Be Prepared!

  Be Prepared! The post in which The Directrice gives you license to buy a party dress when you have no party invitations in hand and calls it “good planning.” A few words about the dress. As you can see, the skirt is full and stiff — so it’s not the most flattering shape. I … Read more

The Holiday Weekend

  It’s Independence Day! I feel like the holiday weekend started Friday afternoon . . . even though I, personally, am not actually taking any vacation time. Nevertheless, it’s hard to feel industrious when everyone is in and out of the office, and wearing very casual clothes. My firm always closes at 1:00 p.m. the … Read more

Spectator Pump

I like the aesthetic of spectator pumps: white, black, perforations. White Dress: Loup; Black Dress: Theory; Necklace: Nervous System Smooth Kinematics 116N; Shoes: Taryn Rose; Bag: Kate Spade

Patch of Blue

  During the summer, nothing is cooler than a floaty dress. I’ve been planning the posts for the rest of the summer and there are a number of dresses involved, but to keep things interesting (and informative) I will be focusing on accessories. To some extent. OK. Here is our last ditch effort: an obscenely … Read more

Naive Kangaroo

  Surely the title of this post caught your interest!   Desiree Klein is a German expatriate living in Los Angeles, where she has a small workroom-atelier and boutique. This dress has the irresistible feel of something handmade — though it is machine-sewn and completely polished. Her clothes are both avant-garde and naive such that … Read more

The Bow to Top All Bows

  Did you think I had forsaken you?   Never! I have simply planned my week poorly and am running late with everything except Harper’s insulin shots. We snapped these photos in the front driveway while waiting for an urgent pizza delivery.   Top: Anna October Contrast-print One-Shoulder Cotton Top from MatchesFashion.com; Jeans: JCrew; Smart … Read more

Three Hundred Posts

  Here it is: Our 300th post!   Trumpets! Confetti! Cake!   I await your wise counsel. If you have nothing to say about the dress, feel free to post some trumpets, confetti, and cake to celebrate the 300th post, or a few words about what you hope to see in the next 300 posts! … Read more

Recombinant Dressing

  Continuing our exploration of recombinant dressing, I am bringing back a jacket and dress that you have seen before — but not together. The jacket, with its ivory facing, is lighter than the average black jacket and therefore does not overwhelm this boucle dress.     Jacket: Schumacher; Dress: JCrew; Belt: Emporium Armani; Bag: … Read more

A Derivative Ensemble

  When I switched from print to digital media to get my daily news, I was amazed — amazed — at how often the ads I saw were from somewhat obscure sites that I actually patronized and featured things that I had actually looked at. The coincidences boggled the mind. I’ve previously warned you that … Read more