the directrice

Casual Friday: Smart Jacket

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  Let’s see if a closer look shows what I am trying to convey.     I bought this a couple of years ago on Gilt and when I think back on it, the pictures on Gilt utterly failed to show how the jacket was fabricated and constructed. I was very surprised when it arrived. … Read more

The Virtues of White Blouses

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  No list of wardrobe essentials is complete — or reliable — if it doesn’t include the white blouse. I am going to go one step further and advise: no wardrobe is complete without a few white blouses. I recommend poplin blouses with long sleeves, short sleeves, and no sleeves as well as a variety … Read more

Casual Friday: Pink-on-Pink

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  I have two pink blouses — this one in crisp poplin and another in silk organza. I thought the poplin would work nicely with the lining of the sweater. This blouse has great details, too: a pleated bib, button loops and a squared-off, split hem. Sweater: HaniiY; Blouse: JCrew; Jeans: Lucky Jeans; Bag: Les … Read more

Perfect Dress

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  Every once in awhile, you find something that fits perfectly — right off the rack. Behold the dress that fits perfectly everywhere — length, waist, bust, armholes. As you can see below, it fits perfectly even when I am doubled over laughing. How extraordinary.       This dress has some lovely details: self-fabric … Read more

Warm as Toast

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  On really cold days, I wear a lot of layers. I don’t just mean a sweater over a blouse over a camisole. I mean Sweater Over Dress Over Blouse Over Pants.   I really like the look of a dress over pants — which, for me, was borne of necessity. So many cute dresses … Read more

Cape Back Blouse

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  It’s cold here in Washington, D.C. — but for those flying south and thinking about casual resort wear for work (as well as all of my readers in the Southern Hemisphere) . . . I am wearing silver sandals, but black sandals or flats would clearly coordinate. And I’ve tried it with two bags: … Read more

Chameleon Jacket

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    Can such a distinctively colored jacket adapt? Of course it can.     Jacket: Robert Rodriguez; White blouse: Banana Republic; Grey wool pants: JCrew; Black linen pants: JCrew: Striped tee-shirt: JCrew; Black blouse: Anthropologie; Black cotton pants: JCrew; Black patent flats: Geoxx; Black cap-toed flats: French Sole New York; Black brogues: Cole Haan (2014); … Read more

Asking the Right Questions

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  Being properly dressed (or, if we are striving, well-dressed), requires a little bit of planning each day. A surprisingly small amount. For me, every work day starts the night before with three questions, asked in rapid succession: What should I wear to work tomorrow? What can I wear to work tomorrow? What am I … Read more

The Case for Being Well-Dressed

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  Nice clothes are a type of armor: They can give you confidence, and they may even embolden you. Nice clothes have a corresponding effect on the people you encounter: If you are well-dressed, people will be nicer to you, and will even defer to you. (Sad, but true.) So, in encouraging you to be … Read more