Wednesday, January 13, 2010

closet icons part deaux

Last week, Pirate posted a list of her Closet Icons, those items that anchor her wardrobe and give it substance and style.

I’m with Pirate on several of her choices, not the least of which are blazers and good shoes. My Jones for each are pretty much equally matched. A well made, versatile jacket/blazer and pair of shoes are the backbone of any workable wardrobe. As for the rest of my Closet Icons, some of these items are particular to my individual style; others I think should be included in every gal's closet. I've tried to provide links to items, where available.

A Wedge and a Boot – Lord knows, I loves me a sky high stiletto heel, but if I were forced at gun point to pick only two shoes in which to spend the rest of my life, I’d choose my vintage Famolare Hi Up wedges


and Born’s Thicket black leather riding boot

In my opinion, there is literally nothing you can’t pair either shoe with. On the boot, there's enough of a heel so that you don’t look like a reject from a Lord of the Rings conference and enough of a sleek silhouette that you don’t look like you’re about to go muck out a barn. I’ve had this pair for eight years and they look brand new.

Because my over all aesthetic leans towards 1970s Boho mixed with a little rock and roll, a wedge is essential to my wardrobe. In summer, I pair mine with wide leg jeans and a peasant blouse or a floaty summer dress. In the the winter with skinny jeans, a long sweater, and leather jacket.

Grey V-neck Cashmere Sweater – Not everyone can wear a turtleneck and to those gals I say, make the v-neck your friend. I choose v-necks primarily because they are more accommodating to my tendency to pile on necklaces and scarves, which is difficult to do with a turtleneck. Besides which, for some reason, while wool never makes me itch any where else on my body, it bugs the skin on my neck to no end. Why grey? Because it's one of the few neutrals that, like beige, come in a range of hues, from pale dove, to deep gunmetal. Which means, there is a grey to flatter every skin tone.


Pashmina – Yes. I'm a scarf gal. I’ve got tons of them, in every color, size, shape, and print, but my number one go-to is a lovely pale pink pashmina a good friend gifted me for my birthday last year. There’s nothing like a pashmina for keeping you warm and looking stylish. There are about a gazillion ways to tie the things, and you can even wear them as tops. There’s nothing better for travel (especially now that the NTSB has put a fatwa on in-flight blankies), and they wad up into nothing to fit easily in a carry-on bag. Two is all you really need: one in a go-with-everything neutral like grey, pale pink, navy, or camel, and one in stand-out color like fuchsia, lipstick red, or brilliant turquoise.


White Jeans – If you want to bump up the easy breezy chic factor an extra notch (and you're not given to sucking on chocolate bars 24/7), try a pair of white jeans. In summer, the combos are endless: pair with sandals and a tee for go-anywhere-casual; a pair of pumps, button down, and blazer for work; a silk peasant blouse, heels, and a dangly earrings for dinner. In winter, do like the girls in Milan do and pair them with a sweater and a pair of chunky boots, either over or under.

How cool is this look? So cool, I want to reach through the screen and steal it!



LL Bean’s French Sailor's Boatneck Shirt with Three-Quarter Sleeves – I’m not really a flimsy tee shirt or tank top gal, so in the summer, I LIVE in this shirt. The cut is classic, the quality first class, and you can wear it year round. I have two of them: the regular cut and the three quarter zip, both in cream/navy. After ten years, I haven't worn either one out yet, that’s just how awesome the quality is on this baby. And did you see the price? Uh, huh.




White Button Down Shirt
– I have two. A simple tailored basic from New York and Company (great place to pick up basics at low, low, low prices), and a slightly fancier one from BCBG with ruching under the bust and puffy, three quarter sleeves. Is there anything a crisp white shirt won’t do? Well, it won't get Johnny Depp to return your phone calls, but other than that? A white button down shirt is the motivational speaker of your wardrobe. Check it out at Polyvore.

14 comments:

LaDivaCucina said...

Oh dear, Moi, this is where having the completely opposite body type from yours comes to play! I can just see me in that striped boatneck....ah no! haha! And Diva don't (um, CAN'T!) tuck in a blouse evah as my ta-tas are too close to the waist!

And white jeans? I wish.

However, I do believe in the pashies, have them in all colours, also jackets, purses, hats and if I get the chance, gloves, all figure into my dress style. But since moving to Miami, I don't get the chance to accessorise with those as much.

And do wedgies EVER really go out of style? Seems I always have some in my closet!

moi said...

La Diva: Yes, gloves! Highly underrated! I have a friend with just your body type and she IS tough to fit. But a while back I was out shopping with her and convinced her to try a longer, fitted white blouse that she left untucked and wore with a loose cardigan over. It shouldn't have worked, but it did. So the key is, try on try on try on. You never know what will – and won't – work until you get it off the hanger and onto your body. But I agree about the white jean in your case, not so much because of the shape, but because on petite women, it's usually best to keep darker colors on the bottom. So my option for you would be a white dress in one of those floaty Rachel Pally styles.

the Dread Pirate Rackham said...

oh yeah, I totally agree with your closet basics -- except I'm sorta luke warm-ish on the wedges. But I'm a versatile bitch, so I could be seen to make a shift in my style on this.

now excuse me while I go surf the LL bean website...

sparringK9 said...

i hate those famalores. but i love the boots and the cashmere and pashmina. it was my dad that taught me how to wear one. we bought a lot of them in many colors in Turkey. I love my olive green one best. i like white jeans but i just cant not get really dirty. i dont know why that is. but they look cool.

what the hell is going on with picassos hands?

moi said...

That is the thing about Famolares - people either love them or they hate them. But the Famolores, they do not care. They just continue to BE. LOL to your Picasso comment. Those are breadloaves. Funny, no?

LaDivaCucina said...

Moi, COME OVER. I NEED TO GO SHOPPING this weekend for my bro in law's wedding in 'tralia. Was just in a Sobe boutique looking for a dress and my new line to the sales girl is: "I gotta leave now, I'm gettin' too pissed off, all I see are size 2's!"

nervous laughter

Glare

Flounce out! haha!

moi said...

Give 'em hell. It's insane that some boutiques stop their sizing at 8. WTF?

You know, if I could, I would fly out there in a heartbeat. Instead, I'm headed up north for work this weekend. Flying into Chicago followed by a three-hour drive to Grand Rapids, MI. Hmmmm . . . perhaps a change of career is in order. "I coulda been in Miami!"

21stCenturyMom said...

I have the grey v-neck. I have the pashmina. I must have those Bjorn boots, though. Fie on you!

moi said...

Welcome, 21st! I know, I know. We're enablers of the first order. But only with things you won't regret. I promise! You'll wear these to infinity and beyond.

Aunty Belle said...

Wel' Sweet Pea...not so much the famo wedges. Seems ter ole Aunty them thangs makes a girl tilt forward an' walk a wee bit weirdly. I likes a low wedge espadrille in summer, though.

But pass me the Pashmina! Love 'em. I ain't got but three ( it IS Florida down heah) but they gits out of the closet a fair amount.

Moi, I reckon youse about 5'10"? (some girls have all the breaks!) White jeans on ya' would be fab wif that LLB boater, but us shortcakes in a horizontal stripes? or tucked blouse wif' a wide belt (see photo)? Uh, negative. Neg.A.Tive.

I is amused to think of ya' wif' LaDivaC whippin' around in SouthBeach--on a pink vespa. HA! Shoppin bags blowin' out behind ya. Ir is always hilarious to let some one else come dress yore body that youse been seein' the same ole way fer years.

LaDivaCucina said...

Poor Aunty! You are afflicted with a short stature like myself? It's not fair is it? Funny, I used to have a snazzy white Vespa with a wind shield!

So, I got a dress Moi. Believe it or not, TWO! I tried on at least 20 of them in Macy's and ended up with two Ralph Lauren dresses. One is a beautiful print with purples, blues, lilac, like a floral (smallish) watercolor. Wrap waist, cap sleeves and side rouche, perfect! I had them order the other dress in a larger size, it is a very elegant wine purple, sleeveless with wrap top, cummerbund rouche waist and sash and full skirt, a la Marilyn Monroe! I can wear that dress with everything, so I had to get it too. Who would have thunk that Ralph Lauren would have designed a dress for me? Glad they got smart and put all the dresses together again instead of department by department, I'd have never tried on a RL!

LaDivaCucina said...

Shit, is there such a word as "thunk?" hee hee

Aunty Belle said...

IN Aunty-speak "thunk" is a high priced 2 dolla word.

LaDivaCucina said...

Tee hee! Of course, dat's right Aunty!