I was in J.Crew today and they are offering 25% off an entire purchase until June 24th. I find that J.Crew’s sizing, quality and pricing is mixed, but I still shop there frequently for myself and with clients. I’m drawn to their colour selection, especially when other retailers are focused on neutrals. I also enjoy their simple, crisp designs and adore the knitwear. So here’s a little roundup of my top picks.

1. Maritime Blazer in Placed Stripe: A knitted style that’s comfy and stretchy. Fitted, but feels like sweats. Casual and structured. 
2. Denim Vest in Workwear Wash: I really liked the fit and quality of this vest amidst a sea of denim vests in retail. 
3. Ikat Popover: An arty and eye-catching print in a lightweight casual fabrication. 
4. Telegraph Skirt: This is the longest pencil skirt in retail. It fits beautifully and is knee covering without being midi length. Highly recommended for tall girls 
5. Collection Cashmere Tippi Sweater in Monarch: I have my eye on this one. How fun to wear this with animal print shoes and white jeans or black lace skirt. 
6. Sparkle Crewneck Sweater: It’s unfortunate that the picture does not do this dainty item justice. It’s ultra refined and pretty, the sparkle soft and subtle. 
7. Linen-Cotton Drawstring Pants: These are perfect for hot weather. They’re loose enough to be breezy but structured in the right place to not look overly schlumpy. I love the tapered leg with the rolled hem. 
8. Darby Suede Loafers: Extremely soft, just like slippers. Fits an orthotic. 
9. Darby Cap Toe Loafers: These are the closest I’ve seen to the Celine loafers I fell in love with last year. A little Chanel-esque too. 
10. Lillian Suede Low Wedges: The suede makes these delightfully comfortable. Works for a wider foot and size down half a size.
11. Viv Metallic Flats: On trend and versatile. Not nearly as soft as the suede but not bad at all. 
12. Leather Colorblock Passport Case: Make your passport easy to spot by dressing it up in this little outfit.
13. Leather Colorblock Luggage Tag: Spot your luggage right away with these tags. 
14. Havana Clutch: I almost bought this little wicker darling, but my wallet wouldn’t fit. It’s beautifully made, retro and so very Summery. 

Also, if you’re a tall girl, J.Crew does extra long lengths in Tall trousers, jackets, skirts and tops. My six foot clients happily wear heels with flared suiting pants because of the additional inseam length.

There comes a point when a particular wardrobe item is well represented, or even over represented in your closet, and it’s time to say NO MORE. Or at least no more until you need to replace one of the items. I’ve been feeling that way about black bottoms over the last few months because I have the bases covered and then some. 

Over the years I’ve accumulated a pencil skirt, two pairs of cigarette pants, dressy wide leg trousers, ruched cropped pants, harem pants, a flirty full paneled short skirt, Bermuda shorts, a formal maxi trumpet skirt and straight leg jeans. That’s ten black bottoms that cover both the trends and the classics, casual and formal dress codes, and short and long lengths. All in good shape and flattering. That’s more than enough. 

I wear black bottoms regularly, but they are not a signature look. There are only so many times I want to wear them before I’m bored with the concept and crave lighter bottoms. I also prefer my dressy black bottoms to the casual styles, and there are even fewer occasions when those come out to play. That’s why I’ve reached my wardrobe saturation point with the item.

Items like white shirts, on the other hand, are nowhere near reaching their saturation point even though I have six of them in an assortment of styles. They are a signature look for me. Weather permitting, I could wear them daily in all sorts of ways and not tire of the concept.  

It’s not the quantity of an item type that makes you reach your saturation point, but your ability to wear it frequently and with enthusiasm. That’s why no matter how much I fall in love with the black bottoms pictured here, I must stay strong and not purchase them. It’s wasted money after I’ve reached my wardrobe saturation point. 

Which items have reached their saturation point in your wardrobe?

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I love the look of natural shiny skin, and make-up that is “barely visible”, so as a result my make-up routine is very light. I wear a little tinted moisturizer, a dusting of blush, mascara, eyebrow pencil, nude lipstick, and that’s it. I never wear eyeshadow, bronzer, eyeliner, lipliner, gloss, concealer and dark lipstick. If I didn’t look brighter, more polished, and alive with a little make-up, I’d probably skip the routine entirely and concentrate purely on skincare products.

That said I absolutely believe that there is a time and place for heavier make-up, and that’s in front of the camera or under any type of strong lighting. I’ve learned that I have to apply twice as much make-up for my own YLF outfit photo shoots if I want to look my normal self in the photos. I look completely washed out when I wear the usual bare minimum. 

The same goes for clients when I prep them for photo shoots or events that involve professional photo taking. They can’t believe they’re wearing so much more make-up. I reassure them by saying that they’ll thank me for my heavy hand when they see the photos. 

I recently had make-up professionally applied when a camera crew filmed me for an upcoming smartphone advertisement for LG. I have never worn as much make-up in my life, and it was touched up throughout the day to maintain the effect. Every time I looked in the mirror, I was shocked to see my made-up face. But as soon as I saw some of the photo and camera footage, the make-up looked natural and spot on. 

If you’re posing for professional photographs, video or the like, my suggestion is to apply extra make-up if you normally wear a little or none at all. You may dread the look in real life, but it’s probably going to look dead right in the photos or video.