I’ve always been able to count on DKNY for fabulous finds when it’s time to dress up, and this year is no exception.
This stunning sheath is the perfect dress for the holidays, and it’s even on sale at Bloomingdale’s. Although the color looks blue here, it’s actually more of a deep teal. The back, from neck to waist, is solid black satin. It looks great with the black tights and booties shown here, but could also be dressed up with a sheer black leg and pumps.
One of the things I like most about the holiday season is the opportunity to dress up. As someone who spends most of my time clad in things that bear the Nike swoosh, I love the chance to spiff up in dresses and heels for parties and festive dinners out.
On a recent visit to Bloomingdale’s in San Francisco, I found this:
Designed by Tahari, it’s the perfect basic for dressing up or down…but “up” is the direction I prefer. I see it with textured tights and sky-high pumps. There’s lovely ribbon trim at the neckline, so there’s no need to add a necklace. Drop earrings and a bracelet are really all that’s needed.
Note to women of a certain age or anyone who prefers not to flash too much leg: The dress isn’t as short as it appears on the model…unless, of course, you’re 5″10″. It’s just an inch or two above the knee on me (I’m 5’5″). Dark or textured tights will help slim the leg and camouflage any flaws.
I’ve been lusting after these sandals since last summer.
They’re by Stuart Weitzman…no surprise there…and I am hopelessly in love with them. Steve Madden has done an inexpensive knock-off this season that’s profoundly similar in design, but unlike the khaki neutral of the Weitzman shoe, Madden’s is a muddy brown. And I just can’t go there.
There’s something in my DNA that viscerally resists the idea of looks-like-the-real-deal-but-is-a-cheap-imitation. It’s compounded by the fact that I was raised by a mother who believed that accessories can make or break an outfit. When I was a teenager, she told me that a quality shoe can make even an inexpensive dress look good, but it never works the other way around. Even the most beautiful, costly outfit will pale if paired with cheap shoes…and I’ve never forgotten that.
So here I sit…waiting for my authentic Stuart Weitzman “Alex” sandals to arrive via UPS. Nordstrom has ’em. Bloomingdale’s has ’em. They’re absurdly expensive, but that’s feeling irrelevant at this point.
Sigh. I am truly my mother’s daughter.
Recently, I have been entertaining a love affair with bling. I wear a lot of black and grey—and always will, no matter what—so bling helps add a dimension of interest to my otherwise staid, boring, predictable, classic, monochromatic wardrobe.
This most recent acquisition, a Kenneth Jay Lane crystal bib necklace, was a gift from my husband for my birthday. I’ve worn it dozens of times since he gave it to me, and I consistently get compliments on it.
It’s now on sale at Bloomingdale’s, which is the curse of those of us who have mid-December birthdays. Everything goes on sale after Christmas, so people who opt to give us gifts never get a break.
Aqua makes some of the most interesting jewelry on the market today. The Three Row Metal Torsade Necklace, available at Bloomingdale’s, is a great basic piece that packs a lot of impact.
I am so ready! It’s not that I can’t handle a couple more months of cold weather. It’s just that my thoughts are drifting to polished toes and footwear that shows them off, like these espadrilles by Stuart Weitzman:
Weitzman shoes are some of the most fabulous designs out there, and their comfort level is unsurpassed. Even the highest heels can be worn for hours, making them worth every penny of their steeper price point. But these–these are on sale at Bloomingdale’s for 40% off.
This asymmetrical hem T-shirt from Bloomingdale’s is the perfect top to wear with skinny jeans if your body type is pear-shaped. It nicely covers the saddlebag area, yet is a bit shorter in front and slightly nipped in at the waist to give it–and you–a more defined shape. Perfect alone or over a tank or cami.
Don’t get me wrong–I love fine jewelry. My favorite pieces are a pair of simple diamond stud earrings and a single diamond pendant on a short, platinum chain–both gifts from my husband that were bestowed in white-beribboned blue boxes. But in spite of my love for the classic and beautiful, I can get pretty darned excited about busy, glitzy jewelry that turns a simple, elegant item of clothing into something very funky and fun.
Take, for example, this faux pearl and hermatite chain necklace by Aqua:
I saw it in the jewelry department in Bloomingdale’s in Century City, and it stopped me in my tracks. It has so much going on that I barely knew where to look first. I lifted it off the display, discovering that it was surprisingly heavy. But when I clasped it around my neck, the weight disappeared and was replaced by utter love.
Bling. It definitely has its rightful place in the baby boomer’s wardrobe.
Ever the creature of habit, I’m constantly drawn to clothing in black and deep shades of gray. These are two great finds from a recent shopping excursion to San Francisco.
Menswear cropped pants by Robert Rodriguez:
Silk cowl neck top by Vince:
I’ve been lusting after these sandals ever since I spotted them on the Bloomie’s Web site, and now they’re marked down from $265 to $159. Since I missed out on a great deal on the Stuart Weitzman platforms, I’ve decided these have to be mine.
OK…so maybe I have a problem…
Ageless Style 