How To Make Your Everyday Outfits More Polished

I’m in my third week of taking appointments and seeing clients at my shop, Earl IRL, and I am learning a ton. I’m not talking about retail here (though omg I am learning a lot very quickly), but about my readers, who are largely making up the bulk of my appointments. I’m not surprised that they’re predominantly 40+, I’m not surprised that most of them work, but I’m surprised that only a handful have to actually go into the office. These women aren’t looking for special event dresses, nor are they looking for basics. The sweet spot is the in-between, the mid-point between dropoff sweats and party dresses. Or, they’re looking for easy ways to dress up the things they already have.

And isn’t that really the challenge? Making the everyday feel special? This is, honestly, where I feel most at home, too. So I’m pleased my shoppers are in that zone too. Sometimes that unexpected element comes via a gestural styling trick (more on this next week), sometimes via a special pair of shoes, and sometimes via jewelry.

And oh! Jewelry! My favorite! Jewelry ticks all the boxes. It’s emotional, it’s meaningful, it’s timeless and enduring, and it can absolutely transform your look. John Hardy reached out, knowing how much I love fine jewelry, about doing something to celebrate their new JH Lovestruck™ collection, which features gorgeous, chunky, sparkly lab-grown diamonds. I fell hard for the wonky, organic shapes (get a load of these studs), the elegant bezel settings, and then when I saw they’d made a diamond stick pin I was….well, pardon the plug, but I was lovestruck. I love a stickpin, I love a brooch, I love all forms of unnecessary objects designed strictly for beauty and self-expression. These pieces are unexpected and substantial, and I am so into these. So! Today’s letter is made with their support and it’s a perfect fit to talk about making the ordinary extraordinary with little special flourishes.

So here we are—making the every day really polished and also excellent.

WEEKEND ERRANDS

To be honest, I kind of love a weekend day of running errands. I feel productive and that makes me happy, and usually, if I’m with my family, it’s kind of fun and boppy-around-towny. But no matter how practical our day is, how mundane and utilitarian, I do not like going out in something that doesn’t feel like me. I need an outfit even for boring weekend stuff.

Ok, here’s what makes this work: you take a brightly colored sweatshirt (bonus points if it has a polo neck or varsity details like this) and put a weird, mismatched button down underneath it. The more color clash-y, the better. Already you’re starting from an unexpected place, but because both pieces are such classics, they harmonize (as long as neither has a print or pattern). And these are things you honestly probably have in your wardrobe, it’s really just about thinking about your go-to’s in a different context, and trying new combinations. But adding in some solid wash jeans makes it feel low-key and weekendy, and then the diamond necklace—which has hand cut sterling silver beads made of reclaimed silver and is so special. A pair of sporty glasses will also help push it in an unexpected direction (especially for a gal in her mid-life prime), and keep it feeling fresh and cool, but also nodding to that Y2k feeling. New Balances bring it back down to earth, as does a classic Phoebe Philo-era Céline bag (or perhaps another “it-bag” from years ago languishing in the back of your closet). And bingo, you look cool and ready for errands, but not too cool.

DROPOFF AND BEYOND

I’ve written a lot about dropoff outfits, but here I’m talking specifically about having to do something as rushed and stressful as getting your kids out the door and delivered to school, and then carrying on to a varied, interesting day. Maybe to a meeting or a site visit or lunch with friends or who knows! Maybe to the airport!

Ok, so this, IMO, is a perfect everyday outfit. The pants are nicely slouchy and very classic, but the gold shoes make it fun. They also tie in the gold of the chain and diamond bracelet, which has a .75 carat diamond bezel set on a rolo chain, and it does not have a chain tail dangling off the clasp—the chain tail is my jewelry pet peeve. The bracelet is the kind of thing you treat yourself to and wear everyday, and it’s subtle enough that it doesn’t scream DIAMONDS! yet, it has one. A great piece to wear and never take off.

I love the combination of the plaid shirt and the jacket—both of which have workwear vibes, but in beautifully designed and made forms. These pieces on their own are all kind of everyday, but together they make something that feels unique and individual to the wearer.

A SCHOOL PARTY OR WORK PARTY

School parties and work parties present similarly difficult dressing situations: you want to look cool and interesting but must not in any way appear sexy or sultry or suggestive. It’s polished, but buttoned up, but also loose and fun and like you know how to have a good time…but not…I don’t know…traditionally sexy.

Ok, this could really use any suit as the base, but the idea is that you want one that doesn’t look traditionally office-y. I like that this is nylon, that the jacket is a little boxy, and the pants are slightly barrel leg. It has a kind of sporty feeling, but is still pretty traditional. It helps too when you can wear the suit jacket as a shirt, without showing really any of your breastbone. It looks polished but relaxed, and not at all sexual.

But the accessories are where this really comes together—sneakers would give it a totally different feeling, as would a work tote. But for a night out (especially a school fundraiser or work holiday party), you want something that feels special. I love the green of this belt, especially with the burgundy pouch. The leopard shoes really throw it off in a good way, but I have a feeling any pointy kitten heels would do that too. But then the jewelry—I love that the studs aren’t the traditional round cuts we always see. These are more organic, somewhere between an oval and a jellybean, and they’re so interesting. In sterling silver, and in lab-grown diamonds, too, you get a lot of look for not such a huge investment as mined diamonds. Meanwhile…the ring….holy shit, this eggy/pear/moval diamond is a whopper at 3.25 carats, and again, I love the unusual shape of the diamond as well as the soft, curve of the setting and the ring itself.

JUST A REGULAR DINNER OUT OF THE HOUSE AT A RESTAURANT

Maybe it’s with your significant other. Maybe it’s with your girlfriends. Maybe it’s with your in-laws, or your co-workers, or your girlfriend’s in-laws co-workers. Whatever it is, dinner out (as long as it’s not the 5:00 special with your kids and a huge tote bag of markers and coloring books, in which case, please see the weekend errands outfit) is an occasion to dress up a little. A moment to have some fun with all of it! Even if it’s casual, damn the man, put on a skirt, take off your bra, and live a little!

When you break this down, it’s really just a fitted blazer that can be worn as a shirt, a swingy midi skirt, and some classic polished shoes (the heel is a little unrealistic, but the pointy flat also works nicely). But what makes this extra special is this: you take a kind of chunky cashmere sweater, and tie it over your shoulders but a little loosely. Then, take this gorgeous diamond stick pin (5 carats oh my god) and you poke it through the sleeves of the sweater to fasten the sweater over your shoulders. It is….simply….the most elegant thing one could ever do. If you’re not feeling a skirt, trousers would do nicely, but the brooch/pin sweater attaching trick is the point here. It’s effortless but glamorous, highly personal, highly styled, and honestly, unforgettable.

And there we are! Thank you thank you John Hardy for helping to support this letter, this was a very fun one to write!

Your friend,

Laurel