One of the fun parts of social distancing has been having the time to think more about my style, try on my clothes and think of outfit ideas for when we can eventually get back out in the world.
I’m noticing an evolution in the clothing items I gravitate toward. Lately, I find myself leaning toward classic pieces that are feminine with a little bit of an edge (I first started talking about feeling this way here). The silhouettes of slow fashion aren’t resonating with me as much as they did when I started this blog more than two years ago. I still value slow fashion, but am being more particular about what my own personal style is in this space, and what clothing I purchase or part with as a result. That flowing, artsy vibe is becoming less relevant in my own style story.
This Free Label wrap top (sold out, but you can join the waitlist!) fits the direction I’d like my wardrobe to take as I enter the next decade of my life (I’m turning 30 this year!). Refined, sophisticated, polished, but still fashion-forward.
I recently got this top in the mail after pre-ordering it in March and I am so thrilled with it! It is truly a multi-functional top. Look for wrap tops without interior buttons – while buttons are great for securing a wrap top if you’re newer to styling them, the downside is they limit the number of ways you can wear it – and ones with very long ties, again, to increase the functionality and number of ways you can wear it.
I’ve long been a fan of Free Label; they were one of the first ethical fashion brands I ever purchased from. (Pro-tip, it is generally more affordable to shop Canadian-based slow fashion brands if you’re based in the U.S. because of the exchange rate.) My earlier purchases from them were more in the basics and athleisure category, so it was exciting to try one of Free Label’s dressier items.
This wrap top is made of a mid-weight linen, so it is substantial while still being breathable for the warmer months. This is important in a wrap top like this (at least for me), because I want the ability to be able to wear it without a bra, like I am in the first photo of this post.
I am wearing a size extra-small, and I am 5’3″ with a 32″ bust and a 26″ waist. I usually go between an extra-small and a small because I have broad shoulders and a larger cup size, but I followed the size guide for this item, knowing that wrap tops tend to have more flexibility in sizing because you can adjust how loose or snug you wrap and tie it.
There are so many ways to tie a top like this, but for my first test-run I just tied it in the three most popular ways – as a crop, with the knot in the back and with the knot in the front.
Styled with Elizabeth Suzann Florence Pants and necklaces from Mejuri and Windblown.
I wasn’t sure if I loved the external Free Label tag on this top when I got it, and I do think it dresses the top down a bit, but when I styled it with silk pants and some luxe-feeling jewelry, the tag didn’t bother me as much. It’s also hidden if you tie this is ways other than a crop.
Over the last nearly-three-years, I’ve tried a lot of different things with my clothing, from artsy slow fashion, to re-wear challenges that stretched my styling skills, but now I’m interested in going back to the classics. I feel like I’ve proven to myself that I can style things creatively, but now I want to see what it’s like to let the quality of my clothes take center stage.
A short one, but all for today.
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