A few years agoI helped some of my mom's wonderful friends "take over" their closets and send them on a mission of what they REALLY needed. These women are professional women who needed a closet overhaul. They either had a closet full of clothes they didn't need to wear anymore or needed to learn how to use what they had. I loved helping them make outfits they never thought of before, get rid of clothes that did nothing for them, that had seen better days, or just flat out needed to GO! I would then send them on a mission for a great pair of black pants(or whatever they needed) and loving hearing their excitement in their voice when they found something that not only FIT WELL but FLATTERED them, too!
I feel strongly about the importance of how women dress/present themselves - especially those with children. I feel that when a woman wakes up, throws on a hoodie, no makeup, and doesn't fuss with her hair she is telling the world "I don't care today". NOW, don't go getting all mad at me - I used to nanny and I know how it is when kids are spitting up, pooping up, etc. all over you and you don't leave the house unless you have to until about 3 months after they are born. THAT is not what I am referring to :) I am referring to even when you need to get out of the house. If you were to put your jeans, a vneck tee, and a scarf on with flip flops and even wad your hair in a cute ponytail with some earrings tell me you would not feel better than if you left with jeans & a tshirt. It's inevitable! And even if you are toting a teething child who will drool all over you at least your clothes are washable and you feel good about yourself...after all, your most important accesssorie is pretty dang cute - drool and all :)
SO, with this blog I am also going to tell you about some of the things that I know I have to have in my closet and think they are a must have for any other woman as well. This goes for all women - not just those who work outside the home. And any age, too - my mom can second me on that(and she is 61)!
#1 - cardigans. Some of my favorite are the long cardigans people are wearing now - which not everyone can pull off because of height. So, even just the basic hip length is great. You can wear a button up, long sleeve, short sleeve, etc. with it for whatever occasion it may be and it works all year round so it's a good investment. Change it up with a cute printed cardigan - that way when you feel like wearing your basics it will add something fun.
#2 - black pants that are a "bootcut" basic material. Can't go wrong with these because, again, they work year round and when can you not wear them?! 
#3 - printed sleeveless tops. These are easy to find and will work under the cardigan, lightweight jacket, or a cute sweater in the winter. I have some in floral, cheetah print, stripe, etc. TJMaxx, Target, Belk - all great places to find them. A scoop neck is nice in a kinda chiffon/silkish material. If you can wear sleeveless at work by itself - even better. 
#4 - a great go-to dress. For some reason this always freaks women out and it shouldn't. You get the right one and its by far the easiest thing in your closet to wear and most functional. I have a black knit one I know I wore once a week this fall/winter with different cardigans, jackets, scarves, jewelry, tights, or shoes each time to make it different. Go for something you are comfortable in and can see yourself wearing to a wedding, funeral(I know, but its true), etc. to get the most bang for your buck. Target always has great dresses. To make it even more wearable go with a neutral like grey, black, or brown that you can wear with heels, flats, sandals, etc. 
#5 - good accessories. I have a chunky turquoise necklace I can wear with just about anything. It can make a boring outfit fun & bring some color where you least expect it. In the summer I feel it's a must. Button ups, white ts, cute top, dress - - works with it all. Scarves - same thing. Makes you look "together". Especially if its patterened with a "basic" outfit. I am also loving some chunky or long pearls.
#6 - A pair of khaki pants that can be used for work and play - Oh, my trusty old khaki pants. I got some at Gap a few years back that are a bit wide in the leg and long enough to wear with a slight heel or short enough to wear with sandals. When I feel like doing something a bit "crisp" I will throw them on with a good white top and colored jewelry for a more tailored look. I just think everyone should have one pair they can go to.
#7 - Trench coat/jacket - this is one thing I wear most in the spring and fall. Even last week we had to run out of the house really quick and I still wanted to look put together. So a white t shirt, dark jeans, and my yellow trench coat later I was ready to go. SO easy & classic. My favorite look was at a shower for my sister in law recently when the elegant Betty Jackson had on a shiny khaki trench with a bold red necklace and black pants - so easy, yet so elegant & tailored. And this is a look for any age! One thing I love is there are so many different colors now. Khaki, to me, is a classic. I actually have a yellow, kelly green, UK blue, and a khaki just to mix it up. And they ALL get worn quite often!
#8 - Peep toe heels - brown & black. You need them. It's that easy. You can't go wrong with a good black peep toe heel and a good brown peep toe heel. Mine come in handy year round. And if you really want to do it right - get a pair of beige, too - they will make your legs look longer! P.S. - my absolute favorite pair is a very dark purple almost black pair. I love to wear them with a black dress to not feel so matchy :)
#9 - Sandals - there are so many out there to choose from. Instead of throwing on your flip flops throw on a cute pair of sandals to make your outfit go from "comfy" looking to "trendy". Target is a great place to find some for under $20 that you can wear all summer with shorts, jeans, dresses, etc. Love me some cute sandals - make sure your piggies look good in them, too!
#10 - Skirts - pencil skirts, bohemian skirts, ruffled skirts, every kind of skirt is floating around out there. Another easy outfit - skirt, fitted t, scarf or chunky jewelry and sandals - done! Skirts are tricky, though. You need to make sure it is flattering to your shape. I can put on a skirt and then have someone else that is shorter and maybe have some more "hip" than I do or someone that doesn't have a long torso and that skirt looks totally different. So, experiment. But when you find one that flatters your figure and you are comfy in - you will love it!
There are 2 movies whose wardrobes I drool over - Jennifer Aniston in "The Break Up" and Cameron Diaz in "What Happens in Vegas" - take a look at the websites below or watch them sometime and you will see. So classic and easy - no fuss, just beautiful clothes!
ohmahgah. I loooove Cameron's clothes in that movie, too!! LOVE. Especially the outfit she wore to the picnic...I think it was a yellow dress, I'll google it! Love this post by the way :) I've noticed I wear cardigans, or some sort of little jacket like that, almost every day! Another favorite of mine is wearing colored shoes to give outfits a pop (hence my lovely bridesmaids various colored shoes with their gray dresses :)
ReplyDeleteLove that the pictures are from j crew! Next thing to tackle- HAIR! All of these clothes are great, but if you have "bad hair" your look is incomplete.
ReplyDeleteAlso, don't forget that Forever 21 is a great place for inexpensive accessories. Target has Great scarves that go on sale pretty frequently.