happy Monday, ladies! i hope you are enjoying the long weekend. there’s lots of talk this year about slow fashion—using the existing items in your closet. and classic style has always adhered to this principle: shop your closet for decades.
slow fashion
if you’ve been reading the blog lately, you know i do a closet cleanse every January, and this year was no exception. one of my favorite parts about starting the year off with this ritual is getting reacquainted with items in my closet. once i have purged all the items to donate, i have fresh eyes to shop my closet and create new ensembles. when your closet has a solid foundation of basic items, creating classic style is made easier. and you won’t scratch your head on a Monday morning wondering what to wear.
turtleneck sweater | handbag | wrap skirt | similar skirt | similar skirt 2 | similar skirt 3 | similar skirt 4 | similar skirt 5 | blazer | knee high boot | bracelet | necklace
outfit of the day
today’s outfit is about taking the week head-on. for a classic, sophisticated look starts with a monochromatic black outfit. perfectly appropriate for the winter temps here in athens, i am opting for a black turtleneck, black midiskirt paired with black boots. to amp up the sharp suiting look, i popped on a houndstooth blazer (last seen here and here). i let my jewelry make a classic statement with a gold necklace, bracelet, and watch. a black leather satchel (old, similar here) pulls it all together for a timeless look, perfect for any day at the office.
turtleneck sweater | handbag | wrap skirt | similar skirt | similar skirt 2 | similar skirt 3 | similar skirt 4 | similar skirt 5 | blazer | knee-high boot | bracelet | necklace
creating the classic wardrobe
another benefit of whittling down your wardrobe is that you can then assess what you need to replace, replenish and add to round things out. this long holiday weekend means many of my favorite retailers are having great sales online. take a look at the Ralph Lauren sale (30% off of $125 + with additional 15% off sale items). Ann Taylor is also having an amazing one with 40% off full-priced items and 70% off of sale items (and even more discounts for cardholders).
turtleneck sweater | handbag | wrap skirt | similar skirt | similar skirt 2 | similar skirt 3 | similar skirt 4 | similar skirt 5 | blazer | knee-high boot | bracelet | necklace
MLK Day sales
apparel
Ann Taylor | Ralph Lauren | (Ralph Lauren) Crew | Old Navy | Gap | Saks 5th Avenue | Land’s End | Banana Republic | Madewell
for the home
West Elm | Pottery Barn | Target | Pier One | Crate and Barrel | Macy’s | Wayfair | All Modern
we have a great week coming up! stay tuned to the blog and my socials this week as we will be doing a deep dive into all things closet and wardrobe related. learn more about the benefits of a closet cleanse and get the how to’s when it comes to creating a classic wardrobe. can’t wait to share it all with you! have a great monday, ladies, go out there and make it a good one!
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Yes ma’am!
Buy quality and u have it for years.
I wore a tweed blazer a few days ago ,similar to the one in today’s post, that I bought at Talbots 20 years ago.
I have beautiful sweaters from Talbots,LandsEnd & shirts from Ralph Lauren that are dependable basics. Chico’s is great too!
One reason I love your posts,u help keep us looking classic but current.
Thamks.
Quality classics are the best. I know that I am need of a blazer or two & some new pants, as I have lost a little weight recently. My closet cleaning is on my calendar for next Tuesday.
I love all these suggestions. I worked in a very conservative field for years – wearing suits and heels every day. As time went by when people started dressing more casually, and I wanted to simplify my life, as well as max out my 401K at the same time, my wardrobe became more of a capsule wardrobe before it was even called a capsule. I always have bought high quality classics that I could mix and match. Two days a week I wore black slacks, one day a week I wore a shorter black skirt, another day it was taupe, and one day a week I even wore dark wash jeans. A young intern in the office complimented me on my style, and she said she had never seen me wear the same thing twice! Not really!! It was just a matter of purchasing high quality classics and occasional shopping with a great deal of thought put into a purchase before making it. One particular favorite outfit was a taupe jacket and pants that I wore with a black turtleneck, white shirt, or a nice black or white tee. I wore that for probably close to 6-7 years. Since retiring I still like to look sharp – I just purchased a black moto jacket to add to my wardrobe.
That’s a lovely outfit. It finally got very cold today here in NC, so boots would be good! I love the notion of shopping in one’s closet–I have so many clothes, and this year I told myself I was going to limit spending on new things. Turns out lots of things seem “new,” as I’ve combined them in different ways, and I have been really enjoying it. I’m saving money, too. Always a good thing. Looking forward to your posts to come.
love the 80s dress for success feel of this outfit…fashionally nostalgic, with just enough current to make it work. i often struggle to do this, i find it hard to take a look from the past and make it look current.
My husband gave me a 14K gold necklace, similar to the one you are wearing, 25 years ago for our anniversary. I wear it everyday, with everything. It has been the best investments in my wardrobe.
I remember Glamour and Mademoiselle magazines always had a feature about mix and matches your wardrobe, so that everything goes together. I have followed that edict for decades.