Dissecting 3 Perfect Outfits: All Pants!
For more casual situations. And also more news from me.
First, a little bit of housekeeping. A long time ago, I started a paid portion of this letter. At the time, I set my ambitions REALLY high, and had trouble living up to my own expectations. My inability to keep up with myself made me anxious. I didn’t really have a plan, or honestly the time to maintain what I set out to do. So it failed.
Now, however, this space is where I’m putting a lot of my efforts, and it’s fun! It also a lot of time and work. But fun. So - this portion of the letter will stay free, but I’m opening up another portal to posts behind a paywall, which will be either hyper specific (like the search for the pants was a few weeks ago) or things that I’ve found that aren’t on an affiliate system. There’s so much I find that isn’t on an affiliate. But! In keeping the bulk of Earl Earl free, I’m paid through those commissions. SO! There will be a paywall for things that I don’t see revenue from. Because a girl’s gotta eat.
You can subscribe here, it will be twice monthly. It will be nice!
AND NOW! To the thing.
When I was younger, I thought I needed to rely on overt creativity or novelty to feel stylish or to express my style. Or maybe that genuinely was my style, looking back it feels a little forced, but also now I’m older and smarter so who knows.
Now, it’s a little easier and more streamlined. I find myself posting the same types of items (or literally the same things) multiple times, but that’s because these are the things that I hardcore love, or rely on, or think make up the foundation of what I’ve come to see as my style. It’s funny for me to look back through the screenshots I take for those little photoshop composites, because everything feels so consistent. It’s satisfying to be at a point where I really feel like I know myself. So, here are three outfits I wore and loved in the last week or so. They’re all pants. There’s no color. It’s very pleasing.
Dropoff Mom
I do dropoff almost every morning at preschool - I LOVE driving my kids to school, I HATE getting them dressed and ready to go. Some days, it’s the only time I get out and see people. So I try not to wear my yoga clothes every day (though there are definitely sweats days). Putting on jeans is just as easy as putting on leggings.
This has become a go-to. These are my favorite Wrangler jeans (in prewashed Indigo, 0% stretch, I’ve washed mine to look like this, and only $49!), but just with my regular old schlubby worn-in navy sweatshirt that I do wear on hikes or to work out or whatever. Instead of Birkenstocks I put on my new Alaïa flats (very fancy), and then my every day bag is an old Céline goody I got here. It has my laptop, portable external monitor, and iPad all in there, plus leggings AND grippy socks. Fits a ton.
I like this because it looks like there was some effort, and I think it expresses my personality and style well, but in reality it wasn’t any trickier than sweatpants. I enjoy sweatpants, but sometimes putting on real clothes helps me feel whole.
1. The jeans! My favorites. I write about them all the time, they’re just so good if you don’t have much of an ass or hips. I like being able to buy them by waist and inseam. Wrangler, $49
2. These have a similar wash and shape, but with a bit of stretch. They also come in 5 colors. Khaite, $440
3. My everyday, everywhere sweatshirt. One of the best things I’ve ever bought. Comfort Colors, $39
4. A perfect navy cotton knit! An essential, in my opinion. J.Crew, $90
5. How could you not love a navy half-zip! This one is pleasantly oversized. Closed, $165
6. Beloved Sherman Field bracelet! A massive investment, but something you’ll wear every day for the rest of your life. Sherman Field
7. The Alaïa flats! Very very fancy, but nice if worn casually. These are also a nice, slightly less expensive version. Alaïa, $1,120
8. Those Alaïa’s are sold out in a lot of sizes, but weirdly Khaite has something mega similar in the same season (this is a “something in the water” situation, since they’re the same season). Khaite, $1,200
9. A red option, if crystals aren’t your thing. These have a square-ish toe box and come higher up your foot, so they’re not so classic Ballet Flats. Mansur Gavriel, $395
10. Ditto to the above but in easy black. Everlane, $140
11. Oooo I love this very old-school Coach bucket tote. Extremely 90s mom! The black and the Cognac versions are also perfect. Coach, $350
12. Please buy this bag so I don’t! Old Céline under $1k! Céline, $950
Dinner Party Mom
This is kind of dressed up for me! I had a fun meeting, and then I had a dinner, and I wanted to look polished, but like myself. Not overdone, just kinda normal but better. I’m wearing THE PANTS that launched a thousand searches, and are sold out, but of course I have alternates, and a navy cashmere cardigan. Then just a belt and my necklaces. Mega easy. But good, right? I think I wore my clogs with this, but it would also work with little low heels or pointy flats. I felt tomboy-ish, but also hot - I don’t think I wore a bra, if I’m being honest!
1. A very nice duplicate for my Row pants. Cropped and slightly tapered, and they come in four colorways. Everlane, $118
2. These!!! I’ve been wearing these Kallmeyer pants every day. They are SO soft, and the drape is perfection. I’m obsessed with this brand, and these pants. Kallmeyer, $475
3. These are cotton, and more straight, but also excellent. And! Navy, instead of black. Raey, $495
4. A personal preference - I don’t love contrast buttons on a shirt or cardigan. These are tonal, and the cardigan has a nice little polo collar. Vince, $445
5. Not a cardigan, but an excellent shrunken knit in cotton-cashmere. Theory, $295
6. And then…this shirt, and WOW it looks so good with black trousers! I don’t even care that it has white buttons, but maybe I could replace them with black ones. Everlane, $85
7. What a perfect pair of sandals! Another styling preference, I don’t love wearing long, wide-leg pants with closed toe shoes. Makes me feel stumpy. These sandals would be excellent with any of the trousers. A Emery, $190
8. I’ve always wanted a pair of these Manolo mules. Maybe this is my year. They make everything better. Manolo, $745
9. And! Excellent minimalist sandal heels! If you want to get dressy. Neous, $535
10. Oh man this Row clutch. This is the kind of thing that I think solves major wardrobe dilemmas. Great for a night out, but also unbelievably chic for day. The Row, $1,800
11. I obviously really love a giant leather bucket tote. The color of this one is INCREDIBLE, and the size is perfection. Lafayette 148, $1,498
12. My beloved Dorsey necklace! I wear it every day. I’ve gone on and on about how great it is, but it really is just the thing. Dorsey, $550
13. Dévé is a newer brand to me, but I got this big pendant and it is SO chic, and hangs at just the right spot. Dévé, $806
Aaaand more pants.
And then! I guess this is kind of a version of the first outfit formula - denim instead of sweats, slippers instead of Birkenstocks, but I guess it goes to show that it works. And kind of speaks to my denim philosphy of late - I need one totally clean, zero distressing pair (Wranglers that I haven’t washed….ever), one pair that’s mega casual and can get beat up (the pair I was wearing in the first picture), and one pair that has something going on. These (are Re/Done and) are wider and longer than I usually wear, I typically like an ankle crop, which I know is passé, but nothing is real anyway so who cares. These hit below the ankle, have knee rips, and some distressing on the back hem, which reminds me of being in high school in the early 00’s when it was cool to trash the back hems of your jeans and let them drag around like mops. Gross.
These are snazzy for me. And then this jacket! It’s Jil Sander, and I got it on TheRealReal for like $200. It’s perfect. Perfect length, weight, huge pockets, my life is legitimately better because I own it. It solves so many wardrobe issues for me living in LA - just warm enough, I can drive in it, I can keep my kids random shit in the pockets, my car keys are always in there so I don’t have to dig in my bag, and it looks excellent and signals NEW YORK TRANSPLANT which, of course, is crucial to maintaining my sense of self. Ha! This is the most boring, simplest outfit and yet I feel fucking great it in.
1. The actual jeans! They’re excellent. Zero stretch! Re/Done, $195
2. Another great pair - wonderfully straight and rigid. J.Crew, $198
3. Another no-stretch pair, but slouchy and wider than mine. SLVRLAKE, $290
4. Different look, but similar function and feel to my jacket. Very useful and also sleek. Frankie Shop, $389
5. A true classic navy peacoat from Marni, and massively on sale. This is something you’ll wear forever. Also comes in tan! Marni, $818
6. The closest I can find to my jacket. Same rounded shoulders, and un-structured feel. Toteme, $1,050
7. The most! Gorgeous! Cashmere polo! Heaven with these jeans and ballet flats. And on sale! Extreme Cashmere, $300
8. A very excellent cropped cardigan with…TONAL BUTTONS! Everlane, $130
9. These are my actual flats - I wear them a ton and they look great all scuffed. Yuni Buffa, $395
10. These are my preppy 70s Brentwood Mom vibe in a shoe. Chiiiiic. Tory Burch, $328
11. And! Little white Mary Janes with a very skinny strap. Heaven. Aeyde, $295
12. Another excellent piece for the 70s preppy feel, and from one of my favorite under-the-radar luxury brands. Savette, $1,950
Ta-da! Have fun, and feel good!
Love, your friend,
Laurel
I’m sure you’ve answered this before, but how many sizes do you recommend sizing up in those wranglers? I’m looking to finally pull the trigger, but the website/tik tok reviews are a little frightening 😅 Yours look much more relaxed than the tik toks as well!
I can’t stop thinking about / hunting for that Jil Sander navy short coat - any tips to help me find it (style name, places to look, etc)?? Or a similar looking one? Thank you in advance!