Hero

Summer has well and truly arrived in Brisbane, so I have had a chance to wear almost all my summer clothes. One exercise I have found especially interesting and enlightening has been tracking what I wear and seeing how much of what I bought last summer was on the right track. I am not so interested in skirts and pants, as they are easy to fit. What I particularly wanted to discover were the heroes amongst my tops. A sad consequence of the heat of summer is more frequent washing, and some of my favourites are starting to show a little wear. My plan was to determine exactly what styles I should be looking for when I eventually replace them. I have used jeans as the bottom in all the photos so as to provide a level playing-field for the battle of the tops!

Cocoon styles: These have been the big surprise for me. I bought one on a whim, and have found the style to be a workhorse.  They go with a wide variety of bottoms, have both enough detail and enough simplicity to satisfy my aesthetic preferences and create a flattering, long body line that makes a virtue of being breastless. Verdict: A permanent place in my wardrobe

Crops: I have spoken before about my love of the crop. I have a number, in different lengths. Whilst I enjoy my short crops for layering, they are not as versatile the ones that fall more into the short tops category. My favourite from last year is long enough to be worn without exposing midriff and has got a lot of love from me again this year. Verdict: The love affair continues

Trapeze shapes: This was the style I thought would work best when I was re-stocking my wardrobe after my surgery and I bought 3 in different patterns, but to be honest they haven't had as much wear this year. Partly this is because they are all patterned, and I am feeling much happier in plains and neutrals currently. However, I think there are also fabric and fit issues. One top is a bit static-y and clings, which negates the trapeze effect. And the other just feels the wrong length and I struggle with getting the proportions right. Verdict: Replace carefully and only when tried on with bottoms I already own.

Pleated straight styles: I have two of these, and so far have only worn them to layer under my crops. I feel like they are the least interesting and least flattering of my tops. Verdict: Not to be replaced.

Of course, I have a few tops that fit into none of the above categories, but it has been helpful to me to look at my current usage and see both how my style has evolved and how I might prioritise replacement of items as they wear out. What are your wardrobe heroes?

Hero by Enrique Inglesias