Seduction Weapons

So we are staying in on New Year's Eve with my daughter and my MIL but my husband booked us a room in one of the city's "luxury" hotels for Saturday night, so that is going to be our big night out. My mother in law is leaving next Monday and the plan is to have a romantic gateway before she leaves. I know that it sounds a little bit cliche (the old married couple who rent a hotel room as a last resort) but when you haven't spent a night alone with your spouse in almost four years (ie, since my daughter was born) the idea makes more sense, I tell you.

Not to go too much into details but I haven't played the seduction game in a loooong time and the last time that I bought nice lingerie was pre-baby (when I was very, very skinny), so I started to prepare for our romantic night out a while ago. I didn't want to go all the way laces and suspenders because that's not the kind of attire that my husband would find "sexy", but I did want something a little bit special, that I normally wouldn't wear at home.
So I settled for this:



I bought this silk slip at Calypso for a song (by the way they are having 50% off sales!) The shoes are the JCrew Tilly platforms, that I also bought on supersale two days before Xmas ($69 and no fs). I had planned to wear them to the restaurant but satin doesn't like snow so I am going to take them with me and wear them inside. Let's say that they will be my luxury slippers, a function that goes very well with their "boudoir" look (not to mention that I couldn't probably walk in them for more than a block)!
Here they are on my feet:



As a backup to the silk slip (in case my husband really doesn't like it), I have a secret weapon. It's a Petit Bateau simple beige cotton slip that I am sure he will like (it appears to be sold-out on the website).

Now I only have to think of the beauty routine countdown. Manicure/Pedicure? Check. Wax? Check. Body scrub? Check. I am going to bring my favorite parfume and shower gel (Narciso Rodriguez) and possibly parfume my hair too.
The only doubt that I have is: to drink or not to drink? Of course I would like to have a bottle with my husband to celebrate but the secondary effect of wine on me is ... sleep. Maybe I can have a glass or two of champagne.

What's your seduction weapon? Do you have a beauty secret for special occasions? Please share!

Under A White Blanket

By now you have probably learned that we had a monster snow storm in NYC this past Sunday. On Monday morning we woke up to two feet of snow and clear skies. I ventured outside to buy some milk and bread and I have to say, it was quite strange. Even if NYC is no Minnesota we have at least a snowstorm each winter so we are used to the snow but this was the first time that I saw buses and cars (especially taxis) abandoned in the middle of the streets. It was a little bit post-apocalyptic, a "day after" atmosphere. In the few stores open, the shelves with fresh food were empty because the delivery trucks couldn't come (that's very unusual too for a city like NY).
These are a few pics that I took later in the morning on Madison Avenue:





Stranded MTA bus (there were at least 3 of them in few blocks and one just in front of the Crewcuts store):



Good luck to the owner of this car, hopefully he doesn't need to go anywhere for a few days:



Later in the day the city regained its "normal" snow day appearance, with the usual crowd of Central Park skiers and snowboarders. I like that the city suddenly transforms in a ski resort when it snows. I took my daughter to the park to play with the snow. I tried to buy a sled but of course there was none left in the neighborhood stores. But at that age they have fun just being in the snow:



I took this picture because you would have said that the statue was gone and had come back to his pedestal leaving tracks in the snow. It was very funny to see IRL, not so much on the photo:



I am taking my MIL and my daughter to a show of "Angelina Ballerina" this afternoon. Hopefully we will make it to the theater without incidents. Stay tuned!

Belated Merry Xmas

A quick post to wish you a belated merry Xmas! I hope that you had a wonderful time with your loved ones and that Santa has been generous with each of you. I can't complain as my Santa this year took me to Jcrew on Xmas Eve and had me to choose my present! I chose a necklace that I had been eyeing but didn't dare to buy for myself and I must say that I wore it non-stop since I opened my gift box (even if I it wasn't a surprise, I did put it under the tree). Not only it's the perfect necklace to wear with festive attire but it also dresses up nicely with jeans+tee/sweater uniform.

In fact I wore it this morning to the Saks after Xmas sale (where we shopped exclusively for my husband. The 26th is traditionally HIS shopping day). This is my OOTD (that I am still wearing):



The mohair sweater is from Calypso and the jeans are the JCrew Vintage Slim in rustic wash that went finally on sale and I bought during the MUSTHAVE promo (I am wearing a 26, my typical jeans size). You have all recognized the vintage striped bateau from this spring, which is now on sale as well.
I don't see the necklace online (not sure if it is sold out or store only). The ticket reads "Crystal Venus Flytrap necklace" (EC8333) and it retails for $85 (it is still FP as of today, I checked). It is very bling-y and clearly tries to mimic the real thing but I really like it (I like that it is short and that the hardware is self-effacing so that you really only see the crystals):



We had the perfect Xmas Day yesterday. Besides the joy of seeing our daughter opening the presents (she really believes in Santa this year and she asked for a princess tent to play princesses with her friends), we had our best friends over for lunch and in the evening we even went to the movies to see "the creepiest holiday movie ever", Black Swan, that we both enjoyed. I can't even remember the last time that we went to the movies on Xmas Day, since usually we are stuck with my daughter. But as you know my MIL is here for the holidays so we are taking advantage. Thanks MIL!
Here is the outfit that I wore yesterday (the blouse is the plaid taffeta one from Talbot's, the cardigan is the Dulphine bling-button in black pine and the pants are the toothpick cords in navy from last year. The necklace is my Xmas present):



And as to wrap up a perfect Xmas weekend, it is snowing in NY today.

I will be back soon!

Holiday Party Outfit Galore!

Wow, it has been quite a busy week. For starters we received two new pieces of furniture, a big girl's bed for my daughter and a new couch for the living room and we had to get rid off the old ones (think of Craiglist); I was late with Xmas presents shopping and I spent hours at the postal office to send packages to my family in Italy (a framed picture of my daughter in Santa's lap, taken by a professional photographer at school. And listen to this: they did it for FREE. I never had anything for free in NY, I couldn't believe it) and I broke my personal record in terms of parties attended in the same week, as we went to three Xmas parties (and I am not even considering the holiday party at my daughter's school and the Xmas party of our building).
My mother in law arrives tomorrow to spend the holidays with us and I am looking forward to some quiet family time. So I am going to post the outfits that I wore to the parties and this is probably going to be my last post before the holidays. I will maybe be able to squeeze a quick OOTD post here and there but it is not guaranteed. Is it too early to wish you a wonderful Xmas?

The first party was last Saturday. It was at our friend's and it was a karaoke party. They had hired two deejays with a karaoke machine and I have to tell you, I don't remember having so much fun at a grown-up party. There were prizes and goodies for everybody who sang (I sang "Careless Whispers" by George Michael with my husband and "Hopelessly Devoted to You" by Olivia Newton-John in solo but the best was "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" sang by all the ladies as a group) and just a great atmosphere. If you are planning to throw a party, I highly recommend the karaoke as entertainment. At first nobody wants to sing but after a few glasses of wine or champagne people will line up and channel their inner Bon Jovi, I guarantee.
Anyway, I kind of misunderstood the dress code and I was a little bit overdressed compared to the other guests, but felt very festive. I wore the wool Ravine dress in rosebud from last year, with the flower elastic belt and a very old black crystal beads necklace wrapped around my neck:




As a topper I wore a sequined open cardigan, very similar to the current starry night cardigan but in reality very old (HO05. Yes, they were already doing sequins back then!):



The next party was a kid's party last Tuesday at the same friend's. I always look forward to their "playdates" because there is always plenty of food and wine for the parents too (who can relax and take a sip while the kids are taking care of by an entertainer, a clown in this case) and I generally end up staying late, well after bedtime (which I couldn't do this time around because I had to run to our building Xmas party, in the lobby). I wore my black Minnies and the V-neck drapey, aka yoga, sweater with just the festive touch of the "Bal d'Hiver" tee, peeking out the v-neck:



I had bought the Bal d'Hiver tee last year when it came out, paying almost FP. Then I returned it because I hadn't worn it in almost two months (and also because the XS was a little bit too snug) but regretted it (I could never catch it on a popback). So when I saw it in the final sale section of the factory site I took the plunge and ordered it in a S for $14. Having owned the retail one, I can tell you with confidence that there isn't any difference between the retail and factory versions.
I plan to wear it a lot this holiday season to casual gatherings. For example, I am going to wear it with the Tori factory cardigan, Minnies and crystalline suede belt for a brunch with friends the first of January. What a great tee to greet the New Year:



And now the last party of the week, my husband's office Xmas party. This was more of a formal occasion and I broke out the Tatum tweed jacket, that I wore with my trusty Theory pants, a black short-sleeved turtleneck (Zara) and silver accessories: a silver belt (last year) and silver-toned necklace (Madewell). By the way, it never occurred to me before but wearing silver accessories is a great way to break a total black outfit:



I could have worn silver shoes (my crackled silver mary-janes from a few years ago) but my husband said that it was a little bit too much for an office party and so I went with my black Juliets (however, I am going to show you the outfit with the silver shoes because I think that they are smashing):



The party was held at the Bryant Park Grill, with views on the Bryant Park blue-lighted Xmas tree and ice skating rink: can't think of a more perfect holiday party location in NYC, besides Rock Center which is a little bit too crowded with tourists at this time of the year!
The outfit was perfect as well, I felt very comfortable and the Tatum jacked has just the right balance of classic and modern. I love that you can wear it with both navy and black (because the silk trim is navy and black). I could have used a clutch but I hate having to hold something in my hands at a cocktail party (because you already have to hold a glass of wine and the occasional appetizer, right?), so yesterday I finally took the plunge on the studded tweed invitation clutch (the one in the same tweed than the Tatum jacket) taking advantage of the sale price and the current 30% off that has been extended to the stores. I love that it is an envelope-sized clutch but has a chain (and that it's a shoulder bag and not a cross-body), so I can still drink and eat (but I can also carry it without the chain). It appears to be sold-out online right now (see it on DaniBP) but the satin invitation clutch is currently at a great price (and it has a chain as well).

Voila, I hope that you will find inspiration for your holiday outfits. As I said I don't know if I will be back before Xmas, so I wish a wonderful Xmas to you all (just in case).
Almost forgot, this is probably what I am going to wear on Xmas morning (you are probably going to recognize it but in case not, clic here:



Happy Holidays!

Inspired by The Catalog: Lolli Pants and Cobblestone Sweater

I really thought that I would let the last 25% off promo go, because I already took advantage of the one before, and the one before and the one before that one. In fact it looks like this season there has always been a promo around and I think that in the end I didn't buy anything FP (actually I did buy one or two things and I was able to return and rebuy them for a lower price).
But of course they got me again. What could I possibly need more than what I already have? The lolli pants, apparently! I have to say that they didn't strike my fancy when they came out an made a buzz on the JCA. But I really, really like the following look from the holiday catalog and when I realized that I could easily reproduce it, withstanding the lolli pants (now sold-out online), I had to have them:



At first I thought that the model in the picture was wearing the cashmere turtleneck in heather cobblestone, that I have and is the only cashmere turtleneck that I bought this year, but she is probably wearing the heather orchid as the cobblestone is a "fall" color that went on sale and isn't offered anymore (so glad that I bought it with my Mickey card). In any case the effect is very similar. My pumps are the grey Juliet patent and suede heels from last year:



I don't have the Bonbon coat (I don't need another coat but I really like this one), but I have the Script from last year in a similar neutral shade:



I have to be honest: I wasn't completely sold on the pants because the bright dahlia is a shade that is not in my usual color palette and very unusual for pants but they are really growing on me. As you can see the retail version doesn't have a zipper at the ankle and has a cuffed hem. I am not sure if the website version and store version differ or the pic in catalog shows an older version that didn't make it to production (please chime in if you have them and you bought them from the website). Even if I knew about it, I was a little bit shocked when I first saw in person that they are unlined and very thin. You would think that a pair of pants that comes out in the Holiday catalog when half of the country is under the snow could be a little bit more weather-appropriate and lined. However, they are flattering like that and NOT ITCHY AT ALL (no worries, I have sensitive skin on my legs). I bought my usual size 0 and I find them TTS to a little bit big.

I tried a few different outfits/color combinations with them. The first is very similar to the cobblestone turtleneck, the Olive top in dark charcoal. This top is one of my favorite JCrew pieces, as you probably know if you are a regular follower:



I have only another item in my closet in a similar color as the bright dahlia. It's the cashmere v-neck cardigan from last spring (this is the one that I paid something like $35. I am still kicking myself for letting the navy and the black go, also because the yarn is thicker than many sweater in the current offerings). The color was called bright plum and it is a little bit more intense than the color of the pants. I think they work together exactly because they are very similar but not the exact same color. What do you think? Too much of the same? Little Red Hat effect?



Of course it works with a black top. I reorganized a little bit my closed yesterday and found the silk posy top from last year, that I had completely forgot to have (you know, it was under a cardigan). I really, really love it with the pants (of course I would wear black shoes):





The cardigan is the Dulphine open one. I am a little bit on the fence about this one. I like that it's very slim and short for us petites but it's more casual than I thought and the fact that it is sheer means that it doesn't look good over tee shirts. Thoughts?

Another dress-up look, with the silk ruffle cascade jacket in wild blackberry (navy) from last year (this is up for sale, BTW) and the crystal symphony necklace:



This last look is a little bit hazardous. I am sure that it would make a great holiday catalog look, but in real life? Too harlequin-esque? The color of the satin soiree jacket has more green in it IRL than it appears in the pic though and the contrast between the two bright colors is nicer than here:



I like that they are an unusual but still wearable choice for the day and they easily dress up for the evening. I can't wait to wear them this holiday season.

What do you think of the Lolli pants? Which one of the outfits above do like better?

An "Ideal" Outfit

This morning I wore an outfit that made me feel very Italian, Milanese in particular, which happens less and less these days (probably because my wardrobe is chock-full of JCrew). Well, I had on a pair of Tods lace-up booties that I bought while I was in Italy (actually a gift from my mom, who to this day still loves to buy me Tods shoes), so maybe that's why. The Zara coat with its clean lines also contributed to make me feel, well... an Italian in NY. I had already wore the exact same outfit for a stroll with my husband and daughter on a Sunday afternoon and I remember feeling very (effortlessly) chic. The only thing different is that today I wore my new merino turtleneck in vintage navy (love the color, BTW), while the first time I had a Gap cotton one (by the way, the vintage navy color is very similar to Gap's true navy). I love the merino turtleneck this year because it is long and slimming (wearing my usual XS and it fits perfectly):




And with the coat on:



But a true Milanese wouldn't be caught dead with cords on, that must be an effect of the American melting pot on my sense of fashion.

Anyway, as soon as I went outside I realized that it was too cold for my Zara semi-open coat today. Too late, we were late for ballet class and it was a special one where the parents were invited to take pictures of their little ballerinas (my trusty old Jcrew cashmere ribbed scarf and my Juicy earmuffs kept me warm enough in the wind).
In the afternoon I changed my Zara coat for my much toastier Moncler puffer and after dropoff I was wandering on Madison Avenue when I was struck by the poster advertising the current exhibition on the latest works of John Currin at the Gagosian gallery. I won't lecture you on Currin (for more information click here and I have to say that I am not sure if I like all of his work (definitively disliked some of the paintings in the exhibition) but this portrait of Constance Towers (the actress?) mesmerized me and lured me in:



It had on me the same effect that the Monnalisa must have had on her first uncorrupted audience (before becoming material for modern art jokes a la Duchamp and cheap souvenirs): that of a singular beauty that is hard to define but keep us looking at her.
But even more than the beauty of the woman, what really struck me in this painting is the perfection of the outfit that she's wearing, masterfully rendered by the painter: the white shirt, the double-strand of pearls, the red skirt, the belt. It looks like the quintessential outfit to wear in one's portrait, the Platonic form of an outfit (which is kind of ironic because Currin's women are generally naked and engaged in a form of sexual activity).
Which leads me to my closing question (and I am really, really interested in reading your answers): what would you wear if you had to pose for your own portrait? And would your ideal portrait be a sublimation of yourself or a true to the subject rendering (maybe in your everyday clothes)? I'm going to let you know what my ideal outfit for a portrait is: a dress, not superfancy but strapless and probably in a nude/tan color, with a strand of pearls, and my hair in a bun (not too tight). And I would be reading a book, because that's what hasn't changed in my life when everything else has changed.

Your turn now...

Sunnie Day

When I grow up I want to be a ballerina... The Nutcracker was beyond expectations, such a magical experience and I can't wait for my daughter to be old enough to be able to enjoy it (did I mention that she takes ballet classes?)
I finally wore my Talbots plaid taffeta skirt, plaid top and bling cardigan and it was very appropriate even if it was coooold on Sunday and I was freezing while desperately looking for a cab for fifteen minutes (I have just read some personality saying that he felt like a real New Yorker the first time that he couldn't find a cab under the rain).

Anyway, today I am wearing something much more weather-appropriate. You have probably understood that I didn't make a typo in the title of this post (even if I could have, knowing myself) but I was referring to the Sunnie pencil skirt that I bought this past weekend. I have this rule to only buy pencil skirts on sale (20% off doesn't count as sale) because I don't wear them enough and they are usually pricey. I am happy that I sticked to my rule and I could get this beauty for half of its original price, thanks to the GIFTS promo and a very accomodating SA at the Collection store (who gave me the online sale price plus 30% off).
Another rule that I have when buying pencil skirts is not to buy something that I could only wear with heels, because wearing heels during the day is not exactly my cup of tea. So what I particularly liked in this skirt is that it fits my casual lifestyle. And of course I like the colors and I can pair it with a lot of things that I already have, for example my mustard-y cashmere cardigan from last year:



Or my zip cashmere cardigan in mossy oak (yes, this is my second one, I couldn't resist the price and the color):




But today is probably going to snow (although, it IS sunny now) so I am wearing a cozy turtleneck. This is one of my oldest sweaters that I bought in Paris years ago (it's by Claudie Pierlot, a French brand) and still looks good after all these years. It was pricey but when you pay that's what you should expect, just saying:



What really sold me on the skirt was that I tried it with my Chalet boots on and it looked surprisingly good. Do you agree?



Anyway, I can always wear it with my Glanbrae tall boots if not with the Chalet (but I think I am going to dare). By the way, I sized one up in this skirt even if it is a little bit loose in the waist. They didn't have the 0 in store and I remembered that when I tried the 0 in the other colorway I found it little bit snug. Plus it is a skirt that shows every bump and being it winter I wanted to be able to layer and tuck in without worrying about bumps showing. I think a 0 would have also fit, but I feel comfortable in the 2 and if I really want I can have it taken in the back. And in the 2 the length is perfect for winter, not too short.

Do you have the Sunnie?

Have a nice Tuesday!

Wearing Tomorrow

I feel like I have a little bit of a dual fashion personality disorder these days or complex of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in that I go from super-casual to super-fancy without much in-between. Let's blame it on the holiday season, which is the season when we actually get to wear all those party dresses and outfits but we also love to indulge in the pleasure of sipping a cup of hot chocolate in our pajamas and slippers.

This weekend is going to be a very busy one for me in terms of festivities. Tomorrow night I am going to a birthday cocktail party of a friend, which sounds fancy just because it is December and on Sunday evening I am going to see that NY holiday tradition that is the Nutcracker at the Lincoln Center and that, in eight years that I have been living here, I never got to see.
For the Nutcracker I am probably going to wear the Talbots taffeta combo that you have now seen ad nauseam and I am not going to show you again (don't worry).

The cocktail party tomorrow night is not a formal occasion, so I can wear whatever I want and I have decided to break out the Lisette cami in black that I bought recently with a promo. This cami is VERY flattering IMO and quite classic. I am going to wear it with my Minnie twill pants in black and an open cardigan, cinching everything with a belt like in a Jcrew catalog (not sure about the shoes as it was very cold today):




I have been looking to replace this BR merino open cardigan with something similar but more streamlined if I can say so, as I find it a little bit overwhelming. I tried today the Dulphine open cardigan and really liked how it looked (put on my list and checked it twice). The Lisette fits TTS. I am wearing a 0 and you can see the straps of my bra here:



Because I had all these parties and festivities coming up I decided to invest in a Brazilian keratin hair treatment, that is supposed to leave your hair straight like after a blow-dry for a few months (it works on hair that are already pretty straight, I think). It has been a month already and this is how they look without any blow-drying and even brushing (they are not freshly washed in this pic and my cut is older):



If you have lots of parties coming up, this is a good (if kind of expensive) trick to be always party-ready. Bye-bye blow dry!

I am going to leave you with the outfit that I wore today. This is an example of how the fact of feeling good in your clothes can prevent you from buying stuff that you don't need. I went to JCrew looking to find the cashmere cowlneck sweater in black, after putting it several times in my cart without pulling the trigger. Well, after trying it on I realized that I liked my boatneck from last year (that I was wearing) much more than the cowlneck that I was there to buy, so I saved my money. The faux-pearls are chipies from Nordstrom Rack:




Have a nice weekend!

Cold Weather Gear: the Chalet Boots

Good morning! Today I am going to post an outfit very different from the one that you have seen yesterday (BTW, I ended up wearing the outfit number two, with the pants, even if it stopped raining and you know what? I would have been overdressed had I worn the taffeta skirt).

I wore this outfit last Sunday. The reason why I want to blog about it (even if it's a very casual outfit) is because 1) I wore my Chalet boots for the first time and I want to report back in case you are considering them and 2) the sweater is a recent purchase that you haven't seen yet and it just came out in the new rollout on the website (the pants are the toothpick cords from last year. You can probably tell that I gained some weight and they "just" fit this year):



The sweater is the new Shadow-flecked turtleneck in heather ebony (it looks like dark charcoal). I immediately loved the look of this sweater when I saw it the first time in a store but $88 for a mix of wool/nylon/alpaca/spandex was a little bit steep, so I waited and got it with the 25% off. It is very cozy but not for sensitive skins: it is a little bit scratchy and definitively itchy, so the next time I will wear it with a long-sleeved tee.
These are the fitting room pics where the light was better and you can see the "speckles". Personally I like the lived-in look:



I had tried the heather graphite colorway on an other occasion. This color was beautiful too, but I have an old Gap one that looks exactly the same, so I went with the darker one:



As for the Chalet boots, I really recommend them. They are TTS (I usually wear a 7 and I got a 7 in these) and they are soooo cozy and comfortable. The shearling kept my feet warm all day long (especially on Saturday when it was freezing outside) and they are very easy to walk in. They footbed is slimmer than in the UGGs which is a plus because your foot won't slip forward when walking (also the look is more that of boots than a pair of slippers). I am not sure if they are worth $198 but with the current promo they are definitively a good buy. I can't comment on the taller ones as I never tried them on.

Do you own the Chalet boots or are you a UGGs type of girl? Have a nice day you all!

School Cocktail Party Rainy Outfit

Tonight is a big night at my daughter's nursery school: it is the night of the cocktail reception for the book fair that kicks off tomorrow. Traditionally the parlor room is all decked out in Xmas decoration (that I have contributed putting up yesterday afternoon), a famous children's book author will be there to sign copies of his latest book and there will be a raffle of gingerbread houses. And of course there will be plenty of food and drinks. Basically this is the event that you don't want to miss.

I have been fantasizing about the party and the outfit that I was going to wear for more than a month and this was one of the occasions (if not THE occasion) that justified the purchase of the Talbots plaid taffeta skirt, as the length of the skirt is perfect for a conservative environment. In the end I also bought the matching top because trying to pair the skirt with something else that was already in my closet turned out to be an impossible task.
So yesterday I tried the outfit for the last time and I was pretty satisfied with the result:




I found this velvet bolero last weekend at Uniqlo (of all the places) for 29.99. It is a little bit big (it's a S) but I didn't know if I wanted to go downtown and brave the Xmas shoppers crowd again just to check if they had an XS, so I grabbed it.
For 30 it fits the bill.

I was all ready with my outfit planned and guess what? It is raining like hell in NYC today, one of those (rare) days when you get wet even if you are covered from head to toes with a raincover and hold an oversized umbrella.
So I don't know if I want to break out the taffeta skirt in these weather conditions. Granted, I have to walk less than a block as the school is just around the corner but I don't want to look foolish.

So I had to come up with a backup outfit and I traded the skirt with my Theory pants. The cardigan is the bling-button in black pine (I kept the plaid Talbots top of the previous outfit):




I am tempted to wear this fringe cuff instead of a necklace to add some sparkle. This cuff (that was one of my birthday present picks but didn't get) was offered by a secret admirer. I still love it and it adds some edge to the outfit.



If the rain stops I could still go with the first outfit. I will let you all know!