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Walk and Talk (and an Outfit Formula)
Getting dressed doesn’t have to be complicated when you find your outfit formula. Today we’re sharing our ideas for easy, no-fail outfits you’ll be wearing every day, all spring and summer. These are the pieces we think you need in your closet for all those “everyday moments” that call for something pulled together, not-too-dressy, not-too-casual. It’s the components of an outfit formula for the way most of us dress on most days.
You’ll never fear running into someone you know at the grocery store when you’ve got these pulled together looks at your fingertips! Just use the outfit formula!
The fashion math is easy:
The SaF Outfit Formula = pants you love + tops that work with everything + seasonal shoes in varying heel heights + your favorite jewelry + your favorite bag
Voila! Getting dressed is THAT easy. Trust us, this is what we do in our own closets!
To get you started we’re sharing our favorite pieces in each category. Look in your own closet and find your pieces, and use our ideas if you need to add something you’re missing or update something old. Using our formula and your style, you can create a closet (and many outfits) you’ll love!
And don’t miss part 2 of our outfit formula post where we share outfits styled with all the pieces we’re sharing today!
1. PANTS/SHORTS
For spring and summer, every well rounded closet needs:
- light wash jeans
- white jeans
- white/light color pants – maybe try a wide leg pant, perfect with a wedge!
- wide leg linen pants
To go from spring to summer, add in some shorts (if shorts are your thing) and you’re all set.
2. TOPS/BLOUSES
An assortment of tops you love makes mixing and matching outfits so easy. Our picks include:
- bright colored tops and tops with some interesting details (for example, this white blouse from Splendid seems basic, but it has an all-over floral embroidered pattern that takes it up a notch)
- tops in a breathable fabric perfect for warm summer days (like this blue organic cotton top from Faherty, available in five colors)
3. SHOES
Variety is the spice of life (not sure who said this but every shoe lover will agree). For spring and summer each closet needs:
- a non-athletic sneaker (we like white to keep things fresh and neutral)
- a leather sandal (not a rubber flip flop–although we love those, too!)
- an everyday casual closed toe flat
- a wedge (gives a bit of polish even to shorts)
4. BAGS
We’ve long ago established that we’ve never met a bag we didn’t need. Every summer wardrobe should have some basics:
- a small(ish) crossbody that can be dressed up or down
- a tote — we like ours to be in fun colors to punch up an outfit
- a woven bag
- a purse that zips closed that won’t leave an indentation in your shoulder
5. JEWELRY
Gold or silver, whatever your preference, add a few pieces. It gives your outfit the “decorations” that make you look and feel polished.
6. WILD CARD AND THE THIRD PIECE
Dresses aren’t part of our “formula”, but they do deserve a mention in this post. They are the one and done heroes of our closets. Some days only a dress will get the job done (especially if you aren’t doing shorts right now). The two dresses linked below will get you through most every situation, both can be dressed up or down.
The third piece is a little extra that completes your outfit. It’s what gives it YOUR personality. Maybe it’s statement earrings, a jean jacket or a scarf. The third piece is what makes a uniform an outfit, don’t leave it off. It’s where you really show your style.
What We’re Watching
CHRISTA : I recently saw Lewis Capaldi in concert with my daughter, so it was fascinating to watch Lewis Capaldi: How I’m Feeling Now (on Netflix). He’s about the same age as my kids, so I must admit I probably watched it more from a mom’s perspective than a fans! LOL! (And I liked hearing how his parents felt.) He’s honest, compassionate, funny, talented AND coping with mental (and physical) health struggles as he started work on his next album. There’s something here for all of us to learn from.
And while you’re reading the blog, enjoy some of his music, too. You won’t be disappointed.
MEGAN : The Offer (Paramount+) is based on Albert Ruddy’s (Academy Award winner) experience making The Godfather. This dramatic mini series has an amazing, all star cast; Miles Teller, Juno Temple, Colin Hanks, Giovanni Ribisi, Matthew Goode… I mean seriously, the cast and set design is inspiring and the story is so good you won’t believe it’s true. Highly recommend even if you’ve never made it all the way through The Godfather movies.
Something We Bought This Week
CHRISTA : Hang on for some riveting blog content! Just refilled my faves for sandal-ready feet! The foot scrub and pumice are great in the shower, and the aloe infused socks are perfect at bedtime with some extra lotion on your feet.
Shop for Sandal-Ready Feet
What We’re Reading
MEGAN : Another great book this week, Happy Place by Emily Henry. I haven’t finished it yet but I couldn’t wait to tell you all about it. The characters and setting are so well written, they feel familiar. It’s funny and cute, serious and relatable, about second chance love. I bet this will be the book everyone is reading on the beach this summer.
What We’re Listening To
MEGAN : I cleaned my closet out last weekend, more on that later. Before I started pulling everything apart I listed to The Second Life podcast, Who What Wear with Hillary Kerr: How to Optimize Your Closet and Define Your Style With Wardrobe Specialist Allison Bornstein. It’s about 35 minutes of worthwhile listening. They talk about the how and the why and then putting it all back together. It’s a good time to clean out when you are switching things between seasons. Give it a listen.
CHRISTA : Megan sent this podcast to me last week as I was getting ready to tackle my own closet, and there is some great advice in here. They not only offer tips on purging and organizing, but they have some very helpful advice before you buy something new. It’s made me rethink how I shop online. Definitely give it a listen! Super helpful info (I even took notes)!
We did it friends! We each did a full closet purge and reorganized. It took several days last weekend and was a lot of work, but soooo worth it! Interested to hear our tips and recommendations on closet purging and organizing? Let us know if you have any specific questions. We’ll share the details in a future post.
What We’re Eating
MEGAN : We are in party planning mode over here, getting ready for my youngest son’s high school graduation. I hosted the moms (and the boys) one afternoon as we planned. It was after lunch, but I wasn’t sure if everyone had eaten, so I whipped up these charcuterie boards. One for the ladies (pairs well with wine) and one for the teenage boys (pairs well with Dr. Pepper). These are fun and easy and I just used what I had on hand. No special trip to the grocery store, nothing fancy. The kids’ board had the fixings for PB&Js, the moms’ board was more cheese and cracker focused. Here’s some visual inspo for you.
chips, pretzel slims, apples, almonds, hummus, cheese, crackers, pepparoni, carrots and cucumbers
m&ms, peanut butter, bread, jelly, pirates booty, slim jims, goldfish crackers, apples, applesauce peanuts, gummy bears, mike and ikes and oreos
Got the travel bug?
CHRISTA : Isn’t it fun getting sucked into travel sites, watching travel videos and browsing all the instagrammable pics of beautiful destinations? I’ve been looking for some new places and found these AMAZING resorts in the U.S. Nothing booked yet, but they’re definitely on my wish list.
Any place else that I should add to my list? Share in the comments.
- The Colony in Palm Beach certainly has “girls’ weekend” written all over it!
- Castle Hot Springs in Arizona looks a little more outdoorsy than I might prefer, but the promise of “leaving feeling better than when you arrived” might make me step out of my comfort zone.
- Montage Palmetto Bluff reminds me of our favorite destination, Sea Island. Southern hospitality at it’s finest! I’d love to stay in one of their little cottages!
- If you are looking to head to the Northeast, check out this beautiful beachfront resort, Ocean House, in Rhode Island.
- The Boca Raton in South Florida looks so luxurious…and currently at the top of my list for a fall getaway.
Mother’s Day Gift Ideas
A few of our favorite retailers for Mother’s Day gifts include:
- Minted — check out their unique gift ideas, including totes, cosmetic bags, table runner, aprons and throws.
- Etsy – find all our favorite Etsy favorites here
- Anthropologie – they always have the perfect gift ideas!
And be sure to check out our gift ideas here, including our gifts for dog and cat moms, too.
Graduation Gift Ideas
Let’s get real…what most students really want is a gift card or cash! There are so many things they need to buy for the next stage in their lives (regardless of what that next step is). With that in mind, our graduation gift guide includes gifts under $30 that would be great on their own or perfect to include with a gift card/cash/check — something for any budget.
Save vs. Splurge
MEGAN : I love a good look for less. When I was shopping at Target the other day these cute sandals caught my eye. Look pretty similar? Would be perfect will shorts, tee shirt dresses, white jeans; pretty much anything. Sam Edelman vs. Target.
Friends Share the Good Stuff
You know it’s going to be good when your friend stops you in the produce aisle to tell you about their new favorite gadget. And that’s exactly what happened last Sunday at the local market, our stylish friend, Jill showed me her new fav must have. This modern monocle? Secret stashed readers? Friends, meet your new must have, Universal Pod–ThinOptics The World’s Thinnest Readers. Pro tip: they come in LOTS of colors!
Was there something on the blog that you purchased and loved? Or something we should know about? Let us know! Share with us and we’ll feature you here…because friends share the good stuff!
What’s Trending on the Blog
The most popular link from last week is this smocked waist ruffle dress from Nordstrom Rack. Friends, she is hanging in my closet as we speak and she is good! Might be my go to summer dress; could wear with white canvas sneakers or wedges or flip flops… each one a totally different vibe. Oh and she also pairs well with a jean jacket. At UNDER $40 this dress is a must. AND doesn’t wrinkle in your suitcase!
Last Year on the Blog
Christa’s 5 Star Vacation | Miami // Looking for your next vacation destination? Christa visited the Acqualina Resort in Miami– five star accommodations and service!
#OOTD…Backyard Party // Friends share the good stuff, and this week we’re sharing outfit inspiration for your next outdoor party. It’s the season for celebrating outside – grad parties, pool parties, BBQs, girls’ night on the patio. Whether you’re attending or hosting, these outfits are perfect for your next event.
Weekly Walk and Talk | 4.29.2022 // We have a guest walker/talker on the blog, and she’s sharing some info about why walking is so important for your vitamin D –- and why that matters. We’re also sharing our weekend TV binges (Ozark, friends! Enough said!). We have some fun Amazon finds and more Mother’s Day gift ideas, too. Have a wonderful weekend! (And get outside for some Vitamin D!)
Christa’s Links
- Lewis Capaldi: How I’m Feeling Now (on Netflix)
- what you need for sandal-ready feet
- a travel wish list: The Colony // Castle Hot Springs // Montage Palmetto Bluff // Ocean House // The Boca Raton
Megan’s Links
- The Offer (Paramount)
- Happy Place by Emily Henry
- The Second Life podcast, Who What Wear with Hillary Kerr: How to Optimize Your Closet and Define Your Style With Wardrobe Specialist Allison Bornstein
- Sam Edelman vs. Target sandals
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I’m in bed with Covid, so having a page-turner book to read is just what I need. The New York Times recommended this and I agree Pineapple Street by Jenny Jackson.
https://www.amazon.com/Pineapple-Street-Novel-Jenny-Jackson/dp/059349069X
Thanks for the book rec. Feel better soon!