BRANDS TO SHOP
Here are our best tips for where to buy what. Well-dressed women know it's smart to mix clothing items from a variety of stores, combining cheaper with more expensive items. See below for our brand recommendations for different activity categories and for each type of clothing item.
activity
Work
You can love what you wear to work! Go for chic clothes that are simpler, more streamlined, more basic. Less detailing, less showiness, and less going on in your outfit = professionalism. That doesn’t mean boring though. “Chic professional” is a gorgeous look of its own that you can master. It helps to know where to get those all-important workhorse (pun-intended) pieces. Dressing each morning is so much easier when your closet has powerful options from Everlane, Theory, Loft, Banana Republic, Athleta, J.Crew, Madewell, White House Black Market.
Item type
jEANS
Great jeans can be found at a wide range of price points. There are a ton of very inexpensive jeans out there and also a lot priced over $200. Jeans need to be well-fitting but they tend to be more of a background item than your top, jewelry and shoes. No matter the price point, some jeans won't work on you and others will in a single store so trying on several is key. Move in them, sit in them, make sure they are comfortable. Also, check how they make your behind look because you just want jeans that perk up and flatter your bum! Really comfortable jeans with stretch and that hold their shape can be found at J.Crew, White House Black Market, Nordstrom, and Loft. Coupons and sales can help bring the price down at these stores. For cheaper jeans in trendy styles like destroyed mom jeans Forever 21 is good!
pants
Pants come in every color and print you can imagine, and it's worth playing around with different neutrals, colors and prints! It is important that your pants fit well, both for the way they look on you and also for comfort. You don't want them to dig into you anywhere, sag, or stretch out oddly through the course of the day. While higher priced pants tend to be of better quality and more likely to fit and last well, great less expensive (and even cheap) pants can be found—it just takes some trying on and a discerning eye! For high-quality crisp and tailored pants, Theory, White House Black Market, J.Crew, and Banana Republic. For inexpensive pants, Zara, Loft, H&M, and even Old Navy.
skirts
There are a wide-range of types of skirts—pencil, mini, midi, maxi, and A-line. Skirts come in all neutrals, colors, prints and textures you can imagine. You'll definitely want some neutral, simple skirts but also experiment with non-basic (printed or colored) skirts which make such easy outfits because you just need to pair them with basic neutral-colored tops and shoes. Forever 21 and Urban Outfitters have lots of fun mini skirts. Try J.Crew for lots of printed and colored midi and knee-length A-line skirts. Hill House Home has super versatile, ladylike iterations. Anthropologie has many free-spirited textural and embellished mini, knee, and maxi skirts. Loft and BCBG have great tailored, structured skirts in neutral colors.
Dresses
Dresses come in many styles, colors and prints. Dresses are highly feminine and, in our opinion, just make you feel good! If you aren’t used to wearing them, try and they may become your favorite wardrobe item. We love the ease of wearing a dress, they’re pretty much outfits by themselves. Find dresses just about everywhere, at all price points. Dresses do not need to cost much, for example Zara has frequent great finds.
Tops
Tops tend to be more of a focus than bottoms because they’re closer to your face, so make sure they are of good quality and fit! They can be worth spending more on. Also, tops in their style and vibe tend to “say” what activity you are dressed for (crisp button ups say work, a sparkly tank says night). So, consider these qualities when choosing tops. For great work tops, Loft, Banana Republic, White House Black Market. For casual tops, Free People, Zara. For night-out tops, Bebe, Anthropologie, Nordstrom, Zara.
Tees
Every woman needs some T-shirts! Include neutrals in black, gray, white, and some colors selected to coordinate with your shoes, bottoms and cardigans. Tees are surprisingly wearable, wear a simple white tee tucked into your work pants or skirt, wear a simple black tee to subdue multi-colored print pants, or in fall/winter wear long-sleeve slim fitting tees layered under cardigans, vests, dresses, and more. And tees, of course, are great for throwing on a weekend casual outfit. Madewell has tees in interesting shapes, Loft has tees great for layering, J.Crew has tees in cute prints and colors.
Sweaters
We don't know about you but we get excited when sweater weather comes! There are so many cute sweaters to choose from! You'll want a few sweaters in your wardrobe arsenal, including a couple perfect for casual wear, a couple that can be worn to work (probably neutral colors), and a few cardigans in neutrals and colors. To consider: feel a sweater on your skin to make sure it's not itchy before you buy, and keep in mind that pricier sweaters tend to not pill like some of the cheaper ones. For refined and high quality sweaters, White House Black Market, J.Crew, department stores like Nordstrom. For fun casual sweaters, Urban Outfitters, Free People, Anthropologie, Loft.
Jackets
Jackets add a lot to outfits, whether in more refined styles or fun styles! Choose a couple for work in structured shapes and conservative colors. For casual wear, choose a couple with interesting details like high-personality prints, shiny fabric, or oversized denim. Keep in mind the coloring of your skin and hair when choosing jackets, pay attention to how different colors bring out (or don't bring out) your coloring. For work jackets, White House Black Market, Loft, Macy's. For casual jackets, Gap, J.Crew, Nordstrom, Free People.