A few days ago, I had a lunch date in the Flatiron District—which left me with no choice but to stroll the neighborhood shops on my way home. For you guys, of course! My first stop was the Flatiron building’s Origins store, to stock up the only lipstick I want to wear anymore, Sherry Baby, because I swear, it makes me look more awake. (Regular readers may recall that I previously extolled its virtues here.)
Then it was down to Ann Taylor, because their stuff just looks more and more on point all the time, and because you can’t beat the price. In addition to which, they offer a wide range of sizes and I’m trying to serve you guys better in that regard. And here’s one more thing I like about Ann Taylor: They do not shy away from a bold print, which is such a nice quality for a mass-market retailer with a focus of work attire to have. The one on this particular leopard print skirt is great—every bit as nice as the very similar one on this way, way pricier Christopher Kane dress.
Dots can—and often do—go horribly, desperately wrong. But when it all works, there’s nothing cuter. And this one, with its slouchy-clavicle-baring neckline, actually comes off kind of sexy, and how often do dots do that?
I’m always in favor of a streamlined peasant top look, because they’re a such nice, feminine—but still plenty take-me-seriously—option for the office. And this one has that whole color-of-the-season thing going for it too.
Zara is a zoo no matter when you go, isn’t it? You can wander in at close to 3pm on a weekday afternoon and confront mobs nearly as excitable as the ones you might witness on a Saturday. It overwhelms me a bit, and is definitely what’s kept me from journeying to visit the new Mega-Zara uptown. Which is a drag, because I’m such a fan of how edgily—for such a very, very mass chain— they interpret the runway. This boucle coat with leather trim is just so damned French fashion editor that even though I’m aware I’ve referred to French fashion editors at least once already this week, I find myself with no choice but to do it again.
And speaking of Frenchy style: this one certainly has a whole lot of Coco going on for $99, don’t you think?
I’m pretty much a slut for a leather sleeve.
This coat is very rock star girlfriend, circa 1972. You can do the whole soft/hard thing by pairing it with a filmy, flowery dress, or get all echt-Jil Sander in trousers and a turtleneck.
I want to marry a leather sleeve! (I have a terrible habit of confusing lust and love but that’s for another conversation.) Back to leather sleeves: I fear I have missed the moment. Have I Kim?
Also, I’d like to request a post on Zara at some point in the future. Aside from a great pair of shoes that I’ve had for ages and a handful of coats, I almost never have luck in there. I go into a dressing room with armfuls of clothes and each thing looks worse than the next. It’s like beer-goggle clothing: Everything seems better from afar, when you’re drunk on the fantasy of how great it’ll look on you; not so good up close.
Its hanger appeal. Everything looks so damn crisp and awesome on the hanger.
I love Zara, but I am a 12-14, and their stuff is almost always too small for me!
Ooh, I am right there with you. And living in France, Zara is dirt cheap! But alas not to be…
Love your Zara sweater #1. I’d wear that thing to pieces.
I find that I have to be careful at Ann Taylor (and several other chains) to avoid the ” frump factor” in their clothes. And not having a corporate job means that some of their dressier items don’t fit my lifestyle. But they do make relatively good quality pieces for reasonable prices.
I, too, struggle with Zara. I’m a size 6 but with broad shoulders and an ample chest, and their clothes often fit too tight or feel too cheaply made to last as long as I’d like. I have slightly better luck at H&M.
“I’m pretty much a slut for a leather sleeve.”
This comment made my day.
Me too! Funny.
And yours made mine. xx
Interesting pieces. I liked the purple skirt too, though the print just seemed like a nice abstract to me, not that leopard-y. Neither here nor there. Great dotty blouse.
In the Zara pix, what I liked most were the shoes. Those ankle straps would be great if they weren’t 6 inchers. (I find the current superhigh thing to look vulgar and ungainly, which is not attractive. I use “vulgar” more to mean ugly than low class, btw. Those shoes just do nothing for the people wearing them. And when one has to clomp along? Again, not attractive. Unless maybe an MLA type would say, the idea is that men can catch you easily in them, since you can’t run??? That’s not my area.)
The low boots look good in the pic but I’m not sure I’d like the texture-ing up close. Hard to say.
I also liked that Coco-y sweater. Very nice.
Thank you.
As a former Zara employee, I will never buy another article of clothing from there for the rest of my life.