What Comes Around Goes Around: How to Rock a Wash Day Outfit

By Sophie Kolax

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In a house with four other flatmates, one washing machine, and five measly drying racks, it is easy for the laundry to accumulate. So, after the third attempt at washing my clothes, I realized that all my staples, favorite jeans, tops that go with everything, and the jumpers I wear a little too often are not suitable to be worn again.

This is the wash-day conundrum. Not only are all of my favorite articles of clothing out of commission, but they will not be back in my closet until they’ve dried—a two-to-three-day window of limited clothing options and fashion inspo. But surely I’m not the only one experiencing this dilemma. Today I’ll be walking through how I style the pieces that always remain on wash day, so maybe next time all your favorite jeans are dirty, you will be less afraid to reach for those statement trousers in the back of the drawer. 

Centering Statement Pieces

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Statement pieces for me are the pieces you wear that attract more attention while also expressing something about your personality. Oftentimes, that includes brighter colors, bolder patterns, or even a fun texture. Returning to the statement trousers, mine always tend to be corduroy. Two pairs, a cream pair and a dark brown pair. But statement trousers could also encompass jeans with fun embroidery, maybe linen or striped, or something more vibrant. The jeans you bought for that one concert, or the trousers you bought for that Halloween costume years ago, convinced you were going to wear them many times again; now is your chance to prove yourself right. It doesn't always have to revolve around the bottoms, but I always seem to have more options for tops than bottoms. It is vital not to be scared of the statement pieces. I find that often, the clothing that says the most and inspires creativity is what you least expect when building an outfit.

Once you know where you are going to start, it's time to shop your own wardrobe to fill in the rest of the outfit. In an ideal world, we would have some basic tops to match with statement bottoms, a neutral long sleeve, or a grey jumper, but those tend to meet the same fate as my beloved jeans. You could always think ahead and keep some basics clean and ready for the dreaded wash day, but it's not always that easy.

Creativity is Key

In these instances, we need to think outside the box and get creative. I know the struggle of trying to match tops with brown trousers when the cream ones felt too much like spring in the depths of St. Andrews winter. But the trick is… always just try it on. 

Maybe you find a jumper that was your favorite three months ago, and you bring back an old classic. Maybe, under all the tops you’ve re-worn in the past month, is a cool basic with a fun new texture. Maybe you forgot about the T-shirt for your school play, or a shirt from the summer camp you worked at years ago; maybe someone asks about it, or recognises a logo and starts a conversation. Maybe you go crazy and wear a bold jumper and some bold bottoms, and maybe they even end up matching perfectly. Use wash day as an opportunity to be the boldest version of yourself. 

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As frustrating as washday can be, it is also an opportunity to be creative, to wear what you don't always wear, and to notice the pieces you love and to appreciate them. And the nice thing about wash day is that there is a really good chance that when wash day rolls around again, the same pieces will be clean and ready to be worn again. And, maybe, the wash day outfit might just work its way to becoming a contender for your favorite outfit.