d. none of the above

FRYE Women's Harness 12R Boot

While out and about doing some Retail Reconnaissance yesterday, I spotted these at Bloomingdales, and they were part of the current sale...20% off.  I've actually admired this style for ages and Highland Fashionista's recent post featuring her Frye's with a skirt and tights put them back on my radar again. I tried them on and LOVED how they look and feel, classic and edgy at the same time. (I also remembered I had a gift card I was able to apply, so these turned out to be a bargain! I'm reading it as a Sign From The Universe.)

Now, if only we had some boot weather...sigh.

*Disclosure: actions you take from hyperlinks within this post may generate commissions for www.unefemme.net. 
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A Modern Fairy Tale

Too Much

Too, um...Sturdy

Just Right?

Since last year, I've been on the lookout for a moto style boot that's Just Right. Not too high, not too low, not too trendy, not too boring, not too heavy, not too delicate.  A little sleek, a little edgy. And they must be comfortable. These above from Stuart Weitzman are serious contenders. I love the hematite metal accents, and the leather is Very Very Good. (OK, that's from a nursery rhyme, so sue me.)

Haven't tasted this bowl of porridge yet, the price has me feeling a bit bearish. What do you think... will this style have staying power, or be in hibernation by year's end?
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Les Deux Femmes

A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds...  --Ralph Waldo Emerson

There are two women sharing space in my closet. Both are actually me, which used to cause no end of consternation as I stumbled and bumped along toward that milepost known as Signature Style™. But I'm learning to make peace with this split style personality, and find balance and harmony between the two. Les deux femmes have arrived at a mutual understanding, and even step out together on a regular basis.

One veers toward the Crisp & Classic, the other toward the Existential & Edgy. (Neither is notably Fashion Forward.)

Madame C&C is drawn to:

• Button front shirts. White, or vertical stripes.
• Pointy-toe pumps. (E&E sometimes gets a vote too, and votes for snakeskin.)
• Trench coat
• Marinières
• Hermès scarves
• Chanel flap bags
• Equestrian boots
• Navy blazer that "goes with everything"
• Paisley prints
• Pearls
• Color
• Sparkle
• J.Crew, Ralph Lauren

Madame E&E prefers:

• Tees. Black, navy or grey
• Black leather jacket 
• Moto boots 
• Hermès leather cuffs
• YSL Muse bag
• Knits
• Texture
• Movement
• Shimmer
• Black, charcoal grey
• Helmut Lang, Eileen Fisher

Both adore:

• Leopard prints
• Big hoop earrings
• Pencil skirts
• Jeans
• V-neck cashmere sweaters
• Black and white
• Simple, clean, uncluttered, streamlined design
• Mixing masculine and feminine elements 

And both have an almost visceral aversion to the fussy, frou-frou or twee.

By (carefully) incorporating pieces from both mesdames in a single ensemble I can keep Mme C&C from looking too staid, and Mme E&E grounded. 

Do you have Multiple Style Personalities? Are there common elements between them, and have they reconciled?  Or do you prefer to keep them separate, as different expressions of different moods?
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Rx: Scarves

(I know that's not the actual symbol for "prescription" in the title but couldn't find a keyboard command to make one, so it's close enough for horseshoes...)

Hermés, "A Walk In The Park" carré. Picture source.

Scarves are certainly fun and ornamental, and I love the panache they add to even the simplest outfits. But scarves can also be serious medicine for what ails our wardrobes. Pour example...

Symptom: High Temperature. It's too HOT for sleeves, but you prefer a bit of upper arm coverage.
Scarf Rx: take a large sheer square scarf....

Scarf, Banana Republic, a few years old now.

fold in half and knot the ends together on each side...

slip your arms through on either side...

et voilà!!

Symptom: Fatigue. Your capsule travel or work wardrobe has a LOT of black. You want to change it up, or perhaps feel that black isn't flattering near your face.
Scarf Rx: A longer scarf in a contrasting color not only breaks up the black, but when looped once around the neck with ends hanging down helps create elongating vertical lines.

Scarf, Eileen Fisher.  Other Eileen Fisher scarves here.

This scarf also has some nice shimmer that reflects light onto the face, and counteracts the shadowing effect of the black.

Symptom: Exposure. Your favorite v-neck top or sweater shows a bit too much décolleté for the office or book club meeting.
Scarf Rx: a silk square, tied "cowboy style."

Scarf, Hermès. I can't for the life of me remember the name,
but it's one of the smaller "vintage" size squares.

Wear it outside (this looks great under a blazer too) or...

Yes, I can see this old top is stretched out and fits poorly. It's headed straight for the "donate" pile.

tuck the pointed end of the "kerchief" into the sweater's neckline.

Symptom: Stiff neck. That unflattering crew neck top is strangling your style.
Scarf Rx: use a contrasting scarf to create a visual V. (This works for turtlenecks too.)

Scarf, Hermès, "A Walk In The Park," pictured at top.
This is one of my very favorite scarves!

Some general tips: 

• Scale your scarves to your size. If you're petite, big and bulky scarves will swamp you. If you're taller or larger, small scarves will get lost.
• If you're busty and want to draw attention elsewhere, avoid arranging scarves with knot or bulk directly over the bustline. A bright scarf tied midway between the shoulder and widest part of the bust works well, as do long scarves with ends hanging as above.
• Keep the fabric weight of your scarf in line with the rest of the outfit. A sheer silk will look odd with a heavy coat or sweater. A heavy knit scarf overwhelms a lightweight tee.

Do you have any favorite scarf "therapies?"

Check out the rest of Visible Monday over at Patti's Not Dead Yet Style!

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Le weekend

It's still convertible weather here in LA.

If you have any Eileen Fisher pieces on your shopping list, today is a good day to purchase, as it's their annual Shop & Donate event, with $25 off, and 10% of proceeds being donated to local organizations supporting leadership in women and girls. (And if you don't live near an EF store, order from eileenfisher.com today and shipping is free.)

If you're a Nespresso fan, you must try the latest limited edition  - Crealto.  I think this is one of the best blends they've done in a while, dark and earthy with just a slight bitterness and really reminds me of the wonderful espressos I enjoyed in Italy. I'll bet this one sells out quickly.

From Huffington Post, this article about "plus size" (size 12) Robyn Lawley starring in Ralph Lauren's new ad campaign also has a nice slide show of "plus size" models. (h/t Girls of a Certain Age) I use the quotation marks to indicate my derision at referring to size 12 as "plus", though I applaud the effort at including models who look a bit less emaciated.  Remember the flap a few years ago about the Ralph Lauren photoshop FAIL and the model who said she was fired for being "too fat"?

As I mentioned a few days ago, beginning next week I'll be posting Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. So far it's looking as though next week's theme will be Accessories. Stay tuned!

And in the meantime, go read this most excellent post about vanity sizing from Fish Monkey's Writing Stuff.

Bon weekend!
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Casual vendredi

Casual vendredi by unefemme featuring helmut lang

Ah, if only le monsieur and I could just pop over to a Parisian sidewalk cafe for a little verre du vin and some people-watching after work today...

Bon weekend!
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Oh la la - Links A La Mode!

It's my First Time Ever being included in Links A La Mode! (I think I'm solidly in the "A Little Different" category!!)

LINKS À LA MODE: THE IFB WEEKLY ROUND UP: SEPTEMBER 20TH

• Best of Bklyn: 10 Fall 2012 Trends
• Cool Things Together: OOTD #4
• Curvy CEO: And It’s Not Even My Birthday
• Elegant Idiosyncrasy: Does Street Style Purity Still Exist?
• Elodie Bubble: Fall Trend: Don’t Forget Your Pants
• Fashion Residence: Sea World
• Fashionopolis: Five Friends of A Fashion Blogger
• Fear No Beauty: Catwalk Cut: The Beauty of Prabal Gurung Spring 2013
• Fish Monkey: Today in Moral Panic
• Gray Lavender: Vogue Fashion’s Night Out Guadalajara
• Haute Cocktail: Haute Social: Fashion Illustration: A Contemporary Look
• Laura H: The Cool’s Coolest at Somerset House
• Margaret Rose: Divine
• Paiges of Nothing: My Very Own Lookbook
• Sarah’s Real Life: 6 Ways to Wear Mixed Prints
• Trends VIP: Dealing with Fashion
• Une Femme d’un Certain Age: Visibly in Character
• Wild Darts: A-muse-ing
• Woodstock Wardrobe: NYFW S/S 2013: Everything Old is New Again
• Zsasa and Everything Else: Ethno Tendance Fashion Catwalk

SPONSOR:

Shopbop Discount Codes : Kymerah, orYANY, Rachel Roy, Overture, Kaelen, Shine, April May, Sale, Alice Temperley, Knee Highs & Winter Boots

Scofflaw

I'm breaking one of my own rules here, and wearing two different animal prints at the same time. (I know, living on the edge!) There's a leopard at my feet, and a tiger round my neck.

You may have noticed that I've been tweaking the blog template again. The previous design was just feeling too busy to me, so I've gone minimalist. Let me know if anything's difficult to navigate or read.

I'll be back tomorrow soon with more brooches. Beginning next week I'll be posting Monday-Wednesday-Friday, and perhaps something random on the weekend if inspiration strikes.

Tee: Eileen Fisher, no longer available in this color, but here are some others.

Tunic Sweater: Eileen Fisher, not available online, similar here. (The one I'm wearing is a lighter weight wool mesh, you might be able to find in stores.)

Pants: NYDJ Sheri Twill, here. I've gone all in for the colored pants.

Shoes: Fitzwell, here. (These are SO comfy!!)

Scarf: Hermés, no longer available, other styles in this size here.

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Dress Week!

Amber of Butane Anvil

Sheila at Ephemera has posted her Dress Week Roundup!  So many dresses, so many fabulous ways to style them!
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Brooch-ing The Subject: The Real Deal

(Ha! Far be it from me to resist an obvious and bad pun!)

I'd just finished a very long post complete with images and links, and as I was putting on finishing touches, Blogger ate it. Whole. In one bite. So due to time constraints, I'm recreating it in two or three parts.  This is Part 1.

Ever since I pinned that image above, I've had Brooches on the Brain. And they seem to be having a Fashion Moment, as evidenced by the prominent display at our local Nordstrom's. If you're looking to freshen up your jewelry collection, why not try a brooch or three? And for those who have sensitivities to some metals, brooches are a great option for some sparkle that doesn't need to come into contact with skin.

While individual pieces rarely go out of style, to keep the look current opt for larger, bold pieces or group smaller pins to create impact. I love the denim+sparkle look above, but really any jacket, dress or top with enough body in the fabric to hold the weight of the pins can be a great backdrop. Keep the rest of your jewelry minimal, and let the brooch(es) steal the spotlight. I'd avoid single demure pins or matching earring and brooch sets, as to my eye they can look dowdy (leave these for the kids to wear ironically).  Don't be afraid to mix styles and metals! (And to my shorter sisters, remember to wear your brooches high up, almost to the shoulder which draws the beholder's eye upward.)

If your budget has room for the Real Deal, Beladora II has some really unique and fabulous vintage and antique brooches. Many of these are a smaller size, but could be grouped together by theme, as with these bee brooches...

Sapphire and Diamond Bumblebee Brooch

Vintage Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald Bee Brooches

Tourmaline Bee Brooch

Or by style, period or materials.  Pearls, for example:

Antique Victorian Seed Pearl Brooch

Vintage Tahitian Pearl and Diamond Brooch
(Somebody catch me, I think I'm going to swoon!)

Vintage Pearl Sunburst Brooch

Vintage Garnet, Pearl, Diamond and Turquoise Brooch
Isn't this stunning??

Next up: big, brash and bold!

Do you wear brooches? Any favorite styles or ways to wear them?
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L'Shana Tovah!

May you have a happy, sweet and blessed New Year!
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This says it all...

Ann Miller working those gams. Pretty great dance number!

While a good portion of the Northern Hemisphere is beginning to ease into fall, we're just hitting our warmest time of the year here in Los Angeles. The humidity levels are in single digits; my skin feels like parchment and without almost hourly application of lotion takes on that dessicated, reptilian look. It's also brush fire season due to the dry Santa Ana winds. It's a nerve-wracking time, especially for those who live in the hills and canyons.  As we do every year, we'll have to ride out this dry heat until sometime in October or even November, when the jet stream shifts and starts to bring some cool, moist weather our way.
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It's DresSeptember!

Gala 3/4 sleeve LOVE this print!!

Karina Dresses has uploaded their new Fall line for your shopping pleasure.  Styles Marisa and Megan are available up to size 20, some other styles up to size 16. All feature a flattering fit and easy care fabric. Don't forget to use code FEMM30 for $30 off any full-priced item. Here are some of my other favorite styles and prints. I'm having trouble deciding!!

Josie long sleeve

All Karina Dresses are Made With Love in Brooklyn, and are great for travel as they can be washed and hung to dry overnight. No wrinkles, no ironing needed!

Penelope 3/4 Sleeve This style has POCKETS!

Megan 3/4 Sleeve

Ella - this style was inspired by costumes from "Boardwalk Empire."

Dresses are made in small batches, so if you see a style and pattern you like, don't hesitate. And remember code FEMM30 for $30 off any full-priced item!
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