Small things like these

How inexpensive accessories can lift an outfit

This week’s post borrows its title from one of my favourite books and soon to be movie with Cillian Murphy - such a beautiful novella filled with humanity, would highly recommend.

But back to our sustainable style musings. With necessity being the mother of (re)invention, we have the power to recreate, redefine and restyle ourselves every day in big or small ways. I love this quote:

Our most valuable resources - creativity, communication, invention, and reinvention - are, in fact, unlimited.

Having the power to reinvent feels particularly important for us females who ride the rollercoaster of hormones from one end of the month to the next and for whom change feels like a constant. What I feel like wearing and how I feel like portraying myself to the world, varies hugely across a monthly cycle. Fashion is Psychology tells us that our shopping habits ramp up during the PMS and menstrual periods of our cycle, as do our excessive spending and buyers remorse. So how do we satisfy these urges whilst remaining sustainable in our style and in our approach to shopping?

This post focuses on how small additions to an outfit can punch above their weight in terms of fulfilling this need for change, of ‘curbing the urge’ to shop, and of focusing on the The Shopping Pyramid, which I launched last week (see below):

• To reduce our consumption

• To reuse what we own

• To recycle what we don’t wear.

The small additions I’ve chosen to focus on in this post are the neckerchief, the mesh shoe and the net bag. A slightly (if not very) random collection of ‘outfit lifters’ but they are inexpensive, add texture (an important addition with my minimalist tendencies), are easy to style and to make your own, and are on my style radar at the moment. Saying that, the ‘small things’ could be anything - anything inexpensive, anything that you already own and love but haven’t combined before, or anything that you feel adds character to your outfits. You decide!

Neckerchief

The idea behind including the neckerchief was inspired by Portuguese stylist Bárbara Santiago, who I featured last week and you guys immediately loved her style! A bandana is her signature accessory, which she uses to top off her outfits whether it’s a Rixo dress or a simple tee, and which she uses to bring another element of fun and colour to her outfits.

For this week’s outfit shot, I found myself a bandana neckerchief to ‘lift’ my simple outfit - Bassike dress, Havaianas and St Agni bag - and I love it.

I also love Aimee Johnson’s autumn/ winter take on this look (below) and specifically this neckerchief with the edge stitching from the Tartan Blanket Co.

I appreciate that the term ‘neckerchief’ might be a stretch to describe

Leandra Medine Cohen

’s recent (re)invention of the waist scarf but it was so hard not to include it here! This look is everywhere, with Leandra leading the troops. I don’t think that I’ll be trying it but never say never!

Mesh shoes

A divisive inclusion? Yes, probably! But the mesh shoe and, more importantly its surprise longevity in the fickle world of style, has worn me down! With The Row firmly planting them in our aesthetics earlier this year, they don’t appear to be going anywhere yet. For me, it’s all about the texture but also how they can add balance. I went for this inexpensive option from H&M (also featured in wish list pieces below).

I’ve included three of my favourite style heroes below who use their mesh shoes to lift otherwise incredibly simple outfits and to create balance against the silhouette of wide leg jeans -

Lucy Alston

, Marianne of Smyth Sisters and Cass Chung. Three of the best ❤️.

Net Bags

In one of my recent outfit shots, you caught a glimpse of my ‘mom bag’ - a woven net bag from Flying Tiger, which probably cost less than £10. It has fast become my most used summer bag! What it brings again is texture. Despite Kim Kardashian apparently “single-handedly” bringing back the net bag with her $7k version, I love the idea of a simple cheap net or woven bag. I’m imagining carrying oranges bought in a French market, books from an outdoor stall by the Seine, or a fashion magazine from cigarette stand on the streets of Milan. So simply and unostentatiously chic! See below for inspiration from Paris and Milan fashion weeks via Pinterest.

Inspiration and wish list pieces

It happens maybe once or twice a season but my heart literally thrummed when I spied

Angie

’s pairing of straight leg jeans, a lace/ satin skirt and cashmere jumper this week. Inspired by The Row and as we enter our ‘nightgown-as-dress era’ as

Leandra Medine Cohen

calls it, I immediately set about recreating this look with what I already own, within my wardrobe playground - aka the Indyx app. I will trawl Vinted for the perfect skirt preloved, but I’ve included two excellent options below.

Topshop satin and lace mini skirt

This is such a pretty option from Topshop via Asos with which to recreate The Row look above. Great minds as

Emma Rose Thatcher

has just posted this one in her chat, which looks to be the perfect length.

H&M mesh ballet pumps

These are my inexpensive mesh flats, that I mention above, and which are also available in white and red.

Lucy Alston

’s IG has some serious red mesh shoe inspiration.

Longchamp net bag

This feels like a very grown up version of the more rustic net bag, with classic and distinctive Longchamp leather handles.

Thank you so much for stopping by and for supporting My Style Rush. I hope you’ve a lovely week and to see you next weekend, Jenny x

If you are enjoying My Style Rush, this is a gentle no-pressure reminder, to please subscribe. By following, you see notes and post likes, but as a subscriber, you will be notified of new posts and up to date content. And most importantly, you get to choose how you receive your notifications, either by email or within the app. You can simply switch on or off email notifications within Settings > Notifications > Smart Notifications. Whatever way you choose to read My Style Rush, I really appreciate you being here!