I more and more find myself drawn to classic, elegant styles, like the ones featured in the 40-50-early 60s. I crave elegance so bad these days, and well, my existing closet doesn’t always inspire me on that front… I’m thinking of doing an in-depth analysis, if you will, next year, and reviewing every single piece to decide if it “serves” me still. I say next year, because, well, things are about to get crazy here…

Outfit: My dress is sadly sold out, however, I found this very similar one, this shorter version, and similar styles here, here, here, and here. My shoes are by Sarah Flint (save 15% on your first order when you use code SF-EM-15).

Speaking of elegance, Sarah Flint's shoes are exactly that (+ comfort and incredible craftmanship), and there are sooo many styles to choose from! If you want quality and all-day wearability, I wholeheartedly recommend Sarah Flint.

But back to elegance…

I find that the fashion and retail world is going crazy lately… Cargo jeans and pants? Can we make them any uglier? Sweatpants and leggings everywhere? Come on… When did we get *so* comfortable that we only want to wear athleisure? Why don’t we want to dress up anymore? Or, is the fashion and retail world trying to make us think that we don’t want to dress up anymore???

Though, in all seriousness, there’s more to elegance than just style. It comes in many forms, from how one dresses, to how one carries themselves, speaks, and even behaves… We all have our shortcomings, but my most ardent wish for us all is to try harder, to strive for better… Elegance is not underrated, and neither is it old-school… it’s… inspiring! It triggers admiration and is memorable.

Case in point… about 10 years ago hubby and I were walking in a park somewhere by a lake. An elderly couple - a man and a woman, were walking toward us, and I literally could not take my eyes off the woman… She was the definition of elegance to me, wearing red flats, white trousers, and something matching on top, as well as a scarf… I was mesmerized by how put-together and elegant she looked. A fairly simple outfit and yet, it made such an impact…

Probably noticing my dropped jaw, she gave me a sweet smile as they passed by, leaving me with her image stuck in my mind all these years… I sometimes think of her, and her outfit… it really was not something one sees often these days. I wanted so bad to be like her!

Of course, over the years I’ve “strayed” and tried trends that I liked, though, generally, my style has always leaned towards classic and feminine. Elegant though? Well, yes and no.

These days, I’m thinking more and more about that lady, and how I want to become her, in terms of style, that is.

If you’re looking to shop for elegant, classic, yet modern pieces, I recommend MANGO, both J.Crew and J.Crew Factory, Ann Taylor, and Banana Republic to start with. They all have amazing options for workwear as well.

For more affordable options, try H&M — they have great options sometimes, just stay away from oversized items, or too trendy ones if you want to go for an elegant look.

Of course, you can always find brand-name classic pieces at discount prices at T.J.Maxx and Marshalls.

I hope this post inspires more elegance in your life.

xo,

Em