A few weeks ago, a random woman stopped me on the street to tell me how much she loved my shoes and that I had great style. (Her words—not mine!) I giggled and thanked her; then walked away feeling great and spent the rest of the day reminding my husband that he’s with someone who has great style. It’s silly—I know—but it got me thinking about how my clothes impact my mood and how I carry myself. Surely if I’m wearing two-day-old sweats and a baggy T-shirt (basically my uniform for the last year), I’m not going to feel as confident about myself as I would if I were wearing an outfit I truly love. I’m certain others can see it, too.
Suddenly my usual before-bed thoughts of wondering if my friend who hadn’t texted me back was mad at me were replaced by thoughts about my favorite pieces in my wardrobe. There are my faux-leather cropped pants I’d wear every single day if people wouldn’t find that weird. That plaid shacket that makes any outfit look cooler. My cashmere knit polo that makes me seem as though I have my shit together. And so many more! They are all versatile, layer well, usually hit on some current trend, and a lot of the time (but not always), have affordable price tags. I guess you could say I’m living proof that you don’t need a lot of money to put together stylish outfits that make you feel on top of the world. With that, I present you the 43 best Amazon pieces I could find that’ll have you raking in compliments left and right.