{STYLE} High & Low
Everything I know about fashion and shopping, I first learned from my mom. Of course, my skills and knowledge were refined by my own personal experience, education, and career - but all of my first ideas about clothing were inherited from my mother - a woman who pursued a career in engineering but probably should have been a fashion designer from the get-go. My mom taught me to shop across all markets - mixing high and low from big box stores, discount chains, and coveted designers. By the time I could shop for myself with my own money, I espoused the same attitude towards mixing high and low - often choosing to invest in a great bag (because for the longest time, "investing" in a cute piece of clothing was not even an option!)
I decided to invest in this Tadashi Shoji dress a few months ago because I knew it would immediately become a staple of my west coast wardrobe (and true to form, I've worn it a couple dozen times already). The navy color and great (but subtle) details make it a great foundation to mix and match off of - and I thought it would perfectly complement my AVA & VIV anorak for a casual afternoon around town. The jacket is lightweight and versatile, and the drawstrings at the waist allow you to style it in a few different ways - either cinched in for a more form-fitting look or worn loose for the oversized, minimalist effect. The price points are a world apart (the jacket comes in at under $40 and the dress at - er, a lot more), but they balance each other economically and stylistically.