in keeping with my sale mantra (if you wouldn’t buy it full price, why would you buy it on sale?), i feel like i bought and returned pretty much everything that shopbop, net-a-porter, and barney had to offer.  these four pieces made it through the shopping war, and are wonderful additions to my closet.

clockwise from top left:  1) anthropology printed sweater; 2) l’agent hot pink bra and briefs (just got refitted at journelle and my bra size changed.  crap.  you know how much i hate buying new lingerie.  🙂 ); 3) anya hindmarch inflight clear carry on case (tsa approved!  my old one from this post broke); 4) blue and gray suede manolo blahniks.

there is something i think you should know about me.

rachel zane is my fashion spirit animal.  her clothes are tailored to perfection, are incredibly elegant, and still timeless.  i also appreciate how the show’s wardrobe stylists repeat pieces on her, because most of us wear the same item over and over again.

and don’t even get me started on the hair and makeup.  just not fair.  is it crazy that i read this post, was overjoyed to realize i use half these products anyway, and then immediately went out and bought what i didn’t have?  no judgment.

all photos from pinterest.

building on my last post, isabel marant is another staple in my wardrobe.  i can’t remember how i first heard of her brand, but over the last five years or so, i have built a great collection of her pieces.  there are two things i love about her style: 1) each season’s collection is interchangeable with previous seasons, so it somehow all goes together without looking dated and 2) despite your style, you can pick a few pieces from every collection to work into your wardrobe as it exists.

i know her clothes are very expensive, but everything i own was bought on sale (still, admittedly not cheap).  however, i truly think that for my life, these were worth the money.  these are among the most special pieces i own, and i wear them both for work and for pleasure.  they make me feel great, and more importantly, feel happy.  and isn’t that what fashion is all about?

blouses and dresses

two of these blouses deserve a close up.  this woven silk is stunning.

as is this olympe top.

sweaters

leather jacket, dicker boots, and pink checked scarf.

so many blogs have posted on their “fashion essentials,” and since i am rather unoriginal, i thought i would do the same.  note that these are not essentials that i think every woman should own; rather, these are the pieces in my wardrobe that work overtime.  also, apologies for the washed out black in the photos.  am working on figuring out the light situation in my bedroom to take better pictures.

1) gray shirts.  i wear them to sleep, to the gym, to the grocery store, to brunch, and sometimes even to work (usually on fridays and sometimes on rainy days just because.  no judgment.).  mine are from target.

2) superga slip ons.  i am a big walker (because when you get off the subway, even if the train was running perfectly on time, you hate everyone and everything) and go through several pairs of these a year.  they have thick soles so are more comfortable for long distances, as compared to ballet flats or even tom’s, and look respectable enough to not be embarrassed when your boss comments on them in the elevator on your way into work.

3) lacy black underwear.  i am not sure if you know, but i like (love) underwear.  my current favorites for comfortable black briefs that don’t show any lines are these.

4) cream blouses.  i didn’t even know this was an essential until i surveyed my closet, and realized most of my tops are shades of cream and white.  i wear them through every season.  the blouses pictured range from equipment and dvf to forever 21.

5) fitted blazers.  i used to accept the j.crew schoolboy blazer as an allowable piece for my work wardrobe until i tried on a fitted billy reid blazer and started reevaluating all my life choices.  the j.crew blazer, though it works for some, is just not the right shape for my body.  i need skinny arms and a longer length, with a slight nipped in waist, to not feel like i am in some sad 80’s sitcom.  these blazers are such an important part of my closet that i did close-ups of each (i own nine blazers total).

smythe

billy reid

going out.  one from theory and another from forever 21.

emporio armani (part of a suit, which is a necessity for my job).  sorry about the washed out picture – was having trouble with the lighting.

posts like these are particularly interesting for me to create, because they make you think carefully about how you spend your money.  ideally, the majority of your fashion budget should go to these essentials, since these are the items you wear the most.

i would say this is true for me with the exception of t-shirts.  t-shirts wear down so quickly so i can’t justify spending more than $10 on them.  in contrast, those billy reid and smythe blazers have been worth every penny.  they are a few years old but still look and feel great, and they really elevate an outfit.

winter is around the corner, and i am getting ready by stocking up on cozy basics.  these adorable heart print socks from j.crew (no longer available) and cotton undies should do the trick.  and despite the temperature, i always need a good pair of sunglasses (mine are from whistles, also no longer available).

as i write this, i am sitting at the airport on my way to london for work.  i have another post coming up on packing for long work trips, but until then, here is a snapshot of my outfit today before i left.  my plane outfit is far less cute.

i am so happy that my closet is in a place where just about everything goes together, so i don’t have to think much when outfit planning.  one of the keys to this for me is sticking for a classic but elegant color palette.  navy and camel seeks very appropriate for this lovely fall weather, and is a more interesting combination than head to toe black, the standard nyc winter uniform.

{billy reid camel blazer, vince navy tank, j.crew navy pants, and lonely cyd longline set}