Building bridges in your closet

A guide on how to goldilocks your style

I was listening to a podcast (as it so often goes) where they were discussing so called bridges within interior design or decoration. The idea that there needs to be certain pieces that bridge the gap between the smaller and the bigger decorative items, and that it’s these pieces that make everything come together. This isn’t really a novel thought, whether we’re talking about interiors or fashion. Isn’t this what accessories are for, after all? Paintings, candle sticks, flower pots. Belts, earrings, scarves.

But is this the full story? Put on a pair of pants, a shirt and add some accessories – and you’re good to go? For some this might be the case, but more often than not this kind of formula leaves me feeling a little… boring. Just like putting a sofa and a coffee table in a room and adding a couple of candle holders leaves me feeling, well, bored. How do we fix this? Well (for me) there needs to be varying heights, weights, textures, sizes. Lamps, plants, throw pillows, a sheepskin. It’s the same with an outfit, I need a sock, a sweater around the hips, a bag, a tassle.

Also, this veers closely to

Kelly Williams

whole idea of midimalism, which is one of my favourite styling concepts to have come out of Substack so far.

---

So what is it I’m actually talking about? Let me try to explain with visuals.

On the one hand we have the core pieces, or foundation if you will. These are probably versions of wardrobe staples like jeans, cargo pants, linen trousers, button ups, tshirts, cardigans, and so on. Comparing again to interiors this would be a bed, a sofa, a rug, a dining room table, an arm chair. Definitely need those, but they’re a little stiff all on their own.

If we create outfits from these core pieces we end up with pretty minimalist/basic outfits. And I’m not saying this is bad in any way. Some of the most stylish people operate on this level and make it look fabulous.

It’s definitely worth investing in these pieces if you feel like you’re missing in this department, and this is also where I would say you can get a little spendy. It’s worth having a pair of really great fitting jeans. A cardigan with really good quality wool o cashmere. A button up with a great fit. And so on. But simply pairing these items together with one another more often than not can create a bit of a one dimensional feeling. It’s classic, it’s chic, but it’s probably not going to blow anyone’s mind. Let alone yours.

---

On the other hand we have the decorations. The bells and whistles. This can look like metallic sneakers, jewelry, bright scarves, boldly patterned pieces, belts, colourful handbags, and more. Comparing to interiors this would be all the knick-knacks that make your home, your home. They’re fun and carry stories. Again, we’re talking candle holders, throw pillows, a fun lamp shade, a novelty lighter, a brightly coloured chair, coffee table books.

This is also where things can get a little out of hand. Filling each and every available space with knick-knacks makes for a pretty cluttered home, no matter how much you love those silly ceramic ducks you inherited from your great aunt. In the same way, wearing too many of these decorative accessories usually makes me feel like I’m trying too hard. Call me a millennial, but if there’s something that makes me feel uncomfortable in my outfit it’s the feeling of trying too hard.

A lot of these outfits are really great, but I just know I’d feel not like myself with this much going on.

---

So what’s my point? Well circling back to what I was saying in the beginning - bridges. The items that makes an outfit juuust right. The pieces that bridge the gap between the core pieces and the decorative pieces, that tie them together to make me you feel like me you. The curtains, flowers, mirrors and floor lamps. Not quite 100% practical but not whimsical either.

I think you’ll find that we have a lot of core pieces here, as well as some decorative items. We have linen trousers, jeans, button ups, tshirts, simple skirts, cotton sweaters. We also have fun belts, necklaces, bangles, straw bags, pops of red, fun sunglasses.

So what makes the bridge a bridge? It can be a piece that creates tension: leather jacket with silk shorts, sandals with a city look, woven bag with a blazer. It can be a core piece in a fun colour: red sweater, green sweater, yellow scarf, pink trousers. It can be something that ties together different lengths of the outfit, different colours of the outfit, different layers of the outfit.

---

I’m ready to go out on a limb here and say these bridge pieces are foundational to finding your style and having a closet that feels inspiring. They’ll help you take your clothes between seasons. They’ll help you find something to wear for any occasion. And they’ll make people go “wow you look really great today”. And if that isn’t enough of a carrot then I don’t know what is. Jk.

xx