When I was growing up, I remember my mother often saying, “always go with the simpler style; you won’t get tired of it as quickly, and you’ll will wear it more and keep it longer.” She wasn’t wrong, but she wasn’t completely right either. For a good many years, that advice warned me away from anything that was unique or eye-catching. But “simple” doesn’t have to mean boring and generic. Lately, I’ve come to appreciate simple but distinctive designs. And not surprisingly, they’ve turned out to be some of the pieces I want to wear most often.
Rethinking “simple” & adding interest with a distinctive third piece
The easiest way to add interest to simple outfits is with a distinctive third piece. That can be a jacket, coat, cardigan, vest, or even a scarf. A third piece makes an outfit feel complete, and can be a great way to bring in your personality.
Take this quilted vest from Ruti, for example. With the oversized lapels and capped shoulder, it’s not your generic vest. But it’s surprisingly wearable and is turning out to be one of my best wardrobe investments so far this season.
It’s the perfect choice to throw on as a third piece for casual or Smart Casual outfits. Just warm enough for cool fall days, but not so much that you’ll overheat indoors. Great for travel too. I’ve machine washed and dried it, and it came out looking like new. And for a couple more days, it’s 20% off during Ruti’s “Friends & Family” promotion! (Also available in black.)
I’m wearing the Eileen Fisher washable ponte “carrot” pants previously shown here…I had them hemmed but left myself enough length to have the option to wear them cuffed. I really like the relaxed but not oversized fit and front pockets. I think these pants will also work well for travel.
More picks from Ruti
A note about sizing: I’ve found that Ruti pants tend to run a little small, so I usually size up one size. (They’ve recently changed their sizing system and now use standard numerical and S-M-L sizing.) Coats and tops mostly run true-to-size; many styles are designed for an oversized fit. Most Ruti clothing is washable, and travel-friendly.
What style advice learned from your mother (or grandmother or Aunt) do you still follow? What advice have you learned to set aside?
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