Robin's Ribbon

At a Memorial Day party this weekend I was loving Robin's red and white ribbon. She wrapped it around her waist over a plain navy T and white a-line linen skirt. A floppy navy hat topped off the look. It was simple, patriotic and chic. The ribbon itself was medium width, sort of floppy and not overly perfect, which made the look even more charming.

I've also seen a plain black silk ribbon used to make a necklace out of a silver charm bracelet. Or try light pink or light blue ribbon with a gold bracelet, shown here.

Another girlfriend, Melissa, sported a red ribbon watchband this weekend. Apparently the watch came with interchangeable ribbons. She mentioned she got it at Gracious Living Design Studio, Pelham, NY. I thought it would be a fun idea to make your own band, perhaps using a vintage watch. Stick with more sophisticated colors, for me, no poka dots or green and pink stripes, bit too "Babs," if you know what I mean.

Always on the look out for creative and unexpected ways to enjoy girly things, like ribbons...

45 to 54, Buying Fashion, Online

There is a great article in the style section of the Wall Street Journal today by Christina Binkley, The Forgotten Market Online: Older Women. According to Binkley most online clothing shoppers are women over 35 but fashion sites seem to be targeting a younger age group. Binkley sites StyleCaster amongst others. If I were to poll my friends and clients, I'm almost certain they would agree that some fashion websites and blogs do make them feel like they are crossing a velvet rope, stepping into a night club resonating with house music, when they'd rather be having a quiet cocktail at The King Cole Bar, NYC.

I think Nordstrom does a nice job of catering to older women who shop online, but really, can we just stop saying "older women." I like, stylish women with purchasing power, access, knowledge and confidence. My clients have all been over 35. They are mostly crunched for time, but they usually enjoy shopping and that is why "environmental" department store sites–sites that make you feel as if you are in the store or a spectator at a runway show, sometimes work well for them.

It helps, no, it's critical, to know just what you're after, before shopping online. That is something my clients discover though the styling service I offer at MyStylist. I also shop with clients as many stylists do. Once armed with a good list of purchases to optimize their wardrobe, clients may rely on a personal shopping service provided by a store or a good and honest friend. BUT, be wary of a "good friend." They are either good and not too honest, or they are honest and not too good! I really think it is best to higher an honest professional.

To blog about clogs...

Last week a client had a pair of light blue suede clogs in her closet. When she suggested them for a particular outfit we were working on, I thought she was joking. I mean shouldn't clogs be relegated to gardens, kitchens and hospitals? Hers were cute, but I thought she had them only to wear very casually as slip ons around the house or quick footwear to walk the dog. Eventually, I put together a stylish outfit that looked great with the unexpected addition of her clogs, I thought, okay, I think I need a pair of these.

I like the ones that are sort of fun without being childish or ridiculous. In last month's Oprah Magazine, The O Pick, featured patterned ones that almost fit the bill from Cape Clogs, but they're a little juvenile. They'd be great for my 12-year-old.

If I was feeling really playful and needing attention, they'd be great for me!

Who would have thought that Palm Springs would be home to Clogwild. This store gets close to the clogs I'm after, but I still would like them without the strap over the top, which to me screams, "I'm nothing but a clog."

Always looking for an opportunity to shop abroad, this clog musing makes me think of a romantic "pre wedding ring" trip I took to Amsterdam with my now husband. There were plenty of tourist stores featuring Dutch clogs or klompen. I didn't get any for myself, again, too silly. But I'd like to have another crack at shopping in Amsterdam. I think I'd stay at the same place too, The Seven Bridges Hotel, a 300 years old canal house, a sweet hotel which made me feel like I fell into a Vermeer painting.

Roar!

I'm seeing a lot of animal prints these days... Not so much on the streets, but in mags. I think it takes guts to wear them well, and some forethought. Here are some rules incase you want to head for the jungle. And I suggest you do!

• Pick one thing, and only one thing, to wear at a time in animal print. Wearing more than one animal print can look like a safari gone terribly wrong.
• Do not wear colored animal prints. If you can't find it in nature, you shouldn't find it in your closet!
• Go easy on accessories. Choose bigger pieces that overpower the print, essentially putting a larger accessory on top of a smaller print, or vise-versa. You don't want both the print and the accessory to be the same scale.
• Some things just don't work in animal print: pants, leggings, most knits, sheets!
• Choose good fabrics, silks, leather–I like faux pony skin jackets, especially in Utah.
• Be careful of the "Married to the Mob" look. Simple is always better. Wear your print without chewing gum or big hair...

Photo: WSJ, Ask Teri, Lafayette 148 New York