Like Father, Like Daughter
A week of outfits with Dad.
As a very young person, I liked to take credit for my dad’s style wins. If people complimented him on something he was wearing within my earshot, I would jump in with an “I picked it out!” Sometime around the year 1999 I gave him a “serious lecture” because I felt his jeans had become “unhip.” Once, I packed his suitcase for a business trip as a “surprise”—which he then had to secretly repack. I was nine.
The truth is—which I can only admit now, in all my adult-y wisdom—Clyde (my dad) did not and does not need my help getting dressed. He is a stylish dude! He likes shoes as much as I do! The tailoring is king! We are the same! Cut from the same cloth, ha ha! If anything, I aspire to have it as together as Dad («she says while typing this still in her jams at 12:30 PM). And so I thought it would be fun, for the week I am home for the holidays, to do a little photo journal à la Casa Yance of our outfits-of-the-week. OOTW? I decided on dinnertime as the through-line, partially because I can’t really be trusted to put on real clothes before that point when I am home for the holidays. So! Below I present to you everything we wore to dinner this week, peppered with some short takeaways from Dad about how he gets dressed. Cute!
Monday: Christmas Day
I flew in this day! Which was the last step in a multi-part plane/train/automobile journey, post closing a show the day before on Christmas Eve. Dinner was Chinese (delish!), and I flew dressed to go, sans a red lip, which I added quickly at home before we left. I have to say, being slightly dressed up at the airport felt pretty great.
My slightly more pulled together airport look was made possible chiefly via a (very relaxed-fitting) pair of corduroys, with a major assist from these boots. Which I got married in! On a ranch! AND THUS, they have passed the ultimate comfort test. They have a side zipper for easy on-and-off, so they are basically quick-rigged—very handy at security. Dad spent Christmas Day dinner in a black Kangol, a gray plaid car coat, grey Diesel jeans, and black leather Allen Edmonds + Nike sneakers. I think the general theme of these looks, with no advance planning, was comfort-in-disguise.
Clyde’s Notes: It was Christmas Day—we had a lot going on! So the most important thing was comfortable shoes. (Editor’s note: IMO, the leather sneakers in and of themselves are a lesson in comfy stuff + nice materials = pulled-together dressing.)
Tuesday: Boxing Day
On this day I cooked a million things! JK, just three, but pulling off three new recipes at once always makes me feel like I’m guest starring on The Bear. Dinner at home = comfy clothes required.
I am wearing these pants, plus a new shirt my in-laws gave me for Christmas (thank you!). It is from Vuori, and it is very soft. Dad is wearing super soft denim he got in Hong Kong, his 15-year-old (!!! lol!) Born slippers, and a sweatshirt from Southern University (his alma mater) that we gave him last year for the holiday. He asked to put on a backwards baseball cap but I said no, this was a loungewear day, and he never wears a baseball cap inside. Authentic looks only!
Clyde’s Notes: Nothing beats a soft sweatshirt. (Editor’s note: Starting to see how a lot of Dad’s outfits have a uniform color scheme—even at-home cozy clothes!)
Wednesday: Pasta Night
Pasta is my favorite food, I could eat it forever and ever, the end. Except for angel hair pasta, which is not pasta. If it doesn’t dente, I don’t want it.
This night we met up with some of my Dad’s best friends—they have a standing dinner date a couple of times a month. I basically put on all of my Christmas presents, LOL—the sweater, earrings, and boots were under the tree from Dad this year. So maybe this outfit is just jeans and boots, but it is a very cozy, Christmas-blessed lewk! If I’m going to wear something minimal or simple, it matters to me that each piece is something I feel joyful about wearing.
Dad said that he started this outfit with the khakis, and then tried to make it FUN. Fun = his favorite white Brooks Brothers button down (a go-to base layer), a brown half zip, Polo Ralph Lauren khaki slacks, and Allen Edmonds All-Weather boots.
Clyde’s Notes: Part of my fashion style is to be very simple with the primary layers, but then achieve that little bit of distinction with accessories and accoutrements. I never want to be the loudest person in the room in terms of fashion. I’d rather keep it subtle, but interesting.
Thursday: Sushi Sushi Sushi
I am a very big fan of the sush. And seafood in all its many forms! I once looked up “how to get mercury poisoning” because I was eating so much poke! But I digress (again). This newsletter isn’t about my favorite foods! For sushi night, I felt like being a little fancy. It was raining, so that was a bold move, but I was committed.
This top is so easy and pretty and versatile, but it’s super duper old (10+ years) so I have no recs for you besides “fancy crop top with great lines in good thick fabric.” The navy skirt I’m wearing is here. And we finish with a little fishnet sock-plus-kitten-heels moment!
Those heels were acquired a year and a half ago to wear with a bridesmaid dress for an NYE wedding. The bride (okay okay, it was my sister) said “any neutral shoe,” and I said “leopard print is a neutral!” And it is! I’ve gotten much wear out of these, I gotta say. In this particular look, I really dig the subtle pattern clash with the top. I highly recommend getting a little bit creative with your “neutrals!” It makes for a lot of fun looks—with minimal effort.
Clyde is wearing a brown a Kangol, a caramel pullover sweater, a brown, white, and gray scarf, brown Hugo Boss corduroys, and RM Williams boots.
Dad’s Takeaways: Going out for sushi makes me think about a lot of spice and color, and since that restaurant scene is so cool, I wanted to go for a spiffy look. I love scarves, and this one adds a lot of visual interest!
Friday: It’s Jazz, Babe.
We’re Louisiana Creole, and Dad grew up playing the sax, so jazz is a very big staple in the Yancy house. I love getting dressed for jazz clubs (and concerts in general). Everything goes! No rules! Let your freak flag fly! NYE was only two days out at this point, so it felt like HIGH TIME to embrace a little sparkle.
Stick of butter, but make it shiny! A rewear of Monday’s travel pants! Everything I am wearing above (including the pants) is old old old, except for the shoes, which are here. It is my opinion that, when wearing a shiny thing or statement piece, the look actually works best if you don’t try to hide the piece or “tone it down.” In the case of this sparkle turtleneck, I thought it was a lot more fun to keep going with the brights and add these red heels (as opposed to a nude pair). I guess my hot tip is if you’re gonna do it, do it! Be bold! [Life advice?]
Dad is pulling off some impressive layering here—long-sleeved crewneck under a zip under a blazer?! Plus pocket square?! Two points Clyde. He is wearing: A tan long sleeved crew neck, a navy Carolina Herrera lined sport coat (the zipper piece is attached to the jacket!), navy Hugo Boss slacks, and dark brown suede chelsea boots.
Dad’s Takeaways: This look is MY jazz. My secret is that [when I get dressed for jazz clubs] I want to be able to blend in with the band!
BONUS: NYE!!! (Duh!)
Okay originally I was just going to do a Monday-—Friday post, BUT it’s NYE HELLO?! You didn’t think I would leave you without documenting the NYEOOTD??!?!
Farewell 2023! Happy New Year CC! I hope you are eating something lucky today, and feeling energized to take on a new year. See you next week!
P.S. Must do a quick shout out to my sis, my hubs, and my brother-in-law for being resident photographers/set dressers all week, and to my stepmom Robin, who planted the seed for this idea weeks ago. A team lift! Thank you!
Costume Change is a styling newsletter (vs. a shopping newsletter). There’s no spon-con in the above newsletter—any references to clothing/shoes/shops, etc. are purely honest-to-goodness recommendations. As always, I hope that Costume Change first and foremost provides you with inspiration to shop and re-style inside of your own closet. Thanks for reading, and happy holidays!