Today I shall don a horrible costume, sweat through rain-threatening heat, and suffer crowds in the thousands. Mostly, I”ll love it. Princeton Reunions weekend is upon us. Although I graduated ...
Because my recent weekend at the Ritz substituted for a botched trip to Napa, I arrived at the hotel with bags packed for things I would not be doing. Well then. I get a thrill, usually, wearing the ...
This weekend I found myself, spontaneously, at the San Francisco Ritz Carlton. We had talked of the Carneros Inn, but since we left reservations to the last minute, they were full up. I was quite dis...
It’s a long weekend in the USA. We’re celebrating Memorial Day. I read up on my history. Worth a few minutes of your time. Originally called Decoration Day, apparently, the holiday began ...
Some days I just don’t want to live up to my clothes. Perhaps the physical fails. My hair isn’t clean enough, my eyes not bright, I’m tired. Perhaps it’s the emotional. Every ...
When building up your attractiveness, it’s enormously useful to have a go-to outfit. For many of us, that’s going to mean a pair of jeans, heels, a blazer , and a bag you’re glad to...
I’ve had lots of opportunities to be a grownup this week. I rose to some of them. Not all. It does get easier, grownuphood. I suppose it’s one of those tradeoffs for the indignities of ag...
The other day I got an email. To be precise, I should say “the other night,” as I happened to be awake somewhere around 2am. Stress, middle age, who knows. I’m going to post the mis...
It’s almost here, guys. Summer in all its warm-calf glory. You know what I mean? How the warmed wind feels on your legs? I pretend that this is what I will wear to do errands. Summer by amidpri...
My mother, and me, some time in the 1950s, wearing cardigans. Tomorrow’s is Mother’s Day in America. I find that mothering never grows old, that I never have it figured out, that after al...
The next step in building attractive, since we seem to be moving from inside out, takes us to skin. On the Darwinian side, clear skin usually signals health. Indulgently, taking care of your skin mea...
And then one day you wake up in red shoes. I’m not one for pops of color, and had resolutely avoided ballet flats for this entire trend lifecycle. But then I went shopping at Modern Appealing C...
Improbable as it may seem, I’m out of words. You know how that just happens some times? Not from sorrow, or fear, or overwhelm. Just used up too many in the days previous. So I made you a Pinte...
Elsewhere on the Internets, I was chatting with a few pals. Someone asked about transitional outerwear. Well then. In San Francisco, where I now work, we are always transitioning. Within hours, in fa...
When last we saw this aubergine tweed jacket, we were discussing the color of shirt one might wear with it. White seemed too bright. Over the weekend, I paid a visit to Nara Camicie, the Italian bout...
I’ve been working for 34 years now. I took time off to stay home with kids but, as anyone who’s been the primary caregiver for small children will tell you, that counts as work. And it tu...
Last Sunday I attended Susan and Martin’s wedding. Here’s the happy couple. It was a lovely day. Everyone got California fancy. Men donned jackets, women their dresses, some wore hats. Th...
I’ve always been a sucker for two-tone shoes. They were big in the late 70s, early 80s. To this day I remember a pair of gray and white pumps I bought in London – 1979. They sported class...
I’m going to tell you all, go and start a blog right now. Yes, right now. Write for one year. Post your picture. Write for another year, post more pictures in outfits of varying appeal. Natter ...
The Highland Fashionista, a very amusing American blogger living in Scotland, has finished her transition to gray hair. Looks pretty smashing with some pink lipstick. I find her comments about stirri...
I got a haircut recently. I love my hair guy. And at last, in Building Attractive, we enter the realms of relative frivolity. My friends, it’s time to talk hair. Your hair is your single most l...
Let’s talk about smart people. Not real smart people, mind you, but the pretend sort we see on American television and in the movies. Have you all noticed the recent apotheosis of imagined bril...
In the first post on Building Attractive, we discussed diet and exercise. MJ replied in the comments. “Interesting – I thought that your deconstruction of attractive would start with being inte...
Anyone else stalking the retail jungle for a warm weather uniform? I’ve been yanking cashmere v-necks up over my head, rapidly, a lot of late. Time to haul home more spring-suitable gear. So, a...
As I left work last night, released with the souls of Friday, I got a text that said, simply, “Chualarrrrrrr!” Why on earth? There’s good reason. Chualar is a little town located al...
How many of you out there shop at J. Crew? I imagine no small number. Jenna Lyons, the design director, is a real talent. I’ve always shied away from their branding, but find their merchandisin...
I love my garden. Technically, garden[s] plural, I suppose, as there’s one in the front yard and one in the back. I’ve owned this house for over 25 years. But I have to say, I don’t...
I remember, when I went back to work full-time 14 years ago, I called my best friend after the first day. I’ve told this story before, but it bears repeating. She asked me, “How was it?&#...
In comments on my post about attractive vs. pretty, several readers asked for a series about Building Attractive. Here goes, with the caveat that this will rely on personal opinion, hypotheses and co...
Apropos Sue’s post on Sneaking Around Paris, you might also want to read Les Anti-Modernes today on youthful sneakers. Just a thought. Old dogs, new tricks. Since we’re talking, before I ...
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