Next Level: Basically PJ Pants
The dream: for the clothes you wear in public to be as comfy as the ones you wear under the covers. And while some people are willing to push things further, we’re happy to settle at pajama pants, and these four pairs are ready to take the day. —erica
LEVEL I: Dare I call these checked 3.1 Phillip Lim guys office-appropriate? They even have back slit pockets.
LEVEL II: Piamita: Taking the PJ vibe very seriously.
LEVEL III: The little multi-color belt on this Maison Scotch pair does a lot to dress things up.
LEVEL IV: Oh, Clover Canyon, you aren’t scared of anything are you? Follow the styling tip shown here and wear these wide-leg wonders with a hyper-classic striped tee to keep them in check.
If you wanna dive into the “Next Level” archives, now’s your chance!
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Next Level: Overalls
You know what I’ve noticed? People have been using the word “dungarees” to describe what’s pictured above—maybe to soften the blow of their return. Let’s own it, guys. Cause The Fresh Prince and Winona Ryder were onto something. Four ways to get your OVERALL on. —erica
LEVEL I: Angela Chase would have lived in this super-classic Current/Elliott incarnation.
LEVEL II: Viva Vena! is doing a just-dressed-up take, and it would be killer with a collared sleeveless top.
LEVEL III: A little loud, sure, but with black underneath, this floral Phillip Lim version is totally doable. Bonus: The beige trim has waist-cinching powers.
LEVEL IV: Snake-print leather plus white denim?! Oh, Rebecca Minkoff is so going there.
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Next Level: Laid-Back Lace
NEWSFLASH: Lace doesn’t have to be all prissy. Srsly! Here, four takes that are fly with ratty jeans and bedhead. —erica
LEVEL I: Yarnz delivers a lace-print scarf—and, adding in a few other motifs, doesn’t even make you fully commit.
LEVEL II: This Ella Moss sweatshirt belongs at a sunny cafe table, not at the gym.
LEVEL III: 3.1 Phillip Lim goes pseudo-stripy in a really killer way. And see what’s happening with the white pants? A good pairing call.
LEVEL IV: It doesn’t get more slouchy-cool than this Raquel Allegra jacket. Take the plunge.
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Fave Look: 3.1 Phillip Lim
Making the Fall 2013 collections easy to digest. Scroll through all of our top getups here.
3.1 Phillip Lim, from Style.com.
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Next Level: Neoprene
Neoprene is not exactly an EASY material, so trying it is all is definitely taking a leap. But on the rainiest days, its slickness becomes even more tempting. Here, four ways to go that won’t make you feel like an extra in The Life Aquatic. —erica
LEVEL I: Phillip Lim’s answer: Go with a belt. Put this on with the closest LBD, and you nail not only the neoprene thing but also the black-and-blue look.
LEVEL II: The color and fabric of this Tibi dress are tricky, but the so basic, super-flattering cut makes up for that big-time.
LEVEL III: Alexander Wang gives the bomber an extra hit of coolness—as if it needed the help.
LEVEL IV: Yes, there’s a lot going on here, but what if you pulled this Elizabeth & James floral situation on with a big, fluffy gray sweater? Now, there we go.
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Next Level: Kinda Krazy Cap Toes
Cap toes are Coco Chanel-classic. (Fun fact: The menswear-inclined design powerhouse originated the style in 1957.) Here, four ways to shake ‘em up. —erica
LEVEL I: This Loeffler Randall knee-high boot is super-sleek—and would still pair well with a Ladurée macaron.
LEVEL II: Totally glam in a jumpsuit and fake fur way—but these spiky heels could hang with an LBD, too. Gotta love Elizabeth & James.
LEVEL III: Pull on these Rachel Roy guys and try not to stuff humming “All That Jazz.”
LEVEL IV: Hot damn, does Phillip Lim know how to do cool. These shoes look challenging—until you release you can wear them with nearly anything.
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Star-Crossed: 3.1 Phillip Lim + Folk
Girl: 3.1 Phillip Lim sequin V-neck
Boy: Folk T-shirt
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Next Level: Fancy Baseball Tees
Total non-secret: I love baseball tees. On boys, on girls, and probably on dogs (just haven’t really considered it, is all). And, lucky for me, designers are amping up the classic raglan-sleeve number with the sort of fabrics and prints that would get you laughed right out of Busch Stadium. —erica
LEVEL I: We’re still working with a basic cotton here, but Raquel Allegra delivers on the cut and color fronts big time.
LEVEL II: Silk! Graphic! Picture this Rebecca Taylor sucker with slouchy wool pants for World Series season (i.e., autumn).
LEVEL III: 3.1 Phillip Lim always kills it on the texture from, and this knit take is Kozy (yup, with a capital K).
LEVEL IV: Why not go all animal-print nuts with A.L.C.? WHY NOT? Total homerun.
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Emerging Thing of the Week: Ditto
Ditto has the potential to be, as Claire put it, “the Sephora of eyewear.” And while the selection that the brand-new (we’re talking weeks-old) site carries is stellar—Elizabeth and James, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Jason Wu, Westward Leaning—its fancy fit technology is even more stellar. Ditto takes video of you moving your head from side to side, asks you to put a Visa, gym pass, or anything else that fits in a wallet’s credit card sleeve up to your forehead for scale, and then makes a “ditto” of you so can see just how crazy/awesome you look in a pair of blue-and-orange Selima Optique frames. —erica
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Next Level: Almost-Black Green
This isn’t forest-green exactly. It’s close—it’s more like forest-green as seen through your iPhone camera when it’s really too dark to not be using a flash (and so you spend way too long trying to brighten things up on Instagram). Now that all that’s out of the way, I’ll go ahead and get to the point and tell you four ways to get this color on your person. —erica
LEVEL I: This Stutterheim raincoat isn’t so bold that it makes you look all Pollyanna, but it definitely eliminates a bit of the wet-day drear.
LEVEL II: Super classic shape, less classic hue—way to nail it, Illesteva.
LEVEL III: With a sturdy heel and a thick ankle strap, these Jeffrey Campbell shoes are legit walkable.
LEVEL IV: This 3.1 Phillip Lim bag is two-tone. JUST BARELY. And it’s amazing for that sly, sly subtlety.
