Stylish Notes on Fashion :: Crushing on Velvet

When is it ok to start wearing velvet again?

Are there any true rules to this? I tried to do a little research but the results were thin and varied. So, I'm going to create my own rules - or rewrite existing rules to better fit modern times. Because, I do believe that if done properly, everything is a go. Take a look at my white jean fixation. I no longer pack these up after Labor day. They stay out year round... and get worn in a weather-appropriate manner. If it's still 80 degrees in September then I pair them with sandals and a thin, crisp shirt. If it's in the 50s then a cute pair of flats and a dark, thick warm sweater or lightweight jacket (corduroy, quilted, for eg) are perfect. But what about velvet?

In the past the velvet would sit in my closet for quite some time. Perhaps I brought it out right around Halloween or shortly thereafter. Now, I do live in New England where Mother Nature tends to get a bit bi-polar in respect to our weather... it's perfectly normal to have the heat on one day, and the air-conditioning the next. Still, I'd be remiss in telling you to put on your little Lilly Pulitzer sundress even when the temperatures are high.

But now I have a question that needs pondering. A stylish question that I've never had to give much thought to before... You see I'm in the midst of packing for my great BlogTourLondon adventure. The weather there, now, is meh. Eh. So-so. Mezza-mezza. In other words, it's your pretty standard, typical British weather. Cloudy with a chance of rainfalls. Mid 60s. So brisk. Cool. Damp. My summer clothes shall stay behind this trip. Virgin allows us 1 bag of up to 50 lbs. I think I can manage that. But I have 7 days of outfits for cooler weather to plan for. I will need pants, shoes, boots, jeans, sweaters (unless you're a Brit, then it's a "jumper") a couple of dresses for nighttime affairs and dinner dates... and I shall need some sort of outerwear... And this is where my dilemma lies... my question to ponder...

Is it ok to wear velvet in September? I am not talking about September in the Carolinas, Florida or Texas. I am talking about velvet in cool, brisk, grey London.... and here, I shall answer my own question with a yes.

I have a little lightweight velvet jacket that hits just above the knee - much like the one in the above photo. It's too light to be worn on its own in the wintertime. I've worn it with everything from the little black dress (LBD) and heels to jeans both denim and white, and with heels and boots. So seeing that all these items are headed into my suitcase, I'm going to defy any existing and antiquated rules. I am going to answer my own question and I am going to tell myself to go for it. I truly believe, these days, if it looks appropriate then it should be worn!

And you know I especially love the velvet worn with the white!

What do you think?

Is chilly September ok to wear velvet?

XOXO,

Jessica

(Images via Pinterest)

Stylish Notes on Fashion :: Some like it white hot!

The white winter coat. The winter white coat. The winter coat. The white coat. No matter how you break it down, it's perfection. It's classic. Timeless. It's current. It's hip. No matter the style... Swing. Pea. Trench. Toggled. Belted.

My daughter could wear it. My mother could wear it. I live in mine. I simply adore it. It's a staple in my wardrobe and I can wear it 3 seasons out of the year. I can wear it with pants and dresses. I can make it formal. I love it with my jeans. A white coat with worn over all black is divine. Demure. Supreme. Sexy. Confident. Elegant. Sophisticated. Edgy. White over black is dramatic. Genius. I wonder if it will be cool enough to bring my white coat to London... I do wonder...

I'm in the market for a new one. To tell you the truth mine has seen better days. She's been worn. And loved. Perhaps worn and loved to death. And she's had more visits to the dry cleaner than Oscar the Grouch has to the Junkyard... Another secret. I found her at Old Navy about 5 years ago. Needless to say I got it for a song. I've had more compliments on that one coat than any other article of clothing I own! Truth be told I never thought it would last an entire season, let alone many years. I may even check back there later this fall... unfortunately the Valentino is a wee bit out of my price range at the moment....

Harper's Bazaar

Tahari

Valentino (2012)

via Fashionista

via Lolobu

via Pinterest

via Revolve Clothing

via Style Bistro (Ferragamo)

White Ungaro coat, 1969, worn by Lee Radziwill

via Tumblr

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via Tumblr

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And this because every white coat piece should end with a sexy, smokin' hot naked chick! 

What do you think, could the LWC be the next LBD?

XOXO,

Jessica

Stylish Notes on Fashion :: Leopard Print is the cat's meow!

via Atlantic-Pacific

Our temperatures are dipping again. Gone is the heat and the oppressive humidity that seemingly had us in a stronghold and now we're embracing the cooler, more seasonal temperatures. We need to adjust our wardrobes accordingly. I love this time of year. I love everything about it. And most of all I adore the fashions of fall.

Once thought a fleeting trend if not slightly - well, tacky - trend,  this animal has shown us all that it's not only the king of the jungle, but ruler of the runway, the shelter magazine, the glossies, the streets and our homes. I've been bitten. I'm in love. And this love is here to stay. In fact, I'd be remiss to say that this print is purfect for me!

Seen on celebrities of haute couture - chic and stylish - from Jenna Lyons to Olivia Palermo, this animal print can be worn all year long, in any season. Leopard print can be whatever you want it to be and can complement and accentuate your own style whether casual, playful, sophisticated and elegant. Perhaps that's why I love it so. I believe my own style embodies a little of all of the above... I have a casual side - but it's more a casual sophistication... and playful and whimsical most of the time.

Pair leopard with anything you wish from a pair of denim or white jeans to black leggings or dress pants. A leopard print black coat looks gorgeous over a little black dress. If a coat (I'm coveting one at the moment!) is a bit too much, you can scale down the pattern with an accessory such as a pair of shoes, a scarf or a bag. Do with this pattern whatever you desire. Go ahead... Have fun! Go wild!

via Mark D Sikes

via Pinterest, original source unknown

via Ralph Lauren

via Social Bliss

via Pinterest

via The Simply Luxurious Life

via I am chic

via They All Hate Us

via Mullbury

via Pinterest, original source, unknown

XOXO,

Jessica

Stylish notes on fashion :: We are Mad for Plaid!

Mullbery

Plaid dominated the Fall 2013 Runways and now it seems to be everywhere in the glossies. This fall trend is a true classic that has stood the test of time for generations past as it most likely will for generations to come. Plaid, known as Tartan by our brothers and sisters across the Pond traces its roots to Scotland where it is best known perhaps as the symbolic national dress. (Prior to that, however, this pattern consisting of both horizontal and vertical stripes can be traced to both Austria and China.) The colors and patterns were adopted by Scottish clans and families. Many such tartans are still popular today, such as Black Watch, Royal Stewart, Old Campbell and, of course, my own personal favorite, Gordon Plaid ;) During the Victorian era when chemical dyes became more prevalent colors and patterns were brought to new levels and the more colorful dress plaids were introduced. Now there are reported to be as many as 14,000 variations of this print.

In the US plaid is synonymous with old world Preppy couture, holiday wear, children's school uniforms, warm woolen blankets, flannel shirts worn by hunters and farmers and by the young rockers of the 1990s. It's synonymous with fall and cooler weather and the holiday season that seems to be looming around the corner. This fun, festive, casual yet elegant and sophisticated print is big in both men's and women's fashion this season and as soon as the weather cools, we'll be seeing many variations on our busy streets.

Burberry

Brooks Brothers

Dior

Issey Miyake

Mossimo Men

 

Ferretti

Valentino

via Pinterest

Celine

Ferretti

Louis Vuitton

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And below, my own personal favorite!

Flikr

XOXO,

Jessica

White jeans :: The most perfect pant!

Classic. Iconic. Casual. Elegant. Comfortable...

If you're a regular reader of the The Entertaining House you most likely know about my love affair with the white jean! They are my idea of the perfect pant. A couple of years ago I decided to defy tradition and not pack them up with all my summer clothes at the end of September. I think, this may have indeed been one of my best decisions ever. One pair has grown to several. I still have my favorite, ones though. Well worn, perfect fitting. But back-ups are a must. My little white jeans pair perfectly with little sandals, ballet flats, heels and boots. They transition from T-shirt to blouse perfectly. And for this reason they are also the perfect traveling companion. My white jeans will absolutely be accompanying me to London!

The little white jean also transitions perfectly from cool summer morning to warm afternoon, back to breezy evening. A simple tee with a light cardigan will keep you warm in the earlier morning hours. In the afternoon, shed the sweater for a clean, classic, casual look and should you need to run right out to dinner, slip off the flip flops, sling on the sling backs and a little black jacket or navy blazer and voila! For the same reason, these transition beautifully into fall and further on into winter. White looks so crisp and clean when paired with black, charcoal, navy and chocolate. A pair of ballet slippers or riding boots will complete your look.

And for those of you who feel a bit self conscious in a lighter color on your bottom half, I assure you that everyone can wear these. It's just a matter of getting a perfectly fitting pair and what's worn on top. Sometimes a longer shirt, sweater, or jacket is a safer option for many of us.

These perfect little pants should really be a staple in everyone's wardrobe!

Here I am below... I've totally got it as a fashion blogger... don't I?!
Just to show you that I can and like to poke fun of myself too...
I couldn't quite capture my entire image in the mirror... My 8 year old was sitting on the bed asking what I was doing... how to explain??!!

Yes, I am the biggest dork... ever!

The shoes. See the shoes? To die for, right?

Well, I was at Goodwill in Westport, Connecticut looking for some wicker baskets to spray paint and I saw them and took a look. I'm pretty sure they'd never been worn. Maybe once. Twice at most. The label. Not that it matters. Miu Miu. $65 baby. SCORE! My favorite summer shoes! (I am fashion blogger extraordinaire, am I not? Ok not!!)

Happy Wednesday!

XOXO,

Jessica

Falling Forward :: Stylish Notes on Fashion

 

I've just been bitten by the sweater bug. I adore sweaters. Madly. Deeply. Passionately. I have every color under the rainbow and every style imaginable. I wear them all. Each and everyone of them. I think sweaters complete an outfit. They can dress up a pair of jeans adding an instant, simple elegance. They can be worn with everything - pants, dresses, skirts, shorts.... They are really the all-around perfect piece of apparel. You really cannot ever have too many... After all you need black, beige, grey, off white, red, navy... and pink and orange... and indeed the list goes on and on. The sweater can take an outfit from night to day... and back again!

After an impossible stretch of weather with relentless heat and humidity for weeks on end, a cool front finally came through to rescue us yesterday. I can't imagine that the temperatures got out of the mid 60s! It was downright chilly out! It was wonderful. It was glorious. It was magnificent! It was a perfect sweater and jeans kind of a day! I tossed on a pair of white skinny jeans that I paired with an oversized black cotton sweater, a silk sash tied around my waist and a cute pair of black patent leather sandals. I was in wardrobe bliss. I am a jeans and sweater girl... I'm really an anything and sweater girl!

Tomorrow our summer weather will return. We'll tuck our cool weather clothes away for a little while longer. It is, after all, still July, and while I do love to wear my sweaters I am not yet ready to usher summer away. There's still so much yet to be done! But before we know it our days will once again get cooler, the sun will rise later and set earlier and fall will be here in all her glory. And we will welcome her with open arms... after we've been able to fully embrace Summer and let her go.

Below is what I wore today...

I can't wait to be able to pull the sweater out again soon...

Meantime, in the summertime I'm a sundress girl... It's all about the sundress and the flip-flops!

XOXO,

Jessica

Back and white :: When not just one will do!

I can be indecisive. Sometimes I have a hard time making up my mind. Sometimes, well, OK - often, I want not one but both. Call me greedy. Call me gourmand. Tell me I can never seem to make up my mind or tell me that I want it all. The latter is probably the truest statement of me. I can make up my mind. It's easy as 1,2,3 or Eenie Meenie Miney Mo... But when you really want both... when you really have to have both the best thing to do is to come to some sort of compromise. This is a most genius of ideas and I am Queen of the Compromise. I like to be happy. I like to make others happy. And, I want it all! 

Especially when it comes to black and white. I am a rebel. I wear black in the summer and white in the winter. But sometimes I want a little bit of both. Sometimes I need a little bit of both. Some days my mood reflects a little bit of both. I wore black again yesterday. A pair of comfortable loose-fitting cargo pants, a thinly knit black T shirt and my pearls. Cargo pants and pearls. Why? I say why not! And, to confuse things a little more, as I was handbag shopping in my closet I opted for the white leather one. It was 80 degrees outside and I wore black. It's after Labor Day and I pulled the white leather bag from the upper shelf.  That's me... a great big juxtaposition... a great big paradox... But I know what I want and I know what I like. I know my style and I know what suits my style. Yesterday my style was a bit of casual playfulness with a bit of rebellion tossed in. Sometimes I am calm, cool and collective wanting to dress with quiet sophistication. Other times I am silly and whimsical never to dress overly seriously. I am classic and casual. I am modern and edgy. I am black and white. It is my absolute most favorite combination. I love it in home decor. I love it in my wardrobe. It's sexy, sublime, playful, witty, eye-catching... I am not just one thing; I am many things and the way I dress and decorate and live is a perfect reflection.

Even the foods I love are black and white!

But is black and white really a trend? We're seeing it all over the place these days... in the magazines and on the runways... I'm certainly not a trendy person. I don't follow or conform to them... and really, how can something so elegant and timeless and classic ever be considered a trend?

Vogue.it

Michael Kors graces the runways in black and white....
as does Marc Jacobs....

Vogue.it

But um, hello! Pull up that skirt... or eat a few dozen yodels for crying out loud! OMGawd... I'm only just noticing... those shoes!

Vogue.it

I do love this Marc Jabobs coat, but can you imagine if I decided to grace the streets of New York like this? People would be shielding their eyes, telling me to cover up!

I do love this classic, timeless, crisp clean look that's synonymous with the Ralph Lauren brand. It is definitely me but clearly this ad pays no attention to those of us who are over 40 and have nursed many kids through infancy... but all advertising is is an illusion to make us think that we too could look like this... and in my own little world I do... I look just like this model with no fat on her whatsoever and teeny perky breasts... Why yes, yes I do!

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Now this I could do... I would look just as darling (maybe even more so!) in this dress, most especially on this little yacht off of some remote island in Greece...

via The Neo Traditionalist

Timeless, elegant, playful, flirty... this just screams to me. I must have it! Yes, Yes, YES!!!

WWD

Oscar de la Renta is my hero. My idol. For he has created the world's most perfect dress. He doesn't know it but he's created it just for me! This would be a perfect wedding dress for me... You know, because I'm not supposed to wear all white (and if we all stuck to that rule there'd be no market at all for white wedding dresses, but I digress...) and I love this dress even more and I know it was made just for me because it is nice and form fitting on top (though I need just a couple sizes larger, maybe) and it flows in such a lovely and elegant way from the waist down which is perfect for us non-waifs who actually eat and this dress makes it so we don't have to suck in our guts and be uncomfortable all night long... nor do we have to wear our Spanx! Oscar, I love you! Marry Me? Or maybe send me over a size 4.... I'm short - just 5'4", so you'll need to come over and hem it for me, and since you'll be down on your knee while you're hemming... I do! I do!

My love of black and white comes out of the closet and into my home... 

Belle Maison

New York Times Magazine

Roomzar

the lennoxx

Petrella Designs

Pinterest, source unknown

La Casa de Mi Madre, Newport, RT

Pinterest

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I hope this post made you laugh... I hope it made you smile... I hope it has you realizing that not everything is black and white, but maybe it should be!

Have a wonderfully happy Thursday!

XOXO

Jessica

 
 

Black is the new ... black!

I wrote the other day of my intent to wear my white jeans all year long and break the so called No White After Labor Day Rule. I believe in breaking rules. I believe that some rules are just meant to be broken. I believe in creating my own style. I believe in dressing in what makes me look and feel good. I believe in dressing comfortably. I believe that when we pair comfort and fit together we are well dressed. We all have different tastes and styles and what one might like another might not. We all come in different sizes and shapes and what might look wonderful on one might not on someone else. I happen to love black. I always have. I wear it year round - Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall. There's a black for all seasons!

Black is the most flexible and the most forgiving of colors. It looks wonderful on everyone. It is sexy and sublime and supremely sophisticated while it can be casual, demure and as simple as can be. In my opinion no wardrobe is complete without a few black must-have items: black pants, black leggings, a long black sweater, a short black sweater - but who can stop at just one black sweater? Black sweaters are, to me like potato chips, one is simply not enough! I need cardigans, turtlenecks and crew necks. I need them long and short, heavy and lightweight... I think you get the picture. A black skirt and a little black dress are must haves. But who can stop at just one black dress? I'm sensing you see my will-power problem with black... a pair (or two or three) of little black flats, sophisticated pumps and sexy boots. That ought to do the trick!

The temperatures have taken a dip in New England. The weather is cooler, breezier... I pulled out a pair of black pants yesterday that I paired with a little black tank and long black cashmere sweater. The only accessory was an over-sized pair of pear earrings. I was not at all dressed up. I was dressed for running errands and work. And while I literally just tossed everything on, something about the all black gave me a polished look. I love black - it's the easiest way to look completely put together with very little effort.

all images via

It's time to get dressed now... whatever shall I wear?

XOXO

Jessica

White jeans after Labor Day...

Two years ago, when I was packing up my summer clothes I decided not to pack up my white jeans. When it comes to things like fashion and decor I sort of like to walk to the beat of my own drum. I believe one should wear what they like and what is flattering as opposed to what is "in style." I have learned after many years and many misses (especially in my teens and in the 1980s, which were really one and the same) that I am best wearing what is comfortable and looks best on me. Even if it's not "trending" at the moment. I wouldn't exactly call myself a rebel, free-spirit is more like it. My style, if I could sum it quickly would be Levis meets Chanel with a dash of humor and whimsy. I love to dress comfortably but I need to dress it up a bit. It makes me feel better. When I feel that I look well I have more confidence. I am happier and more comfortable in my own skin.

I'd say I live in jeans and crisp white T-shirts or casual blouses. They are perfect for me. I work from home and I like to be comfortable, yet to run out of the house I simply need to slip on a chic little blazer or cardigan and slide into a pair of heels or cute flats. (Mustn't forget a fun chunky necklace to dress if up if I'm meeting a client or headed out to lunch or dinner!) It's amazing how well put together you can look in minutes in a pair of jeans.

Because I really do love and live in my jeans, I am remiss to pack up my white ones. I have several pairs and they differ only slightly. But just because the temperatures will soon be taking a doesn't mean I won't be wearing my white jeans. I, after all, quite simply refuse to pack them up! I'll pair them with warmer autumnal hues, greys, browns, blacks, aubergines. I'll wear them with cashmere sweaters, suede jackets and boucle blazers. I'll wear them with ballet flats, kitten heeled shoes or tall boots. I remember when I first did this a couple of years ago. I felt almost, well, daring... but now it seems only fitting. While I do adore the look of all black, sometimes a pop of white just makes the outfit seem fresher, finished, polished.

White, after Labor Day, as you will see below, is stylish, sophisticated and really quite chic.

Original source unknown

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La Redoute

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Vista-se de Variadades

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So what do you think? Might you wear your white jeans now that Labor Day has passed?

XOXO

Jessica

White jeans after Labor Day: Yay or Nay?

As a young child I vividly remember my mother packing up all my summer clothes. Summer clothes simply were not worn after Labor Day. At least, those with any taste or style didn't, according to my mother. One must dress, appropriately, for the seasons. But what happens when the weather does not match the seasons? This often happens. Springtime in the New York area can be very warm, as can fall. We often have long, hot Indian Summers, especially in September. If it's 80 degrees outside then why can't I wear shorts or a white dress? Well, I will. Perhaps I'll trade the little sandals for a pair cute and lively sling-backs or kitten heeled mules in a darker color. (This is also not to say that my sandals are getting packed up either. No reason why I can't wear some of my more subdued Jack Rogers with jeans or black pants.) But gosh darn-it, if I want to wear white I am going to wear white!

I started this little rebellion last year. Not with the white dress, I don't own any, (perhaps I should) but with my white jeans. Now here's a little confession. The other day I told you that my personal style tends to be classy with a little bit of sassy... and this is where the sassy fits in. Last fall I never put my white jeans away! They remained on the shelves with all my other jeans. I wore them in the fall. I wore them, gasp (!) in the winter. The trick is, in order to pull this off, is to accessorize appropriately. During the winter months I wore my white jeans with dark boots, dark sweaters and faux fur collars. It worked. It really did.

So this Labor Day weekend, as I pack up all my Lilly Pulitzer and summer-like clothes that did not get much of a wear this summer I'll be sure to keep the jeans where they are. (Well, right now they're in the dryer!) Their season with me is far from over! So, if you're not ready to put your whites away, I say don't!

And while we're at it I also refuse to cut my hair. My blond (highlighted) hair now rests long below my shoulders. According to my mother I am too old to wear it this way. She thinks I ought to cut it. Chin length. More age appropriate. What's age appropriate? I am not old. I don't feel old. Do I look old? Times they are a changing and so I will rebel with my long hair and my white jeans, both worn after Labor Day!

All images via my curated Pinterest boards

What do you think about wearing white after Labor Day?

XOXO

Short days ahead

I've been seeing something of a new trend emerging. Normally, I am not one for trends. Trends are not true fashion. They do not stand the test of time and they come and go with a quick batting of thick, beautiful eyelashes. Yet trends have their places in our fashion histories. Sometimes we look back fondly and sometimes we laugh at them. The 1980s was a decade filled with them, mostly laughable! I remember my stirrup pants, paisley prints, massive shoulder pads, big hair, rip and torn clothes, black rubber Madonna bracelets. Yet, as horrific as these may seem to us now, they held a very special place in our growing hearts. Many of us came into our own in the 80s and this was the decade where we could first start to figure out who we were and express ourselves. We would later grow and the trendy items would get tossed aside and replaced by those items better suited to our needs, bodies and personalities. My wonderfully colorful Benetton sweaters, my frivolously pouffy Laura Ashley dresses with super-sized Peter Pan collars, loafers with the pennies, tighter than hell Calvin Klein and Sassoon jeans... All those wonderful items have a special place in my personal history. Since those years, two decades ago, I have grown, matured and found my true style. I am not a trend-setter and I do not bow to fashion. What you see when I am out is a perfect reflection of what I am. I like the classics, good, genuine, long-lasting pieces that have staying power. I am not a slave to a label - price or size.  I try on what fits and if the 6 happens to fit better than the 4 I tend wear, that's the size I purchase. I think it is lovely to have a few high ticket pieces in my wardrobe, but lately I have no budget. I still look for classic pieces with staying power. I look for something that can be worn many different ways. I look for pieces that go with what I have in my wardrobe. I look for classic, timeless and elegant, because that's what makes me feel best. But timeless and trendy can play well together. As can elegant and casual, expensive and inexpensive. When I am asked what my style is, I never hesitate to say Classic with a twist... Class with Sass! One must have fun with their style and never take it, or life too seriously.

Trends, when seasonal, are fabulous. So when I noticed that shorts are being worn well into the fall, and perhaps into the winter, I though, indeed, isn't this clever! I am always looking for a way to extend the life of some of my clothes. I love my shorts and if I can pair them with sexy cashmere cardigans, sheer linen blouses with scarves, blazers, tights and even boots, well this is a trend I will embrace!

As I started curating pictures for this article, I noticed how varied and versatile this look can be. One doesn't have to be 20 years old with a pair of mile-long, killer legs to make this work. Even I can pull this off. Even little ol' me! Heels always add length to your legs. Dark tights always make them look leaner. Boots can add fun or sophistication. Whether you opt to wear a more grunge-like buffalo plaid, or a pretty silk blouse, the shorts look can successfully be carried off well into the fall.

Photography credit: All pictures below have been curated from my Pineterest board, and original sources are all noted there.

Do you like any of these looks? Which is the one that best describes you?
I simply adore the sheer navy polka dotted blouse with the jean shorts. Simply Adore it!

XOXO