Style should work with your life, not against it. So often when we talk about fashion and style, we focus on the aesthetics alone. The shapes, the colors, the designs we like.

But we aren’t mannequins in a showroom or models in a photoshoot — we have to actually wear the clothes in our actual lives.

The feel of the fabric, the flexibility of the fit, and the wearability of those silhouettes matters too.

One of the most common challenges I hear from the community is that their current style or closet is misaligned with their day-to-day lives.

“I feel like I know what I like but I have a hard time balancing that with my actual life.”

“I love structured outfits but I work from home and find the sensory feel of stiff clothing feels off/wrong somehow, so I always change back into sweats.”

“I struggle with keeping cute outfits for ‘occassions’ instead of getting cute for just regular life.”

Integrating Practicality and Expression

I’ve talked about the duality of fashion as art and fashion as function before, but I wanted to make it more applicable.

How can we actually balance those two sides of fashion (art and function) to create outfits that not only work for who we are, but what we do day to day?

I used to think “fashion as art” equaled dressing up with a gown and heels while “fashion as function” meant sweatpants and sneakers.

But it’s not so binary — there’s a beautiful spectrum in between. And that’s probably the space most of us are dressing in, most of the time.

Here’s what I’ve learned from integrating my style with practicality for my work-from-home or work-from-café attire.

Consider the Fabric:

The wrong fabric can quickly make an outfit impractical. If it’s itchy or isn’t breathable, you’re not going to last very long in it if you don’t have to. Alternatively…

• A breathable cotton dress can often be even more comfortable to me than sweats in the heat. It’s easy, keeps you cool, but isn’t fussy.
• A linen button-down or crisp cotton blouse feels much more put-together than a t-shirt but can offer a similar level of comfort.
• Some fabrics have more give than others. Generally knits are more forgiving than woven fabrics (if that woven fabric isn’t blended with elastane). When a brand advertises “stretch fabric” it usually mean synthetics, but a quality wool knit should also be able to stretch and spring back pretty well.

Ensure a Good Fit:

Sometimes it’s not the formality of the piece that’s the problem, but the wrong fit.

• Are the shoulders too narrow, restricting your movement?
• Is the fabric stretching or puckering at the bust?
• Are the sleeves allowing for bending without feeling tight?
• Can you sit in those pants without them pulling or the crotch cutting in?

Also the waist is a big one! For me, a trouser with a stretchy waist is almost as comfortable as a pair of sweats (I said almost!) but elevates the outfit 10x.

Remix the Garment Ingredients:

The biggest lesson I’ve learned is to get more comfortable remixing the “ingredients” of my wardrobe in new ways.

A lace trouser doesn’t have to go with an elegant blouse! It can, if I want it to feel polished, but I could also pair those trousers with a tee and a denim jacket for a more smart casual look.

I could even wear the trousers with sneakers and pull my hair back for a fully casual option.

I also have a silky cupro jumpsuit that I used to only wore with heels. But I challenged myself to try three new styles with it that were more practical for my everyday.

• I wore it with a linen button-down wrapped around my waist and birkenstocks for casual day around the house.
• I paired it with a cotton vest for a day-running-errands look.
• And then I put a column skirt over the jumpsuit for an option that was elevated but not as “fancy” as it felt with a pair of heels.

The point is there are probably far more options to adjust the clothes in your closet to your current life than you think.

That’s exactly what my framework for remixing your closet is all about.

Finding new ways to wear old clothes so you can create outfits that meet what your present self needs. Not still wear your wardrobe like that version of you five years ago.

If you’re ready to go even deeper, you can join my 6-week live course, Love Your Closet Again! This is where you can start creating outfits that align with your style *and* life, using the clothes you already have. And if you do buy, you’ll know how to identify outfit multipliers — instead of just adding more stuff.

In the course, you’ll get step-by-step support plus opportunities for personalized feedback. Learn more here.

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How to Create Outfits That Fit Your Style and Your Life