Style Essentials- Little Navy Blazer

The Row Blazer, Carven Shirt, J. Crew Trousers and Miu Miu Shoes

"She prefers the richness of all kinds of (French) navy to the ubiquitous black." - Bali Barret's 5 Ways to Spot a Proper Parisienne in Issue Five of The Gentlewoman

Hope you all had a lovely holiday season. Happy New Year!

As promised, I thought I would share one of my autumn purchases- my lovely blazer from The Row. Blazers/little jackets are among my favorite wardrobe essentials and instantly make an outfit look smart and polished. Year-round, I’m rarely without a blazer or little jacket. 

It’s undeniable that I have a well-defined sense of style and identity, but I enjoy making subtle tweaks. We all know how much I adore navy and for some time I’ve wanted to add a navy blazer to my wardrobe. As autumn items were making their way into the shops, I spotted this blazer and knew it had to be mine.

I love when you find that item that ticks off all the boxes. Especially, when you’ve been keeping an eye out for that item for some time. In this case, I was looking for the following in a navy blazer.

• Color- A rich navy that would pair well with black, grey and burgundy. Finding a luxurious navy that is not faded can be harder than it seems. 

• Construction- The seams and emphasis on tailoring are reminiscent of early Armani or the good old days of Helmut Lang. I’m a fashion nerd if ever there was one and yes, the construction is that good. The stitching is really beautifully done and elevates the blazer. Inside and out everything is meticulously considered.

• Fabric- Quality of materials- the touch and feel is important to me. I love nothing more than a simple item with a touch of indulgence. A 100% silk full lining and a luxurious silk blend shell give this blazer its languid drape. 

• Fit- I could devote a series of posts to fit and tailoring. I have to alter a lot of my clothing. I have narrow shoulders and having the shoulders taken in is a costly alteration that requires skill. To take in the shoulders, the sleeves are detached at the shoulder, the shoulders are cut, the armholes adjusted and lastly the sleeves are reattached. A good fit at the shoulders is paramount for me and sealed the deal with this blazer. Having the sides and sleeves slimmed to accommodate my frame are standard alterations for me. In this case, I had the sleeves slimmed over the course of two fittings. I have long arms, so I’m keen on having adequate sleeve length. I also look for blazers that have subtle draping at the back. I love menswear, but my frame sometimes needs very subtle darting. 

• Silhouette- A minimalist silhouette that could be paired with everything in my wardrobe. I was looking for an unassuming piece whose beauty lies in the precision of the cut. I love experimenting with proportion and silhouettes, but I wanted something light and airy.

I’ve long admired The Row’s sophisticated luxe aesthetic. It’s always refreshing to come across a collection with a unique voice. The Row does basics, albeit very expensive basics that you can envision having forever. There’s a quiet authenticity to the brand’s designs that I adore. This little blazer has quickly become an essential. 

Style Essentials- The Bespoke Silk Blouse

Bespoke Silk Shirt, J. Crew Trousers and Miu Miu Shoes 

If there’s one bit of luxury that I can’t get enough of, it’s having the opportunity to work directly with a designer or studio to create a bespoke piece. It’s pure joy. The process of creating an item from scratch is inherently personal. It’s the nuance of your tastes and preferences laid bare. Working directly with designers and studios on pieces has made me acutely attentive to the subtleties of my style. 

I’ve long had a special place in my heart for bespoke shirts. Perfect button downs from Charvet worn with Alaia skirts just like Sofia Coppola. Ever such elegant silk shirts that drape just so. For someone, with a slim build and narrow, pointy shoulders, coming up with a few good designs for shirts has been a small mercy. 

Drapey, slouchy, but tailored to perfection, my silk shirts in ivory have long been wardrobe essentials. There’s just something so polished and at the same time nonchalant about a luxurious silk shirt. 

When Philip Cheng and Jack Chui of Soong Salon De Mode came to New York back in the spring, I had my mind made up, that I would have this shirt made*. We spent a Saturday morning looking over my inspiration images, fabrics and sketching a few ideas. It never ceases to amaze me that this pair can bring a garment that I envision to fruition. Philip Cheng and Jack Chui are such perfectionists and do beautiful, precise work. It’s the type of classically beautiful work that you don’t see often and that always garners compliments. 

Something kept telling me to have a couple of my beloved silk shirts made in a lighter momme weight. I found a beautiful ivory/cream silk that manages not to be too sheer. Over the summer, my shirts arrived- gorgeously packaged, immaculately pressed and folded with acid-free tissue paper. A few fabric swatches and plenty of extra buttons accompanied the package. 

Worn half-tucked like a French Voguette, I’ve been living in my silk shirts. During fashion week they were most certainly a chic go-to.

* The cotton voile shirt with puff sleeves and a Peter Pan collar is just as enchanting as I imaged.

Spring Awakening

Courtesy of VeePost

Hope you all had lovely weekends. This time of year always leaves me anxiously awaiting signs of spring. We haven't had a true New York City winter and I'm certainly not complaining, but I'm looking forward to everything being in bloom, fresh fruits and vegetables being in season (what more could a vegetarian ask for?) and warm evenings spent eating outdoors.

During the winter, I'm most likely to be lost in a museum, if I have any free time. The glimmers of light in the Greek and Roman galleries and the fifteen newly opened Islamic galleries to explore, pull you into a world of antiquities at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. It's stolen hours spent at MOMA, Neue Gallery, The Cooper Hewitt, The Frick and far too many museums to name. A chilly overcast day is perfect for cozying up at John McWhinnie at Glenn Horowitz Bookseller (one of my favorite rare book shops) with a limited-edition art, photography or fashion book.

This weekend was a little different. Saturday was a glorious, sunny, sixty-five degrees. I'm keen on spending as much time outdoors as possible when the weather is nice. It felt good to pull on my Repettos and feel the sunshine on my feet. It was a nice reminder that spring is just around the corner.

Spring invokes the feeling of reawakening, throwing open the windows and pulling out familiar loved pieces. A special order for the always polished and elegant Virginie Dhello, this blouse from the legendary Charvet epitomizes my version of transitional spring dressing. This blouse is 100% cotton voile that’s similar to chambray fabric, but a touch more formal and features the sweet collar that I keep coming back to. It also has a secret monogram tucked away, which is so charming.

I’ve mentioned it before, but the made to measure cotton shirts at Charvet are perfection. Each shirt is made by a single employee.  Upon walking into the shop, a couple of years ago, the talented staff immediately realized exactly why I was having such difficulty finding shirts. It never hurts to flatter a girl with “you should consider tailoring and belting an oversized button down into a shirtdress.” Who knew?

We all know Sophia Coppola considers her Charvet shirts to be essentials and I have to agree. As my style grows and develops, the more appreciation I have for a few wonderful pieces that are my essentials. What are your wardrobe essentials for spring?

Switching Up

My Personal Photos 

3.1 Phillip Lim Silk Blouse, J. Crew Cropped Trousers, Manolo Blahnik Shoes, Tiffany & Co. Hand Engraved Bracelet

We all know that I love my skirts and dresses, but every once in a while I like to switch things up with a pair of trousers. There's something so sharp and smart about a pair of trousers that's tailored to perfection. Lately, I've come to appreciate the beauty in a pair of pants. What's prettier than a pair of pants billowing in the wind? I fall hard for beautiful clothes and silhouettes that look even prettier in motion. This little skirt (click link) is the perfect example.

I have been wearing these J. Crew pants nonstop. I found them hidden away deep on J.Crew.com. They feature so many things that I love- a touch of ankle, a fabric that's suitable year-round, a lining. A lining! When did properly lined clothing become such a novelty? I'm generally sized out of pants at J.Crew,  but l I knew these pants would be worth having my tailor rework. They're perfect for these fleeting transitional weeks. As soon as Fashion Week ended, New York had a very sudden taste of chilly weather. I wore these trousers with one of my favorite cashmere sweater jackets. This week has been warm and extremely humid, which calls for these trousers being paired with airy silk blouses. 

Here I'm wearing my trousers with a 3.1 Phillip Lim silk blouse that I picked up from the showroom shortly after Phillip Lim started his line. 3.1 Phillip Lim's Spring/Summer 2012 collection was one of my favorite shows of the week, however I'll always have a weak spot for his early collections. As Lim puts it, "3.1 is about clothes that refine instead of define. A refinement that's a bit classic in attitude, but imparts a sense of individual style, without looking or feeling forced. Confident, unidentifiable, chic and most of all effortless." I tend to gravitate to 3.1 for blouses and dresses that have a certain New York polish, but are also fashion forward or directional. I like that this blouse has subtle feminine details like the puffed sleeve, the front keyhole and ladylike peplum detail (this is not something I usually like, but it just works here). 

PS- My pumps are a very rich chocolate brown. I have a penchant for pairing rich brown with black and navy and black. 

Crisp

My Personal Photo

My Personal Photo

Brooks Brothers Tailored Fit Shirt

Crisp is the first word that comes to mind when I think about a white shirt. There's nothing like a tailored white shirt. That being said, I find dress shirts one of the hardest items to shop for. A white dress shirt is often regarded as the stalwart of a work wardrobe. I'm not devoted to those lists of wardrobe staples that every woman should own, but there's no ignoring the white dress shirt. 

When it comes to fit, I need a dress shirt that is cut extremely slim. I adore a slouchy white shirt, but a tailored silhouette doesn't swallow my frame. This shirt is perfect with its' slightly longer shirttails, traditional front placket, front and back darts, and single-button barrel cuffs. Perhaps what sold me on this shirt is that the sleeves hit my wrist at the perfect place. As any girl with long limbs knows there is nothing worse than having sleeves that are too short.

A white cotton button down was on my shopping list for some time. After finding the perfect white shirt some time ago, my search had to start from scratch when it was discontinued. Having exhausted my options I figured this might be an item that I have custom made. When I was in Hong Kong I was preoccupied with having the perfect silk shirt and trousers made. This shirt is sharp and versatile. Upon realizing what a great shirt this is, I promptly stocked up on a few. When something so simple is this good it's worth owning more than one.

PS- Does anyone else find button downs difficult to shop for?

Perfect Little Shirt

TFS

Over a year ago I came across the perfect white/ivory silk shirt that I couldn't stop thinking about. I have been endlessly searching for something similar ever since. The shirt drapes over the body ever so slightly. It's blousy, but not baggy. There is something about a silk shirt that is refined and sensual. Most importantly, the fabric is a heavy weight that allows for discrete coverage. My searches for silk shirts always ended in disappointment. 

The silk shirt offerings are always too sheer, too shiny or laden with awkward pockets. So rather than settle (I never settle), I saved this picture in my inspiration folder. Upon confirming my travel plans to Hong Kong my mind quickly turned (to be honest it raced) to having this shirt custom made. No trip to Hong Kong is complete without having a few bespoke items made. Hong Kong is known for having many of the world's best tailors. If you have ever owned a custom-made garment, you understand the joy of clothes crafted to fit your every measurement. Having arrived in Hong Kong on a Friday evening I was ready to hit the ground Monday morning. 

Soong Salon De Mode came highly recommended within the industry as an established tailor skilled at crafting garments from a picture. En route to Soong Salon De Mode I passed countless "24-hour tailors" and shop owners asking if I wanted a dress, suit or the shoes I was wearing copied. I was determined to find Soong Salon De Mode. I was instantly put at ease by Philip Cheng, who runs the business and gave me copies of Gap Press to read. I examined the craftsmanship of items awaiting pickup and could see that Philip and his team are talented. I also made sure to confirm that one tailor would be working with me throughout the entire process. For consistency purposes it is best if one tailor oversees the entire process. There were a couple of completed jackets that could have passed for Chanel. Confident that Philip could design my shirt I pulled out a copy of my inspiration image and explained my requirements. We talked about how I envisioned the sleeve, cuff and bottom of the shirt, fit and the weight of the fabric. Philip made a quick sketch of what my shirt would look like. We then turned our attention to fabric. We pulled all of the silk fabric in stock and decided on a heavy momme weight. The hardest decision I had to make was deciding upon the right color white or ivory. There were just so many different shades to consider.

It was then time for my measurements. Meticulous measuring is the mark of superior craftsmanship. We scheduled my first fitting for Wednesday morning. Two days later at my fitting I got a preview of my shirt. One side of the shirt was completed. I tried on the shirt to confirm that the length allowed me to wear it tucked in or out, the shoulders fit and sleeve length was perfect. Philip and his assistant carefully took many measurements again.  The delivery date for my shirts (I had more than one made) was set for Friday pending everything going well at my second fitting. Two fittings was more than sufficient. This shirt is PERFECTION. My shoulders are narrow and pointy, which Philip explained made getting the shoulders to fit perfectly an arduous task. The shirt is sporty with a touch of old Hollywood glamour. A feminine and elegant alternative to my more traditional button downs. My measurements, fabric swatches, sketches and inspiration image are saved under my customer record. Ordering another shirt is as simple as sending an email. 

What was most impressive was the craftsmanship, workmanship and sheer pride that everyone at Soong Salon De Mode has in their work. Tailors in Hong Kong are classically trained and best known for men's tailoring and garments with structure. Pictures just don't do this shirt justice. I would highly recommend a visit to Soong Salon De Mode. If you live in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago or New York, then you are in luck. Philip and Jack Chui are on a business tour during the month of May. Please email me if you are interested in scheduling an appointment. 

A FEW TAILORING TIPS:

* You get what you pay for. Assume that workmanship and fabric will match the price. As soon as you arrive in Hong Kong, visit established tailors and compare craftsmanship and price. 

* Be decisive about what you want. Bring samples- a favorite piece of clothing (I also had two of my favorite pairs of pants copied), sketches or photos. The clearer your  vision, the simpler the entire process will be. Hong Kong is best known for menswear or classic structured garments. Straying from this aesthetic could lead to disappointment. 

* Ask if the work is bespoke (made from scratch) or made-to-measure (based on existing patterns but handmade according to your measurements.

* Carefully consider fabrics. For me this was the most time consuming aspect of the process. You're getting a great deal on the workmanship, so it is worth it to consider splurging on a luxe fabric. Examine fabric on a large scale, as small swatches can be deceiving. When having an item copied, always choose a fabric similar to the original. 

* Be patient while your measurements are being taken. Try to stand as you normally would for the most accurate measurements.

* Be prepared to place a deposit on your piece. Your receipt should detail price, fabric (it should include a swatch), style, fitting schedule and production schedule.  

* There should be at least two fittings. The first for major alterations. Subsequent fittings are for small adjustments. That being said, you shouldn't settle for anything short of PERFECTION. Keep sending your item back until it is right. Bring the proper undergarments, shoes, etc to your fitting, so your tailor can get a true sense of how things will fit. Scrutinize every detail.

* Give your tailor at least a week turnaround time. 

* Enjoy the collaboration process.