Styling: Uniquely Detailed

I am titling this as such because it is an issue many women (and men!) have when it comes to your wardrobe and finding your personal style. We all maybe buy things that really speak to our heart or have fun elements and we think might be harder to style and then guess what? It gets shoved to the back of our closet and only dragged out to admire/try on really quick and back in the depths it goes. It doesn’t have to be like this! These pieces can become main characters in your wardrobe and you will be unique, but still chic.

Here is little mini-carousel below of items I pulled together that I wore the last few weeks in different ways. As many of you know, I was on a “no buying clothes for a year” kick when I moved to Paris in July of 2022 (will detail this in a blog post soon!). SO, it was a “shop my own closet” challenge and I continue to make this a fun part of my day/week.

Hanging from left to right are some of my favorites:

-Sèzane cream mid-length lined belted jacket with black trim

-Scotch & Soda light blue Swiss-dot button down with matte brass tiny sequined collar

-Ralph Lauren dark grey herringbone one button blazer with a black leather shawl collar

-Ralph Lauren melangé grey long sleeve sweater

-Ralph Lauren light grey double breasted wool felted blazer with peak lapel

-Ralph Lauren sleeveless black double breasted mid-length vest

-vintage Worth silk equestrian print blouse from my grandmother

On the table:

-black patent Prada loafers I found on eBay

-dark grey wool Vince trousers

-Ralph Lauren melangé grey sweater skirt that matched above sweater

-Ralph Lauren cream knitted victorian collar sweater

These all are slightly unconventional in some way maybe, or have cool details that spoke to me and made them less “basic” looking. Below I have included photos of me wearing these pieces in real life! I like styling items for my everyday life and doing my usual tasks of taking/picking up my kids from school, running errands and battling the various weather elements and transport issues.

Beautifully shot by my friend Rina (@a1icey)

In this outfit I wore to a fun lunch, I paired a favorite old straight leg RRL jean with the blue shirt and dark grey blazer seen on the carousel above. It is not particularly difficult to style these two necessarily, but they have unconventional details that allow some personality to shine through! Instead of a more plain black blazer, I invested in this really lovely one that has black detailing. Dark grey can really be a nice alternative to black and to pair WITH your usual black favorites.

Here I am wearing the light grey blazer with my grandmother’s vintage silk blouse that has a cool equestrian tack print. I find when you have a print that might be random or possibly unconventional - just wear it as if it was a solid? I know this sounds weird, but just style it exactly as you would with a solid color blouse. Just don’t overthink it too much, essentially! I pulled out greys from the blouse and added those as my other pieces and stuck with black accessories to make the blouse be the star. Would a black blazer work? Yes, but could look heavy. If warmer tones are your thing or look better against your face, choose a camel jacket and denim on the bottom for a cool look.

Utilizing this light grey blazer again, I paired it with a cool Tory Burch Sport merino wool sweater I found one day at TJ Maxx. It has an emerald and navy sort of repeating, sporty print and could be overwhelming or some may find difficult to style. I chose to just throw on with straight leg dark denim and navy accessories to really make the green elements pop. Again, a navy blazer would work here but could also look heavy. The contrast of the light grey keeps things a bit lighter for this transitional weather and visually interesting.

Textures really help one’s personal style and you should mix them to create visual interest. This sleeveless black vest doesn’t have to be stuffy, but can just be that “third” cool add-on to an outfit during these crazy weather bouts. This piece looks amazing buttoned up like a tunic top or as a layering piece here for elongated lines and movement.

Lastly, but certainly not least - this grey skirt and sweater combo with a cream jacket worn two ways. This set can look frumpy maybe and with the high neck and longer hem, it’s honestly not a showstopper? But I love the way it feels and the pattern, so I bought it. Wearing them separately is definitely easier, so here I show them together tucked in with a belt or with the jacket over it and a fun plaid scarf and pop of burgundy in the tights! The jacket can look bathrobe-y with the tie that comes with it so I either pull it behind and belt it to create a more seamless long line like a heavier cardigan, OR I remove the belt altogether and put my leather Sèzane belt in the loops and close it. Both looks create different options for you when styling. (All six of these amazing photos in this ensemble are taken by Jordan of @myparisianlens)

I hope you’ve been able to get some inspiration for adding pieces with visual details that speak to you and creating your own set of main characters in your closet even if they seem different or “hard to style.” Have fun with your clothes, mix it up, and remember to shop your closet when feeling uninspired!