The Updated Gucci 1955 Horsebit Bag

I spied these Gucci 1955 Horsebit shoulder bags on Milan FW25 show-goers. I like the suppleness of the one on the left, and in suede is a timely option.

Grey & Brown

My dearest friend loathes that I wear so much black, grey, and brown, and she especially disliked my last post. So, I thought I would share one of my current favorite grey and brown outfits in hopes that she’ll agree that it’s a good combo, even if she wouldn’t choose to wear it herself. Helen, this is for you!

Skirt and shoes from previous posts.

Winter-To-Spring: Brown & Grey

Brown accessories with thick grey tights are my jam — a fave combo for transitional dressing. I’m starting to give my parkas the side-eye and readying my peacoats and Barbour-esque waxed jackets for spring. I have an ancient grey J. Crew waxed jacket that I wore last fall with a Max Mara vest underneath. It was great in London, even in December. The Valentino 9 to 5 shoulder bag is reminiscent of the Gucci Horsebit 1955 shoulder bags that I carry all the time. This is not surprising since both were designed by Alessandro Michele. The Lemaire pumps arrive tomorrow. I first bought them with the higher heel, but I will wear the medium height version more often — with and without grey tights. Now is the time to waterproof.

Where Are We With Fur?

At the Harper’s Bazaar reunion on January 19, my friend asked if I know a good fur repair. Circa 2002, we asked Pologeorgis to make us each a mink pullover jacket — see the very first kic post below.  “Are we wearing fur again?” I asked. “Yes”, she said, “ours are now vintage, and vintage fur is okay.” Two days later Leandra Medine Cohen clocked a number of New Yorkers in their fur coats,  Feed Me’s Emily Sundberg, also, mentioned the return of fur, and just last week The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times followed suit with similar stories.  There are certainly a lot of fuzzy coats everywhere, and I love the Toteme shearling I bought a few weeks ago — cream sleeve above. I pulled my furs out of cold storage (the closet in the front guest bedroom that is unheated) and I’m deciding if I will wear them again. Thoughts?

Please be kind and respectful in the comments

Welcome to Keep It Chic!  February 10, 2010

The Perfect Spring Tote

A new shopper for Paris sorted! This version is very smart, too.

Top Volume: The Moncler Bomber

The temps are about to warm up in New York, so spring is, finally, on my mind. A bomber looks very good to my eye right now. The jacket on the right was in my last post in black, however, I have enough black, thank you very much. The satin bomber would be chic over a dress, atop a skirt, or with jeans  — a weirdly versatile item.

Top Volume

Interesting tops are on my radar for spring. Not frilly, ’70’s-inspired blouses, think effortless with a bit of volume. Since I wear trim pants, a blouson-esque top —  like the Toteme upper right — would look good.  The Moncler rain jacket is similar to the Carven I bought last March.

Bits & Bobs

There aren’t any looks in the New York FW25 shows that I am mad for. I like the Khaite collection a lot, and disappointed that the Calvin Klein show was disappointing. On these cold, snowy days, I’ve been digging deep into my closet, and finding inspiration wherever I can.

Over the years I have given away all of my Chanel bags, save one, to my daughters and friends. They wear and love them, which gives me great joy. The one above with piping, however, is calling my name. On the flip side, I held on to my Birkins and now use them all the time. They are great carryalls and can be seriously stuffed as styled on the November cover of Le Goût De M — I now appreciate their generous size.  Black turtlenecks (see Toteme FW25) and v-neck sweaters are back with a vengeance. I’ve stored a number of crewneck sweaters and just ordered this Carven cashmere v-neck. A few years ago I reset one of Mother’s opal rings in an east-west setting. Zendaya’s east-west engagement ring is spectacular. The knee-high fishnet shoes in the Dior couture show are on my inspiration board. And, fashion stylist Catherine Dupon makes a strong argument for white skirts in winter.

Books In The Queue

For the past four years I have taken a winter seminar where we read classic novels. “Middlemarch”, “Phineas Finn”, “Buddenbrooks”, “Crime and Punishment”, and currently, Honoré de Balzac’s “Lost Illusions.” When done, I have a few new books in the queue: Bernard Schlink, author of the brilliant “The Reader”, has a new novel, “Ganddaughter”. Anne Tyler’s “Three Days in June” will be released on February 11. Aerin Lauder’s “Living With Flowers”, out February 25, will most certainly be gorgeous. And, the thriller “Vantage Point” by Sara Sligar for my next flight to Paris.

Happy reading!

Winter Tweaks

I hosted a birthday lunch in Vermont this past weekend and it was -15°; I cannot even begin to wrap my head around spring. Instead, I am making some winter tweaks. Last August I posted on two coats that I was considering for FW24 and, in the end, I bought the cashmere Celine. The Toteme shearling above was the one I passed on. After seeing all the fabulous coats in the Toteme Fall 2025 collection last week, I decided to snap it up. Interestingly, there were a number of them still available, yet, a few days after the show, most were gone. Perhaps other folks had the same idea. This is the time of year when I buy a new scarf and this Saint Laurent is this year’s contender. A dear friend recommended Bégum Paris shoes and I picked up these navy patent pumps — they are unbelievably comfortable. The grey Toteme cardigan looks chic and cozy. And, I am going to have my Bulgari B.zero1 ring sized for another finger. It was Mother’s and is so tiny it only fits my little finger.

Here’s to another six weeks of winter!