I’ve got a case of the style ruts
A self-diagnosis says I’m going through a style rut and it is time I took notice of more in my wardrobe in order to get out of this self-induced funk.
Outfit pictured above: SNJP LONG SLEEVE JERSEY TOP [similar] by STUDIO NICHOLSON, BOARD PANT [similar] by STUDIO NICHOLSON and ORIGINAL ACHILLES LEATHER SNEAKERS by COMMON PROJECTS
We can all go easy on ourselves for any small style rut we might be in this year. 2020 has been one hell of a ride with loop-de-loops of tier systems, lockdowns and rules of two and six. When we have been able to go out and meet up with friends, it’s been a chance to revisit sections of our wardrobes that we perhaps semi-retired earlier on in the year. My default outfit for large parts of this year has been a hoodie or jumper along with an overly worn pair of joggers that I mentally tell myself each time have one more wear left in them before having to be washed. Optimum comfort and low maintenance to combat a derailed 2020.
But yes, I think I have found myself in a small style rut. A couple outings and I have already ran out of ideas and found myself a little, dare I say, bored of what I see in my own wardrobe. This doesn’t mean I’m giving myself license to go and buy new items, but more of a chance to go through my wardrobe and see if there’s clothes I can pair together that perhaps I had not thought of before in order to inject some much needed drive. There is nothing wrong with what I currently own. Plenty of t-shirts and trousers hanging up that I still enjoy wearing and lots of knitwear folded on the shelves patiently waiting to be worn since last year, but something is not clicking at the moment. Maybe it’s the collective low enthusiasm most of us are feeling that may mean needing to dig a little deeper in order to find new combinations that I’m excited to wear. Or perhaps it’s down to sheer laziness and reaching for the same one or two items that have caused me to blinker other options. Either way, it needs switching up.
This outfit for example is one of few which I am happy with. It is still very simple and all navy, most of my outfits tend to be, while having a couple of details that make it click.
The Studio Nicholson board pants continue to hold an incredible shape with pleats aplenty. And what better to partner them with than a t-shirt from the same brand. This long sleeve is from their SNJP collection where Nick Wakeman created the pieces with mills and factories based in Japan. Yet to travel there myself, I feel a growing affinity to Japanese style and it is somewhere I would love to visit one day. I am gravitating towards those slouchier, bellowier (that’s a word right?), voluminous shapes that Japanese brands and people seem to encapsulate with a level of coolness we should all aspire to. The SNJP unchiko top gathers nicely at the cuff to create a free flowing silhouette and add balance to the outfit as whole. However, I should add that I also enjoy pairing a slim fit t-shirt and a wider/straight cut trouser together too.
On the day I couldn’t decide whether to tuck or untuck, but I think both work quite well and it’s a good dilemma to have. It’s not only the sleeves that I enjoy with this, but other small touches such as a chest pocket detail and having my neck chain sit on the outside of the top. Not massive style choices, but enough to make me enjoy wearing something a lot more than I have accustomed to. Who knows, after writing this I might feel a little more enthused for what I have managed to collect over the years, or maybe the Japanese affixation I have continues and a swap of some items are needed. Let’s wait and see. All I can say with complete confidence and assuredness as I sign off is that it’s now the weekend and as good as my pep talk might have been to try something new, the next two days will still consist of a hoodie and a pair of joggers. Just one more wear right?jbicon
Could 2023 be the ultimate year of sustainability for fashion? Probably not, but there are some positive things happening if you look for them.