I have lofty aspirations when I shop. I gravitate towards the next-level, interesting clothes – that are totally impractical for my current life. Maybe one day I will be that jet-setting / giving riveting speeches by day / eating at the current hot restaurant by night kind of woman, but right now I have to remind myself to shop for the life I have – that backless cocktail dress that I bought on sale (with the tag still attached) is a painful reminder. My life is pretty casual and I wear jeans and tees 99% of the time, but even so I try to put a little swag on it. This is how I rock what to wear for effortless cool.
A Good Foundation To Effortless Cool
Even though jeans and a tee sound pretty basic, they are a good foundation for effortless cool. There is a brand of jeans and price point for everyone and anyone. I tend to buy Rag & Bone, Current Elliott and Citizens of Humanity jeans. I keep the same basic jeans for several years, but every so often I will buy one pair that is on trend – like ripped or colored or patterned.
I’m all over the place with the t-shirts: some cost literally a few dollars from Gap and some are more expensive from Rag & Bone or Current Elliott. Allsaints have the best basic tees (but please stop me if you see me buying one more grey tee; it’s a sickness!). I care about how the tee hangs just so – not too tight or big or short or long is the key for effortless cool.
The Power Of A Good Leather Jacket
If I had to list my favorite worldly possessions, after my Louis Vuitton Kusama Speedy my Allsaints leather jackets would top the list. I live in my black leather jacket in the fall and the two leathers pictured below in the spring. I don’t usually buy on impulse; I’m the kind of shopper who takes a photo and then thinks about it for awhile, but these two leather jackets were the exceptions. I saw this yellow leather on the Allsaints website (on sale!) and tracked it down at the Vegas store – where my husband happened to be for a conference. A coincidence? I think not. The pink leather is the newest purchase; I bought it within 3 minutes of seeing it in my local Bloomingdale’s Allsaints boutique. Pink is my favorite color and I love Allsaints leather jackets; there was nothing to think about.
It’s such a cliché, but a leather jacket is a very easy way to turn a casual outfit into effortless cool. While the jeans and t-shirt are a great foundation, the leather jacket is the statement piece. Of course this statement piece does not have to be a leather jacket, it can also be a blazer or an interesting sweater (I have a thing for Allsaints sweaters too; I can’t buy another black sweater!). I have a vintage kimono that I love to throw on for a bit of drama. The vintage Cynthia Rowley jacket pictured below is very lady-like on it’s own, but when paired with jeans and a tee the jacket becomes less ladies-who-lunch and more everyday-funky. I feel very French when I wear that jacket.
Accessorize For Effortless Cool
Shoes are an easy way to elevate a casual outfit. Because I lead a casual life, I rarely wear heels; instead I prefer interesting sneakers or booties. Limited edition Nike Roshe Run and Ash are my favorite sneakers and I wear my Sam Edelman booties to death. Comfort + style is the key to effortless cool.
Adding a piece of jewelry is an easy way to dress in effortless cool. I wear jewelry everyday. I don’t own very many pieces and there’s nothing too fancy here (the key word is effortless) but they are different and interesting. My favorite bracelets are from Uno de 50 and my favorite necklaces are from either local designers, flea markets and vintage stores or bought while traveling. I probably wear my “Superstar” necklace the most; I bought it H. Bendel’s at least 15 years ago and at this point it’s become my signature piece. Instead of jewelry you could wear a scarf. I aspire to wear a scarf, but for some reason I only do so while in Paris.
Here are some of my favorite ways to wear effortless cool.
I hope that I have given you some good tips about what to wear for effortless cool. What To Wear will be a series of posts, so you should subscribe to get delivery straight to your email. I have one last tip for effortless cool: be yourself. Dress for you and you only. Follow or ignore the trends according to your style. Wear what you like and what’s comfortable on your body. The key to effortless cool is confidence; it never goes out of style.
