#6: a C-U-T-E outfit formula for Doing Activities
A month in to living on the West Coast and I've been thrown right back into Doing Stuff! Not that Torontonians don't also do stuff, but that stuff often involves ... sitting. Or walking in order to sit somewhere. Gone are the days when I could wear my peep-toe kitten heels and frilliest vintage tops to a patio or a picnic — if I'm meeting friends at a restaurant or pub, it's likely they might suggest a casual afternoon mountain scramble or ocean dip beforehand. I know this sounds like I'm complaining about exercise, friendship and nature which I am not! I love all three of those things! I'm just a resolute Indoors Kid and, while I know I'll find my fancy sit-down friends eventually, for the interim I'm existing in a weird inbetweeny fashion space — where I want to (need to!) express myself with my clothes but also don't want to look like a big boob hiking in a metallic catsuit.
So! I came up with a catchy little acronym that has helped me get dressed for Outdoor Activities and Doing Stuff Outdoors in Weather. By following these "rules", I've found it easier to put together outfits that are both functional and fun, without sacrificing my personal style or putting me at risk of snapping an ankle.
Lest I leave you in the dark (sans flashlight or sensible shoes), I played with a few outfits to show you the formula in action. (It's also, inadvertently, a lesson in building outfits out of a suitcase, because our things still haven't arrived! How fun!)
Beachcombing to Beach Beers
Colour: A pop of colour keeps any outdoors look from looking, well, too outdoorsy. These vintage red swim trunks are just fashion enough but will also help me get rescued if I wander too far from my safety people.
Utility: Hat for shade, loose silk twill shirt for even more sun protection, loose shorts to allow me to scramble up big rocks. An outdoorsy outfit shoooould have some element of utility to it or else what are we doing here?!
Twist: A great Activity Outfit should have a touch of the unexpected (without compromising utility). Here, I've tucked the front button band into the side seam for a twist on your average button-down.
Ease: An element or two of ease says "Oh, who me? Why I knock out a casual trail run every morning!". Here, it's the loosely-rolled sleeve and chilled-out baseball cap.
Outdoor Birthday Party with No Backup Rain Date
Colour: Pretty self-explanatory, although can I please say that this Rains coat was an excellent secondhand find.
Utility: Jacket should keep me dry until I find a good umbrella, and the cowboy boots are great for kicking at puddles.
Twist: Cowboy-boots-as-rainboots give a twist to this rain-ready ensemble, while the rain jacket in an unexpected colour hits it from another angle.
Ease: Undone hair (because rain) and the laissez-faire attitude of pairing a fancy chiffon dress with grunged-up boots.
Lite Hike to City Pool Cooldown
Colour: A favourite recent make (Grasser 763) this big, silly hat is a great pop o' colour and perfect head umbrella.
Utility: The cotton tank keeps me cool, the long pants keep me protected in the bush and the hat provides shade on the deck (and can be rolled up and stashed while under the forest canopy).
Twist: I sewed a long dart in these pants to give a balloon effect at the ankles, which gives a nice twist to a familiar shape (without sacrificing hikeability).
Ease: Imagine a chunky hiking boot here, and you've got an instantly chilled-out look that could go poolside pretty easily.
Hike-In Forest Rave
Colour: The red shorts strike again!
Utility: Sports bra for dancing, purse for snacks, mesh to keep it cool, swim trunks for a little ~ disco dip ~ in the ocean afterwards.
Twist: The mesh overlay and leather purse lend a bit of sex appeal to an otherwise 100% sporty look.
Ease: Half-up messy bun and looser proportions suggest I stumbled across said forest rave while instead of hiking for an hour through brambles to get there! (Really talking up this imaginary party, but sounds wildly fun to be honest).
Mountaintop Tea Party
Colour: A baby blue fitting of the finest of china.
Utility: Nothing works better for this outfit formula than a skort! Chic enough to request two creams, no sugars in, technical enough to summit a mountain in (and no one needs to know!).
Twist: The bucket hat in nylon is both useful in case of rain and tops off the outfit with an unexpected texture.
Ease: Scrunched up sweater sleeves ft. a friendly elk: country-club dress code who?!
Dog Walk to Dock Talks
Colour: Bright raincoat (in case of rain or errant drool) plays well with the pink shirt.
Utility: Sporty sandals for comfort, baggy overalls for movement & sandals for dangling feet off the dock.
Twist: Sometimes the twist is just showing up in something unexpected to a particular location. While denim overalls make excellent dog park attire (lots of room for treats! no one will see your butt when you bend down to pick up poo!), it's not often they make an appearance there.
Ease: Big 'I just threw this on' energy with loose-on-loose fits and the sporty sandals.
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 or share on social (with infinite thanks from me!).