Jacket: Mango, Shorts: Zara, Top: Vintage Laura Ashley, Shoes: Aeyde, Bag: Shrimps, Sunglasses: Mango
It's true to say that if i'm feeling good in my outfit, i'm usually in a better mood. Clothes have always played a massive part in the way i feel, and as I get older i'm noticing it more and more.
Everyone has a different relationship with clothes and getting dressed - whether you’re into it or not (although as you're reading this I'm assuming you are) - it’s something that we all do every day, day in day out. I have a wardrobe (and floordrobe) full of clothes yet I probably express on a weekly basis that in fact ‘I have nothing to wear’. What this really means is that I have nothing to wear for the mood I’m in that day, I don’t feel comfortabe in anything and I’m probably just going to shove on jeans and tee - my fail safe option. We all have our safety blanket outfits we go back to again and again that you may not feel wow in but you always feel good, safe and yourself in. Recently the lovely Chloe Plumstead questioned me on what outfit makes me feel most like myself for a post she was working on, and my vintage Levi’s a silky shirt and ankle boots came up trumps. A pretty un-advetourous and simple outfit, yet something I just feel so unexplainably good in.
Quite honestly, my mood can change pretty drastically according to my outfit and when I don't feel comfortable, however 'amazing' the outfit may be, I can be such a grump. Outfits can bring out so many emotions - certain dresses worn for special occasions that make you smile when catching a glimpse and that jacket you wore for that festival that you couldn't bear to ever part with regardless of the fact you're 99.9% sure you'll never wear it again. When we got burgled a couple of months ago I was wearing one of my Realisation Par dresses that, prior to this event, I absolutely loved however post doomsday I couldn't even get it out of my wardrobe and had to sell on Depop. Then there are the long standing wardrobe staple's that have been everywhere with you and are full of memories and confidence; the converse that could tell a thousand stories and the denim shorts that are falling apart but you'll always love dearly. Recently I watched Liv's latest instalment of her 'Inside the wardrobe' series with Brittany and as her most cherished possession, Brittany whipped out her Vivienne Westwood three strap flats that pretty much stay nestled within their dust bags these days, but she still loves dearly. She discussed how they remind her of a good time in fashion and in her life and watching it made me think about how much I love mine too and how similar my feelings were to hers when all we wanted was to wear everything Alexa Chung wore in the hopes that we might look even half as cool as she did.
I tend to always be drawn towards the same sort of things and often joke that I’ve been rotating the same key pieces for the last ten years (I just happen to have to keep buying every single version on offer, obviously). Take stripe tops for example, I have many many options to play with and have found the perfect one about twelve times over but that still doesn’t stop me from re-buying again and again because I know it’s something I love wearing and will always make me feel like myself. It's also something I love buying, something that my brain associates with happiness and confidence and practicality - I'll never not love them. Anyway, this recent gingham blazer purchase from Mango is something that makes me feel great. One of those pieces of clothing that you get dead excited about wearing. It's not exactly plain, however I definitely think that it will go with so many different outfits and have already worn it a fair few times within the last couple of weeks. I think this is a very 'me' outfit and one that I just felt really bloody good in.
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Rachael
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