We all have that favorite sweatshirt that we reach for on off duty days. You know the one with your college alma mater, or maybe it’s a logo free classic hoodie. But have you ever thought about taking this basic essential out for a spin?

In today’s post which is part of a new blog series on Elevated Essentials, I’m Elevating the Basic Sweatshirt.

To get this look I paired an everyday sweatshirt with my favorite essential, the midi skirt and top trend pieces of the season: statement earrings, a clear bag and Mom mules.

But first let me introduce you to the Varsity Sweatshirt from Tradlands. Known for their elevated menswear inspired staples like the button up shirt, Tradlands generously gifted me the Varsity sweatshirt from their SS18 launch.

I test drove it for my Maui vacation; the Varsity was the perfect casual look for the airport, because who wants to look stressed in the TSA line? It kept me warm on the 5 hour flight. And during those cooler Maui nights, the varsity was just thick enough to keep the ocean breezes at bay.

I’m wearing the Varsity in “Shell” but it also comes in Heather grey, Blush, and Black. The fit is slim and although it’s machine washable, I recommend you hang it to dry or it will shrink a bit. Mine accidentally landed in the dryer but instead of re-gifting it to my daughter I just washed it again and stretched it by hand before hanging to dry. Viola! back to normal.

Back at home in California, I dressed up the varsity sweatshirt, taking it from weekend-errand-uniform into the brunch date category. I paired it with one of my favorite key pieces, the midi skirt from Tibi (shop similar styles below)

Then I reached for those trends I mentioned earlier. Since I have short hair don’t care, statement earrings are a great way to balance my proportions above the shoulder. These are J Crew (I’ve linked similar ones below).

The clear bag is an interesting piece because it’s definitely controversial, and not because you can see the contents of your bag. Plastics are getting some much needed attention in the fashion industry due to the harm it causes to the Oceans. You may remember my ParleyxPorter posts on Instagram where I show a plastic tote upcycled by my girl Natasha of The Consistency Project. While I don’t know where things stand with this Staud Bag, I will continue to be mindful of my plastic usage going forward, which means you will see more brands doing the same.

Stepping down from my soap box and into these Mom Mules. I love anything “Mom” because I am a mom! And so many of us are inspired to go into fashion by our mothers. It’s about time that mom-fashion is celebrated and not ignored.

To wrap things up, styling is key when it comes to elevating the basic sweatshirt. Here I’ve tucked mine into the skirt for a more formal and fitted look. And pushed up the sleeves (this shot was taken before the dryer incident) to show off a lucite bangle and my favorite cuff by Jennifer Fisher x Stopitrightnow. If you like the look of lucite, which is a fancy name for plastic, you can find ones made from recycled ocean plastic on the web.

I hope you like this inaugural post in this series and are inspired to elevate some of your favorite basics! Let me know in the comments which basic I should elevate next!

 

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