the directrice 
As an alternative to jeans, consider a denim dress. It’s certainly cooler, and more professional . . . . on the Casual Friday continuum. I don’t know about you, but I am very afraid of white shoes — and hadn’t worn a pair in decades, until I bought these sandals last summer. They are … Read more
You may remember my enthusiasm for Marni? The volume, the pattern-mixing, the extraneous flaps? While this trick (belting to add definition) usually works best with fluid or light-weight fabric, I think this Marni jacket looks great belted, even though it’s made of a stiff cotton. Belting causes the jacket to bell out from the … Read more
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
It’s another casual Friday. In Washington D.C. during the summer, that means layering for extreme temperatures: 100 degrees outside, commercial freezer inside. Everyone loves this scarf. Jacket: United Colors of Benetton; Top: Blaque Label; Jeans: Lucky Brand; Scarf: Tory Burch: Bag: Tory Burch York Buckle Tote in Pale Oak; Shoes: French Sole New York; … Read more
Several weeks ago we caucused to discuss stripes and their virtues. The topic was so vast and complex that I could only cover horizontal stripes in that initial post. Now we praise vertical stripes. They say that vertical stripes are thinning, or lengthening, or elongating, but I don’t really think that’s true. They are, … Read more
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
Several weeks ago I posted some highly controversial musings on The Fatal Allure of Prints, in which I confessed a push-pull relationship with print dresses and suggested that the desire for prints might be sublimated more wisely in printed blouses. The print is very old-fashioned, which makes it interesting as a slinky camisole. Because … Read more
I generally dress in solid colors, but I like details in my clothes. My shoes . . . they may be a little too bare for business casual, but the dress code in my office is not very stringently enforced. I’ve worn this dress with these dressy suede sandals and with black ballet flats. … Read more
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
When the temperature rises, dress code standards tend to fall — but some days one still has to look like a lawyer to attend a mediation or hearing. Under those circumstances I put on the summer edition of The Black Suit. I like an ivory blouse under an ivory jacket. A navy blouse would … Read more