the directrice 
Several weeks ago, I declared white dresses to be the essence of summer. No one expressly contradicted me (your silence, as always, was taken as tacit agreement), so here I am, back with another white dress. Perhaps you’re thinking, “Directrice, have you lost your mind? You can’t wear that strappy dress to work!” If … Read more
When I was a little girl, about 8, I had a friend who had been taught the rudiments of pattern-making and sewing by her mother. She was precocious, intense, and creative — and sent a fan letter to Priscilla of Boston, which at the time was among the country’s premier couture bridal boutiques. The … Read more
During the cold weather months, I rely heavily on black and charcoal grey pants, which I wear with a variety of jackets and sweaters. In the summer, black and charcoal can look heavy, so I switch to taupe. Taupe — a word that sounds so awful — is actually a beautiful, complex color: an … Read more
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