You know that feeling when you wear something that’s on point and you feel so confident, and get so many compliments? Like you’re wearing an outfit that you can’t wait to wear again, and again, and again? You want to throw it in the wash as soon as you get home to get it ready for tomorrow? But you know you can’t wear it EVERY DAY as people will notice..but what if I told you that you can? Just not the exact same outfit, but one that’s similar, that you’ll feel equally great in it. 

In my styling work, I call this “creating a winning outfit formula” that you can rely on to make you feel amazing and is fuss-free, full-proof AND feels fresh and exciting every time. 

It’s fairly simple to create if you build up a wardrobe of “fashion ingredients”, but the first step is to delve into what makes you feel your best. Is it a tight-fitting pair of jeans and a tee? Or a casual dress with flats? Or do you love mixing midi skirts and blouses with short jackets? Whatever it is, the key is to choose pieces that represent your style nuances (colors you love/make you feel connected to your clothing, details that stand out to you, paying attention to lines — whether you like them more clean, oversized, curved, asymmetrical, etc.) and to start to curate a wardrobe comprised of those items.

After I became a mom, having  “outfit formulas” in my wardrobe has become even more important as I noticed I was going to the same pieces over and over again, “rinsing and repeating” them quite literally (as I mentioned in one of my previous blog posts, I would just grab things right out of the dryer and put them back on this Summer when Charlie was little and I had no time to style looks during the week).

Over the past few months, I’ve been thinking through ensembles that feel chic and clean yet are simple as they only consist of 2-3 pieces; ones that fit me well and make me happy but are also effortless. They’ve become my trusty style formulas as I’ve turned over my closet this Summer and Fall, concentrating on getting rid of anything that no longer serves me or makes me thrilled, and rounding it out with more pieces similar to the ones that get a lot of wear – for more variety.

Over the next few posts, I’ll be sharing some of my go-to looks — hopefully they can inspire you to create ones of your own, using similar elements. 

For the first look, I styled the following: slightly distressed denim + flirty sweater + ankle booties with stable block heel + fun accessories.

The jeans in this look are by one of my favorite denim brands: Mother, this style is called Stinger Flood, it’s skinny on the bottom but slightly relaxed through the leg, and has button-front closure and back pocket and leg distress, which makes it slightly more grungy and cool. I paired it with a button-back Gaspard Sweater from Sézane (it comes in a few different colors) which it’s feminine and slightly sexy, without being over the top, and is warm and cozy too. It can be worn with buttons in the front also for another look.

I chose my absolutely favorite Jeffrey Campbell Orwell Booties that I haven’t been taking off for the past few months — their ankle cut and heel are perfect in their comfort, and they work well with both dresses and jeans. For accessories to finish off the look, I chose to add pops of color via my new Clare V “Le Freak, C’Est Chic” Clutch and Zodiac Silk Scarf from Triqita (mine is a Taurus).

My style is a mix of classic feminine with creative, and these pieces represent each facet well. If you’re more of a sporty-elegant, or traditional-creative, or any mix of the above (you can learn more about your style personality in my Style Development Session), you can adjust the items you select to reflect accordingly.

I’ve curated the outfit details below, with some similar suggestions, take a peek!

Photography by Leslie Moncada