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Weekend Update

1. I enjoyed the comments and general discussion that was had over the Zella jacket that I posted last week, and the general trend and appropriateness of wearing gym-type clothing anywhere but the gym.  I have to say that for myself, I generally don’t wear gym clothes/Lululemon type items out, although I don’t mind it on others at all. I’m very used to it here in the Bay Area!

Anyway, today I’m sharing another item of casual outerwear I recently ordered – the Everlane Street Fleece Bomber.

This jacket, I am planning on wearing on more than just walks/hikes – I see it with denim for casual errands, coffee with friends, etc. What do you think? Is this acceptable for the outside world, or should I be tarred and feathered for wearing my pajamas in public?

I should receive it soon, so I’ll update on how it fits, by the way!

2. I’d also love to hear your  thoughts on this article, via the Business of Fashion – The Rich Don’t Drive The Luxury Sector. Do you agree? Reading it reminded me of the Dana Thomas’ Deluxe – How Luxury Lost Its Luster – and then I scrolled down and saw she actually commented on the article!

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3. I know that quite a few of you are jewelry fans, so I thought I’d share this article, via the WSJ – The Oldest American Jeweler You’ve Never Heard Of (yes, I’m going to make you click on the article to find out the jeweler’s name, it’s only fair!).

4. Speaking of the whole “athleisure” category – check out this interview, via The NY Times, with Chip Wilson, founder of Lululemon and now Kit & Ace. He’s definitely a “character” and his personality comes through (for better or for worse) in the interview, starting with the reporter arriving for her day with him, 15 minutes late.

5. This week, I finished a great book – Foreign Affairs, by Alison Lurie.

Foreign Affairs

The first Amazon review of this book refers to it as an “understated page turner”, and I can’t think of a better description. The book details the romantic affairs of two visiting English professors in London, with lots of observations on the differences between British and American society. There are no car chases or hugely dramatic plot twists (well maybe until the end), but I still found myself reading through it in a few sessions. I’d recommend Foreign Affairs for anyone who enjoys well written (it won the Pulitzer), character driven fiction.

10 Comments

  • Reply
    Sonya
    February 5, 2016 at 10:09 am

    Our 2nd home is in Santa Barbara and I see outfits like this all the time. To each their own I say!

    • Reply
      Katherine
      February 5, 2016 at 8:22 pm

      A 2nd home in SB sounds wonderful, by the way 🙂

  • Reply
    Susie Tunes
    February 5, 2016 at 12:03 pm

    I really enjoy your weekly roundups.
    Luca Solca is spot on – he’s been a luxury goods analyst for years.

  • Reply
    Glenda
    February 5, 2016 at 1:24 pm

    I remember seeing the TV movie”Foreign Affairs” in 1993 with Joan Woodward and Brian Dennehy, then read the book, both highly entertaining. Don’t know if it’s available for viewing or how it might be received today; here’s the IMDB page: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106947/

    I do regret that people don’t dress as well in the U.S. as they did in the 1950’s and before, though I wouldn’t want to go back to girdles & gloves & all that hairspray they wore back then… Having said that, as long as people have good personal hygiene, and wear clean & well-fitting clothes, and dress fairly appropriately for events, unless you know a person and their daily calendar/schedule extremely well judging people by what they wear is a dangerous and slippery slope. Plus maybe there really are a whole lot of people who use gyms these days and have such a packed schedule that they don’t have time to change clothes much.

    It’s interesting that in France–although you occasionally now see people in gym-wear, something that up until a very few years ago you never used to see–people still think that active lives and healthy bodies do not require special clothes and gym memberships, but instead walking and hiking in regular street clothes, taking the stairs & not elevators, gardening, swimming, and other such centuries-old activities are more than adequate to be one of the healthiest and trimmest countries in the world.

    Most of us here reading your blog, Katherine, do care about presenting themselves well for the most part I imagine, but not everyone has had the advantage of being encouraged to consider what they wear and how they present themselves. Leading by cheerful example is always preferable to looking down on others whose circumstances we may know nothing about. Why would anyone in sloppy sweats or gym-wear or baggy jeans and tees want to emulate well-groomed judgmental snotty people? But consider that if badly-clothed & groomed people have the occasion to interact with cheerful kind nonjudgmental well-groomed people, they may be more likely to think to themselves something like, “That appropriately-dressed person seems to be a person whom I could like and admire and like to emulate.”

    People in the U.S. who are really, really, top-out-of-sight, rather old-money rich, dress the way they want yet dress appropriately for events, are self-confident and kind and nonjudgmental. People who aren’t too far away from their sometimes-insecure-middleclass-roots tend to make assumptions and judge people for what they wear, or latch on to some media-driven hype of the day such as what to think about what other people wear.

    When out & about or at lunch or dinner, it’s always most pleasant to be around or sit next to cheerful kind people no matter what they wear, and if they know enough about dressing well and are able to dress appropriately for the situation then all the much more better. Katherine, you are a lovely and interesting young woman with a beautiful family, and you care to dress & present yourself well. Defending your clothing choices seems superfluous, because from the photos I’ve seen here of you, I know I would be pleased to sit at a table near you in any venue no matter what you choose to wear.

    • Reply
      Katherine
      February 5, 2016 at 8:26 pm

      Hi Glenda, thank you for such a thoughtful (and nice!) comment. I love your thoughts about leading by cheerful example and not being a snob.

      I will look up the Foreign Affairs movie – glad to hear that you liked the book and the movie too!

  • Reply
    Elizabeth
    February 5, 2016 at 2:55 pm

    I think a relaxed, casual look is lovely (I really don’t like the term “athleisure”) if it’s pulled together right with texture, fit, and color – Everlane shows a look with their new street boots that is basically sweats, crewneck, beanie, and boots and IMO it’s very chic. Your bomber could work very well in that same look and you would be SO. COMFORTABLE.
    Personally I have started wearing a lot of Rick Owens and Boris Bidjan Saberi, which is more fashion-y but still a very relaxed look, and because again, it’s all about color and shape, I think this is also a nice match of style with comfort.
    Our world is so fragmented now and there is no overarching arbiter of personal style, and for the most part I think it’s a great thing. You see so much more self-expression, whether it’s at the office, on the street, or at events. I love it!

    Now Chip Wilson – IMO his “late-shaming” of the reporter was rude and unnecessary (she was not deliberately or inconsiderately late – things happen, and she arrived stressed) and I didn’t come away wanting to support his new endeavors.

    • Reply
      Katherine
      February 5, 2016 at 8:26 pm

      I’d never heard of Boris until your comment – wow very chic! Thank you for sharing!

      • Reply
        Elizabeth
        February 5, 2016 at 8:48 pm

        I think a great Boris piece for you would be the long cashmere dress – it can be avant-garde but it’s also very simple, comfortable, and multi-season. Wear with flats or boots in day and Tributes at night. I only had to hem it a bit, and that was for the flats 🙂 The cashmere is outstanding.

  • Reply
    bisbee
    February 8, 2016 at 5:01 am

    Read the interview with Chip Wilson…it re-affirmed my opinion of him, which is that he is nothing more than a rich ass. Using a questionable expression such as Jewish Standard Time? Next!

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