Same Accessories, Different Outfits
Investing in really great accessories to highlight any outfit
I often see posts about how different accessories can transform the same outfit, but I can’t recall a post where the same accessories can be transformed by different “main pieces” of an outfit. I’m a firm believer that you should by the very best pieces you can afford and wear them forever—I’m not talking about new party dresses (unless your life is far more interesting than mine!), but everyday things. We’re all too eager to drop a thousand dollars or more on an outfit for a wedding, but what about investing once in really great everyday shoes and then just wearing them with everything?
There’s an expression that essentially says you should invest in your sheets, your shoes, and your seat, because throughout your life you’re either lying down, sitting, or standing. I’ve always taken this to heart.
(For those who are interested, this is my office chair, which I love, and these are the sheets we use in the summer and these in the winter.)
While of course I wear different types of shoes throughout the year, my signature shoe is the loafer. I wear it with jeans, with grey flannel trousers, with corduroys, with dresses. It’s a shoe that serves me well throughout my daily life, and it’s absolutely the shoe I rely upon the most. (I’ve even worn it to a black-tie optional event).
If you’re picking your signature shoe, I highly recommend considering the following criteria:
Function: Make sure this shoe performs the way you need it to. Do you live in a rainy area? Consider a shoe treated with Gore-Tex or other water-repellent material (or invest in a pair of galoshes). In a city? Make sure your shoe can hold up to 10,000 steps a day. In the country? Ensure you can tramp through the fields (or whatever your country life entails), as well as making sure you can drive in them. Same with the suburbs—at least the driving bit.
Form: Make sure they look good with a variety of outfits! As I mentioned, I love my Belgian Shoes. The form (almond toe, low profile, limited decoration) is perfect for me and the variety of clothes I wear.
Color: What color works best with the largest variety of your wardrobe? My most-worn shoes are my brown Belgians with black piping. I feel comfortable wearing these with just about everything (and I’m not often someone who wears brown shoes with black trousers, for instance). If you can, and actually wear the shoes with a variety of colors, I’d consider investing in two pairs: one in black, one in brown.
Here are three ways I’ve worn my Belgians (you can find more below):
With a cashmere turtleneck, quilted jacket, corduroys, and a Longchamp for a board meeting
With a silk scarf, vintage cardigan (similar, 10% off with FEWERBETTER10), jeans (15% off with FEWER15), socks, and my mother’s old Barbour for an afternoon in the Village
My mother’s trench coat, old La Ligne sweater (similar; 10% off La Ligne with FEWERBETTER10); gold necklace from Aurate (20% off with FEWERANDBETTER20), black trousers for a night out
Some other “everyday” shoes I love the look of:
Alex Mill x Margaux boot: I’d wear with wide-leg trousers like these and these with a great blouse, wide-leg denim with a striped tee, a lovely silk slip skirt and dress shirt, and this dress.
Jamie Haller slippers: I’d wear with kick flare trousers and this tunic, this dress, and this skirt with this shirt.
Jamie Haller chukkas (yes, I’ve hopped on the Jamie Haller train and I’m in LOVE): with these cords and a turtleneck, these jeans and this shirt, and a corduroy skirt with a flannel shirt.
Ann Mashburn mules: with slim trousers and a polo sweater, velvet crop jeans and a sweater jacket, and a pleated skirt with a sleek bodysuit.