I Let Alexa Dress Me for a Week
How’d it go? You tell me.
How’d it go? You tell me.
Many of us long for a uniform. There’s a reason why Catholic schools had them and why 1950s Mad Men wore them. The idea is that a uniform means fewer decisions and more time to focus on the Big Ideas. Cue the opening of the heavens + a lot of sparkly light.
There’s just one problem. I’m not a uniform kind of person. One day I want to wear biker jackets and feel like a badass. One day I want to wear bright, bold patterns and say, a crown. My wardrobe (like me) is full of contradictions. It’s fun. It’s also a time suck.
Enter Alexa. We’ve asked her all sorts of questions. And she gives some decent answers! Finally, someone admits that yes, Donald Trump is obese. Period, full stop. So for one week I vowed to ask Alexa what to wear. And to do what she said. Here’s (some of) what happened.
DAY ONE
Alexa said: “Build your outfit around a stylish bomber jacket.”
I wore: Marc Jacobs bomber + cropped pants, Sperry sneakers, vintage Dior foldover clutch, Acne shirt, bad bangs.
Where I went: Several meetings at Sperry.
Get-ready time: 20 mins. Tried 2 bombers.
Overall: I ‘d bought this jacket but not worn it, and Alexa forced me to give it a try. I felt a little like an overgrown 9 year-old boy. But I still liked it. This picture made me realize I needed a trim and that Michigan bag had been on our door for a few months.
DAY TWO
Alexa said: “Consider your favorite relaxed fit denim.”
I wore: J-brand denim (my only relaxed fit pair; they were more relaxed pre-holidays), which required a blazer to dress them up.
Where I went: Several meetings with freelancers.
Get-ready time:10 mins. Put the jeans on, added a black T, and I knew this jacket (from Shopbop) would be fine.
Overall: I’d only ever worn these jeans in the summer with flip flops or around the house. Alexa “forced” me to try dressing them up, and this was my favorite outfit.
DAY THREE
Alexa said: “Try head to toe monochrome, like navy.”
I wore: I don’t have much navy, so there weren’t many choices. The shades aren’t the same, but they were also different textures (the M.Gemi velvet booties got compliments). I felt slimmer than usual.
Where I went: A meeting with a potential vendor. I spent the rest of the day pow-wow-ing with my partner.
Get-ready time: 7 mins. Literally throwing navy items together and picking this Marni necklace.
Overall: This was comfortable to wear all day, and I felt like I had my act together, which trickled into my mood.
I’ll spare you any more pictures (but if you’re so compelled they’re on insta@honorcodecreative ); you get the gist. Sure, I could do things like what Alexa suggests on my own. I know fashion, and I could decide to go monochromatic (I often do), for example. But Alexa sparks my creativity and imparts a little discipline, getting me back to the stuff that needs my attention. You’re not going to ditch her reco and waste time puttering around in your closet. Alexa’s a powerful woman.
And so am I. Above all my big takeaway is that as much as I like clothes (a freaking LOT), I can still have fun, faster and even get outside my comfort zone when I take a chance, see where it takes me, and fight the urge for a do-over.