Lani and I have stated multiple times that we wish we would be willing to throw away our entire wardrobes and only wear pieces from MM.LaFleur. That is how good their clothes make you look, and feel.
MM.LaFleur was launched in 2013 by founder Sarah LaFleur, a self-described “typical woman in finance.” Sarah found herself constantly uninspired by her outfit options for work, so she teamed up with Miyako Nakamura, former designer at Zac Posen, Jason Wu, and Theory, and Narie Foster, a former consulting colleague, to create high-quality, well-fitting, professional clothing. Their mission statement? Make the purposeful woman look and feel beautiful, without having to work too hard at it. Now that’s something we can get behind.
We visited their New York showroom last spring and tried on their spring collection. We had so much fun seeing everything in person and really getting a feel for the amazing quality of their pieces. Now, I got to go for round two at the MM.LaFleur pop-up shop at the Jefferson Hotel. Lani unfortunately missed out as she was at home with a sick James, so I had to force the lovely women working to take pictures of me! Here are my votes for your new capsule work wardrobe.
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1. The dress for when you don’t want to get dressed.
This is the dress that made me regret my casual workplace attire at Real Life Style. Seriously, I wanted this dress just to run around and do errands in. The Nisa is made out of a super soft and stretchy poly/spandex blend and is machine-washable and wrinkle-resistant. I’m between a size 2 and 4 in dresses, and in the Nisa I went with a size 2.
P.S. Every single dress I tried on had pockets!
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The Nisa Dress in Deep Indigo, $195
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2. The perfect dress topper, with the ease of a cardigan with the sharpness of a blazer.
On top of the Nisa Dress, I threw on the Sant Ambroeus Jardigan in black. Lani and I fell in love with MM.LaFleur’s jardigans after seeing them in person last spring. This is also made out of a wrinkle resistant blend of rayon and spandex, making it perfect for travel. However, this is a dry clean only piece. The Sant Ambroeus comes in black, deep indigo, ecru, and aubergine and I’m wearing it in XS.
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The Sant Ambroeus Jardigan, $195
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3. The wrap dress for work and for after.
MM.LaFleur’s popularity skyrocketed this fall when the brand received a ton of press on their Tory Dress. After blogger Anh Sundstrom of 9 to 5 Chic wrote a post calling the Tory “the perfect black dress for work,” the waitlist for the dress filled with almost 1000 women trying to get their hands on it. This dress balances fashion-forward details with a more conservative silhoutette, perfect for the D.C. fashionistas worried about standing out.
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I paired the Tory with a contrast ivory belt to hit at my waistline and blouse the top out more. It’s made out of a breathable, wrinkle-resistant crepe from Osaka, Japan that feels amazing on (and it’s machine-washable). I’m wearing the size 2 in black, but it also comes in olive.
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4. The pencil skirt that feels like sweats.
Even though I’m totally not a pencil skirt girl, this outfit made me look and feel amazing. This is their basic, machine-washable pencil skirt, the Noho, in deep indigo. I tried on the size 4, but it was a little big and I should have been wearing a size 2. The Noho comes in deep teal, deep indigo, truffle (an eggplant-purple), aubergine, and charcoal.
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5. The everywhere, everyday blouse.
The Didion blouse is a really popular top with our clients. It’s flattering on everyone and can be worn to work, out at night, or even just with jeans. It works tucked-in to pants and skirts, but also has an interesting hemline that looks awesome untucked.
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This is the silk version of the Didion in a treescape print that I am in love with. Of course, I should have ordered it that day because it sold out the next! I am wearing a size S. The silk version is not machine-washable, but the poly-blend version can be washed and laid out to dry! The other colors are paprika orange, black, and deep indigo.
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The Didion 2.0 Top in Treescape, $195
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6. The power dress.
Okay, I have to admit it’s a little weird seeing myself look this grown up. I felt like I could take over the world in the Etsuko dress. Everyone is always looking for a polished dress with sleeves. How about one also made out of a machine-washable stretch material? I am wearing a size 4. The deep indigo color is gorgeous, but it also comes in aubergine, black, and claret.
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7. The hybrid of a blazer and a trench.
The Dietrich Jacket is a super interesting piece that can be worn as a blazer or as outerwear in mild temperatures. I threw the black jacket over the Etsuko dress and somehow felt even more chic in my navy/black combination.
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The jacket has side slits that run up to the waist, which in this case allows access to the Etsuko’s pockets (I was not kidding when I said every dress had pockets). Plus, have you ever heard of a jacket that is machine-washable? I am wearing an XS in black, but it also comes in taupe.
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8. The avant-garde drapey blouse.
Once again, I’m shocked at how professional I look! The Apfel shirt is a drapey wonderland for anyone wanting to hide their stomach. The pictures on the website show the top button closed, but I prefered it open with a tank. The quality of this top is really amazing, and this is another piece that works tucked and untucked. I’m wearing a size XS.
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9. The lightweight, machine-washable pants.
With the Apfel shirt, I tried on the Nakamura trouser. These pants have a higher waist with front pleats that can be a little tricky, but can look really polished and fashion-forward. Seriously, look at the picture of the pants closure on their website. These pants have just one button-and-hook closure and no zipper. It’s kind of brilliant. I was a size 2.
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10. The suit for women who hate suits.
The best for last! The Woolf Jardigan is the longer version of the Sant Ambroeus. While the Sant Ambroeus works best with dresses and skirts (or on petite clients), the Woolf pairs best with pants. Ignoring the fact that my Nakamura trousers would have needed a hem (on my long legs!), this is my ideal version of a suit. It’s modern and tailored and not in the least bit stuffy. This is one piece I’m definitely buying because of it’s super cozy, year-round vibe. I’m wearing an XS in black.
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Want more?
If you’re convinced and ready to try MM.LaFleur, start a bento box! Answer a few questions about your weekday wardrobe and the MM.LaFleur stylists will send you 4-6 pieces. You’ll have 4 days to try on the pieces, send back what you don’t want, and only get charged for what you’re keeping.
You’ll be hearing more from us about MM.LaFleur in the coming months as they prepare to launch a collection of bags and shoes and maybe even a permanent DC location!.
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You can find Kyle Dunphy and Real Life Style on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.
