Silhouette 3: The Cypress Tree
There is no better way to visually represent the Cypress Silhouette than with my longest standing style inspirations: Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen.
This is not a retrospective on MKA's style, but they are a guiding force for Cypress Silhouette dressers everywhere.
Of the three tree Silhouettes in the Silhouette System™—the Palm, the Evergreen, and the Cypress—the Cypress has the most "followers," but it is the hardest to do well.
Visualize a Cypress Tree. Its shape is consistent from top to bottom. Unlike the Palm and Evergreen, which rely significantly on wow factor and dramatic volume, the Cypress depends on each element's quality and fit. That doesn't mean everything needs to be The Row level.
Above, we see twelve examples of the Cypress Silhouette. Pretty simple outfits, right? In terms of the elements, yes. For the most part, there is a top and bottom, sometimes a jacket, and pretty modest shoes. But MKA focus on each element's shape, cut, and quality. They have access to the crème de la crème of shirting and knitwear, which doesn't hurt either*.
*That being said, I will provide tips for shopping and styling great Cypress pieces below and in the coming weeks.
Some of the most elegant people I know/am familiar with are expert Cypress Silhouette dressers. They have distinct styling techniques. It's not necessarily about the pieces in their outfits but more about how they style them: the specific tuck, the sleeve roll, the purposely crinkled shirt. They wear their clothes, and they don't let their clothes wear them. Therefore, it's no surprise that their Instagram Stories — the seemingly more genuine, less-edited moments —document the best outfits. Life + Outfit = Peak Style for the Cypress Silhouette.
At first, the Cypress appears to be the simplest Silhouette, but there are many small styling details. Like the Palm and Evergreen, the Cypress Silhouette follows a formula:
+ The Cypress is the sum of its elements. Unlike the Palm or Evergreen, which mainly depend on a single component to carry the outfit's weight, the Cypress generally does not. To do the Cypress Silhouette well, you should have a great mix of any or all of the following: texture, color, and pattern.
+ Be Mindful of Quality. The fewer elements your outfit has, the more significance each holds. The jeans should be the intended fit and length. The shirt should have just the right amount of darting. Think of your outfit as a pie chart. If you only have three core elements in your outfit, each should carry their 33.3333…%. Those are the pieces worth investing in.
+ Layering is your best asset. Even the simplest forms of layering will help elevate your look. Jeans and a tee become much more interesting with a layered tee/shirt/sweater and/or jacket/vest + belt. Think of a sandwich: cheese and bread is made drastically more delicious when you add lettuce, tomato, protein, and favorite condiments. And then when you grill that? Whew!
+ Don't take the easy route. Jumpsuits and long dresses are easy, but are they fun? A one-and-done outfit removes all the styling and actually makes it harder to get creative.
+ Practice makes perfect. When getting dressed, you should tweak your outfit a few times before you're satisfied. You may return to the original combination, but minor edits usually make the look. Layer a shirt over! Add a belt! Pop your collar! Roll the sleeve! Tie a neck scarf!
Shirt cuffs: Try rolling, scrunching, layering, and folding you sleeve cuffs. Looks from The Row, Miu Miu, and Hermès Fall 2024.
Layered collars: Love a double shirt situation and the more uneven collars, the better. Show character with clothes that look like they are lived in because, they are! Looks from Bottega Veneta, Tod’s, Miu Miu Fall 2024.
Hanging hems: It doesn’t always have to be perfectly pressed! These hems not only give added texture to the Silhouette, but also break up the outfit. Looks from Dries Van Noten Fall 2024.
Belting: My clients know I love a belt. I don’t shut up about them. Braided or smooth layer is a great place to start. I like skinny belts over jackets/blazers and in belt loops, and medium belts on hips, over sweaters, in in belt loops. Thick belts dominate the outfit too much for proper Cypress Silhouette-ing. Looks from Michael Kors, Tibi, Chanel (2) Fall 2024.
Effortless neckwear: Neckwear is great because it adds interest to an otherwise plain neckline. A neck scarf doesn’t need to be tied perfectly and a necklace doesn’t need to be kept in place. Specific details in how you fasten your accessories will personalize your outfit. Looks from Etro, Miu Miu Fall 2024, Zegna Spring 2024.
I often tell my clients to take a video of themselves moving around and then, when reviewing the video to see if the outfit "clicks," crop the video so your face isn't visible. That technique will help you look at yourself less critically. You may even get jealous of how the person in the video looks ;).
And now, some Cypress “Paper Dolls”
Polo Ralph Lauren denim shirt with Moussy jeans. Try to get as close to the wash of the jeans/shirt as possible. A belt with sharp hardware (the one here is Bottega Veneta, but I like this vintage red one a lot, too) to contrast the casualness of the denim. Add a tan jacket to pick up on the gold tone of the buckle. Add some quirk with Fisherman shoes (these are from Anthropologie, and lace socks. Plus, a little dainty touch with a pearl necklace! I love bookending my outfit with similar elements (lace socks/pearl necklace).
This fantastic vintage rugby and white jeans—with the front of the rugby tucked in as I did in the above "Layering is your best asset" photo—belted with my favorite Emme Parsons belt. Leave the top couple buttons of the rugby undone and tie a little neck scarf that picks up the rugby’s colors. Add a dainty pair of slingback mules like these Massimo Dutti ones I referenced in my Therapy Walk on Thursday. Lastly, a cropped trench like this one, which is by Vineyard Vines, believe it or not! I love how it "goes" with the rugby, and its shape is boxy. And no, there's no whale embroidery in sight.
Vintage tee tucked into Artizia suit trousers with a KULE button-down (unbutton and untucked or tucked the way I did with my skirt here: loose, easy, and not too fussy), Aritzia matching suit blazer, and a light pair of shoes like a flat strappy sandal or ballerina (the ones here are by Christopher Esber). You can also get this look with a mismatched blazer/trousers, and if you do, I recommend having one of them be a pattern. Jeans work, too!
And that’s the Cypress Silhouette! We have now covered the basics of all three Silhouettes in the Silhouette System™. In the coming weeks, I’ll be diving further into each.
I am skipping next Sunday’s Silhouette System™ as I am on vacation with my family with only a carryon and realllllly didn’t want to bring my laptop. But see you on Thursday forTherapy Walk, which I am going to attempt to write and format from my phone :).
xo,
Eliz