No doubt plenty of you are pulling your winter wardrobe reluctantly to the forefront of your closet again. But don't dismay too much. Fall and winter actually offer a lot of interesting fashion choices. Layering, coats, scarves, gloves, boots, sweaters. All these are fashion choices that one would be unable to use in the summer.
As always, there are fashion choices that will never go out of style, and if you haven't yet invested in these, then don't go out and buy yourself any harem pants or open-toed boots until you have. Here are the top five things you must have.
1. Trench coat: It doesn't matter if you are jet-setting around the world trying to break up a ring of malicious bank thiefs (okay, I don't know why that's the first thing that came to my mind; it just sounded like something fun to do in a trench coat) or if you are walking from your Ford Taurus to your cubicle. It doesn't matter if it's a Monday, and you know you have a week of walking from your Taurus to your cubicle or it's a Saturday and you are meeting your long-lost college roommate for brunch. I could continue to think of activities to do in your trench coat, but the point really is that if you want a coat that is never going to go out of style, a trench coat is the way to go.
2. Boots: If you find yourself a pair of comfortable boots, you will be thanking me forever. Boots come in a wide variety of designs, and right now is a great time to look for a pair. Because they are incredibly popular right now, just about everyone is carrying them. You can find pairs with no heels or six-inch heels, open-toed or closed-toed (although, like I said, open-toed boots are completely impractical, and you shouldn't buy them unless you have (1) everything else on this list, (2) money to spend on the frivolties of fashion, and (3) a home somewhere where it doesn't snow because if you walk into your cubicle in Minnesota in December in open-toed boots, you will get a reputation around the office for being foolish, not fashionable; the doctor who treats your frostbite will think you foolish as well - and so will I).I recommend leather boots in black or brown. I would get them without a heel because if you are going to be spending all winter in them, you will want nothing more than for them to be comfortable. Like the trench coat, boots can go just about everywhere with you.
3. Scarf: It doesn't have to be Burberry to spruce up your outfit. Of course scarves keep you warm, but they also keep you chic. I do not own a Burberry scarf. I own a multitude of scarves from Target in an array of designs and colors. As odd as it may seem, a simple black jacket with a black scarf gives off an entirely different look than a simple black jacket with a purple plaid fringe scarf. Scarves are an easy, cheap way to change your look. And if you are sitting in Starbucks with your co-worker complaining about the cost of Christmas and you find that your warm drink isn't enough to keep you cozy, throwing your scarf around your neck is an easy way to warm up without having to put your jacket on over your stylish cashmere sweater. Which leads us to our next item...
4. Cashmere: Because we are trying to be cost-conscious while being fashion-conscious, I hate to even bring up the idea of cashmere to you. I know you saw it and rolled your eyes because people like Gwen Stefani can roll in cashmere, but people like you and I can run our fingers along it on the way through the department store to the nice bathroom. I get it. In an astounding find in the San Juan Islands several Julys ago, I found a $600 Lilly Pulitzer cashmere sweater on sale for $100. I bought it, and if it weren't weird to wear the same thing every single day, I would put that sweater on in November and not take it off until March. It's that comfortable, and now that I know how much I wear it, I would have paid the $600 for it. That sweater honestly makes the worst days happy. I could be drowning in work, laundry, phone calls, and the flu, and I could put on that sweater and feel like the day is okay. There is a whole lot of cashmere that does not cost $600. J. Crew, for instance, always has a whole line of reasonably priced cashmere (when I say "reasonably priced" just keep in mind that I am saying that in the context that cashmere is the one area in which money can buy you love).
5. Handbag: I believe that if you are going to splurge on one item, it should be a handbag, however, you don't have to splurge to find a nice handbag. I have two bags on which I get a ton of compliments. One cost me an absolute fortune, and the other cost me close to nothing. Your handbag anchors your outfit, and you will use it every day. Buy one you love. Buy one that will wear well. And buy one that goes with everything. When you are looking for a handbag, look for something leather in black or brown. Fabrics like canvas don't wear well, and one misstep with your coffee could lead to hours of headache. Leather wears well and looks good. Look for something that fits everything you need. A small handbag is only going to frustrate you when you are trying to cram your checkbook, your cell phone, and your keys into something smaller than your fist. And do not take a page from the Mary Kate and Ashley handbook and use a bag large enough that you could fit yourself inside. Please. (MK & A - I love you. Don't take that the wrong way.)
I must address the elephant in the room. Coach bags. I understand the appeal. When I had enough money to buy a nice handbag, I bought a Coach handbag with C's all over it. It seemed like a right-of-passage. I was telling the world that I had finally joined the legions of American women who walked around with C's tattooed all over their bags (whether real or not). And when my younger sister, had enough money for a nice handbag, she did the same thing. And when my youngest sister got a Coach handbag for Christmas, she got the same thing. However, since my days of wanting to wear my brand name on my sleeve have passed along with pep rallies and graduation caps, I have changed my tune. Unless you are young enough to still be anticipating your senior prom, resist the temptation to buy a Coach logo bag. You, dear reader, deserve better. Coach has amazing leather. Walk into a Coach store and have them show you what they have that is non-descript and long-lasting. Two years down the road, when your bag looks as good as new and your friend's logo bag is still showing signs of the time she dropped it in strawberry yogurt, you will be thanking yourself. I promise. 
No comments:
Post a Comment