Karen Blanchard's Go-To Outfit Formula Is Probably In Your Closet

Few feelings ignite more panic than running behind because you don’t know what to wear. File away some fail-safe outfit ideas to fall back on with TZR’s Fashionably Late series, where we tap our favorite tastemakers for the looks they reach for in a rush — and, naturally, the exact products you need to follow suit.

At first glance, it may seem like the closets of fashion content creators are completely aspirational, chock-full of designer ensembles and exclusive pieces. This can make emulating said Instagrammable looks a bit intimidating for the otherwise average individual. But, as it happens, these social media stars are just like the rest of the busy population in that they often rely on tried-and-true outfit formulas in a pinch. Oh, they also appreciate a good bargain find. British-born influencer Karen Blanchard is proof of this.

TZR recently caught up with the content creator at Marshalls Good Stuff Social Club in Atlanta, Georgia, where she hosted a panel on how to dress for your most confident self. For Blanchard, this translates to comfort. “I'm a magpie,” she says to TZR. “I tend to bounce around. So, for instance, today I feel like I'm a kind of ladylike, very girly version of Karen. But then there is the tomboy version of Karen. But also I love to do a very eclectic vintage vibe version of Karen, like a rocker chick kind of version [...] But I think the core of it is comfort and dressing around how I'm feeling that day.”

And while she may have an eye and taste for the finer things in fashion, the New York resident swears by high-low shopping. “I think that there is a magic in mixing both price points,” she says. “So, that's why [Marshalls and I] have worked together multiple times now. They resonate with who I am from a style and wardrobe standpoint.”

And who she is is a woman with a love for a menswear-inspired, vintage look. In fact, Blanchard’s go-to outfit formula revolves around these very principles. She relies on three very simple clothing staples on rushed and hurried days, and they’re likely items you already have hanging in your own closet.

“It's going to be a trouser of some sort,” Blanchard says. “It'll either be an oversized cargo pant or a wide leg trouser, or a wide leg jean. And then I just wear a T-shirt with it, and a blazer. It's an ‘I don't have to think outfit.’”

And footwear? “Oh, something flat,” she muses. “It's probably going to be either a pair of loafers or sneakers. My relaxed state, I think, is tomboy. So, it's going to be a pair of sneakers or it's going to be a flat shoe. Just something that's very comfortable and just feels effortless.”

Ahead, shop Blanchard’s favorite capsule pieces that’ll serve as the ideal no-brainer outfit year-round.