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“I love fashion, but hate clothes,” says our features writer Caroline. “At just over five feet tall, nothing ever fits me off the rack. My loyalties lie with accessories, which always work!” Still, over the years, she’s learned to love certain silhouettes, and now she wears them everywhere. Here are five outfits Caroline recently wore in a week…
Jacket: Everlane. Dress: Aland, similar. Tote: Subway Book Review. Sandals: Birkenstock.
“My wardrobe is definitely composed of easy-to-wear neutrals. Previously, it was nearly all black, but I’ve been trying to move out of that because it’s looked like I’ve been going to a funeral for the past five years. I’ve been incorporating more grey and denim and (gasp) even some patterns, like these teeny polka dots. My friend Uli gave me this tote bag, and whenever I wear it, strangers inevitably come up and ask me what I’m reading, causing me to suddenly forget the title of every book, ever. For any fellow book lovers, Subway Book Review is currently donating 50% of all proceeds from sales of the tote to Everytown for Gun Safety.”
Sunglasses: Ray-Ban. Top: Christy Dawn. Jeans: Levi’s. Sandals: Birkenstock. Necklace: Made in Earth.
“I tend to wear the same pieces over and over and over, including these jeans. If I find basics I love, I’ll buy duplicates. The same goes for shoes — I’ll replace my Converse once a year, and have multiple colors of these sandals. When I was a kid, my mom had a pair of felt Birkenstock clogs, and I made fun of them mercilessly, saying they looked like David the Gnome footwear. Now I wear Birkenstocks more than any other shoe. Oh, life.”
Jumpsuit: Elizabeth Suzann. Sandals: Stella Luna. Sunglasses: Ray-Ban.
“Most jumpsuits are taller than I am, so they’ve historically been off-limits, unless I want to deal with a lot of tailoring. But my similar-heighted friend (and Cup of Jo photographer) Christine kept wearing a jumpsuit that looked incredible on her. Turns out it was from Elizabeth Suzann, whose made-to-order pieces come in short, regular and tall. After considering it for a while (due to the price and also that whole undressing-in-the-bathroom situation), I took the plunge. Now it’s easily my favorite outfit. It makes me feel sophisticated and also like a giant four-year-old, which, if you think about it, is a pretty unstoppable combination.”
Windbreaker: Alala. Tank: Koral. Leggings: Lululemon. Shoes: Nike ID, similar.
“If I had my way, you’d always find me in gym clothes. When I don’t have anywhere important to be, I’ll put workout clothes on first thing in the morning, because it’ll get me to the gym at some point. This is my version of a superhero suit — it’s comfortable, I can run and jump, and I feel ready for whatever comes my way. Recently, I couldn’t find training shoes I liked, so I designed these myself via Nike ID. You can get words or initials embroidered on the back, so my left shoe says ‘NAPS’ and my right one says ‘NACHOS.’ Because is there anything more uplifting? I think not.”
Tank: Koral. Bra: similar. Leggings: Lululemon. Bracelets: Satya.
“When I was a kid, I loved the book Sylvester and the Magic Pebble, about a donkey who collects rocks, including a magic pebble. It must have embedded itself in my consciousness, because now I am an unabashed crystal-carrying adult. I once tucked a boulder opal into my sports bra (don’t ask) and forgot it was there. Later that day, I was jumping around in a gym class and it skittered across the floor. The very intense instructor was like, ‘WHAT WAS THAT?’ Cue me not-at-all smoothly slinking across the studio to retrieve my runaway stone. I am also a rational person, I swear.”
Dress: Reformation, similar.
“Growing up, I desperately wanted bigger boobs. I prayed for them, just like in Are You There God, It’s Me Margaret. Then I waited. Nothing happened. Alas, some things are not meant to be. Now, I heartily embrace a dramatic plunging neckline, knowing everything will more or less stay in place. Silver linings! I bought this dress six years ago with nowhere to wear it, but have found many, many occasions since — neckline and all.”
Thank you, Caroline!
P.S. More women share their weeks of outfits, including two podcast hosts and a photographer.
(Photos by Nicki Sebastian for Cup of Jo. Yoga photo shot at Love Yoga and bookstore photo at Arcana Books.)
