There is the trench, a wonderful jacket that can go with anything and everything. I found mine at the Gap outlet, and had an acquaintance ask if it was Burberry! I felt like I finally "got it" after that. She also mentions cashmere cardigans and turtlenecks, how they can dress up anything and always work well. A men's watch, which is the trend right now, and I have not felt like trying it, but perhaps this citizen watch could work. My watch is actually a super tiny seiko, and I like not being the millionth person wearing a Michael Korz mans watch. Denim she describes as being effortless, and a way to dress something down. Ballet flats are essential when heels won't work. Which to me is 99.9 % of the time, so we certainly don't agree there. But I do agree that a pair of classic black heels is essential, after being gifted those pictured, I now see that spending a bit more on them makes them far more tolerable, also they look great with the Little Black dress, a staple of every young classic lady. Diamonds I would probably replace with pearls, as I view diamonds a bit like Holly Golightly as they are for older women than I. And finally a great bag that is NOT an it bag or even close, and I couldn't agree more there.
Glad to know she is giving women advice that I can agree with! She goes on to describe buying with drama... and having MANY heels, and that is where I stopped reading, but I appreciated the refresher on the essentials and found it inspiring.
XX,
Brooke
I'm not a fan of Nina Garcia, I almost always disagree with her opinions on Project Runway. I'm not much of a viewer, but my mother is, so sometimes I tune in.
ReplyDeleteI think the key to these essentials, especially in a prep context, is to see how they are put with one another and how they are accessorised. As far as the watch is concerned, I'd go with a watch you can replace the band on. NATO straps look as good on women as they do on men, in my opinion.
I would also say you made a right decision for your personal style to stop when she went into talking about having a closet full of heels. Prep girls typically spend a significant amount of time with prep boys, and as such, tend to need the same footwear for the same activities.
Your vintage Dooney and Bourke boat shoes? Good purchase. Three inch high Jessica Simpson or Steve Madden heels in candy apple red? Not so much. You need a few pairs of solid heels for formal events, but my guess is that you will be using far more... rugged footwear on a day to day basis, and flats are more suitable for mixers, crush parties, and date nights. At least if my own experiences as a fraternity man are to be believed...
I don't watch the show, I may of seen it once or twice, I was mostly just surprised that this high fashion lady was listing things like a white shirt, a trench, a cardigan! She even mentioned LL Bean boat and totes... Classic dressing really is the base of good taste. And yes I agree, there is a prep context to it all, is a NATO strap like a grosgrain ribbon band? I have been searching for one thin enough for my current watch...
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks about the heels!! This is always a bit of a sore subject for me since I am only 5'4"... I know a slight heel is a good thing for me, I just really hate them. They are uncomfortable, and I walk slower when wearing them. In my experience men usually prefer them... so thanks for being on my side! I think one needs a black pair, a nude pair, and a brown pair and that's all! No crazy heels like Nina Garcia was recommending.
And I agree, I wore those boat shoes out on Saturday night and I got a lot of compliments!! I always appreciate your thoughts Kionon :)
NATO straps and grosgrain ribbon bands are one in the same, just different names for the same thing. The thinnest ones I have found are made by Brooks Brothers, but you might consider looking into O'Connell's or Leatherman Ltd.
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