If it ain't broke

No need to reinvent the wheel here.

I used to be somewhat of a maximalist.

I loved prints, I loved color, I loved statement pieces, and I loved to mix it all together. Here are a few exhibits:

My personal style has evolved and grown immensely since moving to New York. It’s truly gotten darker, chicer, and more elevated. Dressing with an emphasis on texture, brightness, and quirkiness was fun, but it wasn’t sustainable.

I felt a shift in my wardrobe probably around 2023. I started a new job which involved going into an office five days a week, and I began dressing for life, not just for one day a week or the weekends. I needed to invest in clothes that were versatile and easy to wear. I won’t claim to have a capsule wardrobe, because if any of you saw my closet(s), you would see lots and lots of things, but I do have pieces that work together in many different ways. I bought my infamous kitten heels from The Row via The Real Real. I started shopping at Chickee’s (now Sorbara’s) on my lunch breaks. I sold a lot of my vibrant things on Depop. I was metamorphosizing into an Olsen Twin-loving, eBay prowling, Tabi wearing girl, greatly influenced by my surroundings and habitat of Lower Manhattan.

Here’s a collage of some of my favorite outfits from the past few years, in three different apartments:

There are pros and cons to this type of dressing. I often feel basic, and I spend a lot more money because I can justify buying staple pieces. The pros are endless—I feel more confident, more mature, and more like I have an actual sense of style. I appreciate the quality of my clothes. I want to collect vintage pieces. I have a deeper understanding with my closet, rather than the desire to just accumulate.

This year, I’m leaning even further into sticking to the classics. I feel like our culture as a whole is doing this—90s minimalist style is in, officewear is in, and a basic color palette is in. My Pinterest and Instagram feeds are dominated by images of Kate Moss, Carolyn Bessette Kennedy, and Chlöe Sevigny. We’re all longing to be effortlessly chic. Something that further proves this point is the huge mainstream success of The Row. A brand that used to be more of IYKYK has been a favorite of influencers of all varieties, girls who wear Aritzia (nothing wrong with Aritzia, it was just the brand that popped into my mind while writing this) are pairing it with a 90s Bag, girls on Tarte trips have Margeaux’s.

I just bought a pair of Ray Ban Wayfarer’s. They came on the day that A$AP Rocky announced his new role as Creative Director of the brand. They feel like one of the most classic things money can buy. The definition of if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. I was worried I didn’t have the face for them, but they’re growing on me.

One of the most worn pieces in my closet is a black cashmere crewneck from Banana Republic. I used to associate Banana Republic with my mom’s work clothes, the feeling of boredom that came while she shopped there. Now, it’s a great destination for Row-esque basics that are affordable, sleek silhouettes and premium materials.

I’m going to Miami at the end of this week, and instead of buying bright bathing suits, I bought one black and one white bikini. I’m not sure why my life has turned so monochromatic, but it just feels right. I’ll forever be a lover of sneakers, but as someone who used to covet her Martine Rose x Nike Shox or my rainbow Staud New Balances, I opt now for adidas Tokyo’s or a black slip-on Merrell.

I found power in dressing simplistically. My new weekend outfits often consist of a black long sleeve and some type of jean. It’s easy to get bored, but when you have a formula, you spend less time staring hopelessly at your closet. It’s good to have dependable pieces that you can rely on.

This week I felt like discussing my personal style transition. I’m not sure why, but not much else is going on for me to share with the class. I’m on the third book of the Done and Dusted series on my Kindle. I’ve rated them all two’s so far on Goodreads, but I won’t give up until I’ve read them all. They’re extremely corny and scratch the itch of consuming something stupid at the end of a long day.

I’ve also fallen back in love with Law and Order SVU. I’ve added it to my current weekly rolodex, which consists of:

The White Lotus (Sundays)

RHOBH (Wednesdays)

Summer House (Wednesdays)

Severance (Thursdays)

The Traitors (Thursdays)

Law and Order SVU (Fridays)

Love is Blind (When Netflix feels like it)

My content cup has overflowed. It’s a full time job keeping up with the cultural zeitgeist at the moment. The more time I spend at home, the less money I’m spending, which at this point, is a really important thing.

Next week, I’ll provide a full recap of my trip to Miami. I bought a set from Khy, which I will do a complete review of, along with my Aerie bathing suits, and more warm-weather things I’ve been holding out on. I can’t wait to get out of this cold, get a massage, read, and just lay.