Saks Fifth Avenue

Over the years I have heard friends and Wardrobe Wisdom clients complain about the unwelcoming environment at Saks. Yet many of these same people have no problem shopping at Blue Bee and its offspring--stores that make me feel like a country bumpkin. Perhaps shoppers need to visit Saks again to feel more comfortable there.

During my recent tour of Saks, with its down-to-earth, friendly women's departments manager, I met some very nice sales clerks and was extremely impressed with the store's inventory. There is something for everybody (Well, almost. There is no longer a men's department) at Saks. For working women, clothing by Tahari, Theory, Natorious, Akris Pinto, and Zenobia is just right. Even wearing one piece from one of these designers can give a businesswoman confidence; they are beautiful and well-made. I am a big fan of Theory and I so love clothing by Milly.

For decades Burberry was known for its iconic trench coat. Now it offers some more fun and lively pieces. I saw a number of on-trend, cute jackets and great outerwear pieces.

The section of the store I loved the most is downstairs, where menswear used to be. In this contemporary department, I saw a staggering selection of premium denim jeans, lovely pieces by Joie and Twill Twenty-Two, super nice clothing by Marc by Marc Jacobs, and loads of separates to mix and match. The selection of shirts by James Perse is the largest I've seen anywhere, and I saw a number of good-looking belts. This section of the store is hip, fresh, and full of surprises without being pretentious.

So, ladies, it is time to give Saks another chance. I'd love to hear about your experiences.

Shopping for Quality

My mom is a stickler for quality. She sniffs derisively when she spots a skirt whose pattern does not match up at the seams. She smells purses to see if the leather is good. She looks to see if the seams are finished in any given item. When I was little, these traits made me impatient while we shopped. Now I appreciate how she taught me to look for quality when I shop.

Not everyone has such a picky mom, though. In fact, one thing my Wardrobe Wisdom business has taught me is that women learn how to shop, or how not to shop, from our mothers. Here then is a primer from InStyle magazine on how to spot quality:

1. Beads: Fabric should be strong enough to support any embellishment. Seams around detailing shouldn't be pulled or stretched.

2. Buttons: Gently tug on each to make sure they're all well-anchored.

3. Lining: The key is one that feels good on your skin, and that helps the garment hang correctly.

4. Pattern: Polka dots, stripes, houndstooth--any repeating print/pattern--should line up perfectly, not off-kilter, at the seams.

5. Seams: French seams are the ultimate as they are turned under and beautifully finished to hide raw edges. I am still shocked to find so many expensive items with sloppy, unfinished seams.

6. Zipper: Test it a few times. Does it glide easily? Snags are a red alert that it's cheaply made and may not last long.

The Style Strategy

One of the many things I like about Nina Garcia, author of "The Style Strategy," is her understanding of what goes through a woman's mind when she thinks about clothing. In her current book, she compares our more frugal buying habits with being on a diet. She is concerned that, like dieters, we will begin to feel deprived and depressed, and these feelings can lead us to making unwise, expensive, and unnecessary purchases.

Her advice is similar to the advice I give to my Santa Barbara Wardrobe Wisdom clients: Shop wisely and mindfully. Look at what you have, what you like, and what you truly need to fill in any wardrobe gaps. If a bit of cash is really burning a hole in your pocket, you should probably stay away from your favorite boutique (boy do I know this feeling), and instead buy something small. Garcia suggests a new lipstick or a fun accessory. In this way, you get your shopping high without compromising your budget. Smart.

Animal Prints

I was slow to come around to this trend when it emerged a few years ago. Since I am petite, I feared looking silly wearing such a bold look. Would it wear me?

Now that animal prints have been around several seasons, I have really warmed up to them. I love the belts at J. Crew, the cute flats at Garnet Hill (the only ballet flats that I find comfortable), and the cute sweaters at Ann Taylor.



A very good article which dispenses advice on how to work animal prints into your wardrobe was recently in The Los Angeles Times' Image section. The link is not accessible (grrr!), but here are some points the journalist, Melissa Magsaysay made:

- As with any trend, wear it sparingly. . . Introduce these prints slowly and subtly into your wardrobe.

- Keep it tame by knowing which parts of your body to accentuate and, most important, when to stop. A loud print will draw attention to whatever part it's covering so place it in an area of your body you like.

- Animal prints are a trend that should not be paired with other current trends--meaning don't mix animal prints with shoulder pads or distressed denim.

For Fall

My Santa Barbara Wardrobe Wisdom clients, as well as my friends, ask me what is new for fall. Okay, ladies, here it is in a nutshell: Fall Fashion Looks. Thanks go to Style Bakery for its concise list of ways to update your look. The examples in the photographs are great, too.

Color!

After switching out my wardrobe recently, from warm to cool weather clothing, I made note of what colors I like. My wardrobe is filled with a lot of blue, gray, black, and white. In the last couple of years, I have gravitated toward dark brown and green, and I've always liked purple and pink. So how will I (or won't I) include THE colors for this fall?

This is a question we should all ask ourselves before hitting the stores. Yes, there will be a lot of gray and purple out there which makes me happy. But those colors don't do much for my friend Stacy or my mom. Fortunately, olive green, honey yellow, and burnt sienna will be out in force as well for those who look better in colors with a yellow (as opposed to blue) undertone. Do yourself a favor and hold the color you are considering up to your face, preferably in natural light, before committing to buying it. Tights and bangles are a great way to bring in a fun new color that may not flatter your complexion.

As a reminder, here are the colors you will see a lot of in the stores now:
Blue-reds, fuchsias, and soft pinks.
Purple, cobalt, teal, and emerald
Gray (Seek a heather or oatmeal gray if blue-gray doesn't suit you)
Metallics (gold, silver, and bronze) I am glad this shimmery trend has lasted!

Pioneer Woman

It takes great restraint for me not to write about my other passion in this blog: food. Oh, I could write something every day about cooking, eating, recipes, a meal I ate 5 years ago. . . See?

So imagine my delight when I came across a wonderful, unusual website about a woman who shares my love of good food, among other things. Pioneer Woman Ree Drummond is incredible: She cooks, she takes fantastic photographs, she writes, she works hard on her ranch, she home schools 4 kids (WOW!), and she posted a candid, very humorous blog about going through her closet. I must share it!

I love how she not only shares why she is parting with certain pieces, she makes funny observations about what attracted her to them in the first place and the accompanying photos are terrific. Exploring her site was one of the best online diversions I've taken in a long time.