Style Experiment: What Would JLaw Wear If She Had My Wardrobe?

Bored and unsure about what to wear? It's time to have some fun...

Vogue.com tells me when “Jennifer Lawrence emerged in summer 2023 for her No Hard Feelings press tour, there was immediate consensus that she had never looked better.” Which is true. However, my gut or Mother's intuition suggests there's more to the story than wanting to look good for a press tour. A part of the story that I am familiar with. The part every mother is familiar with. The journey of rebuilding oneself, from the inside and out. That is the part I am referring to. That no one, not even Jennifer can bypass."The morning after I gave birth, I felt like my whole life had started over." Jennifer said in September 2022, seven months after giving birth to her son, Cy. To me, her words are evidence she felt the shift. We all feel the shift. Along with that internal existential shift came her style evolution and truly there’s no better time to rediscover yourself and your style then after having children.

It feels daring these days to experiment with our style. Most of us opted into the simple, quiet and monochromatic but forgot we can opt out or at least branch out. We all became obsessed with fitting into a single aesthetic. Of course, there are obvious reasons why. There’s the timelessness of a neutral palette. Then, there’s the affordability and sustainability factors to taking part in a trend. Lastly, the ease. It’s relatively straightforward to put together a safe outfit and wear it on repeat, like the week I wore all black. All valid reasons but to me, it seems we are unwilling to show our true colours for fear of ruining our grids or judgement or both. When was the last time you tried a new outfit? As in an outfit combination that sits outside of your comfort zone? We’ve become obsessed with forging our own personal style yet unwilling to experiment to get there. In doing so, we’re missing out on all of the fun. Or as stylist

Reva Luft

puts it “the sauce”. Finding the sauce—what makes an outfit special—is hidden within the experiment itself.

Now, you don’t have to have kids or to own truly unique pieces to emulate Jen! Your style preferences and budget still matter. What stands out to me is the ease and practicality of her outfits. Each scream mother-of-a-small-child who may need to run, squat, or climb the monkey bars at any given time. It’s no longer just about the look but the cross-section of style and functionality which makes her street style so appealing to me, a mum of a 5 year old and 7 month old. So, in the name of experimentation, I asked myself what would Jennifer Lawrence wear? That is, if she only had my wardrobe to work with, and that’s when things got interesting. Not only did I discover new ways to wear my old faithfuls (like the powder blue shirt), I wore items I forgot I even owned (I didn’t shop, I simply used what I had). I also stumbled across a money-saving hack for mothers wanting to dip their toes into colour, and real wardrobe gaps. Things I actually need… I know, I’m as shocked as you are!

So, follow me as I take you through the simple lessons I learnt from taking cues from the ultimate Mother of style, our Lord and Saviour, Jennifer Lawrence.

1. Put a lid on it… no one does a cap quite like Jen.

This is the simplest of all tips. Simple yet practical and effective. Wear your usual outfit but add a cap. Any soft cap will do!

2. Divide and conquer your sweats.

It can be tempting to wear a matching tracksuit on repeat, especially as the weather cools down here in Australia but separating your sweats is where the magic happens.

3. A tonal set is chic, easy and appropriate for all situations.

I must admit that I do already wear a lot of shirts and jeans. Don’t overthink or over style it. Just throw on and go.

4. A good coat will hide all of your sins aka wearing pjs to drop-off. Invest in a coat collection.

Coats are definitely a bit of a mum style hack. Layer them over everything and when adding to your collection look at what you’re missing. Not only the colour but the weight. I was pregnant this time last year so I tried not to add too much to my wardrobe and completely forgot I tore my trench coat (beyond repair RIP) and have not replaced it… yet.

5. Go for at least two interesting pieces when wearing a pattern or colour. This will add balance.

A one item colour pop is great but if you don’t want a piece to stick out like a sore thumb then try wearing two interesting pieces (think colour, texture, slightly off-beat style/design) at a time. The eye will travel, not fixate.

6. Primary colours are timeless too.

Jennifer loves colour and a lot of her outfits stick to primary colours which to me feels timeless and even work when paired together.

And here’s how I styled myself using those main takeaways:
I started easy with a cap and swapping my iPhone cover. Simple yet effective for adding that little bit of colour. The black shirt and pants I normally wear with a pair of thongs, ballet flats or loafers but this time I decided to go for sneakers, because, you know, WWJLW? Sneakers. I really liked how this changed the entire look. It made all black feel less serious. For the third look, it was about styling two interesting pieces. The old Chloe sunglasses were a wildcard choice. I forgot I even had these! I paired them with a burgundy mesh flat which feels like just enough experimentation for me.