I remember reading a Harper’s Bazaar article describing 24 hours in (one of my favorite designers of all time) Karl Lagerfeld’s life. One item in the article stood out to me–he has a utility outfit of sorts (again, this is Karl Lagerfeld) that is his go-to look for daily life:

“My latest uniform is actually two looks—a special jacket with tails made by Dior, but not what you wear for weddings. I have them made in tweed and things like this. Then I have another jacket I love from the new Dior men’s collection that I bought five of, so people think I wear the same thing every day, but in fact it’s never the same thing. And then I wear jeans; at the moment they are from my new collection. They are dark gray with my face, my profile, printed in black on them, but you really have to look at it to see it. My dressing room is so full that I can only wear what I see on top of all the racks.”

Think about it–you have a look, right? People notice your style whether you know it or not. Casual look for me is Cady shorts (see my post), some type of blouse or a beater, and wedges. For teaching: splits:59 beater, double zip stella jacket, onzie capri yoga pants and Birkenstock sandals.  Just like Karl (kinda), a casual observer might think I’m repeating, but it’s more like theme dressing. In time, it seems you gravitate toward what compliments you and your daily events, and yeah, throw in a little trendiness here or there.

Coming from a man who has two homes virtually within walking distance, I guess I’m in good company:

“I actually have two houses. This house here, it’s only for sleeping and sketching, and I have another house two-and-a-half meters away for lunch and dinner and to see people, and where the cook is and all that. I don’t want that here. Even if the place is huge, I want to be alone. If I want something, I call them, and they’re next door, they come. The studio is next door, the office is next door. If I have guests and butlers, I don’t want them in my house. Everything is next door.”

See details on Splits:59, Stella, Birkenstocks, Cady in my posts.

The fascinating KL article:

http://www.harpersbazaar.com/fashion/fashion-articles/24-hours-with-karl-lagerfeld-0412

I absolutely love this shoe. I obsessed over it until I bought it in beige and black. The look is chunky and weighty, but they weigh about 7 ounces–that’s because the cork wedge bottom is made of lightweight plastic/rubber material that is incredibly light and comfortable. Callisto offers many styles, but I find ‘Sawyer’ the most contemporary and versatile. They go with everything–shorts, skirts, maxi’s, jeans, you name it. They look current and, go figure, it is a tall wedge and is supremely comfortable. I am a wedge girl all the way, and this style qualities as a staple.
To wit–over the last several days wearing my beige Sawyer’s I’ve been asked by perfect strangers “Where did you get those shoes?” So, I remove a shoe and hand it to them–so light! So comfortable! Gorgeous! What better reason to post them here??
I purchased mine at Nordstrom. They run small, so you might find yourself a half or full size from normal (I was a 40 EU and I am usually a 38/39), so you’ll want to try them on. Heel height is 4 1/2” and platform is 1 1/2″, price: $79.95.
And of course you wear OPI ‘I Reached My Gold’ pedicure with them, right??
Be prepared to chat with (stylish) perfect strangers….

http://shop.nordstrom.com

A few weeks ago I nearly had an accident while staring at a Porsche Cayenne sporting a mirror finish instead of auto paint. So unusual was this car that I was transfixed and hypnotized—did I really see that?? Then a friend’s husband just happened to mention he’d seen the same car that very day! Alright so I wasn’t nuts. But I was still obsessed enough to find it online–the auto paint is referred to as ‘chrome’. Okay. Think said sighting inspired the new Birks?? Look, I’ve been a fan of silver anything over the years, but I think this is a recent inspiration. I LOVE THEM!
I found them online at Nordstrom–as luck would have it, I had a Nordstrom Note and it was a little less painful–we all hate paying full retail. Nordstrom has free ship and return online. Also, if you are in-store (some stores don’t have Birks) and know your size, you can order them online–free shipping and your favorite salesperson gets commission, too. You can also find them on Birkenstock USA’s website. Shine, reflect, enjoy!!

http://shop.nordstrom.com

https://www.birkenstockusa.com

Trying on jeans is akin to bathing suit shopping for most of us: small in the waist but too big in the hips, fits in the legs, too large in the waist–I could go on, but why bother when you have J Brand? First I must disclose that I have sold jeans before–traveling around and doing trunk shows at various locations. I saw first hand the process of jean ‘fitting’. One group of women swore that a foolproof way to know if the jeans fit you–place the waist of the buttoned jeans around your neck, if you can touch the waist at the front of your neck they will fit you. That process actually worked for a few attendees including myself.

But I digress. Let’s talk about J Brand jeans. They come in so many unique styles and finishes; high, med and low waist; light heavy and dark fades; coated, capri, ankle and boot cut. Need I go on?? They are the mecca of jeans–the fit is superb–there is something suitable for all shapes and sizes. I recently bought white–yes white–quite a departure for me, but so so cute. Skinnies with cute zip details. I have always used the advice that one high-end sales person gave me: always go up a size in most white clothing–it just looks more finished and tailored. And I think at one point you just have to take the dive. That said, I’m always sure the tush is covered–a sheer hip length black blouse with with a fitted jacket with a pair of cute wedges. Done and done.

Give it a shot. Add J Brand the next time you have a pile of jeans on your arm and hoping for a net of one with a great fit.

http://www.jbrandjeans.com