‘Tis The Season To Give Books

These are the books I will be gifting and already have one wrapped and ready for my book club holiday book swap. I’m not going to link to Amazon, please support your local bookstore.

True Colors

My biggest bugaboo with online shopping is gauging the true color of an item. This was an issue when I bought a beige bag recently, and again with the Saint Laurent duffle coat above. Sizing, too. Sadly for the environment, I often buy two different sizes (just to be sure) then return the one that doesn’t fit. I purchased the coat thinking it would be the light beige on the left, and what arrived is closer to the beige (taupe, really) on the right. It’s a beautiful color, just not what I was expecting.

Saint Laurent beige duffle coat left MATCHESFASHION and right MYTHERESA

Mercantile at GrayBarns

Since we moved to Bedford, lots of folks have recommended the Tavern at GrayBarns in Silvermine, Connecticut. We went for lunch recently and the food was delicious. Afterward, we crossed the street to check out Mercantile at GrayBarns, a market and café, and GrayGoods to shop gorgeous housewares. While there, I signed up for an arm knitting class with one of the owners, Nikki Glazer.

I’ve always insisted on handmade gifts from my girls, so, I thought this year I’d make them each something — a chunky throw blanket. And lo and behold, I made one (pictured top left in my kitchen). Last evening, we sat around a large farm table in Mercantile and Nikki taught us how to arm knit. It’s cool to learn something new, and rewarding to have left with a completed blanket. Thank you, Nikki.

Beige & Grey

After reading Skip Trendy, Wear What You Like, a friend emailed that she likes beige and grey almost exclusively. So, this post is for you LCS. I thought I’d flip the script and pair a beige Saint Laurent duffle coat with a grey Saint Laurent handbag. I’ve Never owned a grey bag and ooh it’s chic. Two of my beloved accessories — a headscarf and chain belt — make this combo sing.

Balancing The Books

Since my friend opened the Locust Valley Bookstore, my house is starting to look like the above picture in October Vogue Italia. I am completely inspired by this Milanese home and shelves are going up in our dining room and bedroom as I write this.

Photography by Valentina Sommariva

Skip Trendy, Wear What You Like

Every time I buy into the wide-leg pants trend, I invariably end up narrowing and shortening them. Even though they’re “in” and look great on others, the style does me no favors.  What suits me is a trim leg hemmed above the ankle. Apparently, I’m not alone.

What’s New At Hermès

The Series 7 Apple Watch Hermès, Nail Enamels, and the 3-in-1 Birkin are new to the Hermès product lines. I have the first iteration of the watch and don’t wear it that much anymore, perhaps the updated version would persuade me to put one back on my wrist. The nail enamel colors are intriguing and I’d happily go there. And, the 3-in-1 Birkin, that debuted on the FW21 runway, is clever but the large flat clutch is not my cup of tea. Thoughts?

The Red Shoes

I still think about a Fendi camel coat with red topstitching from FW17 — as I wrote in the post, it was swoon-worthy. So, when I spied the Fendi camel sweater and trousers above paired with red Manolos in November British Vogue, I let out a little sigh. It really is a sweet combo.

Photography by Eddie Wrey  Styling by Poppy Kain

Anticipating Phoebe Philo’s Next Act

Why are we still obsessed with Phoebe Philo’s designs for Céline? In a nutshell, Philo created a uniform of quiet clothes for busy women. Women who work, are mothers, have lives and don’t have time to “fuss and preen”. The enigmatic Philo was the epitome of the busy woman she designed for, which may very well have been the key to her success. So, what should we expect from her soon-to-be-launched eponymous line? Vogue Scandinavia takes a stab at this question and it’s a good read.

Above are a number of my favorite looks from her tenure at Celine.

Fall Tweak

I was in Miu Miu last week asking about a cap and the SA reminded me that Resort is about to be delivered. Meaning, if it’s not in the store now, it won’t be restocked. So, I started looking at the FW21 items I’ve had my eye on. This Junya Watanabe Fair Isle sweater and the green suede Jimmy Choo boots are those items. And, I don’t need a bag, but this Khaite cream tote is delicious.