Consider this blog post your reminder to keep something casual but unique in your closet that will elevate your outfits effortlessly for special occasions. That could be something very different for each woman’s personal style. But I’ve discovered that when I stand in my closet feeling like I have nothing to wear for a unique occasion, it’s usually because I’m missing this special ingredient. Let’s talk a bit about the casual piece you need in your closet for special occasions.
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Today I’m sharing several pieces that were gifted to me from L’Agence. Founded in 2008 by creative director Jeff Rudes, the label began with early roots in Hollywood and is carried by approximately 300 major retailers such as Bergdorf Goodman, Revolve, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s and Saks 5th Avenue. Their feminine and slightly edgy designs combine the easy chic feel of Southern California with Parisian sensibilities. Yes, these are investment pieces. But because the quality is stellar and the designs are unique but also classic, these are the types of pieces you’ll enjoy having in your wardrobe for years.
I have purchased only two pieces from L’Agence myself, so I’m not trying to sell you anything here. But I’m always so pleased to have the opportunity to introduce you to brands that feature such high quality and fashion forward designs. These are the brands to look to when you want to know what’s truly in style, not just what’s available in the stores we frequent. So my goal is simply to use these two outfits as inspiration for the style tips I’m sharing today.
A Unique Casual Piece Can Elevate Your Favorite Outfit Formula
Just because most of us live a fairly casual lifestyle doesn’t mean we don’t still do special things. Most of us still enjoy celebrating an anniversary or birthday by going out for a good meal. Many of us attend the occasional dinner party or gathering where the host has taken care to make things particularly beautiful and exceptional. And we may also enjoy girls’ nights out, professional mixers, holiday gatherings and more.
Just yesterday my mom called me about a possible dress for her to wear when she and dad go out to celebrate their upcoming wedding anniversary. They’ve been married over 65 years. Yes, that’s worth a celebration. And it’s definitely an occasion worthy of dressing up a little.
But if you don’t have the right ingredients in your closet for these events, you end up shopping for something new every time one shows up on your calendar. Or you stand in your closet and wish you had.
And let’s face it, most of the time when we go out to celebrate we’re still going somewhere fairly casual. We just want to look a little more festive and extra pretty. That’s why I think it’s so smart to have a couple of pieces that you can add to the outfit formulas you already wear on repeat in order to pull something uncommon together.
For me that elevated casual piece is almost always a pretty blazer or other jacket. Since my favorite outfit formula is a jacket worn over a simple top and jeans, I know either of the L’Agence jackets I’m showing you today will give me multiple outfits for those special occasions. The fabrics have sparkle and shine, the silhouettes are flattering and the hardware is elevated and unique. But these pieces fit into my wardrobe effortlessly because I already wear similar more everyday varieties of them.
For instance, I styled these same ecru jeans above with a more casual blazer and tank top in this blog post. So when I purchase a “special” but casual piece to elevate my outfits, I purchase a variety that I’m already used to wearing and that I know how to wear in a way that feels comfortable and authentic. That’s key, because otherwise end up feeling inauthentic in these unique pieces and therefore never wear them. Can you relate?
Consider these Wardrobe Essentials Using Cost Per Wear Analysis
In Wednesday’s YouTube video I mentioned briefly that I like to consider cost per wear when purchasing the elements in my wardrobe. To calculate cost per wear, simply consider how many times, places and occasions you’ll wear a piece. But the cost per wear on a garment or accessory only really goes down (which is the goal) when you actually wear the piece.
Of course, the more versatile a piece is, the more likely the cost per wear is to go down over time. That’s why I love investing in neutrals more than colors. I also use the 3-3-3 rule (most of the time!). I look for items that I know I can wear with at least three pairs of shoes already in my closet, that I can wear with at least three other pieces in my wardrobe and that I can wear to at least three different places or types of events. Unless I use a test like that, I end up thinking something will be versatile only to discover later that it’s not.
Several people have asked me what “a good cost per wear” is? But there is no magic number here. Obviously it’s going to “cost me” more to wear a jacket or coat or nice pair of heels than it “costs” to wear a pair of casual sandals I wear almost daily or a pair of jeans that I wear weekly. So yes, a special occasion garment is going to have a higher cost per wear, potentially. But my personal goal is to always keep cost per wear in my mind and aim to bring that price down by wearing the item as frequently as possible.
In order to do that, I make sure my investment pieces are truly versatile, but also special enough to entice me to wear them. They also need to fit beautifully and feel great. Otherwise, I know I’ll grow frustrated with them and end up not wearing them as much as I should. And finally, I wear my nice clothes. I don’t hold them back for more special occasions that never come along. I dress up for lunch invitations, a weeknight dinner out, church, vacations, business meetings and conferences, women’s conferences and holiday family dinners. Don’t save your best clothes for special occasions; make the occasions special by wearing your best clothes.
Let’s cover some brass tacks about these outfits real quick, just in case you are interesting in any of them. Everything I’m wearing fits true to size, using the size guides on the websites. Both jackets are exquisite and feature high-quality seam work and beautiful fabrics and hardware. The jeans have a little stretch and are super comfortable. I love the high waistline. Both pairs of shoes are very walkable, versatile and fit true to size. The shoes and tote are in the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale and prices will go up on them after the sale.
Do you have a couple of unique casual pieces in your wardrobe that you use to elevate your looks? Do you wear them frequently, or at least regularly? Do you enjoy them and feel like yourself in them? I’d love to hear about the pieces you use to add a festive touch to your favorite outfit formulas.
Thanks so much for dropping in today. This post was not sponsored, but L’Agence did gift me a few of the items shown. I’m very grateful, but I always put you, my reader, first. So you can trust that my reviews are always honest and genuine. You can shop these looks through the links above or in the shopping widget below if you’re interested. Have a great day!
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Blessed for My Day
Some days are bliss. Others feel like one disappointment after another. Maybe they’re not huge disappointments, just little let downs. But those things that don’t go quite as planned, those little unfulfilled expectations and the awkward interactions mound up like a pile of small debris, quickly turning into something you could trip over or slide down on…if you’re not careful.
But let’s be careful out there today. Let’s be mindful that even when things don’t go as planned and you encounter unexpected messy situations, God is at work. He is refining you through the little hardships and disruptions just as much as He works through the bigger ordeals we all must face. In fact, our true colors often show up more pigmented in the little things that throw us unexpectedly than they do in the big things we tend to pray over and step more carefully through. That’s why it might be so important to begin our days with prayer, acknowledging that we desire to please the Lord and glorify Him honorably with our lives…come what may.
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand… ~ Philippians 4:4-5
Kay, I have written down your advice, “Don’t save your best clothes for special occasions; make the occasions special by wearing your best clothes.” This is so in line with my philosophy about using our “good” things like clothes, but dishes and linens too. Something in my closet that I consider casual but unique is a beautiful pair of cowboy boots. I like the colour and the detail on them and like to wear them with dark wash bootcut jeans. Footwear, in general, is something I think can add something special to an outfit. Thanks to you I have been inspired to wear more dresses and they make me feel festive even if the dress is quite simple and casual.
Yes! Those western boots sound amazing, and I’m sure they elevate your look. That’s exactly what I meant when I said these pieces could be very different for each woman, especially depending on our personal styles. Thanks so much for sharing. Great input!
Hi……..hope you have a lovely time in my state of Michigan. If you are traveling way north of Traverse City there is a lovely vineyard and place to stay called
Chateau Chantel.
My husband and I love Sierra Vista.
Thanks for your blog…….I love it !
Karen Ziegler
Thanks Karen, we are indeed staying at a lovely vineyard outside of Traverse City, but I’m not sure of the name. James made all the plans, so I’m just going to sit back and enjoy the ride. Ha! I know we’re going to love Michigan.
Love your looks in this post! And I do see the wisdom in having a small number of versatile investment pieces in one’s closet. Since 3rd pieces are impractical to wear most of the year in my warm climate, I have to rely on having better-than-basic basics, which I wear every day. (So yes, I wear my good clothes, every day!) That and using accessories to add some extra interest. For something special, I will pull out my statement jewelry. Mind you, my statement jewelry does not shout. It only speaks in a loud indoor voice. But that’s the most common way I put that “festive touch” into an outfit. 🙂
Kaye, thank you so much for this post today. Of course, you look beautiful in everything as you always do. What I loved about this post is your comment to not save our special items but to make the occasion special by wearing our best. This is 100% true. I try to do this more than I used to. I feel better when I do.
I hope you have a great get away. I will say a prayer for your safe travels.
Good advice to pull out the “special” stuff for an upscaled look. When I was working, I had many high-end suits and separates. After retirement, they found their way to my guest room closet because I was not wearing them on a regular basis. Since following you, I have pulled out those suit jackets and find that many of them enjoy a new life as a blazer with jeans or casual slacks. The skirts are shorter than I prefer nowadays, so they are still hiding in the guest room.
I find your blogs a good gauge for trending fashions as well as discovering new ways to wear what I already have. You inspire color or garment combinations I had not tried, so I rush to my closet to mimic combos you demonstrate. THANKS!
Have a wonderful time, Kay. I love Michigan. I have to remind myself to wear my better clothes more often and am working on it.
Hi Kay, I agree it’s a good idea to have some special items you can use to elevate your wardrobe—particularly for dinners out, celebrations, and get together with family. However, I don’t see wearing jeans as the answer! If you’re going for a special look, why not wear a dress, skirt or regular pants rather than jeans? Most of us wear jeans all the time. When I go out to dinner, I really prefer to make more of an effort.
I totally agree with you. This is a culture based on jeans – I wear mine pretty much daily — but when I dress to go out, I reach for nice, tailored paints. My working life was spent in suits (many with skirts), and I love the elegance of a suit. And suits are almost as ‘one and done’ as a dress in my view.
Kay, your advice on not saving best for special is so on point. I have beautiful dinner plates that have been sitting in a box for decades. We are now using them almost every night, and it makes our dinners special.
Trust me, I’m all for wearing dresses, skirts and other options. The point of this post was to make sure we have something special in our wardrobe to elevate casual looks. Maybe it’s because I spent so many years in Texas and Arizona, but I just know women do indeed want to wear jeans quite often, but we still want those denim outfits to look special. It’s easy enough to wear a dress and look special. But you have to have something a little unique in your closet if you want to elevate a denim outfit. Hope that clarifies my intent a bit.
Love your hair style. What have you done different? Longer? I know you are wearing it straighter. So cute. Love your grey color. It’s more white so goes with more. Since I e gone grey I don’t feel good in Fall colors line camel etc.
I’m growing it out a bit and wearing curtain bangs with a deep side part. Thank you.
Those jackets are just beautiful! As one of my late sisters used to say, “This life is not a dress rehearsal!” She always wore her best things; as a nurse, she knew life can change in an instant and there was no point saving things for “someday.” I use my mother’s sterling silver every night – no reason not to, as using it keeps it polished and there are just the two of us now so handwashing and drying a couple of forks, etc., is not onerous and I’m glad to use it – same goes for our “good” clothes – since many, if not most, of your followers are older, what are we waiting for? As my husband says, “This is as good as it gets!” Hope you enjoy some Michigan cherries while you’re there – Traverse City is famous for them and there is a store dedicated to all things cherry called “Cherry Republic.”