Style Is What You Make Of It

I have never considered myself to be traditional. In fact, I strive to be anything but conventional. Jacket, pants, shirt, and tie – that’s what it takes to put together a sartorial ensemble right? Wrong!

One of my favorite sayings is “style is what you make of it.” Five years ago, when I began wearing suits, I thought that I needed to wear a suit set, shirt, tie, and lapel pin. Clearly, that ideology went out of the window. Being non-traditional means breaking barriers, merging ideas, creating new ways of thinking, engaging in novel presentation; that is what I pride myself on.

About two years ago, in partnership with The Tailory NYC, I created a custom classic navy pinstripe suit. It was the best decision I ever made. The suit’s versatility allows for endless styling combinations. My favorite is wearing the suit as separate pieces.

This past winter, while Christmas shopping, I stumbled across this beautiful shawl body scarf. January’s bitter cold temperatures forced me to keep it tucked away in the closet, but lately it has started to warm up, allowing for me to get creative with this treasure of a find.

The grey, navy, and camel tones of the shawl were a perfect compliment for the pinstripe pattern. Don’t get me wrong, the pinstripe suit is a bold, yet sophisticated piece all by itself… BUT… why be traditional when you can creatively challenge the status quo?!

Instead of wearing a topcoat or jacket, I wore the shawl as my outwear piece. I opted for a dark grey turtleneck to keep warm and keep the focus on the shawl, which popped beautifully against the pinstripe. And what better way to bring it all together than with a crisp pair of tasseled monk shoes!

Remember, style is what you make of it, so don’t be afraid to push the boundaries.

Cheers,

Danielle

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