Long Game

Coat | Reformation
Boots | Cole Haan Marina

     About once a year, I'll see some item that clothing that, even if it seems wildly impractical or unusual, I know that it will pay off in my wardrobe if I just buy it and play the fashion long game. It really has to be something special, and even though it may seem like a surefire method for closet-disappointment, it is almost never the case. This coat, was my 2015 gut-driven purchase, and even though it has been taking up precious space in my closet the last two years, I have no regrets. (In case you were wondering: my 2014 one was a vintage couture jacket, this top was my 2016 one, and I haven't made such a 2017 gut-driven purchase yet, so hopefully that means I'm in for a treat over the next 3 months 😉.)

If you are reading this, thanks E and K for taking these photos.

Pack of Peplums

I love a good peplum, and think that a peplum top is a nice way to add a little visual interest to a work wardrobe. They are a bit unusual and fun - I mean they are basically a kooky little skirt for your top, but I don't think that means they can't also be office appropriate. Here are two examples of how I recently wore a peplum to work.

Top | Rebecca Taylor
Cardigan | Abound
Pants | DvF
Shoes | Coclico 

Rose

Top | Nordstrom Collection
Jeans | Citizens of Humanity
Shoes | Paul Green
Bag | Baggu Basic Tote

     It is taking all of my restraint not to make a "on Wednesdays, we wear pink" joke (not the least of which because it is Monday). I've had a bit of a posting hiatus, but hopefully will be getting back into a rhythm soon (I mean not like the sartorial world has just ground to a halt without my astute observations, but whatever, blogging makes me happy). I think about my outfits, take the photos, and write the posts in order to capture the creativity that my clothes allow me to convey. Also, I love talking about clothes and outfits more than most people I know want to hear me do so, so I write those thoughts down here, instead. 

Beat the Heat

Top | Amour Vert
Skirt | Banana Republic
Shoes | Paul Green

     I've paired together two recent outfits that are both drape-y, if that is even a word (quick google search produces mixed results, no hits from OED). I've recently been drawn toward clothing that is more soft and flowy, avoiding anything tight or structured. Part of this might be because of the recent heat waves the Bay Area has been having. It got up to 106 degrees in the city last weekend - the hottest ever on record. 

     Now, I know what your thinking, "my city also got up to 100+ degrees" and I hear you, and that is hot, but heat is always tough in SF because it never gets that hot, and as a result, no one has air conditioning. No A/C in your apartment. No A/C in the bogeda on the corner. No A/C in the majority of restaurants. No A/C in most coffee shops (except Starbucks which was a madhouse). I and about a thousand of my fellow city-dwellers decamped to the movies, which is one of the few places with air conditioning.

     On Tuesday, when I was back in the office, I still couldn't bear to wear sleeves or closed-toed shoes. So instead I wore this:

Top | Calvin Klein
Skirt | Amour Vert
Shoes | Coclico

H2T

Dress | J. Crew
Cardigan | Halogen
Shoes | Coclico Banks Sandal 

    When I was in college, I used to watch America's Next Top Model (aka ANTM). It was a totally batshit-crazy gem of a show that pumped out 22 seasons (or cycles, as they would call them) in a little over a decade. I did not watch all of the cycles, but I certainly saw quite a few of them. Supermodel Tyra Banks was the main host, with a rotating cast of judges that ranged from Twiggy (former supermodel herself), to Andre Leon Talley (former Vogue editor), evaluating a set of women (and apparently later men) who were vying to become, you guessed it, America's next top model. 

    I mention it here because Tyra had a lot of mantras and sayings that she would repeat to the ladies over and over, cycle after cycle. One of them was that you had to model from H2T aka from head to toe and when I was taking these pictures, I heard Tyra's voice in my head. Suffice to say, I bring all of this up because I recently got these shoes, I think they are amazing, and I wanted to try to get a good photo that showcases their beauty. H2T.

In-vested

Dress | Amour Vert
Vest | Rag & Bone Ines
Shoes | Calvin Klein 

     I am always mindful to avoid looking like a restaurant waiter whenever I wear a vest, the same way I never wear a red shirt and khaki pants when I go to Target. For this particular outfit, I knew I wanted to wear this knit dress (another new Amour Vert find), and couldn't figure out what else to wear with it. My blazers were too long and made the skirt look a bit short, a sweater pulled over the dress sort of ruined the nice lines of the dress, and I didn't feel like wearing a cardigan. 

     Vest to the rescue. This vest shows off the long sleeves on the dress, the white provides a striking contrast to the navy, and, as the vest has pockets but the dress doesn't, it adds a level of functionality. Also, since the vest has lapels, it invokes the style of a blazer in a way that still looks polished, for work. I don't wear this vest very often (I was actually surprised to see that I purchased it back in 2014) but it keeps surviving my closet clean-outs because when it does work, I really love it.