Introducing… the Double Duty Series

As I shared with you guys on Tuesday in my Closet Check-In, one of my goals is to focus on practicality in my closet. At first mention, practicality sounds so uninteresting, yet, married with all the other things I love about clothes it really makes getting dressed easier. It also means I need less, because what I have is meeting my needs.

So what’s the best way to measure practicality when buying something? It’s easy to get sucked into buying all pretty and delicate things, but end up not having anything sturdy enough for everyday. On the contrary, it’s just as easy to get overly focused on filling out a closet of ‘everyday items’ and then have difficulty pulling together an upgraded look for a night out. A helpful way to avoid this pitfall is to find items that hit the multiple dressing-categories in your life.

I have THREE main categories of how I need to dress in my life. Because I want to maximize my wardrobe and stretch my budget while minimizing space in the closet, I always check in with my dressing-categories to see how much impact a new item will have. Will it pull double-duty? The more an item ticks off, the better.

Here are my life categories, according to clothes:

MOM LIFE (60%) – This could also be called ‘daily life.’ It’s when I’m taking kids to and from school, running errands, hitting the grocery store and, sometimes, playdates. The clothes I wear during these times are ‘casual’ to ‘casual-nice.’ I’ve never been into athleisure or super casual clothing. Even when dressed down, I still like to feel pulled together. Example

FUN (30%) – Weekend activities and fun stuff like movies, girl time, hubby dates and family outings. For fun I like to kick up the ‘casual’ a tad with slightly higher heels, maybe more jewelry, and it’s a bit more intentional. Example

DRESSY (10%) – Nights out, church, holidays. I don’t dress up a ton (still figuring that one out!).

Over the course of the fall, I plan to share my hardest working double-duty heroes. Some of them are new additions, and some of them are items I’ve had for multiple seasons. Today, I bring you the black T Top, by Jamie + the Jones.

Why It Works:

Fabric – The raw silk is durable, washable and drapes beautifully. I particularly like this fabric because it’s warm on the skin in the cooler months and breathes perfectly in the summer.

Cut – The shape of this top is fun and playful and it lends itself well to casual looks as well as upscale.

Easy Factor: 5/5 – This top barely requires ironing, is super soft and looks good with just about everything in my closet. It’s simple, but not boring.

How I Styled It:

For ‘Mom Life’:

[ T Top, c/o Jamie + the Jones | Levis 501’s (similar) | Cons, thrifted, (try this ethical version instead) | cardigan, a few seasons old (love this) or (make your own!) | tote, Cuyana | necklace, Nashelle ]

I threw this top on with my favorite faded jeans, and perfect-for-chasing-kids-Converse. I added a sweater for warmth and a big tote to catch all the pieces of my hectic life. It’s an easy look and I feel good no matter what the day throws at me.

For ‘Fun’:

[ T Top, c/o Jamie + the Jones | Paige Denim | Heel Boot, c/o Everlane | necklace (28″ chain), c/o Loop Jewerly (use code ‘seasonsandsalt10’ for a 10% discount) | cuff, FashionABLE ]

This has been my go-to look for when I want to get a tad dressier: loose top, skinny jeans and slightly taller heels. BUT, as I shared with you guys a few weeks ago, skinnies are not where my heart lies. So, we’ll see how I style this top in the future. (I am excited to share more with you about my raw denim journey, as hinted on Instagram yesterday.  Those jeans will be unveiled on the blog soon!)

I loved this top from the moment I put it on. There was no talk-myself-into-it period. It just worked. The gals over at Jamie + the Jones have a great line up. I’ve tried a few of their styles now and this is hands-down my favorite!

I am looking forward to sharing some of my top closet performers in this on-going series. For now I’d love to hear what pulls double-duty in your closets!

Cheers,
Andrea