A few years ago, I participated in a panel discussion on careers in litigation at my alma mater. One of the other panelists, reflecting on how awesomely his life had turned out, told the assembled students, “You have to be in the right place at the right time.” The despair of these soon-to-be graduates … Read more
I am a huge fan of patent leather for both shoes and bags. Why this penchant? (1) Patent leather asserts itself at the edges of an outfit and thereby gives you definition — like a dark outline or a terminal punctuation mark: Outfit within! This outfit ends here! (2) Black patent leather has a … Read more
In searching for white dresses for you, I found a new white dress for myself and therefore decided to do one last Woman in White post as summer winds down. For those of you who are leery of white dresses, I hear your concerns: sunscreen, coffee, tiny jam and ketchup handprints. This dress comes … Read more
When I go on vacation, I try to avoid overpacking. Shoes, for many people, are where the wheels come off — figuratively, if not literally. So my rule is: WEAR a pair of stylish sneakers, PACK two pairs of proper shoes (a pair of black flats and either my leopard Mary-Janes or black penny … Read more
I promised a hagiographic post about YOOX a couple of months ago, and here it is. Over the last few years, I have purchased a significant, and growing, percentage of my clothes from YOOX. What is this YOOX that has inspired such loyalty and affection? In the words of YOOX itself, “Shopping on yoox.com … 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
Several weeks ago, I posted a tribute to white blouses. Today, I’d like to give black blouses their due. So why do I love black blouses? How do I count the ways? First, black blouses look extremely chic with a black suit — far more stylish than a white blouse. Same thing is true … Read more
Every woman needs at least one striped jersey in her wardrobe. That may seem like a strong proclamation, so you are owed an explanation. Horizontal stripes are a simple graphic and always look terrific with jeans and khakis for a casual look. During the warmer months, a striped jersey looks smart on Casual Friday … Read more
With a smart phone, you don’t need a watch to tell time anymore. But there are two reasons why you should wear one anyway. First, and most important: It’s impolite to look at your phone while you are in a meeting. You may be able to get away with it in a large meeting, … Read more
But I still like to look pulled together, so I have a few to choose from. Here are a few ideas for you. The COLORS: The NEUTRALS: I am a huge fan of Les Toiles du Soleil; in addition to tote bags (in various sizes), they make iPad covers, toiletry bags, and espadrilles. Sadly, they … Read more