Beyond the Basics

Last night Brian and I went out to dinner, and I wore a dress that’s a little different from what you’ll usually find in my closet.

If you’ve followed me for a while, you can probably spot why.

First, it’s a print. My wardrobe is overwhelmingly made up of solids. I love how easy they are to mix together, and they’ve always felt like the most timeless choice. Prints, on the other hand, can feel limiting, and if I’m honest, I’ve never been especially drawn to them.

Lately, though, I’ve been adding a few to my closet just to see if I’d actually wear them. The truth is, I have to push myself. Solids feel easier, and most days I have about sixty seconds to get dressed. They require less thought, and when life is busy, that’s hard to beat.

It also made me stop and ask myself a question I hadn’t really considered before: Do I genuinely not like prints, or have I simply convinced myself I don’t because reaching for a solid is easier?

I’m still figuring that out.

The second thing is the silhouette. The drop waist and fuller skirt aren’t shapes I naturally gravitate toward. I usually prefer cleaner, straighter lines because they’ve always felt the easiest for me to wear.

And yet, I loved this.

The dress is from Sanctuary. It’s $119 and comes in XXS – 3X. I am wearing the medium.

The print works because it’s done in a neutral palette of black, cream, and warm brown, so instead of feeling loud, it almost behaves like another neutral. I didn’t have to rethink my accessories or buy anything new. I reached for the same sandals, bag, and lightweight cardigan I wear with countless other outfits, and everything worked together effortlessly.

The fitted black knit bodice balances the volume of the skirt, keeping the whole look grounded and simple. And I was genuinely surprised by how much I liked the drop waist on my frame. It felt different, but it still felt like me.

I think this is a fabulous dress regardless of shape or size, it’s flattering, lightweight, comfortabla and has pockets!

As I was getting ready, it made me realize something.

One of the challenges of having a well-defined personal style is that it’s incredibly easy to stop evolving it.

When you know what works, you naturally keep reaching for it. There’s comfort in that, and honestly, that’s part of the goal. I don’t want to stand in my closet every morning wondering what to wear. I want getting dressed to feel easy.

But over time, comfort can turn into habit, and habit can start to feel a lot like a rut. Not because your style is boring, but because you’ve stopped letting it grow. The clothes aren’t the problem. They’re probably some of the best pieces in your wardrobe. The problem is that you’ve stopped asking anything new of them.

That’s what inspired this new series.

Beyond the Basics isn’t about abandoning classic style or suddenly dressing like someone else. It’s about finding thoughtful ways to keep a classic wardrobe feeling fresh. Sometimes that means trying a print when you almost always wear solids. Sometimes it’s experimenting with a silhouette you’ve dismissed for years. Other times it might mean introducing a new color, adding an accessory you wouldn’t normally reach for, or trying a trend in a way that still feels authentic to you.

The tricky part is finding the balance.

I don’t want to start buying clothes that look exciting in a dressing room but never leave my closet. I’m guessing you don’t either. We work too hard and spend too much money to fill our wardrobes with pieces that don’t fit our lives. At the same time, I don’t want my wardrobe to become so predictable that I stop enjoying getting dressed.

I think the answer is somewhere in the middle.

Instead of making dramatic changes, we make small ones. We stretch our style just enough to keep it interesting without losing what made it ours in the first place. That’s exactly what this dress did for me. It introduced a print I normally would have walked right past and a silhouette I assumed wasn’t for me, yet somehow it still felt completely at home in my closet.

That’s the kind of piece I’m looking for these days.

And because I’m asking you to step just a little beyond your usual choices, I think it’s only fair that I do the same.

Throughout this series, I’m going to use myself as the example. If I’m honest, I’m probably the perfect case study. I love classic style, but I also know I can rely on it a little too much. Somewhere along the way, I started defaulting to what was easiest instead of asking whether there might be another option that still felt like me.

I also think I could use a little more personality in my wardrobe.

Not more clothes. Not more trends. Just a little more curiosity.

So that’s what we’re going to explore together.

Over the next few months, Beyond the Basics will look at the small shifts that keep a classic wardrobe from becoming predictable. We’ll talk about prints that still feel timeless, colors that are easier to wear than you think, silhouettes worth revisiting, accessories that do more than finish an outfit, and even the occasional trend that’s actually worth trying.

Some ideas will work. Some won’t. I’ll share both.

But if this dress reminded me of anything, it’s that sometimes the pieces we almost leave behind on the rack are the ones that quietly expand our idea of personal style.

I hope you’ll come along for the ride.

I have a feeling we’re both going to discover that our comfort zones are a little bigger than we thought.

So here’s everything I’m wearing. This outfit is a great example of why I always encourage you to build a wardrobe of solid basics first. Every accessory and layer you’re seeing is something I already owned and wear all the time. The dress is the only new addition.

As I mentioned the dress is by Sanctuary, is $119 and comes in sizes XXS – 3X. It was 1000 degrees yesterday but I knew the restaurant would be cold so I add my go-to black cashmere cardigan from J.Crew over my shoulders. Thank goodness I had it because the restaurant was extra freezing.

These Steve Madden flat sandals I found on a very random stop at DSW have proven to be one of my most worn shoes this summer and the black and tan combination were perfect for this. These are $69.99 and I took my normal size.

Then easy summer accessories. I talk all the time about this Black Leather Crescent bag from Quince that is under $100, I carry it constantly. And my statement necklace is this gorgeous find from Jenny Bird that I am just delighted with.

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