Thrifted & handmade outfit of the day

Week one

I'm considering starting a new series ‘Thrifted & handmade outfit of the day’. I love fashion and style blogs who do outfit of the day (OOTD) posts, but often there's a queasy, consumerist over tone, with affiliate links and encouragement to purchase. Don't get me wrong, writers deserve compensation for their time and content, and if affiliate links and brand partnerships work for folks, who am I to say they shouldn't pay their mortgage in that way. For me though, as a person interested in fashion, style, and clothes but through the lens of sustainability, I wish I saw more restyling posts, outfit repeats, and ways to make the same clothing work in different settings. Then I figured…why don't I write that content? Write what you would want to read, after all.

As a side note, I love clothes but also do not have endless budget to spend. We have financial goals and flat renovation plans and labradors who need new shoes. Another good reason to recycle your clothes.

So here we go, thrifted and handmade outfit of the day: week one! I'm going to experiment with occasional weekly roundup posts (no one needs me daily clogging up their inbox). I'm excited to see how my personal style evolves and to play with different pieces from my wardrobe that don't often see the light of day. This will be a good opportunity to see what I reach for regularly and what could be consigned to the donation pile.

Day one: coffee date and blog writing with Andrew and the dogs

Inner layer

Handmade: Modern Sewing Company Overshirt / PetiteKnit Balloon cardigan / Closet Core Morgan jeans

Outer layer

Handmade: Melissa Wang Aquinnah scarf

Thrifted (peeking out): Trespass via Vinted burgundy down jacket

Day two: post night shift dog walk

Inner layer

Thrifted: Uniqlo via Vinted down jacket (with a large repair after the Labrador ate the inside of the pocket in an effort to get to dog snacks) / H&M via Vinted cigarette pants

Handmade: PetiteKnit Stockholm Sweater

Outer layer

Thrifted: Levi's denim jacket via my brother / Vintage 90s National Trust bag via my brother (if you leave stuff in the wardrobe at my parents’ and then move to Italy, you're basically asking for someone to help themselves). I sewed a John Muir National Park patch over the National Trust logo, a souvenir from a trip to San Francisco

Handmade: self drafted burgundy jersey cowl from thrifted fabric

Day three: Christmas drinks in the local pub

Inner layer

Thrifted: M&S via Cancer Research jeans

Handmade: PetiteKnit Balloon cardigan / Modern Sewing Company Overshirt

Outer layer

Handmade: jersey cowl from thrifted fabric

Thrifted: Boden camel coloured wool coat via a charity shop in Glasgow for a tenner, absolute bargain!

Day four: Christmas eve dog walk

Inner layer

Thrifted: M&S via a pal of my granny Christmas pudding sweater / Ralph Lauren via Vinted burgundy tee

Handmade: Closet Code Ginger jeans with visibly mended knees

Hair and face straight from the shower: model's own

Outer layer

Handmade: jersey cowl from thrifted fabric

Thrifted: Trespass via Vinted down jacket

Days five and six: Christmas day and Boxing day

I worked both of these days and fully intended to get an OOTD picture in my scrubs. Sadly, all the sick animals had other ideas so here is a previous picture that, full disclosure, isn't contemporaneous. Also, I'm a small animal vet, meaning the last time I touched a sheep (prior to this stray lamb) was over a decade ago at vet school, hence my delighted grin at being able to remember how to tube feed.

Thrifted: fanny pack via Depop / tortoiseshell slip ons that Andrew hated so got relegated to work clothes Tu via Vinted

Day seven: dog walk

Awkward hand in pocket courtesy of Andrew hassling me to get out of the door.

Inner layer

Handmade: Closet Core Ginger jeans with visibly mended knees and crotch / cable knit sweater from a vintage pattern

Outer layer

Handmade: burgundy jersey cowl

Thrifted: Trespass via Vinted down jacket

Week one completed! This week felt quite samey with respect to my style, mostly because I had similar activities almost every day. I definitely have a default uniform of jeans + white tee + cardi or sweater. I want to try experimenting with some of my less-worn items, wearing them more regularly for every day events. That will be a gentle challenge for the next time I do a thrifted & handmade outfit of the day post!