the directrice 
At the start of the pandemic, I — like many — had an initial instinct to reduce spending and economize as a hedge against uncertainty. Within a few weeks (early summer 2020), it occurred to me that I had a duty to spend like a Keynesian economist on shore leave — meaning that I … Read moreThe Directrice Hearts Art Jewelry
Do you remember one of the first principles of The Directorate? That if you find something that fits perfectly and suits you perfectly and it comes in two colors, you should buy both? Be forewarned that a color change sometimes means a fabric change, so I did check the fabric content to ensure the … Read moreTwo Colors, One Denim . . . Allegedly
Stripes are always right, right? We’ve talked about horizontally striped jerseys, vertically striped shirts and tops, and pinstriped pants in all seasons. But blue and white stripes seem especially right to me in the summer. Agree? Disagree? Remember this dramatic shirt, previously seen here, here, and here? It’s seen today with cropped white … Read moreStripe Makes Right Again
In our CLE/CME series “Advanced Alterations: Case Studies” I give you: Hand-blocked Dress Over Pants (HBDOP) — a better-fitting dress over all-season white denim. I added this dress to my list of “things requiring alteration” and waited to be reunited with Fatima. Et voila! * Provided for the CDE participants.+ … Read moreNip/Tuck
Like many of you, I vowed at the start of the pandemic to ruthlessly clean my closets, cabinets, and drawers, top-to-bottom, and rid myself of the greater of (25% of possessions OR anything that I have not been loving or using in recent years). Fourteen months later, I got down to business. This … Read moreA Win-Win Proposition
Fatima came to visit a few weeks ago and for once, we took photos of a few garments before they were altered so that you could see how they were altered and what a difference alterations make. What follows is a true story. * I had two denim tops: this one from 2016 … Read moreAn Expert at Work
I had a second meeting with Fatima earlier this month and therefore have many things to show you this summer. They aren’t new things exactly, but they are things you haven’t seen because I bought them in 2019 (for summer 2020) or in 2020 (assuming 2021 would come eventually) and needed to adjust them … Read moreA Touch of Blue
Here is one last set of photos from the shoulder weeks between winter and summer, also known as “Spring.” * I think that this is the advice I’ve offered previously. + These white denim pants are my new favorites. I think I wore them more days than not during the months of … Read moreEverything Up My Sleeves
Do you remember that I told you, long ago, that a Substantial Top could stand in for a Smart Jacket under certain circumstances? It’s true. True that I said it, and true as a statement of fact. Here, I will show you casual tops of substance standing in for casual smart jackets. … Read moreWhite Rook/Black Rook
Realizing, as I did last week, that some of the things that I consider staples have not been commonly accepted as wardrobe basics (“Ten Things Every Woman Must Have in Her Closet!”), I thought I would start building the case for them. If I do my job well — and I am a … Read moreSong of Staples, Part I