How To Re-wear your Formal Pieces
Isn’t it crazy how one piece of clothing can change how we look and feel about ourselves. If you put someone in the right dress it can change their whole demeanor. You can feel them exude a Beyonce-like confidence, and that feeling permeates their surrounding space. Why limit that feeling? Why not wear that piece all the time and continue to feel that way. I'm here to say that you can wear that formal piece for more than just formalwear.
When Libby (from Life with Libby) asked me to collaborate on this shoot with pieces that she received from Jay Godfrey, I was excited to style them. Instead of formally styling the jumpsuit, I paired it with a leather jacket. The leather balances the lace and creates a wonderful combination of texture that is luxe, sexy and even a little femme fatal. As you know by now, I am a huge fan of leather jackets because of how versatile they are. When paired with a formal piece, a leather jacket can offset the formal element and make it feel more relatable. Just be sure that when you pair leather and lace the color scheme is the same. You don't want to mix a white lace and a black leather together, it's too harsh. You can see an example of this here where I styled Mackenzie of Six Feet in Heels in jewel tones.
The purpose of this article is to encourage you to wear your formalwear in more ways than one. Obviously this depends on the type of piece that you have. But if it’s as versatile as this jumpsuit, you can make it work for more casual occasions like to dinner or a night out. In addition to outwear, shoes and accessories play a role in determining the feel of look. Large, bags are generally more casual than smaller ones, and read as day time. Add a larger bag with your leather jacket and formal piece and you're good to go...but, what do wear on your feet?
In regards to accessories, especially shoes the material that you wear them with is extremely important. The easiest material to wear is a simple crepe, you can get away with wearing it with sneakers. Imagine a crepe jumpsuit with sneakers. After crepe, silk is just as versatile, especially if it's neutral. I picture a silk slip dress with ankle boots or sandals. The easiest transition shoe is a strappy sandal, then a pointed pump, pointed boot and lastly sneakers. Below are my picks for leather jackets and shoes. Always remember, the simpler, the better.
My Favorite Leather Jackets |
My Favorite Shoes |
Photography | Anthony Retournard
Shop Our Looks |