The comments on last week’s Ethical Elegance post were terrific and super helpful as I refine my definition. Mary, Kirsten, and Mary Lou reminded me that the definition should include clothes having an excellent fit. Mary Lou’s encouragement to find a superb tailor made me think about my boss Nancy, at my first job out of college. Nancy was everything I wanted to be: civilized, unflappable, confident in all matters related to writing, especially grammar and style, and elegant even when dressing casually.
She’d spent her early career in Manhattan, living there with her husband and two daughters, and the polish of city life stayed with her when I knew her in Westchester. She taught me to slow down, to be more precise, to prepare for events by learning a little bit about all the big players, which allowed me to make conversation with ease.
I was scruffy, growing out a bleached pixie, too broke to buy new clothes at first. But week by week, I saved up, observed her enough to figure out I should buy one decent sweater set, a pair of flattering slacks, black loafers.
I complimented her clothes often, and I think she took pity on my attempts to dress more elegantly. She told me how she bought dresses with long sleeves and had them cut above her elbow, a more flattering look for her, or had her tailor hem her skirts to land at the sweet spot that made her legs go on forever.
When I close my eyes, I can picture Nancy in a simple tan dress with black piping that fit her as though it had been made for her. It was one of my favorite of her outfits, one that she could wear today, over 15 years later.
Part of what makes an article of clothing a classic is endurance, timelessness. As I cull my wardrobe, frame it with the ideas behind Project Ethical Elegance, I’ll bear that in mind. Ellen’s urging to love a piece, for it to make the wearer happy will be a good test, as will a pause to wonder “What would Nancy do?” –hem it, cut it, make it flatter.
I’d love to hear about one of your IRL fashion icons!
Most of my friends have closets that go on forever, but with plenty of classic style. They inspire me with their style, but my goal is to emulate them by being more selective about my choices and doing more with less.
My IRL fashion icons are women who “make it look simple” — with clothes that actually ARE simple! My IRL fashion icons are women who don’t DO “outfits” — but who do DO “pieces” . . . that all work together with simplicity, elegance, and ease.