Clothes IRL #03
What I’ve been wearing on repeat this winter.
More than seeing a photo of a really good outfit, I love knowing the story behind it. Where are they going? Why did they choose to wear the white shirt over the black one? And what are the other ways they wore that shirt? Maybe it’s a bit nosy, but that kind of context is interesting to me because it’s insight into how people are dressing for real life.
As much as I love fashion Substacks where writers recap what they’re wearing in a week, I think mine would get boring fairly quickly because I tend to repeat the same outfits. So instead, this series is going to be dedicated to the pieces I’m getting a lot of wear out of. It’s about the pieces we wear over and over again, whether for practical reasons or for how they make us feel. The ones that get us through multiple occasions and our day-to-day.
Here are some of the pieces I’ve been wearing on repeat.
I’m going to be honest with you—this winter has been brutal. The multiple snow storms, frigid temps, and revolving sicknesses in our house haven’t made it easy to want to get dressed, let alone go outside. So you’ll have to bear with me as some of these outfits are from weeks ago (or more).
The Effortless Pant
Going back to before we were buried under a mountain of snow, we had a few social gatherings and dinners with friends lined up. In the wintertime, I usually rely on the same formula of black trousers and a nice top for going out. I can’t stand being cold, so I’m always going to choose pants over a skirt or dress, and these Effortless ones have served me well over the last few years. My favourite thing about them is how low-maintenance they are: they don’t wrinkle and they’re machine washable.
Where I wore them: To dinner with my husband and friends at our favourite local restaurant. I went for a monochromatic look, pairing the trousers with a black turtleneck and belt, and finishing it off with silver accessories.
For another night out, I wore an iteration of the same look but with a cream-coloured high neck top and brown belt. I used to overthink what to wear for a night out, always wanting to wear something different or new. But now I prefer to just keep things simple, and I’m much happier to re-wear the same pieces/formulas I know I feel good in.
To get more use of the trousers, I’ll wear them while working from home. They’re comfortable enough, and I can wear them with a grey sweatshirt for a casual but polished WFH look.
A black turtleneck
This Babaton Clio Turtleneck (similar styles here and here) has to be one of my most-worn purchases from Black Friday. It’s more of a shirt than a knit and is thin without being too sheer, which makes it work on its own or underneath button-ups and sweaters. After wearing it so much, I’m convinced that a black turtleneck is a staple for this season—basically, the winter version of a white tee.
Where I wore it: There have been days in our calendar when we’ve been double or triple-booked, so I’ve had to plan outfits that could take me from one place to the next. I love how a black turtleneck can feel understated and dressy at the same time, making it easy to wear from day to night. When we had to travel to Toronto for my son’s hockey game and then head to a friend’s surprise 40th birthday right after, I paired the black turtleneck with a pair of corduroy pants. I found that the cords relaxed the look (vs. wearing trousers), so I didn’t feel completely out of place at the game while the whole outfit still worked for the party afterward, too.
Another way I’ve been wearing the turtleneck: using it to layer with, instead of a white tee. I’ve worn the turtleneck under a cardigan and another time, under a white button-up with trousers for my daughter’s dance recital.
Julia Necklace in Silver
Another piece I can’t stop wearing. I’ve relied on it so much to keep my outfits interesting, especially with all the time I’ve been spending indoors this winter. As someone who keeps it pretty minimal with jewelry and isn’t very good with layering/stacking pieces together, I love that I can just reach for this one piece and it adds a bit of a statement with no fuss.
Where I wore it: Everywhere, from my regular day-to-day to special occasions. For New Year’s, we stayed home but got a little dressed up for a fancy dinner my husband cooked, and I wore a black cardigan with a satin skirt and the necklace.
Anytime I’ve had to attend a kid’s birthday party (there’s been a lot), I’ll usually wear an oversized knit with jeans and the necklace.
And even when I’m just working from home, I’ll throw on the necklace, and it instantly makes an outfit feel a little more put together.
A long wool coat
Although I’ve had to wear my long puffer out of necessity with all the snow storms lately, I’ve surprised myself with how much use I’ve gotten out of my Toteme wool coat this season. Something I’ve been trying to get better at is not saving my investment pieces for only special occasions and getting more wear out of them in my day-to-day. I’m trying to be more mindful of how to adapt my clothes for my life, otherwise they just sit in my closet for far too long.
Where I wore it: More and more to places that are casual, as long as the weather isn’t too messy or I know I won’t be outside for too long. I’ll wear the coat even if the destination is just a chain restaurant, my son’s hockey game, or school pick-up. I actually love how the coat adds structure when worn with comfy clothes and loungewear—it makes even my most casual of outfits feel a little more intentional compared to when I just throw on my big puffer jacket.
What else
In case you missed it,
published a heartfelt roundup on female friendships, and I was honoured to be able to share some of my thoughts. She asked the very important (and relevant) question of how do you make and keep friends as an adult? The answers were beyond thoughtful and made me reflect on my own friendships.Grateful to also be included in
's Issue #91 on things our moms told us that turned out to be true. Such a fun read with plenty of real and insightful nuggets of wisdom!
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I LOVE this. Hallelujah to real women wearing the same clothes & outfit repeating in real life. I want to know which clothes are making the cut 🙌🏼
Capsule wardrobes and outfit repeating are so underrated! Loved this roundup Maria xxx