The Perfect Outfit

Jennifer Connelly made Vogue's weekly best dressed list this past week and I must say that this is quite possibly my favorite ensemble ever. In short, it is the perfect outfit.

Why am I so infatuated with this sophisticated, yet casual look? For starters, I love how this look shuns all of those tired adages about what not to do when it comes to fashion. A winter-y scarf with open-toed sandals. Opaque tights with sandals. White shoes before or after Labor Day (I'm not exactly sure how that silly saying goes because I, of course, ignore it.). The list just goes on.

The perfect look was created by- who else?- Nicholas Ghesquiere for Balenciaga and it was worn to a late night television show in New York. Alexandra Kotur captured the look for Vogue's ten best dressed list, thus bringing the outfit to my attention.

This is precisely how I like to dress. I would wear this outfit from head to toe in a heartbeat. One can never go wrong with a tailored blazer and the one that Connelly is sporting sits in the most flattering way. I also love the layered scarf look. Scarves have really exploded as a trend in the U.S. over the past three years or so. I remember seeing scarves everywhere when I studied in Oxford in 2004, but not so much when I returned home. Now it seems that the scarf is indeed the accessory of the moment. In fact, at a recent dinner party, only one young lady at the table was seen without a scarf. Interesting, eh? I also love this amazing graphic-print skirt. I never dress in all black, so it's absolutely essential that an outfit have color, pattern, texture, and depth (something that just can't be achieved wearing all black). And, finally, the killer shoes with opaque tights are exquisite. I wear skirts more often than trousers, so I love, love, love tights, particularly patterned and textured tights. Again, this is another trend (along with leggings and footless tights) that seems to have exploded in the past two to three years. I can't get enough. Tights are also budget-friendly and versatile enough to jazz up any outfit.

If Jennifer Connelly ever tires of this perfect outfit, I'd be happy to take it off her hands!

(photo courtesy of Vogue.com)