A Softer Side of Work Wear

1.

Would you wear the ensemble above to work?  Or any of these below?

2.

3. 

4.

5. 

6.

7.

All images above from Eileen Fisher, under the heading of "The Show-Your-Soft-Side-Yet-I-Mean-Business Suit."

As someone who manages a sizable department, I've struggled for a long time with how to dress casually and authoritatively. I want to keep the "Business" in Business Casual, but too-tailored reads as out-of-touch rather than in-charge. While there are certainly days that involve meetings with others outside the department or company and for which a jacket-based ensemble feels appropriate, for the most part our environment is decidedly California Casual. As I'm finding my own style leaning heavily toward knit ensembles, some of these above definitely appeal to me and would be appropriate in our office.

#1 - but with different pants
#3 - but with jacket added and different shoes
#4, 5 and 6 are similar to ensembles I regularly wear.

These below are typical of my current work ensembles. (Love the vibrant bit of color from the scarf in the first pic, but I can see from this photo it overpowers the rest of the outfit a bit. Needs to be tied less obtrusively, perhaps.)

Skirt, both pics: Eileen Fisher, here.
Jacket, top pic: Eileen Fisher, prior season.
Cardigan, bottom pic: Eileen Fisher, here.
Tunics, both pics: Eileen Fisher, here. (The tunics and skirt are from prior years, but they offer a version of these staples each season.)
Boots, both pics: purchased in Paris, 2008.
Scarf, top pic: Eric Bompard, cashmere lace, prior season.
Scard, bottom pic: Hermès vintage size, "Voitures à Transformation,"


What do you think of softer work wear? Does it fly in your work environment?  Would you wear any iterations of the Eileen Fisher ensembles above at your job?
~

Un peu de Provence

One of the very best things about blogging has been the opportunity to get to know other bloggers from all over the world. Many of the lovely women I have met through blogging, whether we've met in person yet or not, I regard as good and dear friends.

When we visit Aix-en-Provence in April, one of the bloggers I will meet IRL for the first time is Leslie of the blog La Fourchette S'est Emballée. Leslie is a photographer (and former California Girl) who now lives and works in a region that many consider heaven on earth (except during the mistral). At La Fourchette, she shares little glimpses of her world, as seen with an artist's eye. I'm so looking forward to meeting her!

And she has very kindly offered a set of her photography cards to give away to one of my readers!  To be entered in the giveaway, just do the following:

• Pop over to La Fourchette S'est Emballée, and if you haven't already, become a Follower.
• And, if you have a Facebook account, go "Like" her page, here.
• Pick a favorite photo, then come back here and leave a comment, telling us which you like best.
• Entries will close at 23:59:59 Pacific time on Monday 3/5.

I'll draw a winner from the comments on this post and announce on Wednesday, March 7. 

C'est tout! Bonne chance!

~

Fashion Flash Monday, and Some Fun

Yes, it's Fashion Flash Monday again! This week's lovely and gracious host of the fabulous roundup is Fab Over Forty, a wonderful resource for makeup and skincare tips for les femmes d'un certain âge. Start your week off right with Fashion Flash! It's delicious and nutritious!



It was a productive weekend chez femme. Among other projects, I re-organized my lingerie and hosiery drawers, clearing out several years' worth of single socks, stretched out bras and useless items like sheer footless Spanx. (Whatever possessed me to buy those???)



I also reorganized my makeup drawer and gave all of my brushes a nice shampoo, massage and seaweed wrap*. Here they are chilling out after their spa day.

And just for a bit of fun, another WIW out-take...my tongue-in-cheek version of a classic Style Blogger™ pose...

*just kidding about the seaweed wrap.
~

Dans le jardin

It's a beautiful springlike day here...not too warm, not to cool, bit of a breeze.  The elm tree has leafed out earlier than normal this year.

And the lavender is still "Open For Beesness!"
~

Formal Dressing on a Budget

(Today, Karen shows us how she helped a client style an actual Red Carpet look on a budget. Amazing results!)

The Oscars are coming, and so are the beauties! How many of them do you think pulled it off for under $300?

This is my client, Jane, on her way to the 2012 Grammy Awards. I've styled daytime corporate events and weekends for Jane, as well as vacation wardrobes. This was our first formal event styling together. After struggling on her own at first to put a formal evening look together, she called me in take over. Jane's complaint with her own attempt was that she didn't know what looked good on her, and had a limited budget to spend on this one special evening.

With her lovely tall, slim and curvy frame, I knew I wanted something for her in a heavy jersey fabric. Jane asked for black, but I knew navy would show off her bright blue eyes to stunning effect. We agreed that she shouldn't try to dress too young or glitzy, knowing she'd be veering off her style personality by a mile. So classic it was to be.

To find a budget gown we had a couple of options. I brought in the dress Jane is wearing in the photos on the first try, which almost never happens! It's Adrianna Papell from Nordstrom, $150, and it fit perfectly. Jane was thrilled she could wear her favorite bra with the dress, completely undetectable due to the ruching. I was totally ready to run the usual gamut of shopping options; borrowing, thrifting at the studio wardrobe sales and consignment shops, or renting a gown. It was a joy to have avoided all that so we could get on with the fun!

Using the dress as our cornerstone, we began taking test shots with a camera, swapping out various accessories, possible hairstyles, shoes and evening bags. I highly recommend you take photos of yourself before going to an important event. I guarantee the nays and the yays will be as plain as day. The ornament on Jane's dress directed our choice in accessories: nothing should compete with the "brooch" or take the emphasis off her face. That meant a simple shoe in black (Yes, navy and black!!!). The tassel earrings worked great with the dress and brooch, ala Natalie Portman at the Oscars. Remember?

Hair was definitely to be an updo, though Jane protested at first. I told her that as it was a huge Hollywood event, she MUST have it done professionally, and that a classic updo would show off her lovely neck and shoulders. Long and loose hair would have muddied up the whole effect above the bust, including burying the so carefully conceived tassel earrings. As the dress was reasonably priced, the cost of an updo wasn't going to kill her budget. Jane did her own makeup that night, and did a wonderful, tasteful job at that. She was thrilled to get a heap of compliments from Bruce Springsteen's hair and makeup stylist in the elevator at the Ritz Carlton Hotel!

I gave Jane a little pregame stance coaching for her red carpet shot below, but she looks a bit "deer in the headlights." She has a great sense of humor, and doesn't take herself too seriously in these kinds of situations, so it was alright. She wasn't supposed to have a wrap in the photo on her arm (and wasn't going to bring one as it was such a warm night), and her clutch could have been held a little closer in to her body. Okay, so the tally:

Gown: Adrianna Papell, Nordstrom, $150

Shoes: Anne Klein, DSW, $70

All jewelry: Stylist's personal collection

Silver envelope clutch: Stylist's personal collection

Hair updo: $40

Nails: Done by Jane

Makeup: Done by Jane

TOTAL FORMAL LOOK: $260

Below is a picture of Jane as her usual self, sporty on her way to tennis and then surely errands. Isn't she the cutest?

Do you get to dress up often? How do you pull it all together? Do you have a go-to or uniform dress you can depend on? Do you set a budget for special event outfits or go hog wild and worry about it later?
~

Maggie!

Watch Downton Abbey: The Best Maggie Moments on PBS. See more from Masterpiece.

Too good not to share. Maggie Smith has been absolutely brilliant as the Dowager Countess, even when she doesn't say a word.
~

Jacket Alchemy

Once upon a time, I felt like a jacket was the magic ingredient that could transform any outfit into gold. I kept at least half a dozen jackets in my rotation, and counted on them to help me look pulled together. I was cautious of the stodgy factor, but felt I could avoid it by either wearing my suit jackets with more dressed-down pieces, or wearing more feminine "novelty" jackets.

Then about four years ago, over a short span of time, it stopped working. My blazer jackets just felt staid and mannish, and the novelty jackets too, well....novel. I thought maybe I needed to upgrade, and tried some designer bridge line jackets, but even Emporio Armani couldn't cure these blues. I sighed, threw in the towel, and started investing in some nice cardigans.

But a few jackets have recently crept back into my regular rotation, and I've tried to isolate what makes these few work when so many do not. This formula continues to evolve, but I'll share what I've sussed out so far.

Knits. 

A longer, softer knit jacket is very easy to wear, and works with pants and skirts. This one is from Eileen Fisher, Fall 2010, I think. But here's one with a similar silhouette.

Asymmetrical.

The asymmetry keeps it from looking too buttoned up, and when zipped creates a flattering diagonal line. Again, this one is a couple of years old; here's something similar from Ann Taylor.

Ann Taylor

Blazers with two or more buttons. I can't explain why, but single button or tuxedo style jackets just look wrong on me, and make me feel like a small Sherman tank. Something about the higher cut of a two- or three-button jacket just seems to feel more flattering and modern.

J.Crew Schoolboy Blazer in Navy

But whatever the style, I've learned to look for a fitted silhouette, higher armholes, and solid, soft fabrics. Regardless of how good they look on paper (or on someone else) I've learned to avoid any of the following: stiff fabrics, boxy styles, dolman sleeves, tweeds or herringbones (lovely in concept but look mumsy on me), and too much detail (piping, ruffles).

While I no longer rely quite so heavily on my jackets to make an outfit, I'm glad to have a few on hand that I can count on.

Have you found your jacket alchemy? What are the styles and details that make jackets work for you?
~

April in Paris

April in Paris by unefemme featuring straight leg jeans

Yes it's true. We're actually going!

Due to several upcoming/ongoing projects at my "Coalface"* it was made clear that we shouldn't plan on taking any vacation time for an extended period starting later this year and well into next, so le monsieur and I decided to get out while we could and cashed in some frequent flyer miles. We'll be spending 5 days/nights in Paris, and 4 days/5 nights in Aix-en Provence! It will be our first time visiting the Provence region and our first time in Paris in April.

We've had some excellent recommendations for things to do and see in the Provence region, and are still planning our itinerary. Paris always tends to take care of itself itinerary-wise, but I'm NOT missing the upcoming Helmut Newton exhibit at the Grand Palais!

Any other suggestions for exhibits or "must see's" in the Provence region are welcome.

*From Faux Fuchsia. An Aussie slang term for office/workplace.
~

Fashion Flash Monday, and Doggies!

Today's Fashion Flash Monday is being hosted by Menopause Makover. It's a party, and you're invited! From "BB" creams to exercise routines to how to make the colored jean trend work for you, there's a little something for everyone.











Yesterday I pulled out the camera for some WIW re-enactments for future posts, and this time my dogs decided to get in on the action.

First Byron,

then Coco joined the shoot.

It's a holiday pour nous today (Presidents' Day), so I'll be doing a bit more gardening, and waiting for the right light to snap more photos.


And speaking of outfit pictures, go check out Visible Monday over at Not Dead Yet Style, too!

À demain!
~

Dans le jardin

 Camellias! I planted these pink and white variegated a few years back and they seem to be thriving along the shady side of the house. My grand-mère Lucille loved and cultivated camellias, and they always make me think of her.

We also have two very mature camellia plants? trees? in the same area...one white and one red. The white one is tough to get at for pictures, and the red one below is actually deeper red than the picture below indicates.

 Lots of blooms-to-be on all of the camellia plants!

Over the summer we replaced some of the plants from our original yard makeover that hadn't done as well. We put in a few of these below (I don't know the name and have been too lazy to look up) which are tall and lacy, and now giving us these lovely red blooms.

 I also haven't looked up the name of these either, but I call them "popcorn plants" as the flowers look a bit like popcorn from a distance.

We've put some Mexican Sage in the front median between the sidewalk and street, and they seem to be doing well there.

Our dwarf orange and lemon trees in the back are giving us lots of fruit, but alas most of it is still too hard and sour to use.

And my yellow pear tomato plant re-seeded itself. I don't harbor any illusions about fruit this time of year, but it is blooming, so who knows?

How does your garden grow?
~

Hint #1

Back To Basics

So many of us seem to be searching for our own version of a uniform or at least The Well-Edited Capsule Wardrobe: those dozen or so timeless, ageless pieces that will flatter our unique proportions and carry us through just about any situation save Black Tie or Red Carpet. It's a concept that's easy to conceive, but hard to achieve. Perhaps we just can't make the individual pieces "gel," or maybe styles change, our bodies change, our circumstances change and our trusted-and-true basics no longer feel right.

My own wardrobe has been in transition the last few years. I've swung from more classic/tailored to softer pieces, but found an ensemble comprised entirely of unstructured knits too "droopy." Currently I'm finding that a balance between structured and soft feels grounded, comfortable, appropriate for the office and appealing to my eye and tastes. I'm redefining "Classic" for myself and am finding ways to re-incorporate those more structured elements in a way that feels modern and fresh.

For work wear, I've settled into three variations on a uniform.

• Jeans and Jacket
• Pencil skirt and Jacket or Cardigan
• Dress-n-Boots.

On the weekends, at least during the cooler months, it's about jeans and a sweater.

Below are a few of the pieces that I currently find myself reaching for more than any others. They are my New Classics. Nothing flashy or fancy here; these are the workhorses, not the show ponies.

Trouser Jeans. I really love the bootcut/slight flare silhouette which is flattering, works with a low-to-mid heel, and in a plain dark wash feels right for a Business Casual office. My current favorites are these by Ann Taylor.

Blazers. Pop the collar, roll up the sleeves, and don't be afraid to throw on a brooch or three. (I'd recently expressed my frustration with finding blazers that didn't look mannish and stodgy, but I've since decoded the design formula that makes them work pour moi, which I'll share next week.) A style along the lines of this navy J.Crew Schoolboy Blazer is hitting the jacket sweet spot. And it looks great with the dark wash jeans!

Pencil Skirt. I've collected a few over the last year or so, but my current favorite is this ponte knit version from Ann Taylor. The length is just right, and the vertical seaming makes it very flattering.

Dresses.  I've recently begun mixing the soft and feminine silhouette of my Karina Dresses with a more structured blazer (see above). It was a running-out-the-door experiment that worked!

And...


Boots.  Ankle and knee boots are my go-to footwear for the cooler months, and I've collected several pair in recent years. I prefer knee boots with my longer, softer dresses, and ankle boots with pencil skirts and tights, as well as under pants.

Now four years old and still going strong.

Pointy toe low heel pump or flat. I love a pointy toe. For some reason they just feel more graceful, classic and timeless than any other shape. This style from Stuart Weitzman is my current favorite. (Mine are tortoiseshell brown, no longer available.)

V-neck sweaters. Mostly for weekends, but occasionally under a jacket during the week on colder days. Charcoal grey is my go-to color, and right now I'm loving this one from Land's End. The cashmere is very soft, I've worn it a dozen times and washed it once, and no pilling so far!

I'm going to also include two accessories, as earrings and a watch are the only jewelry I wear without fail, every day (other than my Wendy Brandes designed engagement ring, bien sur).


Big Hoop Earrings. I like a larger size to give some edge to the classic. 

These from Stella and Dot are fun, 

and I also like an oval shape, like these from Lauren by Ralph Lauren. 

The watch I wear most days is a few-years-old version of this one. (Raymond Weil "Tango.") Roman numerals non-negotiable.

I utilize tops, scarves and bags to add some interest and color to my basics. I'm already thinking about how I'll tweak this mix for the warmer months.

What are your tried-and-true basic pieces? Do you find your basics change over time? Or do you prefer more variety and to mix it up?

~