so inspiring. For example, take this outfit. Teaming an oversized utility jacket with a designer skirt and heels is just styling genius and so true to her style. I LOVED recreating this look as I would never have put these pieces together in my head without this inspiration. I really like the texture difference between the workwear jacket and the leather skirt, and bringing some of that leather up to my waistline with this circular belt - a great and very reasonable recent purchase. I could totally imagine wearing this outfit for book club or for a hot dinner date, with Mr. P of course!
Minimal and effortless
Now this outfit is entirely my style so I may be cheating slightly by saying I’m ‘re-creating’ it when I would probably have put it together anyway! But the point is, that to date, I haven’t yet. I love Lucy’s take with the longer cuffs and the loose fit of the entire outfit teamed with the slim Adidas trainers. I’ve added an oversize clutch to my outfit to bring it altogether. After all, ‘Oversized Everything Is 2024's Biggest Trend’.
Knitwear and sandals
I wish I could re-create this ultimate accessory, an adorable enormous dog! How gorgeous is he! I love how
teams knitwear and open toes, and how a simple stripe top thrown over her shoulders completely transforms and uplifts an otherwise simple outfit. I will definitely be wearing this again.Spring hues
For all you avid readers, you might recognise this outfit, as I featured it a few weeks ago. But it’s getting a repeat as it’s just so damn good! So simple (for the minimalist in me), so comfy (for the mother in me) and a bit unexpected (for the thrill of it). I dragged these jeans out from the back of my wardrobe knowing that they would work to deconstruct the outfit and to being a bit more ‘me’ - guided by my three style words - minimal, casual and street/ feminine.
Shopping YOUR wardrobe
And now, your turn! Are you up for a challenge? To recreate at least one outfit this week from an outfit that has inspired you, using items dug up from the very depths of your wardrobe, pairing unlikely pieces, maximising your accessories and creating something similar but entirely unique to you? I would LOVE to see your inspiration and your re-created outfits on Chats, if you cared to share ❤️
I hope you’ve enjoyed your read, and to see you again next weekend, Jenny x
I love all your recreations! Shopping from your own wardrobe is such a great feeling.
I love a good shopping from the wardrobe session! Excellent reminder for me to to that this week too :)