What 2 Wear When...

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

...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

Saturday, September 29, 2012

Fashion for your bed.

Image from matouk.com.

Nothing is better than a good night's sleep. Jen and I have a favorite linen and towel maker, Matouk, located right here in Massachusetts, and they will be building a brand new $10 million facility. The article crossed my desk, and I had to share our love of Matouk with you.

Matouk sheets are heavenly and I swear to God, I sleep better when my bed is made with them and not the ones from TJ Maxx. There is something about the weave and quality of cotton. In the summer, they are cool and crisp and in the cooler months, they feel comforting and snuggly. The sheets come in mostly white or ivory and are beautifully embellished with embroidery or trim. Matouk offers a Bespoke (custom, made to order) line which is beyond exquisite and unlike any regular embroidery you’ve ever seen.

Image from matouk.com.

You can outfit your whole bed with duvets, blankets, pillows, etc. for a little bit of boudoir heaven. (And you know I love to monogram anything that's not nailed down! ~ JH)

Images from matouk.com

Stop by Bonsoir in Wellesley and feel for yourself. And, we'll let you in on our little secret - Matouk has a true factory store, at their factory in Fall River, MA. Bonsoir, indeed! ~ LB

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

100

Image from carriesdesignmusings.blogspot.com.

No, that's not the number of pairs of shoes in our closets. Although we might be close. It's this post - #100! We've had a blast so far and will continue to blogging away. Here are some of our favorite posts that you might have missed.

Our most-read post? Stacked bracelets in our spring 2012 series.

Second most-read post? How to wear a white blazer.

How this blog came to be? Read about it here.

Most read answer-to-question-from-a-reader?

Least-read post? Click here to give it a chance!

What's been your favorite post? Do you have a fashion question? Don't hesitate to email us at jen@what2wearwhen.net or lisa@what2wearwhen.net. Thanks for continuing to read! ~ LB & JH

Monday, September 24, 2012

W2WW hits the runway at J.Crew!

My usually boring, getting-ready-for-the-week Sunday night was anything but last night as I got all decked out in J.Crew for a fall fashion show at the Natick Collection store. When it comes to the fashion part, I can hold my own. But walking the runway was going to be something all together different.

I dressed in one of the outfits that J.Crew stylist Sylvia Gesell put together for me and was accessorized by Jen, who I was missing terribly at this point! The pre-show banter in the dressing room amongst the "talent" was a welcome distraction. There were about 20 of us in total, decked out from head to toe in J.Crew. There was a lot of complimenting going on and shopping the outfit that your neighbor was wearing. I swear one woman was going to buy those cheetah pumps right out from under me.

Here's a super fall pairing of navy and royal with some J.Crew signature arm candy. And those MacAlister wedge boots looked sharp with the pegged jeans.

So here I am in the burgundy trousers with cashmere camel v-neck sweater and amazing cheetah ponyhair pumps. We accessorized the outfit with a bright pink clutch, big sparkly necklace, and those fabulous cheetah and gold bracelets. It all happened so quickly I just went with it and had fun. I saw a few camel sweaters and burgundy Minnie pants at the check out after the show and am happy to have inspired the audience.

Here are two of my other favorite looks from the night. The layered vest over a colorblock camel & black blazer was hot. Underneath was a sparkly top and those fabulous multi-strand pearls that could dress up a burlap bag and make it rock. If you haven't discovered the multi-strand pearls yet, click on the link right now and see what you're missing.

The men who were modeling were outstanding, especially rugged guy and cool dude behind him.

Best of all was walking out and in between the flashes, seeing friends and readers cheering me on.

Thanks for your support ladies! ~ LB

Images from Lisa Bida.

Thursday, September 20, 2012

...you are attending the Ryder Cup.

Loving this question, sent to us by a reader in Montana! Here is her inquiry:

"How about What to Wear When you're going to the Ryder Cup in Chicago (or other such fashionable sporting event) in 2 weeks time with your husband and his colleagues, clients and Other Very Important People. And be able to walk around."

The key to the outfit has already been stated: "be able to walk around". This is an outside golf event during which attendees might walk the course, visit a corporate tent for lunch, etc.

We need to start with the shoes. If the weather is good, ballet flats, comfortable wedges, or non-sport sneakers (like Superga sneakers) are perfectly acceptable. If the weather is not cooperating OR the ground is really wet and soft, think about a pair of fashionable wellington boots (Hunter for example) with pants tucked in. Whatever you do, make sure they are known by you to be comfortable. In this reader's situation (with husband's colleagues & clients), I would skip traditional sneakers and tennis shoes.

Now, let's focus on the outfit. Golf tournaments tend to be preppy, conservative events. Think lots of guys in golf shirts, khaki pants or shorts, and windbreakers. Anything really trendy will be out of place especially with business colleagues in the mix; while leather is hot for fall, it's really wrong on the links. Since it will be late September, pick a pair of cropped or long cotton pants. Personally I rule out jeans, and skirts and dresses at this time of year aren't the best choices.

Next, a collared shirt, or if it's cooler outside, sweater layers with a scarf. A scarf adds a layer of warmth that can be removed and tied around your handbag strap as the day warms. Do not underestimate the usefulness of a scarf!

If it's cooler weather, top your outfit with a cute jacket or raincoat. Keep your accessories light - don't wear 'noisy' jewelry that might distract a competitor in their backswing. Take along a medium sized handbag in which to store your sunglasses (or a small umbrella) or drape your jacket over if the day warms up. If you are feeling really cheeky and the sun is out, add a cute fedora. Totally chic!

Check out the looks I put together on Polyvore. Hope this inspires you! Fore! ~ JH