In a Smart Closet - My Utility Vest

"The rules were real that day I wore a vest."

"That's because that vest was disgusting."

Oh, Mean Girls. Is there a funnier truer movie anywhere out there?

You're heard about my recent acquisition of a vest at Nola's in Havensite. You heard I got photographed wearing it for a street style blog while vacationing in Savannah. I seriously find myself grabbing this thing once a week. Of course when I brought it home Seth sighed and asked why such a large percentage of the stuff I own looks like something that once belonged to his grandfather. I decided I didn't have the energy to do the soul searching I might have to do to answer that question. Instead I decided to focus on why I love utility vests.

They make everything a little bit better. I'm sure some of you can only imagine wearing it with jeans and a tshirt. So here you go. Basic jeans and a tee for a day out running errands:

Add the utility vest and you look like you put infinitely more thought into getting dressed. Like you loooove errands. For only the extra 6 seconds it takes to throw the vest on. (And the truth is, if I feel put together, I don't hate shopping up at CostULess for flour and apples on government paycheck day quite as much. Not lying. And I always forget and show up that day. And help all the old ladies doing their social security shopping reach the apple cider on the far too tall cider display.)

But think out of the box. Or else you'll never wear your vest. Shorts and a silk polyester Kmart tank. I probably would have put all this on and then changed because it looks not-quite-right.

Add the vest and it's great. And sweaty girls on long runs stop and take out their earbuds to tell you they like your outfit.

Got a once-cute sundress that you accidentally shrunk while visiting your parents last month? (I haven't owned a dryer in ten years!)

Throw the vest on and not only is the boring dress more interesting, but you don't look like you forgot you're in your early 30s and maybe you should remember to buy your dresses a little longer. Because if you're wearing a utility vest with a dress, you're obviously not all like "hey, hey, look at my short skirt." Obviously.

I'm not saying everyone should own a utility vest. (Okay, maybe I'm kind of saying that.) I'm just saying make sure you have one or two things in your closet to make what you already have go further. That's part of being smart about your closet. Not needing a ton. Just needing enough to make what you do have more wearable.

And if you don't want to look like Seth's grandpa, find a vest that either cinches in at the waist, is tailored at the waist, or has a belt. Just a thought.