I think the Groundhog didn’t see his shadow on February 2nd. And that means an early spring? Or does it mean 6 more weeks of winter? I grew up in New Hampshire and have always found this very confusing. In New Hampshire, if spring starts in mid-March, that is an early spring. Regardless, the … Read more
Last fall, I showed you — in all seriousness — how to wear a bustier to work as part of a Business Casual outfit. I also promised to show you how I have worn it on Casual Friday and on the weekends. Let it never be said that The Directrice doesn’t honor her promises, … Read more
I admit that any sentence that begins “The Directrice needs . . .” needs to be examined carefully from all angles. Here is the complete sentence: The Directrice needs a black handbag. It’s true. (C’est vrai.) You may be thinking, Directrice, you have a million handbags and we’ve all seen them. That also … 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
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
Here we are, embarking on a New Year of Casual Fridays — 49 more of them to go before 2017. Have a fantastic weekend! Jacket: Rebecca Taylor; Blouse: JCrew; Jeans: Lucky Brand; Shoes: French Sole New York
I grew up in northern New England (the southern part of northern New England, if you follow), which means that I spent my youth in cold temperatures. My mother dressed me appropriately in snowsuits, boots, and hats when I was little, but as soon as I was a teenager, I followed the local custom … Read more
The trick in pairing separates (i.e., a jacket and pants) is balance. The more extreme the silhouette, the greater the need for balance. Jacket: Marc by Marc Jacobs; Sweater (under jacket): JCrew Cashmere Sleeveless Shell; Pants: Eileen Fisher; Shoes: Taryn Rose; Scarf: Coach; Bag: Coach Borough bag
The Procurement Department of Directrice Global Industries Ltd. is working on acquiring a couple of pieces needed to execute your ideas — which coalesced around slim jersey tops and wide-legged cropped pants — but for now, let me show you the casual look I came up with.
I have written previously about the many virtues of large scarves (in what I believe to be one of my funniest posts), but I am equally enthusiastic about small scarves measuring 18-24″ square. We can all agree that a scarf — the right scarf — adds a certain chic to the day. Why … Read more