In search of a navy pump.

At a dinner on Thursday night, my friend (and W2WW reader) was talking about how there are NO navy pumps out in the market.  This friend is a professional - think high-pressure meetings and the suits to match.  She's a serious executive and needs serious clothing for the job.    While this isn't my current world (SAHM), I know all about obsessions when it comes to clothing.  I told her "No problem; I'm on it.".  We LOVE the hunt at W2WW!

She'll be pleased to know that she can update her current kitten-heels with a click of a mouse.  My quick, online search using polyvore.com revealed lots of options.

First up?  The DVF Bethany heel.  Standing near 4" tall, it might be too tall for my friend, but worth a look.  It's a patent navy, which can be a plus in inclement weather, but she might just want leather.

Image from piperlime.com.

Next is one of my favorites - the Jimmy Choo Embossed Printed Leather Pump.  I love the leather on this and the heel height of 3.3" makes it completely wearable.  A classic, year-round shoe.

Image from jimmychoo.com.

Zappos was bound to have something, and it does, with the Elie Tahari Electra Pump.  With a lower heel height of 2 3/4", it might be even better for running to and from meetings.  

Image from zappos.com.

If she wants something a little exotic, Manolo Blahnik is showing these Twixpla Low-Heeled Pump with eelskin.  Oh yes, she'll pay a bit more for these - the $825 price tag is a little jaw dropping.  But the heel height is perfect and the eelskin makes for an interesting texture.

Image from bergdorfgoodman.com.

I'd like to see the blue on these in person (is it truly navy or a little lighter?!), but I know how comfortable Chloe shoes are, especially with a stacked heel.  My friend should check out these Chloe Scalloped Leather Pumps.

Image from saksfifthavenue.com.

Finally, a tried a true classic - the Manolo Blahnik BB in Navy.  How could she go wrong with this shoe?!

Image from barneys.com.

Friend - you have plenty of choices!  Happy shopping and let us know what you decide! ~ JH

...you are attending an event with your husband's boss and his wife?

I went for a run this week with a friend who had this very question.  Here is her situation:

• big, corporate fundraiser, not black tie, but dressy, at the end of April
• husband's boss and wife have invited my friend and her husband to sit at their table
• my friend has never met the boss or wife before
• she told me that dress can't be too short, really shouldn't be too sexy, that she'd love a cap sleeve, and she was thinking of something navy or blue.

So, my first thought is 'cocktail dress'.  I promised my friend I would look into it, and here is what I've found.

I love this Marc by Marc Jacobs dress.  The lace over jersey makes it conservative with a little twist - the mid-section is interesting, but not revealing.  I'd pair it with a colored clutch too, but maybe some nude pumps instead of black.

Photo from net-a-porter.com.

This Rachel Roy dress is simple, but has a lovely draped back for some interest.  Love the not-quite-navy color of it as well.

Photo from nordstrom.com.

I love Reiss (a UK company) for dresses, and they have a couple that might fit the bill.  The Sophia dress is a great faux-wrap dress in cobalt blue.

Photo from reissonline.com.

The Magda dress from Reiss is also great - another cobalt blue - with which you can wear a nude pump and call it a day. (Full disclosure - I purchased this dress this spring because it fit so ridiculously well. Don't have an occasion for it, but can't wait to wear it!)

Photo from reissonline.com.

This next dress is a great one from Elie Tahari at Bloomingdales.  The silhouette is classic, but the lace overlay makes it current.  Not too trendy, yet not boring.  My only concern about this dress is the length - might it be too short?  Or, is the model too tall?

Photo from bloomingdales.com.

How about a wardrobe staple, a la Kate Middleton?  This Issa dress at Bloomingdales is a solid little black dress.  (Kate Middleton wears a lot of Issa.) They aren't cheap (at $555) but they are completely fabulous.  The dress is a silk jersey, faux wrap, which means no fidgeting around with a wrap.

Photo from bloomingdales.com

Diane Von Furstenberg makes great dresses, although most of the time, they are too short in length for me to consider.  This DVF dress, the Jori, in purple (also comes in cherry and blue jay) is pretty fabulous though.  The length looks to hit right above the knee, and the classic style will keep it in your closet for years.

Photo from dvf.com.

DVF also made this lace overlay dress - the Zarita dress - featured at bloomingdales.com.  It screams cocktail dress, but I would go bare legged with it with a nude pump for the illusion of endless legs.

Photo from bloomingdales.com.

I hope that gives my friend a good place to start!  You know who you are, and I'm happy to help with more choices!  ~ JH

...you have a fabulous leather skirt. (Could also be entitled: Demystifying personal shopping - Part 5.)

You may remember reading that I picked up this fabulous 3.1 Philip Lim caramel leather skirt earlier this season and have been wearing it with black mostly.  

Photo from net-a-porter.com

I want to wear it into spring and don't really know what to put with it besides the obvious white T-shirt to lighten it up for spring.  Enter Personal Shopper Amy Swartz at Nordstrom!  A really great personal shopper knows her store inventory and can all sorts of options to work with a favorite item you already own, marrying it with all sorts of unexpected pieces to create whole new look.  That's just what I need for this skirt.  Something fun and unexpected.  

My appointment was right in the middle of February school vacation week, so I brought my own personal photographer (9 yo daughter) and her assistants (5 yo brother and sister) along for counsel.

Here's what Amy had ready for me...

And some of the looks with the skirt and lovely Yves Saint Laurent navy patent wedges.

Here's a casual look with silk tee and denim skirt.

Another casual look with a Vince Camuto striped top.

Another Vince Camuto silk top...a bit more reserved.

Navy is always good with caramel.  Here's a silky top from Parker.

And another fun, colorful top from Diane Von Furstenberg.

A cream silk tee, from Joie, always looks good.

This was AWFULLY frumpy and the color was horrid on me.

A crochet tank from Vince that I've had my eye on for a while.

This jacketed look from Elizabeth and James is pretty hot.

Can you believe all the combinations that Amy thought of for one great skirt?  So, which ones do you like?  Which should I get? ~ LB

Unless otherwise noted, photos are Lisa Bida's.

...you are meeting friends, after work, for dinner in the city.

I just had a call from a friend this morning who asked me this very question.  It's the "after work" part that's tricky, at least for me.  The friends who work are in "work uniform", makeup on, hair done, and, since I stay at home, I'm just trying to get dinner on the table for my girls before the sitter arrives.  I'm left with 5 minutes to pull it together and head out the door.

So, I try to keep 2-3 outfits, per season, that I can "go to", pull out, and feel good about myself and what I'm wearing. Oh, and put on in 5 minutes.  These are my winter thoughts.

Outfit #1 - Silk blouse, black pants, heels, clutch

I know, it sounds boring.  But it can be fun!  DVF (Diane Von Furstenberg) has some great wrap blouses, silk blouses, etc.  Years ago, in a small boutique that has since closed, I purchased a silk blouse by By Malene Birger for an unheard-of-at-the-time-in-my-budget $345.  It was a tough purchase at the time but, I have worn that thing to DEATH, and still love it every time I wear it.  And still get compliments.  That's what you want to invest in!

Here are some pieces I love for this look:

This DVF blouse can be used with black pants, winter white pants, jeans even.  Lots of uses for this investment.  Can be a fall-winter-spring item in your closet.

Photo from nordstrom.com

This silk blouse from Scoop NYC (store now open in Boston on Newbury Street!) has great button detail, and would transition well from black pants to white bottoms in the spring.

Photo from scoopnyc.com

As for black pants, I happen to love 2 pairs I own.  One from Nordstrom, their own Classique Entier brand.  Basic, they have them every season, and their white pair in the summer is a stable in my wardrobe.

Photo from nordstrom.com

The other pair I own I purchased from a Worth show.  The Worth line of clothing, both Worth and W by Worth, are sold out of representatives homes.  10 years ago, I used to help a friend with her W by Worth (then called Worthwear) business, and, disclaimer, a very good friend sells the line now.  I purchased my black "techo-gab" pants from a show last year, and have worn them to DEATH also.  It helped that I picked them up at one of their annual 'sample sales' as I'm not sure I would have made the investment otherwise.  I'm attending the Spring 2012 show next week and will report my findings.

Anyway, a neat pair of pumps, cute clutch (try oversized!), and you'll look fresh as you fight traffic on the Mass Pike.

Outfit #2 - Not-quite-cocktail-dress

When you want a little different, try a dress.  Nothing fancy or expensive, but a cute dress to throw on with opaque tights (Spanx!), a heeled boot, and you are ready go.  For this, I like a knit dress (I know, back to the knit dress, but tis the season!).  This one from J. Crew (under $200)  is reminiscent of one in my closet, that is now paying me to wear it.

Photo from J. Crew

I like how they've styled it with leopard clutch and neutral pumps, but you can also belt it, put a big necklace on, wear tights & boots.  Throw a scarf on.  So many ways to wear this basic.

Outfit #3 - Urban Upgrade

And then maybe you want to feel a little edgy.  Throw a blazer on over skinny pants with a blouse underneath.  Pumps.  Big Cocktail ring.  Something like this Rachel Zoe jacket:

Photo from piperlime.com

(I actually love the blouse too.)  Over a skinnier black pant - like these from W by Worth.

Photo from wbyworth.com

Maybe, if you aren't sporting a cheetah print blouse, a cheetah heel!  Or some animal print heel.  One of these would be fab.  The first is from Nine West, and is a low $69!

Photo from zappos.com

And what about these?  I own a pair of snakeskin pumps, and they have become a go-to-shoe in my closet.  These are by Kate Spade.

Photo from zappos.com

You can see that owning a few key pieces can take you out in 5 minutes to meet your working-girl friends.  You will get many years of use, I can promise that.  

Now, if we could just figure out how to not MAKE dinner for the kids, when we are GOING OUT to dinner ourselves. ~ JH

...you are going to the neighborhood progressive dinner.

I know, total suburbanite post.  Last night was our neighborhood's progressive dinner.  Dozens upon dozens of neighbors, many hosts, all around fun.  Since I have been skiing for the past 4 weekends straight and then a little under the weather this week, I was dying to use this as an opportunity to 'dress up' and put some heels on.

I thought I'd be overdressed in my M Missoni knit dress (similar below)...

Photo from saksfifthavenue.com.

but found I was in good company!  Lots of dresses were worn!  Maybe everyone is seeking an alternative to the traditional black pants-silk blouse-heels dinner look.  Some paired their dresses with opaque tights and heels, others with heeled boots.  Some favorite looks of the evening:

More knit dresses!  I saw several, and really liked them all.  The Tory Burch Kent Dress was spotted at the dessert course - easy to wear, with heels or boots.

Photo from thestylecure.com.

I also spotted saw some wrap dresses paired with heels.  It's always great to have a classic, DVF (Diane Von Furstenberg) wrap dress in your closet to wear to dinner, cocktails, any event really.  You can dress it up or keep it low key.

Photo from dvf.com.

And for those who kept it simple with black pants, they came up with some fabulous necklaces and statement pieces to keep their looks unique and interesting.  Necklaces like these were seen all through the night.

Photo from nordstrom.com.

Photo from jcrew.com.

A very festive night all around! ~ JH