fiesta wear

I always find myself envying the woman who shows up to a party underdressed. To me, it  signals confidence: she wears what she wants, what feels comfortable and authentic, rather than conform to a dress code. However, in order for the outlier outfit to pass muster in my book, it needs to be elegant and considered, glazed with festive formality. In short, there's an art to underdressing, and it's one I want to master. I'm deriving inspiration from the look, above, a winning mix of polished denim, glistening patent leather, sheer tights (I have these socks!), and sumptuous satin (on sale here), along with Leandra Cohen's sequins and leather, below. (Shop here and here.)   Some of my favorite pieces invited to the party: this striking Cult Gaia metallic top, this Marissa Webb blazer vest, and this embellished Toteme sweater.

Photos: Symphony of Silk, Leandra Cohen

pieced together

 

Leave it to the Huberman Lab to make sure my New Year's resolutions work like a science. It advocates a three to five-minute "science-based protocol" that simply entails writing down plans for the day, things to strive for, things to watch out for, fears and resentments, and gratitude. I like! I can do! However, I want to add one more action point to my daily to-do list: show up! Because how I show up everyday affects how I feel everyday. My Monday-to-Sunday goal: comfortable, solid, pulled-together. Thankfully, I have an accommodation to execute: new tailored yet relaxed and thoroughly versatile pieces, specifically the styles pictured here from Apiece Apart. They include the double breasted crepe blazer, above, to wear with, well, everything, cropped, loose-fitting trousers (in the color, above), this outfit-making red cashmere sweater (below), these mesh Christopher Esber flats, these roomy Toteme jeans and this vest. I think I've nailed my 2024 uniform! 

before and after

 

Last night before going to bed, I scrolled through all of my pictures taken in 2023 and paused when I saw this snap from November 8. It was shot during a festive luncheon at my house, one of the few I've had this past year, but perhaps one of the most fun. It features me (Rothy's Mary Janes) and my friend Asha (Rothy's clogs), but what it actually captures is pre-holiday me (polished/prim) and post-holiday me (casual/easy), because I'm now living in the clogs. I'm even wearing them as I write this!  Though these styles may seem vastly different, they're both grounded in comfort, and for me, that's a year-round style mandate. I love them both! 

off the cuff

After Christmas with my family, I am feeling full in every sense--like I need nothing more to make me happy. That being said, a new pair of cuffed jeans that are coming in hot for 2024 will, I am sure, amplify my everyday joy. Particularly these by Mother (nearly sold out but also here), Citizens of Humanity and AGOLDE. 

subbing in

 

My last Substack of the year is out and it's all about my peripatetic adventure in London and Alta Badia last week--and my never-ending quest to dress for all occasions, stylishly. My La Ligne pajamas certainly lived up to my velvet and mirror-paneled hotel room at The Twenty Two in London, above. Now that I'm back in LA, I can assure you they're definitely not sleeping on the job! Please read it here! 

the archives

 

Hair of the dog for today's (holiday-shopping) hangover can be had in spades here, here, and here, but I also suggest you knock back Le Catch's past posts, newly and neatly archived here, so you can shop what you missed, most likely at a deep discount. Merry Christmas! 

va bene

 

I took my sister skiing yesterday for the second time in her life. I'm not sure who was the braver one among us as it was my first time skiing The Dolomites, where the trail maps are written in German and Italian (and, truth be told, I can't read maps). Thankfully, we managed to swish around without incident. When she complained that her ski boots were painfully uncomfortable later on in the day, I consoled her, explaining that ski gear leans more function than fashion--and a lot less comfort. Hence, I sported my Miu Miu sweater and brand new (actually comfy) Bogner pants to compensate/carve the Alta Badia slopes, only to lose my (style) steam for apres ski, when things suddenly became more about fashion than function. Yikes! People pulled out all the stops: prints, stripes, a million-ply cashmere. Most intriguing to me was the prevalence of these cropped, kick-flare, figure-flattering pants that almost looked like ski pants but absolutely were not. Comp in the pic below, to shop here, here and here. These cute pants were finessed with all kinds of knitwear and shoes! One woman had on the coolest sweater set that had both my sis and I coveting, which we tracked down and found here (on sale!).We also spotted: this, this, and this. Need to level up for the next Euro Apres pronto! 

mileage club

 

Put it this way: these pink H&M plates were so good I lugged them for two miles, shopping up and down London's Regent Street yesterday. No big deal though, because I've done this before with other H&M plates scored on trips past that have prompted my Hermes dishware-collecting friends to flip them over and verify their provenance. I also scored this insane faux leather skirt, this feathered La Double J, and this Toteme sweater (that looks like Phoebe Philo), this and this. Again, more to come on Substack. 

get up and go

 

After a ten-hour overnight flight from LA to London, I hit the ground running with my twin sister with help from instant-glam pieces: faux leather Madewell pants, the sequin Zara blazer, Dorsey sparkles, Chanel anklet ballerinas, and these sheer socks. Next day, same, same with my Sacai jacket, repeat Madewell pants, and Adidas Sambas, below. Up next for tonight for dinner at Brat: the under $200 Endless Rose chained-trimmed jacket, last pic. Of course, I will be sure to share all my holiday shopping scores, restaurant recs, and more London must-do's on my next Substack, coming this weekend!

 

city sweepers

 

"I couldn't take it anymore," my sister admitted to me over the phone while scurrying down Broadway, back to her Tribeca apartment. "I had to buy one." She was talking about the floor-length coats sweeping the city that everyone--except her apparently--is wearing. Her trusty puffer from last winter, she said, was looking very last winter, so she needed to level up. She had toyed with buying the most popular one by The Frankie Shop (less expensive in this wool here) and eyed these by H&M, Toteme, Good American, and Moon River. Ultimately, she snagged the last black medium at Zara.

 

 

cheap and cheerful

 

Sheathed in $120 River Island sequins, above, at last night's holiday party, I didn't let the surrounding army of Hermes Kelly bags, La Double J feathers, and Chanel clutches, below, intimidate me. In fact, just the opposite: it inspired me to find even more merry and bright (under $200) finds. I am loving Commense's $125 maxi coat, below, and Pixie Market's faux leather jacket and oversized knit, along with Rails lace-trimmed slip dress. There's a whole lot more you can get for less, particularly things to wear to soirees and sit-down dinners on crazy, compelling sale right here!

knit pick

 

Just a few more days before everyone heads out on holiday break--and I hunker down in sweater-ville. Think chic knits around the clock that go from the streets to the slopes to my cushy sofa. Mafalda Patricio's cozy combo of a Sea New York cardigan with Kule stripes are calling me, and so are Aspen-based Alexa Leigh sweaters, the patched red and hand-embroidered  Ski crewnecks, that are made for both lounging at The Little Nell and mountaineering Ajax. Then there's Lucy William's next-level plush cashmere Suzie Kondi sweater, below, for London-ing and beyond, light lined cashmere (monogrammable) from La Ligne and Bottega's built-in layers. When I migrate into sweatshirt territory post-Christmas, you'll find me in the Free People fair-isle cardigan and Kule's rosette-trimmed beauty. 

party city

 

My social butterflying hit mach speed this past week, and I thank denim and sequins equally for sustaining my festive flight. MVP's include these Levi jeans, this Khaite jean jacket, this Anthropologie palette skirt, these Prada pumps (glued to my feet right now), these lace-trimmed La Ligne pants (named after me, wore them to U2 at The Sphere/backstage last weekend!), this Anine Bing jacket, this G. Label extra deep V-neck sweater, this new statement necklace by Thatch, and this Loewe bag (pictured below). For future flights, I'd like to enlist the H&M sequin blazer and tuxedo jacket, the $32 Commense shirt, all below, and this Doen cardigan.

daily diamonds

 

 

I whipped out my latest Substack last night, rife with slam-dunk, last-minute gift ideas and special discounts like 20% off my daily diamonds from Adina Reyter, above. I also guest-starred as Chairish's Weekend Editor and curated a wish list of everything I want in my house from the mid-century desk lamp to the Slim Aarons print, both below. There is also the studded Zara that would punctuate any outfit, the button-up Mother Denim sweater perfect for the slopes, the on-sale heat-proof Sea New York belted coat, all on my Santa list!