My November Obsession - Fur Pom Pom Hats

Shearling and fur, whether real or faux, are showing up in head-to-toe fall styles, with pumps with fur details to headwear. I am on the hunt for a little fur love this season, sprinkling it throughout my wardrobe - but not at the same time! - this fall and winter.  Current obsession: a fur pom pom hat.  

Image from saksfifthavenue.com.

There are lots of choices out there at numerous price points depending on what you are looking for.  I love a big, fat pile of fun atop my hat, like a cherry on a sundae.  Go big or go home! ~ LB

W2WW Fur Pom Pom Hats

Inverni black jewelry / Inverni knit jewelry / Inverni braid jewelry / Inverni beanie hat / Inverni fox hat / Eugenia Kim vintage hat / Moncler Grenoble fur hat / Sofia Cashmere fur hat / Meteo by Yves Salomon beanie hat / Stella T beanie hat / Yves Salomon beanie hat / Search Results

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

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

Wanted: A basic sweater that is not basic.

You are not navy or gray.  Or black.  You are easy to wear and comfortable.  You make me look fabulous and put together.  I can throw you on with skinny jeans in any color.  Or trousers and a jacket.  Or layer you under vest or big comfy sweater.  You make those blue suede wedges I got last year look even better this year.  You can share the spotlight with a necklace or look fab without one. 

Hello Joie silk animal print top.   Your mix of silk body and wool sleeves is genius.   Your shades of gray, black and white are perfection.  Welcome to my closet.

Image from nordstrom.com.

Image from Lisa Bida.

It's out there this year.  The non-basic, basic sweater.  Love this Tory burch top and whole look from head to toe.

Images from toryburch.com.

Check out the Polyvore set below to get some other ideas.  Purrr.  ~ LB

PS - In full disclosure, Jen also purchased the Joie sweater, completely on her own and separately.  What's the etiquette here?! - JH

W2WW: "Basic" Sweaters

Tory Burch woven top / Equipment leopard print sweater / Joie sweater / Tory Burch crew neck t shirt / Hermès turtleneck top

it's Spring 2013: Silk Track Pants

Really?  Silk track pants?  Jen, have you lost your mind?  

I have to say that Lisa and I have been a little curious about these pants.  Call them pajama pants or track pants if you want, but they are DIFFERENT!  And that's what we like!  What defines a silk track pant?  They are usually pull-on, with a drawstring at the waist, made of silk or viscose.  Designers like 3.1 Philip Lim, Joie, and Vince make really great pairs of them.  They have an casual look, but the material tends to keep them chic.

So, while trolling around Neimans last week, a mannequin caught my eye.  The mannequin had on a pair of these pants that I kind of liked.  This was not a purchase that was intending to make (in fact, I was just 'returning' some items - don't you hate when that happens?).  But, these Rebecca Taylor pants fit perfectly and I matched them up with a silk-back Vince sweater.

Image from nordstrom.com.

Image from vince.com.

There are a lot of these on the market right now.  Give a pair or 2 a try next time you see them.  But how to wear them?  I wouldn't pair these pants with a silk top; it's too much silk.  A slightly structured sweater (linen, summer cashmere, cotton) would work best.  A heeled sandal or pump finishes it well.  I plan to wear the outfit above with a long, gold pendant necklace and ankle strap, black heeled sandals.

Check out the Polyvore set below for inspiration! Don't be scared! ~ JH

W2WW - Silk Track Pants

Rebecca Taylor / 3.1 Phillip Lim silk pants / Elizabeth and James / Vince / Joie / Vince

...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 are 'inexplicably drawn to clog boots'.

Hi everyone!  Back from Caribbean trip #1 (and yes, it was fabulous!).  Returned to an email from a reader from the Pacific Northwest.

"I am surprised at myself, but I am inexplicably drawn to clog boots (which is sort of anathema to my clean, modern, comfortable style... I usually wear ankle booties and knee-high wedge boots from fall through late spring). Upon trying these warm, comfy, and sturdy boots (by Vialis, style no. 4862, "Garret") on, I had to have them. 

How can I wear these without looking too bohemian and not too après-ski? The shaft can be uncuffed, worn straight up, or ruched down. (I live in the rainy Pacific Northwest, and am slim/petite... In case if those are factors in outfit suggestions)."

Yes, we too have our moments of purchasing something that's completely outside of our comfort zone because we simply love it.  So, let's take a look at these Vialis boots.

Image from reader.

These are a great neutral and I can see why she loves them.  I think we're all looking for something different, yet wanting to maintain our style.  

Since our reader is slim and petite, one thing I like to do is to create a column of solid color with these boots.  The lighter lining of the boot will create a color break by the knee, so think about keeping the pants and top the same color (if not wearing jeans, in which case I'd do a chocolate sweater or top on top of the jeans).  Keeping the color palette really neutral works well too.  I'd stay away from prints and light silks.  The heaviness of the boot calls for a certain 'weight' in the clothing you wear with them; otherwise, you'll appear 'unbalanced'.

Do stay true to your 'clean, modern' style by working with tailored, clean pieces.  In terms of labels, Vince comes to mind immediately when I think of these boots.  J. Crew's simple pieces.  Let the boots speak for themselves. By keeping the outfit clean and modern, the boots lose a little of their bohemian look.

Don't forget that a quick spray with Kiwi Suede Protector on the top suede will keep the boots looking good in the Pacific Northwest rain.

Image from amazon.com.

I put a few outfits together on Polyvore for our reader using a column of color, neutrals and a jeans outfit.  Hope you are inspired! ~ JH

W2WW - With Clog Boots

Vanessa bruno
theoutnet.com

Vneck sweater
yoox.com

Rag bone wool shirt
rag-bone.com

American Vintage summer tank top
$51 - the-dressingroom.com

Vince stretch pants
barneys.com

J.Crew slim fit pants
jcrew.com

AG Adriano Goldschmied slim jeans
stylebop.com

Michael kors tote bag
couture.zappos.com

Louis vuitton satchel
bagborroworsteal.com

Tory Burch gold bangle bracelet
nordstrom.com

J Crew j crew jewelry
jcrew.com

C Wonder set of bangle
cwonder.com

Hermès watch
usa.hermes.com

Tory Burch tear drop earrings
nordstrom.com

Tory Burch silver stud earrings
saksfifthavenue.com

Knitted scarve
hampdenclothing.com

Chan luu
net-a-porter.com

Tory burch
toryburch.com

Warby parker eyewear
warbyparker.com

Pull V 4 fils - Eric Bompard
eric-bompard.com

Gilet chauve-souris - Eric Bompard
eric-bompard.com