The Hardest Working Pieces in My Wardrobe

autumn casual over 40

What’s the hardest working piece in your wardrobe?

My guess is it’s not your ‘favourite‘ dress, and definitely not the fabulous statement piece you paid a fortune for and love so much. It’s probably something you don’t pay much attention to or even particularly like.

I decided to dedicate this post to the unsung heroes of my wardrobe:  the humble, understated pieces I reach for when ‘I have nothing to wear’ but need to wear something practical rather than impressive.

These are also the pieces I wear at least a couple of times a week. Usually when I have to get dressed in a hurry or feel too stressed out to put together a coherent look. In other words, clothes that I just throw on when my only objective is to stay warm and I really don’t care what I look like…

autumn casual over 50

And I have featured every single item in this outfit about a dozen or so times on the blog. Probably in a more or less a similar combination, too. There’s absolutely nothing I could do to make this outfit new and exciting. And you know what? That’s OK: we all need a break from the pressure to look our best and wear something new and exciting all the time.

But if I were to calculate the cost-per-wear ratio of this outfit, or of the individual pieces in this outfit, there’s nothing else in my wardrobe that would come even close. While I would not call anything I’m wearing here a ‘favourite‘, I realise that this is what I wear on a day-to-day basis. It doesn’t get more ‘real-life‘ than this.

Sure, it’s boring, maybe, but I like to keep it real, both on the blog and off.

how to wear a down jacket over 40

how to wear a down jacket over 40

Outfit details (all old):

jacket: Beaumont / top: Gap / trousers: Marks and Spencer /

shoes: Ecco / bag: Coach / sunglasses: Prada / scarf: Shanghai Tang

 

What’s the hardest working piece in your wardrobe?

Tiina

Linking up with:

Not Dead Yet StyleElegantly Dressed and StylishHigh Latitude StyleStyle ElixirA Labour of LifeCurly Crafty MomFashion Should Be FunColor and GraceThe Wardrobe StylistNot Dressed As LambStyle NudgeLiving on Cloud NineA Well Styled LifeElegance and MommyhoodPosh Classy MomNancy’s Fashion StyleShelbee on the EdgeA Pocketful of Polka Dots Style SplashThe Fashionista MommaTina’s Pink FridayFake FabulousMummabstylish 

13 Comments

  1. Arlene
    7 October 2018 / 5:59 pm

    Hi! First of all, I don’t think you’re boring! If you are, then I am too! I think your hardest working pieces are almost the same as mine. I like the idea of having pieces that I can grab in the morning and know I’ll look ok and I’ll be comfy in them. Mine are usually jeans and a casual top like a tee or a 3/4 sleeve top if it’s cooler out. I wear sneakers or flats with a rubber sole for comfort. Sound boring? Maybe but I don’t care. That’s me. Greetings from Arlene in NJ (US)

    • Tiina
      Author
      11 October 2018 / 7:19 pm

      Thank you! Yes, we definitely need grab-and-go clothes, especially early in the morning (I barely know who I am and where I’m supposed to be going then; having to think about clothes is just way too demanding so early). I’m a fan of jeans (or cords) and a t-shirt, too. I just switch to t-shirts with longer sleeves when it gets cooler, and then to cashmere sweaters in winter.

  2. 8 October 2018 / 9:42 am

    It’s not boring at all! Love how you refreshen your look using the same pieces. Some outfits are more useful than others – it’s the same for me xx Maria

    • Tiina
      Author
      11 October 2018 / 7:20 pm

      Thanks, Maria! Yep, that’s me: rewear the old favourites till they fall apart…

  3. 9 October 2018 / 3:14 pm

    It is fun to see a post of your go to pieces in one outfit. Nothing boring at all about a fun floral scarf and your coat color is nice too.

    • Tiina
      Author
      11 October 2018 / 7:21 pm

      Thanks, Tracey. Can you believe that I have at least 4 coats in this colour?!?

  4. 9 October 2018 / 5:32 pm

    Love that floral scarf! I think that is what makes this work so well.

    I wear jeans almost daily at home but I don’t count them as my favourites. They are work horses and pug friendly but that is it.

    Suzanne
    http://www.suzannecarillo.com

    • Tiina
      Author
      11 October 2018 / 7:22 pm

      Thanks, Suzanne. I try to find alternatives for jeans, at times. And then I fall back in the old habit… I blame cold weather; Jeans are just practical then.

  5. This Main Line Life
    10 October 2018 / 5:24 pm

    This is a great idea for a post. I have all these really great clothes, but I really do tend to wear the same “easy” things over and over every day because I’m mostly running errands and shuttling the kids around. In the winter it’s v-neck sweaters and jeans and in the summer, it’s t-shirts. #theblendedblogstyle
    X, Julie | This Main Line Life

    • Tiina
      Author
      11 October 2018 / 7:24 pm

      Thanks! Well, that sounds a lot like my everyday wardrobe: cashmere sweaters and jeans… Life is complicated as it is, at least our clothes should be easy, right?

  6. 12 October 2018 / 6:52 am

    I think when you wear a look on a day-by-day basis sort of, it’s a sign that it works for you. Yes, cost-per-wear is important to consider. If it doesn’t go below $1, it was just too expensive. Period. Thanks for sharing the look at the Top of the word Style linkup party.

  7. 15 October 2018 / 5:33 pm

    I don’t think your outfit is boring at all! It’s great that you get a lot of wear from your clothes – we should all be trying to do that instead of buying loads of new stuff…and I say that as someone guilty of buying too much! Thanks for linking up!

    Emma xxx
    http://www.style-splash.com

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