the directrice 
Last week, I was looking for something cozy that would take me to work and an after-work concert at the Kennedy Center — with a walk in-between. I found this great boiled jacket in my very own closet. Last seen by you in 2017. Let me interrupt this post to tell you that when we … Read more
Happy New Year, Directorate! Although I feel ready to turn the page on 2023 — which I had marked down as a transitional year (2023: Return to Normalcy) many months ago — I am worried about 2024.
Directorate, do you remember previous discussions of The Third Piece? Not to be confused with The Third Man — which is a masterpiece and which you should make time to see over the holidays if you have not already seen it. I digress. The Third Piece is the thing (generally a garment) you add to … Read more
My career has spanned eras. When I started working, people wore suits every day. And then came Business Casual, which set off shockwaves in law firms. And then the pandemic, which normalized athleisure as workwear. As a result, the Business Casual of today is not the Business Casual of the aughts. It probably needs another … Read more
Directrice scholars will remember that some years ago, this blog published a series of posts titled Sweaters of Substance, explaining how a sweater of substantial weight and style could substitute for a jacket in a business casual environment. If you’ve forgotten, it’s here, here, here, here, and here.
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
We’ve had a lovely fall in Washington, D.C., warm (but not too hot) through September and into October. Lovely temperatures, but they do create seasonal dissonance — which we will define as “the psychological unease occasioned by wanting to dress for the season while needing to dress for the weather.” That’s a working definition. Please … Read more
Where does the time go? I was supposed to finish the summer clothes in mid-September and then move on to our favorite of all the seasons: Sweater Weather. Instead, I’ve been dithering and am now showing you sleeveless summer-weight dresses in October — which must be causing seasonal dissonance. Except for my readers Down Under! … Read more
The summer was so busy that I didn’t manage to write and publish some important posts. Things I’ve been meaning to show you for months and, in some instances, years. So I am going to flush out the summer ideas this week and then we’ll embark on fall next week. Agreed? *+ Some advice regarding … Read more
