On Saturday, Adam and I celebrated my 30th birthday, and our first night in Charleston, by getting dressed up and heading out for dinner and drinks. I’ll be sharing all of our stops along the unofficial food and drink tour we indulged in on during our trip, but for now let’s focus on the outfit. This pink ruffle wrap dress made me feel like a cupcake as soon as I tried it on.. so what better time to wear it than my birthday?
We headed to Charleston in search of warm, sunny weather to escape the cold, dreary spring we’ve been suffering from in New York. And we got exactly what we were looking for. The days were nearly 90 degrees – with plenty of humidity to go around – so I was thankful that I had packed these easy linen pieces from Old Navy.
We’re in the middle our stay here in sunny Charleston, South Carolina and enjoying every minute. While I won’t be sharing full outfit posts until we’re back (be sure you’re following along on Instagram to see the trip in real time!), I thought I’d share a quick look at exactly what I packed for the trip. My suitcase is filled with lots of lightweight cotton and linen pieces that I can’t wait to wear this summer, plus this new mineral sunscreen and this book that is a fun beach read. See you back here when I’m home!
As I get ready to head into my thirties on Saturday (eek) – I’ve been doing a lot of reflecting on the past decade. On the big things but also the more subtle things, like how my personal style has evolved. I think one of the best lessons I’ve learned is to fill your closet with classics that can be worn for the most occasions and then fill in from there with more personal touches – a vintage bag, a trendy top, a fun pair of shoes. And those classics? They don’t have to be necessarily the most expensive option out there – but they do need to be good quality and fit you impeccably. The above are what I consider to be my own 30 wardrobe staples that I’m happy to be armed with as I head into this next chapter of style (and life).
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Clothes: You’ll want to fill in with more season-specific pieces – but start with a trench coat, great fitting pair of jeans, slim sweater and confidence boosting lingerie underneath and you really can’t go wrong.
Shoes: Walkable, stylish and clean are the shoe requirements for a woman that looks like she has her life together. A pair of suede ankle boots, leather ballet flats or d’orsay heels get you through a week with ease.
Accessories: A classic watch, small stud earrings, and face flattering sunglasses – they’re the polished finishing touches to almost any outfit. I added a structured wide brim hat and a scarf that can be worn on your neck, dress up a bag handle or cover a bad hair day in a pinch.
I’ve been sharing more of my everyday outfits in real time over on Instagram Stories (do you watch these? I think they’re such a fun way to instantly connect with you all) and last week I took a quick snap of this exact outfit and was blown away by how many of you sent me direct messages saying you loved it! So I figured I’d take a few more photos and share them here.
ps. As always – I love to hear what you guys are loving or want to see more of! Reach out via email (jessicaATthesteelemaiden.com) in the comment section here or on Instagram.
