It’s April 25th. You know what that means, right? The perfect date! If you don’t get this reference, don’t worry about it, I won’t waste your time rehashing a dated pop cultural reference that has been beaten to death within this exact context, but I maintain that we get very limited time to wear, essentially, the inside of an outfit that is often covered by a coat but without the coat, so it is up to us not to fuck it up. And here we are, in the middle of a string of days that enable the pursuit of suits and sandals, boots and dresses (no tights), sweaters as jackets; knee highs and bare thighs! Not to be confused with bear thighs, but it does help to plea the shaving fifth in the event of temperatures below 65 (F). In the event of other events, here are four outfits that might inspire you to approach your closet with a pair of fresh eyes.
1.For a weekend evening out.
Here is a cotton nightgown layered under a thick knit paired with strappy sandals and a book clutch. I specifically favor the inclusion of a nightgown because you can come home, kick off your shoes, throw your sweater down and crawl right into your bed. If it gets hot wherever you are while out, just take the sweater off. It’s as simple as that! If you worry that someone might prod on the topic of your nightgown, I recommend looking the inquirer square in the eye and saying, “Yes.”
The alternate use case, btw, for this outfit is the office on a Friday, pending you will not get fired for wearing something somewhat see-through. If you are trying to get fired, this could be a cool way to go.
2. For work. I think!
I work in a creative office — I’ve only ever worked in creative offices — and appreciate that the boundaries with which I approach dress for work are distinctly different from those who do not work in the same environment. That said, maybe you can couple a pantsuit with a T-shirt in lieu of a button down? It doesn’t have to be tie-dye, a utilitarian grey might serve the same purpose. Also, though, what’s the policy around footwear where you work? You can call these your commuter kicks and slip into loafers when you arrive if exposed toes are discouraged, then put them back on when you’re shimmying into the dewey night.
3. For a slightly (not soggy) rainy day.
My favorite new thing to do for spring is wear sweaters as jackets, especially when it is drizzling because I love the smell of wet knitwear. It’s weird, but I have no shame. I am not a very big fan of wet feet, however, which is where the rubber boots come in. These are Celine, but my husband has a Hunter pair and they may as well be apple-for-apple twins. The dress I’m wearing is actually a silk jacket I have elected to tie closed. I might suggest trying this (as in, layering a sweater over your “dress”) with an existing robe in your current wardrobe.
4. For a day the-f-off.
Everyone knows the greatest thing about a day off is that there are no rules. NO RULES!!! That means ice cream for breakfast, pancakes for lunch, a piña colada in lieu of a smoothie and jean shorts for every single interaction you have. Soup up them jorts with a graphic T-shirt, slap a pair of knee highs on because there is a substantial enough chill to do so and enjoy an oversize, collarless jacket to offset your homage to Jenny Humphrey.
Another dated reference bites the dust! Here’s hoping the clothes are better.
Photos by Edith Young.
