As I walked into my 9 to 5 one of my colleagues asked, “Can I ask you a question?”  I smiled and said, “Sure” she said, “…are you an avid fashion magazine reader, did you start reading fashion magazines at an early age?!” I giggled and she continued, “You always look so fashionable, chic and pulled together“.

Let me tell you that really made my morning, because I didn’t particularly feel pulled together at that moment.  I’d been doing long hours at a side hustle and I was short on time in the mornings.  But…I do love fashion just not in the designer runway fashion sorta way but being stylish and pulled together.  I read a post on the Women on Topp blog, “Universal Truths of the put together woman” the author described being mesmerized by a pulled together woman.  I know the feeling!

I’ve always strived to achieve the pulled together level of stylish.  My Momma was my inspiration.  Our styles differ but she set the tone for me growing up.  From her I learned to appreciate the classic, effortless chic appeal of clothing. Incorporate leopard (repeat after me, animal print is a neutral) and bold color to a traditional wardrobe and you have my style.

I love getting dressed, putting together outfits and adding the details that complete the look.

Fashion, or my idea of fashion, doesn’t mean expensive or designer or flamboyantly unrealistic.  It is pulled together, stylish chic confidence or effortless chic, where your confidence is the staple or base of your look.

My Pulled Together Chic Checklist:

If you don’t feel good you will not look good

Invest in a full length mirror and USE IT

Trust your inner voice

Fit is important

Dress your body (the one you have not the one you used to have)

Ignore the size (the actual number is less important, focus on the fit)

Just because it zips doesn’t mean it fits

Big, baggy and shapeless = sloppy

Dress your age, nothing ages you more than shopping the wrong section

Juniors clothing is not cut for a grown woman

Women under 60 should not shop in the Sag Harbor section

Details matter if your clothing is wrinkled or in disrepair everyone notices

Please stop with the matchy-matchy, instead think coordinate, pops of color, contrast

Find and invest in a good shoe cobbler and tailor

Less is more, this is not a cliché love, pick a statement piece and everything else supports that piece

Note: Statement pieces can be jewelry, shoes, a killer jacket, a scarf etc. you get the point

See you soon XOXO

P.S. In case you haven’t guessed I’m an accessory (aka Candi) junkie, you can always find stylish, chic, effortless, classic and bold statement (basically whatever it is you desire) in my online Chloe + Isabel jewelry boutique.  Update: C+I no longer available.  Check out my upcoming favorites list.  TTFN!