Holiday Dressing
It's a bit early but I have my reasons.
I was going to post about dressing for fall weekends and my favorite things to do upstate, and I will next, but frankly the holidays are around the corner, the holiday collections have launched, and I guess I’m in a festive mood. So….
I prefer a holiday uniform of sorts. I have an old(ish) tuxedo that I love and often separate the pants and blazer depending on how dressed up I want to be.
This year, I added pieces from Nells Nelson—the Dylan blazer, chiffon Iris drape top, and Colette gilet so now I have plenty of solid options that I can also mix and match.
An alternative to a tuxedo jacket is a long black coat, like the amazing one, also from Nells, below. I have an old Stella McCartney one that fits the bill. Great if you are going someplace and you know it will be warm inside. Also, I like a classic slingback. Each year, Saint Laurent has a new variation of the Blade slingback. I bought a pair two years ago but returned them because I didn’t feel I could warrant the purchase since going out still wasn’t happening so much. If I could find the same pair in my size on a resale site, I would snap them up. Apparently, no one is parting with theirs so I’m eyeing the latest iteration. The heel is just 2.5”, the others before were 3.5”. Weirdly I wanted the higher ones. There is this pair in moc crock, but the silver toe cap really gets me. These are the things I obsess over.
Not everyone wants to spend their budget on evening, and frankly these COS pieces are super chic. The tuxedo with the tie is almost sold out online, so you might have to keep watching for restock or call a store. The blouse is very sheer but with a camisole it’s perfect. Always a dark red nail and pearls (now I am offering fresh water versions which are a good alternative if rare South Seas aren’t your thing). Oh, and the Toteme satin mules below, also come in black leather and are super flattering—I tried them on. The Row has the same style, so they’re a thing right now, but still feel classic.
Then, this image of Sofia in the latest Marfa Journal wearing Toteme. She is wearing this coat, and this dress, but it is, of course, the little feathery bit on her shoulder and her archive Chanel shoes that make the outift. That said I like the feminine/tailored combo. It reminds me a lot of CBK dressing. It’s also an area where I lack options, as in I have none.
Toteme just released their holiday capsule and I like so many pieces, I cannot even begin to make up my mind. Each of them gives me serious Carolyn vibes. The long dress with the sheer bottom is more of the moment, but all the others look timeless. And there is more which I haven’t included such as some great night out tops that you can dress up or down. Their holiday collections always sell out, this one is particularly strong, so keep that in mind.
Speaking of CBK, I bought the new book by Sunita Kumar Nair. It is quite substantive with interviews from several designers and a foreword by Gabriela Hearst. Nair worked at W magazine, I did not know her, but if you are a bit CBK obsessed it’s not to be missed.
Next up: We’re going backwards to weekend/Thanksgiving dressing. And a final note, I would love it if you would upgrade to a paid subscription if you haven’t already. I do think my work is worth $5 a month. Just a gentle reminder.
x Jennifer
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The CBK book is so good!