Thursday Outfit: Simple and Elegant

I hate frenetic mornings.  Mornings when you sleep just thismuch too late.  Mornings when you’re standing in front of your closet with 90-seconds to pick an outfits and everything is either stained, wrinkled, or too small.  When you just grab something and yell, ‘GOOD ENOUGH.’

The cure for those mornings is an outfit so easy that a toddler could put it together, but so classic that it never fails.  This is such an outfit.

Black and white.  Perfectly polished.  Totally simple.  And so easy a caveman could do it.  Here’s how to put it together.

Ivory Blouse. The collarless blouse is a fashion staple.  You can wear it under blazers.  You can wear it solo.  You can layer it under cardigans for a light base layer.

This Club Monaco white placket shirt is a great place to start.  Velvet and TJMaxx also have nice options.  Plus size?  This Soft Surroundings top looks really nice.

A-Line Skirt. Many of you have asked over the years for more a-line skirts.  Well, ladies, this outfit is for you.  No pencil.  No pleats.  Just a traditional a-line cut.

Modcloth is a reliable source for quality a-line skirts in inclusive sizes.  Their basic black skirt is affordable, and some of you will appreciate that it has pockets (as a pear shaped girl, I cut those bulky things out).  For a slightly sleeker style sans pockets, Kasper is a great choice.  Their skirts also come in plus-size.

Short Trench. How fantastic is this Tea Trenchcoat from ba&sh?  Sam Edelman has a more moderately priced trench in a slightly longer style with the same details.  If you’re not into the tan, Banana Republic has a navy one as well.

Plus-size? Sadly the only one I could find is this Maria Rinaldi trench, which is a bit pricey.  Petite?  Ann Taylor has a navy trench in a very similar style.

Accessories. A classic pair of black pumps cannot steer you wrong.  I’ve owned a pair of Sam Edelman Hazel pumps in one color or another for a decade.  They’re not the most comfortable shoe if you do a lot of walking, but they’re probably a 7 on the comfort scale.  Also, if you’re in the market for a black heel, these deeply discounted Bruno Magli’s are calling my name.

This Le Palmentier bag is phenomenal.   It’s also a nice bag for under-$250.  I love the gold accents and the sleek styling.  For something under-$100, this Belle and Bloom bag from Nordstrom Rack has incredible styling (especially for the price).

The jewelry here includes a simple watch and a classic bracelet.  The watch is the Michael Kors standard that flows perfectly into any wardrobe.  If you want to go all-in on a classic watch, the Cartier Tank was Jackie Kennedy’s choice.

Lastly, this Eliza & Brinker bracelet has been on “add to cart” duty for weeks.   I love that it’s chunky and substantial without being overwhelming.  Gorjana has a slimmer chain-bracelet option if you are looking for something more subtle.

Styling. Hair and makeup for this outfit is dealer’s choice.  Personally, I would wear my hair down to play up the femininity.  Or if you wanted to do something different, it would be really pretty with a loose braided updo.

For makeup, I’d keep it natural, but I would put a red lipstick in my bag to put on after work.  I saw this Lancome Ruby on someone the other day and it was the perfect not-to-orange red.

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