Butter is the New Black

By Rebekah Barker

Photos by Lauren Rider

Styling by Rebekah Barker and Grace Anne Flater

It’s an age-old dilemma: a closet full of clothes but nothing to wear. 

Sound familiar? I thought it might. 

But not to worry — Harling Ross, former fashion editor at Man Repeller and NYC gal-about-town, has three words for anyone lacking inspiration for their wardrobe this winter: Stick of Butter. 

Having coined the term back in November 2018, Ross describes stick of butter fashion as “an approach to getting dressed that involves nothing more and nothing less than dressing in the palette of ivories, whites, and yellows signature to a stick of butter.” 

Two winters, a presidential election, and a global pandemic later, stick of butter dressing has never been bigger. In addition to inspiring the hashtag of the same name that has been used nearly 5,000 times on Instagram, Ross’ stick of butter dressing has sparked media coverage by Who What Wear, Domino, and even The Cut. 

But is it, perhaps, Ross’ fashion-editor wardrobe that brings this dairy-inspired form of dressing to life? Or can stick-of-butter fashion be executed on a college student’s budget? 

To put this to the test, my roommate and I put our heads—and wardrobes—together to bring you four butter-filled outfit recipes, all of which are made up of items we already owned. While many of the items pictured are thrifted, I linked affordable alternatives wherever possible.

Curious to see how butter’s dressing this season? Read on. 

Butter Goes to the Market

There are few COVID-friendly weekend activities that top a trip to the farmer’s market. And this farmer’s market fit checks all the boxes: cozy, practical (can you say pockets!), and cute in a buttery sort of way! Just layer a basic cream sweater beneath a neutral overall, then slip on your go-to leather boots for a farmer’s market look that dreams are made of. 

And don’t forget to accessorize with a cream mesh bag like this one — it’ll be perfect for carrying all your local produce finds!

Butter in a Blazer

Butter in a blazer? Say no more. 

For this more elevated—yet still zoom class-appropriate—look, start with a basic white button-down and a white (or cream) pant. Then, simply add a cropped cream sweatshirt over the button-down, and throw on a fun yellow-toned blazer. I went with this thrifted tartan number that’s reminiscent of Cher’s iconic blazer in Clueless. Really any ivory, white, or yellow blazer will do the trick, though. Here are some fun alternatives: 

Complete the look with a classic pair of white sneakers, like these high-top Converse. 

Butter, but Make it Cottagecore

Truth be told, at heart, I’m an 85-year-old woman living in an 18th century stone cottage in rural England,  which is to say: I’ve never felt more connected to a trend than cottagecore. 

But do cottagecore and stick-of-butter fashion mix? Absolutely. 

While the possibilities for stick-of-butter cottage core looks are endless, this duo makes for a foolproof fit. Just pair vintage pleated cream shorts with a feminine embroidered sweater. 

As for shoes, may I recommend a pair of sturdy Blundstone boots? Because if you’re truly a cottagecore stick of butter, you should be ready to tend to your garden at a moment's notice. 

Butter Goes for a Jog

It’s no secret that athleisure and quarantine go together like bread and butter.

Whether you’re lounging at home, going for a socially-distanced jog, or running to the grocery store, athleisure is almost always the way to go. 

But why settle for a bland athleisure look when you could don a buttery one? 

For the base layer, go with a two-toned cream and beige legging (those pictured are Outdoor Voices) and a simple beige t-shirt. Throw on any cropped cream hoodie (this one’s from Target), neutral tennis shoes, and a macrame water bottle holder to complete the look. 

While these four outfit recipes were the cream (pun intended) of my ~mostly thrifted~ wardrobe’s crop, the possibilities for stick-of-butter dressing are infinite.

With cream, ivory, and yellow-toned garments all on the table, never has a trend been so easy and accessible.

So, what are you waiting for? There’s no better time than the present to whip up a buttery ensemble of your own.  Be sure to tag us on Instagram with your stick-of-butter #ootd.