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

...packing for Paris in April.

Oui, again.  And I cannot wait!  Not only to have another trip over there, but guess who will be there at the same time?  Yes, my partner-in-crime and co-blogger, Lisa!  Incroyable!  We have one entire day set aside to shop together, sans mari ou les enfants. That might seem like a lot of time, but for Lisa and I, it's as quick as a heartbeat.  We are planning and strategizing.  We will definitely keep you up to date on our adventures.

But, back to packing.  I actually pulled up last year's posts on daywear and evening wear to re-check what I had packed then.  Turns out that it's going to be a lot of the same ideas.  

For daywear:  It's tricky.  I like to look polished; after all, you never know where wandering might lead you.  The weather will change from 40s and raining to 60s and sunny.  Definitely sticking with my trench (I have a new one from J.Crew.  Check it out.) for outerwear. I will also pack an assortment of Eric Bompard sweaters along side Vince cotton tops to go on top of a variety of AG jeans and Michael Kors pants.

For evening wear:  I think I'm going to stick to the formula of pants + silk top + heels + clutch + jewelry = dinner outfit.  It's easy to pack and wear.  Of course, I don't see myself bringing less than 3 pairs of shoes to interchange between dinner outfits, but one can always dream, right? And, even though I usually bring a dress, it's more often than not left in my suitcase the entire time.  

I put together a Polyvore set with actual outfits I will be taking.  I think I'll be good to go.  Stay tuned for our findings in the City of Lights! ~ JH

W2WW - Packing for Paris

Diane Von Furstenberg chiffon top / Tory Burch cashmere cardigan / Vince top / Vince linen top, $320 / Vince top / Michael Kors t shirt / J.Crew coat / Vince cropped legging, $1,540 / AG Adriano Goldschmied jeans / Vince stripe pants, $370 / AG Adriano Goldschmied / Reiss tapered pants / DL1961 Premium Denim straight leg jeans / Jimmy Choo snakeskin pumps / Manolo Blahnik pumps / Isa Tapia strappy shoes / Tory Burch leather heels / Pretty Ballerinas ballet flat shoes, $195 / Lauren Merkin black clutch / Longchamp nylon tote bag / Cartier stainless steel watch / Gold earrings / Hermès black jewelry / Necklace / Morra Designs disc earrings / Love Quotes Scarves oversized scarve / Banana Republic cotton shawl

...you are going to Australia in May.

One of our readers finds herself in the enviable position of heading to Australia this coming May.  She is already concerned about her wardrobe.  Here are her needs:

"Black Ballet flats (think I'll suck it up and get these) unless you have alt suggestion.
Black pants  - have wool jcrew mini but too hot. All my other black pants stink.  Please advise.  
Some type of Jersey tunic for flight.  How about this?  With cozy leggings???  Probably brown family since tunic s navy.  Would prefer black legs and shoes/booties and other colored top if poss.
Great pair of dark denim jeans.  Have given away all fancy jeans - need to update here. 
Dress for dinner - yes? 
Still have great white jeans and few tops.  Might need camel cotton cardigan (seen any?)  All my neutral wedges are open in one way or another do you think that's ok for that time of year?  Will I need low boots?"

That's a mighty long list.  

First thing, May in Australia = early fall.  I was in Australia in late May about 12 years ago and I wore my trench coat and a scarf the whole time.  

Let's tackle each part one at a time.

Ballet Flats:  The ones our reader picked out are certainly fine.  I personally lean towards a solid ballet flat (the Attilio Giusti Leombruni ones have a cap toe).  I do love classic Tory Burch ballet flats and goodness knows I've worn them all over in my travels.  I also love Vera Wang Lavender ballet flats.  Check out the 2 below for inspiration.  PS - the Tory one is all patent which holds up well in inclement weather.

Image from neimanmarcus.com.

Image from neimanmarcus.com.

Black Pants:  This is easy for us to recommend: the Michael by Michael Kors Black Ponte Pants.  We have recommended them many times.  They are great for traveling, packing, and being wrinkle fee.  Stick on a silk blouse or blazer and blouse and call it a day.  They are good for day, evening, and the plane.  Run, do not walk, to add these pants to your wardrobe.

Image from nordstrom.com.

Jersey Tunic:  I love the Vince one she picked out.  

Image from saks.com.

It's really perfect.  I'd put a long sleeve white t-shirt under it to keep warm.  30,000 feet over the Pacific can be chilly.  Finish it with a scarf like this rag & bone one for additional warmth and comfort.

Image from rag-bone.com.

As for leggings, I think grey and navy are more compatible than navy and brown.  Why not check out these Not Your Daughter's Jeans leggings at Nordstrom - they look completely comfortable and are a buy at $58.96.  Then you can pair them with your new black ballet flats.  (2 hints:  If they are too long, please get them hemmed to flat length and bring a pair of cosy socks to change into on the plane.)

Image from nordstrom.com.

Dark Denim Jeans: Lisa and I are huge fans of Adriano Goldschmied jeans (otherwise known as AG Jeans).  Just today (yes, I know, I have to stop buying pants), I fell in love with the AG 'Stevie' Jeans that I found at Anthropologie.  I had ducked in on my way to a hair appointment and decided that these straight-leg jeans needed to be tried on.  I needed a new pair of jeans to be worn with flats and these are them.  The stylist at Anthropologie did say that these stretch a lot, so if you are too comfortable when you try them on, go down one size.

Image from anthropologie.com.

If our reader is looking for dark jeans to wear with heels, the AG Ballad's are our go-to.  They are a slim bootcut that I LOVE (and am wearing a very worn pair as I type).  Check out these at Anthropologie.

Image from anthropologie.com.

And as a note, DO NOT TRY TO HEM AG Ballad Jeans.  I tried it, only to ruin a perfectly good pair.  The slight bootcut flare gets ruined if you do.

Dress for Dinner:  Again, our reader is doing well.  Any DVF wrap dress is a hit!  Throw on tights and heels/boots for dinner.  Australia is pretty casual, but a good wrap dress is a great item to pack.

Camel cardigan:  For 'cardigans', I like 'open cardigans', meaning, no fasteners.  I have a camel sweater that I wear to death; it's a great color to have and wear with jeans (both white and blue) as well as black.  However, they are few and far between this time of year.  I love this one by Tory, especially with the self-belt that highlights your waistline.  Put it over the black pants above with a cream shell and a pair of black pumps and there's your travel dinner outfit.  Over a white blouse with jeans?  Daywear.

Image from toryburch.com.

Neutral wedge:  I myself love a neutral wedge for traveling. I like a little heel, and if it's comfortable, even better!  I think our reader needs to consider a closed wedge (which again are really hard to find!).  For a trip to Paris last spring (in April, and it was cool weather), I specifically purchased these from Tory Burch.  I wore them every day and have loved them ever since.  (I did spray them to waterproof them.  Just a hint.)  These are the 'Sally' wedges.

Image from toryburch.com.

Tory Burch also features the 'Molly' wedge.  These come in black and this VERY cool python print.  Which I might have to buy.  Right now.  They are fab.

Image from toryburch.com.

I hate to focus on one designer here, but honestly, I searched all over for a closed wedge last spring, and Tory Burch was the only designer to have good ones.  J. Crew features a few this spring both in patent and in suede.  Must check out.

As for low boots, maybe pack a riding boot to tuck your AG Stevie jeans or Michael Kors pants into.  

Hope we answered all of your questions.  Have a g'day mate! ~ JH

...you need a winter hat.

Yes, it's January and so it's a little late to be tackling this topic.  Nonetheless, here I am, January 2nd, and I need a new winter hat to go along with my Post Card coat.  Just an everyday hat that's cool.  I realized at school pick-up today that I've been wearing my North Face Cable Fish Beanie hat for way too long.  If you know me, you're sick of looking at it.  And, quite frankly, it's been to the gym, spinning, apres ski, the stable, etc.  In other words, it's seen better days.  Oh, and this other mom had an AH-MA-ZING hat on and I was jealous.  There.  I said it.

So, while I was sitting at afternoon-kid-activity-number-1, I started trolling online sites on my phone and not only got an education, but found some interesting hats out there.

First, the education.  On Nordstrom's site, I could choose from 'beanie', 'cloche', 'fedora', 'cap', and 'wide brim'.  Instinctively, I knew I wanted a 'beanie', but needed to know what 'cloche' was.  They are small-brimmed hats, sometimes very elegant.  See below.

Image from nordstrom.com.

Enough with education; back to shopping for a 'beanie'.  They had plenty of choices, ranging from $20 to $130.  With free shipping and free returns, I had to order a couple.  Here are the ones that will be stopping over for examination.  First up, a Missoni.  Really, I couldn't resist.  You KNOW it's super soft angora.

Image from nordstrom.com.

Marc by Marc Jacobs had a cute, polka dot and striped cap that I want to try out as well.  A little flare with this one.

Image from nordstrom.com.

This Michael by Michael Kors one is something simple with it's cheetah print.  I think I ordered the last one they had online!

Image from nordstrom.com.

I was also looking for something a little off-the-beaten-path.  Something a little inspired.   At this point, I was home and instead of cooking dinner, I was surfing around net-a-porter.com and shopbop.com to see what they had.  It was on net-a-porter that I noticed Eugenia Kim hats for the first time.  (After more research, I found that she attended Parsons, won a CFDA award for accessories design in 2004, and her millinery work can be found/purchased everywhere from Bergdorf to Barneys. I know, more education!  Read about her here.) Not cheap, but certainly different and cute.  While pompoms look ridiculous on me, I love this hat!

Image from net-a-porter.com

Net-a-porter was also featuring the Marc by Marc Jacobs one above, so I knew I was in good company.

A trip over to shopbop.com featured MORE Eugenia Kim hats and I loved these in particular.  Both are fabulous, and I'm hoping to sample one or the other.  Probably the first one.  Grrr.

Images from shopbop.com.

In short, there's a whole world of winter hats and I have only scratched the surface.  If you have any great hats I need to know about, please let me know! I'm on the hunt! ~ JH

...you are hosting the holiday.

This is always tricky.  You have family coming over or staying with you, your kitchen is full of people, the oven(s) is(are) on, and you feel like you are going from one meal to the next.  How can you look stylish and together when your head is in the oven all day?

Here are a couple of tricks I've learned over the years that I thought I'd share with you:

• Wear short sleeves, regardless of your outfit being a dress, top and skirt, or top and pants.  Do you really want to cook in a heavy sweater or long sleeve blouse?  I don't.
• If you are going to wear heels, try wedges or stacked heels.  I can't help myself.  I love heels.  I have a couple of good wedges or stacked pairs that work well for being on your feet all day.
• Beware of 'dangling jewelry' and scarves.  I can't tell you how many times I've almost burned a scarf leaning over the stove.  With the additional frenzy of the holidays, leave the scarf in your dresser.  Ditto with pendant necklaces, etc.  Last thing you need is for your pendant necklace to take a dip in the gravy.
• Stay away from wool and leather.  Jersey, either cotton and silk, is a great material.  Silk blouses are good, light-weight options.

Finally, from a good friend, don't forget to set up a 'lip stick station' in your nearest bathroom or near a mirror.  At the beginning of the day, put your lip stick or gloss, a pressed powder compact, and brush or powder puff in your 'station'.  Over the course of the day, refresh!  You'll be happy to look refreshed instead of shiny when you sit down for dinner.  My 'station' is always in my 1/2 bath in the drawer under the sink. 

Best of luck over the next week, and all the best to you and yours. ~ LB & JH

W2WW Hosting the Holidays

Diane von Furstenberg wool sweater / Theory / Joie cap sleeve t shirt / Cartier / Michael Kors straight leg pants, $330 / Theory tailored pants / J.Crew twill skirt, $260 / Jimmy Choo wedge shoes / Kate Spade / Ivanka Trump wedge shoes / Tory Burch shoes / J.Crew white pearl necklace / J.Crew j crew jewelry / J.Crew knotted bracelet / Tiffany & Co. jewelry / Stella & Dot gold ball earrings / Bottega Veneta sterling silver bangle bracelet / Morra Designs yellow gold jewelry / Tory Burch belt

...you have a dinner right after attending kids' sports games.

This is a problem that was brought up to me at a 3rd grade girls' softball game.  One of the moms was saying how she was heading directly to a dinner from the game, and had a tough time coming up with what to wear for both sitting in a field AND dining at a nice restaurant immediately after.  (Personally, I thought she did a fine job in picking her outfit.)  If you are like me, you want to look cute for both occasions but also appropriately dressed.

If you have the right items in your closet, this shouldn't be too difficult.  Here are a couple of key ingredients you should have to pull this off.

Ingredient number 1, a chair.  Whatever you choose to wear, you shouldn't be dependent on a picnic table or bench.  It might be wet, covered in pollen, and you should sit on something clean.  Please invest $11.99 in one of these.

Image from dickssporttinggoods.com.

Ingredient number 2, pants.  I think it's important to have long pants on for this scenario, either jeans or trousers, if the weather permits.  They will protect you from bugs and therefore you can avoid the 'eau de Off' smell later at dinner.  Jeans are fine if appropriate at the restaurant.  If you need to be dressier, I recommend looking into a darker-colored ponte knit pant.  This type of pant will not wrinkle and is completely comfortable to hang around in.  Either my $75 pair of Michael Kors pants will do, or these Tibi ones look great.

Image from tibi.com.

I like the idea of the pants being a little cropped too and here's why - you shouldn't wear your 'dinner shoes' to the field.  Stick on a pair of ballet flats, sneakers, or rain shoes if you need to for trekking across a field, and have your 'dinner shoes' in the car for after the game.  A pant that is hemmed for heels is too tricky to wear for the game, so pass on those.

Ingredient number 3, layers.  On top, you'll have to layer a bit, again depending on the weather.  Start off with a top that doesn't wrinkle too much.  Silk jersey is good for this, and a poly/cotton blend will be the most resistant to wrinkles.  Something that you are excited to wear for dinner.  Diane von Furstenberg makes great tops for dining out, and this would look great with cropped, black pants.

Image from bloomingdales.com.

If it's cooler out, layer on a cute jacket or trench.  Again, this jacket doesn't have to be for dinner; you can ditch it in the car (along with your 'game shoes') on the way to the restaurant.  Jackets can range from cute 'activewear' jackets like this North Face one...

Image from nordstrom.com.

...to a classic shortertrench, like this one from Comptoir des Cotonniers.

Image from comptoirdescotonniers.com.

Ingredient number 4, the secret weapons in your car.  In addition to your shoes and jacket that will need to be changed, these items should be in your car for the 'transformation' en route to dinner:

• Change of shoes.
• Change of outerwear to a blazer, if needed.
• Clutch - move essentials from purse to clutch.
• Change of jewelry - add necklace, stacked bracelets, and/or earrings.
• Perfume sample - a spritz will do wonders
• Lipstick or gloss, and any other makeup you'd want to apply to freshen up.  I usually just powder my face to get rid of shine and reapply lip gloss.

And voila, you are ready to see and be seen.  I put together another 'set' on Polyvore (yes, I'm addicted, can you tell?!) showing both 'at game' and 'at dinner' looks using the same base items.  Hope it inspires, and please keep the questions coming.  We love it. ~ JH

From Game to Dinner by jenhma featuring t shirts

The North Face sweatshirt hoody
$75 - citysports.com

Tsumori Chisato t shirt
$438 - lagarconne.com

TIBI slim fit pants
$345 - tibi.com

Tory burch shoes
$195 - simplysoles.com

J.Crew athletic shoes
$68 - jcrew.com

Prada strappy sandals
$795 - neimanmarcus.com

Longchamp travel tote
$145 - saksfifthavenue.com

Madewell clutch handbag
$135 - madewell.com

Stella Dot wrap bracelet
$59 - stelladot.com

Toy Watch jelly watch
€183 - lindestore.com

Morra Designs disc jewelry
$95 - calypsostbarth.com

Toms sunglasses
$139 - toms.com

Hunter Andrew Waterproof Boots
$125 - piperlime.gap.com

Chanel lip gloss
$30 - nordstrom.com

Byredo rose fragrance
€140 - colette.fr

...you are attending a gathering of former work colleagues.

Yesterday, I posted an answer to a friend's question on what to wear to a "Bourbon, BQQ, and Boots" party.  Today, I thought I'd tackle the second question that came in from another friend at the same time. The friend (and reader) wrote:


"A friend of mine is having a reunion for a bunch (like 100) of lawyers who used to work at the firm where I used to work.  It is after work, in the city at her loft and most of the people are coming from work...any...ideas?"


This friend is currently a stay-at-home mom after having a successful career as an attorney, but didn't keep the 'lawyer' clothing handy after she left work.  This is always a tricky outfit - you want your outfit to fit into the scene and not scream "I'm a stay-at-home mom!". On the other hand, you don't want to have an outfit that is solely used for mingling maybe once or twice a year with former work colleagues.  


And, I always like to stay true to who you are, meaning, if you don't work full time in an office, you really shouldn't look like you do.  I wouldn't show up in a head-to-toe black pants suit to a function with former work colleagues (in finance industry).  That's just not me.  I'd want to blend in, with some fun pieces that I'd want to wear all the time, but be appropriate and respectful at the same time.  I put together some outfits below on Polyvore, as inspiration for what you might consider wearing.  


For my friend, I knew she had a pencil skirt in her closet, which, when paired with a blouse and heels, is a perfect apres work outfit.  I have a pencil skirt in my closet for such events; J. Crew has tons of easy pencil skirts in many colors at a great price point.  Loved the cheetah one below because I'd want to wear it at other occasions or more casually in the fall with boots.  


She could also go the dress route, something that is NOT solely for cocktails OR daywear, but that could be used in other areas of your life.  Normally, short sleeves would be better, but the Theory dress I picked below seemed to say 'lawyer reunion' and 'fun cocktail party' all at the same time.  And, I LOVE the Stella & Dot teardrop earrings I paired with it.


Finally, the pants option.  I like the idea of doing a pants outfit with a silk blouse and blazer.  All of these pieces can be used elsewhere in your wardrobe, not just for a work-colleague-dinner.  You know I've been obsessed with white blazers, so, of course, I had to add one.  


Have fun at the "reunion"! ~ JH

Outfits for meeting work colleagues. by jenhma featuring a linen blazer

Theory tweed sheath dress
$263 - otteny.com

Etro floral blouse
$580 - net-a-porter.com

Narciso Rodriguez cut out top
$463 - net-a-porter.com

Marc by Marc Jacobs blouse
$285 - stylebop.com

Rag bone linen blazer
$535 - rag-bone.com

Theory pants
$265 - saksfifthavenue.com

J Crew long pencil skirt
$98 - jcrew.com

Nine West platform heels
$79 - piperlime.gap.com

Carven suede high heels
$595 - net-a-porter.com

Stuart Weitzman snakeskin pumps
$298 - stuartweitzman.com

Reiss quilted shoulder bag
$360 - reissonline.com

BCBGeneration coral handbag
$88 - amazon.com

MICHAEL Michael Kors michael kors jewelry
$250 - nordstrom.com

MICHAEL Michael Kors michael kors jewelry
$250 - bloomingdales.com

Stella & Dot teardrop earrings
$59 - stelladot.com

Michael kors jewelry
$93 - neimanmarcus.com

Pippa Small moonstone jewelry
$2,500 - astleyclarke.com

Giani Bernini sterling silver jewelry
$32 - macys.com