Cover Up is a series in which readers and writers document their outfits for a week. In addition to taking photographs, the participant must answer questions about how they felt in their clothes each day. Words, thoughts and feelings by Skye Newton.
Monday 12 June
How long to choose your outfit?
I wore my pyjamas but with some extra things on top so, probably 5 minutes max. Just to note though, my dad sleeps in his work clothes and I haven’t seen him out of a plaid shirt and navy shorts (the elastic waistband big pocket kind) in what feels like twenty five years. And I’m eighteen. So what I’m trying to say, is making your work part of your lifestyle isn’t out of order in this household.
What did you do?
Built some strong and durable fences. I’m really passionate about fences now. Contact me, to talk about fences.
Suitable for your needs?
Did the job. Not too sure how my coworkers feel about Guinness, or bootleg cut jeans but that’s really not my problem. Big props to the gloves my dad gave me. Big props to his comments that let me know I wore the right breakfast eating outfit via this convo:
“Lucky I had you here today”
“Yeah?”
“Eating half that bacon and egg sandwich
[that we had shared]
Otherwise I would’ve felt hell crook.”
Reassuring.
Did you feel you looked good?
Not my best work. Not my worst. My main verdict being mid rise bootleg jeans freak me out.
Tuesday 13 June
How long to choose your outfit?
Ok so today I literally woke up and put shoes on. Very little time, my friends, very little…
What did you do?
Sorted out some things. Ate a terrible burger (peri peri chicken, I just kept going). Looked at the ocean. Tied some wire. Occupied a downright foul mood! I was and still am constantly very tense. Not sure why. Probably the Bruce Lee shirt. I can’t handle this power
Suitable for your needs?
Comfortable enough to sleep in, comfortable enough to spend my waking moments in. My saving grace was a midday addition (a net that you place over your head to stop flies from touching your face. What is their objective!?) I’m all about protective gear – headgear, gloves, thinking about investing in a hazmat suit in the future.
Did you feel you looked good?
Yeah. I’m wearing a Bruce Lee shirt.
Wednesday 14 June
How long to choose your outfit?
Ok I actually got dressed today but it only took about 5 minutes max – probably about an hour if we include the amount of time it took to get out of bed.
What did you do?
Miscellaneous farm jobs: moved sheep and machinery around, treated a flyblown sheep, cleaned a tractor cab out with a air compressor (if you don’t know what that is it’s more or less the opposite of a vacuum and I’m still not sure if my dad was taking the piss when he got me to do that job). Watched rain clouds circle the farm. Thought about this year’s dividends. I got to hold a lamb at one point! It was good.
Suitable for your needs?
Nice arm coverage with the long sleeves. Felt protected. The same can’t be said about my legs – my dad got me to clean some troughs (another job that may or may not have been a joke the length of the second trough in itself was a gag) and I scraped my knee on the barbed wire that lines the fence I have to manoeuvre myself over. Not sure if that makes my clothing choices unsuitable for needs or my leg length (at night I dream about long calves and thighs and breezily stepping over fences).
Did you feel you looked good?
Yes. My shirt matches my socks. And it’s got lots of cool stuff on it. I want to call the prints shirt decals but I don’t think that’s what they’re called, main point being I like ’em. Also: beige work pants are TIMELESS. If you don’t like beige work pants you are a TOXIC person.
Thursday 15 June
How long to choose your outfit?
2 mins? Should I start timing this in future?
What did you do?
Got really angry at some sheep, we really don’t understand each other. They didn’t go back into the paddock when I tried to round them up so my dad threw them over the fence. Swept up a shed. Fixed some fences. Dad let me look at the river that runs through the gulley. Lush. Saw enough kangaroos to form a small football team.
Suitable for your needs?
Did the job.
Did you feel you looked good?
Looked ok. The shades of blue on my shirt and pants didn’t match but that’s not really my problem. Mixed feelings about this shirt but I like that it says “shared space”. Nice.
Friday 16 June
How long to choose your outfit?
Am I really choosing clothes anymore or just putting them on at random selection? Each time I answer this question it becomes more distorted in my mind.
What did you do?
(Didn’t attend work today) a lot of washing, decimated the cookies my mum made last night. Had a nap in the afternoon. Ever since I came home [to Mingenew] I’ve been having huge dreams every night, this time there was nothing and I woke up face down feeling really warm, warmer than ever but not hot. Ever woken up feeling lukewarm? Gross. Made some soda water. I love soda water. The sound of it being poured into a glass is the best.
Suitable for your needs?
Suitable for lounging, yeah.
Did you feel you looked good?
I felt like I looked like my grandad who is my biggest role model, so yes. Yes.
Saturday 17 June
How long to choose your outfit?
A bit more consideration went into this outfit. I changed two times which isn’t too bad. I just want to be comfy. And wear colours that remind me of the farm.
What did you do?
Some grocery shopping, saw my grandparents, they are well, had a nap, played a lot of Animal Crossing. That kind of thing. Browsed the rural tinder. Just as bleak as urban tinder! Matched with one person. Went to my family’s very ceremonial Saturday barbecue where I fold napkins. I made swans. I don’t exaggerate when I say nothing changes in this town, but I think if some part went missing I would feel very upset.
Suitable for your needs?
Suitable for just being, yes.
Did you feel you looked good?
If I’m wearing a considered outfit, there’s a very high chance I feel I look good. I love me. On most days.
Sunday 18 June
How long to choose your outfit?
???
What did you do?
Not much
Did you feel you looked good?
I’m a husk of a person.
Words and images by Skye Newton.