Sporty Lady

Sporty style continues strong this season, but you don't have to dress like a tomboy to embrace it. We office ladies always strike for the balance between being classy and sassy. That's exactly why I fell head-to-toe with this elegant DVF knit dress. Its body-con silhouette and high neckline are both office appropriate and feminine, yet nothing says "sporty" like those high contrast scuba inspired stripes. Step into a pair of fashion sneakers or booties, and you've got a perfect feminine outfit with a sporty spin.

BTW I've been thinking of posting this recent purchase from Saks for a while. Unfortunately we've been back to winter-ish temperature recently. Now the dress is sold out. Blame this brutal winter, please!
 

Dress: Diane von Furstenberg Josephine Contrast-Trimmed Body-Con Dress
Silk scarf: bought in Vienna, Austria
Polka dot stockings: bought at Taobao in China

Bir...Bir...Birkin!

爱收藏包包的女人不可能不知道birkin。要说birkin贵，其实也不尽然，现在一只小香包也差不多是birkin三分之一的价格了，而且birkin比小香要结实耐用许多。如果根养房子养孩子比，就更不算什么了，曼哈顿几个月的daycare（还不包括饮食）就够一个birkin。在很多人看来，birkin的地位主要在于它的难买，而我研究的结论则是，birkin的购买本身就有很多窍门。因为价格不菲货源难求，买一只称心如意的birkin是需要花一番心思的。

我今天来分享一下自己购买birkin的一些体会。

颜色。有些人买包的时候只要是有现货就买，不太看重自己的喜好，可是我觉得这是很个人的问题，需要好好考虑，毕竟买一只包很不容易。很多人喜欢鲜艳的颜色，尤其是喜欢爱马仕的标志性的橘红色。其实，根据爱马仕店员的信息，黑色是最难买到的。为什么呢？因为birkin皮质优异制作精良，其实是很好的上班包（我在金融区工作，经常看到拿birkin穿pant suit的女人排队买午饭），这跟大部分小香包的主要用途是不一样的。既然是everyday bag，就不能太招摇。黑色 灰色 棕色 金色（他家管米粽色叫gold），这些低调中性的颜色一来不那么耀眼，二来容易搭配上班的衣服，都是很好的选择。如果是第一只birkin，我个人倾向于买这类低调耐脏的颜色。金属件要么金色要么银色，就没有那么多讲究了。

大小。常见的birkin有30, 35, 40这三个尺寸。像我这样的小个子，拿着30和35都很好看，但是40就太大了。170以上的姑娘，可以在35和40间选择。难怪35是最流行的大小，在二手市场上，35也是最好卖的。不过，30和40更容易在店里买到，因为需求量相对较小。

皮质。这是个很复杂的问题，birkin的皮质选择比小香要多得多，我来多说几句。

我有十来只小香，但是没有一个是用来上班的，一个是因为经典好看的小香普遍偏小，装不了我的那许多宝贝，一个则是因为小香皮质普遍比较娇气。我日常主要背的是Louis Vuitton或者Coach的布包 -- 大妈我年纪大了，不在乎别人看我背logo包有什么想法，就图它们个大轻巧防水耐磨，那个shi黄shi黄的颜色，买来也没多新，用几年也没多旧。但是birkin是著名的workhorse，又能装又耐用，如果你选对了皮质的话，用上10年20年也依旧挺括好看，跟新的差不多（除了边角稍有磨损以外）。大家看过“花儿与少年”吧？如果小香包是许晴，那么birkin包就是刘涛，前者是用来看的，后者是拿来用的。

除开死贵的exotic skin（比如鳄鱼皮），birkin用的主要是牛皮和山羊皮。我见过很多赞美chevre（山羊皮）的，据说比牛皮更轻，但是我个人没有见过实物，应该比较少见。更常见的是用山羊皮做内胆，用牛皮做外层。-- birkin都是里外全皮，所以比较重。

牛皮又分为两大类，一种是textured leather，也就是有纹路的，一种是smooth leather，也就是光面的。如果你跟我一样，希望物尽其用，尽量多用这只包，那么，我建议把选择缩小到texutred leather里面，因为光面皮更容易有划痕，用用就显得旧了。最常见的光面皮是box，建议避免。

Textured leather里面，有的是天然纹路，有的是人工纹路，品种又有许多。最常见的是togo, clemence, epsom 和 fjord。这几个皮里面，epsom比较轻和挺，不容易软塌塌，但是手感不如另外几个厚软可爱。fjord不怕水，也有很多人喜欢，但是似乎是这几个里面最重的一种。Clemence这种皮非常软，手感巨可爱，但是用了几年以后包就渐渐塌了，空包站不住，尤其是大包，我觉得更适合爱马仕别的款型，比如Lindy就更适合用软皮做。Togo呢，比epson手感好，比fjord轻，比clemence挺，也比较容易排到，但是togo容易有vein，是皮子的天然纹理，找到一个没有vein的togo皮包也是很不容易的。

总之选皮子，是比选颜色大小要伤脑筋的事情。有兴趣研究的话，可以看看网上的信息，比如这篇和这篇。

Dress: DVF (also like this, this, this)

Wool coat: Marni

Brooch: Swarovski (also seen in this outfit)

Handbag: Hermes Birkin 35

Sunglasses: Karen Walker Super Duper Strength

Booties: VC Signature by Vince Camuto

DVF Selene Ruched Silk Jersey Dress

Yet another DVF dress. Compared to the New Della dress seen in my previous post, Selene has a looser fit around the waist -- New Della has a tie at the side and you can achieve a more fitted look by adjusting the tie. However, Selene still fits well and makes a perfect shift dress that is low-key, professional and feminine. The silk jersey is stretchy and comfortable as usual. Here I picked the more conservative color "Jungle Diamond" for office. It goes really well with a black blazer and a pair of bronze heels.

Dress: DVF Selene Ruched Silk Jersey Dress in Jungle Diamond
Sunglasses: Karen Walker Super Duper Strength
Pumps: Stuart Weitzman

Shopaholic's Report

Here is a quick review of some pieces I tried or purchased recently.

Net-a-porter is running a big sale, and I received two gigantic boxes last night. Fortunately and unfortunately, not everything fits! Here are some of the items I like: 

1 - KARL LAGERFELD April stretch cotton-blend blazer in IT 38. Nice cut. Slim and long. Not the best material, but worth the price. 

2 - KARL LAGERFELD April stretch cotton-blend skinny pants in IT 38. Again, nice cut. Being matching pants of #1, they go virtually with everything.

3 - HELMUT LANG Slit-back stretch-knit dress in XS. I never say no to a LBD that fits perfectly, and I like the subtle sexiness of the slit-back design. It's a perfect from-office-to-dinner dress. Of course, you need a blazer or cardigan in the office. 

4 - MASON BY MICHELLE MASON Leather-paneled stretch-jersey mini dress in XS. Another LBD. Loose, casual and conservative silhouette with some edge from the leather panel. Perfect for office days. The only concern is maintenance. Because the panel is made of super soft lamb skin, you need to take it to professional leather specialist. Your regular dry cleaner may not be able to handle it. 

5 - PREEN LINE Ives stretch-cotton peplum blazer in XS. If you think peplum is out, think again. Classic silhouette comes and goes. Stocking up a well fitted blazer at bargain price always makes sense. With this color, this fit, these details and this price, this blazer is definitely a keeper for me. This blazer fits snug. Size up if you have wide shoulders or a couple of extra pounds around your waist.  

6 - ZOE KARSSEN Wild Boys jersey top in XS. Relaxed fit. Super soft and comfortable.

I can easily make quite a few outfits just out of these six pieces: 1+2, 1+3, 1+4, 2+5, 2+6, 3+5, 4+5... Yes, that covers a full week! I've tried all these combinations, and they all look good. 

Items I don't like: 

7 - MCQ ALEXANDER MCQUEEN Satin-trimmed cady tuxedo-style dress in IT 38. This tuxedo dress is cool, but its cut is off. The front is cut too low and too revealing. Since all the buttons are fixed and decorative, I see no way of fixing it.

8 - VIVIENNE WESTWOOD ANGLOMANIA Rosha printed silk jacket in IT 38. I only have one word to describe it: nightmare. Look at the pictures and see how it fits the model. Sloppy and wrinkled, right? OK, it wrinkles even more on me. 

I'm also hunting for a pair of heeled sandals. This season, I'm looking for simple design and color block. Don't ask me why. I happen to be in this bright springy mood. So I ordered 4 pairs of sandals from net-a-porter. Unfortunately they are all going back.  

9 - ACNE STUDIOS Tillie croc-effect leather sandals in IT 36. This is the best pair of the four. I love its soft leather and neutral color. The 100 mm heels are incredibly comfortable for the height. Unfortunately size 36 is too big for me. 

10 - CHRISTOPHER KANE Elastic-paneled matte-leather slingbacks in IT 35. Love its design and color. But the heels are killing me!

11 - NICHOLAS KIRKWOOD Color-block woven, suede and leather sandals in IT 35. If you're following my blog, you might have noticed that I'm a big fan of Nicholas Kirkwood shoes. This pair is simply chic and beautiful. And the 70 mm heels are perfect for walking. I could run for my train in these. But the distribution of weight is off. The heels are too heavy and the front is too light. As a result, I literally have to lift the heels and it rubs the back of my ankle with every step I take. Yes, I love its color combo, mixed texture and stylish heels, but not to the extent of shedding my precious blood. 

12 - PIERRE HARDY Striped elaphe, leather and suede sandals in FR 35. I have a pair of Pierre Hardy color block sandals and I love them. So I had very high expectation of this pair. Unfortunately this pair doesn't like me! To be honest, I didn't even put them on because ... I was not able to! The zippers were stuck, on both shoes! Bummer...

OK. Now you probably see how picky I am with shoes. I have to say: shoes are just like your man; only you know whether you've found your perfect pair or not. Take your time! :)

Some other pieces I've got recently:

13 - DVF Selene Ruched Silk Jersey Dress In Jungle Diamond in 0. Office appropriate. Perfect fit. Neutral color. Good price.

14 - A DVF wrap dress I can no longer find online. It is of this New Julian Two style and this Ink Leopard Simple Pink color. 

15 - Color Pop Embroidered Tunic dress by Chloe Oliver in XSP from Anthropologie. I bought it a while ago at full price and took it with me to Central Europe. Unfortunately the weather was too cold and I had no chance of wearing it. It's very breezy and comfortable. The beaded panels on the side are fabulous. Now it's on sale! Note: Its lining is tight on the chest. Size up if you are busty. I wear the smallest size in almost all brands, but the XXSP one did not fit me. I could put it on, and it looked OK in the mirror, but I could barely breathe. 

16 - Matilde Dress in size 2, black & white from Anthropologie. Classic fit-and-flare dress in comfortable stretchy fabric and springy polka dot print. Bra friendly. Another piece that traveled with me to Europe and came back unused. :)

17 - JCrew Vintage Denim Jacket in Patina Wash in XS. Denim jacket is back, and I've been hunting for one in light wash that is complementary to my dark DVF denim jacket. This one is the answer: soft fabric, light wash, cropped fit, classic no-fussy style, clean cut. 

18 - JCrew Denim Western Shirt in Pale Indigo in size 0. Lighter than a denim jacket and thicker than a cotton blouse, a denim shirt is always handy on a breezy summer evening walk. 

Now I know I have established the reputation of shopaholic on the blog... Well, hope you all have a happy shopping season! :)

DVF Memorial Day Sale

Ladies, DVF has extra 30% off on all sale items with code SUMMER30! Do you have any items on your wish list?

It so happens that today I'm in DVF in and out, both from previous seasons. This brand knows women's body. Both their dresses and jackets are my brainless go-to options on a lazy day like this.

On a side note: for those who like my Juicy Couture black and white polka dot skirt in this outfit, I suggest a trip to Banana Republic. They have a polka dot dress in a similar silhouette and pattern. See how Wendy styles it here.They even carry those jumbo polka dots to ballet flats! So cute... I would get that dress if it were not strapless... Sigh!

Denim jacket: DVF

Dress: DVF (more fit-n-flare dresses on sale: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5)

Sunglasses: Karen Walker

Scarves: Madewell

Heels: Fendi

DVF New Della Silk Jersey Shift Dress

Shift dress is one of the most office-friendly dresses in summer: simple, elegant, and with just the perfect amount of coverage. DVF has updated this officelady classic with stretchy silk jersey and urban chic prints. This New Della dress in python prints is both feminine and professional, soft and wild. Plus, it's now on sale! If you are familiar with DVF sizes, this dress is true to size. On a rainy morning, I picked a pair of old pumps in nude color, threw my Burberry trench coat over the dress, and I was ready to hit the road.

Yesterday's leg workout is killing me. I could barely get up this morning, and THAT makes me feel awesome... Weird, isn't it? Have a good weekend!

Dress: DVF New Della Silk Jersey Shift Dress in Python Medium Camo
Shoes: Cynthia Rowley

Wrap the Sunshine

A well-fitted wrap dress is a must-have for female professionals. Usually made of comfortable stretchy materials, wrap dresses tend to hug the female body in the right places and hide all the imperfections under its drape. And Diane von Furstenberg has made her name on wrap dresses. Wiki says:

Although it is often claimed that Diane von Fürstenberg 'invented' the wrap dress in 1972/73, Richard Martin, the curator of the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, noted that the form of von Fürstenberg's design had already been "deeply embedded into the American designer sportswear tradition," with her choice of elastic, synthetic fabrics distinguishing her work from earlier wrap-dresses. Wrap-dresses had been designed by Elsa Schiaparelli in the 1930s, and Claire McCardell in the 1940s, whose original 'popover' design became the basis for a variety of wrap-around dresses.

The von Fürstenberg interpretation of the wrap dress, knee-length, in clinging jersey, with long sleeves, was so popular and so distinctive that the style has generally become associated with her. She has stated that her divorce inspired the design, and also suggested it was created in the spirit of enabling women to enjoy sexual freedom. There has even been a book dedicated entirely to von Fürstenberg's wrap dresses.

Wow, I have to admit that I didn't think that much! Freedom and liberation! All I know is, it looks both feminine and professional... :)

Wrap dress: Diane von Furstenberg Julian silk jersey wrap dress (current season)
Pumps: Nicholas Kirkwood two tone patent leather block heel pump
Sunglasses: Karen Walker Super Duper Strength in black

Metallic Blue Leather Pumps

这个星期忙坏了累坏了。天天穿得人模狗样的，不是在工作，就是在跟人吃饭喝酒喝咖啡。说话说得都抑郁了，现在别提说话了，连打字都觉得累。抽空还是拍了张。

金属色的鞋子这两年很流行，我改天写个长点的慢慢唠叨。这双电蓝色的Max Kibardin是2009年买的，现在怕是不好找这颜色了呢，不得不佩服自己当年超前的眼光，哈哈~~~

裙子是DVF的，也有两三年历史了，当初路过UWS那家Barney's分店的时候在橱窗里看到，顿时不能自拔，赶紧推门进去就买了。虽然我算DVF的大粉，也有不少她家的裙子，这么一见钟情的情况还是不多见的。她家的衣服简直是妇女之友，挂在架子上一般般，穿在身上效果尤其好，说通俗点，就是屁股是屁股，腰是腰，胸是胸，没有半点含糊的。

西装是Gucci家的，用料裁剪做工没有啥好多说的，flawless。。。贵是贵了点儿，但是很值。钱多了发烧的时候，不能老是烧包包，烧件经典的衣服也还是不错的。据我个人的观察，男人真不在意女人的包包，但是会注意女人的衣服和鞋子。

Beautiful blue pumps are hard to find. So when you see a hot pair, snag ‘em! I got these Max Kibardin pointy pumps in Saks Fifth Avenue five years ago. And right now, they are super in!  Featuring metallic blue leather and a unique diagonal ankle strap, it fits in the metallic shoes trend, and stands out with its fabulous color and details. At 3 inches, the heel is the perfect height — high enough but not so high that it’s uncomfortable. I literally run in these pumps to catch buses / trains.

On a side note, Saks has stopped carrying Max Kibardin and many emerging avant garde designers since a couple of years ago, which, IMO, explains why it gradually lost ground to other luxury department stores. To position itself as a luxury flagship, it needs to carry some hard-to-find brands and items with the wow effect. I haven't been to Saks in the past year as fewer and fewer items could catch my eyes in recent years. Now that it is under the new management heading by Marigay McKee who was poached from Harrods (my one and only favorite store in London), I am waiting to see its revamp and return to more risk-taking designers, such as Max Kibardin.

The fuchsia dress is from DVF, bought from Barney's a couple of years ago. Every woman loves DVF dresses. They tend to hug your body in the right way. This dress, in particular, stroke me with its vibrant color and body hugging fit when I was walking by Barney's window with my BFF. It was love at the first sight, and today our relationship still works like magic.

Blazers from Gucci are simply flawless. Top material, clean cut, and impeccable hand work. This one is no exception. We women tend to splurge on designer bags. But don't overlook your cloths and shoes. A wise investment goes a long way. This blazer costs less than many designer handbags... How much is the Chanel 2.55 reissue now?  Would someone please kindly remind me... :)

Grey wool blazer: Gucci
Fuchsia bandage dress: Diane von Furstenberg
Electric blue metallic leather pumps: Max Kibardin

Fuchsia Power in Office

概要

经常有人要我贴平时办公室穿的衣服，可是真没什么好贴的，我在办公室里穿得很规矩的，黑白灰米，各种中性的颜色，普通的款式，不敢太夸张。另外，办公室里人那么多，照个像也不容易。

不过，最近发现了一个空的没有人用的办公室，我可以悄悄的溜进去，掐一张，再不声不响的溜出来。

今天穿了件很鲜艳的DVF jacket，在这个寒冷潮湿的漫长冬季，明亮的颜色让我心情一亮！早上起来没时间多想，随手抓了一身黑。其实fuchsia这个颜色很好配。除了黑色以外，跟很多蓝色都非常和谐，baby blue，powder blue，navy blue，cobalt blue都好。还可以配灰色，米白色，驼色，各种深浅的smoky rose，甚至浅浅的薄荷色。只要搭配的颜色不去抢fuchsia的风头，你就不会看起来跟个万花筒似的招摇过市。大家不妨也试试？

在办公室里，你喜欢穿什么＂出格＂的颜色呢？

Tired of business dress code? All you need is a pop of color! 

I work in a boring industry that people blink at anything less than business casual. Neutral colors dominate my wardrobe and I don't have much room to maneuver. That said, I do throw in a pop of color whenever I'm in the mood, like today -- when I feel sick of this prolonged wet winter, I...pop! 

Fuchsia (or magenta, whatever name you prefer) is one of my favorite colors. Vibrant and cheerful, exuberant yet feminine, it really makes a woman's skin glow. I truly believe it goes with all skin tones.  

Here I paired this DVF jacket with an otherwise all black outfit. Just a safe  five-second decision I made in the morning rush. Fuchsia usually blends well with all kinds of blues, from baby blue, powder blue, to navy blue, cobalt blue. It also goes well with gray, ivory, camel, different shades of smoky rose, and even light mint. As long as the other color is muted, you won't look like a pack of skittles. :) 

What is your favorite crazy color in office?