Cold Morning....

Coat: Zara
Dress: Lanvin (from Gilt Groupe)
Boots: Maison Martin Margiela
Scarf: Gift from my mother
Tights: Did I put on my black ones accidentally?

Comfort vs. trends...

What do you think of these socks with pumps? I like them but have had the thought running through my head the last few weeks "I don't want to wear high heels anymore!" That said, you'll probably see them on me next week. Oh my gosh!!! They're $60.00!!! Maybe not.
By the way, I found these on La Gaconne and they come in black as well.

More inspiration...

Inspiration...

A woman doing it so well!

Trends...

Though I don't like the idea of being trendy (it goes against personal style), two trends I have attached to this year are the socks with heals and the dressing up of sweats with heals. Am I too old for this? A fine line I feel I am always balancing is having fun with my style BUT not trying to look younger than I am (which always makes one look older). Yes, some trends I love but the style I appreciate on mature women usually involves really fabulous BASICS. I am headed to L.A. this weekend and if I get a little shopping in, I will be focusing on basics, not trends. In the meanwhile, what do you think of these trends? Have YOU tried them?

Picture 1:
Jacket: Kenna-T
T-shirt: Hanes (mens)
Sweats: Theory
Shoes:Christian Louboutin

Picture 2 (don't you love that nasty look on my face):
Coat: Elizabeth and James
Dress: Gilt Groupe
Socks: Urban Outfitters
Shoes: Christian Louboutin
Glasses: Kate Spade

New Shoes...

My first purchase in a couple of months...these Robert Clergerie shoes I have been eyeing for a while. They are by a French designer, of course, because they came in the most beautiful box with that lovely silk shoe bag. By the way, do you store your shoes in a shoe bag? I don't because I have to see my shoes to remember what I have so I tuck those bags away until I clean out my closet and slowly get rid of them. But this Robert Clergerie bag is one I will keep!

More and more I am trying to get myself to buy quality rather than quantity and one day I hope to clean out my closet to just the best 100 things I have including socks, jewelry, purses, hats, shoes, clothes - everything! I would like to believe I would rather have a few wonderful things in my closet than have many "snacks". Though I understand the value of stores like H&M and Anthropologie, they just don't seem to provide the sustenance my wardrobe needs. These shoes are sustenance!

Coat: Zara
Sweater: Vince
Pants: Michael Kors (bought at Off Fifth that were originally a flared leg but recently tailored them to the Audrey cut)
Scarf: Erderm (I seem to be in a Erdem scarf mood this week)
Purse: Tory Burch
Shoes: Robert Clergerie

A Good Tailor and other things...

One of the most important parts of my wardrobe is my tailor, Larissa! Besides being nice as can be, she is a really talented seamstress and good at knowing what works. And, as I age, I know what styles really work for me but can't always find them in stores. Larissa is great at transferring the image in my mind to reality. Next on the docket for Larissa is one of Rory's old pinstriped suits that I want tailored to fit me AND material for a black sheer skirt I saw on "The Sartorialist" that I would love to have for a dressier event. I'll keep you posted on those.
The jumpsuit I am wearing here is actually a version of one I saw in NYC and really wanted but didn't want to pay the price. Then I saw a picture in vogue of a jeweler who wears jumpsuits as a uniform and buys them at supply stores. So, I came home and described it to my tailor and voila - here it is! A good tailor can pull something like that off. And, being 5'3" with short arms, nearly everything I buy has to be altered in some way so my tailor is close to work where I can drop off and pick up easily.
Btw, I actually love the jumpsuit idea because the backdrop of the outfit is in place and all I have to do is add the accents. Also, I hate things tight around my waist all day so this is also accomplished with a jumpsuit. The bathroom thing is the only problem - heaven forbid someone barges in on me when I have that jumpsuit all the way to the ground!


Jumpsuit: Made by Larissa
Sweater: My son's sweater from JCrew
Scarf: Erdem (Scarves always make me feel like I should be in France)
Shoes: Marni
Purse: Tory Burch

Improvements...

The day after wearing my white blouse/black coat outfit below, my daughter posted this picture on her blog and it made me wish that I had tried buttoning up my blouse and popping the collar the way the woman on the left has done. It seems to finish the look so I will have to try that on our next very cold day!

Coldest Day of the Year...

Wednesday the high was 39 degrees - COLD!...for Vegas. I didn't think I would get a chance to wear my riding pants this winter as January was unseasonably warm but Wednesday's weather gave me the chance. And for the first time, not one person joked about me just getting back from the stables! Though I am not a horse person, I did buy these from a horse-riding clothes website (sorry, don't know the technical names). And because this picture was taken as I was rushing out the door to class, just envision my camel colored Tory Burch messenger bag and my colorful striped "Strand" book bag with all my school stuff in it.

White blouse - Nordy's
Black long sweater - Theory
Riding pants - horse riding clothes website
Coat - Elizabeth and James
Boots - Christian Louboutin (bought at Last Call)