the directrice 
My taste leans toward fairly simple clothes — clean lines and classic styles — generally. But sometimes one wants something a little more . . . directional, as they say in the industry. And when I feel that impulse, I look to 3.1 Phillip Lim, where I found this dress: I like … Read more
Let’s look at the details: All I need is a little patent leather — iridescent purple bag, black flats — and I am dressed for the day. Dress: Shoshanna; Pants: JCrew Campbell pants; Half-Sleeved Cardigan: JCrew; Woolly Cardigan: Aspesi; Bag: Car Shoe; Shoes: French Sole New York; Watch: Ritmo Mundo
A trench coat is a key element of the professional woman’s wardrobe. It is the correct outerwear for suits, dresses and other work-wear when the temperature is between 55 and 70 degrees, and it confers elegance upon casual ensembles including jeans and sneakers. While the words “trench coat” probably conjure a general picture in … Read more
Here is the jacket up-close: Jacket: L’Agence; Blouse: Alice by Alice Temperley; Pants: JCrew; Bag: Coach; Shoes: Taryn Rose
Very few people match the measurements of mass-produced clothing. You have undoubtedly observed that sizing varies wildly from manufacturer to manufacturer, but blamed yourself for not being able to find clothes that fit you perfectly. Read on, and you’ll realize that you’re lucky when anything comes close. Efforts to standardize sizing were undertaken at … Read more
The vernal equinox is upon us, which means it’s time to start transitioning to spring. I find the winter-spring transition much harder than the transition from summer to fall. This may be because the rhythm of the school year is so deeply ingrained that muscle memory helps me get dressed in October. (I … Read more
A friend told me that her sister — lucky enough to retire at a relatively young age — once said of our workplace, “I don’t know how you do it. Wearing those hard pants all day.” You might be thinking that “wearing hard pants” is a euphemism for unpleasant or difficult work, like acrimonious … Read more
I am a huge fan of the First Lady, patron saint of sedentary children and fledgling fashion designers, and it was from her example that I learned how transformative a belt can be (for an outfit, not a person). Consider this charming blouse with many fine attributes: small Peter Pan collar, fabric covered … Read more
But this tweed jacket is totally safe because I wore it a lot last winter. I often wear it with a white or cream colored blouse and jeans, but this crisply-patterned blouse is a fun alternative. A brown tweed jacket like this also looks good with pale pink or lavender (a blouse or sweater) and … Read more
A dear friend of mine recently read French Twist: An American Mom’s Experiment in Parisian Parenting and told me she was suprised to learn that French parents discuss clothing with their children – and even believe that teaching them style is part of raising them. Her surprise surprised me because I assumed that her … Read more