Hedging my edge, or, What I Wore Today

Sometimes I feel like a fashion blogger. Well, except for my inability to take a decent picture of myself, and the fact that I don't have six closets bulging with size 00 crappe from Forever XXI and J. Crew. But bear with me, for I feel all fashionbloggertastic today.

For church, and coffee afterwards with friends.

I'm wearing a two-year-old white cotton Lafayette 148 shirt (similar); a Tory Burch Simone merino cardigan; a new leather and ponte patchwork skirt by Worth; Donna Karan tights; so-ancient-they're-vintage Ferragamo black suede Mary Janes.

Here's another shot of the skirt from the Worth website:

Their copy says the addition of fabric to the leather softens the skirts and stops it from being to edgy and confrontational. I agree with the sentiment, because patchwork is so very preppy, whereas black leather is not. (It's not, right? Please don't tell me it is, because here I am thinking I'm being so cool.) However, at those prices, you'd think they could hire better copywriters.

You see, I mock, but I don't disagree. I do like to think that the patchwork hedges my edginess.

Here's a close-up of the shoes:

These are probably 20 years old. They're black suede with thin strips of patent trim. The heel is suede, too, and is chunky without being overly clunky. They're Ferragamo, and prove that there's more to the brand than low-heeled tuxedo pumps (not that there's anything wrong with low-heeled tuxedo pumps, she added hastily.) But these are the Ferragamo that occasionally does something interesting. Not regurgitating endless renditions of the same style, but not being in the fashion vanguard, either. These shoes weren't in style when they came out, and 20 years later, they still haven't been. I just like their semi-retro vibe. they're got kind of a 1920s look, but the heel is too high. Anyway, I've always liked them, and I enjoy taking them out of their box every now and then. And let's face it; even if I only wear them twice a year, they've got to be fantastic quality to have held up so well for all these years.

To go out, I added my short black leather Brooks Brothers trench and the inevitable Pop of Color.

I've explained how ill-at-ease I am with a single Pop of Color. Today I added an Hermes bangle (eBay) with a touch of purple in it. And heaved a sigh of relief that my Dior nail polish (Poison) is a very deep purple, thus achieving my all-important Rule of Three.

In the afternoon I changed out of the skirt and heels because I was going to be touring the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with my son. We also toured the city, and posed for pictures with Pounce, the UWM mascot.

Tory Burch Rosemary black knit pants over Jimmy Choo Youth motorcycle boots.

When I got home from Milwaukee, I realized that I'd been so busy, all I had eaten was two lattes and a pear!

Needless to say, I rectified that situation immediately with some chicken cacciatore, crusty bread, and red wine.

What I Wore Today

I had an appointment at my hair salon first thing this morning, and 10 minutes before I was due to leave, I was running around like a chicken with her head cut off. I couldn't find any jeans, so I grabbed a pair of black knit Tory Burch pants that I bought recently.

I wanted to wear a black t-shirt because Lord knows I don't want to anyone to get hair dye on a white shirt.

Then I realized that I was wearing all black, right down to the motorcycle boots and black jacket.

To avoid looking like Brando in The Wild One, I wanted to add something colorful like, say, my violet colored Tory Burch Simone cardigan.

But then I thought it would look stupid because everything else I was wearing was black.  So I added my trusty J. Crew statement necklace, to bring in some plummy tones.

Usually, when I add a color to an outfit, I use the rule of three. One item in a color looks random (on me; it looks great on you! I swear!) Two looks contrived. Odd numbers are better. Three is best.

But then, as I got ready to go outside, topping everything with my black leather jacket but adding mulberry colored wrist worms and my purple Prada purse, I realized I had gone beyond the Rule of Three to full-on Moby Grape.

Once I got outside, though, I realized that it wasn't my fault. It was nature.

 We just happened to share a color scheme today.

What I Wore Today

Worth Coffee Bean ponte laser cut dress and Tsubo Mary Janes (similar)

Today I was up at 5:45 so I could get to the gym for a 7:00 workout with Terri (In case you're in the market, that's Terri Ellman at LifeTime Fitness in Skokie, Illinois.) As you can see, the midriff bulge hasn't gone anywhere yet. This dress is a size 14. A very fitted size 14.

Really, it's snug enough that it's almost vulgar. If I weren't planning on losing more weight, I'd size up just so I wouldn't have to remember to suck. in. my. stomach. every. single. second. Instead, I'm congratulating myself that at the rate I'm losing weight (about half a pound a week) it will actually fit and look OK by spring. Without Spanx. And that's allowing for the amount of eating and drinking I indulge in over the holidays.

I wanted to show you the fun laser cut back. Hello, hipster glasses!

I wore this with some two-year-old Tsubo color-blocked Mary Janes.

I carried my crazy tie-dyed cashmere shawl to ward off any chilliness

as well as my giant purple Prada purse

for the all-important Style Blogger's Pop Of Color. And an alliterative one, at that.

I also wore sheer hose (I know, I know, very old lady. But trust me; you don't want to see my veins.)

I'm wearing Chanel's Malice on my nails.

My picture will never do this polish justice, so here is one from The Beauty Look Book

Malice is their holiday 2012 polish shade, and it's absolutely gorgeous--a blackened red with subtle micro-glitter. It's sort of like OPI's I'm Not Really a Waitress, except vampier and micro-glittery rather than frosty. If you like vampy nail polish shades, you'll love this red. It's very wearable--definitely not Christmas-y.

I love it with a hard, gem-like flame and might even buy a back-up bottle.

For want of a nail

Right around the time we start thinking about wearing sandals in Chicago, I managed to drop a toolbox on my left foot, and gave myself an owie on my big toe.

The results were just as unattractive as you'd think. I had quite a bit of bruising, and I broke my big toenail. It looked ghastly. It's better now, but I'm off pedicures and sandals and all that wonderful summer stuff until it's  grown out. Toenails grow really slowly, and I'm expecting to make it all the way through the summer without wearing sandals. At least, when I'm trying to look good.

It hardly seems fair. Here I am, not even half way through my fifties, and I've discovered another body part that, out of consideration for my fellow man, really should be covered up.

I mean, it's not like I was looking for work as a foot model, but my feet were OK. People didn't point and stare. But now my toes have joined my upper arms, thighs, buttocks, etc., etc., as body parts that must remain hidden, if only out of politeness.

And I've discovered something. What they always say is true; your shoes really do determine your outfit.

I went through my summer shoes and discovered that they're pretty much all open-toed. I have some pumps and slingbacks that would work for summer, but I didn't have anything that would work with casual pants.

I started shopping. I looked for ballerina slippers, because that was the one closed-toe shoe I could think of that wouldn't be hot or heavy looking. I got some subtle, non-logo-centric Tory Burch ones

and some loud, logo-rific Chanel ones

and these Prada driving shoes, but in beige.

But when I got my new loot home, I realized I didn't have anything to wear with them. My new flats looked completely stupid with every single pair of  pants I own (except--maybe--the bronze woven Tory Burch ones with my cargo pants rolled up.) The rest were all too long and too wide for flat shoes.

So I bought some skinny jeans. I know. Skinny jeans and Poppy shouldn't appear in the same sentence. But you can't wear ballerina flats with bootcuts. Your pants can be cropped, straight, or skinny, but not flared.

I also bought a pair of J. Crew Minnie cropped pants. They're OK. (Actually, they're J. Crew's most popular style. But on me, they're just OK.)

So here I am, with three pairs of shoes, two pairs of pants, and nothing to wear.

Stupid toenail! Grow! So I can wear my sandals.

Instead of using a crystal ball, I just check out the Prada runway.

Recently, in a comment about my post on the rebirth of the kitten-heeled shoe, a reader mentioned her deep dislike for this picture:

This is from the Prada Spring 2011 collection. As you can see, it shows a heavy sock paired with a delicate shoe. Which, yeah, breaks every rule of taste or common sense. And that's totally Prada.

Miuccia Prada's design process starts with something she dislikes--say, a particular color or silhouette--which she works with until she's made it beautiful. This explains the shock of what comes down her runway. But what explains the fact that sooner or later, we see that shocking stuff being worn by normal people?

I think it's Prada's uncanny prescience. She's often way ahead of the trends. Who started making bags from ripstop nylon? Who got women to carry designer backpacks? Prada. Who started the return of Mad Men era prints and colors? Prada was showing them before the show was invented. The peep-toed lace up bootie that is everywhere this fall? Prada, Spring 2006.

Miuccia Prada has such a grasp of the zeitgeist,  she can be as much as a decade ahead of the times. For example, this outfit

came down the runway ten years ago. But it looks very current.

Nicole Kidman makes this shade of green look fabulous. 

But look at the texture, too ... it's my grandmother's porch cushions!

Prada's ugly-is-beautiful aesthetic has been giving fashion a much-needed goose since the 1980s. And so, when Prada talks, I listen. Not because I'm going to jump on board Miuccia's crazy train. I'm much too conservative for that. In fact, if someone were keeping a list called "The Last By Whom The New Is Tried," I'd be number one. (Except I'd be agitating to be moved further down, because I'd much rather be last.)

No, for me, Prada is a fashion canary in a coalmine. I might hate kitten heels, but knowing that they've walked the Prada runway gives me a year or two extra to adjust to their revival.

Even if my initial reaction to open-toed boots is absolute incredulity,  I know that Miuccia Prada has spoken, and eventually ... I might actually end up  owning a pair. Yes, I'm the Last By Whom the New is Tried. But I'm trying to keep an open mind.

Because closing your mind is the first step towards getting, looking, and feeling old.

And that's why I keep an eye on Prada.