Having great basics in your closet is important for several reasons:

1. Versatility: Basics serve as the foundation of your wardrobe and can be mixed and matched with other items to create a variety of outfits for different occasions.

2. Timelessness: Classic basics like a white t-shirt, black pants, and a neutral sweater never go out of style, so you can wear them year after year without worrying about trends.

3. Simplicity: Basics are often understated and simple, making it easy to build an outfit without much thought or stress.

4. Cost Effective:  Investing in quality basics means you don't have to constantly replace them, saving you money in the long run. I always recommend that my clients invest in their pants. Great jeans and slacks will last for years.   

5. Comfort:  When your basics fit you well and make you feel good they become your go-to pieces for everyday wear because they are easy to wear all day long.

6. Style foundation: With a strong base of basics, you can experiment with more trendy or statement pieces without worrying about whether they'll match the rest of your wardrobe.

7. Ease of dressing: Having reliable basics makes it easier to get dressed every day, as you have go-to pieces you know will look good together.

Overall, a strong collection of basics provides a solid foundation for your wardrobe and helps streamline your style choices.

It is always the little things that get us. This is also true when it comes to getting dressed and wanting to look polished and pulled together even in our leisure wear.  Below are reminders to prevent you from appearing messy to others. 

1.  We love our furry friends. However, animal fur on your clothes can cause you to look messy and possibly cause an odor as well.
2.  Wearing clothes with tiny rips, frays, a missing button, and other minor damage can look messy unless intentional
3. Break out the iron!!! Wrinkled clothing makes you look unkept and as if you don't care about how, you present yourself. 
4. Wearing white clothing that isn't white anymore. 
5. Stop wearing hair ties as bracelets, they aren't accessories. Keep your hair ties in your car, bag, or backpack. 
6. Carrying a large bag can be helpful for a trip or a laptop, but a bag is supposed to be an accessory. It should add to what your wearing, while holding needed items. A small to midsized bag helps create a balanced look. 
7. Visible bra straps can look tacky and very unprofessional. It may also be a sign that you aren't wearing the size. 
8. Missing a belt loop (and other minor mistakes) can happen and may happen,  but those minor things can take away from your overall appearance. 
9. Too many accessories can cause you to look tasteless, wearing one or two statement pieces instead will look chic. 
10. Don't wear dirty or scuffed up shoes. No matter how nice the rest of you looks dirty shoes will take away from your overall aesthetic. 
11. Showing up with wet hair makes you look unprofessional and gives the impression that you were in a rush or didn't give attention to your overall appearance.

Opening your closet and seeing things you truly love to wear and that make you feel strong, confident, and beautiful is a game changer. When determining if you need to edit your closet ask yourself...

Do I like the way I look?

If you don't like the way something looks on you, toss it! Your clothes should be comfortable and enjoyable to wear.

Do your clothes reflect the person YOU are today?

Its ok to change, you don’t have to keep the clothes that no longer fit your lifestyle. Removing pieces that you used to love that don’t work for the person you are today will allow space for items that are more suited for who you are today.

How will I wear this?

For maximum versatility, you should be able to wear things 3-5 ways. If you’ve got a lot of single use items in your wardrobe, you will have a much harder time getting dressed each day. Those clothing choices are just taking up space in your closet that other more worn items could use.

Where will I wear this?

We all have pieces that we hold onto for a special event but holding on to an old bridesmaid dress or like items, just takes up space in your closet.

Does it fit?

Clothes that don’t fit don’t motivate; they mock you. The worst feeling is when you go into your closet and try to put on a outfit you love even though your body has changed.

Still not ready to give it up?

If it doesn’t fit, and you’re not ready to part with it, box it up and get it out of your wardrobe. Move it somewhere that won’t take up valuable space in you’re closet.

I'm here to Help

Is your closet packed full of clothes, but you feel that you have nothing to wear? Not sure of your personal style?

I am here to help edit & organize your closet, create new looks with new and existing pieces, give an understanding of dressing for your body type and help you decide what you may need moving forward. Email me at ep@styledbyeliska.com to discuss your clothing concerns and style needs.
 

Typically, our older family members are not the ones we turn to for our fashion masterpieces. However, a certain aesthetic has begun to gain traction on the platform TikTok. The Coastal Grandmother. This look was deemed the aesthetic of the summer featuring a laid-back, owns her own garden appearance.

The coastal grandmother delved from classic ocean-side minimalism yet doesn’t fully embody the preppy style that most others in the area would wear. You do not need to obtain grandchildren to complete the look either, instead focus on high-quality simplicity a little more.

To start, grab your best straw hat and white button-down because they are essentials to a coastal grandmother's wardrobe. The aesthetic is defined by pastels and light colors, mainly white with simple relaxing patterns if any at all. A good pair of jeans and a floral cardigan are also great additions to add to one’s own repertoire. Tote bags and long flowing sun dresses

are great coupled with that handy dandy straw hat.

The entire idea of the Coastal Grandmother is to coincide high-quality clothing with simple, laid-back patterns, colors, and fabrics. Whilst this type of clothing can be found in nearly any store or grandma's closet, Tuckernuck caters more towards this certain summer savvy look. Coastal Grandmothers feel and look their best by the beach, but then again, don't we all?
 

Think about how often you stand in your closet trying to build an outfit, except your favorite pants are at the dry cleaner or you just wore that perfect white tank.

Do you need more of some items ?

I own multiple flared jeans, proper fitting undergarments and white t-shirts.  I wear them often and they are the building blocks of my wardrobe. Yes, I wear them all, all the time.    It’s important to have enough building blocks and staples in your wardrobe. This allows you to create multiple looks with limited effort. For example, if I don’t have a white t-shirt on hand one day, it limits the amount of outfits I can create.

What are your building blocks?

Create a list of the items you love, wear a lot and find yourself washing continuously. Take that list and purchase a few more, perhaps even in other colors. By doing this you will always have items around that look and feel good, without having to create a new style every time you get dressed.

Prompted by the Covid-19 pandemic, fashion priorities have taken a drastic turn. The most interesting outfit trend that’s emerged is the gaining popularity of the muumu and kaftan. Muumus are long dresses that hang from the shoulders typically patterned with flowers. Kaftans however are narrow-cut long robe like with long sleeves.

These two pieces are popular because they’re relaxed and comfortable for at-home work but also classy and ventilated for the summer heat. Paired with a sunhat and a wedge you’ve got a sophisticated pool look that you can feel confident in without showing too much skin.

Personally, I could see myself on a beach with a pina colada in either a kaftan or a muumu. These pieces are the epitome of summer 2022 which has been about relaxing and recharging. Even thought they are summer looks they are also wearable in the fall, you could wear them on a walk through the fall leaves or to a family event and even traveling.

Muumuus can be fashioned with a heel for a comfortable yet put-together look as well. As for a Kaftan pairing a straw bag and flat or boot (Depending on the cut and length). Kaftans can be styled in so many fashionable ways and were originally popular centuries ago. It’s often great to take a look at the past for ideas on how to better take on today.