I once showed up to a winter party in a thick knit dress, fleece tights, and a giant wool coat… and still spent the entire evening shivering near the heater. I looked “covered,” sure, but I hadn’t dressed for the room, the lighting, the fabric, or what happens to winter party outfits after two hours … Read more
I used to think I was “good at fashion” because I owned expensive clothes. Then I saw a photo of myself at a brunch in SoHo wearing a rust overshirt, olive chinos, burgundy sneakers, and a navy cap. Individually? Great pieces. Together? I looked like a walking paint sample wall from Home Depot. That photo … Read more
I still remember the first time I tried to “dress like the Grammys.” I copied a red carpet look from a magazine, wore a body-hugging satin dress to a winter event, and spent the entire night tugging at it because the fabric showed every line underneath. In photos, it looked sleek. Expensive, even. On me? … Read more
I learned this on a January morning in SoHo, when the wind had teeth, and every block smelled faintly of roasted nuts and diesel. My boots were loud on the pavement, my scarf swallowed half my face, and I was layered like I was enroute to base camp. Puffer, chunky knit, thermal layers — the … Read more
Beyond “Nothing to Wear”: The Architecture of the Perfect Top I used to blame my closet. Too small Too basic Too boring It took me years to admit the truth: I didn’t have a wardrobe problem. I had a top issue. Tops that looked charming on hangers and confusing on my body. Fabrics that felt … Read more
I used to think finding good style nearby just meant locating a store with mannequins in blazers. That was my first mistake. I’d walk into the nearest mall shop, grab whatever looked decent on a hanger, try it on under that tragic yellow lighting, and convince myself I looked sharp. Two weeks later — after … Read more
I still remember the day I walked into a client meeting wearing what I thought was an “excellent” business casual outfit: a stiff blazer, shiny trousers, and painfully pointy heels I’d convinced myself looked “professional.” I looked polished in theory. In reality, I looked like I was wearing a costume. I spent the entire meeting … Read more
I still remember my first time in the desert. I had mood boards and backup outfits, Boots that looked unreal in my bedroom mirror. By mid-afternoon on day one, I had blisters, heat rash, and a fringe jacket moulting onto strangers. That was the year I understood the difference between dressing for a photo and … Read more
I used to think a modest winter wardrobe meant bracing myself for six months of looking like a walking blanket. One icy morning, the wind cut straight through my coat, my thick sweater itched at my neck, and my long skirt clung to my tights in the most unflattering way. My toes were numb in … Read more
I still remember one fall—years ago—when I thought I’d absolutely nailed my wardrobe because everything in it was “in.” Oversized knits, rigid jeans, boots I’d saved for months to afford. By October, the illusion cracked. The sweater pilled after two washes. The jeans sagged at the knees like they’d given up. The boots somehow looked … Read more