078/ What I'm Wearing no. 29
What I’m Wearing is a series where I share all of the outfits I’ve worn over a given week (or two), along with styling notes, links and related thoughts. If you see an outfit you like on my Instagram, you’ll find it here.
Hello readers!
A (relatively) short and sweet newsletter today, under the allowed email length limit, something I’m not usually capable of!
It makes most sense for me to start off this edition of What I’m Wearing with a picture from the day after dental surgery, as it set the tone for the next two weeks:
Surgery was scheduled for January 2nd. School was still out, and we were up north that week (Toronto-speak for “on vacation”) hoping to ski despite the mild temperatures. I made my way back to the city for surgery, figured I’d be in-and-out of the hospital in a flash, and would have a whole childfree (!) night to myself.
Did not happen, friends. How woefully uninformed and wildly optimistic I was. PSA: any procedure with the words “bone” and “graft” as descriptors will be serious, even if it’s framed as a “day surgery”.
It was too painful to brush my teeth, wash my face, or even eat, and I didn’t have the energy to go for a walk. So, I took control of what I could, and…I got dressed. Specifically into something that would lift my spirits and take my mind off the fact that my mouth tasted like a swollen petri dish and my head felt like it was going to explode.
This ethereal, uplifting Cecilie Bahnsen skirt was on my doorstep when I arrived home c/o Canada Post. If the Cecilie/Simone Rochas aesthetic appeals to you, this UK-based eBay reseller sells some beautiful pieces, like this Ganni Peter Pan collared quilted jacket, and this white CB Rosie skirt. I have a fair share of this style of midi length skirt, but the quilting and scalloping detail on this one is so tempting. Gah.
Somehow, I pounded out this introduction to building a foundational wardrobe newsletter, spent an extra night at home alone, then took the train back up north to re-join my family.
At the chalet, my outfits consisted of pieces I bought specifically for skiing/exercise/outdoors mixed in with versatile pieces I wear on a day-to-day basis. (ICYMI, last month I posted my Ski Report on finding (relatively) affordable skiwear that was both stylish and warm.)
Once back home, this was a typical outfit I was kicking around in:
My husband tried to donate his J.Crew cashmere sweater because of a barely perceptible hole, but I declared, “not on my watch”. Now it has a place in my home wear rotation, probably in ski wear, and who knows, I may even make a proper outfit with it.
As I headed out to work the next week, I turned entirely to my classics. It could have been that I was still feeling crappy from the surgery, and I was seeking comfort in my familiar, not-basic basics. Or, it could have been wanting to simplify after a month of sequinned, fringed festive holiday outfits.
Either way, these outfits are timely because I just started my step-by-step guide on How To Build A Foundational Wardrobe for paying subscribers.
If you’ve been following What I’m Wearing over the past year, you might be able to pick out the building blocks of my wardrobe. Sometimes my outfits are solely comprised of them (like the last three outfits); other times, they function as an anchor to my point of view while playing with more eclectic and whimsical pieces (like the first Cecilie Bahnsen skirt outfit).
I strongly believe that in order to develop a functional and versatile wardrobe that you love, you need to build a solid foundation comprised of a few dozens key pieces first.
In the process of building out your foundational wardrobe, you will also:
gain a better understanding of what looks and feels great on you;
buy less by being more selective;
use more of what you have by finding creative and versatile ways to wear every piece; and
find getting dressed easier and, hopefully, more joyful.
I also strongly believe that this process is beneficial to everyone, whether you’re starting to build your closet from scratch, or you already have a mature wardrobe of hundreds of pieces. And it applies whether you want a tight capsule wardrobe, or a much larger one to play with.
If this sounds of interest to you, upgrade to paid today!
I’ll be back early next week with my next instalment of HTBAFW. Stay warm, and have a wonderful week!
Love and gratitude,
Irene
Next Post: 079/ How To Build A Foundational Wardrobe: Part 2
Oof so sorry to hear about the surgery and slow recovery! Glad you’re on the mend.
Love this as always 💙