I love the creativity that comes with putting together an outfit. Many people I know shudder at the thought, but I welcome it with open arms. I also like to create a suit from scratch, as it allows for multiple uses of my jackets, slacks, and blouses. A basic closet staple is a good blazer. Most people own a couple in black or grey, but few of us think of navy as an option. This year, navy is huge and shows no sign of diminishing. I have purchased one in a cropped sleeve style that I have already worn countless times. I have paired it with brown slacks as well as jeans. Whatever you do, keep an open mind to including more navy in your wardrobe, it is fresh and timeless and goes beautifully with every color—even and most especially black.
If you decide to go for it and suit up in a navy jacket and a different color pant, the top you wear should feature the color of your slacks. Here, I chose this polka-dotted blouse by Mantu because the brown dots tie in the brown slacks. If I had chosen red slacks, I might have kept the top in white (a neutral color), navy, red, or a pattern that includes those colors. You want the colors to harmonize, so that the suit does not look too “invented.”
Suiting up from scratch may be just the thing you need to get you out of your suit rut and into making more use of the items stowed away in your closet.