Recent Outfits

A few weeks of (mostly!) getting dressed with intention

At the risk of sounding like a total dork, I have been working hard at refining my personal style. I am reading

Allison Bornstein

’s (extremely helpful) book and decided that my three style words will be “Classic, Bold, and Polished.”

Honestly, having these three words as a guiding light for getting dressed (and shopping) has been fun but also deeply practical and valuable. A good gut check for every outfit. I am a maximalist who can pile on too many bold things — “classic” helps me temper that. Meanwhile, some days I’ll throw on the classics but in a rush. “Polished” reminds me to add jewelry and pull my hair back (or blow it out, but the low bun is more likely to happen). And “bold” is a good reminder to always keep it interesting. Take the look above. It could have been boring (albeit classic and polished!) but the details on the top add interest.

I popped by an influencer event and then went to dinner with two friends. I wore this amazing Ulla Johnson top. It felt bold and creative, so I paired it with classic pants. Mine are The Row and are the most expensive pants I own. I bought them last year and have gotten so much wear out of them. I would recommend this La Ligne pair or this Reformation pair for a “look for less.” On my feet were these Loeffler Randall woven pumps and this bag from Freja, which I can’t recommend enough.

There was a forum at our art museum, so I used it as an opportunity to get creative and play with proportions. I wore this Favorite Daughter blazer. I would typically style a fitted blazer like this with kick flares or something more tailored (even the pants I wore above), but I thought, “What would happen if I did this with wide-leg denim?”

I put them on with these super wide jeans from TWP just to see and I really liked the look. I felt creative and cool. I added my leopard mesh flats for a little bit of fun. To return to the “classic” word, I added these simple Jennifer Behr earrings.

Every once in a while, I have a “big night.” I haven’t had one in a while. Here in Charleston, the Gibbes Society 1858 Winter Party is the best party of the winter. It is so much fun. I say this as someone who goes every year, but I now sit on the board, and it’s our biggest fundraiser of the year. We had a gorgeous pre-party at this incredible home on The Battery, and then the party itself (at the museum) was a Night. Capital N.

I tend to buy my special event dresses secondhand because a) you get more for your money, and b) I rotate them in and out of my closet pretty quickly, as they can be pretty memorable! Oscar de la Renta had been on my fashion bucket list for quite some time, and I squealed when I found this. I squealed even harder when I tried it on, and it fit like a glove.

I bought this pre-inauguration. I’m obviously not thrilled with the brand’s recent actions but I try to have some perspective. In four years, they will dress another candidate, and buying this dress secondhand didn’t put any money into the current team’s hands. I will have this dress forever. It won’t be getting rotated out, and as long as it still fits, I’ll be wearing it when I’m seventy. It is one of the most elegant, timeless pieces in my closet, and it was an absolute bargain (for what it is).

I took the big night as an occasion to go all out with my jewelry.

I wore my Sherman-Field tassel earrings and my Retrouvai lollipop rings. And this super fun Cult Gaia bag. On my feet? Loeffler Randall, again. I love these sandals as they are really pretty but incredibly comfortable.

The color of this Mille sweater is perfect. I was working at home and wanted to be cozy yet polished. I wore the TWP wide-leg jeans again, my Alaia studded flats (this Madewell pair is a good affordable alt!), and a pair of Ippolita hammered gold hoops that I’ve had forever.

Dôen had sent me a couple of things from their latest drop, so I wore this to work so that we could snap a few photos to post on launch day. Both pieces are now live. The color of this blue dress is divine, and I love baby yellow for Spring. This cardigan is super soft.

Again, the leopard mesh flats. These are surprisingly versatile. They go with nothing, so they go with everything?

I had to do it; I sprung for the cobalt blue High Sport pants. I love them so!

To my mom’s birthday dinner, I wore them with this J.Crew fuzzy cardigan (LOVE: it’s heavy like a jacket) and these Loeffler Randall slingbacks (the texture is super fun).

Not polished, classic, or bold but: COZY! I love this Aerie set and it’s on mega sale. Top + pants. The color is really pretty and I love the different textures. I am wearing the medium!

A Galentine’s Day lunch with a few of my gfs. I wore a red fuzzy sweater (use GRACE15) with my Sherman-Field chains. Madewell jeans, Loeffler Randall red velvet ballet flats, and this amazing Loulou Studio coat.

Brunch with my sisters called for the classics: a Khaite denim shirt from the summer (on sale here), a Leset tee, High Sport pants from last year, and Boden loafers. 

I will add that when I started out, I didn’t layer the denim top over a tee. Something felt unfinished and wrong . . . I couldn’t pinpoint it at first, but adding the tee balanced the look. This is all trial and error for me, but I wanted to mention it as the tee was a tiny tweak that made a big difference.

That’s all for now! xoxo