I’ve been so diligent about posting since my blog’s relaunch in August that I’ve found myself a little burnt out and a lot uninspired. When I told Evan I didn’t know what to post today (in fact I missed my Monday morning deadline!), he told me to be honest with my readers and asked if there was a quick outfit I had that we could shoot so that I could maintain my consistent posting schedule. I went to the closet and found myself reaching for this look almost without thinking about it. Which made me realize that there are some wardrobe classics that each woman’s closet should have – the oldies but goodies that you can wear all together or wear in separate looks that are timeless and always on point.
Many of you who have been with me from the beginning have probably seen all these items at some point or another, and you’ve definitely seen me in this silhouette. It’s the most flattering for a body with wider hips and a narrower top. Here are my wardrobe rockstars that I recommend to everyone:
The wide belt – I own several wide belts in various colors and wear them with nearly every skirt or dress to add my own flair and to accent my narrow waist. These are especially key in defining a flared skirt. Word to the wise – don’t buy these full price but instead, find discounted versions at TJ Maxx or the Banana Republic sale rack.
The pointed-toe pump or flat – You simply can’t go wrong with owning pointed toe pumps (or flats for those who are anti-heels) in classic colors like black, tan, burgundy and navy. Wear them with jeans, date-night dresses, and work wear. You’ll always look polished. The point adds length to your body, which is important when wearing a midi-skirt on a short frame!
The seasonally–appropriate red lipstick – Red lipstick just might be the most lady-like cosmetic a woman can own. I keep a few different shades on hand depending on what time of year it is. If it’s fall and winter, I’ll go for a deeper red. If it’s spring and summer, I’ll choose something bright that pops.I love this NARS Afghan Red right now.
The flared midi-skirt – Classy, ladylike, modest, and sexy, the flared midi-skirt is always a winner for me. If I’m wearing one to work, I’ll choose a black one, but a fun print can be such an eye-catcher and conversation piece (confession – this one cost me under $50 on Chic Wish).
The chambray button down – My friend Dina convinced me that this was the one piece I was missing from my wardrobe. In fact, she couldn’t believe I didn’t own one because it goes with EVERYTHING. And she’s not wrong! I wear it tucked into jeans for a denim-on-denim look, around my waist with a white tee and sneakers on the weekends, tied like a crop top over a summer dress, and of course like here, tucked into a flared skirt. It brings the look down a notch from being too formal. I recommend buying one at an outlet store like J.Crew Factory or Gap Factory – they always have one in stock for a lesser price.
Movie-star sunglasses – One should always have that one enormous pair because they are face-flattering and make you look and feel like Audrey Hepburn, no matter the outfit. Seriously, I had a mini-meltdown today for a number of reasons and they hid my puffy eyes perfectly. These are actually where I invested a little more than usual. I still bought them at a discount store but since they are Chloe, they cost a lot. Sometimes I find I take better care of my splurges than my steals. In fact, I’ve had these for nearly five years – the longest of any sunglasses I’ve ever owned!
The vintage necklace – I always try to wear one vintage piece if I can. This can be tricky when wearing a lot of trendy items, but there’s something about a delicate, old necklace that screams classy and intentional to me when I see it on a woman. This one is from my deceased aunt’s amazing costume jewelry collection. She died when I was only eight, but I like to wear her pieces to stay connected cosmically – my dad tells me we were a lot alike.
Knowing which silhouette looks best for your body is also the key to dressing classically. As I said, for me the hands down winner is always going to be the fit and flare look with a wide skirt and narrow top. For you it might be a pencil skirt and peplum top. Whatever it is, know it and own it. This way, you always know exactly what to reach for when you’ve got a case of the Mondays, don’t know what to wear, or need a confidence booster.
What are your wardrobe staples? Did I miss any? Let me know in the comments below!
P.S. Find other classic looks on my recent Little Black Dress post, and read all about another favorite wardrobe warrior of mine, The Blazer! Other wardrobe must-know posts include Summer Classics and What to Wear to A Summer Wedding!
