Un scène de "Subway"

Remember, you have one week left to enter the Cinéma Femme contest! Here's a little something to get you inspired. (No, you don't have to write the dialog in French.)

It's never too late to give thanks...

I've been tagged by Miss Janey! And I'm so grateful; it's always an honor just to be tagged!

I'm grateful for my family, my dogs, my house, our good health.

I'm very happy to have a job in these economic times.

I'm especially grateful for the blogging community, and the wonderful people who read and write and support and inspire.

And I'm grateful that our internet connection, which has been dodgy ever since the rainstorm a few days ago, has finally decided to stay up long enough for me to finish this post!

If you're grateful, consider yourself tagged, and leave a comment directing us toward your blog!

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Chanel-esque from Talbots for Black Friday

Talbot's Collection, $329 (and is 30% off with discount code right now). You could even replace those plastic buttons with gold for a a luxe vintage look...

Edited to add: I happed to pass by Talbot's today and stopped in to check this out. What the picture doesn't show (ahem!) is that there's some metallic threading in the pattern, which I happen to like. The fabric is very intricate overall, and this jacket is a piece that would carry an outfit. The buttons are, as I feared, disappointing, but could be replaced. With the 30% discount and some Appreciation Dividends that have been languishing on my account for a while, I could land this baby for under $200. They're holding one for me while I mull it over, will post pics if I decide to get it. (Note to Duchesse - the plaids do match.)
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Over the river and through the woods...

Most of my childhood Thanksgivings involved a trip to Grandma's house. But there were no horses, no sleighs, no drifting snow. (There might have been a creek or two crossed, and we did pass through some tree-lined streets.) There was no pudding, no pumpkin pie, and much to my annual disappointment, no turkey.

Grandma lived in an apartment about 20 miles from us, decorated with white sofas and Asian art. When Grandpa died, she'd sold the big house with the oak tree in the yard that dropped the loveliest acorns, in the hilly neighborhood where she and I used to walk hand in hand and peel the bark from the eucalyptus trees that lined the streets to fully enjoy their fragrance. Thanksgiving morning, my sister and I would get up and watch the Macy's parade on TV, which would end up being the high point of the day. By early afternoon we'd be dressed in our starchy petticoats and best dresses, white cotton socks and black patent leather Mary Janes. The car ride always seemed so long, and her apartment so far away, though the drive probably took us no more than 30 or 40 minutes.

We'd arrive mid-afternoon, and after greeting everyone, we'd be sent off to the spare bedroom with a ginormous box of Crayolas and paper to entertain ourselves until dinner time. The adults would enjoy a few cocktails and nibble on the homemade Chex Mix that Grandma made. For my sister and me, she'd make a small batch where the straight pretzels had been stuck through the Cheerios. We'd also get a Shirley Temple or a glass of pineapple grapefruit juice if we wanted.

Grandma was not an openly affectionate woman. "Give me a beso!" she'd say as we arrived, meaning a red lipsicked peck. She mostly was not a hugger or a snuggler or a reader of stories. She could be cold and critical and was at times overly prim and proper, admonishing us even as toddlers to sit with our legs together and to be "seen and not heard" when in the company of adults. But I think back to those pretzels, and our eucalyptus walks and know she tried to show us she cared in her own ways.

We were not the only Thanksgiving guests. Her friends the Beebe's were also invited (a couple her age with no children), and Mr. Beebe didn't like turkey, so we always had ham. Canned ham, mashed potatoes and frozen peas. I think dessert might have been ice cream, but I don't remember. All I remember was feeling totally gypped for not getting turkey like everyone else.

One of the things I enjoy most about being an adult is being able to celebrate holidays however I darn well please. These days, I host the Thanksgiving dinner for whomever wants to come. I make turkey and stuffing, gravy, a fresh green bean salad, and everyone brings a side dish. I have a small glass of Scotch (Grandma's favorite) before dinner and miss her homemade Chex mix with the impaled Cheerios.

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Foulard de la semaine

This is my "Walk in the Park" carré again, tied the same way as here. This style looks a little different every time I try it, a plus for me. Works under a jacket too.
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Cinéma Femme

While wasting more time goofing around in Polyvore last week, I put together this montage. Then I looked at it and thought, there's a story there, somewhere.

In fact, there's a scene from a fabulous little French movie that hasn't been made yet. But I'm too lazy to write it, so let's have a contest!

Here are the rules:

1. Write a 1-2 minute scene inspired by the montage above in the comments by 6am PT on December 8. One entry per person, please.
2. I'll pick my favorite.
3. Winner will be awarded a $25 gift card from L'OCCITANE EN PROVENCE!

C'mon you budding screenwriters, I know you can capture l'essence of this picture in the inimitable fashion of French cinéma. Remember, just a short scene, so make every sign of ennui count!
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Fringe Elements

From WendyB - Beoncé sports some new sunglasses. But where have I seen this look before??





Oh, yeah.

(Sorry, Wendy, couldn't resist! ;-p )

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More Emotional Baggage

I've listed a few more bags over at Emotional Baggage, my one woman marché des puces. Go check 'em out.
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An Open Letter to Retailers

"So tell me how this sounds.."

Dear Mr. and Ms. Retail Giant,

I know times are tough. People are sitting on their wallets, and even though you've been wooing us with discounts and free shipping, we're just not falling for your charms the way we used to. We know you're hurting: Saks sales are down 16%, Neimans and Nordstroms down almost 30%. Sure, it's the economy, but some of you aren't helping yourselves with some of your business practices.
Like what?, you ask (if you're smart).

Well for starters, customer service. Especially at the upscale end. At brunch last Sunday with a group of friends who are regular shoppers at Neimans, Saks, Nordstroms and designer boutiques, the topic turned to service. The number one complaint was that your Sales Associates, your ambassadors to the public, don't know your merchandise. They don't know what colors and sizes will be available from the Spring collection, even though the information is available on the corporate website. They tell us "no, that bag will not be available in the medium size," only to get it in the following week, and sell it to someone who just walked in the door. They tell us, "it's never been available in that color" and won't do a search even though someone we know bought one last week in the Chicago store. They don't always seem to be interested in being, well, helpful. They heave a heavy sigh when we ask to see something in the display counter. They look around and talk to their co-workers while we're waiting to ask a question. They don't offer to show us something similar that might interest. They act like they're doing us a favor just being there. So when we do find someone who gives good service, we stick with them. We ask for them, and pass their names along to our friends. I know we're all not spending like we once did, but especially now, the difference between making a sale or not could boil down to that person with your company logo on their name tag. You can't afford for them to be snooty, uninformed and apathetic.

When it comes to your e-tailing effort, for the love of Pete, will you PLEASE LOSE THE FLASH PLAYER. Yes, I raised my voice a bit there. We know it looks slick and edgy and you want to show off your hotshot web design team but it makes navigating your site more difficult, and for those of us who might want to recommend something to our friends or blog readers, makes it almost impossible to share your product pictures and direct links. You're missing out on some free advertising, and who's crazy enough to pass on that in this economy? Keep the flash for the zoom and pan feature, but give us pictures we can grab and post. Worth a thousand words, remember?

And a note about your pictures, I can't count the number of times I've posted a picture on my blog with the disclaimer, "this actually looks much better in person." I'm not a professional photographer, and I know that trying to keep up with the merchandise is a daunting task. But maybe showing in natural light, showing the item from different angles, I don't know. But I think some e-tailers get it right, like Neimans and J.Crew; check out what they're doing.

If you've read this far, thanks, and I'm always available if you need any more feedback.

Best,
Une femme

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The Look for Less: The Chanel Jacket

For the last year or so, I've had a fascination with vintage Chanel jackets, imagining how I'd wear them in an insouciant and rabidly chic way with jeans or a pencil skirt.

Chanel jacket from Luxury-shops.com

I've periodically searched ebay and online consignment stores, but never can find the right combination of colors, size and price that would tempt me to buy. And when it comes to LA consignment stores, forget it. Apparently you have to know the secret handshake just to get on a waiting list for one, which invariably command prices in the low four figures (before the decimal point).

So I've decided to forgo the impeccable tailoring and the lovely little chain sewn into the hem, and look for some jackets in my price range in fabrics and designs which pay homage to the iconic Chanel style. I'm on a hunt for something I'll call "Chanel-esque."

Starting at Net-a-Porter, I found this Milly jacket:

The styling is there, and the tweed-ish fabric, but ultimately it just doesn't excite me, and at that price I need to be in serious lust.

Another Milly jacket:
Again, it's a situation where the basic elements (styling, fabric) seem to be right, but it's just not grabbing me.

Next, on to Nordstrom, where the only thing I found was this Semantiks jacket, which seems like a bargain after the Milly's but the styling is just missing something, and I remembered I'd seen this up close when it first came in and that the fabric looked kind of cheap.

This J.Crew jacket has great styling and bouclé fabric, but neither the black or white versions interested me, and I don't think this is the right yellow for my coloring. It's also not available in Petites, and I'm only willing to go the alteration route if it's true love.

Then there was this one, but I think the combination of the horizontal detailing and my already ample bust would not a chic silhouette make.

Yesterday as I was going through my e-mails marked for deletion, I noticed this:

Now, a few years ago I had several Ann Taylor items in my wardrobe. Their quality was good for the price, especially considering their frequent sales, and amongst the conservative pinstripe suits (which worked well for the office at that point in time), one could find some cute and stylish jackets and sweaters. But these last few seasons the clothes just stopped appealing to me. Everything either seemed very boring and lifeless, or too Yacht-Club-wannabee™ or else overly clingy and cut in such a way as to make wearing a bra impossible. Plus, they kept cutting back on the styles available in Petites (both online and in stores), so I'd pretty much written them off. But what the heck, I thought, I'll just have one last look before I give up completely. Lo and behold...Now we're getting warmer.

And this:

Love the color, love tweed, love the fringe! Sure, it's a bit fussy when worn as part of a matched suit, but I'd wear it open and in an ensemble more like this:

Throw on some long ropes of pearls or gold chains, pull out that vintage bag et voila! Chanel-esque!

So for 30% off, (today through Sunday, using code "FRIENDS") it's worth a try, n'est-ce pas?

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For those with more money than sense...

Jimmy Choo, $1650.


I'm not saying it's not cute. It is. But it does look remarkably like the one my parents bought for me in the gift store at Yosemite when I was ten years old, and I'm pretty sure it didn't even cost $16.50.
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Foulard de la semaine

Scarf as the Main Attraction. I love how this shows off the colors, yet I'm not comfortable with wearing this way. Halfway through the day I end up re-tying it so that there's not so much of it.

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Class Act

When I was growing up, "class" was something we were taught to aspire to. Having class implied a certain level of refinement, manners and education. In my mother's parlance, the opposite of classy was "tacky" and was exemplified by loud gum chewing, too-tight clothing and overdone makeup or jewelry. But sometimes the distinction was a matter of degree too subtle for my young mind to grasp. Jackie Kennedy's faux pearls were classy, the huge rhinestone costume brooches (which I loved) worn by our babysitter were tacky. A slight bouffant hairdo was classy, a full-on beehive was tacky. A quiet chuckle was classy, a loud chortle, tacky. The old definitions of "class" seem ossified and elitist today, a quaint artifact from ancient times. Class has fallen out of favor.

In fact, we've swung to far the other way in our ME-First!, trash-talking, nothing-succeeds-like-excess, Reality TV-ized world where Bling is King, Catfights are Cool and Manners Drool, that une femme thinks it's time for a return to the aspirational ideal of Class (or Manners or Civility or whatever you want to call it). I'm not talking about a revival of that old classist ideal I grew up with which was dependent on breeding or money and enforced through snobbery, but rather one that comes from actions and attitudes; a more democratic Class that we can all work toward and achieve. A modern interpretation of Class isn't about having a finishing school education, the "right" clothes, or even knowing which fork to use (though I'm all in favor of basic table manners), but about integrity and doing the right thing. When I think about Class Acts, here some things that come to mind, as always in no particular order:

• Honoring your obligations. (showing up on time, following through with what you've promised.)


• Taking responsibility for your actions and mistakes.


• Keeping your cool under pressure.


• Graciously accepting a compliment without a qualifying statement after "thank you."


• Giving honest and heartfelt compliments.


• Being conscious of the people around you. (Holding doors for those behind you, offering to help someone struggling with packages, not cutting right across another's path.)


• Treating clerks, cashiers, janitors, bus drivers, waitresses, postal workers, the people on the other end of the 800# customer service line, and your annoying co-workers with courtesy and respect, and remembering that they're people too, not just robots serving your needs. (Also, not talking on your cell phone while conducting a transaction!)


• Dressing in a way that shows respect for yourself and those around you.


• Neither hiding your intelligence nor wielding it as a club.


• Standing up for yourself without resorting to abuse.


• Delighting in others' joys, not in their misfortunes.


• Being mindful that "there for the grace of God go I." While I believe in personal responsibility and that choices have consequences, it helps to remember that the playing field isn't level and that life throws curve balls at all of us; even those who make all of the "right" decisions can fall on hard times.


• Rather than complaining endlessly about circumstances, looking for solutions.


• Helping when you can: volunteer, donate.

My ever-classy readers...what would you add to this list?
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L.A. Blogger Meet!

Attention LA area bloggers: une femme has volunteered to organize a meet!

Who: You!

What: Lunch or brunch

When: week after Thanksgiving

Where: fabulous West LA location

Why: Because we're fabulous!

How: e-mail me at pseub (at) sbcglobal (dot) com, and I'll include you on the e-vite.

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This one's for Belle

Une femme's stab at a red carpet look.

Earrings and Retro Ring, Beladora.com.
Dress, Vera Wang.
Shoes, Jimmy Choo.
Bag, Fendi.

Playtime with Polyvore

Thanks to some direction by the lovely and talented Karen at Of a Certain Age, I'm getting in on the Polyvore craze. Should come with a warning label though...Danger: HIGHLY ADDICTIVE!
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Recession Chic

With the economy reeling like a frat boy after a third consecutive night of binge drinking, everyone from bloggers to the LA Times is offering advice on the virtues of making do with less, wardrobe-wise.

Fashion publicist Ali Froley, usually on her sixth or seventh designer shoe purchase by this time in the season, is on a spending freeze, forcing her to take a fresh look at the clothes she already has. "I have been recycling old things trying to make them look new again, calling them 'vintage insert-designer's-name-here,' " says Froley, who vows to buy only timeless, classic pieces once her freeze has thawed.

While uncertain economic times may dictate restraint, une femme didn't need a big, ol' nasty recession to appreciate the charms of a wardrobe built on classic pieces. But I've come to realize that "classic" doesn't have to mean dreary or conservative, or even traditional. It can also mean those items that feel like a second skin, that make you feel most like yourself, that work for your life and with your style. One woman's classic may be a cashmere sweater, for another (like gorgeous blogger Wendy B) it could be a vintage Ossie Clark coat.

But restraint is tough when retailers are throwing themselves at you like the band's roadie at last call. Discounts on top of discounts, interest-free credit, designers doing lines for K-mart...all designed to play into our need to feel like we're saving money as we spend. But it's no savings to buy stuff we won't wear, no matter how low the sale price, or to buy cheap crap that won't last a season. Now is the time to stay strong, to be discriminating. It's fine to take advantage of markdowns, as long as the tags aren't still hanging from the sleeve in the back of the closet a year from now. (And by my Amortization Axiom, it's also alright to pay full price, if the cost-per-wearing makes fiscal sense.)

Strategies such as mine and Froley's work on a lot of levels, Roy-Jarboe says. "Classic pieces make sense because you can wear them over and over again. It's less wasteful," she explains. "These are scary times and people don't know how to react. So at least they can go into their closets and give their things to people who need it more right now."

Which brings up another excellent point: with thrift stores seeing dramatic increases in traffic and sales, what better time to pull those seldom-worn items out of your closet and donate them? Clear out your closet and do a public service at the same time...c'est très chic!
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Une femme recommends: Light from the Dark Side

This Eileen Fisher silk top is incredibly lightweight, and layers beautifully under jackets or sweaters. It comes in a variety of colors (note to redheads: Woodland and Currant!). True confession: I had packed this top in black for Paris, and wore almost every day with jeans or black wool trousers. Throw on some jewelry, and it looks elegant and dressy. It's an excellent travel piece: light, versatile and can be washed in the sink and hung to dry overnight.

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Une femme's Emotional Baggage

It's official: I have too darn many bags. So, taking a cue from the brilliant, stylish and gorgeous Style Spy, I've set up a blog to list some bags for sale. More bags will be added in upcoming weeks, and perhaps some other accessories that need good homes where they will be loved and used. Please read the Bienvenue! post for more information about payment, shipping, etc. (I'll leave each bag up for a couple of weeks, but if there is no interest I'll send them off for consignment.)

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Chic is where you find it...part deux

Does Talbots also have nice handbags at reasonable prices, you ask?

Why, yes they do. Currently their selection is a bit thin, but these two would be une femme's picks:Cross embossed bag, $178.
Patent leather tote, $134.99 (on sale). Patent leather still seems to be going strong for fall/winter, and this bottle green is a great color that you can carry into spring.

Some nice scarves too:

Silk paisley oblong, $34. (This one could also be worn as a belt.)



Here's a plissé with a hint of leopard, $58.


And a wool/silk large large square, $68. Love the colors in this one!
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Foulard de la semaine

An attempt to emulate one of the "just threw it on" scarf looks I spotted on les Parisiennes: "Ecole Portugaise d'Art Equestre" folded diagonally into a triangle, gathered up, wrapped twice around and tied.
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Foodies Night Out - Anisette Brasserie

Anisette seafood bar picture from LA Times.

Late yesterday afternoon, after checking out yet more motor scooters*, we decided on a whim to check out Anisette Brasserie in Santa Monica. From the moment we walked in, I had a good feeling about the place. The bar is zinc, the leather is red, the mood is relaxed and convivial, and the food...well for an hour and a half, we felt like we were back in Paris.

We started with some huitres on the half-shell (I recommend the Kumamotos, small and sweet) and an phenomenal salad of yellow and red beets with warm goat cheese. But it was my main course that really knocked my socks off: Moules frites. The mussels are small and delicate and served in a huge black bowl with a wire screen on one side so you can get at the sauce to dip slices of baguette. And the sauce...heaven! It's a very light and brothy cream sauce with vermouth and anisette. It's that anisette that really puts this dish over the top; it complements the flavor of the mussels without overwhelming. I can easily say that these were the best mussels I've ever had. The frites are light and very crispy. Both portions are quite large; I went easy on the fries but polished off the mussels, yet didn't feel stuffed at the end, thanks to the lightness of the sauce.

Mon mari ordered a chocolate mousse with Vahlrona sauce for dessert. I had a taste and it also was above-and-beyond delicious.

At the table next to us was a couple with an adorable 16-month-old boy. Chef Alain Giraud, whose previous LA restaurant credits include Citrus and Bastide, came out of the kitchen and spent several minutes playing with the little boy, which only contributed to the mood of being in a neighborhood Paris brasserie. We will definitely be going back to Anisette!

*A combination of gas prices, a desire to be more environmentally conscious and perhaps a bit of mid-life crisis have inspired mon mari get a motor scooter for his short commute to work.
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Chic is where you find it...

These are the shoes I'm wearing in the coat picture. They're from Talbot's. Really.

Talbot's has been a great source of reasonably priced shoes for une femme, and they offer many of their styles in narrow and wide widths. Look at these yummies:

Rasperry Parfait, $119. (Life is uncertain; eat dessert first, right?)

Chanel-licious! $110. (I adore these but the last thing I need is more black shoes. Someone buy them, please!!!)
The Carnivore, $88.
Candy Apple, $128.

Hot Chocolate, $99.

Talbot's currently has a promotion going: buy one regularly priced item, get a second for 50% off, AND free shipping on orders over $150.
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And The Retail Deities Smiled

During our recent New York visit, I wandered into Bloomingdales, just because the Bloomie's Mothership is so much fun, and discovered that they have a great petites department. It seemed that every rack was marked down, and I stumbled across this Anne Klein New York lightweight wool coat at about 75% off of the original $595 price! It doesn't look like much on the hanger, but that asymetric portrait collar got my attention....

Looks much better on, don't you think?

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The most chic accessory you can wear today

And if you live in California, please do the right thing and vote YES on Proposition 2, and NO on Proposition 8.

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