Tag Archives: j crew

postcard from nyfw: fashion vs. style

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Am I the only person wondering what the fug is happening at the J.Crew NYFW presentation today? Purple culottes, yellow fur and a suit/jumpsuit/snuggie aberration that defies all rational thought. No. Just no.

Fashion vs. style, friends. I say it all the time, but if this doesn’t bring it home, I can’t imagine what will. I’m all about fashion as art – the design, the eccentricity, the sheer creative genius of it all. But loving a portrait by Picasso doesn’t mean I need to have my ear surgically relocated to my lower cheek.

The next time a designer or a model or a magazine or a blogger tells you something should be in your closet, just take a moment. Think about whether you love the art of that “something”, or whether you love how it would actually make you feel in the real world. Think about what you wear that actually makes you look and feel your absolute best, that makes you feel the most you. Does that “something” fit the bill?

I’m not saying we shouldn’t ever try new things. I swore I’d never venture into skinny jeans, but here we are three years later and I have a closet full of them. I’ve found cuts I love, and ways to wear them that make me feel sophisticated and stylish. Pencil skirts, on the other hand? I have a closet full of those too…but no matter how many magazine editorials tell me they’re sexy, I never feel anything but chubby and self-conscious when I wear them. So, I finally started buying A-line skirts, and it was a revelation.

There’s a reason we all love that French girl style, and more often than not, it’s because they know better than to succumb to every fad that comes their way. Find your style, be true to it, and if a trend happens to pique your interest, dip your toe in. But also, feel absolutely free to walk on by.

 

|   A FEW STYLE CLASSICS THAT CAN’T MISS   |

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a currently coveting compendium

Lately, it seems my Pinterest boards runneth over with goodies I (at least momentarily) can’t live without. Quite possibly, all of this way-too-early holiday business has seeped into my subconscious and I’m formulating lists for Santa against my will. Whatever the reason, in no particular order, and with zero rhyme and reason, I thought I’d share a few things I can’t get over this week. Read on

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cheap thrills: thredup’s got a brand new bag

{Editor’s Note: The following is sponsored by my friends at thredUP, but opinions and picks are all mine. As always, thanks for supporting these wonderful businesses that keep the lights on at SMC!}

If there’s anything I love more than a new bag, it’s a bargain. So when I heard that thredUP was adding handbags to their fantastic online consignment offerings, I may have gotten a little giddy. Right on trend, nearly-new bags, 100% authentic (I checked – they’ve hired experts to make sure), marked down as low as 1/4 of their original retail price? Where do I sign?

A few of the (too) many styles I’m coveting this morning: thredup handbags Read on

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currently coveting: midi skirts for spring

First of all, friends, I’m so sorry for being woefully delinquent a bit absent lately. If we’re pals on social media (oh, please say we are…a girl needs a little validation now and then), you’ll probably have gleaned that I have a pretty fantastic trip coming up in a couple of weeks. Paris and Florence! And truth be told, it sort of has my brain in a vice grip. I’m making packing lists (which I’ll be sharing), coordinating guests to hang out here while I’m gone, and trying to make sure I have my must-visit list of stores in order before I leave. So, just hang in there…your patience will be rewarded with loads of pretty pictures and some great travel guides, I promise.

For now, though, can we talk about how excited I am that midi skirts are in style this season? Not that I so much care about what’s “in style” if I love it and it looks good on me, but I very much care about what’s “available for purchase”, and if something’s in style, you can find it just about everywhere.

So, why the midi? Read on

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your perfect jeans

 the-perfect-jeans, best denim, perfect pair of jeans, designer denim, top denim styles, most flattering jeans

When it comes to denim, I may not have as many pairs as this lady, but I’ve done all right for myself. And though I can’t seem to stop racking up new finds, I’ll always have a few die-hard, impossible-to-part-with favorites in the mix. The J.Crew Matchsticks from a zillion years ago (before they messed up the fit), now so perfectly stretched out and worn in that they’re really more boyfriend jeans than anything, but still utterly perfect. The MiH Ellsworths that are exactly the right shade of faded blue. And the Paige Hidden Hills that magically make me look 10 pounds slimmer, even on fat days.

But my all-time favorite, I’ll-cry-when-they-finally-give-up, perfect jeans are my Joe’s Socialites (a now-extinct style, I’m sad to say). They’re made of the softest, thinnest denim, and every time I put them on, my whole body just lets out a big sigh of relief. They’re that comfortable.

What about you, friends? What’s your perfect pair?

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asked and answered: what to wear to that holiday party

Some of you told me you’d be curious about my advice for holiday party attire. And, since this is officially the week for holiday parties and I know I’m you’re fretting about what to wear, I thought I’d pass on some of my favorite “rules of thumb” for holiday party outfits. Read on

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holy grail quest: the perfect summer jacket

I meant to write about nail polish today. But honestly, the little shopaholic hamster running rampant in my brain just can’t focus, because it’s hellbent on tracking down the perfect summer jacket.

You know the one I mean. You can throw it on over a tired tank and jeans, and look instantly pulled-together (yet not dressy), or tote it along to a summer barbecue, secure in the knowledge that when the sun sets, you can toss it on over your skimpy sundress and everyone will be amazed and bewildered by how effortlessly cool you look. The one that goes with everything, looks like you’ve owned forever (way before it was cool), and makes other people stop you in the streets to ask where you found such a treasure. At which point, you’ll give them a sweetly benevolent half-smile and mutter something about an adorable little boutique in Paris.

Am I aiming too high?

To be honest, I haven’t found my holy grail yet. But I can tell you this: I’ll be like a dog who’s lost its bone somewhere in the backyard (digging, digging…ah, simile.) until I find the winner. In the meantime, let’s look at some contenders, shall we? Read on

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off the rack: the spring styles that actually made it into my closet

As I think you know by now, I’m a big believer in finding ways to make trends work for me, instead of having to change my wardrobe and comfort level to suit the trend. The truth is that I’m at that point in my life where I know what I’ll wear, what flatters me, and what belongs in my closet. And I worked hard to get here! Sure, I find a piece or two to push the envelope just a bit every season, but overall, running blindly after every trend that struts by just isn’t my thing.

To wit, I thought you’d like to take a peek at what I’ve actually been buying so far for spring. Ready for a little stroll through my closet? Read on

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