Occasionally you buy something and realize that it’s perfect, a paragon of fit and utility, and you wish you had it in every color. This is a wish that the Directrice can grant. Well, not me personally, but I can set you on the path: If you find yourself a good seamstress, your paragon … Read more
Hello, hello! It’s a great little sweater: cashmere with a nice feel, cropped length perfect for wearing over an untucked blouse, and STRIPES. My summer is now coming (on October 31) to a close. Tomorrow, I start my new job. Last week, my former co-workers threw a lovely goodbye party for me. This brings me … Read more
Like many of you, I vowed at the start of the pandemic to ruthlessly clean my closets, cabinets, and drawers, top-to-bottom, and rid myself of the greater of (25% of possessions OR anything that I have not been loving or using in recent years). Fourteen months later, I got down to business. This … Read more
I told you that I have been wearing real pants with a set waistband . . . and that’s true. That’s what I’m going to show you. But I haven’t been wearing worky pants — i.e., wool trousers. Is that ok? Here is what I wore for work on December 23rd, my last day … Read more
To those of you who responded to my last post, thank you for answering my question. We have a deal! I’ll keep posting, you’ll keep reading, and all of us understand that this blog is just a harmless way of connecting and amusing one another for a few minutes each day. We all deserve … Read more
Continuing our Professional Education Series (CME credit for the doctors, CLE credit for the lawyers) on Sweaters of Substance — i.e., sweaters of sufficient weight and distinction that they can stand in for a jacket — I give you: The Dark Angel. Ta-da! A minimalist cross between an Obi belt and a corset belt. … Read more
I brought my too-snug Marni denim dress to Fatima for a consult. I had noticed very generous seam allowances when inspecting it at home. Fatima — who is apparently a forensic seamstress in addition to her talents — told me that it had been taken in. Somehow this revelation made me feel … Read more
Behold my go-to casual outfit for spring and early summer! No, not a baby. But something equally soft and appealing. Do not, however, be afraid. When smocking loses its elasticity, it can be re-smocked — so don’t discard any seemingly worn-out garment without first consulting a seamstress. Have a fantastic … Read more
Although our thoughts, on the cusp of summer, may be moving away from layering, today’s re-post from 2017 addresses a worthy year-round topic. And . . . there is air-conditioning. Did you see that the New York Times last week reported a recent study showing that women perform better when taking tests in warmer … Read more
Several weeks ago, I mentioned that I’d been scouring The RealReal and YOOX for a past season houndstooth bolero jacket by Stella McCartney. So I decided to take matters into my own hands and make a jacket like this myself. Understand that when I say “make myself,” I mean “bring something to Fatima … Read more