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What Do You Wear When You Feel Homesick?

The black and white sweaters, pants, dresses, and jumpsuits our Brand Editor turns to when she misses New York.

By Caitlin Abber

I never thought I’d say this, but I really miss commuting. I miss leaving my old Brooklyn apartment, debating whether or not to get a coffee, ducking down to the subway, and cramming myself into a car stuffed with freshly shaven, showered, or (occasionally) soiled bodies. I miss the muddled announcements from the conductor, the frantic relay from one transfer to the next, the way fellow commuters just knew the choreography of the whole thing and repeated it every morning, half awake and in near silence. I miss returning above ground in the Financial District, popping up and seeing the sun, the faces, and the outfits (ugh, the outfits!). I miss the feeling of being a part of all of it.

There’s not much I can do with this longing right now, so instead of fighting my feelings, I’ve been trying to honor them. And what is more New York than a refined, classic, always-in-style palette of black and white? Here’s what I’ve been wearing to celebrate my undying love for New York City.  

1.

The Butler Sweater

The sweater I’d wear on casual Fridays, or hungover Wednesdays.

 

2.

The Hockley Jean

Black pants that are just as easy for the office as they are for a picnic in Prospect Park. 

 

3.

Sant Ambroeus Jardigan

The motorcycle jacket of jardigans (New Yorkers know). 

 

4.

The Sharon Top

A sweatshirt that belongs in the Met. 

 

5.

The Keely Jogger

True luxury is wearing cashmere sweatpants while ordering a bagel from the bodega downstairs. 

6.

The Marcia Top

A year-round, goes-with-everything white top as desirable as a rent-stabilized apartment. 

7.

The Natalie Top

A pretty shirt that reminds me of spring, specifically The First Warm Day (i.e. the best weather day of the year). 

 

8.

The Curie Pant

M.M.’s Brand Stylist, Nyjerah, calls these “the sexy pant,” so clearly every New York woman needs them. 

9.

The Mejia Pant

Every New York woman also needs to own a pair of menswear-inspired trousers. Like, by law. 

10.

The Hayden Dress

The perfect elevated T-shirt dress for first dates at wine bars, breakups on the East River ferry, “what are we?” conversations on the High Line, and everything in between. 

11.

The Demi Jumpsuit

Everywhere else in the country, you’d wear this jumpsuit, and people would ask why you dressed up. In New York, it’s just “this old thing,” and you fit in perfectly. 

 

Written By

Caitlin Abber

Caitlin Abber is the Brand Editor at M.M. LaFleur, and an award-winning writer and content creator. Over the last decade she has held senior editorial positions at MTV, Women's Health, Public Radio International, and Bustle, and has bylines at InStyle and OprahMag.com.

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