As 2015 comes to a close, it’s time to take a look back. The year’s posts — which number 137 — are sorted into pedagogical categories like Dressing and Planning, but I thought you might be interested in seeing which are my favorites and which appear to be your favorites. Thank you … Read more
My clothes veer toward a dark palette for the winter months, but I don’t like to wear dark things everyday. There is a reason why bright colors are used to paint exteriors in the far northern climates like Greenland and Newfoundland. But what do you wear a bright colored sweater with on a … Read more
I have written previously about the many virtues of large scarves (in what I believe to be one of my funniest posts), but I am equally enthusiastic about small scarves measuring 18-24″ square. We can all agree that a scarf — the right scarf — adds a certain chic to the day. Why … Read more
I promised you several weeks ago that I would lay before you the extraordinary virtues of red shoes. A pair of red shoes turns black separates (perfectly respectable clothes) into an outfit. (See this earlier post for an explanation of the taxonomy of dress.) This is the kind of outfit I put on … Read more
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
A winter coat is a big investment and if you live in a climate where winter lasts a few months, ideally you will have more than one such coat. But everyone needs to start somewhere! So, if you (I) were going to buy one coat, what would it be? Before we unpack this … Read more
In the District of Columbia, registered voters and licensed drivers are summoned for jury duty in the Superior Court every two years, almost like clockwork. As you can see from the pictures, I am completely respectable in Business Casual, but I’m not that dressed-up. Out of a pool of 100 prospective … Read more
If you told me that you were going to pare your closet down to one bag for work — a large shoulder-bag, satchel, or tote — I would tell you that it should probably be black. But most of us are not quite so spartan and have a two or three worky bags to … 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
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