Let’s see if a closer look shows what I am trying to convey. I bought this a couple of years ago on Gilt and when I think back on it, the pictures on Gilt utterly failed to show how the jacket was fabricated and constructed. I was very surprised when it arrived. … Read more
No list of wardrobe essentials is complete — or reliable — if it doesn’t include the white blouse. I am going to go one step further and advise: no wardrobe is complete without a few white blouses. I recommend poplin blouses with long sleeves, short sleeves, and no sleeves as well as a variety … Read more
I have two pink blouses — this one in crisp poplin and another in silk organza. I thought the poplin would work nicely with the lining of the sweater. This blouse has great details, too: a pleated bib, button loops and a squared-off, split hem. Sweater: HaniiY; Blouse: JCrew; Jeans: Lucky Jeans; Bag: Les … Read more
Every once in awhile, you find something that fits perfectly — right off the rack. Behold the dress that fits perfectly everywhere — length, waist, bust, armholes. As you can see below, it fits perfectly even when I am doubled over laughing. How extraordinary. This dress has some lovely details: self-fabric … Read more
On really cold days, I wear a lot of layers. I don’t just mean a sweater over a blouse over a camisole. I mean Sweater Over Dress Over Blouse Over Pants. I really like the look of a dress over pants — which, for me, was borne of necessity. So many cute dresses … Read more
It’s cold here in Washington, D.C. — but for those flying south and thinking about casual resort wear for work (as well as all of my readers in the Southern Hemisphere) . . . I am wearing silver sandals, but black sandals or flats would clearly coordinate. And I’ve tried it with two bags: … Read more
Can such a distinctively colored jacket adapt? Of course it can. Jacket: Robert Rodriguez; White blouse: Banana Republic; Grey wool pants: JCrew; Black linen pants: JCrew: Striped tee-shirt: JCrew; Black blouse: Anthropologie; Black cotton pants: JCrew; Black patent flats: Geoxx; Black cap-toed flats: French Sole New York; Black brogues: Cole Haan (2014); … Read more
Being properly dressed (or, if we are striving, well-dressed), requires a little bit of planning each day. A surprisingly small amount. For me, every work day starts the night before with three questions, asked in rapid succession: What should I wear to work tomorrow? What can I wear to work tomorrow? What am I … Read more
Nice clothes are a type of armor: They can give you confidence, and they may even embolden you. Nice clothes have a corresponding effect on the people you encounter: If you are well-dressed, people will be nicer to you, and will even defer to you. (Sad, but true.) So, in encouraging you to be … Read more
When I was a young associate at my firm, one of the partners asked me to participate in a panel at a professional conference that is always heavily attended. He asked me because, in his words, “You’ll add diversity. The conference sponsors care about that.” Oddly touched and weirdly motivated by this invitation to … Read more