Tartan, Not a Tart

I have a mug of hot cocoa next to me, and half an hour ago I took some melatonin. I'm going to be out like a light tonight. I need the deep sleep. Tomorrow is the first day of the second semester. I haven't decided yet what I'm going to wear. Normally, I like to mark first days with a classic schoolteacher uniform so elaborate and precise that it's almost self-referential. Tomorrow's forecast, however, is below freezing and I am not masochistic enough to wear a pencil skirt and tights in that weather. Unlike last Wednesday, when I celebrated our return to school after Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and a snow day with a cute tartan ensemble.

Shirt: Gap. Skirt: Anthro. Shoes: Banana Republic. Tights: J. Crew.

The skirt is from Plenty by Tracy Reese, and it is fabulously waist-shrinking, hip-enhancing, and leg-lengthening. The plaid wool plays nicely off the forest green suede of the round-toe pumps, while the tights are a dark brown and the blouse is a cream. I turned the bow into a skinny tie instead. Dressed like such a schoolteacher-secretary cliche, I couldn't resist hamming it up:

Definitely one of my Top 10 Work Outfits. It's just fun to wear. Now, I have to go and lay out something for tomorrow, then dive under the covers and sleep, sleep, sleep.

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Linen and Leather

Today, I decided to throw on my new Edun pullover. It's a cotton-linen blend, but the weave is thick enough to make it wearable indoors even in winter. After spending yesterday in my massive Vince cowlneck sweater, in any case, I want something lighter today. This pullover is part of my first purchase from Edun, and I'm satisfied. The fabric and cut are of good quality, yet still retains an organic, of-the-earth feel. The material drapes like a dream. The color is, well, I can only describe it as linen-colored. I played with this fact by photographing in natural light from the window (the snow outside acts as a great reflector) and giving the pictures an antique tint.

My last haircut was two Christmases ago.

The leather cuff is handmade, and from The Muse in downtown Frederick. The necklace has a leather tassel as well.

The pullover is still on sale in all sizes at the Edun website. Now I'm going to get back to enjoying the snow.

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Favorite Neighbors and Other Things

Today it happens to be snowing again, and since school is closed, I've spent the day bunked down at home as usual, chugging tea and inhaling off myself Comme des Garcons Avignon. This time I have on one of my favorite sweaters, a gigantic brown knit cowlneck from Vince, paired with cigarette jeans in dark wash from Vintage Revolution. Yes, this ensemble goes with Avignon much better. After I put up the last post, I went out that afternoon and snapped some pictures of the things I wrote about. It was so cold, my hands were completely numb after five minutes. Here is the amateur montage.

Graves among church courtyard wall. Robert Frost's "Mending Fences," anyone?

The view from my window.

The playground really is right smack dab next to the wall of graves. It's the most poetic juxtaposition.

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Impression/Scent: Snow, Whites, and Avignon

One of the perks of being a teacher is snow days. The night dropped a white blanket on us and I got to sleep in this morning, burrowed under duvet and throw. When I finally dug myself out, I changed into my favorite winter stay-at-home ensemble, by now as familiar and worn as a pair of old slippers: faded vintage straight-leg jeans, oversized white sweater, dark hardwood ring band, and Comme des Garcons Incense Avignon. Bare feet.

Book: Aurorarama by Jean-Christophe Valtat.
Website: Style Bubble.

One of the first things I like to do on such a day is brew a strong cup of English breakfast tea in a gigantic round white mug, and sit down at my desk. Handed down from my great-grandmother, it's made of carved dark cherry topped with a slab of veined white marble. From here, I can look out the window and see our small walled courtyard, which has been transformed into drifts of white snow with stubs of olive and russet vegetation peeking through. In the corner directly across is an evergreen tree with red berries. It contrasts charmingly against the opposing row house with its whitewashed brick exterior and black slatted shutters.

A bit further beyond is a wrought iron gate leading to a larger courtyard, this one belonging to the imposing Lutheran church with spires and art deco stained glass windows. It has a tiny children's playground next to a single row of ancient gravestones. Perhaps later this afternoon I'll bundle up and pop over there for a bracing stroll.

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I'm crazy about my Avignon, which is the very first bottle I acquired (along with Tam Dao from Diptyque) when I got into perfume not a month ago. The frankincense and myrrh are somber yet comforting. There is a spiciness that my novice nose can't name. I keep ducking my head to inhale what feels like the infinite depths of this immensely warm and refined odor. Cold vaulting cathedrals, yes, but being a religion major I have always felt at home in their immense pews. Avignon is really meant to be worn with dark, heavy clothing, but having it waft out of a white expanse of thick soft wool is a delight, too.

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Score: Boots from Diane von Furstenberg and Belstaff

Remember when I counted my boot collection and found seven pairs? Now it's nine. Thank you, post-holiday sales.


1.) I have long wanted to jump aboard the platform black ankle boot bandwagon. The trouble is that most of them are just too bloated and clunky (the worst offenders are those Jeffrey Campbells that seem to turn up on every third style blog; yes, you know exactly what I'm talking about) for my more streamlined sensibilities. Then, surfing the Shopbop extra 30% off post-Christmas sale, these Fausta boots by Diane von Furstenberg caught my eye.

The dark brown wood and the little gold band at the heel made them unique. They have a seam running down the front that ends in a slightly pointed toe. Promising. So I ordered the absolute last pair (not kidding; it just happened to be in my size).













They fit perfectly. I feel like I can wear them anywhere, from work to the coffee shop to a nightclub.

Shirt: Madewell. Pants: Level 99 from Anthro.
Necklace: Jacquie Aiche from Shopbop.

2.) Dangerous things happen when I surf sales. At three this morning, I was red-eyeing Net-a-Porter's extra 20% reductions, and there were these Belstaff Jenn boots.

   

I'd seen them somewhere else last fall, loved the buckles, then forgot about them. Now here they were, and again the absolute last pair. (Not kidding; after I hit order I went back to the product page and got a red Sold Out message.)

I got them in size 10. I'm usually a 9.5, but sometimes need to order down in boots because I have such narrow feet and calves. The fit guide said for half sizes to order up, so we'll see. I've noticed that designer shoes fit more snugly than mall brand shoes, in any case. Don't they look so good?

P. S. I am pleased to report that my Alexander Wang Frida booties (from this Score post) fit gorgeously. The heels are higher than what I'm used to (no hidden platform), but when it comes to fashion, one should live dangerously.

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Outfits: One Necklace, High and Low

Oddly enough, the Teak Web Necklace from Anthropologie (reviewed in the second part of this post) is currently the most versatile piece in my wardrobe. I can wear it with anything. To prove my point, here are two outfits I wore to work for different occasions.

First: we went on a fieldtrip to the National Gallery of Art to check out classical and biblical allusions in famous works. This was right before Thanksgiving break, and a warm spell had hit. I didn't have to bundle up too much, and since we would be walking around a lot I could keep it on the casual side.

Sweater: Free People. Tunic: Gap. Pants: Anthropologie.
Bag: J. Crew. Shoes: Jeffrey Campbell. Hat: Velvet Lounge.

This outfit is built around a great neutral palette. The cream sweater has a nubby weave while the white tunic has a silky look to it. The necklace is the right finisher.

The pants are the popular World Over Cargoes from Anthropologie.

This is the gray color, I believe. The reviews are right: these stretch out, so size down. The website sells down to only 25s, so I was lucky enough to find a whole rack of 24s in one store. These cargoes are comfortable, slimming, and affordable.

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Second: I wanted to return from Thanksgiving break with a bang. And what screams "schoolteacher" more than a pencil skirt? So I put my own twist on it.

Skirt and booties: Anthropologie. Shirt and tights: J. Crew

My, that's quite a mustard yellow, isn't it? The color didn't seem so aggressive in person, but I think it goes well with the autumn theme of the outfit. I have these tissue turtlenecks from J. Crew in a whole stack of colors. Next time, I think I would go with almond, which is almost a cream. If I wanted to go in the opposite direction and bring it over the top, I would pair the skirt with the Gathering Harvest Cardigan. Wool and tweed galore.

The skirt is the Higgedly-Piggedly by Eva Franco. It got bad reviews for being unforgiving to curves and being hard to walk up stairs in. Both are true; fortunately, I have no curves to speak of and only one flight of stairs at work to worry about.

The booties are my treasured Times Three by Schuler & Sons. They're gorgeous with brown tights. If you pair booties with tights or pants of the same color, they elongate your legs instead of cutting you off at the ankles.

Two different outfits, both completed by the same statement necklace. In its product shot, it doesn't look like it could go with much, does it? Appearances can be deceiving. I can't wait to style it with my spring/summer wardrobe.

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Outfit: Tan Cashmere on Black Wool

December is a cold bitch. Maryland has the most miserable weather of all the states: in the summer, the humidity makes the heat unbearable; in the winter, the humidity makes the cold unbearable. And lately we're getting freezing gusts that scourge the skin from your face as you valiantly walk around downtown. I live fifteen minutes from work, and I commute on foot every morning and late afternoon. I do it, as I do everything else, in style.

From last week:

Sweater, coat, and winter accessories: J. Crew.
Trousers: Madewell. Wingtip oxfords: Jeffrey Campbell.

The overcoat is last year's Shipley cut in stadium cloth. The sweater is from this year's collection, and it has a zippered collar that falls forward in a wave. The hat, scarf, and gloves are made of delicious cashmere. I was so enamored of the color combination that I opened the coat for modeling purposes. I don't walk around, obviously, with my coat flapping open in the dead of winter.

Lovely December? Only if the wind isn't blowing.

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Outfit: Cables and Chai

Shame on me, it's been over a week since my last post. Rehearsals for the school play has begun, and I'm at the stage most nights. In fact, this is what I wore to our first meeting two Mondays ago. Winter has arrived good and proper, and I wanted to be both cozy and stylish. This is a true fallback combination for me.

Sweater: BCBGMAXAZRIA. Shirt, hat, and boots: J. Crew.
Jeans: AG Stevie. Hot chai: Starbucks.

I got the sweater from BCBGMAXAZRIA on Black Friday. Normally I find the brand overpriced, but sweaters were 50% off. The cabling is gorgeous, and I like the sophisticated ease of the dolman sleeves.

Close up, I'm wearing my silver-studded wood ring from Sundance, and a one-of-a-kind Australian opal bauble I found in the gallery shop of the Textile Museum in Dupont Circle last summer. The splash of marbled blue is a little surprise for whoever happens to be looking me in the face.

Let me conclude this with a shot of me sitting and showing how my oversized sweater drapes. I really can't get enough of oversized sweaters, especially with jeans and boots. They are designed for curling up in one of the oversized leather armchairs at the coffee shop and sipping hot chai while the wind blows cold outside. Every year, I look forward to winter precisely so I can do this. Lovely December . . .

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