Kia ora, and welcome to clipboard, a now 2 year(!!) old weekly newsletter about good shit in Tāmaki Makaurau. This week, we’re talking about the looks in the light at the end of my seasonal affective disorder tunnel. If you enjoy clipboard, share it with your mates! The arrow is going up and to the right at the moment, let’s keep that going.
seasonal depression
The past month or so has been a bit of a struggle for me, and the short days and shit weather hasn’t been helping. It’s not been a super fun period, so I wanted to mark my return to (hopefully) regular programming with something a bit more uplifting. There’s been sun this week!
The shift in weather can mean only one thing for me, and that’s planning for spring outfits. Spring is my favourite season, because it feels optimistic, without the intensity of the FOMO that comes with the internet and summer. It’s all good vibes, the air smells better, the sun comes out but isn’t too hot, and there’s still light when I get home.
This week I’m going to run through some of the looks I’m excited to bring out when I’m able to put the heavy knitwear in the back of the wardrobe.
big shirts
My warm weather looks centre around a core piece, the big shirt. They’re comfy, they look great and they make the classic GQ transition from the boardroom to the bar easy breezy. Do it up for a classy look, throw it on open over a tee or tank to get the TikTok approved fit, or go a few buttons undone to free the collarbones.
key pieces: this forthcoming Checks shirt (out this week) is a perfect example of the genre, I love the cut on this from Samsoe Samsoe (I have it in another colour, wear it all the time), but you can honestly find a good big shirt everywhere, especially including secondhand stores
shorts and jumpers
A jumper worn over a pair of shirts is the perfect weekend coffee look: comfy, just warm enough, and it looks sick! Get your legs out, folks, and play with proportions a little bit. As the day heats up, you can take the jumper off and throw it around your shoulders for a true old money vibe.
key pieces: the classic version of this look is a hoodie and patagonia baggies, but I also love it with a fancy cardigan or wool knit when I’m feeling classy
tees and jeans
The flipside of a jumper and shorts is jeans and a t-shirt; perhaps the most classic outfit ever. When you go simple, though, it’s easy to end up looking basic, or messing up your proportions. Make sure your jeans fit (my preferred look is higher on the waist than you’d expect, straight and loose), and your t-shirt isn’t too long (I’m looking at you, AS Colour!). The shoes can’t be underestimated here, either, but that’s a whole separate article. If you want to make a statement, go graphic with your tee, but if you just want to look cool and put together go with a blank that hits just right. You could also do the blokecore spin with a classic football jersey, like you see here.
shorts, shoes and white socks
“Rawdogging” (wearing shoes with no socks) is all the rage in the northern hemisphere at the moment, but you won’t find me doing that sweaty violence to my feet, or shoes, this summer. Instead, find a pair of white/cream socks and pair them with your favourite kicks. Schoolboy vibes, but in a good way! If you don’t have good white socks, try the new ones from Buddy.
clips
👕 Embroidery and printing specialists Doug’s have branched out into cut and sew garments with the Mighty T-shirt, which I’m reliably informed is one of the best t-shirts out there - heavy weight, not too long, boxy fit without swimming in it. I am this close to purchasing.
🏷 Clipboard fave Inward Goods is having a warehouse sale - grab yourself a steal!
🎶 This new song from the 1975 is taking me straight back to my teenage bedroom, listening to Chocolate for the first time. What a tune.
🍕 The team from Pici have opened a pizza joint on Dominion Road, call Ooh-fa! I’ll definitely try to get down there once the crowds thin out.
☕️ Also on Dominion Road, I’m intrigued by Gray’s, a cafe (and soon to be wine bar) which is also a homeware and vintage store.
🍸 I had a martini for the first time a few weeks ago at Barcita, because I’m easily influenced by cool fashion people on the internet. It tasted like watery gin with an olive aftertaste, because that’s exactly what it is. Back to negronis for me.
That’s all for clipboard this week, thanks for reading. Thanks also for your patience through a bit of disruption on this newsletter, and to all the new readers, welcome! I’ll be back next Sunday morning, and you can get in touch in the meantime via email and Instagram. See you next week!