Welcome to Weekday Wardrobe, a series in which one Who What Wear editor or staffer will snap a pic of the outfits they wear from Monday to Friday. We’ll break down where you can shop it all to inspire your own everyday style, no matter what’s on your weekly agenda.
I’m grateful to have Natalie Cantell as my boss for many reasons, including but not limited to the following: She has taught me literally everything I know about working in the fashion industry; she has a very cute Goldendoodle named Ruby (pictured below), who’s equal parts naughty and adorable; and she has that casual-yet-put-together style that I’m forever trying to emulate. While all of those things hold value to me, the last point is what I’m here to talk about today.
I once sat a mere 36 inches away from Natalie five days a week, but now that we’re working from home, things are a bit different. By that I mean, instead of taking notes on her style choices each day, I have to ask her to stand up during video meetings so I can see what she’s wearing. (I’m so annoying—I know.) Since Natalie’s weekday outfits have been so good lately, I kindly asked her to document them. Lucky for you and me, she had just received a huge haul from Free Assembly, the ultra-affordable line that carries everyday essentials designed to be mixed, matched, and layered to your heart’s desire. Below, Natalie’s sharing a week’s worth of outfits from the brand complete with all the best under-$58 essentials for spring. Don’t worry, I made her spill her styling tips, too.
“Starting the week off strong in my go-to outfit: Really good denim paired with a tucked-in black ribbed-knit top that brings a slight ’90s vibe, which I chose to further accentuate by adding my favorite gold jewelry. This particular tank is a great weight for spring and length for tucking, definitely one of those “quick, get it in every colorway” finds. As for the jeans, these hit all my requirements: High-waist, straight-leg, slight crop, mid-wash, no distressing, not too much stretch so they’re comfy but the silhouette has integrity. In summary, while this look’s not exactly groundbreaking, it’s actually much better than that: It’s chill and effortless and 100% fool-proof. Guaranteed to make me feel good and put-together, hence being my Monday go-to.”
“There’s something to be said for a look that only seems like a lot went into it. One-and-done jumpsuits are sneaky like that. They require zero brainpower beyond the confidence to wear it in the first place, and then all day you end up being treated as this fun human who wore a jumpsuit! I don’t know why this is true, but it is. Also, and this is a weirdly specific detail, I remain quite taken by the fact that the back pockets sit so nicely. I’ll be wearing this all over again come fall, just with the addition of a creamy turtleneck layer.”
“I aspire (and fail) to be one of those chic minimalist people who live in an apartment with only a few pieces of furniture and one huge abstract line drawing on the wall. According to my Instagram follows, these people wear outfits that are very simple but take the form of interesting silhouettes… which seems to be the key to coming across both effortless and intentional, timeless and modern, and all those other oxymoronic style goals. Anyway, me putting on this outfit is very much me pretending to be one of these people. I’ve historically had a funny little aversion to wearing dresses and feeling like I’ll be accused of being too dressed up at any moment, so the rise of the house dress last year has been liberating. I’m finally getting comfortable just wearing cute little numbers like this around for no particular reason, puff sleeves and all. Feels good.”
“A moment, please, for this jacket. I don’t really know how to describe it. It’s sort of… blazer adjacent? It’s quietly nodding to multiple trends at once but not trying very hard at any of them. For example, the diagonal seam of the yoke feels a little bit Western but not convincingly so. It has a belt tie for an optional safari vibe, but it’s equally good worn without. It has a French utility jacket (aka chore coat) feel that I really like, which comes across even more in the dark blue colorway. But also, it’s not really any of these things? I don’t know what it is. Anyway, I love it. (PS: Everything else here is basically the same as Monday—same great jeans, same great ribbed top, only this time in cream.)”
“Firstly, let it be said: The combo of this weighty fabric, relaxed fit, and tailored details (pleats, square neckline, wide straps) has this jumpsuit looking expensive. Secondly, pockets! I love pockets. I hardly go anywhere that requires a handbag anymore, so I need something to do with my hands. Finally, this jumpsuit has great potential as an office-to-drinks Friday outfit, and who knows, one of these days it might just live up to that potential. (Sigh.) For now, it’s doing great as an easy outfit for someone who’s run out of their decision-making abilities by the end of the week.”
Every spring wardrobe needs a good floral slip dress.
This puff-sleeve cardigan also comes in an ivory color I’m equally excited about.
For when it inevitably rains.
Just add sandals and loads of layered chainlink necklaces.
