Style Diary — Casual Summer Basics & How to Style Them
Happy Monday!
I've been dying to share these photos from Lehigh; I was in awe at how gorgeous the campus is! So much greenery and so many gorgeous buildings! I can't wait to go back!
Nordstrom's sale is huuuuge right now (if you haven't checked it out, do!), but there are some other great sales going on as well! I somehow always end up making out ridiculously well at JCrew Factory! Did you know they give students and teachers an extra 15% off? That's my kind of store! I snagged a few basic tees while I was there for under $10, and these amazing white jean shorts for under $20!
Basics are so crucial to having great style! One of my goals for the coming months is to work on streamlining my closet and investing in some quality basics that will last me a while. Whether it's casual pieces like tees and jeans, more dressy ones like the perfect little black dress and heels, shoes and bags in classic (and even matching!) colors and styles/materials, or some simple yet elegant jewelry, investing in basics will allow you to put together stylish outfits quickly, easily, and consistently. Plus, it is much more cost-effective! I can think of dozens of pieces I've bought over the past few years, often ones on clearance, that I wore a few times and haven't worn much, if at all, since. It would have been much wiser to invest that money in a few basic pieces I could wear for a few years. I'm all for getting fun and trendy pieces, but I definitely want to be more selective about them, by only buying a few I really like each season and saving my money for basics. You don't need attention-grabbing or trendy pieces for a great outfit. When I think about the outfits I tend to admire when looking through magazines or style bloggers' feeds on social media, it's often the ones that are more streamlined and simple. A great example of dressing using this method is the French! They definitely live by the principle 'less is more', and they always look effortlessly chic! How you put together allows you to still having fun and add some of your personal style.
When wearing basic clothes, accessories are what will pull it together and help determine what kind of look you're going for. I've invested in a couple of basic bags and shoes recently, and I have already gotten so much use out of them! The first two things I think about when putting together an outfit are: 1) "what colors do I want to wear?" and 2) "do I want to look dressy, casual, or in between?" I wanted to look more 'in-between' when I put together this outfit, since I was going to be practicing and working in a coffee-shop all day, but was going out to dinner with Ross before heading home. I opted for heels since they are great for dressing up any outfit. I usually try to pick colors for my accessories that match what I'm wearing or compliment it. If I go with complimenting it, like I did here, I usually stick with one or two colors since too many colors prevent an outfit from looking 'put together' and can look tacky. 3) One last thing I try to do is include a statement piece. I chose this bag, because it matched my heels, and while it is neutral enough to consider a 'basic', it still makes a statement.
Hopefully this post was helpful in explaining why basics are so great and giving you a few tips on how to style them! Let me know in the comments if you liked this post and what you would like more of!
xx
JordanLaurelle
Tee :: JCrew Factory
Shorts :: JCrew Factory
Heels :: Nine West
Bag :: Camelia Roma