The Spirit of the Sale

Jason Wu for TSE 

Usually, by mid-season I have my wardrobe down -- my uniform and my favorite pieces are set. If I haven't found something in particular that I was looking for, I've given up and moved on.  I tire of shopping.  Then the end of season sales start and I am reinvigorated. I love perusing the marked-down racks here and there and seeing if anything catches my fancy. Nothing specific, no pressure, just enjoyment. I always end up finding great pieces that I work into my wardrobe one way or another. 


Summer sales are the best.  So far I've done pretty well and bought pieces that I would not have necessarily considered otherwise and not necessarily because of the price: A Jason Wu for TSE striped cashmere sweater -- love it for all year round; a little Rebecca Taylor dress with a boho vibe; a short, satin-y, no-name tank dress; some tunics; a Chanel-like jacket for fall... and a few other pieces that have found their way into my closet. It's shopping for the fun of it.


Now, a little fashion break before we start planning for fall...

It's a Classic

In the midst of yet another icy/snowy winter day, all I can think about is spring, summer, beach, vacation -- just some shining sun! So I found myself searching online for resort destinations and the wardrobe to go with it. On my list is a new sailor top. This classic piece is a favorite of mine -- with dark or white denim jeans or shorts (and with cargos). Even with black leggings. It is also easily transitions from season to season. A must for every wardrobe. I love the way Net-a-Porter styled the above Rebecca Taylor sailor tee. Chic. And the bright bag provides the perfect contrast.

Some inspiration from the runways: Jason Wu (I like the idea of it under a blazer), Prada (a little extreme but I'm into the dark-and-bright combo) and Jil Sander (for summer entertaining maybe?).

The Saint James boatneck top is the original. Think Picasso. It's a little heavier than a basic tee -- nice for a cool beach afternoon.

J. Crew is probably where I will end up buying one. They have lots of casual, easy options.

On the J.Crew site, Lauren Hutton picked one as a favorite and she had an funny comment: "Wide stripes tend to make you look short and squat, so I always go for a skinny stripe." Makes sense! I usually go for a skinny stripe but never thought about why -- maybe this subconsciously was the reason! But the antiquated theory about stripes making you look fat seems off-base to me. In fact, a (skinny) striped top can actually do a nice job of camouflaging what's underneath (think post-baby belly).

This supercute Old Navy take on the classic is only $6. I love the yellow twist!

And of course, for my mini-me's... How completely cute! (From Crewcuts):