16 Comments
User's avatar
SusanSH's avatar

I loved your pastry vision of a cupboard, what you say makes a lot of sense. In my cupboard there is more frosting than cake, although I always end up with a bland dessert hahaha. Maybe I am a bit bland and that's okay, it's also part of my personal recipe. In general I always start by thinking of a frosting that I like and then I put together the base where it works. I try to make everything quite combinable with each other in my cupboard, but because I tend to make repetitions in the finish (if I put cream on one side of the cake, I also want cream on the other). Once a professional chef told me that the pieces of a dish always had to be odd and that the final presentation always looked better that way. I have seen with amazement that this happens in restaurants and I am convinced by the idea. Maybe we should try to take this trick to the cupboard? Will it be a little less bland if I stop making focal points in duplicate? You opened up questions for me, that's why your note is worth it. Thank you for that 🫂❤️

Expand full comment
Harriet Hadfield's avatar

Love this Susan! And I think we need to celebrate repetition more in how we dress, especially if we as the wearer feel best in that. I also think it’s important that dressing ‘bland’ also gets to be celebrated as my approach is if it feels good to the wearer that’s all that matters. But I love that this offered some food for thought when it comes to experimentation (pun intended lol) x

Expand full comment
Sheila (of Ephemera)'s avatar

Thank you so much for the shout-out, Harriet!💕 I love your take on this!

“I’m a creative person so putting pieces together feeds my soul” - this is me exactly. I have been working on building up my cake (I am mostly a thrifter) but still hunting for amazing icing. I’m not likely to do a no-buy again (I did a bunch of variations in my earlier blogging life over the past 16 years), but I’m being more analytical about my style and purchases.

A fabulous article!💕

Expand full comment
Harriet Hadfield's avatar

So glad you enjoyed it Sheila!x

Expand full comment
Melissa Asquith's avatar

Loved this! 🍰

Expand full comment
Harriet Hadfield's avatar

Thanks Melissa!x

Expand full comment
Emily's avatar

Loved this, Harriet! Also. Thanks for saying that everyone’s basics dont have to be the same - if I read one more article citing that basics HAVE to be a white t-shirt, grey blazer etc etc.. I will scream! I’m 5”1 and curvy so t-shirts look awful on me and I feel like a barrel in a blazer! Just signed up to your free email course, thank you!

Expand full comment
Harriet Hadfield's avatar

So glad you enjoyed it Emily x

Expand full comment
Xue's avatar

I really love reading how you think about fashion and style! Thank you for sharing.

100% agree on focusing on ingredients and how these can differ. (Eg I don’t think I’ve worn jeans in 10 years!)

But I’m weird and I splurge on my ‘basics’ because I wear those so often. Vs my icing pieces usually have poor CPW. I’ve also been trying to shift away from true basics to having pieces that all have some POV to avoid being too bored with them.

Expand full comment
Harriet Hadfield's avatar

Thanks so much Xue! I don’t think it makes you weird at all :) there is definitely cross over. For example things like black boots for me I consider I basic but they were definitely an item I invested in x

Expand full comment
Hey Mrs. Solomon on Style's avatar

I love this! It's such an amazing analysis. I dave my budget for IMPACT -- whether it's icing that makes the outfit or pushes me in a new direction or, more often these days, for an amazing flour. May not seem exciting but makes everything it touches better.

Expand full comment
Harriet Hadfield's avatar

Thanks Rachel!xx

Expand full comment
Angie Uh's avatar

I love how clearly you explained this and your icing pieces are just 🤩! I totally agree that finding the foundational pieces first that can work hard for you helps bring clarity on knowing which icing pieces are truly you (vs feeling like everything can be your style).

Having a mix of both that speak to my style helps me on days when I just want to have plain cake with no icing and other days when I just want to dip my entire spoon into the icing bowl 😂

Expand full comment
Harriet Hadfield's avatar

Thanks so much Angie x

Expand full comment
Debra Howcroft's avatar

Thanks for the excellent article that has really made me think. I love your style and your wardrobe and tend to choose similar for myself (although the effect is not as creative). Do you think that cake pieces in less neutral colours (thinking tibi colour wheel 3 and 4) would translate the items into icing?

Expand full comment
Harriet Hadfield's avatar

Thanks so much Debra! Totally! I think this concept is very fluid and can be interpreted in any way that makes getting dressed exciting to you x

Expand full comment