I’m Streamlining My Autumn Wardrobe – These Baukjen Staples Made the Cut
Having just moved house, my outfits have gone a bit rogue. My life is in boxes, and my wardrobe is in suitcases while I wait for my shiny new IKEA Pax wardrobe to arrive. As a consequence, I’ve been wearing a mishmash of garments scavenged from the floordrobe – with mixed results. One day I arrived at the office dressed for a Balearic beach, another I braved a sweltering festival in jeans because my beloved Levi cut-offs are still MIA.
Meanwhile, the suitcases of clothes languishing in our spare room are overflowing with pieces I no longer want to wear: velvet dresses from Christmases past, leather jackets last seen in 2016, and spiky heels I’ll never walk in. This led to a light bulb realisation: life would be far more efficient if I streamlined my wardrobe and learned to live with less. And what better moment for a style reset than now? Autumn is around the corner, and that back-to-school feeling has me dreaming of fresh wardrobe staples – the grown-up equivalent of a brand-new WHSmith pencil case.
It might sound counterintuitive to buy new pieces in order to streamline my wardrobe, but what I’m really looking to invest in are reliable, beautifully made basics that work harder and bridge the gaps between my lesser-worn clothes. Think a well-cut pair of jeans, a classic trench coat that works across seasons, and a good-quality t-shirt with the perfect weight that doesn’t reveal my bra underneath. And rather than schlepping from shop to shop, it helps to know there’s a one-stop destination for elevated essentials. Enter Baukjen: one of the best basics-but-better brands I’ve tried and tested, and come to rely on (and if you’re wondering how Baukjen is pronounced, there’s a video for that).
London-based Baukjen is a certified B Corp putting a chic spin on slow fashion. The brand is all about timeless style with a conscience: flattering cuts, responsibly sourced fabrics, and wardrobe staples designed to last for seasons to come. Effortless yet elevated, these are the kind of pieces that make getting dressed feel polished without ever trying too hard.
Leading Baukjen is the husband-and-wife duo behind its vision and pioneering sustainable ethos. Founder and Creative Director Baukjen de Swaan Arons, a Dutch-born Londoner, launched the brand after creating Isabella Oliver, her stylish yet practical maternity label inspired by her own pregnancy. Baukjen is joined by her husband and co-founder Geoff van Sonsbeeck, with whom she shares a commitment to design, quality craftsmanship, and sustainability. Together, they are a force to be reckoned with, and have built Baukjen into the highest-scoring SME fashion B Corp in the world.
If you buy just one piece from Baukjen this season, make it a jacket. Baukjen’s jackets have a habit of going viral, and selling out, for good reason. Crafted from substantial fabrics – cotton and wool blends – they look and feel far more expensive than their mid-range price tags. Our pick? The Hazel Organic Cotton Mac Coat a timeless A-line trench in a delicious biscuit-beige hue, the kind you’d expect to see draped over the shoulders of a chic Parisian wandering through Le Marais. Take your usual size – the A-line shape offers up plenty of room to layer cosy knits and thermals underneath.
The Sibel Wool Blend Tailored Bomber also caught our eye; bomber jackets are set to be everywhere this autumn. Baukjen’s neutral puppytooth-check style, finished with brown corduroy details, nods to the 80s mod revival aesthetic and has general cool girl vibes.
Sibel Wool Blend Tailored Bomber
No streamlined wardrobe is complete without a well-cut pair of indigo jeans like Baukjen’s Lou Organic Stretch Cotton pair, which have a 70s feel thanks to their front pockets and wider leg cut. What makes the Lou jeans a true game-changer is the 1% elastane woven into the fabric – that tiny touch of stretch makes for a far more comfortable fit. These are great shape for longer legged ladies – I’m 5’10” and found the length just right with a kitten heel.
Lou Organic Cotton Stretch Jeans
Don’t forget to have a look at Baukjen’s casual trouser options, either. The side stripe trousers are a fashion set favourite thanks to their easy design that is the perfect hybrid between a tailored trouser, and a jogger.
Our final pick from Baukjen is a blouse, be it a comfy viscose style or something more crisp like the Kai Organic Cotton Tie Neck Shirt which nods to the Jilly Cooper Rivals aesthetic. As someone who hates ironing with a passion, I’m a big fan of the Baukjen blouses crafted in sustainable viscose mixes, such as the navy blue Noa Short Sleeve Blouse, that won’t need to see an iron each time they go through the wash.
Kai Organic Cotton Tie Neck Shirt
Thanks to Baukjen, my autumn wardrobe is finally taking shape, and with it, a little calm amid the clothing chaos. Now all that’s missing is a wardrobe to hang it in. Over to you, IKEA.