I started this blog in the latter half of 2011, and I know it’s already changed the course of my wardrobe and my style tremendously. With 2011 wrapping up, I thought it would be fun to stop, evaluate my closet, and get a sense of what the building blocks of my wardrobe have become.
I made a list of items that I’ve accrued since starting this blog which have become defining pieces in my closet. I wouldn’t necessarily categorize them as my list of favorites, my staples, or my list of go-tos, though that is true for many of them. I don’t really know how to categorize them, actually. They aren’t quite foundational, yet they are the pieces that have shaped and defined my outfits. For lack of a better description, and so we can just get on with the list, I’m going to call them the defining pieces of my wardrobe. Okay? Okay. 🙂
You ready? Here they are!
It’s hard to believe that not even 7 months ago my wardrobe was without any of these items!
Many of these surprise me because they are so basic, but I suppose that’s a lesson I finally learned this year: basics are essential. They provide a solid foundation on which you can mix and match other pieces, which increases the versatility and depth in your closet.
These are my workhorses. You can click on the links to see the various ways I’ve worn them. (You kinda have to dig through other outfits under that label, though…) When I bought these pieces, I had
no idea how much I’d be wearing them, and in how many different ways.
I’ve never worn the grey tee on the blog, but I’m not exaggerating when I tell you I grab for it just about every Saturday to complement my skinny jeans. And believe it or not, that is my husband’s favorite outfit I ever wear.
One of my wardrobe focuses this year was to get more colored bottoms and especially more skirts. I head neither until this blog, from which I learned that one of the best ways to change up my wardrobe is to have different colored bottoms.
When I bought my yellow pencil skirt I didn’t know that I’d be able to remix it as much as I have so far. I’ve worn it 4 times on the blog and have a handful of other outfits in mind that I have yet to show you!
The burgundy pants win over my red pants. I like my red pants, but I’ve realized that I prefer a more muted shade for pants. You live, you learn.
Black blazers. I’ve only worn them a couple of times on the blog, but I love throwing them over a dress for evening wear. And I LOVE them with skinny jeans, a simple tee, a scarf, and a strong shoe. I can’t believe I didn’t own one before this year!
Army vest. This is one of the items that constantly surprises me in how much it changes the rest of the pieces in my closet. Before, I would have felt like I was wasting money buying a vest, but I’ve discovered how versatile it is and how much of an impact it can have on outfits. It totally changes the outfit! So, get one!
Mustard cardigan. Don’t even get me started. I know it’s only been on the blog a couple of times, but I’ve worn it plenty more than that! It instantly adds a twist to an outfit in place of a neutral colored cardi.
Boots. I’m such a fan of how much they add to an outfit. It’s so easy to feel like your outfit is stylish when you have a good pair of boots on. My latest pair are the ankle booties. I recall hating the bootie trend long, long ago, but I’ve since changed my ways! I made sure to find a pair that I could wear with jeans, skirts, and dresses, and my only problem with them is that I love them so much that I’m worried I’m gonna run them into the ground.
Belts! I scarcely owned any belts before this year, and now I have to consciously try to not belt every outfit! I wrote a silly little post around this outfit in which I marveled at how much a belt can change an outfit…but it’s so true.
Gold necklace. It’s probably the smallest accessory I own, but I often reach for it when I feel like my outfit is missing something, and this tiny little piece has a significant affect on my outfits. It’s incredible to me how that works.
There you have it! These are the pieces I bought this year that have been significant in defining my style as of late. I’m excited to do this again in another 6 months or year and see where I’ve gone from here.
Thanks for reading, and have a wonderful new year!
