128. What to Do Instead of Panic-Picking an Outfit Every Morning
The Seven Look Season of Cathy Karuga
For most of my adult life, I woke up to that familiar feeling of ‘I’ve got nothing to wear.’ Leaving getting dressed to the last minute meant pulling outfits I didn’t feel excited about from a bloated wardrobe, and starting every day frustrated. I saved great outfits for ‘good days’ and accepted ‘just fine’ as the default. That was until I experimented with a wardrobe system, which I now call the Seven-Look Season. By planning and leaning on a few great outfits on repeat, I removed all decision fatigue from getting dressed without sacrificing creativity. This monthly column highlights the Seven Outfits of women who’ve adopted the framework. Find past editions of the column here.
I avoid the Substack homepage like the plague. It’s a dangerous place for my feeble focus. But nestled between the negativity and clickbait, I sometimes find an article that piques my interest. That’s where I first came across Cathy, when she published her Substack-viral letter “Influencer vs. Fashion People Style Codes”. It was the best-articulated defense I’ve read in response to Chloe Malle’s critics. I was intrigued by the really tasteful outfit collages Cathy publishes at the start of every send of her great newsletter,
, and wanted to find out more about the woman behind the Subscribe button. is 34, lives in Adelaide, Australia, and is a womenswear designer and founder. Cathy and I could share portions of our resumes—she founded her label, Yaneth, with a focus on premium natural fibers and foundational wardrobe pieces. Wanting to raise awareness of her brand, she began sharing fashion commentary on social media and in her newsletter. Some of my favorite letters she’s published include “What’s the Point of Vogue?” and “The Show of the Season Wasn’t Chanel”. Cathy’s brand is thriving; she recently opened a store in Adelaide, and I see it achieving the same success as the other Australian labels among my personal favorites—Posse, Matteau, and A. Emery.
I was delighted that the Seven-Outfit Season framework resonated with Cathy and that she wanted to share the looks she wears on repeat. She and I also share the same vision of an outfit as an anchor for our mood and our creativity and productivity. She says:
‘Without sounding dramatic, as a creative person, what I wear completely sets the tone for my day. A great outfit can do a lot of heavy lifting for a sleep-deprived toddler mom!
I think a lot of looks on people’s mood boards lately have been manufactured by a stylist. The Row head-to-toe type of looks. Polished as they are, sometimes they lack that imperfect human energy I find most inspiring.’
Here are the seven outfits Cathy wears on repeat this season, how she approaches styling, how she revives outfits without buying anything new, her favorite brands, and more.
Outfit 1: The Everyday Work Look
‘I’m a real trousers girl. Most days of the week, I’m in pants, and I pick them first as they define the look. These COS trousers are tailored, so I like to pair them with something very relaxed and draped to balance the look.
I really identify with the term midimalist. I lean into minimalism but not in its purest form - I’m drawn to pops of color, intentional prints and rich textures, though I tend to fall back on neutral and monochrome looks when I’m feeling less inspired. Those looks have become a sort of uniform I can rely on to look and feel good in. I love balance. Something textural and understated but also expressive.’
Outfit 2: The Casual Off-Duty Look
‘I’m a big fan of elastic waist pants. Either these crepe trousers, or the A.Emery bias trousers. Such an easy garment to throw on and give a relaxed look.
At home, I’m usually in a long-sleeved merino top and jeans. My favourite pair is this one by Citizens of Humanity (5ft2 friendly!). I’ll rotate between Yaneth’s Merino tank and a crew-neck top.