Post-Pandemic Outfit Ideas: What My Clients Are Wearing
The pandemic rollercoaster seems to be coming to an end (fingers and toes crossed). And with it, come the parties, events, and gatherings that we need to get dressed for. So, needless to say, my phone’s been ringing off the hook with clients, both old and new, in a slight panic about what to wear for all of these occasions.
And when I say occasions, I don’t mean dressy, black-tie affairs. Rather, I’m talking about sporting events, girls’ nights out, parents’ weekends at school, and even dates - all of the things we used to take for granted, that now seem special and even a little daunting. I’ve said it before, we’re out of practice. But trust me, it’s like riding a bike. You just have to hop on and give it a whirl - and it will all come back.
The only difference is that the basics of riding a bike don’t change much, while fashion, my friends, is always evolving.
A Case Study (in Styling)
Let’s pretend we’re in business school and this is a case study… My forever client - like literally forever - we’ve been working together for 13+ years, was gracious enough to let me share her story and outfits.
Meredith is a working mother of 3 and married to an executive of an NBA franchise team. And even though we’ve been working together for over a decade, we took a break the past two years because… covid. And let’s get real, no one was going out much during that time. But recently, Meredith had the NBA All-Star Weekend and all of the surrounding festivities. And I received a Fashion 911 call asking for help.
We joked that the All-Star Weekend was her coming out of covid party. Even though she’d been working (mostly via Zoom) and doing some socializing over the last couple of years, life had not really ramped up to its pre-pandemic pace. So she was able to make do with what she had and the outfits I’d created through the years.
Side Note: I also want to note that the longer I work with clients, the more educated and empowered they become in assessing their own style. And regularly, they can fly solo and do a kick-ass job! And in the same breath, sometimes it’s just nice to have the support and sounding board of someone you trust. It allows you to know your wardrobe and therefore your outfits, in general, are on point. It’s a benefit - having professional guidance saves a lot of time and money by avoiding shopping mistakes and allows your confidence to shine through.
My long-term clients are often busy women (and men) who don’t have the time to dedicate to sourcing items, buying and returning, and curating looks that fit their bodies, budget, taste, and life roles. And when an emergency event comes up, it’s comforting to know you’ve got a pro in your pocket to help make it all come together.
4 Events, 4 Outfits
So here’s the sitch… Meredith had 4 events with the same people over 4 days. Basics could be repeated (if not spilled on). But unlike multi-city traveling or a vacation with family, full-on outfit repeating multiple days in a row wasn’t going to cut it.
Before we began planning, we discussed what feelings Meredith wanted to project. That might sound odd - but it’s actually really helpful to use both macro and micro style statements as guides when making outfits - especially for events that have professional affiliations.
The vibe we were going for was modern and fun. But tasteful and classy. Not too corporate, just somewhat professional, in more of an off-duty way. These outfits needed to walk the line between casual and special. Wanting to look put together while also not trying too hard.
GUESS WHAT?? These outfits work for sooo many other occasions too.
And it occurred to me - this is the fine line that so many people struggle with when it comes to getting dressed, especially for nights out. In the past few weeks alone, I’ve been asked about what to wear on a first date, for Mom’s weekend at a frat, and for a girls’ trip, to name a few. And ya know what?? They all have the same characteristics - they need to walk that line … casual yet special, and put together without being over the top.
A Little Bit About Each Post-Pandemic Outfit
As I said, we added some new pieces and also very consciously used items that Meredith already had to build these outfits. That is actually how I recommend everyone approach outfit creation. Mix your tried and true pieces with new items to make the outfits uniquely you.
I’ll make sure to note what is new and can be linked EXACTLY. As well as what is older and is linked with something similar. And in some cases, I’ve linked the item from multiple retailers because different sizes were available at each.
Outfit #1
Meredith bought this moto jacket just before the pandemic and was challenged with how to style it. I paired it with new splatter-painted jeans from Mother and a black silk cami (to make it feel elevated, as opposed to a tee-shirt). And the booties are an older, tried and true (and very comfortable) pair of blue snakeskin boots. FYI - comfortable footwear is key when you’re going to be on your feet most of the night.
Meredith also had this metallic clutch from a previous cocktail event and it added a nice, festive touch to the jeans and moto look. We also piled on some Freida Rothman necklaces to give it an elegant edge.
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Outfit #2
I’m obsessed with this colorful blouse! Meredith was not sure when I pulled it, but once it was on, she fell in love too! There is a detail on the bottom so it can be worn out, or tucked in to a higher waisted pant as we did here. It will also look amazeballs in the summer with white jeans and sandals.
Pairing this top with black washed jeans helped ground the look and also make it feel a bit dressier than a blue jean, but not as fancy as a black trouser - because it needed to walk that line! The high neck meant no necklaces but some cool statement earrings from Blue Yonder. And adding a bag in a contrasting yet neutral color helped make it pop. Since I practice what I preach, we also added a third piece - a fun faux fur jacket we purchased a few years back but I was able to link for you!
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Outfit #3
I mean how cute is this family??? It’s mind-blowing for me to see these beautiful young women grow up. I started working with Meredith when she was pregnant with the twins and vividly remember being in a dressing room strategizing how to hide the bump for a work conference until she hit the 12 weeks mark.
Ok, on to her outfit… Leather blazers are a great tool for walking that line. The body of the piece is professional, yet the fabric is edgy. So the juxtaposition is built right into the item. This one is faux leather and the color gives it extra style. She’ll wear this so many ways, 12 months a year.
I like to give outfits an unexpected element, and adding this bright tangerine silk top totally did that. The jeans and boots are tried and true basics and help keep the look punchy but grounded. And the LOVE necklace ties in the black pants and mimics the shape of the blazer button to make it all come together - the devil is in the details.
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Outfit #4
Everything in this outfit is new (except the shoes), and I just love it. I love it all together and I love that Meredith will be able to break it all apart and wear these pieces separately in different ways in the future.
The leather trousers, similar to the leather blazer, takes a more conservative item and makes it more fun with the fabric. We hemmed them very long intentionally because pants are getting long again. And it gives the wearer legs for days! This black silk top creates a column of color with the pants and allows the sweater to be the hero of the outfit. And the sweater looks equally fantastic buttoned up and worn without anything underneath. Adding a red bag picks up on the red tipping on the sweater, and finishes off the whole look.
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