Outfit formulas for when you don’t know what to wear, according to 7 Australian stylists
IMAGE VIA @_MOLLYJOHNSTONE/INSTAGRAM
WORDS BY MAGGIE ZHOU
Comfort is key.
Standing in front of your wardrobe proclaiming you have nothing to wear is a universal experience. The number of times I’ve found myself calf-deep in my floordrobe is nothing short of embarrassing. Because truthfully, we have a lot of clothes to wear.
In Australia, the average person wears about half of their clothing regularly. The other half is left to pick up dust and dangle sadly from hangers. When we announce we have nothing to wear, it rarely means we have nothing to wear.
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Fashion is extremely personal. If we only saw clothes as a means to cover our naked bodies, this wouldn’t be a problem. But fashion’s ability to make us feel good (and subsequently, feel bad) means that the everyday process of getting dressed can be daunting at times.
Aside from staying in your pyjamas all day, having failsafe outfit ideas at the ready can combat fashion fatigue. Who better to receive advice from than a bunch of talented Australian stylists? I asked seven Australian stylists what they wear on days when they just don’t know what to wear.
Madeleine Assi
My go-to outfit is always a tight tank and oversized pants with a statement shoe. When I’m in fashion crisis mode I want to leave the house feeling comfortable and confident, and I find this is what I feel my best in. This tank is from one of my favourite Melbourne-based labels, Raga Malak, pants are cotton cargos from Zara which have become a staple in my wardrobe, and my favourite shoe at the moment, Maison Margiela Tabis.
My tip [for] curbing outfit anxiety is building a wardrobe of reliable pieces that you know you feel good in, bonus points if you can style them across multiple outfits!
Rosalind Seehusen
When in doubt I reach for my ‘uniform’ – baggy blue jeans (preferably extremely long), an oversized menswear blazer (my closet is full of them, all thrifted) and a cap. I pair this with ballet flats and my vintage Fendi Baguette to give it a slightly feminine touch.
I feel most comfortable in jeans and a blazer and these are by far my favourite. The jeans are an old pair of Mango jeans and the blazer I bought in a secondhand shop in Athens. The cap is from our recent holiday in Palermo. My styling advice for when in doubt would be to wear what you feel comfortable in, I find that’s when you always look your best.
Sally Mackinnon
For a recent photoshoot, instead of getting stressed about what to wear (or buying something new), I reverted to an outfit combination that was tried and tested from my wardrobe. When having one of those ‘closet full of clothes and nothing to wear‘ kind of days, I refer back to my catalogue of outfits (my Instagram) and simply rewear something I’ve worn and felt great in before. Simple!
This ‘fit includes some of my most loved pieces from my wardrobe. The jacket and pencil skirt are Tibi, [the] graphic tee [is] Acne Studios, slingbacks [are] Mansur Gavriel and [the] bag [is] Balenciaga. The whole look feels very ‘me’ – modern, classic with an unexpected edge.
Amelia Lee
When I don’t know what to wear, I always revert to the elevating basics. It’s the easiest way to look effortless even on a bad day. I’ve paired a St Agni singlet with a double-layered look with a pair of low-rise Lioness jeans for a super easy look. I love St Agni for its chic elevated basics. They always make a basic outfit better.
I also chucked on a tailored coat on top from Mango to elevate the look because I was running between meetings. To keep it fun and very ‘me’, I added a pop of colour in the shoes with my Adidas Gazelles and my Poppy Lissiman specs. Adding fun shoes and accessories is a life hack to make any outfit look like you put a tonne of effort in.
Molly Johnstone
If I’m in a rush getting dressed I usually start with the brief of ‘comfort but put together’. [I’m] always reaching first for anything Adidas [or] colour as my base and matching it with a sporty or bold-coloured top. This is then followed by a statement shoe, preferably a sneaker but it needs to pop! I will then pop on my vintage leather trench coat or a zipped hood [or] knit.
Briar Will has incredible pieces to mix and match that tick every box when I want [elevated] comfort whilst I’m on the go or on a shoot day. To finish my look off, I’m often reaching for some Poppy Lissiman shades as they usually have some quirk to them and they’re not at a super expensive price point which is why I own so many of her sunglasses!
Another outfit I gravitate towards on a cooler day with no blue skies in sight is an all-black look with a statement sneaker (you can’t go wrong!). It takes little thought when I haven’t pre-planned an outfit and I’m running around town collecting or returning pieces on a tight schedule. I get my everyday black wardrobe essentials from Henne, Style Addict, Bayse Brand and The Frankie Shop.
My advice would be to either go bold with the apparel and pair it back with black accessories, or wear an all-black outfit and go bold [with] accessories. Works every time for me!
Carlos Mangubat
When all else fails I go back to my Prada shorts and Prada loafers. I try to wear shorts all year round and these ones in particular are my go-to. The loafers are on a weekly rotation and help elevate a lot of very casual looks. I also like to mix a bit of sportswear with tailoring, so I tend to pair the loafers with sportswear or wear these shorts with a dress shirt.
Jenna Flood
[For] days I need to quickly pull my outfit together or just don’t know what to wear, I always fall back on my old reliables. These Caves Collect pants have been in my wardrobe for a while and I always wear them when I want to be comfortable. I once even hiked a volcano in Bali in them!
This vest from E Nolan is just the perfect piece to throw on, whether over a tee or by itself. I feel like it’s casual, but also a little bit dressed up. What I love about this base is that I can dress it up further by adding a statement coat or make it more casual with some sneakers.
For more tips on what to wear when you’re at a loss, head here.
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