These last two weeks of Wardrobe Architect have been about identifying the shapes and silhouettes we like and keep coming back to. It’s been both fun and informative for me to thinking about different shapes and how I feel when I wear them. For instance, in high school, I love love loved to hide in my clothes. Everything was a size or two too big, and then I’d throw a cardigan on top for good measure. In college I started to wear clothes that were actually my size, but I still opted for looser silhouettes. It wasn’t until I got into my mid-twenties that I really started to play around with different shapes. I found that a slimmer bottom (usually a pencil skirt), and a tailored button down shirt was my most comfortable and confident option. Still, I never found myself favoring skinny jeans or leggings until I had kids and needed a slimmer bottom to free myself up for running around after tiny ones. I still love pencil skirts, but for every day wear I gravitate towards skinny jeans, a slim fitting t-shirt, and a cozy, boyfriend-style cardigan.
Looking back on my personal style over the last decade, no matter what shapes I like, I always find myself picking out a few pieces that I absolutely love and wearing them to death. In other words, I’ve loved having a uniform far before I got paid to have one. I put together these silhouettes on Polyvore, which is a new to me tool for creating outfits and collages. For this exercise I wanted to keep things simple. I focused on finding shapes and kept the palette very neutral. I went for things that I could easily wear year round by changing up the layering. Adding sweaters, scarves, and boot for winter, and opting for sandals and minimal accessories for the warmer months. I always opt for my structured pieces that accentuate my shape without sticking to it. Apart from t-shirts, it’s rare that you’ll find me wearing a lot of jersey knits. I posted these outfits up on my Wardrobe Architect board on Pinterest. I’ve really enjoyed seeing what other gals are coming up with.
Here’s the most basic iteration. Skinny jeans, a crisp white tee, chunky knit cardigan, and work boots. I love dark denim and a white tee. It’s my most favorite thing to wear. The jeans have a higher rise which I find most comfortable and I like that they give my legs a longer line. I’ve always favored V-neck or U-neck shapes for my t shirts. If I want more coverage, I can just add a scarf. The sweater has a longer line, but still has shaping at the waist.
This is basically the skirt version of the first silhouette. I like button down shirts because they provide structure. I like clothes to show the shape of my body without clinging to it.
If I worked in an office, I would totally wear this type of outfit. I went with slim fitting cropped pants here, and tops that add structure.
At times, I do like having a fuller skirt. I like how they draw attention to the waist, but are also comfortable and breezy. I’ll tuck in a t-shirt or button down top to show off my waist and avoid having too much volume up top.
This is another version of the first look. As much as I like to be structured underneath, I’m a big sucker for swing coats.
I’m not in love with the embellishment on the dress, but the lines on it are perfect. Fitted, but not super tight. It could stand on it’s own or be paired with a cardigan (long and chunky for winter, lightweight and cropped for spring and summer)
Plaid Skirt 