People always ask me what I consider to be the wardrobe essentials which should be in every woman's wardrobe.
I never answer this in terms of items of clothing. I answer it in terms of occasions. So if that occasion came up, you have something to wear at a moment's notice. This means you need to have an outfit that will take you to cocktails/dinner, an outfit that will take you to a lunch with friends, outfits for work, outfits for being at home, outfits for running errands, outfits for sport, outfits for red carpet (yeah, right...hehehe) etc.
The volume of clothes in each category or occasion is your next step - depending on your lifestyle. Obviously a stay at home mum will have a greater portion of home outfits & a smaller portion of work outfits than a corporate girl.
Back to occasions.....the other outfit every woman needs is one for a funeral.
I had to attend a funeral today.
For me that means something dark. It doesnt have to be black, just dark. And something suit-y - formal, although a dress (think LBD) could also have worked.
The jacket
A black Giorgio Armani super fine 120 wool. Single breasted, fully lined, moderate shoulder pads, covers the bum. Works all the time.
STYLE TIP: Look for buttons at the cuffs which have faux button holes. A sign of a better quality garment than those without. Mind you, this makes it more costly to shorten the sleeve, but the look in the end is so much classier.
STYLE TIP: Dont put things in jacket pockets. Ever. That's what handbags are for. Leave them stitched up so the garment retains it shape and looks neat.
The jacket is part of a suit which I bought about 5 years ago from the Martin Place store for a bomb - its skirt is fitted & flared at the knees with a million flippy bits. Unfortunately it wont fit me around the hips & tummy at the moment so I had to find an alternative skirt. You've probably noticed I am not big on pants unless they are casual or jeans.
STYLE TIP: The best way to make a matched suit out of unmatched separates (in the same colour) is to make one of them a knit. Since the knit has texture and depth, as long as it is in the same colour as the woven, it will work with the woven even if technically they are not matched.
In contrast its very hard to exactly match two wovens in the same colour without looking like you are trying but didnt quite get there.
Since I wanted the formality of a jacket (not a cardi) my knit had to be a skirt.
The skirt
A black Sonia Rykiel which you have met previously.
I adore the combination of super tight fit through the legs with a flippy skirt.
Also love the wide thick waist band - good for sucking in the tummy.
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| I'd better get rid of the pilling before putting this away in the wardrobe. |
The top
The trusty Coles Mix black scoop neck tee. $6.
No photograph required.
The scarf
This is navy & black Nina Ricci wool scarf which is an open spider weave type of knit. I bought it for $20 from Recycled Rags in Neutral Bay many years ago. It was $20 and had plenty of holes in it which I stitched up by threading black cotton in & out through the holes.
The shape is a rectangle with curved edges. All the raw edges are sewn in, via piping in the same knit. the work on this baby is top notch.
It has a gorgeous little red resin drop at one end with the brand name etched into it.
The brooch
The brooch is probably my favourite thing of this outfit.
I bought it from the Giorgio Armani boutique in Sydney when it was where the Hermes boutique is currently, about 12 years ago. It was $300 & a steal. Its the perfect sparkly jet black Swarovski beads on a gunmetal grey round structure. I like having something sparkly which I can wear at the most somber of occasions without disrespecting the hosts.
The shoes
These are Azzedine Alaia in a wool felt with a croc front trim.
I bought these pre-loved for < $300 from a pre loved store in Paddington which I no longer shop at. If you want to know why, just ask me on the FB page.
See you tomorrow when I wear brown jeans...
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