The Great Outdoors

Needless to say our weekend (or weeknight) plans have changed quite considerably these days. Restaurant nights out have largely turned to outdoor dining or time spent in friends’ backyards. As the cooler temps are creeping in, what does one wear for an evening in the great outdoors? You already know we’re big fans of the shacket, which serves as a fashionable piece of outerwear for chilly nights. They’re great for layering, and in this case, we put it over a gorgeous Theory cashmere sweater, some AGoldE jeans, fun See by Chloe boots and a felt hat. The best part of all of these outfit pieces? You can get them for 25% off right now with Bloomingdales Friends and Family promotion.

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Best Basics

Shopping for trends is one of our favorite hobbies (and our job) but it can be difficult to incorporate trends without having a strong foundation of classic, well made pieces that will last a lifetime and can be used to build new outfits. We’re excited to share some of our favorite picks, and while several are real investment pieces, the quality and fit are so good that these will be staples forever.

Everyone needs an amazing white tee shirt and a white button down. We love the Rag & Bone tees for their fit and soft fabric, and this J.Crew button down is a classic fit, though you could size up to use in more settings, including as a beach cover up. Since white button downs tend to not stay white forever, we don’t encourage spending a ton on this piece.

A pair of Gucci loafers will never be out of style, and they can be dressed up or down. They are definitely an investment piece but well worth it. Another investment piece is the gorgeous Veronica Beard blazer. A black blazer will always come in handy whether paired with slacks as a suit, over a dress or with jeans.

Gold (or silver) hoop earrings are a must. When you don’t want to go too trendy, these Gorjana hoops are a chic choice in the perfect size. And finally, everyone needs an amazing pair of jeans that fit like a glove. Not only do we love Mother jeans for ourselves, but so many of our clients feel the same. These Mother straight leg jeans are versatile enough to pair with a tee and sneakers or a blouse and heels.

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Lug Love

We’re getting excited about fall and winter fashion even though our lives are mainly between our homes, the grocery store and various athletic fields. Lucky for us (and you) the style of boot that’s trending this year is a lug sole. Not only are they extremely comfortable and walkable, but there isn’t an obvious heel so it lacks a the more formal vibe of many boots. If that doesn’t scream pandemic fashion, we don’t know what does! We’ve picked some of our favorites for you in a vast range of price points. The gold standard of this style is a Bottega Veneta boot (1), though we know most people aren’t looking to spend that these days. Fortunately we have lots of other options with these white Doc Martens (2) (also available in black), these lower shaft Sam Edelman (3), the best bang for your buck H&M option (4) and a slightly more fashion forward Philip Lim (5). And lest your mini me wants to get in on the action, Zara is making these adorable lug boots for girls.

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The Shacket

That familiar chill crept back into the air this week and has us all getting excited for some brisk fall weather and of course cozy fall fashion. One of our favorite up and coming trends is the shacket. The term was coined by the marriage of a shirt and a jacket, and is the perfect piece to style into your wardrobe. It’s amazing for layering, and there are tons of styles to choose from. We both bought an amazing plaid, fringed shacket from H&M which is currently sold out, but we’ve found several others to choose from that we love just as much. This denim moment from Anine Bing is so timeless, and we LOVE this hybrid animal print camouflage number from Zadig & Voltaire. Zara never disappoints with this camel belted style, and this Cos option would work on a more petite frame with it’s shorter cut. Finally, this Topshop option in black and white plaid will take you into winter with a heavy sweater and is just so versatile. We want them all!

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Sweater Weather

Well, not quite, but we’re getting close. We LOVE finding a chic but purposeful piece for a great price, and H&M provides so many of our favorites in this category. Both of us bought this amazing embellished sweater in two colors just recently, so we’ve been considering how to style them once the summer heat fizzles out. Jill chose to pair the black sweater with a distressed black straight leg jean (very current) and her beloved Golden Goose high tops. This outfit is perfectly suited to get on Zoom, but also great to run errands or enjoy a socially distanced cocktail with friends. Another trick with this versatile sweater: flip it around so the buttons are in the back!

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