It’s officially mid-spring here in Melbourne, but I’m learning to put less and less stock in conventional seasonal delineations. Dressing for the weather is a day-by-day affair at this time of year, and even then I seem to have a tendency to get it dramatically wrong. I could be airing out my summer shorts on Monday, toting a just-in-case umbrella on Tuesday and back in my thermals by Wednesday. All of that, plus looking defensibly presentable? It’s a challenge, to say the least.
What I’m learning, a little more comprehensively with every passing year, is how to wear my most misguided guesses at the day’s weather with pride. An elaborate pompadour and jelly brogues during hair-raising humidity? A bold move. A light, white summer suit at a chilly, rain-misted beach wedding? A Mr Darcy-esque tribute to an occasion close to my heart. All-black on the hottest day of the year to date? An ironic statement on Melbournity.
Getting the idea? To boil it down, it’s really all about standing confidently in your discomfort. On some level, is that not a key element of rocking fashion in general? Disagree all you want, but think about it: if it weren’t for fashion, wouldn’t you consider leaving the house in your pyjamas far more often than you do? Then again, it was fashion that blessed us with the black-tie pyjama suit. Too bad it’s inappropriate for all weather conditions outside of ‘mild and lightly breezy’.
Transeasonal fashion is a con. A hip spray jacket isn’t going to save your spring wardrobe’s soul. Get used to it, kids.