Lemon/Neon/French’s Mustard/Emmy Yellow

Lemon/Neon/French’s Mustard/Emmy Yellow

A new color reigned supreme on the 2012 Emmy Awards red carpet (which everyone on the TV referred to as “night,” but which actually went down on a blazing hot afternoon), and it was YELLOW. Say goodbye to last spring’s…

Fall 2012 Trends: Maroon

Fall 2012 Trends: Maroon

I winced a little at the trend reports for 2012 when I started hearing “maroon” over and over again. My 1980s high school days were dominated by maroon. You all remember Etinne Aigner shoes, yes? And maroon tweed skirts. Maroon…

Shopping List: Fall 2012, Outdoorsy Menswear

Shopping List: Fall 2012, Outdoorsy Menswear

Today I put together a shopping list of wardrobe basics for fall that are versatile and pretty darn classic, but still manage to pull in a major fall 2012 influence: outdoorsy menswear. What is “outdoorsy menswear”? Think hunting, fishing, and…

Leather Trim for Fall

Leather Trim for Fall

Remember what I said about luxurious embellishments and trims being important for Fall 2012? Well, in this post-recession/pre-recovery world, leather now counts as a luxurious embellishment. Leather accents were on the runway at Michael Kors, DKNY, and Diane von Furstenberg,…

A Hemline Worth Talking About: Below-The-Knee Skirts

A Hemline Worth Talking About: Below-The-Knee Skirts

Hemlines: at this point in my life, they’re a personal thing. I mean personal as in subjective, not as in something that I would find offensive to discuss in polite company. By a certain age, every woman knows her own…

The French Sailors Top, aka Breton Stripe Top, aka La Marinière

The French Sailors Top, aka Breton Stripe Top, aka La Marinière

Do not tell me that you’re not shaped like Brigitte Bardot and therefore can’t wear horizontal stripes. French sailor shirts look great on everyone, curvy or stick straight. Even though they’ve been around forever (you can read a great history…

Color Me Unflattered

Color Me Unflattered

The Pantone fall fashion 2012 color report is out, and while there are some hues that would look really great on the outdoor furniture at my house, there isn’t a single color on there that’s flattering to my own coloring….

I Went Full On Mullet Dress

I Went Full On Mullet Dress

This mullet dress sent me swooning. Actually, it sent me reaching, for my credit card. Yes, it’s a product of the high-low trend factory. But the midi length in front, combined with the longer short sleeves, is terrific. Basically, the…

Photo credit Halley Howard via Refinery29

Tuxedo Pants: Not Just for Evening Any More

Tuxedo pants are kind of a no-brainer for women. It’s a classic menswear style that works for women of all ages, and they go pretty seamlessly from work to anywhere else. Super flattering too, what with the big vertical lines…

Semi-Semi-Formal Event Dressing

Semi-Semi-Formal Event Dressing

We all know what formal wear means. Also called black-tie, formal means the dressiest of dressy, a full-length gown (but not a maxi-dress), and as much glitz and glitter and updo-ness as your personal style dictates. Then there’s semi-formal. In…