the directrice 
A few weeks ago, I cracked a question that has occupied philosophers for centuries: Can an outfit be cooler than its wearer? This layered skirt has two distinct elements: a column-style underskirt made of a crisp, striped silk that is covered by a wool gabardine wrap skirt. The underskirt is effectively an insurance policy … Read more
I am not thrilled to be falling in with the magazine and catalog editors who are now referring to every striking or unusual garment as a “statement” piece — e.g., statement blouse, statement skirt, etc. Had I started this trend, I would have gone with arresting or singular. But that ship has sailed, so … Read more
The Photographer and I visited Paris a few years ago. We spent most of our time walking, visiting museums, and eating, but I did a little shopping too. The most famous shopping streets are dominated by global brands that you can find in London and New York and even Washington D.C. But if you … Read more
Last summer I posited that a crop top could be worn to work professionally — i.e., to a workplace like a P.L.L.C. or similar association by a woman who is dressing to meet with colleagues or clients — when paired with a skirt and blouse or jersey. Bear in mind, I did not … Read more
Thanks to sunblock and exercise, our forties are not our grandmothers’ forties. But there is one part of the body that has continued to age as it did, unswayed by lifestyle choices: the eyeballs. In Q3 2015 I went from being a person who wore reading glasses for ease to being a person … Read more
When I was in law school, I interviewed at a number of firms for work as a summer associate. Like my peers, I bought a suit for this purpose. I found a beautiful wool crepe suit: very classic, with a pencil skirt and a bias-cut, funnel-neck jacket trimmed with elegant, slightly oversized, dark horn … Read more
This post is for anybody who works at home and finds that the boundary between dressing for work and dressing for bed has become very blurry. You can return to an office. Read on! Let’s look at the details. Above I am wearing the knits with a red silk blouse, which you may … Read more
Periodically, I take a hard look at my closet to see whether I could make more or better use of the clothes therein. One of my methods is to focus on color. I select a color and pull out everything of that particular color (regardless of shade, style, or fabric) to see what might … Read more
I received a dire email several weeks ago advising me that as part of the re-design of the firm’s website, the firm was bringing in a photographer to take new photos of all of the lawyers. Oh no. If you haven’t visited many law firm websites, the lawyers’ photos are generally one of three … Read more
I told the photographer that I had a new idea for a series of posts: My Outfit Is Cooler Than I Am. He said, I don’t get it. What’s that supposed to mean? Isabel Marant is commonly described as the epitome of Parisian chic, Gallic style, and effortless cool. Other adjectives that are frequently attached … Read more