clearly navy is the only color i’m interested in wearing in 2016.  i found this gorgeous alaïa dress at a consignment shop in my neighborhood, with the tags still on.  when i tried it on and it fit perfectly without alterations, i knew it was coming home with me.

i have never tried on, let alone owned, an article of clothing that was made with such integrity.  the pleats are so precise and heavy, but at the same time make me want to twirl.  and the jersey is so thick yet comfortable, so i can look good and feel good all day.  i can’t believe the entire dress – even the dentelle – is constructed out of jersey.

now that we are officially in the midst of winter here in nyc, i have been relying prettily heavily on my sweater collection to get me through the week.  my skin gets incredibly dry and itchy in the cold, so i need sweaters that are either 100% cotton, 100% wool, or as a luxury, 100% cashmere.

true cashmere freaks swear by a few choice brands (chanel, loro piana, brunnello cucinelli), but those prices are out of the question for me.    i’ve tried a lot of brands that are much cheaper (though some are admittedly not cheap), and i thought i should do a round-up of how they have held up over the years.

vince (top right):  this sweater is just okay.  even on sale, vince cashmere is pretty expensive.  the softness is okay, but the sweater still pills like crazy.  plus, after a few wears, i don’t feel like this looks as plush or as high-quality as some of my other sweaters.

j.crew factory (middle right):  my j.crew factory cardigan is the best quality cashmere i have gotten from j.crew as of late.  i can’t stand the j.crew featherweight cashmere (just asking for holes), and i haven’t found much of the regular j.crew cashmere to be thick or as soft as i want.  plus, it is regularly over $100 for a sweater. i think this cardigan came in at about $50 on sale, and it is a true workhorse for me in my freezing office.  i would say the pill factor is pretty average, though it still looks as plush as the day i bought it.

demylee for j.crew (bottom right):  this is probably my favorite sweater in terms of quality and price point.  the full price is very expensive, but as j.crew does, it got marked down to about 70% off before i took the plunge.  the cashmere is soft and thick, and i haven’t seen much pilling.  the navy has not bled onto the white, and every time i wear this, it feels like i am wearing a great big cashmere hug.

eric bompard (top and bottom left):  these are the newest to my collection, and also the most expensive.  these sweaters are not as soft as my j.crew cardigans but they feel much thicker and don’t pill as much.  plus i love the various design options that really elevate these sweaters into something fancy enough to wear for dinner or to dress up with a pencil skirt for work.  the fitted gray pointelle pictured above looks great with a gray pencil skirt (ala my style idol rachel zane below), and this navy and lace does just as well with a black skirt.

SUITS — “Heartburn” Episode 314 — Pictured: Meghan Markle as Rachel Zane — (Photo by: Ian Watson/USA Network/NBCU Photo Bank)

isabel marant (middle left):  although isabel marant is my homegirl, as you can see from my collection, i don’t think her cashmere sweaters are worth the price.  while they are undeniably soft, this sweater is pretty thin and pills like crazy.  plus, i think it has stretched out to a weird shape.

happy new year everyone!  i hope you had a wonderful holiday season and are as excited about 2016 as i am.  i’ve sat out most of the holiday sales, trying to save some money and keep my closet as clutter-free as possible.  although perhaps not the most exciting purchases, i did buy the two navy items below to fill some holes in my wardrobe.

the navy pants are by joseph.  they have been on my wishlist forever, and i finally found the perfect pair on sale on yoox.com.

the navy peacoat is billy reid, of course.  i love the shearling trim under the collar.  and the material is so soft i want to sleep in it.

what, your coats don’t have a leather pocket inside?
or a silk striped pocket?  

after i made my fall shopping list, i realized i forgot one important item – another cocktail dress.  i used to have exactly one cocktail dress in my closet, a black lace number that was a workhorse for me last year.  i wore it at every wedding and fancy event, and while it is lovely, i have been on the lookout for one more to add to the rotation.

although i kept an open mind on my search, my only specification for the dress was that it couldn’t be black.  as much as black dresses are a staples for city girls, i wanted something a bit different but just as useful.

i was at nordstorm rack buying a last minute tie for my boyfriend, and i spotted this number on the sale rack.  i tried it on, it fit like a dream without alterations, and i wore it to a wedding upstate that evening.

this is definitely one of those pieces that i love looking at in my closet.  the detailing is so lovely (and flattering!), and that shade of purple…

as i think more about the pieces i want to bring into my life, i love the idea of something made just for me.  i love how men can get custom suits and shirts made quite easily with their names and initials on them, and always wished there were more options for personalization for women.

when i was in paris, the favorable dollar/euro exchange rate had me eyeing a new handbag purchase, and i ended up coming home with this beauty.

the goyard artois bag is a bit smaller (and sturdier) than the brand’s st. louis bag, and only comes personalized.  because of this, the personalization only takes a few days, instead of a few weeks.  i choose red lettering to match the red stitching, and it gives me such a thrill every time i reach into the bag.

my previous shopping lists have helped keep me focused when adding items to my closet, so i created a short one for this fall.

the navy pants are still on there – i haven’t found the perfect fit.  you can see that the rest of the items are pretty classic, yet i was still missing them from my closet.  for many years, i just bought what caught my eye, instead of thinking about what worked with pieces i actually had.

i went up to cape cod for a long weekend last month, and i tried to pack as little as humanly possible.  here is what made the final cut:

{from top center, clockwise:  billy reid men’s button down (also works as a beach coverup), j.crew pleated skirt (purchased for $20!), j.crew matchstick jeans (also $20), nike yoga capris and running shorts, 3 target cotton t-shirts, eres bathing suit, green anthropologie dress, gray isabel marant cardigan, 4 pairs of underwear, 2 sports bras, and 2 regular bras).  in the center is a pink equipment silk shirt.}

the clothes were chosen for their versatility and ability to make several outfits.  i.e. pink shirt + white skirt, black tee + white skirt, pink shirt + jeans + gray cardigan, etc.  one cotton shirt and the nike shorts/capris were used for sleeping, but could also double as activewear for outdoor activities.
i wore the superga flats on the way.  the beaded sandals were for any slightly dressier occasion, and the flip flops were restricted to the beach.