The Only Way Out Is Through

  Despite holding myself out as a pseudo-expert on dressing for work, wardrobe-building, and general efficiency, I have some orphans in my closet.   One such orphan is a purple tweed jacket that I bought several years ago from JCrew. I love the color and pattern — an over-sized, diamond herringbone — but . . … Read more

Blouse Under Dress

  I saw (or think I saw) many more dresses with sleeves in AW2016, and therefore conclude that a trend is building. Women want dresses with sleeves and the market may be responding. Back to business!   The search for a red blouse went like this. I visited a few sites where I do my … Read more

The Wearing of the Plaid

  Typically, I start these posts with a completed outfit and then break it down. Today, just for variety, we are going to build an outfit up. And now . . . Step 2: A cozy, shrunken cardigan. Just the thing to wear over the blouse. The blouse is constrained, but hardly a hostage. If … Read more

All Business

  Before we begin, a micro-plea . . .   Dear Directrice Readers: One of my 2017 resolutions is to increase the readership of this blog. Could you help me…today? Are you worried that I am about to ask for money? Be not afraid. If you’ve enjoyed this blog over the past two years, would … Read more

Just Getting Started

  Happy New Year!   Perhaps you will look at these photos and conclude that I have resolved in 2017 to dress more bizarrely.   Non, non. But I am trying to keep things interesting for all of us.   * I did not pay full price! I bought it from YOOX in December.   … Read more

The Directrice Re-Presents: An Arresting White Blouse

  You may remember that a significant portion of Q1 2016 was devoted to the search for a white statement blouse, which led, ultimately, to the purchase of three statement blouses. Follow these links if you need to re-fresh your memory: Ghost; Pirate; Flounce. Have a fantastic weekend! I’ve been thinking about my New Year’s … Read more

Over-the-Top Top

  I received an urgent email from Ursula in Cadiz two weeks ago, directing me to an interesting top at COS.   So unhip am I, I was unfamiliar with COS . . . which I know now is H&M’s high-end line. Is this a reverse-diffusion line? A concentration line? A top this voluminous (even … Read more

Brighter Than The Sun

  If only it were always sunny on Casual Friday. For days when the weather is not cooperating, or the sun is setting early, we can inject the sun through clever costuming. Have a fantastic weekend!   Jacket: RedValentino; Turtleneck: JCrew; Jeans: JCrew; Bag: Orla Kiely; Watch: Michele Urban with grosgrain band; How closely are … Read more

A Classic Sweater Dress

  Sweater dresses seem to be very in this year. I am a big fan of sweater dressing generally — see, e.g., Working in Pajamas and Sweater Dressing — but I did not own a sweater dress until very recently.

The Directrice Coming and Going

  The social contract! It binds us all and enables us to live in some approximation of civility if not harmony.   The social contract, like any Terms of Service, is a long (though incorporeal) agreement with many sections and paragraphs, but not all of them are equally important. For instance, Taking Care of the … Read more