Finding My Style

 I've been writing about style for close to two decades, but that style (STYLE) had more to do with organizing and less to do with decor and fashion. My recent reading choices -- books on style and decorating -- have led me to think about my own style (Style?) in broader terms.  

As I pondered, I did what I often do -- I asked my family for their thoughts. 

"What's my style?" I asked my daughter, who almost immediately replied, "Brights. And patterns."

Hmm. That would not have been my first answer,

Over dinner, I asked my husband, whose pained expression made it clear that he thought it was a loaded question and he'd better tread carefully. After batting some things back and forth, we (he, my daughter and I) translated his answer into contemporary and coordinated.

None of this brought me close to the pithy phrase I was seeking.

Then, last week, I got my latest Stitch Fix box. I never review these ahead of time or read the info about their contents that comes inside the box. I prefer to tackle them like I tackle Christmas presents -- opening them up with the sense of excitement that comes from not knowing exactly what's inside. 

Everything in the box suited my tastes in one way or another. Color. Fabric. Cut. I'd nearly decided to keep a practical, silky black tee when I uncovered the box's crowning glory, tucked neatly into the middle of the pile. 

A jacket. A statement piece that might just as well have declared that everything else in the box should just step aside. The star of the show had arrived.

Blazers have been my thing over the past year or so, and I've been gravitating to choices that are soft and/or unstructured (a far cry from the ones I wore in the 80s). And solids. Pretty, versatile pieces that turned a top and pants into an outfit.

This blazer was most certainly not solid. But it definitely fit into both my closet and my style.

Suddenly, instead of chiding myself because so much of my closet is black and white, I got it. These neutrals are the building blocks, and everything else -- the brights, the prints, the plaids -- they're the statement pieces. 

Solid base + statement piece = finished. That's me.

This is hardly unique -- in fact, it's a basic fashion rule -- but it applies. My statement piece can be a jacket, a top, a piece of jewelry or a pair of shoes but, whatever it is, it's the thing that turns the clothing combo into an ensemble. 

I'm ridiculously excited to have figured this out. Like "having my colors done" in the 80s, this both narrows my options and broadens my horizons, helping me to decide what I should and shouldn't add to my wardrobe.

To which my credit cards say, "Thank you."

My at-home wardrobe? Well, that's another post entirely. And, despite the fact that it's not what you'd call stylish, it factors into my overall style.

Stay tuned.