I approach fashion the same way I do beauty: Great clothes should make you look—and feel—like you, only better.
Being immersed in the fashion industry my entire career, I’ve learned that the clothes that work the best (off the runway, that is) are always simple, flattering, and versatile. Remember this when you’re revamping your wardrobe for fall.
Take a good, hard look at your wardrobe. Try on every single piece in your closet and drawers. In front of a full-length mirror, ask yourself, “Do I really still like this? Does it fit?”
It helps to invite your most honest friend over. She’ll tell you what you won’t tell yourself (and you can repay the favor with your unwanted clothes).
Surprisingly, when it’s all over, you’ll feel like you have more clothes than you did at the start, because your closet will be full of only pieces you really want to wear. And now, you can see where the gaps are in your wardrobe.
Shop for basics. I don’t like “outfits”—pieces that have to be worn together. What I do love are basics that can go from a corporate meeting to dinner with friends with the quick switch of a jacket, shoes, or accessories. Here are some of my essentials:
• Stretch tanks and thin T-shirts. Both are great foundations for a wardrobe. They can be worn alone, but they’re sleek enough to wear underneath a blazer or cardigan. Theory makes slimming tanks with Lycra, and Petit Bateau children’s T-shirts fit a woman’s shape better than most brands’. Plus, the cotton is unbelievably comfortable.
• Fitted blazers. I recently discovered Uniqlo blazers. They’re only about $69 a pop, but you’d never know it judging by their expertly cut fit.
• The chicest coat you can find. I bought a simple gray overcoat from Jil Sander eons ago, yet it still adds a crisp, modern feeling to everything I wear with it (both in and out of work). The coat was an investment, but the return is better than almost anything else in my wardrobe.
• A great pair of jeans. When you find a pair of jeans that fit, buy two. Hem one to wear with flat shoes and wear the other with heels. Look for dark blue jeans with a bit of stretch because they create a lean silhouette, and avoid pencil-cut jeans, since they make almost every woman look top-heavy. And don’t go shopping for jeans on a “skinny day.” You’ll only be disappointed when you’re pulling on your jeans on a (more frequent) “normal” day.
Pick up a pashmina. I’m obsessed with pashminas. Since I tend to favor neutrals, I rely on pashminas to give my look a splash of color. You can wear one loosely knotted as a scarf or thrown over your shoulders as a wrap, and it even looks great just poking out of a handbag. Some of the more dexterous girls in my office have managed to knot them into pretty skirts. You can pick up a high-end pashmina in department stores, but in truth, I find the $5 versions on the street are just as good.
Comfort is everything. Whether I’m at work or a black-tie affair, I always have an infinitely better time when I’m wearing clothes that reflect my personal style (and are easy to move across the room in), than when I’m poured into an outfit that I thought was good enough for the occasion. But if in some cases, heels seem non-negotiable, do as I do: Pack your ballet flats in your handbag.
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