Today’s outfit contains a mish-mash of some of my favourite things; florals, stripes, flat shoes and a pair of bold trousers. I’ve written before about not feeling like I have a distinct style or go-to look, but there are certainly elements of commonality in my wardrobe.
Maybe that’s why, when I look at these photos, I think about cheerfulness. This bright, bold outfit makes me happy, puts a smile on my face and a spring in my step. Speaking of spring, the weather in San Francisco has been pretty darn good lately, and when these photos were taken, the tulips were out in full force in Golden Gate Park.
I’ve only recently started wearing this embroidered blue and white stripe shirt, despite finding it months ago in the Zara sale. I’m not sure why I put it off for so long because I absolutely love it, especially with an OTT pair of trousers. This pair are from Marks & Spencer and I found them in the sale for £12 when I was back in the UK for Christmas. Mama Ship-Shape and I were out shopping for funereal outfits, which is as bleak as it sounds, when I saw a pop of mustard, alone on the end of a sale rack. The antidote to searching for black shoes, black dresses, and black tights, they were just the right pick-me-up and I haven’t stopped wearing them since I got home.
The shoes are also new – I was after a pair of replacement white trainers when I saw these Adidas ones with red stripes. Not what I thought I wanted but again, they contribute to a sense of cheerfulness and joy, and are practical enough that I’ll wear them for years.
I understand why people in positions of power, such as Barack Obama or Steve Jobs, never deviated from their tried and tested outfit recipes. These uniforms helped define them, and in the case of the latter, take on an almost iconic status. Perhaps my uniform is just ‘loud’.
