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Ardas Chandra's avatar

I can't wait to see how you make the white t-shirt vs. blue striped shirt challenge yours!!

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Charlotte's avatar

I love the side by sides and idea to cycle a new piece into existing items in the closet. I always feel like it takes a while to integrate some pieces over others, I may try this

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Ardas Chandra's avatar

Indeed!! This is so helpful to try something new with an outfit that feels so familiar. J

ust swapping the white tee for the blue striped shirt made me see how versatile a blue striped shirt is. Highly recommend the "side by side" thing to wear our new pieces fast, to make them feel familiar. And when I try something new, I always ask myself, would I wear it today, with this outfit? And would I wear it tomorrow? If the answer is no, then I don't really need/want this piece.

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Flotsam's avatar

Love this, just got an amazing blue striped shirt and am kicking myself that I did not get the matching Bermudas which are now sold out. Have also worn it with bold patterns (palm trees, embroidered dragons), where amazingly it also works like a neutral.

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Ardas Chandra's avatar

I really like the idea that a blue striped shirt is indeed a neutral!

Maybe you can find other shorts with the same mood, blue stripes, but from a different brand, and play on doubling down on the blue stripes theme, like same same but different

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Flotsam's avatar

That's a great idea actually! In the meantime I actually managed to snag a reappearing pair by obsessively checking the website... but if the size doesn't work out I might give it a go!

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Ardas Chandra's avatar

Which blue striped shirt did you get? And which shorts did you find? Sorry, I'm too curious!!

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Asta / Aastha's avatar

Yes yes yes!! This is exactly what I mean. It works JUST as a white tee would. Beautiful shirt.

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Ardas Chandra's avatar

This entire letter is a gut response to your note. You've been such an expander for me, always sparking ideas.

I first thought the blue striped shirt would be too 'office' or 'masculine'. But it's really not. Not that 'feminine' is one of my style words anyway. I was amazed to see how versatile it is AND I can't wait for you to give us the try-on and styling options with your Tibi set once you're home. I'm living my Tibi dreams through you!

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Olga Riva's avatar

Great post, thank you, liked and restacked. Do you mind sharing who your beige shorts and long off white skirt are made by? I have almost everything except for those two pieces, been looking for the right ones. Thanks again!

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Ardas Chandra's avatar

Thank you for the love!!

The beige denim shorts are last summer ARKET, ‘1234943001001

Pleat-Detail Shorts’ (says the invoice) and the cream white skirt is old Muji it is called ‘kapok blend skirt’.

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Olga Riva's avatar

I like Arket, I wish they shipped to US. Thanks for the info and the inspo)

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Ardas Chandra's avatar

I heard that sometimes you can find it secondhand in the US!

But I wonder why ARKET is not going for the US market. Any idea?

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Olga Riva's avatar

I wonder as well

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Sogole Kane's avatar

Where are these cutie Bermuda shorts from?!

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Ardas Chandra's avatar

The blue striped ones are Zara. The beige denim ones are Arket (last summer)!

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Emilee Russell's avatar

genius idea. i loved all the button up fits so so much. the blue striped shirt is the underrated neutral we all need 🤪

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Ardas Chandra's avatar

So happy you got inspired, and I can't wait to see how you would style your blue striped shirt if you have one! If you don't have one, I'm pretty sure you'll start to see ONLY blue striped shirt everywhere this week (this was me last week, once I decided I wanted to find one, suddenly they were everywhere)

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Xue's avatar

Loved this concept and loved all the looks! The side by side photos really helped. Thank you for this experiment - it gave me so many ideas and convinced me I need to take out my blue striped shirt more often!

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Ardas Chandra's avatar

We have so many GREAT things in our wardrobe. And I love the playfulness of taking outfits I'm very familiar with (the white tee) and swapping the very very familiar piece for something fresh. This blue is nothing I expected: I thought it would read office/stolen from my husband, but it's very soft and yet fresh.

I'm inspired to see how you'd reach for your blue striped shirt next time you're tempted to reach for the very familiar piece, and please report back on how it felt and looked!!!

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Xue's avatar

Yes!!!I really LOVED this experiment and the side by side photos really showed how this simple change works AND makes such a difference. I find taking selfies such a hassle, so thank you so much for doing this work!

It got me very excited about trying this. cant wait until i can finally get dressed and go out again!

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maryse's avatar

I love striped shirts generally so I’m team blue shirt here. I’m rethinking the white T. Maybe I need more color on the bottom.

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Ardas Chandra's avatar

I'd love to see how you style your striped shirts!

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maryse's avatar

You’ll have to take my word for it 😜. I’m a pretty basic dresser. My one whimsy is my love of color !

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wantd's avatar

LOVED this!!! I voted button down every time!!!

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Ardas Chandra's avatar

Me too!!! It's just fresh... and it feels familiar because it's a classic.

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wantd's avatar

100%!!

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Mona's avatar

Seeing the contrast side by side was pure gold for my eyes :)

So inspiring.

I saw your post on Instagram with the song by Hansu Jot before I jumped onto Substack (however always first choice).

I turned on Spotify and played it while reading through your letter. So good. Even got a new approach to the song. 😄😄

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Ardas Chandra's avatar

The contrast side by side was a true lightbulb moment when I was trying to figure out how to fit 40 pictures in one post! It shows different options, and it trains our eyes to see the proportions, the colors, the shapes and lines..

I love that you were playing Merkaba, I love this song so much.

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Mona's avatar

One question 😁 actually Iam not buying fashion since months - however the brown COS Bag was available again and I said yes :) it arrived today, the bag is beautiful but Iam not sure regarding the handles. It doesn’t look well processed unfortunately. What do you say after months of wearing it?

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Ardas Chandra's avatar

I will send you some pictures I just took. The handles are all good. Two things I noticed: 1. maybe the color in the most used area has a bit faded but I’m not surprised (the same would have happened with a 10x more expensive raffia bag) 2. the bag gained slouchiness and lost structure but it’s because I didn’t put the paper padding in when left unused. A note: I have used it a ton so far, for running errands and city days, like a shopper/playground bag.

Knowing what I know now, after a few months of use, I’d still buy it and keep it, because it’s light when empty, it’s super roomy, it’s the perfect shoulder straps length, and it brings texture to my outfits and an intriguing brown-ish color!

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Ardas Chandra's avatar

Sent the pictures in your substack DM!

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Anika Kruger's avatar

Loved this, Ardas! So many good ideas and so interesting to see the dynamic of a look change with each top!

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Ardas Chandra's avatar

Thank you dear Anika! I would love to see your take on the blue striped shirt!

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Noelia Santana's avatar

I love a blue stripe shirt!

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Ardas Chandra's avatar

And I love to see how many options it gives me! I love the freshness of a blue striped shirt, it's so good (also for the season, but I can imagine it being a 12 months a year piece).

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Noelia Santana's avatar

Oh yes for sure! I wear it all year around. my fav is men’s Carolina Herrera that I found in a thrift store.

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Kaye Bassey's avatar

Love this. It's truly hard to pick over the other, but laying out each outfit like this is absolutely genius and SO helpful. Also, that last photo is adorable :')

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Christina Cardy, DNP's avatar

I love a multifunctional and intentionally planned look!

I need insight on the upside down camera strategy.

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Orit's avatar

Thx for all the photos!! Love this and you gave me an idea to wear over a sheer skirt too (the button down that is)

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