The February Challenge: Outdoors → 9-5 Wardrobe

Week One: Outfit SOS for that event you're headed to... tomorrow.

- From watershed drybag to conference round table-

Welcome to Your New Wardrobe

Welcome to the February Unseasoned Monthly Challenge! This four part series for paid subscribers is all about translating your outdoor seasonal clothing into a both functional and aesthetic wardrobe for your year round life.

Wardrobe and self-presentation can be sticky for many of us, so first let me assure you what this is not.

1. We are not buying a whole new wardrobe! Instead, our focus is assessing what you already have. Identifying gaps and making a few key purchases might be part of your process, but it is by no means required.

2. We are not pretending that anything you put on your outside is a substitute for how you feel on the inside. Here’s the first and foundational truth: confidence is the first key to unlocking a great looking wardrobe. For me, this starts with all of what makes me feel great on the inside: building a strong and balanced physical body, regular therapy, time for journaling and reflection, finding my growth edge, adventures with friends. With that said, the right clothing can also have a mutual, reciprocal relationship with my inner state. Sometimes on low-worth days, the perfect outfit reminds me of exactly who I am.

3. We are not adhering to gender norms. As much as possible, this advice is gender neutral/fluid and welcoming. It’s a framework not a rulebook. Toss anything that doesn’t support you looking on the outside how you feel on the inside!

   This first week of the challenge is all about a quick, SOS outfit you can build out of what you likely already have in your outdoorsy closet.

I would LOVE to see what you put together. Put a photo (or any questions!) in the comments and I will cheer you on!

-Emerald

- From watershed drybag or backpack to conference round table-

The Framework

Let’s dig into the simple, step-by-step framework upon which I build most of my favorite outfits. From masc to femme, bold to subtle, this formula works for almost everyone. You’ll see whispers of this in the classic “outdoors dude” outfit (khakis + plaid shirt) but there are also endless riffs to bring out your own favorite wardrobe items and personal style.

The basic version shown below won’t win you any style awards, but it is an easy, professional hack for a quickly approaching event or a limited budget. We’re in the learn the rules phase of “learn the rules so you can break them.”

As shown above, this formula works for casual events (left) or more formal interviews (right).