In Her Wardrobe: Sara Crampton

How would you describe your personal style?

Neutral, relaxed and refined. I like to feel comfortable but put together. I don’t like my outfits to feel too fussy or over-styled. I want to feel like myself when I’m wearing clothes, not have the clothes wear me. 

What’s your process of getting dressed?

I always check the weather and my calendar. I’m a practical dresser. I hate being caught out wearing the wrong shoes if it’s pouring with rain or being too hot or cold. I then will usually start with a pair of pants, either jeans or a trouser and build from there. 

What’s your approach to building your wardrobe?

The best advice I've come across is to build your wardrobe and style for the life you actually live rather than a fantasy. If we don't then we can find ourselves accumulating things that we just never wear, and that’s when that saying that we only wear 20% of our wardrobes comes into play. If you build a wardrobe based on your real needs and requirements then you’ll wear more of your wardrobe more often. 

What do you do if you don’t know what to wear?
If I'm having one of those days where it feels like I have nothing to wear, I revert to a saved folder in my Instagram that has accumulated some go-to outfits that remind me I do actually have the clothes to put a look together. Or I fall back on an all black look that always works - Black pants, black top, black sandals. 

10 Essentials

1. White t-shirt - I have two of these St. Agni tees so that hopefully I always have a clean one on hand. I prefer my t-shirts to be a classic crew cut that is not too fitted and long enough to tuck into a trouser. 
2. Black sleeveless tops - I've recently added a few from Faithfull and they are helping fill this gap.
3. Black Silk Pant - I’ve had this pair by Matteau for years and years. It's my go-to summer pant as it's lightweight and from natural material but still looks a little bit fancy.
4. White jeans - I like This pair by Marle for its relaxed shape and easy wearing approach.   
5. Black Swimsuit - I’m very much a black one piece swimsuit wearer and have had this style from Matteau for over 5 years that I'll likely have forever. It will never go out of style. 
6. Black sandals - These Juliette Sandals by Nelson Made are perfect for absolutely everything. My criteria for sandals is that they are both comfortable and dressed up as I hardly wear heels 
7. Black heels - if I do wear heels it's these ones. A low heel to give that lift I'm looking for but can be worn literally all day. 
8. Black mini bag - This black pouch goes with me everywhere. 
9. Black sunglasses - No matter how many times I lose these, I'll always re-purchase these Ray-Ban wayfarers. 
10. Silver watch - I don’t wear much jewellery, so a beautiful watch with a bracelet band is something that adds the finishing touch to my outfits. 

What are the gaps in your wardrobe, what items are you looking to add next?

I think it’s because I’ve been through my era of having babies and breastfeeding that I realised a lot of my top options are button down shirts and I don’t really have any summer tops that aren’t shirts or t-shirts. I’m also now gravitating to loose fitting tops rather than tighter styles so that change in silhouette is something I’m searching for and slowly building. 

Fashion regrets 

In my early 20s I spent way too much money on designer bags. It was the 2010’s and logos were everywhere. If I could go back in time I wished I had saved that money as I don’t ever use those bags now. 

How do you organise your wardrobe 

In my hanging space I sort by category. I use to then sort by colour, but that was in my pre-child life when I had more time. In my drawers I like to neatly fold t-shirts ect in the Marie Kondo fold, the satisfaction this gives me is life changing.

How do you keep your wardrobe under control or your processes around curating? Do you follow a one-in-one-out rule or when do you decide to move something on? 

I go through waves of clearing out my wardrobe. I tend to hold onto items for a good five years before considering moving them on. I think it’s because I don't purchase with re-sale in mind rather growing my style and building upon great pieces. I have also found I’ve bought much less once I had the essentials ticked off. But saying that it’s inevitable that our personal style evolves, and it’s healthy to let things go and go to a new home especially if they are taking up precious space, both physically and mentally. 

What influences your style

I don’t specifically turn to a particular person to reference, although I do think my style has been influenced by the 90’s Calvin Klein and Hermes era. I believe it’s also being more and more influenced by interiors, a growing area of interest, and as I learn more about what makes a room layered and personal, I’ve been able to apply this to how I dress.