What To Wear To Thanksgiving Dinner.

Don’t panic. I’ve got some suggestions for you. These are suggestions that can serve as a basic framework to follow. These silhouettes should work on mostly anyone, so if you don’t have anything in your closet you can still high-tail it to the mall and pick something like this up.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! My boyfriend and I have decided to spend our holiday off on a climbing trip so we’ll be cooking our dinner over a campfire. I’ll be thinking of all of you enjoying your delicious dinners and impressing your friends and families with how fabulous you look.

***Music today. Blonde Redhead “23″.

Dancin’ the Night Away

I love to dance.  Dancing used to be a huge part of my life in the early to mid-90’s.  Every weekend I would tell my Mom I was sleeping over at a friend’s house but instead I would pile people into my tiny car and we’d drive off to the city to go dancing all night long.  Woops, I don’t think I ever told my Mom that.  Sorry Mom, now you know.   Long story short, when I started college I didn’t have the time nor the money to be out in clubs all the time so my dancing days were history.

Every so often my friends and I get together to “dance it out” at our favorite club called the Loop Lounge.  I’m not really into going to places that are over-priced and full of attitude.  The Loop is chill and plays great music.  What more could you ask for?

Here’s my dilemma when going dancing, I want to look cute but I don’t want my dancing to be impeded by my attire.  In other words if I wear some really hot heels, there’s no way I can dance.  I might break an ankle.  If I wear a dress, I might be able to shimmy or shake but that’s pretty much it.  No fun.  So, I typically wear jeans and a top with some form of flats or boots.  The good thing about boots is that they’re heavier than a shoe so you get an extra workout while dancing.  Don’t believe me?  Try it out and feel your legs the next day.  Nice.  Who wants to do the stairmaster watching a silent t.v. in the gym when you can just go dancing?  So much more fun.

The smoke machines keep it smokey in there.  I kept my outfit simple with a Club Monaco navy merino wool scoop back tee, over-dyed skinny Duarte jeans (these have been getting a lot of wear recently), and Costume National black boots.

This is my “sexy back” look.  Ha-ha!  Get it?   So, the thing I love about this top is that the neckline’s high at the front but scoops at the back.  A lot more sexy than a plunging neckline on me.

My lovely Made Her Think oxidized silver necklace.

I wanted to keep the accessories simple but edgy.  The club itself has a punky, alternative vibe so my oversize raw ruby ring and my studded leather belt were perfect.

My black Costume National boots finished the look.

***Music today.  The Cure “Mixed Up”.

45rpm

Do you ever wonder where designers get inspiration for those perfect lived in hoodies or rumpled washed down shirts and jeans that you find in your favorite mall stores? The answer is R by 45rpm, the most amazing Japanese denim brand that specializes in “lived in” basics. R by 45rpm creates the most beautiful, perfectly proportioned, wonderful feeling garments with the most lovely details. The clothing is expensive but when you see it and feel it, you experience the love that goes into each individual garment. It’s a personal luxury. The brand attracts intellectuals, artists, and as I mentioned before designers. There are two stores in New York, one in Soho and one on the Upper East Side, and a new online store.

Here are some of my favorite pieces:

***Music today: Arcade Fire “Neon Bible”.

As Preppy As I Get a.k.a. My Ode to Stacy

Friday night the girls threw a casual 40th birthday dinner party for our good friend Whitney. It was freezing cold out so I delved into my closet in search of something warm that I could layer but still look cute. I chose my cozy J.Crew cashmere turtleneck but wanted to layer the look so that it was a little more interesting. Immediately, I thought of Stacy, the wonderful mother of one of my oldest friends Stasha. Stacy is THE preppy goddess. She’s always been effortlessly chic in her chinos, loafers, polo shirts, and cashmere sweaters. Her clothes are always clean, classic, and lived in. Her sense of style is understated in its’ elegance, very Ralph Lauren.

Stacy photographed by her son Roman.

I’ve always loved the way she layers and for some reason my turtleneck reminded me of a look I remember Stacy wearing back when Stasha and I were in high school. She wore a button-up shirt peaking out from under a turtleneck sweater. It was genius. Here’s my version:

I’m wearing a Club Monaco blue plaid button-up shirt with contrast white cuffs and collar under a J.Crew grey heather cashmere sweater. On the bottom, my over-dyed Duarte jeans and my new Dru boots. The key to this look is the popped collar peaking out of the turtleneck.

Funky green hornet button earrings by Subversive for Target. Mixing accessories that are a contrast color to the overall color scheme of the outfit keeps things interesting.

A close-up of the plaid pattern of the shirt and the soft roll finish of the sweater.

My new grey leather Dru boots finish the look.

***Music today. Ester Drang “Rocinate”.

Baby It’s Cold Outside

I’ve lived in some pretty cold places. Colorado, Chicago, and obviously New York/New Jersey. So, why is it that I’m so averted by the cold? You think I would get used to it after all these years. But no. As soon as the temperature drops below 40 I just want to cocoon myself in down and cashmere. Oh thank God for cashmere.

I don’t come from a wealthy family. I’m pretty sure my mother has never owned a cashmere sweater in her lifetime. So, it wasn’t until a few years ago in my late 20’s that I started to embrace cashmere for myself. Once I did, there was no turning back. It’s the softest, warmest, most wonderful fiber for this time of year. It’s a bit more pricey than wool, but it’s 100% worth it. Quality is more important than quantity. Invest in one cashmere sweater vs. 3-4 wool sweaters. You won’t be sorry.

Here I am unhappy to venture out into the cold.  I’m wearing my favorite navy Club Monaco cashmere sweater that I lived in all last winter. Underneath I’m wearing a grey heather cotton Clu pocket tee paired with my dark indigo Madewell jeans and Ash buckle sneakers.

I love this sweater!!! Not only is it super warm but I love the oversized funnel-neck and double breasted closure. It’s incredibly versatile. I wear this sweater over dresses or just a tee-shirt and jeans. It’s perfect for work or for the weekend.

This vintage Miracle multi-stone pendant is also a brooch. My Mom bought it for me for Christmas many years ago. I love all of the different colors and patterns in each of the stones. I also love the simple chain-link chain which I had shortened to fit perfectly at the base of my neck.

I’ve always been a Converse girl, so when I saw these Ash leather buckled high tops I fell in love. They look like Converse, but they’re one step up on the style scale because they have so many cool details. There’s a buckle on the heal too, so they’re cute coming and going.

***Music today. Portishead “Third”. My favorite song is “Rip”.

Instant French Girl Chic

That thing that they say about French women is true. They are effortlessly chic and have their own brand of stunning beauty. I’ve been to the French countryside and I’ve been to Paris and regardless of locale they just have it.

Isabel Marant is a French designer who specializes in understated chic. Unfortunately, her clothing can be hard to come by here in the States. I’ve run across a few pieces at Steven Alan in Tribeca, but otherwise, not so much. The good news is that Yoox.com and Heist, a shop in L.A. which also has a shop online, sells her clothing. Here are some of my favorite pieces from the current collection:

The lady herself, Ms. Isabel Marant.

***Music today. The Chapin Sisters “Lake Bottom”.

My Happy New Grey Boots

I’m a sucker for a low heeled or flat boot.  In purging my closet I decided to give away a favorite pair of J.Crew brown leather kitten healed boots I’d had and worn forever.  They were made very well but with all of the city walking the delicate heels were always in need of repair, which as you can imagine can add up over the years.  I decided it was time for them to go.  In getting rid of them I freed up a space for a new pair of boots.    Of course, finding the perfect pair of boots can mean a lot of shopping around, so for months I’ve been on the lookout.   I already have a pair of perfect black riding boots and a perfect pair of brown leather stacked heel boots so I needed something that  would fill its’ own niche.  That’s when I found these grey beauties from Dru New York.

Here’s me in my new Dru boots.  I wore a cotton grey heather Madewell ribbed tank under a teal Barney’s New York cashmere cardigan and my newly over-dyed Duarte jeans topped with a Vivienne Westwood Anglomania striped wool jacket.  Yes, I recently decided to over-dye these jeans to darken them up after years of fading.  I gotta be honest I was about to give the jeans away but I love their fit so I decided to update them instead with couple of quick tricks.  First I bought some navy Rit dye at the grocery store and over-dyed them then I took a seam ripper to the decorative top stitching at the back pockets (which I was over big time) and removed it.  Now, it’s like having a whole new pair of jeans.  Hooray!

I love the way the colors in this light weight merino striped scarf tie the whole look together.  The blue, grey, and brown stripes in the jacket work perfectly with the broader multi-colors of the stripe.  Even the warm brown of the quartz necklace and the teal of the sweater can be found in the scarf.

One of my favorite brown belts from Linea Pelle.  You can see in this close-up the highs and lows in the dark denim after over-dying and how the white top stitching pops that much more.

Here are my lovely grey boots.  I love how modern and classic they are.  Oh and did I mention, comfortable?   Yup, that too.

***Music today.  The Envelopes “Here Comes the Wind”.

Virginia Weekend

Virginia feels like home. I only lived there 4 short years but they were very formative high school years. My parents moved away the year I started college however I still have very good friends in the area so I make a point of visiting a few times a year.

One of my best friends, Airynee, is the head gardener at The Goodstone Inn & Estate in Middleburg. Saturday was spent touring the estate on a 4×2 golf cart called a gator and checking up on Airynee’s new organic gardens. It was an overcast autumn day with a slight chill in the air and the staff was preparing for a wedding that was to take place that afternoon. It was a perfect way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

Airynee and I riding around on the gator. Good times.

I wore a Zadig & Voltaire grey heather light weight cotton sweater layered over a Madewell cotton white ribbed tank and paired with Jimmy’Z black skinny jeans. My G Star cotton grey fatigue jacket kept the chill at bay and I wrapped a Chan Luu silk scarf around my neck to add a pop of color to an otherwise drab color palette. This sweater was probably intended to be worn as a dress but I’m not into showing that much leg so I always wear it with skinny jeans. I like to play with layering different proportions such as the longer sweater under the jacket. Don’t be intimidated to experiment with various lengths as long as the proportions work on your body.

I wore my beloved Dina Sutter rutilated quartz necklace which looks great with the green of the scarf. I’m pretty sure that I’ve sung of the virtues of scarves before on this blog, but here I go again… Scarves are one of the easiest ways to effortlessly add color to any outfit. Chic Europeans have been doing it for years.

A detail of the jacket on the wearer’s right side.

And a detail of the wearer’s left side of the jacket. I’m a sucker for military details and G Star has a knack with them. Maybe it’s all my years designing menswear.

I tucked the jeans into my black suede Minnetonka moccasins. These shoes are fastly becoming my most worn this season.

The Goodstone Inn.

The ivy-covered poolhouse.

The wedding set-up by the pool. Could it be more idyllic?

Meet Javier and his harem of 55 hens. They produce eggs daily for The Goodstone Inn’s restaurant Hilltopper’s which proudly gets 70% of their food locally.

Happy cows lounging around the pond as we ride by in the gator.

***Music today. Band of Horses “Everything All of the Time”.

Lingerie You’ll Love… And He Will Too

I love lingerie. It’s that special little secret that you share with yourself and your significant other, if you have a significant other. That being said, I’m a firm believer in owning and wearing lingerie that you love and that makes you feel beautiful. If your underwear drawer is full of stretched out bras and granny panties, it’s time to reassess. Why hang on to anything that makes you feel frumpy and asexual? And don’t answer me with “comfort”, because that’s crap and you know it. There is plenty of sexy, affordable, comfortable lingerie nowadays. Check out my favorite Gap Body, Victoria’s Secret, and even Aerie. But first go to your underwear drawer right now and clean out anything that doesn’t fit properly or has any holes in it. Throw away those grannie panties and those Victoria’s Secret cotton briefs with the stretched out elastics. Now invest in some pretty lingerie that makes your feel beautiful, because my dears that’s where it all begins when you get dressed every day. If you start out with the right undergarments you’ll look better, feel better, and exude more confidence.

Here’s some inspiration for you from Agent Provocateur, one of my favorite lingerie labels.

***Have fun with your lingerie. I love this barbed wire pattern on these pieces.

***Flirty lingerie need not be trashy. These pieces have a bit of a “french maid” look to them.

***Beautiful colors and pretty details are always a must in lingerie.

***Just because it’s white, doesn’t mean that it needs to be basic. Why not choose ultra-feminine lace?

***Why not try multiple silhouettes on the bottom? A thong to be worn under pants or a skirted brief to be worn under full skirts or to sleep in at night.

***The only rules in lingerie are that each piece fits properly and makes you feel beautiful.

***Music today. Carla Bruni’s “Quelqu’un M’a Dit”.

A Rainy Day at the Met

My good friend Marc and I took a trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art on this very rainy Thursday. Unfortunately, I had no idea the museum was doing some renovations on the second and third floors, so many of my favorite pieces were displayed under a maze of glass cases. We had a great time strolling through the exhibits, eating at the cafeteria, and then heading back downtown for afternoon cupcakes. Yumm.

Me with John Singer Sargent’s The Wyndham Sisters. I wore a light heather grey merino wool turtleneck under a black silk chiffon blouse with a red satin bow (both from Club Monaco) paired with dark indigo Madewell jeans and topped with a black Club Monaco trench coat.

Here’s me without the trench at home.

I wore my vintage raw ruby ring because I love the way that the color almost perfectly matches the red of the satin bow.

I wore my carved wooden feather earrings that my boyfriend gave me for my birthday a couple years ago.

My favorite Costume National black riding boots finished the look. They got a little scuffed up, dirty, and wet so they’re off to my shoe guy to get shined up tomorrow.

Some of my favorite pieces that I saw today:

Chuck Close Lucas

And a close up of that painting so that you can admire the color mixing.

Marc with Morris Louis‘ Untitled.

William Orpen Self Portrait

Gustav Klimt Mada Primavesi

Marc in the temporary maze of glass display cases. It felt like a super fancy Ikea.

An Art Nouveau necklace that we fell in love with. FYI, Art Nouveau is my favorite period in art.

Intricate ancient Egyptian gold necklace and earrings.

***Music today: Beirut’s “The Flying Club Cup”