Last year, I came across Liza Belmonte’s post, “Have you picked out your seven outfits of the season?”
In it, she proposes that if you want to make getting dressed easier, all you’ve got to do is figure out the 7 most common scenarios that pop up in your day to day life, then come up with a loose outfit formula you can apply to each scenario.
Pretty doable, right?
So, since winter is my least favorite season to dress for, I figured this would be the perfect time to not just think about this exercise but actually do it.
I’ve been working my way through since that fuzzy week between Christmas and New Years, and WOW it is making a significant difference in my overall feelings towards winter dressing! Do I actually like it now? Seems plausible!
So today, I’m sharing it all. First up, my 6 most common life scenarios:
1 | Working from a coffee shop
2 | At a friend’s house
3 | Teaching yoga
4 | Cozy night in at home
5 | Night out
6 | Rainy day
Now keep scrolling for the outfits recipes I’ll be riffing off of all month.
1 | Working from a coffee shop
I work from a coffee shop almost every day, so this is my most common category. I’m going for something cute and “dressed” but still ultra comfy and low-key. The pants gotta be comfy for sitting, and the shoes gotta be flat!
THE BASIC RECIPE:
Slouchy jeans + Short jacket + Sweater cardigan (with a long sleeve tee underneath) + Sneakers
FINISH IT WITH:
CARO’S THOUGHTS:
This is usually about the time of year when I pull out my leather jacket, but right now, I’m not feeling it. I’ve been craving more *softness* in my style, and something about a leather jacket feels too hard. So I’m switching it up to this fluffy fur jacket that I found secondhand. Warm fuzzies activated!
2 | At a friends house
I hang out with my friends often, and it’s usually just going over to someone’s house to chat, watch a show, or eat together. Verrry casual. Comfort is key since I’ll likely be curled up on someone’s couch watching The Bachelor. (Can’t wait for the new season!)
THE BASIC RECIPE:
Flare leggings + Sweater + Birkenstock Bostons
(optional) Long cashmere coat
FINISH IT WITH:
Socks + Crossbody bag + Claw clip
CARO’S THOUGHTS:
Oooh there’s something about flare leggings y’all! They make your typical athleisure outfit feel special! And instead of pairing them with a sweatshirt, I’m going for a sweater that feels more elevated (okay, sorry, I kind of hate that word, but there ya go). This is an outfit I could wear to eat tacos and binge a show and I’d be soooo comfy, but still feel cute. Cause you gotta feel cute!
3 | Teaching yoga
THE BASIC RECIPE:
Leggings + Tank + Fleece + Coat (preferably one with a little pattern-y pizzaz) + Birkenstock Bostons
FINISH IT WITH:
Socks + Crossbody bag + Baseball cap
CARO’S THOUGHTS:
Instead of grabbing for my short puffer, I’ve lately started wearing my most beautiful plaid wool coat with my yoga clothes. For one thing, it keeps the legs warm to and fro. For another thing, I like that it’s a finished outfit for errands afterwards. And finally (but most importantly), it makes me HAPPY! Nothing like turning a utilitarian outfit into something that feels special!
4 | Cozy night in at home
THE BASIC RECIPE:
Flannel PJ pants + Bralette + Sweater
FINISH IT WITH:
CARO’S THOUGHTS:
Meredith Blake vibes all the way, but without the whole waking-up-on-an-air-mattress-in-the-middle-of-a-lake part. I’m convinced that adorable socks are THE KEY to a good lounge look. It’s so easy to overlook socks! I did for years. But I promise cozy-cute socks will make a big difference.
5 | Night out
I typically neglect the “going out” section of my wardrobe because a night out is pretty rare for me. But it does happen occasionally! And if I do a little planning, I can skip the whole stressing-out-at-the-last-minute thing.
THE BASIC RECIPE:
Lace top (with a bandeau underneath) + Wide leg jeans + Kitten heel boots + Long cashmere coat
FINISH IT WITH:
Silver earrings + Tinted lip oil + Shoulder bag (preferably colorful)
CARO’S THOUGHTS:
The planning paid off! Because I freaking love this outfit. Chic, but low-key. A little sexy, but comfortable and warm. Neutral, but with a pop of burgundy. Yes, yes, yes.
6 | Rainy day
This is another somewhat rare category in my daily life, but it does happen and I always feel stumped when it does. Here I am, once again singing the praises of a little planning here!
THE BASIC RECIPE:
Leggings + Big sweater + Rain Coat + Tall boots
FINISH IT WITH:
Colorful scarf + Colorful baseball cap + Canvas tote + Silver earrings
CARO’S THOUGHTS:
I prioritized my practical needs over all else for this look. My least favorite thing to wear in the rain is wide leg, billowy pants. I refuse. So leggings with tall boots it is! And instead of an unmanageable umbrella, I went for a sweeping rain coat (with a hood) and baseball cap.
• • •
And there you have it! My 6 outfit recipes for January. I got so much out of this exercise that I plan to do it once a month for a little while.
Thank you for reading Unfancy today! It means so much to me. Feel free to subscribe at the bottom of the page to keep up with my blog posts or find me on Instagram.
