Whenever I shop, I catch myself oscillating between romance and practicality. I get dressed to dream, to transform, to audition a new identity. But when it comes to retail reality, the bulk of my purchases are workwear — and blazers, blouses and briefcases aren’t the stuff of dreams. (Just TRY making “slacks” sound appealing.) I prefer to save my purchasing power […]
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My Thoughts on Fast Fashion
Nowadays, I don’t glut my closet with many “fast fashion” items from Zara, H&M or Topshop. I’m no fashion snob — I was JUST crowing about scoring a vest at Walmart. But I’m torn between an affection for affordable impulse purchases and a burgeoning discomfort with the cutthroat world of mass market retail. First, there are the shoddy safety practices that led to the collapse of a […]
J. Crew’s Latest Collaboration is Actually Marvelous
I have spent plenty of time hating on J. Crew’s army of mall-shopping mutants and their ubiquitous uniform of “formal” sweats, leather baseball caps and slip-on shower shoes. But sometimes, J. Crew has gems amongst the half-tucked horrors — usually in their capsule collections with other designers. This cobalt shirt is part of a collaboration between J. Crew and Juan Carlos […]
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See My Vest
Typically, I do not wear a suit to the office. Why would I? Today’s corporate culture is more creative and flexible than ever. Doesn’t a drab blazer and slacks signal a regression to the shoulder pads and gender inequality in “Working Girl?” Wouldn’t retreating to the suit be shackling oneself to an unnecessary uniform? (I’ve obviously given this a lot of […]
Can I Pull This Off? The SJP Edition
When it comes to style icons, I have my share of favorites: Patsy Stone (her Chanel cardigan!), Pablo Picasso (his polo shirts!), Emma Watson (her YSL smoking suit!). But like every woman over the age of 30, I have a particularly soft spot for Sarah Jessica Parker. SJP epitomizes the style pragmatist ethos: she’s fabulous, but […]
Work It: Three Outfits in One
Clothing should never intimidate you. Think of your closet as an office, and you’re the domineering boss. Every article of clothing is one of your employees. (You paid for THEM, after all.) You should crack the whip to ensure each item works hard for you — but each employee should work well with the others, too. Here’s how: This first look reminds me […]
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The 90s Trend Meets Its Maker
The emergence of 90s nostalgia was mildly tolerable when it first reappeared: The 2012 Urban Outfitters x Lisa Frank collabo was cute enough, and I was delighted with the resurgence of “every day” leather pants. Then… things got weird. Anything with a sniff of 90s sentiment was suddenly hotter than a Ricky Martin single. Prices rocketed for the […]
Making a Summer Dress Work for Fall
This creamy eyelet dress was one of the smarter purchases I made in 2012, thanks to its reasonable price tag (well under $100) and its versatility in straddling two summertime trends: the lace dress and the long-sleeved shirt-dress. Typically, I interpret this as a casual dress, pairing it with nude ballet flats, a cognac belt and a […]
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Can a White Shirt Transform Your Look?
There are the fashionista factions who will advise you to spend as much as you can on your wardrobe basics. I am not one of them. Today’s theme is the white shirt, the queen of all wardrobe basics. The variety in price is astounding. First up is the white Oxford, a working woman’s uniform. At the high-end of the spectrum is Carven’s version for […]
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Are We Okay Going Gray?
Is it possible to max out on minimalism? I tested the thesis with this head-to-toe granite combination. I blame this look entirely on the Jenna Lyons cyborgs featured in the J. Crew catalog I received last night. Gray is not a cheerful color, and it doesn’t do much for the complexion. Gray is TV snow. It’s aluminum foil. […]