"...And Just A Little Too Much."

Top Ten Articles Of Clothing I Swear By:

I really love being a clothing chameleon. A full and diverse closet means many different kinds of looks, from the sweet, to the sultry; to the bohemian, to the edgy. I like knowing that whatever mood I wake up in the morning, I’ll have an outfit that I can throw together to reflect it and play it up. And if my mood changes by mid-day, well, so can my clothes.

I haven’t always had a love-affair with clothing. I used to be, (and still can be, on my bad days,) one of those teenage girls who really just didn’t like shopping. Book shopping—yes—I could be in Barnes & Nobles for an entire afternoon. Clothing shopping—no. I went through a retro-punk phase in middle school that mandated that jeans were verboten as they were “conforming to the Man” and the rest of average America. During my junior year of high school, I got a job at American Eagle Outfitters, and that was the beginning of the end of my relationship with cotton, silk, bright colors, five different cuts of jeans, and even sometimes—cashmere.

During this same very impressionable time in my life, I started touring (and I am not kidding you,) DOZENS of college campuses. The more campuses I saw, the more different dressing styles and similarities I picked up on. I noticed that while I was touring Emerson gaily in a t-shirt emblazoned with a bird motif and the words “American Eagle,” most of the college girls I deemed as “well-dressed” had seemingly nixed graphic tees from their wardrobes in favor of cable-knit cardigans over plain tank tops and some of the nicest high heels I’d ever seen. (I’ve always had a thing for heels, and the higher and more out-there, the better. Bring on the studs, the straps, the zippers, the fun!) It wasn’t something I thought much of, other than pitying them for their maturity which had diminished their sense of “fun” t-shirts, but this past year, now myself a “college girl,” I looked deep into my closest and realized that other than a few very “interesting” graphic t-shirts, I’ve done away with the emblazoned, the trademarked, and the overly-written on. Instead, I’m awash in solid-colored t-shirts, striped shorts, dark and light jeans in different cuts, V-neck sweaters, and dresses of every shape, color, cut and style imaginable.

1.) Something plaid. An oversize men’s inspired shirt, a flirty tank top, the classic plaid pleated skirt—plaid is fun. Just make sure the pattern size matches your body—small people can get lost in big checks, and large people can look larger in little checks. I tend to like purple plaid, red plaid, or gray plaid.

Pretty plaid, layer with a vest and jeans: http://www.charlotterusse.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3686053
Wear over black leggings: http://www.charlotterusse.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3630347&searchId=42777057074
Adorable summer plaid, over cut-off shorts: http://www.charlotterusse.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3583131&searchId=42777057074

2.) Leather leggings. Or, if you can't afford the real McCoy, pleather leggings. Leggings that look inky and leathery. Guaranteed to be one piece of clothing a man will remember. I think it goes back to the days of Laura Croft and her tight leather pants and her battling undead stone monkeys while double-fisting Desert Eagles. (Or whatever.) The first day I wore mine, I got three compliments from men I didn’t know. Only one of them was obviously gay. In my thinking, that’s a good day.

A Good Place To Start: http://store.americanapparel.net/rsac306.html?cid=153

3.) A plain white t-shirt. V-neck, crew neck, scoop neck—whatever style you want, but basic and plain. You can dress it up or dress it down, and nothing is more classic than a white tee and a pair of well-fitting jeans—light or dark, your choice. Right now, I’m loving a white Nollie V-neck t-shirt ( http://shop.pacsun.com/girls/tees/Euro-Neon-V-Neck-Tee/index.pro?colorCd=010 ) in medium instead of my usual small—white looks more flattering when it’s a little loose; if tight, it adds weight, if loose, it drapes and flatters—and destroyed and cuffed loose dark wash boyfriend jeans and a big gold braided belt. I’ve worn this outfit EVERYWHERE: to the movies with a light pink summer hoodie; shopping on Church Street; to a family outing to Shelburne Farms. There’s something chic and impossible to nail down how much you spent or didn’t spend on this outfit. (You can buy a great pack of three white men’s tees from Hanes for $15.)

4.) Some interesting dresses that are quirky enough to be remembered. I recently got one at Charlotte Russe that has the upper half of a white ribbed wifebeater, a thick band of black elastic around the waist, and a purple multi-layered ruffled skirt bottom. (Nordstrom's sells a similar dress-- on sale now! http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/3055558/0~6002289~6002290~2378375~2378405?mediumthumbnail=Y&origin=category&searchtype=&pbo=2378405&P=2 ) My favorite dress of all-time has to be the purple figure-skater dress that I got for a $10 steal at Urban Outfitters. (They were selling one similar at American Apparel without the cross-strap back that mine has for $40. http://www.americanapparel.com/rnt40.html ) It makes me feel like the little princess of my childhood fantasies, with a grown-up twist. As my roommate Alli said, “It’s a very Carrie Bradshaw dress.” Little does she know that’s one of my rules of clothes-shopping: I always ask myself, right after I see if it’s flattering on me, if Carrie would wear it. If the answer is “yes,” I generally know it’s quirky enough to be cute, memorable, and right up my alley. Remember: WWCD? What Would Carrie Do?

Dresses I like because you don’t have to coordinate a top with bottoms—just a dress with shoes and maybe some accessories. I can spend sometimes the entire twenty minutes I am in the shower in the mornings mulling over all the various articles of clothing that I wear, trying to figure out two that would go together favorably that day, and still draw a blank when I’m standing in front of my open closet door.

Le Sac ( http://www.americanapparel.com/rsa0300.html?cid=29 ) is a great option because you can do so much with it and get so many different looks from it. I also like this ( http://www.americanapparel.com/rsa4306.html?cid=29 ) cross-strap dress because you can either dress it up or down for any occasion.

5.) Something purple. Purple used to be the color of royalty. So why not feel royal yourself once in awhile? Purple is a flattering color on most every skin tone and shade of hair. I personally own a lot of purple clothing, from hoodies to t-shirts to gladiator thong sandals to a pair of jeans-inspired leggings. Plus, it’s a color that makes you “pop” and stand out in a crowd. If you’re feeling confident, try some purple in your life.

6.) Wide belts. Use them to make a statement with ordinary jeans by tucking in a corner so it shows off the buckle, or use it to cinch the middle of a shirt or dress. I have a black suede belt I got for $2 at a second-hand store, and the infamous gold braided one I like wearing with EVERYTHING in the summer. A wide belt at your mid-section gives you what I like to call “kickin’ curves” worthy of a Lambo.

7.) Large necklaces. Statement jewelry. Big rings. Chunky bracelets, or tons of thin bangles piled on one wrist. I personally like to jingle a little bit when I walk.

I wear pretty much the same jewelry every day, as I am both a jeweler’s daughter with favorite pieces of my fathers’ that were given to me as gifts over the years—the diamond for my eighteenth birthday on my left ring finger, which as doubles well as a jerk deterrent when out and about; and the beautiful blue appetite and diamond sunburst ring I received for my sixteenth birthday and chipped the night I found out my Inappropriately-Aged (starting the next morning, Ex-) Boyfriend was cheating on me on my right ring finger—as well as the double-whammy of obsessive-compulsive and superstitious.

8.) Collegiate sweaters. Striped. Cable-knit. Cardigans. Cashmere. Wool. Rugby. Yes, I’m telling you—I love the same sweaters I saw those “boring college girls” wearing when I was in high school and telling you they’re essential. Pair them with a strand of pearls either real or costume, some flats and jeans, and you’ve got the quintessential “serious college girl” uniform. I love it for visiting friends or people I want to impress with my style and maturity—as it’s a classic, it makes you look like you know what you’re doing with style even if you were in ripped tights and a denim mini the night before. No one ever needs to know. Plus, it's such a New England look, espeically come fall.

My favorite, the classic cable-knit: http://www.jcrew.com/AST/Browse/WomenBrowse/Women_Shop_By_Category/sweaters/cambridgecables/PRDOVR~17267/17267.jsp
A basic sweater: http://www.jcrew.com/AST/Browse/WomenBrowse/Women_Shop_By_Category/sweaters/merino/PRDOVR~17023/17023.jsp
A more end-of-summer worthy 3/4 sleeve striped variation: http://www.ae.com/web/browse/product.jsp?catId=cat90048&productId=1341_6944
Cute details, amazing price. Try in your local store for a better size-range: http://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=26195&vid=1&pid=632596

This is the outfit I favor for when/if I visit Perfect at his college. Most freshmen girls are behind the curve on the sweater outfit memo, and it screams “hot older girl!” to most young guys. Also, it fits in well with Perfect’s casual-yet-well-dressed farm boy wardrobe. (I like things to go well together, like peanut butter and Nutella; black and gold; Perfect's wardrobe and mine.)

9.) Some fierce graphic t-shirts. Yes, the graphics. Think gold detail, tattoo designs, or some seriously awesome artwork. (Newsprint-inspired or animal designs are also a personal favorites of mine.) Black is the most serious color for a graphic like this, but I also have an orangey-red Kirra tee from Pacific Sun with a multi-colored peacock feather design that I absolutely adore. Just remember, hip and trendy, not mass-produced is the way to go. And NO STORE NAMES!

Some graphics I like:
http://shop.pacsun.com/girls/tees/Songbird-V-Neck-Tee/index.pro (Black V-neck with Feathers.)
http://shop.pacsun.com/girls/tees/Loose-Fit-Printed-Pocket-Tee/index.pro?colorCd=672 (Yellow V-neck with Flower.)
http://shop.pacsun.com/girls/tees/Victoria-Purple-V-Neck-Tee/index.pro (Purple V-neck with Detail.)
http://shop.pacsun.com/girls/tees/Water-Stone-V-Neck-Tee/index.pro (White V-neck with Small Color Logo Detail.)

10.) Metallic flats. These I do not own yet, but there are three different styles of gold flat that I have my eyes on, these being one of them-- http://www.ae.com/web/browse/product.jsp?catId=cat380151&productId=4411_1317 . Seriously—metallic flats are basically jewelry for your feet. It’s like—basic shirt, basic jeans, HELLO SHOES! Gold, silver, or copper—there’s no bad way to go.


P.S—With Love. The Look Book.
Other styles I adore and aim for:

Grecian Goddess: White flowy shirts. Gold accents. Gladiator sandals. Wavy hair.

Farm-Fresh: Cut-off jean shorts. Worn-in sweaters or tank-tops. For dressier occasions, large floral-print dresses with knee-length hemlines and a sweetheart or modest V-neck neckline.

Rocker/Motorcycle Chic: Lots of black with color details. Leggings. Chunky boots or sandals. Heavy on the eyeliner. Small braids in hair.

Working Girl: Trousers, tight and thin sweater in a bright color, or a plain shirt with a sweater-vest or cropped sweater over it, and some peep-toe heels. Preferably black patent leather, like this http://www.dsw.com/dsw_shoes/catalog/product.jsp?prodId=177609&cm_mmc=prodlist-_-shoppingpl-_-main-_-main . With laces. (I got my pair for $6. Yes.)

The Boyfriend Look: Made famous by Katie Holmes, I love the idea of being able to wear men’s style clothing and still look feminine, and I’m not even a fan of androgyny. (My height works really well for this, because it makes me look even smaller and more delicate, which I love. Conversely, tall girls also look great and statuesque in this fashion mode—my best friend is a prime example of this at 6’1”.) Cuffed boyfriend jeans, best when dark and slightly destroyed; an oversize cardigan, either widely-striped or dark; a plain tee underneath; a fun patterned scarf with fringe; flats; belt, if you like, to keep those slouchy jeans up. Voilá. Perfection.

What I call “Vermont Nautical”: Cuffed jeans (ok, yes, you are noticing a pattern: if I have to wear jeans in the summer, I like them to be cuffed. It takes denim from three seasons to summery and slightly less hot and sticky); a striped button-down shirt, or a white shirt—patterned is fine; and some Ked-inspired sneakers. I have a pair of super cute and girly pastel polka-dot Vans skateboarding sneakers ( http://shop.vans.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product2_10001_25104_10101_623920_-1 ) that I adore from Pacific Sun—there’s just something about the flat, white sole that makes me think of sailing. (Maybe it’s the fact that I wear them on our boat when I go sailing with my dad.) I tend to think of this as a very “Ralph Lauren” or “Tommy Hilfiger” look, and it was pointed out to be the other day that maybe it’s because I always have either my Polo or Hilfiger bag with me when I dress this way, and both of them are red, white, and blue. It doesn’t get more American Nautical than that.

And, ok, what if you don’t have some of these things in your closet but want to get a few pieces and don’t want to spend an arm and a leg of your precious dough? Plato’s Closest is your friend. (http://www.platoscloset.com/) Find a store close to you, take all the clothing you don’t wear anymore, and turn them into cash in your still-worn jean pocket. Any second-hand clothing or consignment store will do, but Plato’s offers cash up front for your stuff, rather than you having to wait until something is sold to get the profit. I even have a friend who invented an ingenious method: go to your local Goodwill, buy some cheap, nice, and current-fashion clothing, go to Plato’s, and sell it to them for profit. You can more than double your original investment. (She bought her then-boyfriend a plane ticket to fly and see her with her earnings. Yes, that’s right—a round-trip plane ticket off of second-hand clothing. The more famous the label, the better the cash.) Plus, you’ll free up room in your closet for clothing you actually want to wear now.

That’s it for now, loves—if you can’t tell, it’s being a productive columning day on my end, so there will be another post in about an hour or so—I hope you wanted reading for this weekend! (And yes, it’s about Perfect.) Oh, and if you were able to spot that the post title comes from “SATC: The Movie” and was quoted about Samantha…good for you! Personally, I think you can never have “too much” of a good thing.

XOXO