career clothes
Wednesday, September 2
My older sister is in town and has been combing through my closet, not for herself, but for her two twenty-something daughters, both newly launched into the working world. One just started a job as a software engineer in Washington, D.C.; the other recently graduated from MIT with a master’s in Data and Economics and now works as a strategic consultant for a nonprofit. In other words: two very smart women with real jobs who suddenly need real clothes to wear to them. And apparently my closet is now the family career closet. So far, the ALC sweater (literally ripped off my back, above), the $84 woven Quince flats, and the Chanel-vibing Sam Edelman pair, below, have made the cut. My job now is pointing my nieces toward a few additional strategic additions, including the pleated denim Aligne skirt, the Alex Mill waxed jacket (putting one to work for myself!), this Quince bucket bag (that looks a lot like my Prada!), this puff-sleeve GAP Studio blouse, Abercrombie’s embroidered button down and Me + Em’s tux shirt that will definitely work after hours too. So happy to help here!
overnight delivery
Tuesday, September 1
Practically overnight, the bikinis and barely-there dresses on my IG feed gave way to cashmere, coats and things with sleeves—and suddenly, blue is everywhere. To be clear, not winter blues, but bright pops of cobalt (pictured), cornflower, electric blue, plus a silk scarf here, a sweater tied around the waist and perhaps layered elsewhere too, rolled-up jeans, and one very convincing shoe. Consider my feed officially fall-coded.
long sleeve story
Monday, August 31
I’m writing today’s post with the windows wide open and what can only be described as fall’s first tiny advance scout blowing through them. Not exactly crisp but decidedly less heatwave-caliber, and apparently that’s all the encouragement I need. I’m wearing a new light jacket as I type this, mostly because I am very ready to wear next season’s clothes. Conveniently, coats seem to have blown in overnight at Zara too—and they’re speaking a language I’m already fluent in: Prada-ish proportions with exaggerated cuffs and extra flourishes that make everything feel a little more deliberate and a lot more interesting (see above and below). Now I want cuffs peeking out from under jackets (trying with this one!), sleeves grazing my knuckles, coats with a little more length and drama—and colors that feel fresh. Which has me eyeing: this check print Zara parka, Velvet’s drawstring crimson parka, Mint Velvet’s (So ‘90s Marc Jacobs) leather jacket, Abercrombie’s denim barn coat, and Avec Les Filles’ under $200 faux fur trimmed jacket!
top sellers
Friday, August 28
Yesterday, while chatting with a friend, she kept complimenting my Moma’s Eye ring—the one, below, that looks like a zillion dollars and is a proven compliment magnet. I’ve given it to friends, who have subsequently given it to their friends. Same with my $88 Electric Picks bracelet, which has even had famous fine-jewelry designers ogling it, then shushing me to conceal its provenance. Clearly, some things just have that pass-it-on magic—which brings me to August’s top sellers, all nicely bundled up here, plus a few things I suspect are next in line to be passed along, starting with my new Prada tank top (also here) and Garland Collective pink opal, tiger’s eye and onyx evil eye charm, both above, the funnel-neck Mint Velvet knit jacket, below, (I cannot wait to wear once the temperature drops), the Stine Goya (Bode-like) embellished jacket, the just-about-sold out Polo Ralph Lauren reversible floral jacket, Banana Republic’s knee-high boots (the heel height is truly perfection), heeled ballerinas by Zara, the plaid Reformation skirt, Araks’ floaty slip dresses in Viola Purple and Sky Blue, Toteme’s fluffy pencil skirt (with a polished white short sleeve or black long t-shirt now, a turtleneck later!)
the call
Thursday, August 27
The other morning Coco called me from a shoot and immediately lowered her voice to a whisper. “The stylist here has the coolest pants on,” she said, clearly trying not to be overheard. Cropped, fitted through the leg, with the tiniest kick flare at the bottom—the exact pants we wore, and were obsessed with, in the ’90s. About five minutes later, the universe supplied supporting evidence: Zoë Kravitz walking around New York in essentially the denim version: a faded, low-slung cropped kick flare with a white baby tee, heeled ballet flats and a Saint Laurent bag. The internet promptly lost it over the jeans. Turns out they’re vintage-ish Alexander Wang Trap jeans from nearly a decade ago. (I like Khaite’s version of them on sale here.) Of course, now my algorithm agrees; Cropped kick flares have been stalking me across the internet. Denim, black, tailored, slightly stretchy, a little higher-waisted, a little lower-slung—I have now been presented with approximately five pairs I’m convinced could completely change my life. Or at least my September outfits. I bought these from Frame Denim in black (LOVE!) and now on to these from High Sport, cropped faux suede Zara (below), the navy blue H&M and Jamie Haller’s denim perfection (above).
people power
Wednesday, August 26
As a follow-up to yesterday’s post, a clarification: it’s actually less about back-to-business dressing and more back to having places to go and people to actually see. Same difference perhaps, but the bottom line is actual outfits are required again. Which, naturally, has me pulling out more polished pieces from my closet (Dries skirt, above, Mother jeans, top, Prada heels, red leather belt, below, all this past week), wearing ones that straddle the August/September divide (think sweats with a blazer, track shorts with ballet flats and a great button-down), capri pants, a crisp white tee, and a blazer, inspo below) and looking for more freshness. What I’m loving so far: Tory Burch’s swingy striped skirt, green perfection from J.Crew, a luscious suede halter dress, this Celine Trio bag (trialing it in right-now blue—you can rent it too from Vivrelle by using my code MARLIEN), along with a no-fail $99 red clutch, but I really want to bust a new move with the major Bottega (last pic), plus almost head-to-toe black, a Loewe parka (to blow their minds), and so many skirts, culottes, pictured below, for so little at GAP.
high brow shopping
Tuesday, August 25
Last night’s Highbrow Hippie dinner in Venice, catered by the ever-talented Olivia Muniak, had me vibing on the good kind of back-to-school feeling (see pics here). We sat around the table catching up on summer adventures, where everyone went, what we read on planes (this and this), what we watched, what was good (The Invite), what wasn’t (The Shards). Across from me sat the mesmerizingly beautiful Aurora James, and next to me, the equally stunning Michele Ouellet—model and co-founder of Lorenza Rosé—both making a pretty convincing case for getting back-to-business dressed again. Aurora in this, Michele in these. And really, that’s all the seasonal shift requires: one or two things that simply change the tone. A striking clutch, above, to add major pop to any outfit, or below (for half the price) the two-tone flat that suddenly makes jeans look new, a proper belt that finishes things off, the throw-it-over-everything suede trench you’ll wear approximately 400 times, and perhaps one slightly romantic dress to keep all that back-to-business seriousness in check. P.S. Shopbop has loads of new winners on sale.
