So you've got your cake, but you need help icing it....I got you
The personality pieces in my own wardrobe & how to find yours
I hear a lot of people say they’re sorted for basics (aka the cake), but what they really struggle with is how to find the pieces that add personality, the ones that help them ice the cake. If you’ve been feeling stuck when it comes to adding interest to your go to outfits, today’s post is stuffed with ideas that go beyond shoes and bags (as such you’ll need to open it in the Substack app to see the entire piece)!
When it comes to my icing preferences i’m led more by emotion than practicality, verses when i’m shopping for basics. Great icing doesn’t need to be coherent, and I often think if you were to put all my icing in a pile it wouldn’t make a lot of sense, but it’s when you pair it with my basics, when you see them as part of a whole outfit that the context appears. There is a flavor of considered style but in a way that still allows me to evolve and experiment based on how I feel on any particular day, and I need that within my wardrobe. These are my favorite ways to ice my cake, outside of shoes and bags.
A bold lipstick
Don’t underestimate the power of a great lipstick. It’s such a simple way to add color to an outfit without having to go all out. If a bold lip isn’t your thing, try experimenting with a stain, or a tinted balm. I find that whenever I wear basics like a stripy t-shirt and jeans, the lipstick ices the cake in a very low stakes way. While my preferences are red, don’t rule out a fuchsia pink or something in the orange family to add a pop of color. My go to for icing my basics is Lisa Eldridge’s matte lipsticks, in particular (worn above) velvet ribbon. I also love to do this with a tailored pant suit, t-shirt and converse. Adding a bold lipstick just elevates the entire feel in seconds. Not a lipstick person? Try a colorful eyeliner or a shadow along the lash line.
Earrings
I know this one might seem obvious, but earrings are the icing I go to after lipstick as the easiest way to change the vibe, and ice the cake. I like gold, silver or anything with a baroque pearl (you can see my earring collection here). Icing provides a focal point within an outfit. It gives the eyes a place to settle. Experiment with different size and shapes, maybe you prefer the look of something like enamel, or an earring that incorporates mixed materials.
A print piece
One thing I’ve learnt from my Wardrobe Play dates is just how much interest a bit (or a lot of) print can add to an overall look. Black trousers pop with a plaid cardigan even if the colors are neutrals, and leopard print is one of the most universal prints that instantly adds some excitement. And you don’t have to go all out for this to work, remember sometimes icing is just a drizzle. Maybe you use a print in a belt or a scarf instead of a piece of clothing, but prints are a very easy way to ice your cake. Looking for an entry level print? Try a subtle polka dot or a stripe, super simple but incredibly classic.
Oversized pieces
Playing with proportion and size of your clothing is one of my go to ways to subtly ice my cake. Here the denim jacket is the focal point, it breaks up the black pieces (top photo) yes, but it is also has another level of interest via the wash of the denim. A reminder that even the wash of your denim can provide the icing.
Sculptural Pieces
Icing isn’t just something you find via an accessory. There are several pieces in my wardrobe that I consider icing for the fact they offer something my basics don’t in their shape alone. This jacket for example has the most incredible sculptural shape, especially on the arms, and the use of textured buttons and the metal zip lends a more ornate offering via embellishment. If you have a jacket, cardigan, or maybe even a white shirt, why not change the buttons to create a unique piece that can ice the rest of your basics in your existing wardrobe. You can search eBay or your local haberdashery for interesting buttons that match, or maybe you want to nod to Schiaparelli and add a mix of random buttons in different shapes and sizes. We forget how quickly we can turn the cake itself into the icing with a little creativity and DIY approach. I really want to do this with one of my shirts, stay tuned!
Layering jewelry
Mix old pieces with new, and experiment with the length of chains and pendants. Try mixing metals and see what combinations you gravitate towards. I love playing with necklaces over a turtleneck, over a shirt collar or layered together with contrasting styles.
Interesting Collars
Icing is in the details and an interesting collar is my jam! Whenever I find myself adding a top to my traffic light notion wishlist (included in the no buy styling course), nine times out of ten its a top with an interesting collar. This top I bought from the Frankie Shop a few years ago is so much more versatile than you would imagine. I love that I can wear it open, undone and tie it like a scarf, I can pin a brooch in between the top buttons. There are so many ways it adds interest to my most basic outfits.
Sleeves
Think about the parts of clothing that are slightly less obvious focal points, for example a shirt sleeve or a cuff. Use bracelets and watches on top of jackets, expose a shirt cuff to just peak out of a blazer sleeve, add a brooch, experiment with a cufflink. Icing doesn’t have to be glaringly obvious. It can be both maximalist or minimalist depending on your mood or your personal style.
Socks
The sock trend always comes back around, and while I thoroughly enjoy watching others experiment with glitter socks, colorful socks and the like, I still think a plain black or white sock can add a nice touch of icing to a look, especially if you want some contrast in a very affordable way.
Something handmade\costume jewelry
I love a bit of costume jewelry, especially fun pieces i’ve made myself. Any chance I get to make beaded or loom band jewelry with my nieces or goddaughter, you know I will take the assignment very seriously. There’s just something so playful and a little tongue in cheek about a diamond tennis bracelet next to a lovingly made, candy colored bracelet with plastic hearts and letters on. I mean, it’s basically the sprinkles on top! A reminder that icing can be playful too.
Belts
Belts are a non negotiable in my wardrobe no matter what time of year it is. While most of my belts are quite minimal I love experimenting with different buckle shapes, sizes and finishes. I also think a shiny patent leather or a mod croc leather adds the texture needed to lift a monochromatic outfit. But don’t just wear one, experiment with layering belts over each other, mix metals and textures.
Scarves
Scarves are not to be underestimated in the icing category. Sure they provide a function, but they also offer another focal point, one that’s a great alternative to earrings if you’re not an earring person (especially for zoom meetings). Whether it’s a wool scarf, a bandana or a silk scarf, each are able to lend something interesting to the cake via the fabric/and or the pattern. Even if you take a silk scarf in a solid color, the fluidity and sheen can offer movement to an otherwise structured outfit. It adds a touch of romance, something a little whimsical. Plus, with a scarf there are so many ways you can tie it/wrap it which in of itself creates shape and interest to a look that creates a focal point.
Brooches
Granted I don’t reach for brooches as much as I could, but lately I’ve been experimenting. I like a brooch as a way to fasten a silk scarf, secure a large scarf, or at the top of an oxford shirt to instantly jazz up an outfit. I also think a brooch on a jacket lapel is classic for a reason, there’s something very old school glamour about it worn on a blazer, and I’ve even been experimenting with mine on linen blazers for Spring.
Hats
Maybe not the most obvious choice, but one worth mentioning. A hat can totally change the overall smartness of an outfit, and it’s a great way to add shape and proportion to ice your cake.
How to find your icing
To start with where do you want to focus the attention? Is it your neck, your ears, your waist, your feet? When it comes to finding your own icing, consider what pieces increase your emotional comfort within an outfit. I like to focus on where the attention increases my feeling of embodying an outfit. To simplify, what feels like i’m wearing an outfit verses an outfit wearing me. That sweet spot between feeling like you’re in fancy dress and an outfit that maybe pushes your comfort zone a little but still excites you, that still feels like an extension of who you are or who you want to be in that moment?
It’s always a case of warmer, warmer, aka what do you naturally gravitate to within your existing closet? If you never wear earrings but you want to ice your cake for zoom calls, maybe it’s a silk scarf that makes you feel put together? Maybe it’s doing your hair a certain way or adding lipstick?
And if you feel like there’s nothing in your existing wardrobe to guide you in your decision making, what do you see other people wear that you notice? What catches your eye in a way that makes you think…yer i’d like to try that, and think baby steps. What’s your entry level version of that? Maybe you don’t jump straight into a silk scarf around your neck, but you wear one in your hair wrapped around a ponytail so less scarf is on display.
I always say when you’re experimenting with icing, let yourself get used to seeing yourself in it first. Sell yourself on it, not other people because you’re the person who will be wearing it. And it’s ok if after letting yourself acclimatize you find yourself thinking actually, that’s not for me. Trust your instincts, follow your curiosity but listen when your head says it’s a hard pass. You don’t have to convince yourself to like something you don’t, and by the same token, lean into what you do.
If you enjoyed today’s post, please give it some love, share it with anyone it might be helpful to and i’d love for you to join this incredible community! If you’re looking for more styling tips using the pieces you already own, don’t forget to check out The No Buy Styling Course.
Thanks for reading
Harry x
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I love this!! Cake vs Icing! My favorite icing are colorful socks and statement necklaces. I know you said no-shoes but that is genuinely my FAVORITE thing to purchase to ice my basic cake.
💛 🧁