The Fatal Allure of Prints

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  I am drawn to prints of all varieties — stripes, bold graphics, florals, abstracts. But the reality is, printed dresses are not a sound investment: they can look dated quickly; they present a definite look, but only one look — which can’t be changed easily with accessories; they can overwhelm the person wearing them … Read more

Shadow Dress

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  My taste leans toward fairly simple clothes — clean lines and classic styles — generally. But sometimes one wants something a little more . . . directional, as they say in the industry. And when I feel that impulse, I look to 3.1 Phillip Lim, where I found this dress:     I like … Read more

Cathedral or Jungle?

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Let’s look at the details: All I need is a little patent leather — iridescent purple bag, black flats — and I am dressed for the day. Dress: Shoshanna; Pants: JCrew Campbell pants; Half-Sleeved Cardigan: JCrew; Woolly Cardigan: Aspesi; Bag: Car Shoe; Shoes: French Sole New York; Watch: Ritmo Mundo

April Showers Preparedness

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  A trench coat is a key element of the professional woman’s wardrobe.  It is the correct outerwear for suits, dresses and other work-wear when the temperature is between 55 and 70 degrees, and it confers elegance upon casual ensembles including jeans and sneakers.  While the words “trench coat” probably conjure a general picture in … Read more

Tin Man

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Here is the jacket up-close: Jacket: L’Agence; Blouse: Alice by Alice Temperley; Pants: JCrew; Bag: Coach; Shoes: Taryn Rose

Alterations Needed

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  Very few people match the measurements of mass-produced clothing. You have undoubtedly observed that sizing varies wildly from manufacturer to manufacturer, but blamed yourself for not being able to find clothes that fit you perfectly. Read on, and you’ll realize that you’re lucky when anything comes close. Efforts to standardize sizing were undertaken at … Read more

Transition to Spring

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  The vernal equinox is upon us, which means it’s time to start transitioning to spring.   I find the winter-spring transition much harder than the transition from summer to fall. This may be because the rhythm of the school year is so deeply ingrained that muscle memory helps me get dressed in October. (I … Read more

Soft Pants v. Hard Pants

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  A friend told me that her sister — lucky enough to retire at a relatively young age — once said of our workplace, “I don’t know how you do it. Wearing those hard pants all day.” You might be thinking that “wearing hard pants” is a euphemism for unpleasant or difficult work, like acrimonious … Read more