Today’s Catalog Police is a little unorthodox because the subject is not an actual mail order catalog. Instead, we’ll be covering the full lookbook from the much-anticipated Alexander Wang for H&M collaboration. I’ll preface my critique by stating: These looks were developed for a fast fashion clientele and do not echo the versatility, quality and uniqueness of the mainstream Alexnader […]
Month: October 2014
Pleather Pants are Waterproof…Probably
Of all the weather conditions to which New Yorkers are subjected, nothing is as anti-fashion as a good, old fashioned downpour. This year’s autumn has been particularly soggy, with rain sprinkled across workdays and weekends alike. Under normal circumstances, I wear the unofficial NYC storm uniform: green Hunter boots and a trench coat. The combo may be […]
Can I Pull This Off? A Shirtdress Over Pants
Today’s outfit is one of those “keep scrolling down” looks. It starts off normal… and then POW. See what I mean? This is my attempt to nail the LAYER EVERYTHING YOU OWN trend. For this iteration, I wore my Derek Lam shirtdress (last seen here) over wide-legged pants, with an extra swaddling of cashmere for good measure. This […]
What to Wear to a Fall Wedding
This past weekend, I went to Saratoga Springs for a wedding. It was an evening wedding, which calls for an extra spackle of glitz. But it was also unseasonably cold — around 37 degrees — and nothing can kill glamour faster than winter-esque layers. When I purchased this silk Betsey Johnson dress in 2007, it was originally winter […]
5 Things I Learned from Teri Agins
Last night, I went to the 92Y for an onstage interview between Fern Mallis and Teri Agins. Fern famously situated Fashion Week at the Bryant Park tents. (She was also the subject of this must-watch documentary.) Teri is an enormously influential fashion journalist, whose 1999 book, The End of Fashion, was my primer during my first journalism job. […]
TBT: My Homecoming Dress, Part 3
Today is the final installment in my three-part Throwback Thursday series. For the past three weeks, I have tested my styling mettle with the simple question: Could I reinterpret my high school homecoming dresses into modern outfits? It was essential that the homecoming dress’ humble origins be disguised, of course. (See my attempts for my 1997 homecoming dress here […]
The False Idolatry of the It Bag
In the early aughts, I was obsessed with owning a Louis Vuitton monogram canvas bag. Logo-mania was at its peak. Jennifer Lopez was the face of the LV campaign. I was so consumed with my desire to own the monogram, I drained most of an internship stipend to buy my first It Bag: the newly released […]
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A Sartorial Salute to Madonna
It is with sadness that I confirm that fall has officially begun. Yes, we are about to free-fall into a 7-month stretch of darkness and despair. But while my Miami-native blood curdles at the sight of anything below 75, these brisk temperatures have a silver lining: Finally — FINALLY! — I got to wear this Stella McCartney silk […]
Can I Pull This Off? The Tutu Edition
When I was a girl, I was not immune to the charms of a tutu. Mine was pink (obviously), and it came with an attached bodysuit. But as soon as I physically outgrew the tutu, I moved onto the next trend — bike shorts — and never looked back. Nowadays, the tutu has two connotations: childhood costumes and Carrie […]
Catalog Police: Anthropologie Goes Anti-Feminist
Today is a bittersweet day at Catalog Police. We are evaluating the case of Women vs. Anthropologie. I have a conflict of interest in this case, as I’ve bought plenty Anthro items over the years. (Hey, their summer collection inspired the styling for half my honeymoon outfits.) The Anthro vibe has always been bohemian, inspired by 1960s […]