"I have nothing to wear!"
How many of us have used this statement as a reason change our minds about going somewhere we had previously agreed to go? And how many of us are usually staring at a closet full of clothes when we say it? The problem that many of us usually face isn't a lack of clothes, but maybe the lack of fresh outfit ideas to get us excited about stepping out. Maybe we're missing that one special piece to take our look over the top and make even our oldest pieces feel brand new.
Fortunately, these days we don’t have to look far to get a little bit of inspiration or direction. One of the bonuses of the world’s obsession with celebrities is that almost every one of our favorite public figures is paying a stylist to create fresh new looks for every event they attend. We can study those looks and put our own spin on them (or imitate them as closely as possible). Thanks to celebs, it’s like we have our own personal stylists, too!
Trying to replicate celebrity styles exactly can be challenging because many times they’re wearing loaned one-of-a-kind pieces or pieces priced far above our budgets. But if we look closely, we probably have all the basics and only need a few extras to create something similar. With that in mind, learn how you can recreate one of my favorite looks, as seen on Gabrielle Union during an appearance on the
Today show.
Gabby’s look appears very simple but there are a lot of little elements that work to pull this look together. I decided to focus on just a few elements of each item she wore, if I couldn’t find an exact replica.
The star of this outfit is the amazing blouse, with its almost invisible snakeskin print, silky sheen, huge black fabric flower and black sash. So many random features working together so smoothly!
These two blouses echo the overall silhouette, color and cut of the Gabby’s shirt. Both appear to wrap around the waist and torso and are made of a similar satin-like material.
H&M's Wrapover Blouse has a more exaggerated waist line that mimics the cinching one might do with a pin or brooch. It also features those large oversized cuffs that I love. The
White Tie Side Blouse from Missguided is almost identical; however, it features an actual tie at the waist line. This would allow you to determine the fit, and maybe give a little breathing room after a big meal.
This look would be something completely different without the oversized black flower sitting proudly atop her shoulder. There aren’t many shirts out there that come with a flower on its shoulder, but there are ways to make or buy a brooch that anyone can use to recreate the look. Here are two options – one from
Etsy, and the other from a small online boutique called
The Village Hat Shop. No one will be the wiser!
Next up is the small gold nameplate necklace. You can’t go wrong with either of these choices; for a delicate but trendy look, try the custom-name necklace from
Brook & York. For a classic ’90s vibe, try this one from
Eve’s Addiction. Remember when everyone had one of these?
The pants were difficult to nail down because of the color, the material and the hem. After much browsing, we found these two pairs of denim joggers; a loose-fitting pair from
Issac Mizrahi Live! TRUE DENIM and a snugger pair from
Prana. These are a great alternative to jeans; they aren’t as tight and appear to be more comfortable to wear.
Last but not least, we have the ever-popular ankle strap, single-sole sandal. There’s not a red carpet where you won’t see at least one woman wearing these beauties. Gorgeous on the feet, but not as friendly to the back. Hence, we have the
Sam Edelman pair that look almost exactly like the one’s in this fit, and then we have a lower, slightly more comfortable option by
Naturalizer.
Step out, ladies!
