Every season there’s a severe shortage of casual pants that can be interchanged with jeans. Well, things are improving because there are definitely more choices now than in previous years. Here are your options by style.

• Skinny Cargos: Also known as utility pants and available in many variations. Some are super skinny, while others are a little baggier and elasticated at the ankle. Overall, the silhouette is slim and not relaxed like cargos were in the 90’s (see picture 1).
• Coloured and white jeans: These are technically still jeans, but they feel different because they aren’t blue or black. Some are made of denim and others of cotton twill. They come in pastels, brights and white. I’ve only seen the colours in skinny silhouettes, but white jeans are available in all silhouettes (see picture 2).
• Cropped Cargos: The style is sweet when rolled up to just below the knee (see pictures 3 and 4).
• Bermudas: The classic shorts silhouette that finishes on or above the knee. You’ll find really comfy pairs with 2% stretch (see pictures 5 and 6).
• Clamdiggers:  Clams are longer than bermuda shorts, and a lot more tapered from thigh to knee. They are like a pair of short skinnies. You’ll also see this style referred to as tapered bermudas. Purchasing a pair of capris and hemming or rolling them to clamdigger length is effective, something I’ve encouraged clients to do for several seasons (see picture 7).
• Knitted Harem pants: An acquired taste! The knitted varieties are casual and adorable with the right top and shoes (see picture 8).
• Short shorts: With killer legs and youth on your side, these are “the” casual bottoms of the season in all sorts of style variations. Surprisingly, even places like Ann Taylor are selling short shorts. They are that big. Solid, printed, pleated, tight, baggy, bright, neutral, you name it (see picture 9).

I haven’t included casual pants like leg shortening capris and cropped pants, which happen to be everywhere this season, but give me heart failure. This silhouette can be worn in flattering ways, but it’s so hard to do, especially with flat shoes. I have also left off classic “Dockers” style khakis because they still look blah to my eye. In the spirit of this year’s 70’s fashion revival, extra wide-leg khakis are all over the show. They require height, long legs and platform wedges, making them an option for a minority of women.

From the above list, I’ll wear casual bermudas, white jeans and clamdiggers. I have those styles covered and don’t need any more. I’ll also continue to wear my very 80’s black and cream micro check skinnies from Spain, which I have had for years and still love to bits. I’d like to get a pair of baggy red jeans, but no luck so far. Along with blue jeans and leggings I have plenty of casual and smart casual pant options.

Skinny cargos almost made it into my wardrobe. I did not bite because I prefer wearing dressier, fashion forward trousers and instead bought a couple of pairs of those. I also like to wear skirts and dresses, which means I generally, need fewer pants.

This post contains affiliate links.

Formal suits are probably one of the least popular items on YLF. People generally believe they look overly formal, business-y, strict and conservative. Not to mention the discomfort associated with wearing a suit. More often than not, women wear suits for professional and corporate reasons only, or to the odd interview and funeral. Wearing suits for any other reason seems a batty idea.

Well, I’m one of the batty ones. I LOVE an impeccably tailored suit and wear one just for the heck of it! A well cut suit exudes a simple and strong modern style message with just a hint of 70’s glam. Think Calvin Klein, DKNY and Ralph Lauren. I find that very appealing, so much so that I feel magical each time I wear a suit. I’ve had them in my wardrobe for the last 15 years and don’t see that changing at all. In the 90’s I wore lots of skirt and trouser suits, and amidst a sea of black, I even had suits in lime green, red, cobalt blue and light blue. More recently my preference is for a charcoal grey pinstripe.

I wore this outfit last Friday when we had dinner at Le Pichet with dear friends.  It’s a variation on an ensemble I described a few months ago when I matched a different suit with a turtleneck, studded belt and Frye ankle boots. This time I wore my Theory suit, swapped out the turtleneck for a black Brooks Brothers, non-iron button down shirt, added my gold medallion and carried the new Lulu Guinness instead of a clutch. It was raining that night so I popped over my cream trench and snuggled up with Greg under a polka dot umbrella.

It was an evening filled with food, exuberant laughter and a bit of city walking. I was extremely comfortable in my suit, which I loosened up by scrunching up the sleeves and adding a casual belt and footwear. Because I’m really into livening up grey with yellow gold at the moment, my new watch, gold wedding ring and my late Mum’s medallion were obvious accessory choices.

I do understand that this outfit is an acquired taste. A dressier belt with matching pumps would have been much more predictable. But it’s part of my style to add small unexpected touches to my outfits, and I’m always kind to my feet. Plus, I really get a kick out of testing the marriage between formal and casual outfit elements, taking them as far as I can.

These photos were taken close to home in a cool part of town called Capitol Hill. Out of the blue, passer by Rodelio, impulsively posed next to me while Greg was taking pictures. His colourful, casual and creative ensemble contrasts brilliantly with my monochromatic and conservative outfit. Love it!

Maybe my love for suits also stems from the fact that I don’t need to wear one every day. That way I can play dress up with non-corporate ensembles. Suits are not often described as fun clothing items, but I derive great enjoyment from wearing mine.

See more photos and outtakes (including Rodelio) on our Facebook page.

Has anyone noticed some of the exorbitantly priced items available at J.Crew’s online store? We’re talking extremely high prices, like $650 for a pair of sequin harem pants, $795 for a pair of moped suede pants, $1200 for a cashmere cocoon pullover, and $1495 for a Francesca dress (all pictured below).

I’ve seen these high priced items at J.Crew for a few seasons and have always wondered, what’s THAT all about?  It’s seems very odd that a mainstream brand like J.Crew is offering items at prêt-à-porter and couture prices right alongside its regular priced items, which are often a tenth of the price!

For me the price rhythm of their merchandise seems out of whack. In my experience, people who pay over a thousand dollars for a clothing item usually aspire to something higher-end than the J.Crew label. They pay those prices for high-end designer brands, and all the status, exclusivity and quality associated with that.

It is possible that this is part of their brand strategy. That a smattering of premium items will give them exclusivity that spills over to their mainstream range.

I would love to know what’s behind J.Crew’s somewhat bizarre pricing strategy. Any ideas?

This post is brought to you by Nordstrom Rack, where you can find the hottest brands and trends at the best prices.

The budget friendly way to create a career wear wardrobe capsule is to use items that can be remixed to create several different outfits. That means purchasing many separates and fewer standalone pieces. Whether you’re building a business casual wardrobe from scratch, or just looking to fill in capsule gaps, the information in this post will help you to choose the right pieces and in the right quantities.

But first, a big disclaimer. All guidelines are made to be broken! This would be my starting point with a client who had the goal of building an efficient professional capsule, but by the end of our process things would almost certainly look different to the blueprint.

Colours, Patterns and Textures

The first thing you need to do is choose a colour palette to simplify the mixing and matching. Neutrals are especially simple to remix, but adding the right amount of colour can look just as professional. The possibilities are endless when it comes to the specific colour palette you choose, but generally you need some conservative neutrals as the base, and colourful hues to make things interesting.

For example, black, grey and white, with splashes of teal and amethyst. Or brown, camel and cream as the base, with chartreuse and antique blue as the pops of colour.

More often than not I find myself encouraging my clients to add more colour to their professional capsule, even in small doses, because it adds variety and livens up their outfits. The easiest way to do this is through tops, cardigans, handbags, necklaces and scarves. Dresses and footwear are next on the list. Coloured bottoms are also fab, but they require a little more forethought in the wardrobe building process.

The next question is prints versus solids. You need to be thoughtful here, because while solid items are easier to remix, patterns add an attractive oomph. As an easy guideline, add patterns through tops, dresses and scarves and leave the rest solid.

Finally, be sure to remember texture. Items in luscious fabrications with interesting textures kick up the style quotient of an outfit. Try to incorporate items with fabulous textures into the capsule.

With the colours, patterns and textures under control, let’s break it down into item quantities.

Clothing Items

• 5 tops: One top for each day of the week that can be worn both on its own AND as a layering piece to maximize remixing. There is nothing stopping you from selecting 5 solid knit tops, but I’m willing to bet you’ll pretty soon yearn for a change. So mix up the styles and fabrications for extra variety. For example, purchase two blouses, a button down shirt, and two knit tops. Keep some solid and some printed. Incorporate colour!
• 3 bottoms: Add trousers and/or skirts. Pencil skirts are usually easier to match up with tops so stick to pencil skirts instead of flared skirts. If you feel comfortable wearing trouser jeans to work, add them in here.
• 3 toppers: Add jackets and/or cardigans to layer over tops. Choose an assortment of colours and styles.
• 1 dress: A solid straight sheath dress is a no brainer because it’s easy to layer over it and underneath it. But by all means, use the dress to introduce colour and pattern into the capsule. Make sure that at least one of the toppers works over the dress.

Accessories

• 2 handbags: Swapping out a handbag makes an outfit look and feel completely different so I’m going to be a devil and suggest two handbags, one in neutral and one in colour.
• 3 scarves: These are optional, but scarves are highly effective at changing up an outfit.  Adding a patterned scarf to a solid top creates a totally different look. Incorporate colour!
• 4 necklaces: You might be more of an earrings and bracelet gal, but necklaces are more noticeable, which is what you’re after if your outfits are to look noticeably different from one day to the next. Purchase necklaces in different lengths, metals and colours.
• 2 belts: These are also optional. Figure out how you like to wear belts and add a few to the capsule. Waist cinching belts and skinny belts are fab over tops. Tucked-in tops look great with belted trousers.

Footwear

I find that an effective professional capsule normally needs 3 to 4 pairs of shoes. Pumps are versatile because they work with trousers, dresses and skirts. Choose at least one pair to bookend your hair color, another in a colour and another in an animal print. The last pair is probably best in another neutral. Mary janes, T-straps, peep toes, shooties, oxfords and sling backs provide plenty of heeled pump style variety so think further than a basic pump. Throw in a pair of dressy flats if you like them paired with dresses and skirts.

Capsule Maintenance

Outlining a capsule in this way makes it seem that you need to start from scratch and get it all at once. That is seldom the case, even when I work with clients that overhaul their entire wardrobe. The capsule gives you something to aim for, helps you to identify gaps and ensures that the budget you set aside is spent where it is needed most.

When the capsule is in more or less in place, you can either build onto it (e.g. the same base neutrals with a different colour as an accent), or start another professional capsule in a completely different colour palette.

Once again, these are merely guidelines that can serve as a starting point. Create your own blueprint that takes into account your specific situation. And remember that the goal is to ensure maximum remixing potential, so it is important to think about the capsule as a whole. The effort will pay off. There will be fewer wardrobe orphans, and as you get good use out of the capsule, the cost per wear of individual items will whittle down to nothing. It will feel great knowing that you are getting the biggest bang for your fashion buck.

Over to you. Does this blueprint resonate with you, and how does it differ from your professional wardrobe capsule?