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The Power Casual Report: January, 2023
Your monthly dose of outfit inspiration has arrived.
MM.LaFleur is known for introducing the world to the concept of Power Casual—the clothing equivalent of work-life balance. Dressing in Power Casual is all about eliminating the boundaries between your “work wardrobe” and your “everything else wardrobe,” which allows you to get more wear out of all your pieces. Blazers and trousers aren’t just for the boardroom. Jeans aren’t only for weekends. When you dress in Power Casual, the pieces in your wardrobe get to step outside their usual roles, and you get to expand your styling possibilities. The result? Outfits you can wear anywhere.
The Power Casual Report is a new monthly series where we share outfit inspiration for the weeks ahead. This month’s installment features looks based on the seven outfit concepts that form our new collection, The Founders’ Seven. Try them out with the styles we suggest below, or create similar outfits with pieces you already own.
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Neutral Suit + Colorful Underpinning
Adding a brightly colored underpinning is an easy way to make a suit feel more casual. Feeling bold? Try our joyful, surprisingly versatile new clementine color. It looks great with warm tones like camel and cream but can also be paired with cool colors such as blue-and-white sharkskin and navy. Complete your multi-tonal look with the mixed-metal Yayoi earrings and some crisp white sneakers.
Wide-Leg Trousers + Turtleneck + Silk Scarf
I need to pause for just a moment to talk about our new stretch houndstooth knit, shown here in the Horton pants. While these pants have the look of classic houndstooth, they feel incredibly lightweight, stretchy and comfortable. I hate to play favorites, but if you were going to choose just one thing to try from the new collection, it should be a stretch houndstooth piece. Add a sleek turtleneck, a printed silk scarf, and some colorful flats to complete the look.
Oversized Blazer + Mini(ish) Skirt
According to our Chief Creative Officer, Miyako, basing your outfit on a 4:1 proportion is an easy way to create a stylish, distinctly modern look. And it’s not as complicated as it sounds: Basically, either your top or your bottom should take up 4x the amount of vertical space as the other. In this case, wearing the oversized Mila shirt and O’Hara blazer, untucked, over the Krista skirt should yield a 4:1 ratio—give or take a few inches, depending on your height. I like this look with sneakers to keep it on the casual side, but you could also dress it up with suede flats.
Silk Dress + Cashmere Sweater
Bright, exuberant prints don’t have to be reserved for the warmer months. In fact, Miyako sees charming prints as a core component of style in 2023. Make printed silk dresses like the Alesia winter-ready by layering on some plush cashmere and adding your favorite knit boots.
Cropped Jacket + Wide-Leg Pants
If you’re going for length, this is an outfit formula you need to know: cropped jacket + high-waisted, wide-leg pants = statuesque status. Try the Nicky jacket buttoned-up to emphasize the cropped hemline and wear the Axam turtleneck underneath (tucked into the Horton pants) for extra warmth.
Drapey Top + Vegan Leather Pants
Power Casual is all about balance—the balance of sharp lines and soft curves, of crisp, tailored pieces and easy silhouettes. Try pairing the elegantly draped Monica top with the vegan leather Archie pants for a look that’s simultaneously edgy and romantic.
Flared Jardigan + Fringed Skirt
Miyako’s last rule for 2023 style might be my favorite: Have fun with flare. This year, we encourage you to embrace the details that make getting dressed fun—whether it’s a flared sleeve on your jardigan, some fringe on your skirt, or just the very fact of an over-the-knee knit boot.
