My October Obsession - The Sleeveless Turtleneck

I am loving, one could say "OBSESSED", with the sleeveless turtleneck this fall.  Sleeveless is a fresh option for layering over a button-down shirt, jeans, leggings or midi skirt.  Sleek in design, it elongates your look, lets your arms move around, and keeps you from overheating during these fall days with 30 degree temperature swings.  Throw on a lightweight sweater or coat and you are good to go! ~ LB

W2WW Sleeveless Turtlenecks

3 1 Phillip Lim pullover sweater, $470 / Apiece Apart gray top, $445 / 3 1 Phillip Lim pullover sweater, $410 / Sweater, $300 / Turtleneck sweater / Sweater / Knit top, $120 / Astr white turtleneck / Astr cable sweater / Free People brown vest, $110 / Madewell grey vest

How to cuff your jeans.

Should be simple, no?  I balked when I saw this, but in fact, I had been rolling but not tugging.  Gasp!  No matter what kind of denim you're sporting, here's the skinny on getting the perfect roll (thank you Madewell!):

Image from blog.madewell.com.

"1.  Start with gently wrinkled denim, which holds its shape better than an ironed-flat pair.  (It's the same idea as unwashed, next-day hair being better at holding a curl.)

2.  Depending on how much skin you'd like to show, fold the jeans up once, approximately two inches.  Make sure this cuff is a bit larger than your ideal final roll - the extra fabric keeps the look loose, rather than starched and precise (a la Happy Days).

3.  For your last and final move, gently roll the jeans another time and-attention, please - lightly tug the cuff downward.  This creates an anchor effect so that the jeans hang stylishly straight.  Done and done." (From blog.madewell.com)

A dark jean and pumps are killer paired with a loose blouse and structured blazer.

Image from makeupandbeauty.com.

SJP rocks the skinny with flats and a big coat.

Image from posh24.com.

I am really into ripped jeans right now (and you should be too) and scored a great pair of Joe's Jeans on a recent trip to FL that remind me of a pair I had in college.  For a while there, my nickname was "Holes" because of my beloved Levis.  

Image from joesjeans.com.

In 2015, I'll wear a big ol' white shirt like this one from Ines de la Fressange (on promo right now for $19.90!), a scarf and layered bracelets, either with flats or canvas sneakers.

Last week, while Jen was in Tokyo, she spied the rolled look on the streets with pumps and white jeans (and white jeans were EVERYWHERE).

Image from Jennifer Houston.

Enjoy rolling your jeans!  Don't forget to try ripped jeans! ~ LB

Don't we have enough sweaters?

The last thing I need is another sweater.  My drawer is full of them. Jen and I have pinky-sweared "NO MORE SWEATERS!" this season.  Problem is I fell HARD for Fisherman cable knits this fall.  

Images from habituallychic.blogspot.com.

The texture of a cable knit is the perfect partner for jeans, waxed or leather pants.  There are lots of style and color options out there in stores. But no pink cable for me.  Just the preppy, classic, gorgeous ivory color that goes with everything.   The search began in earnest.  Candidates must be:

• Not too heavy but heavy enough to be warm with just a cami under, scarf and jeans.  And ankle booties. Or riding boots.
• Not too bulky.
• Somewhat refined so I could wear it to work with trousers... 
• Yet cool enough to work with ponte leggings or waxed jeans 
• An interesting, classic cable pattern.
• Wool blend, not cotton.

My search turned up these...

525 America, Tusk cable sweater.  It's super cool and the loose turtle is a bit of a spin.

Image from cusp.com.

The Theory Innis Cable Knit sweater.  This is a gooood one. Sometimes I throw on a denim shirt underneath and Theory's sweater can handle that.

Image from cusp.com.

This Gap cable knit. Gap has great basics and they are doing their own version of cable knit.

Image from gap.com.

At Zara there is this short sleeve cable.  Short sleeve is a nice twist on the classic.

Image from zara.com.

Zara also has this ribbed cable.  It's cute, but it's short in length, so it might be belly-baring which no one, including me, wants to see out in public.

Image from zara.com.

Ahh.  The Vince cable turtleneck.  Very warm and cozy. 

Image from vince.com.

The Barbour Beckwith sweater.  Barbour is the classic.  I like the trim fit.

Image from madewell.

And the new addition to my sweater drawer? Which one made the cut?  This little lovely from Madewell.  Already sold out in store and on-line! 

Image from habituallychic.blogspot.com.

Clearly, I am not alone in my cable admiration.  Move over Eric Bompard, you have a new neighbor. ~ LB

Ode to a Coated Jean

Lisa, a good friend, and I were shopping back in August at Satellite Office West (i.e. Natick Mall) on evening.  We strolled into Madewell and were admiring their ballet flats and other shoes when one of the sales women started talking with us (ok, she recognized Lisa and came up to say 'hi').  While we were talking and walking around in Madewell shoes to see how they fit, we paused at a table with black, coated jeans. 

Now, a coated jean is a pair of denim jeans, typically black, that are coated with pigment to give it a wax-like finish.  They look and feel smooth, and from afar, the sheen is reminiscent of leather pants.

As Lisa and I paused at the table, the sales woman said, "You know Bunny from J.Crew?  She has a pair and loves them."  Bunny happens to be the super stylish lady who works in the Crewcuts section of J.Crew in the Natick Mall and we love her. Lisa and I took one look at each other, each grabbed a pair in our size, and headed to the dressing room.  It was love at first wear.

Images from madewell.com.

If that sales woman had never come up to us and told us about the pants, I personally would have NEVER tried them on. Why?  Their name: the "Skinny Skinny Ankle Coated Motorcycle Jean".  For those of you who know me, I am NOT "skinny skinny" and "motorcycle" doesn't really fit either (unless it's a great Vince leather moto jacket).

Once on, these jeans were FAN-TAS-TIC.  Super fitted, but not suffocating. You can dress them up with heels and a fun top OR down with a boyfriend sweater and ballet flats.  I personally like to have the ankle zipper zipped up half way, creating more of a 'boot cut' bottom (which I think is more flattering on someone not "skinny skinny").  Wear them as you would leather leggings.

Throughout the fall, I have been complimented on these pants numerous times (including one friend, who yelled to me out of her passenger window one morning while in school carline that she LOVED my pants).  Before they are gone, you might want to check them out and add them to your fall/winter wardrobe.  At least try them on.  You won't regret it!  ~ JH

it's Fall 2013: Plaid

Plaid is upon us ladies.  The fashion world is mad for plaid this season.  We will be seeing tartans and checks in everything from shoes and sunglasses to skirts and pants.

Plaid takes me right back to my favorite Woolrich scarf that I wore to death in college.  Then there's that classic burberry scarf that I picked up at the Duty Free Shop at Heathrow in the 90s, that I still own and will be dragging out shortly.   

If you live in New England, you have to have one piece of plaid in your fall wardrobe.  How to wear plaid this season?  You may see me in a pair of Zara plaid pants or a fun Uniqlo jacket.  Or swaddled in this gorgeous cashmere blanket from One Kings Lane.  You will not see me in a plaid pleated mini skirt or wearing plaid-frame ray bans.  But they are out there!

Play it easy and go with the preppy vibe.  A plaid shirt will do what your demin shirt does and so much more.   Try layering it under a chunky sweater with jeans and a vest.   

W2WW Plaid Outfit 

Theory sweater / Patagonia down vest / Joie mid rise skinny jeans / Tod's red moccasin / Tote bag / Watch / Made heart charm / Accessorize crystal necklace / Ray-Ban green sunglasses, $200 / MADEWELL Flannel Boyshirt in Fence Plaid

Plaid is a classic that can add that much needed pops of color to the uniform of the day.  Here are some of my favorite scarves.  Throw one on with a sweater, cardigan or jacket and your outfit and mood will be transformed! ~ LB

W2WW Plaid Scarves

GANT blue crew neck sweater / Burberry / Burberry accessory / Madewell scarve / J.Crew tartan plaid scarve / Scarve / Lands End scarve / Cotton scarve / Gap Exploded Plaid Scarf - olive

it's Fall 2013: Short Booties

Unlike my blogging partner, I'm not physically capable of wearing ballet flats after the first frost.  I need socks otherwise I'm in a state of perma-cold!  I also start wearing gloves around the same time.  ($1 at A.C. Moore, I get 10 pairs of black every season and am never at a loss when one inevitably goes missing.)

Enter the short bootie!  It's a versatile addition to the closet since it can be worn with ANYTHING while you can still comfortably navigate cobblestones, bike paths, soccer fields, and neighborhood streets.  Short height + short heel = fashion perfection!

Over slim, boot-cut jeans, they are a great option instead of sneakers or clogs.

Image from girlaroundtown.net.

Image from calypsostbarth.com.

Pants are still slim and cropped (or rolled to a crop) this fall, so booties help you get a few more weeks out of white jeans as you transition to fall.  Pair with cropped gray or black pants as fall and colder temps roll in.

Image from thestyleup.com. 

Image from calypsostbarth.com.

I wear dresses and skirts to work and short booties are a fresh alternative to tall riding boots.  Pippa's got a wedge going on with tights.  I'm more of a shift/tunic girl with bare legs and booties.

Image from girlaroundtown.net.

Image from calypsostbarth.com.

Skinny, skinny leggings can be tucked in and worn with a big coat or sweater for a great fall vibe, or with a dressy tunic for nights out.

Image from girlaroundtown.net.

Image from calypsostbarth.com.

If you have great legs, wear them with shorts!

Image from hereyouarefw.com.

Image from calypsostbarth.com.

Deciding which color as been the big challenge for me.  Consider camel suede or colored leather.  I tend to wear white, ivory, grey, and camel a lot.  Non-black suedes and darker leathers offer texture, richness and contrast where black can fall flat.  Plus, how many pairs of black boots do you have in your closet?  Be honest. Yep, we thought so.

Check out my Polyvore set below for inspiration and ideas!  Happy shopping! ~ LB

W2WW: short booties

Elizabeth and James long boots / Alberto Fermani ankle booties / Madewell black mid heel boots / Ankle booties / Burberry ankle booties / J.Crew ankle booties / J.Crew ankle booties / J.Crew polishing boots / Jack Wills black floral boots / Tod's tods boots / Madewell boots / Sam Edelman ankle booties / Tod's tods boots

Are we too old for leather leggings?

We have a loyal reader in Montana who sent us this question:

"Am I too old for leather leggings? My personal shopper made my buy then at Nordies - they're (p)leather in the front and legging material on the back. I like them but not sure... Advice? Am I smoking crack?

They looked v cute with a white and black long sleeves Vince sweater. Which leads me to my 2nd question. It was so soft and cozy I could die. But at $335 for a non staple item - it was too much. Any ideas for the same look & style for less??"

NO!  You are NOT TOO OLD for leather leggings.  Lisa and I BOTH have a pair.  They are EVERYWHERE this year and just gaining in popularity.  The trick is, how to wear them.  I favor a slightly oversized sweater (with or without top underneath, that can cover your posterior) worn with really sharp (as in spiffy) ballet flats OR, more often than not, heels.  See these looks for some of my favorites (I actually have the same sweater/top combination in the Olivia Palermo photo - first photo - and wear them over my leggings as well).

Images from pinterest.com.

Onto your second question - Lisa and I are HUGE fans of most things Vince.  I understand the dilemma with spending a large amount of money on an item like this.  Part of me wants to say "buy fewer things of a high quality (Vince) rather than a couple of things that are lower quality".  The other part of me says "what else is out there?".   (And, there's a 3rd part of me that would watch sites like Bloomingdales.com or Saks.com like a hawk for a sale and buy the Vince sweater then.  Yes, I do that.)

I took to Polyvore to see if I could find a couple of items that might fit the bill at a lower price point.  Nordstrom's Trouve line and Piperlime.com had some good choices.  I will say that Vince's sweater softness and ease of wearing trumps a lot out there.  Hope this inspires!  Good luck, and enjoy your leggings! ~ JH

W2WW: With Leather Leggings

Michael Kors loose fitting sweater / OTTE oversized sweater / Uniqlo sweater / Trouvé over sized sweater / Halogen long sweater / Thml Clothing black top / J.Crew white blouse / Madewell chambray shirt / ELAN pullover sweater / Kensie pull on pants / Vince slim pants / Halogen ponte pants

...it's Fall 2012: Printed (or Embroidered) Denim

I thought I would pass on this trend for sure.  I really did.  But then today I had more than a few hours to troll around a mall (Chestnut Hill), and I was attracted to some pairs of rag & bone jeans with embroidery while digging through Bloomingdale's.  These were all cute, but a little too 'young' for me.  

Image from bloomingdales.com.

Images from rag-bone.com.

Having tried on a few pairs, I found myself completely obsessed with hunting down a pair of embellished or printed jeans.  I tried these ikat corduroy pants, also by rag & bone.  Not kidding.

Image from piperlime.com.

They weren't bad, just not me.  Maybe me at 25, but not me over 40.  I made my way out of Bloomingdales (empty-handed except for a great navy Theory blouse, for which I'd attach a link if I could find it online anywhere!) and headed down the corridor to CUSP.  For those who are unfamiliar, CUSP is an outpost of Neiman Marcus and they tend to carry younger and emerging designers.  And, on a table in the back part of the store, were these pants:

Image from neimanmarcus.com.

By Sold Denim, a relatively new company to the jeans market (started in 2010), they fit like a dream, were completely comfortable and happened to be paired with great, rust-colored Vince sweater (and you know how I l-o-v-e Vince).  At $138, they were a lot less than the rag & bone ones (which were near $200).  I tried the outfit on, took a pic, and texted it to Lisa for comment.  

Image from Jennifer Houston.

When she didn't respond immediately, I called her.  Here's how the conversation went:

Jen: "Lisa, where are you?  Did you get my text?"

Lisa: "My phone was in the car; hold on.  Let me look."...

Lisa: "Ok, I see. Looks good. Is that a Vince sweater?  I was just looking at that one!"

Jen thinking: "We share the same brain."

I think I love them and maybe I'm just so desperate for something different.  Unbeknownst to me, Lisa has been eyeing printed denim too and thinks it's a good investment for the coming year.  There's a lot out there this year and wouldn't it be so nice to have something other than blue denim and black pants in your closet this fall?  Here are some other favorites.  I love this Chantilly Lace Print Joe's Jean - totally cute with white or black blouse, right?

Image from piperlime.com.

How about these python print ones from CJ by Cookie Johnson?  Lisa says she's over snake-print, but I think these might be a great neutral addition to a wardrobe.  What do you think?  They come in black too.

Image from nordstrom.com.

These Madewell 'Tiled-Up' jeans are another cute neutral with a twist.  Love it with a denim blouse.

Image from madewell.com.

For me, it's kind of like the non-t-shirt-t-shirt; I really needed something new and different to inspire me.  Next time you pass a table with some printed denim, take a moment and try some on.  You might be surprised.  ~ JH

...you want a hands-free bag for summer.

One of our readers asked us this question:

"I headed to the Museum of Science today - the perfect escape from the heat and the summer crowds weren't there yet! I grabbed a trusty Coach backpack I've had for years and realized I didn't like the styling or size at all anymore. For one, now that my kids are older, I don't need to carry as much. I ended up grabbing my pre-teen's cross-body purse (or mini-messenger bag, not quite sure what to call it). Although the size and wear of the purse was great I knew it looked lousy. Any advise for small, hands-free bags/purses when running around with a family this summer?"


We always love a hunt!  Here are a couple of things we gravitate towards when looking for a hands-free bag.


I think number one on the list has to be the Longchamp Pliage backpack.  Lightweight, not too big, folds into a square for packing, and somewhat water-proof, comes in a rainbow of colors (visit a Longchamp store for the largest selection; in Boston, it's on Newbury Street) it's a great option for summer museum trips or mini-golf.  It's a classic that will never go out of style, and at $118, not a huge investment.  (Hint!  Summer colors are on sale at $97 at Longchamp stores and online right now!)

Image from bloomingdales.com.

If you are looking for leather, I really like the look of the Marketplace Day Bag from Madewell.  The english tan color is so versatile and the cross-body look is in.  It's $168, but it's something I'd watch to go on sale.  And, it has a TASSEL!  (You know how we go nuts for tassels!)

Images from madewell.com.

If you want more of an investment bag, the Marc by Marc Jacobs Classic Q - Hillier Hobo bag is it.  At $428, it's one you'll have to fall in love with, but the super soft leather and hidden magnetic closure make it stylish and easy to carry.  Comes in several colors (and sold in many places), so you can go neutral or get that pop of color you might be looking for.  

Images from nordstrom.com.

Let's go back in time to the late 70s and early 80s to LeSportsac!  They are still around, and some of their designs are fun, affordable, and completely wearable for summer.  (Lisa has one that she uses on serious shopping trips.) I found a large selection on Zappos (free shipping!) and some of their neutral cross-body bags are just what we're looking for!  This Shellie Crossbody is $42.

Image from zappos.com.

If you are looking for more of a tote, Lisa found this neat one on Piperlime.  By KDNY by Kelsi Dagger, the Jaycee Dome Tote can be both hand-held and over the shoulder.  At $95, it looks like a good deal.

Image from piperlime.com.

Finally, one more cross-body bag from Lisa.  Love the lines of this 'saddlebag' by Lauren by Ralph Lauren.  Hands free, and neutral to go with everything!

Images from piperlime.com.

Hope that helps solve the hands-free problem.  You are now free to move around the museum! ~ LB & JH