I love the expression, “When you’re a hammer, everything looks like a nail.” I hope it doesn’t describe my approach to legal problems, but I think it does describe one aspect of my pandemic wardrobe. If one were only to have one pair of sandals, I have to say that black sandals with a … Read more
At the start of the pandemic, I — like many — had an initial instinct to reduce spending and economize as a hedge against uncertainty. Within a few weeks (early summer 2020), it occurred to me that I had a duty to spend like a Keynesian economist on shore leave — meaning that I … Read more
Do you remember one of the first principles of The Directorate? That if you find something that fits perfectly and suits you perfectly and it comes in two colors, you should buy both? Be forewarned that a color change sometimes means a fabric change, so I did check the fabric content to ensure the … Read more
Stripes are always right, right? We’ve talked about horizontally striped jerseys, vertically striped shirts and tops, and pinstriped pants in all seasons. But blue and white stripes seem especially right to me in the summer. Agree? Disagree? Remember this dramatic shirt, previously seen here, here, and here? It’s seen today with cropped white … Read more
In our CLE/CME series “Advanced Alterations: Case Studies” I give you: Hand-blocked Dress Over Pants (HBDOP) — a better-fitting dress over all-season white denim. I added this dress to my list of “things requiring alteration” and waited to be reunited with Fatima. Et voila! * Provided for the CDE participants.+ … Read more
I had a second meeting with Fatima earlier this month and therefore have many things to show you this summer. They aren’t new things exactly, but they are things you haven’t seen because I bought them in 2019 (for summer 2020) or in 2020 (assuming 2021 would come eventually) and needed to adjust them … Read more
Here is one last set of photos from the shoulder weeks between winter and summer, also known as “Spring.” * I think that this is the advice I’ve offered previously. + These white denim pants are my new favorites. I think I wore them more days than not during the months of … Read more
Realizing, as I did last week, that some of the things that I consider staples have not been commonly accepted as wardrobe basics (“Ten Things Every Woman Must Have in Her Closet!”), I thought I would start building the case for them. If I do my job well — and I am a … Read more
My pre-pandemic fall/winter wardrobe consisted of many black and grey jackets. Not so much vibrant color. But I do have two (two? two!) gold jackets. I check YOOX several times a year for yellow belts — which yields a very a manageable number of choices to sift through. This one cost $6. And … Read more
A robust cohort of The Directorate — representing two continents and four countries — met on Zoom last Saturday. It was an event. Life-changing advice was dispensed (and not just by me)+ and many appreciations were offered (from me to readers, from readers to The Photographer and me, from readers to one another), so … Read more