Classic Wardrobe Staples

White Shirt// Skinny Jeans

Barbour Jacket// Glasses// Fossil Q Watch (also here) c/o

Bow Flats// Louis Vuitton Speedy 30

Happy Friday... it's Friday the 13th! Is anyone superstitious? I'm not really, but here's to hoping nothing crazy happens! Today I'm talking about wardrobe staples. This outfit is one that you could consider a 'uniform' for me. Just as much as all black is a go-to for me, this is, too. It's simple, classic, put-together and works for a multitude of occasions. Not only do these pieces make a great outfit when all together, but each piece from the crisp white button down to the dark wash skinny jeans and classic jacket all work perfectly on their own and pair with pretty much everything else in my closet. In short: these are staples. I'll go over each piece to let you know why I love it, how it sizes, etc.

Also, if you read Monday's post about my hair, I mentioned that I often wear my hair up in a bun and this illustrates exactly what I was talking about. I don't wear it often like this on Summer Wind but a few readers had requested to see how I style 'casual hair' (if that's even a thing). So here you go!

White Shirt
You should have at least one of these regardless of your personal style. It works for everything from a job interview to a casual weekend outfit. I suggest having 3 so you can rotate and don't have to do laundry as often. I also suggest refreshing these throughout the seasons as white stains easily and gets dingy after a ton of wear. For me, this is the best white shirt you will ever own. They have so many fit options, but the classic fit will always be my favorite as there is no darting in the fabric. It's great to wear untucked like I have it styled here, but also looks great tucked in with business clothes.

I also buy it in two sizes. Here, I am wearing a 4 for a more oversized, casual look, and I have a few size 2 shirts that I prefer to wear under sweaters and tuck into pants. It's also a non-iron fabric and you really never need to iron it. It always looks crisp, which is the best part! Another tip? Buy this shirt in one or two sizes larger than what you would normally wear and then take it to your tailor. It's a less pricey/shortcut way to get a 'custom' fit shirt.

Skinny Jeans
Dark wash skinny jeans are a no-brainer. I've mentioned that the Halle skinny jeans are my all-time favorite pair, but this pair I am wearing gets almost as much wear. Plus, they are way more affordable. I love the stretch and the slightly cropped length that looks great with a classic pump or ballet flat. I'd suggest sizing down with these jeans as they run a little big and have a lot of stretch to them. I'm wearing a size 2!

Classic Watch
I bought myself a Cartier tank watch a few years ago and wear it every single day. I worked long and hard to save up for it and it is something really special to me. I totally get that it is something that doesn't work every budget and also, I know a lot of people just aren't into watches! Enter the Fossil Q watch. It looks just like a classic timepiece (leather band, stainless steel casing, and crystal face), but is brought into the 21st century with a digital interface... and the best part? It's affordable! Not only that, but it has really cool functionality.

I read an article about a study where a group of people were trying to lose weight. The group was split into two. The control group never weighed themselves and the variable group tracked their weight daily. It turns out (as you would think) the group that tracked their weight was more likely to see more success and had more long-term success, too. While I'm not really looking to lose weight, I am looking to be active and healthy. Tracking my steps is one of the easiest ways to do that. I love checking my steps at the end of the day. It's like a game for me and also lets me see when I've been lazy and in turn, it encourages me to be more active the following day.

The watch also lets me know of incoming calls or texts, lets me speak into it (for example, if you want to google something or need directions), and even has a flashlight. My absolute favorite part? You can control your music! I often play music through my surround sound speakers in my living room and my phone is sitting in my bedroom charging (or because I want to get away from it) and it's so nice to be able to just tap my watch to switch the song wherever I may be in my apartment.

Barbour Jacket
This is totally a closet staple for me. I have a few and they are the best jackets. They are not only stylish but classic and the quality is unbeatable. They're a little on the pricier side, but an investment piece and in my opinion, worth every penny.

'Subtle' Statement Flat
When I think of a wardrobe classic shoe, I think of a typical leather ballet flat. So this is really a category of its own: the statement flat. But really, when I think of a statement flat, I think of something a little wild... maybe in a funky design, bright color, or with a crazy embellishment. I think it's great to have a fun shoe like that in your closet, don't get me wrong, but there's something great about also having a more subtle statement shoe. The bow flats I am wearing are somewhat of a statement because of the pointed toe, giant grosgrain bow, and the plaid print. But they're also classic because they are neutral, have a very low heel and have an overall classic shape. As you can see in the outfit above, they give it a little 'something' that a classic ballet flat doesn't always offer. These shoes are from last season, but they just came back in a gorgeous navy suede. They run true to size, I'm wearing my typical 38.5.