Should All Fashion Rules Be Broken?

Who remembers those fashion television shows when the hosts would show up and ambush someone desperately needing a style intervention? Those shows were loads of fun to watch as the ugly duckling slowly transformed into a beautiful swan with the help of a few style rules and a skilled hair and makeup team. 

Sometimes, a head-to-toe makeover is exactly what we need if we’ve put zero effort or thought into building a strategic wardrobe. That’s when it becomes all too easy to become a style victim rather than a style icon.

Honestly, the last thing we need is the fashion police knocking on our door, pointing out everything we’re doing wrong with our outfit choices. But life changes and our wardrobes with it. And we’ve seen quite a few changes in the past few years, with a worldwide pandemic and lockdowns that had us wearing sweatpants for weeks or months.

Thankfully, life is back in full swing, although your closet could be a hot mess since you thought athleisure was the new norm.

It might be time to reset and refresh your wardrobe and put some thought into your fashion choices and how your wardrobe can serve you today, tomorrow, and the year after.

Being intentional and putting some thought into our wardrobe helps us craft a closet that serves our lifestyle and helps us step out the door in confidence because we love our outfits.

I talk a lot on this blog about breaking style rules.  But are all style rules meant to be broken?  No, actually.  Some rules are useful guides that can eliminate the complication and mystery of dressing well. If we’re armed with a few style rules at our beck and call, we can easily build a wardrobe we love and put together outfits with clarity and confidence.

The Summary

  Today, I’m tackling whether all style rules are meant to be broken

  I’m sharing 7 rules—guides really—that will elevate your wardrobe and outfit construction today

  If the “rules” involve specific fashion items, I’ve shared some shoppable links and widgets

Are All Style Rules Meant to be Broken?

1. Hit The Dressing Room Prepared

If you’re looking to revamp your wardrobe, then you’re going to go on a shopping expedition or two. Even if you’re shopping for a special occasion dress, you will want to hit the dressing room prepared. So bring your A-game into the dressing room with your hair, makeup, and even your nails perfectly coiffed. That way, you will get a better sense of how an outfit will really look on you.

If we step into the dressing room looking disheveled and unkempt, that’s how the outfit will resonate with us. So be mindful and shop with purpose, and don’t forget to hit the dressing room prepared.

2. The Power of a White Button-Up

A classic white button-up is a classic for a reason. And it’s not just reserved for interviews or board meetings. Of course, a white button-up looks terrific with a pencil skirt or a pair of trousers. But this hard-working wardrobe staple can elevate a humble pair of jeans, as Princess Diana proves, or look equally chic paired with a ball skirt like Sharon Stone at the 1998 Academy Awards.

It can be layered over a tee shirt or worn as a coverup over our swimsuit when we head to the beach. And if we take our cue from designer Carolina Herrera, it can be part of our style uniform. Almost no one doesn’t look good in a white shirt. It’s the fashion equivalent of a blank page. And there’s nothing better than a crisp white shirt on a hot summer day. 

So go ahead and invest in more than one. White shirts range from inexpensive to semi-outrageous, so I know there’s one you will fall in love with. Maybe even more. I have over a dozen hanging in my closet, and they’re all on style repeat.

White Shirts:  Ellis Cotton Shirt (Rails) | Essential Shirt (Ann Taylor) | Cotton Blend Extended Shoulder Shirt (Talbots) | Poplin Tunic (Talbots)

Shop the White shirts

3. Throw on a scarf

If you want to up your style game, then add a third layer. And that doesn’t always mean throwing a blazer over your outfit. According to some of the best-dressed women in the world, the ultimate accessory is a silk scarf.

And I quite agree. They can add a pop of color when you need it or transform a simple t-shirt when it’s knotted around your neck. Wear it as a belt or tie it around your handbag. There are countless ways to wear a scarf.

Not only are scarves functional during the fall and winter, but they come in handy as a lightweight wrap when traveling on a frigid airplane, so I always stash one inside my carry-on. Scarves truly are the perfect accessory because they’re so versatile.

Scarves:  Signature Silk Scarf (Banana Republic) | Floral Print Silk Neck Bow (Gucci) | Olivia Multi-Square Scarf (Ralph Lauren) | Heritage Stripe Border Silk Square Scarf (Burberry) | Ballones in the Sky Silk Scarf (Tory Burch)

Shop the scarves

4. Show Skin Strategically

Sometimes I refer to this style rule as show more, show less. Looking truly sexy doesn’t mean baring your skin from head to toe. Looking sexy involves some thought otherwise; where’s the mystery? And, yes, you still want to look sexy at a certain age.

We haven’t thrown in the towel, or at least we shouldn’t, because what does age have to do with it? It’s all about your mindset. And I know your husbands or boyfriends will appreciate your efforts!

So choose one and only one body part and show it off. If you decide to show off your cleavage, then don’t show off your legs. And vice versa. If you’re showing off your legs, keep your cleavage under wraps. It’s all about opposites. This style rule also lets you show off your assets instead of fighting your flaws, and that’s a win/win! 

5. Layer Your Necklaces

Sometimes less is better, and sometimes more is more! We can take our style cue from Coco Chanel, who adored layering pearl necklace after pearl necklace to her outfit. Multiples of the same material always work, but we can also go for contrast. Mix your metals or mix pearls with diamonds. Some have referred to layering necklaces as a neck mess. Some fashion trends come, and some go, but layering necklaces have been around for a long, long time. Here are a few tips:

• Combine different styles and chain types
• Layer with different lengths. If most of your necklaces are the same length use chain extenders to make them different lengths
• Start small and start with only two. As you build confidence, add another layer and maybe another.

Necklaces: Parker Layering Set (Gorjana) | Gold Graduated Bead Pendant Necklace (Bony Levy) | Gold Electroplate 2-Row Chain Necklace (Ben-Amun) | Multi Pearl Link Necklace (Banana Republic Factory) | Cultured Fresh Water Pearl Necklace (Bloomingdale’s Exclusive)

Shop the necklaces

6.  When In doubt, wear Nude Pumps or shoes

Shoes matched to your skin tone,  or in my case nude, are a safe bet, especially when you have no idea which shoes will go with your outfit. And the bonus is that they make your legs look longer.

A nude shoe is a closet must-have because it makes any outfit better and solves a style dilemma.

Hazel Pointed Toe Pump (Sam Edelman) | The Italian Leather Day Heel (Everlane) | Bianka Slingback Pump (Sam Edelman) | Zala Block Heel Pump (Marc Fisher) | Azra Leather Pumps (Ann Taylor)

Shop the shoes

#7.  Open Your Mind

There are many of us who know exactly what styles we like and which ones we don’t. But I’m going to encourage you to keep an open mind when it comes to style. Next time you’re shopping and you find an item you think “is cute but so not me” take it into the fitting room with you. You never know! You may end up falling in love with something completely new and different. And all because you kept an open mind.

In Case You Missed It

Yesterday, we kept things simple with an elegant spring transition outfit.  Plus, I shared a final look at my recent trip to Memphis. Click the title or image below to read the article.

A Simple, Elegant Spring Transition Outfit

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