I’m joining Cindy, Mary Ann and a few of our friends for our monthly installment of Project Design and this month we are calling it Collected Fashion. I think there are probably many ways to interpret this project and that is one of the reasons I love these collaborations with fellow bloggers. We all take different approaches and make it our own. 
Wearing a vintage Burberry sweater and these jeans from GAP. The bag is by Philip Lim way before he dressed Michelle Obama. It’s a super soft leather bag that I forgot I owned…thanks to working on this post, I’m bringing it back to the front of my closet.
I’m not at all a fashion blogger, but I’ve always loved fashion. Wearable fashion, that is. I have had the same style my entire adult life and finally I feel like we’ve entered a time when really anything goes. I remember when I lived in a suburb of DC when our kids were young. I was wearing pair of tan thin whale corduroy pants, a dark gray cashmere v-neck sweater and red leather oxfords. And I thought I looked good. Ha! Because here’s the thing, oxfords were not really “in style” for women in the late 90s. I was shocked when a friend of mine (looking down at my shoes) started to tell me about a shoe sale and then proceeded to tell me that you can turn in any pair of shoes and get a credit toward a new pair of this particular brand. I cannot even remember the brand or even the kind of shoe, but I did know that I loved my red leather oxfords from Cole Haan. So what I’m saying is…I love that every style is in right now. I lean heavily toward menswear and finally, I’m sort of in-fashion, dare I say?
For this post I am going to rely mostly on what’s in my closet, plus a few very inexpensive purchases. I have never regretted making an “investment” purchase. Of course I still buy things at stores like Madewell and Gap. I love everything I’ve ever purchased from Everlane and can appreciate their approach of sustainability. I used to buy expensive jeans. I love that now I can buy a great pair of jeans and pay less than $100 and sometimes less than $50!
Wearing my favorite Everlane cashmere crew sweater. I size up and wear it over size like a sweatshirt. I have a few and wear them all the time with everything. The scarf from Madewell has the same colors as the pants from GAP. My Goyard bag has seen better days, but I love it anyway. My glasses are from Oliver Peoples and are not tinted even though they look like it...for some reason.
January is always a good time to take stock of what I have and not buy a lot of new clothes. It’s a time I like to cool it on the spending and organize and assess what I already own. In the above photo I’m wearing pants from GAP that were on sale for around $20 last fall. I’m wearing my vintage Cole-Haan oxfords, Coach Bucket Bag, a denim shirt from J.Crew and a Vince coat sweater. The denim shirt is super thick and I hated the way it felt in the arms when I layered it under a sweater, so I cut off the sleeves. It looks like I’m wearing a shirt, but it’s way more comfortable. I layer it under blazers with a t-shirt too. (I wore that Vince sweater in this post too).
I found this dress as I was walking through the Uniqlo in the new Hudson Yards mall. It’s a lot of dress, but for the sale price of $20 I knew I could make it work over a pair of jeans (wearing my favorite leg makeup because it’s January in the northeast).
This is a new shirt from Everlane and it’s super soft. I can see wearing it in the summer with white jeans or these from Madewell. They are the most comfortable high-wasted jeans.
So what do you have that’s been hiding in the back of your closet? Take a good look and think about pairing it with a new pair of jeans and it may become your new favorite outfit!
Please make sure to check out my friends posts to see how they interpret Collected Fashion.
shop the look
WHAT is in the back of my closet?Well, BANKSY BOY has been helping me this week by pulling things out and napping on them!
YOU look FANTASTIC in your MENSWEAR THEME………..you remind me of DIANE KEATON!Just saw her in a movie last night!She was in bed with a white shirt and a mans cashmere robe on with a scarf!SO YOU!
COLE HAHN.When we lived in Florence the factory was down the hill from where we lived!
I use to run around town with some of the AMERICANS who had come over to work there!
Those were fun times that I made out of a stressful time!I have VERY FOND memories of ITALY and going to DRIVING SCHOOL there!One must know how an engine works and all the parts functions!Heck I did not even know them in English!
I will be CLEANING the closet this SPRING as we are EXTENDING MY CLOSET!
I will think of YOU if anything I have SCREAMS ANNIE!!!!!!!!!
I LOVE TO GIVE AWAY to FRIENDS and FAMILY!
WONDERFUL POST!
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Oh Elizabeth, I cannot even imagine going to driving school in Italy. Car parts…in Italian no less…Oh my goodness, I would have never passed. So you are adding on to your closet? Is your closet as I imagine, a dressing room that looks like a boutique? And remember we are the same size! Except shoes…I’m 1 10.5, how are you so tall and have such a dainty foot?! Lucky you!
Annie I have never seen you look more chic and gorgeous! I loved every single outfit! Can’t wait to post these pics! I adore that uniqlo dress over jeans. I wonder if they have any more. You know I would wear it just like you or with leggings! You are so right about this post forcing one to look into the closet. I did the same thing. I unearthed a leather skirt I couldn’t part with but hadn’t worn as well as a belt. You are such an inspiration to all of us. You know your style, you rock it, and don’t follow trends. Love that story about the shoes. Someone walked in my house one time and asked what my furniture would look like when it was finished.
You look so you. You’ve got a very distinctive menswear look that I love. So casual and cool looking. So effortlessly stylish. You look like you don’t try hard with is the best compliment. I must say this group of women are so inspiring. I love the idea that you simply cut off the sleeves of that denim shirt. All in all a so Annie look. I love the idea of getting a larger size of sweater. I’m going to try that. Great look!
Annie,
I’m thoroughly enjoying this series. I always love seeing ideas for putting together outfits, every day or fancy. I wear similar styles as you, Cindy and Mary Ann so I’ve enjoyed the sourcing for some of the separates. Thank you!
Karen
Thank you Karen! This was a fun one and really tested my comfort zone…not huge fan of having my photo taken. Thanks for reading and taking the time to comment karen!
xo
Annie
Annie, You need to fashion blog more because you have excellent style. I love this post and the looks – and your story about your shoes. I crack up at some of the things I wore in the 90s.. I think I was pretty frumpy. The oxfords look awesome now as do the handbags !! Your Uniglo shirt was a find and how smart to wear it as a tunic. LOVE!! A few of us have vintage Coach purses too on this roundup. Some old thing that are looking great again. That Phillip bag is awesome! Annie I can’t wait to hang our together in SF! Fun doing this together. xo
Love your classic style! Thank you for sharing.
I love your style and I like that it is so wearable. Thanks to you, I found Everlane and went with those white boots too !
Hi Leena! I love them and cannot believe how comfortable they are! My daughter says the same thing! Plus, I love the sound they make when you wear them. Thanks for taking the time to read and leave a comment!
Gorgeous! Love all of these outfits. I am a Gap fan as well, have been for years. They’re easy pieces you can add your personality to. I’m also an oxford and loafer lover. Popped over from La CONTESSA 🙂
HI Lisa,
You can’t go wrong with GAP, the prices! Thanks for popping over from Elizabeth ad for taking the time to comment. That’s so sweet!
Annie
Enjoying all of the Collected Fashion posts today. All so different and all so fabulous! I’m inspired to dig through my closet! xo