“Which one is Charlotte?”
“She’s over there in red. She’s easy to find. She always wears red.”
I overheard that conversation between two women at a conference a few years ago. It was the first time I realised that a colour had become part of how people recognised me.
To be clear, I don’t always wear red. I have owned an entire rainbow of clothes. But I gravitate towards it often enough that those women had noticed something I had barely thought about.
After that, people sometimes told me they had worn something red because they knew I was coming. I found that incredibly flattering. What had started as a preference had become a small point of connection.
A wardrobe that feels like me
There is a practical side to having a recognisable style, too. I don’t want getting dressed to become a project every time I leave the house or a hotel room.
My favourite approach is to build around a few base pieces in complementary colours. A blouse, a T-shirt, a skirt, a cardigan or a blazer can make several combinations without requiring an entirely different wardrobe for each occasion.
The colours don’t have to be black and white. Ivory and pink work, too. What matters to me is that the pieces belong together and that I like wearing them.
When I discovered the term “capsule wardrobe,” I was delighted. Something I already liked doing had a name. I was even more delighted by how well it translated to packing for frequent work trips. Fewer competing pieces meant fewer decisions.
And then there are dresses
I have never followed a capsule wardrobe formula particularly religiously. I wear a lot of dresses. A lot.
I like that the top and bottom are already one garment. There is no separate matching exercise. Getting dressed can be wonderfully quick.
I also prefer pieces I can imagine wearing again rather than something that only makes sense for one season. I remember enough questionable fashion moments to know that a trend can have a very short life.
My old advice to myself was simple: be classic, be consistent, and keep it simple. I still like the idea of a wardrobe that helps me get on with the day rather than holding it up.
Red is part of that. It is a colour I return to because I like it, and apparently because other people can find me in it.
Charlotte and scarlet don’t hurt, either.
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