When Work Goes to the Pool

  I’ve asked friends for topics that might be of interest to all of you and someone sent me a doozy last week: What should one wear to a swank cookout/pool party hosted by the boss for the whole office? What. The. Beans. First things first, let’s assign blame. Is it fair to say that … Read more

The Small but Smart Wardrobe

  In my desultory survey of style books — conducted in the rather anemic fashion/style section of Politics & Prose — I have observed that most writers sketch out the basics of a minimal wardrobe that is supposed to see one through . . . what exactly, I don’t know. The size of one’s wardrobe … Read more

The Case for Impulse Purchases

  If you are looking for advice on how to dress (appropriately, stylishly, thriftily) — there’s a lot of guidance out there. A common theme in these books is the need for discipline — list-making, budgeting and dressing-room tactics — and it’s good advice. I’m dispensing some of that advice on this blog. But here … Read more

Know Your Assets

  I have three closets for clothes storage — two in my bedroom and one in the guest room (which is actually a sitting room . . . where we watch TV). I use the TV room closet for off-season clothes, which means every May and October, there is a weekend of transitioning, where I … Read more

Splurge, Spend, Save

  When you consider your wardrobe on the macro-level, you think in terms of goals and limits. Goals probably vary significantly among us — e.g., building a minimal professional wardrobe from scratch, building a comprehensive wardrobe over time, keeping a wardrobe current with select seasonal acquisitions, or revamping one’s style completely. But our limits generally … Read more

The Woman in White

  Many style bloggers function sort of like personal shoppers, showcasing clothes that are in stores now. Not me; I am wearing a lot of my old clothes in these posts. Even when I have something new to show, it may no longer be in stores by the time that the season for wearing it … Read more