We challenged our resident fashion bloggers, Jake and Natasha, to show us how they construct their outfits for a week. They put together plenty of great fall looks, reflecting a need for coziness on Monday to a flare for fun on Friday.
Natasha:
Monday
Mondays are tough. Let’s face it—the last thing I feel like doing on Mondays is wearing something uncomfortable. When I have a long day of classes, I always lean towards casual and comfortable. Today, I started with a loose pant (more comfortable than jeans, more presentable than pyjamas) and went with a coloured top. In the winter, my wardrobe tends to go monochromatic, so while we’re still in fall I like to throw on some oranges and browns. And, of course, no casual Monday outfit is complete without simple accessories—in this case, very simple. I opted only for a watch and brogues, which I feel smarten the outfit up a bit. While I’m all about ease, I still like to add small touches to every outfit to keep things fresh.
Pants – Aritzia
Top and shoes – Urban Outfitters
Watch – Daniel Wellington
Tuesday
High-waisted shorts and pants are my uniform. I’m rarely seen in any other type of bottom. For me, I love the silhouette they create. There’s something inherently classic about the high-waisted look, and it definitely works with the ‘70s vibe autumn has this year. I felt these shorts were a good take on the ‘70s trend, with their colour and wide belt, but the clean cut makes them modern. Tuck in a plain shirt (in this case, a fine knit), throw on some tights, a pair of boots, and you’re ready for that golden autumn sunshine.
Shorts: Zara
Knit top: Zara
Tights: American Apparel
Boots: Asos
Necklace: Noul
Watch: Daniel Wellington
Wednesday
I can honestly say that when I was younger I never thought I’d own a pair of mom jeans. I saw Monica wear them in Friends and I saw my own mom wear them in the late ‘90s. But 16 years later, here we are, and I’ve become a big fan. These jeans in particular are so comfortable, and I love creating different looks with them, either going for more relaxed or dressed up looks. Today, I went somewhere between the two. I paired the jeans with a long white tank, but to transition this summery palette to autumn, I added a pair of born ankle boots and a burgundy scarf. As usual, I like to keep accessories minimalist, but a little bit of gold here and there always elevates the look to another level.
Jeans: American Apparel
Top: Value Village
Boots: Aldo
Watch: Daniel Wellington
Necklace: Topshop
Scarf: Urban Outfitters
Thursday
I tend to veer toward solids. More often than not I’m seen in some combination of solid white and solid black, with the occasional grey thrown in (Once my grandmother told me I need to wear more colour, hence the grey). Because of my predisposition towards solids, I’m always reluctant to wear patterns, even if it’s one I like. But, like I’ve been saying all week, autumn is one of the best times of year for rich colour and, of course, pattern. It’s a fun time to play around with new things, to show off before it’s parka time. I had to go for this dress today, especially since it was warm enough to wear it without tights. For me, the pattern is just the right amount of ‘70s sofa, and I absolutely love it.
Dress: H&M
Boots: Topshop
Watch: Daniel Wellington
Rings: Thrifted
Friday
It’s called casual Friday for a reason. It’s the end of the week, and usually by this point we’re all thinking about having a drink or having a nap, or having both. Since I don’t have classes on Friday, I’m usually sporting a “running errands” look. For me, that means something I can bicycle all over town in, so simplicity is key. But, it’s Friday. We need to bring things up to an it’s-the-weekend level. In comes the leather jacket. I am a firm believer that a leather jacket = instant cool. Not sure if the cool actually comes across for me instead of the usual derp, but here’s hoping.
Jeans: Topshop
Shoes: Converse
T-shirt: Brandy Melville
Jacket: Zara
Jake:
Monday
Look at this guy. He’s ready for the long week ahead (or he tells himself he is). What you wear can have a significant impact on your mood for the day, so on Monday I wore my favourite sweater. It may not be your favourite sweater, but all that matters is how I feel wearing it: comfortable, content, and in a headspace that will let me tackle another week. The pants are also among my favourite pieces of clothing, and they allow me to have a look that is colour cohesive, which is a risk unless you can pull it off with varying shades.
Sweater: H&M
Pants: H&M
Shoes: H&M (in every picture)
Tuesday
Plaid is boring—unless you do something new with it! It’s buttoned to the top and the bright purple pops against my black jacket. I wear this jacket almost every day in the autumn because it goes with almost everything, and the unique design reveals whatever I have on underneath. It can even make plaid look sophisticated when paired with the sleek black.
Jacket: H&M
Plaid shirt: Value Village
Pants: Topman
Wednesday
I constantly experiment with colour. Sometimes I’ll match everything, like I did on Monday, and other times I treat my body like a Rothko painting as I have here, pairing my pants with my shoes and my shirts with each other. I don’t think there should be any rules regarding colour mix and match. See what works and what doesn’t. Also, my number one tip is to always layer intelligently. Think about how they will reflect and complement each other.
Button-up: Banana Republic
Sweater: H&M
Pants: American Apparel
Thursday
I wear this white sweater a lot, but usually alone, so I decided to wear it with a black shirt underneath to create an interesting clash of colour on my body. I try to keep my silhouette in mind in the morning, and what kind of immediate effect my outfit will have on people who know me and those that don’t. And it’s chic!
Black shirt: Value Village
Sweater: H&M
Pants: H&M
Friday
Don’t be afraid of prints and patterns. I tend to stick to solids, but that just means when I wear something like this shirt, it makes more of a statement. When it comes to accessorizing, I am a minimalist. My sunglasses were cheap and I always wear that bracelet, and it rarely gets more adventurous than that. You don’t have to be as reserved as me, but make sure to choose accessories thoughtfully. Also, I wore the same pants two days in a row, which is absolutely acceptable because I said so.
T-shirt: H&M
Pants: H&M
