Speaking of Dress Codes

PBS has some fantastic videos that can be viewed on demand. One series I have been enjoying lately is called "The Mind of a Chef." In these shows, Chef and restaurateur David Chang travels around the world, talking to innovative chefs about their craft and culture.

Chef Chang's earlier time spent in Japan was clearly life-changing. He holds Japanese chef's and Japan's culture of food appreciation in the highest regard. So it makes sense when he upbraids his friend for dressing sloppily when they eat dinner at one of the best fine dining restaurants in Kyoto. The chef tells his friend he assumed he would know to dress up given their destination and the respect this restaurant is due. Sometimes the obvious is not obvious. 

Holiday Parties and Dress Codes

This weekend I received an email from a friend about an upcoming holiday party. She hoped I could guide her to some stores where she could find an outfit that fit the following dress code written on the invitation:


Festive winter cocktail is recommended. For men, this means add a festive accent to your cocktail attire (slacks and dress shirt with tie or jacket). Women might wear a cocktail dress, a nice skirt and top or a pants outfit along with a festive winter element.

How wonderful to receive specific suggestions on what would be appropriate attire for this event. Unfortunately, most invitations come with a vague or ambiguous dress code which leaves the invitee stressed and unsure about what to wear.

A big part of being a gracious host or hostess is making your guests feel comfortable. And being properly dressed goes a long way in making a person feel at ease. So if you are sending out invitations for a holiday party this season, I implore you to include a clear dress code. Thank you.

The photo above, from the early 1980's, was taken at the annual post-Christmas breakfast my family shared with our good lifelong friends. Note my festive sweater!

Time to Be Colorful

In late August my cousin sent me this photo--taken on the sly--of her very fashionable husband, Rainer. I kept looking at it, wondering how I could work it into a blog post. I've decided to let the picture speak for itself, along with this truism: adding color to your wardrobe makes it more interesting and shows you have confidence and style.

The Well-Edited Wardrobe

This image is from the Smithsonian, via Flickr. The woman is Carolina Amor du Fournier. She was associated with the Mexican journal La Prensa Médica Mexicana and was editor of Hummingbirds and Orchids of Mexico (1963).

I got a lot out of a recent post on the blog IvyStyle. In it the author edits his wardrobe, explaining why  why he is getting rid of them after identifying his preferences. This was clearly a valuable exercise for the author, and I think we can all benefit from such a mindful purge.

Here is what he says about his decision to purge:


I’ve always kept my wardrobe tightly edited as I’m pretty sensitive to things that just don’t feel “me.” Alas, what feels me is always in a state of flux (I prefer to think of it as refinement), and even with a close eye on superfluity I’m always catching myself with stuff I don’t wear.

So now that cold weather is here, I went through my closet and found all sorts of things I can’t believe I was holding on to.

Perhaps we’re all victims of variety, or at least the idea of it. This latest purge was motivated by the realization that I just have pretty strict tastes, almost a formula, and why fool myself that I don’t.

What follows is his thought process. He details what he likes and consequently what he purged:


• I like white and blue solid shirts, plus the occasional pink shirt or blue stripe. I tried yellow and it didn’t take. Never been tempted by tattersalls or burgundy stripes. And I like them to fit well. The purge: Tent-sized regular-fit shirts.

• I always reach for the same half dozen pairs of socks that work with my pants and shoes. The purge: Colorful argyles.

Alternatives to Ballet Flats

In my Santa Barbara Wardrobe Wisdom work I often get questions about wearing ballet flats. Many women like the look of these classic flats but cannot find ones that are comfortable. Others like the concept of the shoe but not the look of them on their feet. What are some alternatives to ballet flats? This season there are several.

I like the oxfords that are showing up everywhere. They look terrific with slim legged pants, from wool to denim to corduroy. There are also pointy flats, which I talked about in a recent post. Another option is a loafer. This year they take the form of a slipper style or a moccasin style from the 1980's. I think once you try on some alternatives to ballet flats, you will find one that is just right for you.

The top two are from Madewell.com; the rest are from Nordstrom.com.

Power Flats

Shoe photo credit: Nodrstrom.com

Thanks to an alert Wardrobe Wisdom blog reader, I learned of an eye-opening trend in article from the Wall Street Journal. Power flats are being worn more frequently by professional women, who cannot always wear pumps when they need to walk quickly, run from meeting to meeting, or simply desire some foot comfort. In this article, power flats are considered shoes for serious, fashion forward women.
This part of the article intrigued me:

"One quality power flats share: They look like if they were used to kick someone—it would hurt. Pointy toes, metal toe caps and embellishments, including spikes, are some of the details that give these flats power. They also call attention to themselves with strong colors, shine or vivid patterns like leopard."

So, now women not only have to fight the usual stereotypes and assumptions about their gender in the workplace, their shoes are being perceived as possible violent objects?  Great.

Uber Chic

My cousin Gina lives in a beautiful town in northern Germany, Herford. She is a decorative artist and shows her wares at her home and in a lovely store called Salsa. Gina couldn't help herself and asked this chic woman, Annette, if she could snap her photo at Salsa.

Here is what I love about Annette's ensemble:
All of her clothing fits her well and suits her figure beautifully. The red in her skirt and tights is highlighted in her scarf which features a fun pop of blue and some black too which ties in with her boots and sweater. The chunky chain is also interesting and adds some texture to her outfit.

My Wardrobe Wisdom clients frequently ask how they can make their outfits look complete. I tell them accessorizing is the way to go. Clearly, Annette took a little time to accessorize and her outfit is fabulous!

Accessorizing doesn't have to require drawers of jewelry, scarves, or belts. But it does require a bit of thought and some simple, versatile pieces. I always suggest a chunky scarf in a neutral color that just needs to be wrapped once around the neck. This can be worn with almost any sweater or top and jeans. Another scarf in a pattern featuring colors you often wear is an easy way to accessorize. A long necklace in gold or silver tone that can be worn as is or doubled and some hoop earrings are some other basics. A fun, colorful ring, cuff bracelet, or brooch is also adds zip to an outfit. In terms of belts, I suggest having a black one, a medium brown one, and a patterned one, such as leopard, or a colorful belt as well. Once accessorizing becomes a habit when you get dressed, you will find how easy it is to look polished!

Hermes Scarf Artist

Scarf designed by Kermit Oliver. Photo credit: Jason Sheeler

What a fascinating story I heard on NPR the other day about an Hermes scarf artist--the only American to ever design scarves for that renown, iconic brand. You can read or listen to the captivating story here. And to read more about this incredible and  humble artist, Kermit Oliver, go here.

Career Clothing (#1)

Photo Credit: Kurt Wilberding/The Wall Street Journal

Well, it looks like my second post on this subject proceeded this one. Sorry about that!

I am enjoying the series featured on the Wall Street Journal blog about what people wear at their jobs. The most recent one features photos and descriptions of the people who work at The American Museum of Natural history in New York. Go here to read it and see the pictures.

It's so interesting to learn why people wear certain clothing and how they feel about their clothes and careers. Some of the quotes I liked the most are:

 Laurel Kendall "When I started work, I probably dressed more conservatively than I do now," she said. "I didn't want to take risks. And then I realized that people seemed to enjoy the way I dressed when I edged over into the exotic, and life is too short to dress in a boring way."

On having an "anthropological license" to dress: "I think that because I'm an anthropologist, I can be a little bit more outrageous than if I were, say, an administrator. People expect me to be a little exotic, or they at least tolerate it. I came of age in the late '60s, early '70s, and at that moment in time, suddenly there was Indian embroidery out there, there were Afghan fur coats, Mexican smocks, Indian mirror work. It was a way of shaking off a conservative way of being that had dominated my childhood. And I think for a lot of us who came of age then, how we dressed also reflected a worldview that was suddenly open to possibility."

Monique Scott "I like to reflect my geeky side but also with a hint of cultural inspiration," said Ms. Scott. "So I wouldn't wear those houndstooth pants if I didn't have the Indian bracelets or the necklace from the Harlem Arts Alliance to complement them."

She said she typically wears black every day, along with flats. "You can cover enormous distances traveling from one end of the museum to another, so I always tend to wear pretty comfortable shoes."

Ms. Scott started working at the museum as an intern in 1994. "I elevated myself from jeans to houndstooth, I suppose," she said. "I've tried to mature along with the position."

Career Clothing #2

Photo Credits (both): Kurt Wilberding/The Wall Street Journal

Okay, so now I am fixated on the Wall Street Journal's "Office Style" blog series. This one features what employees at Scholastic, the children's book publisher, wear and how they think about clothing. Love it!