On those days you can’t decide what to wear, your safest and surest bet is to go back to the basics and wear something classic.  For all my love of color and pattern, pieces like a straight leg black trouser, a crisp white shirt, and a great shoe are truly amongst the wardrobe staples that endure the trends and carry me from season to season.

In order to keep those classic pieces from seeming too muted, or goodness forbid a bit too much like a work uniform, an interesting detail on the shirt or some key accessories can elevate the look from that of a movie theater employee, to that of a woman with fashionable sensibilities.  In this case, I opted to accessorize with red (the heart clip and shoe), a watch, and edited myself to one of my favorite bracelets rather than the typical three that are clanging around on my wrist on any given day!

I really love the way the scaled back accessories let the pops of red really stand out, which, in turn, helps emphasize the overall crisp, classic lines of the look and strikes just the right balance between polished and playful!

Style Notes: Loft cardigan (fall 2012; purchased at 50% off; similar style) / Loft shirt (fall 2012; purchased at 50% off) / Loft pants (fall 2012; purchased at 50% off) / Paul Green shoes via Last Chance (fall 2012)/ Marc Jacobs bag via Last Chance (spring 2012; similar style) / Kate Spade bracelet (summer 2012) / Michael Kors watch via Last Chance (spring 2012; similar style) / Kate Spade ring (fall 2011; similar style) / ban.do shoe clip (summer 2012; purchased at 30% off)