I Don’t Want More Clothes. I Want Clothes I Want to Wear.

I’ve been thinking a lot about style lately.

Maybe that sounds funny coming from someone who owns a clothing boutique. You would think I’d always want more clothes. But the truth is, the older I get, the less interested I am in having a closet full of things just for the sake of having them.

I want clothes I actually want to wear.

I want to put something on and feel good in it without tugging at it all day, wondering if it’s too young for me, too trendy, too dressy, or if I’m trying too hard.

And I definitely don’t want to dress according to some imaginary list of what a woman my age is “supposed” to wear.

I still like a little edge. I like beautiful fabrics and interesting details. I love a great pair of jeans with an unexpected top. I love something feminine paired with something a little tougher. And sometimes I just want a soft sweater, comfortable pants and a really good pair of shoes.

That’s style to me.

It’s not about following every trend that comes along. It’s figuring out which ones feel like you and leaving the rest behind.

That idea has become a big part of how I choose clothing for Edge & Ivory.

When I’m looking at a piece, I’m not only thinking, “Is this cute?”

I’m thinking about where someone would wear it.

Could you throw it on for lunch with a friend? Could you wear it traveling? Would it work for a casual dinner? Could you change the shoes, add a cardigan or jacket and wear it into another season?

Most importantly, will you reach for it again?

Because I think we’ve all owned those pieces that looked wonderful hanging in the store and then somehow spent the next two years hanging untouched in our closets.

I’m trying to buy differently now—both for myself and for the boutique.

Fewer pieces that only work one way.

More pieces that can become part of your life.

I also think style gets more interesting as we get older. We know ourselves better. We’ve tried enough bad trends to know we don’t have to try all of them. We know which colors make us happy, which jeans we’ll actually wear and which shoes are going to come off our feet twenty minutes after leaving the house.

There’s a little freedom in that.

I don't think getting older means becoming invisible or playing it safe with your clothes. And I don't believe you have to chase youth to look stylish.

I think you can simply look like yourself.

Maybe with a really great jacket.

So these days, when I add something to my closet—or to Edge & Ivory—I’m asking a different question.

Not, “Do I need another top?”

But…

Can I see myself living in this?

If the answer is yes, that’s probably a pretty good place to start.

— Joanna

Edge & Ivory Boutique