Simple Wardrobe | The Confident Stand-Alone

It was the color that first caught my eye. A shade somewhere between mustard and honey, it’s the color of the water in high mountain streams, the color of ochre, of kelp, and of a certain lichen that grows on the craggy boulders in the canyon nearby. It’s the color of the hand-knit sweater I tried on in that yarn shop in Ojai over two years ago that made the sweet sales girl gasp and say, That’s such a good color on you! If a color you’re wearing makes someone gasp in delight, you never forget it.

So, the color. But then, the white rose floral print with a touch of icy blue that made me think it could have been made from grandma’s curtains, the puffed sleeves, the square neckline and the simple tie in the back (which I don’t tie in the expected bow, but in a square knot, letting the tails trail down my back) put it right over the top. I needed this blouse in my life (Free People, via eBay).

Mostly, with my simple wardrobe, I focus on owning pieces that can interplay with each other, mixing and matching to create several outfits out of just a few garments. But, sometimes, I’ve found, you need a one-of-a-kind. That confident, stand-alone piece that can and does hold its own all on its own, the piece that has strength and energy when your own might be waning. It’s the same idea as the red lipstick trick (you know the one - where the strength of a red lip alone has gotten you through the day) only this comes in a garment instead of a tube. The truth is, sometimes you might need to be propped up by your shirt.

Then, on the days when you’re already all that, this one-of-a-kind garment is right there with you, dancing along in the thrum of your excitement, your confidence, your strength, playing in all-the-good-vibes. Have some? Here’s a little more, it says. Then, boom! synergy magic. Playful, bold, strong, happy, sexy, romantic, feminine. Choose your feeling; choose your garment. Choose your garment; choose your feeling.

What I’m saying is, have a confident stand-alone garment (or two) in your closet - blouse, sweater, dress, jumpsuit - they’re all good. Because it’s helpful to know, as you’re standing at the beginning of your day, that whether you’re feeling it, or you’re not, you can be wearing it.