I’ve been with How I Met Your Mother since the beginning, and now that we’re close to the end (please, let us be close to the end!), it’s been fun to watch how Lily’s style has grown up as she transitioned from post-grad artist to kindergarten teacher to mom.  Through each new phase, she’s always had a love of patterns and color, which I’ve appreciated.

While Lily might not be real, her clothes and style definitely are. Her love of fashion paired with a big shopping habit make for great contemporary outfits that are polished without looking staged, while still being functional (she is a teacher after all). All things I look for in my own wardrobe.

Things we can learn from Lily’s style:

1. Pay for things you love: Yes she may be living outside of her means (really? Kindergarten teacher in DVF? That’s stretching it.) but Lily clearly believes in paying for quality. As I mentioned for one of my style resolutions, there is something to be said for paying a little extra for something you know you will get many wears out of that will remain a solid piece.
2. Shop brands you love: This is a tip we can use everyday and is most importation for us petite ladies. Once you find a style, brand, and cut that works for you, you stick with it.  Some call it Einstein shopping, I call it logical.  Why mess with the formula if it works for you? Based on comments from the costume designer for HIMYM, she sticks with brands like Joie, Paige Denim, and Diane Von Furstenberg.
3. Walk on the Bright Side: Maybe it’s after all of those years being into grunge or because she’s an artist at heart, but we can all learn to not shy away from color.  Adding a little extra color can show that you pay attention to the details of your outfit without being overly fussy.
4. When in doubt, add a blazer: This speaks for itself. Lily loves a good blazer and has worn them as a staple piece throughout the series.  The real tip is to have a staple piece or style in your closet to pull together your outfits quickly. This can be a certain type of skirt, a cardigan, or in Lily’s case, blazers.

If I had to pull together a Lily-esque ensemble it would look a little like this:

Printed Shirt. Blazer. Skirt. Hobo bag. Slouchy Boots.

Do you also dig Lily Aldrin and her style? Check out more here (complete with links to buy!)

And because it’s Friday – everyone sing it if you know it: