Thursday, October 26, 2017

Special occasion...






OUTFIT DETAILS:
Occasion: friend's wedding (our son participated in the ceremony)

Dress: Teri Jon via Nordstrom Rack many years ago - my best sale find ever! $40 for a $400 dress (similar)
Bag: thrifted (similar)
Shoes: Pour la Victoire via DSW (similar)
Earrings: gift (similar)
Necklace: Nordstrom Rack (similar)
Bracelet: via ebay (similar)

My husband's suit is J. Crew, from several years ago (similar)
Gavin's suit is Zara, from the spring 2017 collection (similar)

Can you tell these photos of me were taken by the love of my life, instead of via a timer? I feel like that may be why my smile has a special zest....  

Anyway, let's talk special occasions.  What do you wear when you've got a special event to attend?  Since my family and community are already dressed up on a regular basis for our twice-weekly meetings for worship, to dignify a more formal occasion, I tend to choose dressier fabrics: silk, perhaps a tulle layer, embroidery, or perhaps a touch of lace or sequins.  I personally tend to shy away from patterns for formalwear (but then again, I shy away from patterns most of the time!), mostly because a solid dress can be worn again and again in different ways with varying accessories, often without even being noticed as the same dress.  Especially if I'm buying a dress for a future occasion, rather than an event that's about to happen, I also look for a timeless, rather than a trendy silhouette.  No point in having that great clearance dress stashed for a special future occasion that turns out to be dated by the time you wear it.

While we're on the topic of buying dresses for a future occasion, let's just say I'm a fan.  Nothing is worse than desperately searching for a special occasion dress when you're rushed just before the event - that's when you can't find ANYTHING you like or that fits you well.  Having one or two things that fit well, in classic colors, stashed in your closet breeds confidence.  Even if you do go looking for something new, you don't have that desperate urgency stemming from knowing you have absolutely no options in your closet and an approaching deadline.  Knowing you got those great dresses on sale when you happened to come across them is even better!  But, be reasonable - for most of us, our lifestyle only requires one or two of these items, don't waste good closet space or money on items you'll rarely wear.  Shopping for your reality is important, too.

Another confidence building option for dressy occasions is keeping on the lookout for a dressy top or two (sequined, ruffled, beaded, etc.), and/or dressy skirt (silk, satin, sequin, etc.).  When you find a good option at a good price, think of it as special occasion insurance.  You can always pair a beaded or ruffled top and black pencil skirt, or a simple black top and sequined skirt for a quick and easy event look.  You don't need lots of these items, even just one will do.  You can remix it endlessly for lots of options, and you won't have lots of money -or closet space - invested in clothing you don't wear very often.  (Plus, this is a great strategy if you tend to vary in size.  If you have a great top, you can pair it with whatever black pencil skirt you fit into at the moment.)

On a last practical note, finding cute, block heeled dressy-looking sandals is an investment your feet will appreciate!  I felt just as cute in these shoes as I would have in stilettos, with the added bonus that I could wear (and dance in) them all night.

If you're in the market for some classic, versatile special occasion dresses, bags or shoes, here are a few options:



Monday, October 23, 2017

Trusty fall fashion pieces





OUTFIT DETAILS:

Pants outfit:
Trench: J. Crew via ebay (similar - on sale)
Top: LOFT (similar)
Pants: Duluth Trading Company, thrifted (similar)
Shoes: Franco Sarto, thrifted (similar)
Bag: Marc Jacobs, thrifted (exact)
Sunglasses: LOFT (exact - on sale!)
Earrings: craft fair (similar)

Skirt outfit: (not my favorite look, in all honesty - or at least not my favorite photos)
Blazer: Ann Taylor, thrifted (similar)
Top: LOFT (similar)
Skirt: Old Navy (similar)
Shoes: Banana Republic, thrifted (similar)
Bag: Gigi New York via ebay (similar)
Earrings: craft fair (similar)

As I've been culling my wardrobe of items I can donate to friends who lost their homes in the wine country fires, it's got me thinking of which core items I would actually keep as a usable capsule wardrobe, while freeing up lots of great items to share with others.  Two of those capsule items are pictured today: a short trench coat, and a navy, brass-button double breasted blazer.  I feel like these items, which combining with many other pieces, also actually provide a distinct look for each outfit.  For example, I'm wearing the same top in both outfits, but it looks quite different depending on which layering piece it's combined with.  Those are the kinds of pieces that make a capsule wardrobe go further.

There are various times in life when it may be time to think of starting a core capsule wardrobe - some good: new job, weight loss, travel opportunity; others not so great: losing everything in a fire, weight gain (been there), et cetera.  Whatever the occasion, it's interesting to think about which items in our wardrobe - or potential items we're considering for purchase - give us the most "bang for the buck", or complete the most outfits.

I plan to dedicate an entire post to this thought soon (with photos and clothing layouts), but in the meantime, please check out Audrey's thoughts at her post, and share your own thoughts!  As a preliminary list, here are some of the items I personally find indispensable for a versatile wardrobe:

Classic two-button black blazer
Double breasted navy blazer
Gray cardigan sweater or hoodie
Button-front chambray or denim shirt
White plain fitted tee
Cream loose-fit longer top (almost tunic)
Bright colored top (one or more colors)
Striped tee
Relaxed gray tee
Graphic tee
Peplum top
Bell-sleeve top
Dark "dressy" skinny jeans
Distress/faded cropped black jeans
Olive pants
Black leggings
Black knit pencil skirt
Gray maxi skirt
Mustard color dressy pleated or pencil skirt (I have and use both a LOT)
Plaid blanket scarf
Silk or other draped fabric large scarf
Small silk or cotton neckerchief scarf or bandanna
Black tights
Wide belt
Narrow belt
Straw hat
Wool brim hat
Bright knit beanie 
Puffer vest
Denim jacket
Trench coat
Wool coat
Ankle boots (I prefer darker colors like black or charcoal gray)
Tall knee-high boots (black or cognac would be my picks)
Ballet flats (black or red if I had to choose just one pair, but cognac would be great)
Slip on sneakers (black or taupe are my go-tos)
Neutral pumps (black, nude or metallic can be great options, depending on your palette)
Hoop earrings
Stud earrings (diamond or silver or gold ball)
Statement earrings
Long necklace and pendant
Cuff bracelet
Small cross-body bag
Top handle bag
Tote bag

What are your must-have items?