Today, I want to talk about how I incorporate some of my styling principles. My first Styling Principle is Quality is Important. The second is Invest in Classic Pieces. You can see both of those principles captured in this look. The last principle I want to touch on in this post is, Do You Love It?!
Quality Matters!
You can tell more or less, the quality of the clothing in the pictures. I’m wearing a genuine suede jacket, 100% silk blouse, leather cross body, and linen pants. Realistically, all of these articles of clothing are from several seasons past! But, you can’t necessarily tell because they are all classic and timeless pieces AND they are in great condition!
Why You Should Invest in Classic Pieces
The linen pants are a good summer staple in a neutral color. This is never going to go out of style! I bought these three years ago but you would never know the difference. The silk blouse is a classic peasant top. Not necessarily trendy right now, but it’s got a boho look and is always in style. It’s Joie, which is one of my favorite designers, but a bit pricey. I could never afford to actually buy Joie full price, so I snagged this on Poshmark! Joie comes out with peasant tops every season, so no one would be able to tell whether this is last season or not.
Only Buy Items You LOVE
As for the suede jacket…I love this jacket! And, I get so many compliments on it. Again, this is a lesson on investing in classic pieces! Everyone needs a good suede jacket in their life. But also, you should only buy things you LOVE – styling principle #4. I searched for years for the perfect suede jacket and where did I find it? Poshmark! It’s by Zara, but I didn’t see it whenever it was in stores, I just happened to find it on Poshmark. I love this jacket because it has subtle feminine details like the ruching near the shoulder and the peplum waist on the back (though, you can’t see the back here).
Here is another post with tips on how to shop for items you love on Poshmark. I personally love shopping on Poshmark! In the meantime, you can use the code JELLYCHEW25 to save $5 on your purchase, if you’re new to Poshmark!
The Wait and Hunt for Items You Love
The shoes I have on here… they work because they are a neutral color, but I am looking to update them to something like a nude strappy sandal with a block heel. The reason why I haven’t bought them yet is because while there are a lot of sandals that meet that description, I haven’t found one I absolutely love yet! Some are too short, others are too tall. I think I have long and skinny feet, so I prefer to find a sandal with a thicker strap across the front. I just have not found the perfect shoe yet, so I would rather refrain from purchasing something until I find one I absolutely love! I’ll link some options I’m thinking about below.
What Happens When You Don’t Spend Money on Quality Items…
Realistically, the only new purchase in this outfit is the necklace! It’s on the trendy side of the spectrum, but keeps the outfit looking current. Plus, it’s versatile and can go with almost anything. Generally, I spend less money on trendy items because I know they go in and out of style quickly. This can be good and bad. Good, because I didn’t spend a lot of money on it, so when it goes out of style it’s not a loss. Bad, because the necklace isn’t that old and the gold is already wearing out!! It’s turned to a brassy color!! Again, it’s better to invest in quality pieces…lesson learned!! Purchasing this cheaper necklace only ended up reinforcing my principle that it is better to spend more money on quality pieces!! This one was from Francesca’s but I think Nadri and Gorjana are better options for fake gold jewelry. I will link some options down below!
Pro-tip! If you buy Gorjana jewelry at Nordstrom, and the gold wears out…you can bring it back to Nordstrom and they will send it off to Gorjana to get the gold re-dipped!! DEFINITELY a smarter investment than this Francesca’s piece that I can no longer wear!!
Thanks so much for visiting, friends! Leave a comment with which styling principle resonates with you!
-Mel