Monthly High-Five//010

A countdown of 5 things on my mind for February

Hi Readers,

After what feels like 365 days of January, welcome to a brand new month…Hello, February ❤️

Thanks for your patience as I know this newsletter is coming out a bit late today…the week flew by with a lot of client work so I’ve been editing all day to get this out on time!

I loved our themed January topics centered around learning more about your personal style — wearing what we already own, wardrobe editing, and the topic of depth vs breadth. We even kicked off our first style challenge (more on that down below)!

I thought it would be fun to continue themed months so February will be all about intentional shopping. Now that you’ve gathered some data points about your style preferences and potential wardrobe blind spots, you can start to slowly curate and fill in the gaps - and I’m here to help you!

Some topics I’m thinking about: a peek into my own wardrobe gaps and Spring wishlists, a Spring shopping guide in case you are looking to expand into some breadth (or just need general freshness for the season) — I’m thinking of our most worn categories like sneakers, workwear, jeans, tops…let me know in the comments if there’s others!

Maybe March can be centered around styling?!

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Without further ado, my top 5 for February!

5 going out tops

I’ll plan to release a larger shopping guide later this month but I thought we could do a mini edit for this newsletter as a preview. A lot of my clients always ask about “going out” tops — whether it’s for date nights, dinners, Friday night girls’ wine dates. A certain holiday this month (that I personally don’t pay much attention to) but maybe you have plans with your partner, friends, a first date…

There’s a lot of different ways to dress up for social activities and I can probably do an entire newsletter just on this topic but the tops category seems to be the biggest gap in peoples wardrobes. Do you feel like pre-pandemic you had a closet full of going out tops but post-pandemic, your wardrobe is filled with minimal casual basics? You aren’t alone!

When thinking of going out tops, it helps to think about what makes you confident in your own skin. Maybe you want to feel sexy…or strong…or just an elevated version of your daytime vibe. It needs to feel authentic to you — don’t let anyone else’s judgement cloud that!

You can always opt for a fun personality top but here’s some ideas I’m sharing that can help you feel dressed for going out but can still offer versatility across your lifestyle.

I love a bit of skin, interesting and strong shapes, soft subtle femininity, a bit of juxtaposition…remember, our style and our outfits are a sum of all the parts so even if you are just wearing your favorite tee, maybe you feel ready to go out because you switch from your grey bralette to a lace bra! (not my best collage - sorry!)

1// I love the simplicity of this tank and it feels more modern than a basic going out top thanks to the tunic length (honorable mention to this minimal sheer cami which is unfortunately not available yet, but you can pre-order!) 2// Not your typical halter - the high neck in a brushed cashmere feels elevated yet interesting 3// I’m a sucker for subtle sheerness - love this in a tomato red or you could go for a classic turtleneck (or this interesting brown version) or short sleeve full-sheer moment or sparkly sheer tee moment (think styled under a blazer or long menswear coat!) 4// A fitted moment but the drape creates texture and movement vs something super form fitting (also comes in Black and a beautiful Cream) 5// A feminine pointelle moment that’s super versatile but anything but basic (also comes in long sleeve)

4 ways to style them

Featuring a couple going out options ranging from dressier to more chill but also showing how you can restyle for work-related activities and bring on vacations with you too! As always, I like to repeat some of the pieces and accessories throughout so you can have more visual restyling examples! Links to items used in these outfits here.

Here it’s all about the accessories ! 1// a gold cuff and delicate satin bag for going out 2// a chilled-out suede paired with lived-in denim for a more casual dinner 3// an architectural earring and structured tote for work (throw on a coat! or layer a turtleneck!) 4// bohemian inspired accents for a vacation

I love the relaxed glamour of this cashmere halter! 1// all black is a failsafe option but keep it elevated with gold accessories 2// pair with a cozy cardigan and loafers for a casual dinner (you can wear open or layer under it closed so it acts like a turtleneck) 3// A non-basic trouser paired with a structured coat and accessories 4// a simple mini skirt and fun accessories for vacation

I love the texture of this sheer sweater 1// A chill going out look that’s juxtaposed with satin slides and a metallic bag 2// a casual dinner option with barrel cargo pants and more femme accessories 3// love how the red and grey looks together for an everyday work look (pair a cami if needed) 4// a cozy option for evenings on vacation…this would be so cute with a bikini top layered under too!

This top has so much drape that you can keep the rest of the details minimal 1// Play up the cool tones with bronze and silver for going out 2// an elevated option for dinner, but chilled out with comfy loafers 3// a tonal option with grey suiting and contrast accessories 4// an easy chic vacation option for a day running around in the city or dinners out (would also look cute with longer cut-off denim shorts!)

The feminine details of this top are so lovely so lean into it! 1// A mini skirt moment with hits of colors 2// all black but contrasted with cream/beige/gold accessories to create interest 3// a french-inspired look with a classic trench and clean accessories 4// I love the sharp contrast against a white linen skirt for a beach vacation look

3 Alternate going out top ideas

Since we’re on the topic, you can never go wrong with a understated classic choice — just think about how you style it to take it from day to night!

1// Blazer worn as a top - bare with some great jewelry, or a silk bra or lace bralette underneath. Its been cold so I’ve worn my coat as a top, belted! 2// The classic button down - sized up for a slouchier fit, unbuttoned more than you normally would, styled with a great pendant or a cuff, maybe a bralette 3// A cardigan worn as a top - styled unbuttoned at the top and bottom to show a bit of skin or off shoulder for an asymmetric look

2 ‘Shop Your Wardrobe’ January Challenge Updates

Thank you to everyone who participated in anyway in this style challenge! I wanted to share some of my personal favorite looks that made me take a screenshot and save for future inspiration. If you haven’t checked out the chat yet, pop on over for some really cool, personal style moments from real life women! Whether you liked, commented, shared selfies, or just enjoyed from afar, thank you for making it an incredibly kind, supportive, and inclusive space that I think so many of us needed this past month. I felt inspired, sustained, and so grateful for this community.

Thank you Amanda, Claire, Emily, Ash, Anu, Kira, Allie, Catherine, Lori, Grace, Anna, Maureen, Jennifer, Nicole, Jennie, Jacqueline, Jess, Rin-On - and apologies to anyone I accidentally missed!

Some of my looks from the challenge - I tend to dress based on my mood and how I want to feel each day but doing the daily prompts helped me recognize that I was in a lot of ways in my own style rut, leaning on my comfort pieces and formulas. A lot of the outfits were new-to-me, or styled in variations I had never tried before!

Some favorite moments and wins from the chat -

• “It’s been SUCH a useful exercise to remember what I like and practice playing with what I already have in my closet.”

• “Documenting my outfits daily and styling with intention helped me reach an “A-Ha” moment regarding my 3 style words which I’d been revising and previously not happy with.”

• “I’ve been so down on the homogeinity of fashion lately, and I feel like my eyes have been opened by all of you in this challenge.”

• “I learned to trust my gut more and venture out of my ‘safe’ choices.”

• “This challenge has been SO fun, and this month was hard, so having this safe supportive space meant everything to me.”

Keep an eye out - I hope to do another challenge in late Spring or Summer so there will be more opportunities to join!

1 Quote To Leave You With

c/o @shapeofyourfeelings

See you next Sunday!

xx,

Angie