#10: morning mise-en-place
Ever the fan of a needlessly-complicated styling hack, I’d be a real hack if I didn’t share the tip I use most regularly. To give credit where it’s due, my mom (and probably yours) has been trying to get me on this beat since grade school — ever on brand, I staunchly resisted until I started needing to pick out ~ cute and fun ~ outfits in the Deep Darkness of a weekday morning, half-dead & trying not to wake my partner as I plunge my arms into the murky depths of my aquarium-sized closet, hoping I’d hook a salvageable catch.
The switch is simple (and, perhaps, one my wiser readers do already): just set out your outfit the night before. It’s a mise-en-place for your future self, a lovely gift from your nighttime form to your morning one. I’m a better me before I go to bed — more creative, head full of imagery & inspiration captured from a full day ( … of browsing Pinterest during off-camera meetings).
I put this outfit together on Thursday night for Friday morning, setting aside 10-15 minutes for the process, and it gave me the same jolt as flipping through racks at a fancy boutique. I held up the bright blue to a few pairs of trousers, considered how the murky green would tone down the vibrancy for a nice balance. I got to sort through my coats, considering the next day’s weather forecast and planned activities (occasional rain, day of back-to-back meetings to dinner with my sister & mom) in a measured way that morning Michelle just can’t muster. (So different the two of us that it’s almost like picking out an outfit in a casual friend’s closet.)
I think the main key here is to give yourself grace the next day — it’s impossible to predict inclement weather & inclement moods! You may just not feel it when you wake up. However, the bones are built, and it’s easier to start from something instead of nothing. You can swap out a hard pant for a soft, a wool sweater for a sweatsuit, or scrap the whole thing and note it down for later. My recommendation is to trust that your past self had big intentions for ‘today’ you — my nighttime-selected outfits often end up louder and more daring than my morning-selected ones, but I’m rarely regretful when I just go for it.
If you’ve got the time tonight, I’ll be digging through my newly-unearthed winter clothes alongside you, hunting for gems to offer up to the morning — I’d love to hear (and see!) how it goes.
With love!
Michelle
Thank you so much for sticking around! I know inbox space is at a high premium, so I don't take your eyeballs and your attention lightly. This newsletter is and will remain free, but if you'd like to show your support you can buy me a coffee, hit ‘membership’ for a standing coffee date or share on social (with infinite & celestial thanks from me!).