What to Wear to the Grocery Store - Casual Chic
Casual chic. We hear this a lot. What is it and how do you get it? There are a few closet staples that can make you look effortlessly chic. Style should always look effortless, but always requires some effort. You need to think about your wardrobe, what you have, what you need and buy with a purpose...not because it's on sale. "A man should look as if he had bought his clothes with intelligence, put them on with care, and then forgotten all about them."
Every woman needs a great pair of trouser jeans. This is a pair of pants, (and not always necessarily in denim...sometimes cotton dyed to look like jeans), but fit like your favorite pair of black pants. Darker denim is always much more flattering than light-colored denim. Plus, they're very versatile as you can wear them casually with a cute top, a jacket, or dressed up with a satin top and heels.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again, it's all in the shoes. This is single-handedly what will elevate your ensemble from casual to chic. I love high heels, but when I am on long shopping trips, running errands, in and out of the car, I wear flats or very small heels. Therefore, it is essential that your casual shoes are not too casual like rubber flip flops, Crocs, clogs, Uggs, et cetera. "The heavier 
the shoe, the more casual it becomes." Shoes speak volumes about your sense of style, so choose wisely.
The flat in the upper left is cute, but the flat on the right, is even better. It's a bit more stylish and looks quite sharp. Both flats are good, and I would approve if either were in someone's closet, but I'm trying to illustrate how carefully chosen accessories can bump up your chic factor.
A white blouse is always synonymous with style and that's because a "fitted" white blouse can be worn with anything. Pair it with trouser jeans and cute flats and you've got casually chic. I emphasize "fitted" as it can't be a man's white shirt - it needs to be tailored for a woman's body. It should just nip in slightly at the waist and then flair out, (which will either show off your waist, or give the illusion of a waist).
When I say a white blouse, it doesn't have to be a button down. A white wrap blouse would work just as well, and sometimes, is easier to fit. Ideally, we are looking for a v-neck blouse, which works well on all body types. For length, it's usually more flattering to wear a blouse out, so the blouse should end just below the waist line of a pair of trousers, city shorts or jeans. If the blouse covers the crotch, we loose the line of the leg, and you start to look short.
Since casually chic is probably what most of us wear the majority of our lives, (aside from work clothes), it's important to make the most out of our wardrobe. Therefore, instead of buying constantly, it's best to have items that allow you to mix 'n match. One of the easiest ways to do this is with a jacket. Wear it with a different colored cami, (which is inexpensive), or different jewelry, (which you can find at any price), to change up your look and create new outfits.
Jackets are listed on Tim Gunn's 10 Essential Wardrobe Items, my Core Wardrobe list and are on Stacy and Clinton's list because jackets instantly pull an outfit together. They anchor it. A jacket is great because it can give or highlight a waist and camouflage problem areas.
A good jacket should skim the body, sit straight on the shoulder (not pull or extend too far past your shoulder), nip in slightly at the waist, yet never extend too far past the hip bone. Too long, and the jacket can shorten the line of the leg, making you look dumpy. Too big, and it can look sloppy. Too tight, and you just look uncomfortable. You should also be able to reach forward and move your arms.
I love this casual cotton jacket from The Loft. Layer your favorite colored tank underneath and wear it with dark trouser jeans or city shorts (and great flats)!
Lastly, a purse is just as important to an ensemble as a pair of shoes. I strongly believe in leather purses. Of course, a canvas tote works well for the summer, but outside of that, it's really hard to pull of a pleather purse - it never goes over well.
Most women don't have time to switch their purses, so I suggest a metallic or colored purse (to decide on a color, you need to know what colors you wear most of the time and pick a corresponding or contrasting shade). Ideally, the stitching on a bag should also match the color - if the bag is blue, then the stitching should be blue.
The bag in the upper left is white with contrasting stitching. It makes the bag look more casual, which isn't bad except that the bag at the right looks a bit more luxe. It's a sleeker design and again, ups the style quotient of an outfit. It looks chic, and in turn, you look chic!
As for the shape, a good rule of thumb is that the shape of your bag, should be the opposite of your body's. A pear and hourglass, the curvaceous body types, look best with bags that have more structure, while a rectangle and an apple are best with bags that have softer lines.
Thought and time are essential in picking out good pieces, but if you start with these basics, make sure they fit, add in a few fabulous pair of shoes and a good handbag, then you are well on your way. A great jacket, a dark pair of trousers jeans, chic flats, a crisp white shirt and a great fitting jacket are items you will have forever. A stylish woman doesn't necessarily have a large closet. She just knows what works for her and always has some 'go to' outfits.
If you need some 'go to' outfits or would like help finding the perfect fitting jacket, a fabulous pair of shoes, then please contact me. I am happy to help!
Services
Closet Organization and Clothing Analysis - $250 for 3 hours or less; includes wardrobe guidelines and shopping list
Personal Shopping - $60/hour to go shopping together, $75/hour if I go shopping for you
Look Book - $75
Seasonal Closet Update - $175, a revisit for clients who have already done a Closet Organization; includes updated shopping list
*Please note: I am also available for 'What Not to Wear' Parties, corporate presentations, seminars and classes.