Why a Go-To Uniform Makes Travel Easier
I love a uniform. No kidding.
I always envied my private school friends because they had fewer wardrobe decisions to make.
- Plaid skirt or plaid jumper?
- Blue blouse or white blouse?
- Long sleeves or short sleeves?
- Sweater or vest or no extra layer?
Those are the decisions that can shave serious time off a morning routine.
While I love my fashion choices, when it comes to travel I’ve often taken more of a Garanimal kind of view. I like easy choices that match and very little margin for error. For those who are not as old as me, Garanimals were a key part of 1970s childhood. Just match the animals on the labels and you have an outfit. They’ve apparently been rebooted for the children of the original generation.
But no one has invented stylish Garanimals for adults. So I spent much of my adulthood searching for the next best thing.
This is why I absolutely love MM.LaFleur. (And full disclosure, I love them so much that we became an affiliate partner! And yes that means we might earn revenue from some of the links in this post.)
I’ve written before about why I need a go-to outfit for travel. That simple outfit has become my easy and chic answer to “what to wear”. I am also hyper-aware of what I wear to fly. But sometimes I need to go straight from the airport to a meeting. And often I need to keep going for the rest of the week. So that go-to outfit needs a professional upgrade.
What I Wear
My killer starter piece is the Morandi sweater. I love how it can be worn as a wrap sweater or by itself as more of a jacket/cardigan. I own this at present in a cream color and in navy.
The Morandi Sweater Charcoal
from: MM.LaFleur
Next I’ll add my favorite layering piece – the Didion top. (I kid you not, I think I own this in every color and pattern it has come out in since I first discovered the brand.) It feels like wearing a favorite t-shirt, but its professional. And as a bonus, it is long enough that I don’t show skin when I reach up to put my bag in the overhead bin. I also love that it is lightly lined – but not thick. The liner is a sleeveless silky half-tank – just enough to add an extra bit of slip. That keeps it from clinging in the bust and allows it to fall gracefully. The asymmetrical hem is designed to be worn untucked. But it also stays tucked if you prefer that look.
The Didion 3.0 Top Black
from: MM.LaFleur
Then its on to the bottoms. I prefer a skirt for client site, so I usually grab the Greenpoint skirt in one of the colors I own. I like that while it has some stretch, it still holds its shape all day. The subtle front slit is just enough to make me feel like a woman. But it’s not so much that I feel like I’m showing too much skin. One of the best things about MM.LaFleur items is they are road-tested. I have yet to find a dress or skirt that rides up!
The Greenpoint Skirt Black
from: MM.LaFleur
If I’m gone for longer than a day, I’ll also toss a couple more items in my suitcase so I can mix and match. Here is one of my favorites (also a bestseller) – The Masha dress
The Masha 2.0 Dress Black
from: MM.LaFleur
How (and Why) to Try MM.LaFleur
When I first tried MM.LaFleur a couple of years ago, I was skeptical. At the time, I was still doing a lot of “fast fashion” and figured I could have 2-3 pieces for what 1 piece from MM.LaFleur would cost. But after many compliments from clients, friends, and strangers, I realized that the pieces were worth the investment. I now own over 25 pieces of MM.LaFleur – it is the majority of my professional wardrobe. Better yet, the pieces convert to casual as well so I can stretch a business trip into a weekend away.
Have you tried MM.LaFleur? And if so, what did you think?
If you haven’t, I’d encourage you to try their free Bento Box styling service. Answer a few questions and a stylist will personally curate several items for you. Try them on, keep what you like and they’ll charge you for it. Return what you don’t want with free shipping. Easy peasy.