Wear What You Love: The Simplest Solution To Getting Dressed
Plus 4 of my favorite swimsuits because I think we all just really want to be at the pool right now (Weekend Edition #122)
Last week, Jamie Haller published a newsletter to share the launch of her new bag collection. But the post wasn’t about the bags, not really. It was about the striped lining she found years ago and fell in love with. It was about how she’s been saving it for just the right moment. It was about simply creating something she loves.
I was immediately convinced of the magic of the fabric. But more than that I was reminded of what it feels like to really love my clothes.
When I was younger, there was nothing that made my brain tickle more than going back to school shopping and coming home and laying out my outfits for the new year. It didn’t matter if it was 80 degrees and muggy (beautiful Philadelphia September weather), I was going to wear my new Fair Isle sweater from Delia’s and my corduroy flares because they made me feel like anything was possible. And that’s exactly how you want a new school year to feel.
Clothes were the portal to discover who I wanted to be. Now, I want my clothes to reflect who I am.
On Monday, I wore a new shirt because the way it was styled online gave me that same good feeling my first day of school outfits used to. That feeling of, “I want to be that person.” The difference now is that I know myself well enough to know I am that person. Immediate add to cart.
A simple white top? Yes. But with a twist, literally. Worn with good jeans. Making an H shape with a strong shoulder and a loose straight leg. And can I tell you something? I loved my look, which made me feel good all day. And I had a good day. Coincidence? Who knows? But my innie and my outie were in alignment. And that’s the whole goal.
I chased this good feeling again on Wednesday. Slightly different pants, slightly different shirt* (I layered a blazer over it when I got to the office). Same vibe. I was in alignment with myself.
As I get older, I’m trying not to overthink things (it is a WIP!!!), and that includes getting dressed. So far, I’ve found that the simplest solution is to just let love lead the way. No coulds/shoulds/woulds allowed.
Reframe your thinking from “What do I have to wear? to “What do I get to wear?” Even when there’s a supposed dress code or unspoken social expectation.1
Because ease beats perfection every time.
When you wear what you love, that love becomes the evidence of what works for you.
Now, I can’t tell you what to love, but in this post, I suggest some ways to find what clothes make you feel good.
Study your selfies and your screenshots.
Pay attention to the outfits that made you smile (those are the good ones).
Pay attention to the outfits that you fidgeted in all day (those are…not).
And remember, almost no one is paying attention to you but you. Test yourself: do you usually remember someone’s outfit by the next day? Probably not. Same goes for them. I bet you remember how you felt far longer than they remember what you wore.
I find that very freeing.
As I wrote right around this time last year, the middle of the summer always makes me want to clean out my closet. I’ve cycled through a full school year with my clothes and can give them their final grade. I put my closet through the wringer and am rather ruthless in what to donate/share/sell.
Because if I’m left with things I love, then getting dressed becomes so easy.
Be proud of the items in your closet that you return to again and again. They are your personal bestsellers. In my day job, finding these is our goal, every day. Many bestsellers are basics, the bedrock of a good collection and a good closet.
Want an example of one of my personal bestsellers? (Share yours in the comments!) Get ready for a whole lotta Lindsays in the Nili Lotan Megan Pant.
But a business, and our own style, cannot survive on basics alone. I mean maybe if you’re Steve Jobs you can, but if that’s you, you’re probably reading the wrong newsletter. My job is also to figure out what will surprise and delight our customers. Those are the pieces that draw someone in. The pieces that make the basics work better. That’s the balance I’m always looking for, professionally and personally.
This is the perfect time of year to refine and reorient your closet. To recharge yourself and your fashion battery. To get ready for the biggest, busiest time of year, the September Issue of both the fashion calendar and our schedules.
But we’re not there yet. Not even close. Thank goodness. There are still weeks (months, if you’re a New Yorker!) of summer to soak up.
So let’s keep it simple: wear what you love and leave it at that.
ON THE MENU
I hope this email finds you somewhere like this: at a sparkling, sunny pool with a fresh bev and a good book.
Thank you for reading!
x Lindsay
A note to readers: Fashion Soup may include affiliate links and partnerships at no cost to you. (Gifted items are noted with an asterik.) Subscriptions of any kind are greatly appreciated, as are likes/shares/comments. Thank you for reading + supporting my work!
Every weekend post is free, but if you’d like more servings of Fashion Soup, please consider upgrading for $5/month (or $48/year, a 20% savings).
For more of this mindset, I loved this post by Angharad Jones Best and this post by Hey Mrs. Solomon on Style.
This is the push I needed to get serious about cleaning out to the loves in my closet!
Hi Lindsay- love the Megan Pants… do you happen to have a pair of the Megan Jeans, and if so, do they fit similarly? Did you need to tailor your Megan Pants? I have a pair of the jeans and they seem to be a tad too long