Give A Girl The Right Shirt

Illustrated by Jacqueline Davis Moranti

It's no secret that I'm obsessed with designer styles like Helmut Lang, Alexander Wang, The Row, Diane Von Furstenberg to name a few. Contemporary womens designers have this element of design unlike others, theres always an attention to details and quality that a "minimalista" like myself crave. I yearn for a wardrobe that expresses a timeless aesthetic and a bold mix of blacks, whites, and neutrals but i'll admit the occasional trend will sneak itself into my wardrobe! Whenever I shop for pieces to add to my closet, I try to imagine myself wearing it for years on end, this process is how I determine if it's timeless, meaning it's something I can wear 10 years from now or even 20 years from now! For me it's important to have a wardrobe that isn't full of fluff but containing quality and capsule pieces which is why Barney's is one of my favorite stores to visit. Barney's is what I like to think of as a boutique department store with contemporary and premier designers for both men and women. I am an avid online shopper and would prefer to keep it that way but Barney's offers an awesome in store experience with helpful employees to answer your needs, snacks, drinks, great lighting for selfies, large fitting rooms and of course a more intimate feel with the products that online shopping yet does not offer. I recently visited my local Barney's here in Philadelphia and went in thinking I was going to pick something out that would be neutral and left with something totally left field!

C/O Barney's

                                 

Okay, okay, I know this tee is completely out of my wardrobe's usual jurisdiction but I was in love! This shirt by Re/done has really great quality and fit, I also couldn't get over the quirky color pattern and knew it would be the perfect addition to my not so colorful closet. When it comes to adding trendy pieces to your wardrobe always make sure it can mesh with your wardrobe. I thought about that and put it to the test. Here are three ways i'm wearing this tee!

                           Girls Night Out

Girls night out- fitting is all about having fun and playing with shapes. I paired the tee with a neoprene, flared mini skirt, burgundy leather jacket and wedges, beaded clutch and necklace. The skirt and wedges provide fun textural shapes to the slim fit tee. Since the tee shirt is already colorful, the burgundy colored pieces pull out the reds and pinks of the shirt while the black skirt keeps it balanced.

Business Casual

When it comes to dressing for the office, slack and button ups go hand in hand. For those casual office days, ditch the button up shirt for this tee shirt! Here, I've paired the shirt with a khaki blazer, burgundy slacks, khaki belt, burgundy pumps, and brown tote bag. This outfit combines the perfect amount of office and fun! The khaki blazer is the perfect neutral piece to balance this look while the burgundy (again!) pulls out the reds and pinks of the shirt.

                                                              Brunch Date

Daytime dressing is and always should be fun, which is why this tee is the perfect brunch date companion. I've paired it with denim pleated culottes, acid washed denim moto jacket, brown wedges and accessories and the perfect shade of pink satchel handbag. Wearing jeans, so predictable, wearing denim culotte pants, who would've thunk of it!? The denim pieces and neutral colored shoes and accessories keep the shirt as the highlighted piece of the outfit. 

Obviously, this tee from Re/done can be worn many other ways than how I have demonstrated because it's so versatile! And isn't that the main reason we add pieces to our wardrobe, to expand the variety of styles for the pieces we already own? As a minimalist fashion enthusiast, its always exciting for me to challenge my style with unpredictable pieces. For anyone looking to add this shirt  or other fun pieces to their closet, I highly suggest to check out your local Barney's or www.Barneys.com. Fortunately now through June 15th,  you can receive a $50 gift card for every $250 spent with your student ID in celebration of their Thank God I Graduated promotion. I'm holding on dearly to my grad school ID to welcome summer with a wardrobe refresh!