Wardrobe Planning Hits and Misses Volume 1 Week 9

Last week when my good friend and fabulous fashionista Dionne Peters told me that she wanted to do a “summer pantone colors” theme for our wardrobe planning video, I knew we were going to have a rough time in my low pigmented closet.  My first instinct was to add some color through my next Rent the Runway Unlimited shipment, but Dionne had a much needed vacation planned and my shipment didn’t make it in time.  So I decided it was about time to produce my first “haul” post.  I didn’t want to spend a ton of money this late in the season, so I decided to really go out on a limb and brave some discount stores.  Luckily, Malory Sills recently talked about how to navigate these overwhelming environments on one of her podcasts and Dionne is quite the expert so I was in good hands.  Here’s how we did.

For Monday we found this cute Anne Klein dress at Marshall’s.  Anne Klein is actually a brand I often look for at Macy’s because it tends to fit me pretty well and the style works for me.  This dress was no exception and the fabric was so comfortable.  It was a steal at $19.99!  We paired the dress with my white duster sweater I picked up in an end of season sale from White House Black Market and a skinny belt which Jamie Bisel had also paired with a different blue and white outfit for our segment on the KPRC Channel 2 Today show a couple of weeks ago.  That skinny belt once belonged to a blouse that has long since been discarded and truth be told the belt will probably need to be replaced soon, but I’ve probably gotten more wear out of it than I did out of the top.  For shoes Dionne reached for my navy blue suede t-strap pumps at first, but since those made more sense with another outfit, we needed an alternative.  I pulled out these 18 year old Via Spigas – I remember wearing these shoes when I went back to work right after my oldest son was born.  I loved them then and I still love them now!  Finally, I wore my blue David Yurman pendant that my sons got me (their generous father chose the store and let them choose the gift) along with a blue stoned bracelet and matching earrings my Mom gave me from Brighton.

On Tuesday, I wore the navy, fuchsia and caramel print blouse from Cynthia Rowley.  This blouse is the perfect weight for summer in Houston – light without being flimsy.  I did notice that it picked up a little static electricity this morning and was slightly clingy, but we may just have been having a dry day for Houston.  I also realized that my bra straps were peeping out on my shoulders, but that was easily fixed with a clip in the back which pulled the straps in.  This is why its helpful to plan undergarments on Sundays too (see Wardrobe Planning – Don’t Forget Your Underwear video on the Closet Reboot YouTube channel).  My caramel Anne Klein pants and pink Banana Republic blazer where definitely the right colors for the blouse, but I realized they probably need a little altering. I was re-thinking my answer to Dr. Bob and Jodi’s question about what outfits energize me and it hit me, the clothes that energize me are the ones that fit really well and flatter my figure.  As much as I love all these colors, I didn’t feel as great on Tuesday as I think I would if the pants and blazer were just a little more true to size.  So, I’m adding these two pieces to my alterations list.  I did enjoy wearing my favorite pink patent leather pumps and the pop of color the new blouse added was refreshing too.  Dionne picked my Kendra Scott druzy necklace and ring along with several bangles and my hoop earrings to complete the look.

Wednesday was work from home day so honestly I spent most of it in workout pants and a t-shirt with no makeup.  Then I remembered I hadn’t filmed this week’s wardrobe planning quick tip so I threw on some makeup and this outfit which I actually kind of like and may end up wearing again.  Admittedly my wardrobe planning tip took a lot longer to film than it should have, but I’m having fun – you can click the picture to see my tip on YouTube. Hint: we also discussed it in my wardrobe planning video with Dionne.

Thursday I got to wear my fruit punch blouse with the big bell sleeves from Michael Kors.  In full disclosure, when I left the house in the morning I wasn’t completely feeling it.  It seemed like something was missing – a scarf or other accessory to pull together the contrasting colors.  Wrong!  I probably got more compliments on this outfit than any I’ve worn since I started making wardrobe planning videos.  There was general agreement that “fruit punch” is a good color for me and everyone seems to be loving the bell sleeve trend.  The bell sleeves do have an awesome shaping effect on arms so I’m going to have to resist the temptation to go too long on this trend.  And, its not that I don’t like simple color combinations. On the contrary, black and white has always been a staple in my wardrobe.  I’m probably just not used to this combination – bright pink is a color I avoided for years actually.  Once again, having a guest fashionista made all the difference in keeping my wardrobe fresh.  And by the way, this blouse was sooo comfortable!  Light fabric that wasn’t too hot in the the summer.

Friday I wore the casual outfit Dionne put together for me with the periwinkle blue polo t-shirt we found at Marshalls.  I had lunch with an old family friend who was a business associate of my father’s.  He’s gone out of his way to look out for my mom, sons and me since my dad passed and gives great business advice!  This felt like an outfit my Dad would have liked so it was perfect.  I also got to make this week’s wardrobe planning video with my sweet friend (also has fabulous style) Laquita Passmore.  She went with jeans so the casual look worked great.

Dionne and I didn’t put together any date night or weekend outfits so I was on my own for Saturday afternoon at the movies and dinner with my boyfriend Greg.  We saw Mission Impossible (highly recommend for action adventure fans) and then did a casual dinner at one of our favorite restaurants Patagonia Bar & Grill. As usual, I needed a jacket for the restaurant even though Houston saw temperatures in the high 90s (Fahrenheit).

If you haven’t tried it yet, consider inviting a pal into your closet one weekend to help you plan for the next week and then you can reciprocate another time.  You will have a great time girl bonding and you will see your wardrobe in a whole new light.  Having professional stylists has taken the exercise to a whole new level and of course, I highly recommend that as well.  For some Houston stylists, check out my Selecting a Personal Stylist series and if you are interested in a Chicago stylist or a Skype consult, look up Mallory Sills.  In the meantime, check out this week’s wardrobe planning video with Laquita by clicking on the thumbnail below.  Have a great week!