I admit it -- I'm a shameless fan of Grechens Closet. I check it every day. The feature I like best is one she started last summer, I think, but then sort of let slide. Recently I wrote to her to ask about it -- and voila! -- she has revived Outfit of the Day, which, just as you'd imagine, highlights an outfit of hers every day.
I really like a lot about how she dresses. She tends to gravitate toward more expensive pieces, but someone with a good eye could approximate many of the looks with less expensive pieces.
But I like this feature in particular because it shows how important neutrals are in grounding an outfit, as you can see in this picture. A bag does NOT -- repeat after me -- not have to match anything else in the outfit. (Grechen goes out of her way to get the combinations a little "off," which makes them more interesting.) So, neutral clothes (gray, denim, white), a bag in a different sort of neutral -- or an actual color in the bag (see my previous homage to purple purses). And shoes that go in an entirely different direction. (I love jewelry, so I would probably add some big, thin gold hoops and a chunky ring to this combo.)
Now, note that this approach isn't for amateurs, but you can get it with a little practice. The whole look should look low-key and not overly thought-through.
And a final thought, which Grechen also seems to understand so well -- light colors (think white and ivory) are just so brilliant on anyone and everyone. Whatever you look like, you will look even better in a white or ivory next to your face. It's like candlelight casting its glow on your face, only in the form of a T-shirt or blouse. But remember, and this is key: You have to wear the right color! True white on me just highlights the circles under my eyes and the whatever imperfections exist in my skin. So I stick to ivory, which softens and lights me up. Play around with the different whites while looking in a mirror and see what works best for you.
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