Styling in the Present Tense - week #28/2025
Getting dressed in high summer while dreaming of cooler layers, future gaps, and outfits that click
Summer is in full bloom in Denmark. There’s almost no traffic on the streets, and every passerby (whether on foot or biking) seems noticeably more relaxed and forgiving. The city feels softer somehow, slower in the best way. It was the perfect frame for the last day of my dear nieces Laura and Klara’s visit to Copenhagen.
Laura (the one to the right, with long curly hair) is an active content creator on Instagram, so I knew I could trust her to capture a quick outfit photo of me on Monday, while we were enjoying coffee at one of the hyped cafés in the city. She instinctively knows how to find the good light, the right angle, and the moment that actually feels like me. And with a pair of sunglasses and the kind of outfit that just clicks, I didn’t mind being in charge of the other side of the camera for once.
Monday
It's high summer, and yet I already find myself fantasizing about autumn-winter layerings: warm, fluffy textures, rich tones, and the quiet satisfaction of a well-structured outfit. I’m also starting to think about potential gaps in my closet. Not in a frantic, must-fill-every-hole kind of way, I'm definitely not spiraling into obsessive wardrobe audits.
Sophie from A Considered Style captured this feeling perfectly in her recent post: “Every time I filled a gap, a new one appeared.” Read the whole article here. It’s such a valid reminder that “gaps” in our wardrobe are often more emotional than practical, and rarely have a finish line.
Still, I’ve recently done a pretty decent cull, especially when it comes to bottoms. My body has changed: stronger, more muscular, and a lot of pants just don’t sit right anymore. But, as I wrote about that here, and I stand by it: be angry at your clothes, not your body.
So now I’m sitting with that space, the empty hangers, the void. How do I fill it without just… filling it? What do I actually want to wear this autumn? What will support the shape and energy of this new version of me?
…but for now, here’s this week’s first outfit:
Tuesday
For now, I try to focus on the now, just as Eckhart Tolle puts it so accurately: the future is just a thought. But then again… is it a thought I should plan for?
For now, I’m enjoying the bright summer mornings - the kind that give me the perfect light for my almost-daily styling videos.
How are you guys enjoying them so far? :)
I really enjoyed using this light blue shirt as a summer layer - it worked almost like a super thin shacket. And believe me when I say the long-sleeve tee underneath is navy, even if it’s hard to tell in the photo.
The belt is brown suede. I was also glad to have a pair of summery shoes that didn’t contrast too sharply with the rest of the outfit, especially the grey checked Stella pants from Tibi.
Wednesday
So, for now, I’m enjoying what I have. What I’ve already accumulated, and what can be styled, truly, in endless ways. So instead of craving more, I find myself thirsting for new challenges.
No, I don’t have enough clothes to follow Rachel’s weekly outfit planning themes at Hey Mrs S (with a few exceptions), but I really like Asta’s approach to outfit planning over at Fit Happens: pulling out a handful of pieces you want to wear in the coming week - five bottoms, five tops, and I’m pretty sure also five blazers or jackets. Asta, just like me, loves a good blazer. Then each morning, she decides on the actual outfit from that mini capsule.
I don’t go quite that far - as in not knowing what I will wear at least the day before, but today’s outfit is actually the result of trying something similar. A new combination that I really like.
It was just too cold that morning, so I swapped the skirt for trousers and layered on a long-sleeve top instead.
Thursday
By Thursday, the urge to “feel covered” for autumn and winter had completely taken over. It was the only thing I could think about. So I reached out to my personal shopper and stylist, Tereza (I wrote about her here).
I’ve immediately booked her for August to help me figure out which Tibi and non-Tibi pieces to add to my closet, so it feels cohesive, functional, and most importantly, like me. I’m already looking forward to receiving her shopping board with pictures, links, and just enough explanation - usually including a few ideas for how each piece could work with what I already own.
I rarely end up culling what Tereza finds for me. And that matters. Because the worst feeling I know is a shopping mistake. Also - DISCLAIMER - as something new, I’ve asked Tereza to kindly link to at least one preloved item for each category. I’m really curious what she finds and I do promise to hit the buy button if only I feel drawn to the piece. As she mentioned to me via one of our Instagram chats - those good pieces disappear fast.
As to my Thursday outfit, it was a mostly preloved styling. Not intentionally. It never is in fact.
Friday
I’m channeling as much summer-in-the-city vibe as I can. The day started, as always, with a morning dip in the sea at 7am. The water is now just above 20°C. So refreshing. I honestly can’t think of a better way to wake up. A quick shower, light makeup, and I was ready to check off the first tasks on my to-do list while working from home.
Then I dropped by my tailor to pick up a few things. I took my computer with me and, after the short visit, found a nice sunny café where I soaked up more warmth, sun, and the feeling of a city slowly waking up, all while sipping a large oat latte and getting through some admin work that had to be done.
The rest of the day went by in that same gentle rhythm - slow WFH, local beer pub and Thai restaurant with friends, cosy moments of summer joy.
So that’s this week. A mix of summer ease and early signs of autumn creeping into my thoughts. I’m not in a rush, but I can feel my brain starting to shift: textures, tones, gaps.
Is it just me or does it happen to you too?
I’m always surprised by how quickly my wants change with the weather. With the seasons of the year, but also the seasons of our lives - mentally, physically, emotionally. One day I want lightness and space, the next I want structure and warmth. I see it in my closet all the time: what I reach for, what I put away, and what suddenly feels just right now, even if it didn’t make sense a month ago.
What about you - still happily in sandals, or already thinking about boots?
What’s your favourite thing to wear right now, in the thick of July?
And when you look ahead to autumn, is there anything you’re actually excited to pull out again?
With love,
Ewelina
Your looks are always lovely, and so cohesive, Ewelina. You always look like you.💕
With the weather one moment feeling like summer and the next like full fall, it's no wonder that your preferences shift!
Would you consider doing a post about your experience with Tereza?