The Directrice Gives Back

  Oyez, Oyez!   I am cleaning my closets ruthlessly, which means giving away some dear things. I want them to have good homes.   You may be saying to yourself, “GiVINg AwAY?? To wHOm?”   To you, of course. Here’s the deal . . . A Contest!   But first, Eligibility. Eligible contestants are … Read more

The Divining Rod Strikes Again

  A few weeks ago, I showed photos of a red sleeveless dress with two different blouses underneath.   You may remember that one of the blouses, on its own, was kind of ugly. Blouse: Free People; Dress: Jil Sander; Boots: Donna Piu   * I only know this phrase from A Charlie Brown Christmas. … Read more

A Rage for Novelty

  I have a feeling that a year or two hence, I will look back on the tops I’ve been showing over the last three months and wonder What was I thinking? But for now, I am thinking that novelty appeals — and that elaborate sleeves are charming.   And now, an interlude. I have … Read more

A Travel Challenge Solved

  Traveling to a place where you expect bad weather is a challenge, particularly for a person* like me — who thinks that traveling with more than one pair of shoes reflects a failure of imagination, common sense, and moral fiber.** Come closer and take a better look.   * A nut. Nut like me. … Read more

A Big Tent

  I was having breakfast with my best friend last weekend and she told me that she marvels at my continuing ability to develop content for this blog. “So many outfits, so many ideas,” she said. I warned her that at some point, the well would run dry. For those who want more, we made … Read more

Blending In

  I occasionally wonder whether being “properly dressed” is determined by reference to normative standards or relative ones. As with many legal questions, the answer is, It depends. While there are normative standards for attire, at the end of the day, proper dress is about respect for your host. You should dress the way that … Read more

The Eye Is Fooled

  A year ago, Marc Jacobs announced that it (he?) was eliminating the company’s diffusion line — Marc by Marc Jacobs — and would only produce clothes under the original Marc Jacobs label. This seemed like bad news to me because I really liked the cute clothes made under his youthful, cheaper (though not cheap) … Read more