For those of you youngsters lucky enough to have 20-20 vision, I envy the beautiful, fashionable sunglasses you can wear whenever you want. The one warning I’ll give you is that sometime in your mid-40s, you will most probably need glasses for reading—the loss of close-up vision eventually happens to all of us. When that day comes, there are many stores, like Anthropologie, that sell readers with cool frames.

For those of us who need some kind of corrective lenses in order to see where we’re going all the time, we constantly have choices to make. Do we wear what’s most comfortable, what looks the best, what we think will make the best impression? The answer, of course, is that it depends.

If, like me, you spend a lot of time working on a computer, glasses may work best for you most of the time. Turns out we blink our eyes less often when we look at the screen, which can cause them to get dry and bloodshot: uncomfortable and not a good look for anyone.

These days there are so many frame options that if you take some time you can find a pair—or more if you want to match them with your outfits—that look good. You might want to have someone with you when you try frames on so you don’t get railroaded into thinking the only ones that look good on you are the most expensive pair in the store. It’s good to have a pair of prescription sunglasses too if you can afford them.

Even after you’ve found glasses that look great, there are times when contacts may be a better choice. I like them for exercising, especially outdoors. If you ever tried skiing down a mountain on a snowy day with fogged up goggles that fit over your fogged up glasses or gone running and had to keep pushing your glasses up on your nose, you’ll know exactly what I mean—it just plain doesn’t work.

I also like wearing my contacts when I go to an event that requires being dressed up—somehow being dressed up and made up doesn’t go with glasses. Although for us mere mortals it makes sense to wear them if the alternative is not being able to see. I’m afraid the scene in the great old movie “How to Marry a Millionaire” where Marilyn Monroe gets on the wrong plane because she doesn’t want to wear her glasses, ends up sitting next to a nice man who wears glasses, insists she put hers on and falls in love with her when she does, is just what it sounds like—fiction.

Of course you could also get Lasik eye surgery. It’s not covered by most health insurance, so you’ll need to shell out a few thousand dollars, but everyone I know who’s had it is very happy.

And if you want to kill a little time and see how some glasses might look on you from the comfort of your home, try Glasses Direct’s Virtual Mirror:

If only… there is no perfect shoe, but there are some strong contenders in the all-purpose, work-appropriate/bike-appropriate/walking-appropriate flats category. Here are my favorites:

Vans Lesley (pictured above): More like sneakers than flats, these are my favorite weekend shoes. I can ride my bike in them and they look cute with jeans. Done and done.

Patent Leather Saniya Flats from Target: They dress up your outfit just enough that you feel slightly more professional at work, and they are cheap enough you can have an extra pair at work and in your purse. Plus they wear well – the patent “leather” is stiff enough to hold it’s shape but soft enough to be comfortable. They don’t have any arch support, though, so use insoles.

CO-OP Barneys New York Uma I’m not ready for boots yet, but I could be down with shoes. It is fall, after all.
Oxfords are so hawt right now.

The season’s are changing, and while spring is time for cleaning, fall is the perfect time for fixer-uppers! Now is a great time to attend to accessory malfunctions and wardrobe switcheroo’s. Let’s face it, on top of all the other chores you have to do in your life, cleaning your jewelry is probably a task that never even makes it on the to-do list. So I plan to make it super easy for you!

All you need are four things to tend to your jewelry needs now and all year long:

1.  A Soft or Children’s Toothbrush

This is useful for gently brushing your jewelry free of debris.  Many pre-packaged jewelry cleaners can have abrasive materials and/or chemicals that are not recommended for soft fine gemstones.  A soft toothbrush,  however, won’t harm gems or metals, and helps you scrub in the tiny little areas under gems and in detailed recessions.

2. Sudsy Ammonia OR Mild Dish Soap

Most grocery stores carry these cleaning agents, which can clean your jewelry safely without leaving a coating or film! Dilute the Sudsy Ammonia by adding it to a bowl of lukewarm water (equal parts Sudsy Ammonia and water).**  You can let your jewerly soak in a cup of it and give it a gentle little scrup with the toothbrush. This solution is what is often used in professional ultra-sonic cleaners in jewelry shops, and has been used on a wide variety of gemstones without harming them (avoid cleaning opals this way). If you can’t find Sudsy Ammonia or don’t want to deal with Ammonia altogether, a single drop of mild dish soap in lukewarm water will work as well.

3.  Silver Rouge Polishing Cloth

These cloths do wonders for all types of jewely, but especially sterling silver jewelry that has become oxidized!
As you may know, silver oxidizes—or tarnishes—with exposure to the air.  The outermost molecules on a piece of silver interact with the oxygen in the air, and turn black. Rouge cloths, such as the fabulous Fabulustre, are treated with jeweler’s rouge. Simply rub the jewelry item and you’ll see the black tarnished layer come right off onto the cloth, leaving your silver jewelry bright and shiny!*

4.  Silver Protector Strips

Prevent frequent re-oxidation on your silver jewelry by placing one of these strips in your jewelry box, or in a small bag or box you keep the jewelry in.  The strip will interfere with the chemical interaction of the oxygen and your silver item, so you have to clean your jewelry even less frequently!

Please Note:
**Store Ammonia safely.  Be careful not to splash Ammonia near eyes, and NEVER mix it with Bleach!
*It is difficult to get into recessed areas with the cloth, so recessions will remain blackened – a look many people prefer. If you wish an item to be completely free of oxidation, the safest treatment is to have a professional jeweler polish it on a polishing machine where tiny bristles can reach into the recessions as well.

Photo by simone-walsh on Flickr

For the past several years, as fall arrives those of us who have spent any time in the equestrian world—riding horses, competing or spectating—wink knowingly at each other as every designer and fashionista breaks out their riding boots and tailored jackets. This year, even Banana Republic has a jodhpur legging!

The equestrian look can be attractive, elegant, and classy, but most of the time it’s not authentic. Not a major problem (if it flatters you and you like it, go for it!), but wouldn’t it be cool if it were? Here are some sources for adding the real thing to your look this fall:

Riding Pants and Tailored Shirts
Turns out the most popular riding pants (called breeches) in the country (and my personal favorites) are made in New York City. The company, The Tailored Sportsman, has been in business for generations, and the current owners come from the world of high fashion. They have recently expanded the line: adding colors, styles and new fabrics. They sell to tack shops (that’s what you call stores that sell real horsey stuff) all over the country, and to websites. You can check them out and shop for authentic breeches at smartpakequine.com or doversaddlery.com.  If you’re in NYC, you can find them at Manhattan Saddlery, 124 East 24th Street between Park and Lex, or you can take a ride to a store like Beval Saddlery in New Canaan, Connecticut on a nice fall day.

Riding Boots
Some of the best custom riding boots have been made in Brooklyn at E. Vogel. Take a look at two categories: riding boots and paddock shoes so that when you shop for boots – high or ankle – you’ll know what styles are authentic. Or, if you want to give yourself a real treat, save up and get measured for a pair of custom boots—and if you’re in NYC, they’ll even come to you:

You’ll get to choose style, color, leather and many other features, and they will last forever.

Riding Jackets
Designer wool “riding” jackets in the non-authentic equestrian world are actually prettier, fit better, and are more comfortable than the real thing. So for those, hit your favorite department store!

by theirhistory on flickr

Top image by geishaboy500 on Flickr.

To Hem Or Not To Hem: There Is No Question.

If you’re of the shorter persuasion, like myself, you most likely have a close relationship with your tailor. EVERY single pair of pants or jeans I have ever bought has needed to be hemmed, even the ones labeled “petite” or “short”, which is pretty annoying considering I’m not that small. I’m 5’1” (almost 5’2”), which is actually average in most parts of the world, thank you very much.

All the trips to the tailor really add up—it can cost about $15 to hem one pair of pants! That makes those $50 Levis a tad more expensive. However, don’t forget that hemming them to the right length probably means you’ll actually wear them. Considering the cost, I got a sewing machine and learned to hem the pants myself . This is obviously a cheaper alternative, over time, and the process is pretty simple, but I still use my tailor fairly often. (What can I say? I’m lazy.)

I know of only one retailer that hems pants for free – Uniqlo. God, I love them. It takes them about a day, but they do a good job and their jeans are still in the $40 – $50 range.

Whether you’re going to the tailor or doing it yourself, here are a few tips to the perfect hem:

1. Wash your pants before you hem because they will shrink a little. This is guaranteed. If you can’t wash them (for instance at Uniqlo, add an extra 1/2″ to the length).

2. Try on your pants with the shoes you will be wearing them with. If you plan to wear them with heels, you might want the pants to be longer than if you are wearing them with sneakers or flats.

3. Be exact: fold the pants to the desired length and then pin them in place. You don’t want to lose the spot when you take the pants off. Don’t laugh, this happens to me all the time.

4. For flared or boot-cut jeans, add an extra 1/4″ to the length, just in case. You would rather hem them a little too long than a little too short—there is just nothing worse than flared jeans that stop above the ankle.

5. For tight, skinny jeans, on the other hand, I’m not nearly as careful… I think they tend to look better when they’re a little too short anyway.

6. It the original pants are cuffed, don’t try to hem them yourself unless you really know how to use a sewing machine. I sure don’t so I take those straight to the tailor!

7. Cuffed or not, the original seam at the bottom of your jean leg is way more stylish and authentic than a basic stitch that screams “I hemmed my jeans!”.  Always ask your tailor to keep the original seam or follow this tutorial if you want to take the DIY approach.

Oh my god—I had way too much fun with this: InStyle Magazine has a “Hollywood Makeover” feature that allows you to try on all sorts of hairstyles of the stars… And I couldn’t help myself and tried on just about all of them.

If you’re like me and always wonder what you’d look like with the January Jones/Kate Moss/Drew Barrymore choppy bob would look like on you (even though you’re hair’s been the same for years and you probably won’t ever change it), this is an awesome activity in playing dress up. Although I stuck to the stars’ ‘dos as they were, the program also lets you play with the color, highlights, and lowlights too… A great feature if you’re looking to see what the cut/style looks like with your own color. There’s also a makeup feature, but that’s for another post… (Although I couldn’t totally help myself and did go for the Taylor Momsen “complete makeover”).

Take a look at some of my favorites and let me know which you like the best in the comments… Or try it yourself and post your best pic!

Bangs are an inconvenience in the summer—they stick you your forehead, flip up on the sides, and when you want them off your face, it often requires a complex system of bobby-pins and barrettes. Now that the hottest heat of the summer has passed, bangs are appealing again. And because the average person’s hair grows six inches a year, you can enjoy your bangs this winter and still let them start growing back out in late February and they’ll still be tucked behind your ears by the first trip to the beach.

So now that you’ve decided you want bangs, what style will you go with? Blunt and rounded? Wispy and side-swept? Thick and choppy? Whatever the style, bring a picture with you to your stylist and keep your face-shape and hair’s texture and natural curl/wave (or lack thereof) in mind. If you’re going to have to blow them dry or flat-iron them after each shower, think about whether or not you’ll really stick to that or if it’s too high maintenance for you. Unsure what will work best on you? Ask your stylist—they know what they’re talking about.

And now, enjoy (and get inspired by) some of my favorite bang finds from Flickr:

Lead image from Louise Dungate Knitwear.

So fall and consequently, winter is upon us. Time for ruddy noses and icy toes. Some people don’t favor the colder months, but I’m a fan. Being a romantic sort, the colder months give me a chance to wallow in my nostalgic notions, curled up by the fire with a good book or imbuing the house with the perfume of my simmering mulled cider. You too can revel in the nippy weather if you follow my fail-safe checklist.

1. A good coat. If you choose to heed but one of my suggestions, then let this be the one. A good, nee excellent coat is key to looking good and more importantly, feeling warm this season. After years of wearing adorable vintage numbers and spending the majority of my time repairing the lining, re-sewing the buttons, occasionally freezing through the decaying fabric and finally replacing the coat, I decided it was high time I invested in a very warm, flattering, and (this is paramount) good-quality, coat. I bought my pricey beauty through Burberry three winters back. I had such bad sticker shock and class guilt, I kept it in the closet for a week with the receipt in the pocket and the tags attached. Finally, unable to not wear it any longer, I cut those tags off and I’ve never looked back. I’ve worn this coat nearly every day for three fall/winter seasons and the only repair I’ve had to make is to re attach a button. I stress the a. That’s it. The coat still looks like a million bux and I look forward to busting it out again this season. There’s plenty of ways around the luxury price-tag, too. Scour Century 21, Daffy’s, Ebay etc. An excellent quality coat will last and last so you should be able to find a fabulous and sturdy second-hand one that will still keep you warm and your pockets lined.

2. A Scrumptious scarf and hat. With any good coat, you’ll want a yummy scarf and hat to go with. I like the hand knit chunky variety. You can find beaucoup de knits at etsy.com and bigcartel.com.

3. Boots. I favor the wet-proof wellie type to protect in the slush and the rain. You can wear them with thermal socks to keep your piggys warm. And nothing says jolly old bird like a sexy pair of cords tucked into a classic green pair of Hunter’s topped off with a smashing wool peacoat.

4. Cognac. Or whatever warming digestif floats your boat. I love bourbon too, but it’s tough to source out here in the EU. Nothing caps off a cold evening more perfectly than curling up on the couch with a snifter of the good stuff.

5. A warm and cozy blanket. Whatever tickles your fancy: you can go for the knit afghan type or the uber-luxe cashmere throw or even a family heirloom quilt—whatever will keep you snugglerific. Which brings us to the next one.

6. A good book. Now that we’re on the couch with our cognac and our cuddly blankie, we’ll need a good book to curl up to. I love a little Wuthering Heights for when I’m feeling romantic and tragic. I just finished The Memory Keeper’s Daughter and The Gastronomical Me, both heart-wrenching and well-written tomes. Love love love. And perfect for those moody blustery nights.

7. A fine cuppa tea. Sometimes you’re not feeling boozy, or it’s 10 AM on a Saturday (not that that’s stopped us before). However, a fine cup of tea, or if you’re feeling a bit more decadent, a sumptuous cup of cocoa, should bring the blood back into your extremities. Serve it on a tray with your best tea service and you’ll be feeling royal and pampered.

8. A bath. Ah! What a nice hot bath can do to warm the soul and the spirit. I like to add salts or bath oil (Jo Malone bath oil being my absolute favorite) and bring in the aforementioned book and/or cognac.

9. A bathrobe. Now that you’re all warmed up from the tub, it won’t really help if you freeze your goods off once you get out. Wrap yourself in a luxurious towel to dry off and then don a sexy robe/kimono/what-have-you. Ain’t nothin’ sexier than looking and smelling bath-fresh, hair up in a towel turban, thigh revealed from your robe as you walk to the kitchen to round up that second cuppa tea.

10. A hobby. Now that you’re stuck inside, take this time to dust off that lonely guitar in the corner, or bust out those needles and merino yarn and knit yourself a chunky scarf, or get yourself a little watercolor set and paint a summery seascape whilst dreaming away of sunnier times ahead.

*And now check out these gorgeous items! All were carefully sourced, taking care to utilize as many handmade, independent items I could find. Have fun and explore the fruits of my labor.

And now, I’ll bid you adieu with my favorite wintry verse. Winter by William Shakespeare.

When icicles hang by the wall
And Dick the shepherd blows his nail,
And Tom bears logs into the hall,
And milk comes frozen home in pail;
When blood is nipt, and ways be foul,
Then nightly sings the staring owl
Tu-whoo!
Tu-whit! tu-whoo! A merry note!
While greasy Joan doth keel the pot.

When all around the wind doth blow,
And coughing drowns the parson’s saw,
And birds sit brooding in the snow,
And Marian’s nose looks red and raw;
When roasted crabs hiss in the bowl—
Then nightly sings the staring owl
Tu-whoo!
Tu-whit! tu-whoo! A merry note!
While greasy Joan doth keel the pot.

I accidentally ran my brand-new jeans through the dryer and they shrunk by a whole size. They fit me like a glove when I bought them, but now they were cutting off my circulation!

I wore them around the house, did lunges and even tried to sleep in them. All this helped slightly, but not enough. And let’s be honest – I’m not about to lose 10 pounds just to fit in a pair of jeans. Luckily I had a backup pair (I always buy multiples!), but I’m not going to relegate a new pair of jeans to the back of my closet.

So last night, in a fit of desperation, I took a bath in my jeans. According to the always reliable Interwebs, this should mold the jeans to my body. The result? To be honest, they are a half size bigger, but not back to the original size. Still, an improvement.

Why wasn’t it a perfect fit? Well, the ratio of cotton to lycra will make a difference in how much the jeans stretch, and whether or not they will regain elasticity after washing. The Denim Blog has some great info about it. Basically, the problem was these jeans have a fair amount of Lycra/polyester in them, about 30%. They are made to retain their shape, so there is only so much stretching to be had.

In general, wet stretch has the best results on unfinished, selvage denim, but it can’t hurt in a situation like this. Want to give it a shot?

Instructions:
- Fill up the tub with lukewarm water
- Put on your jeans
- Soak in the tub completely clothed for 10 minutes or so
- Do some stretches, lunges, squats, etc.. in the wet jeans
- Pulled on the fabric where it’s tight
- Let dry overnight
- Done!

A few tips to help your jeans retain color and shape:
- Always wash in cold water
- Wash jeans inside-out
- Tumble-dry low or air-dry. Never, never use high heat.

The temperatures are starting to drop and apples and maple syrup are beginning to fill up the stands at the farmers market. Many folks are thrilled at the chance to bust out their favorite knee-high boots and fall jackets, but I’d like to remind you all that you’re in for six to eight months of boot and jacket weather, so please, please, do yourselves a favor and enjoy summer—and your summer wardrobe—as long as you can!

Here are some of my summer favorites and tips for wearing them into fall:

Flat Sandals
When it’s sunny, but not hot, pair your sandals with jeans.

Wedge Sandals
Wear them with tights!

Summer Dresses
Pair your summer dresses with tights and a cardigan.

Shorts
Wear your cut-offs or tailored shorts over opaque or patterned tights with boots, ballet flats, or your wedge sandals (as pictured).

Tank Tops
Layer a couple and pair them with a blazer.

Capri Pants
Wear them with oxfords and a sweater!