wardrobe building 101: the best leather jacket under $500

the official start of spring – aka leather jacket weather – calls for a great leather jacket. 

problem is, quality leather doesn't come cheap and the sky's the limit when it comes to luxe leather options (Rick Owens, i'm looking at you). problem solved: this perfect cropped version by Oak popped up on my radar and i had to share. i love the cropped sleeves and the slightly shrunken fit –ideal as a top layer over lighter spring tanks and dresses. (tip: try to avoid too-long or baggy sleeves on a leather jacket.) also, there's just enough hardware for the classic moto look without going overboard.

what do you think? do you have a favorite leather jacket in your style rotation? 

wardrobe planning: spring 2016

goodbye, mild but draggy winter. hello, sunny days ahead!

PSA: midweek spring sales roundup

spring uniform right now // via

it's a great week for spring shopping if you overlook the random April cold snap we've stumbled into here on the east coast. first up: if you're wondering where to start with the big shopbop sale, these are some of my picks.

1. the best skinny jeans by AG
2. this elegant and nifty bluetooth radio
3. a boss lady navy blazer
4. this beautiful turquoise and gold ring (can't go wrong with this combo!)
5. an all-season leather jacket
6. a utilitarian chic crossbody by Jerome Dreyfuss

elsewhere, there's also a ton of f/w and s/s gems at la garconne – scope these Margiela ankle boots with just enough of a heel, and these GG classic tall charlyes.

happy midweek! are you wishlisting anything for spring?

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the find: relaxed garconne loafers

longtime readers of LAM know that i love a classic leather flat.

spring mood: palette cleanser

i. didion tee + easy jeans

ii. emerson slides all day

iii. peonies via

mood snapshot as we get into March: currently craving the sartorial equivalent of a palette cleanser. maybe it has something to do with my Marie Kondo reading, maybe it's the hint of spring balminess this week. also rediscovering the clean cropped line of my old everlane box tees after forgetting about them in the bottom of my dresser drawer for a while. does that ever happen to you? 

what are you in the mood for lately?

sale PSA: the big one

via

just in time for a midweek boost, the big shopbop sale is now on until Friday! depending on what you're in the mood for, there are plenty of fun wildcard gems like this adorable anya hindmarch coin pouch (whimsical + practical is always a good idea), or foundation pieces like my favorite A.P.C. jeans (see my review here) and this classic navy wool blazer.

are you wishlisting anything? happy shopping, happy Wednesday :)

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foundations: the oversized cardigan coat

budget find: this H&M super cozy oversized cardigan coat/wrap

this is the new hero piece of my winter wardrobe. 

sale PSA: new year, new shoes

getting through the first few weeks of the new year is always kind of a drag, but that's what the January sales are for. for all you Dieppa fans out there, a ton of beautiful and colorful DR shoes in every style just landed at 50% off.

my picks are these pretty rose gold loafers, these classic gentlewoman's oxfords, and the perfect-with-jeans-or-a-dress beige calis. i also love these Alexander Wang brogues – his shoes always seem quite sturdy and well made.

happy shopping! let me know if you find a pair of new year shoes ;)

wardrobe planning: winter 2016

a new year
image source: room & board

January is always kind of a mixed bag.

sale PSA: the Black Friday/holiday roundup

via

pretty hard to believe that Thanksgiving is almost upon us. this year, we've been traveling and are looking forward to staying local and experimenting with the classic turkey and sides. recently i've been relying on a ton of great, consistent recipes from Williams-Sonoma. also loving the Thanksgiving series and stories at NPR. (if anyone has favorite tried-and-true recipes, please share!)

some food for thought as the official holiday season kicks off stateside – i love this piece of holiday zen wisdom from NY Times food writer Sam Sifton, as heard on NPR's Here and Now:

"It's the job of the food media to tell you that it's complicated and to come back each year with a new and different way of roasting the turkey with a tamarind glaze or in a bag, or this, or that. But folks, it's just a big chicken. You've done it before. There's no mystery to it."

in the meantime, i'll be posting updates on the best of the big sales throughout the week/end:

first up: the big 50% off Net-a-Porter sale is on, which is excellent for scoring any number of dreamy wishlist items for yourself and family + friends. my picks: this ultimate luxe greatcoat and this colorful tote/duffel.

also just started: the other major site-wide sale at Shopbop with up to 25% off (GOBIG15). while i think the tiered promos were a bit better in years past, this is a great time to snap up hard-to-find-on-sale classics like this gamine trench, these cat-eye sunnies or any number of stylish gifts like this coffeetable tribute to Grace Coddington.

as usual, a ton of great finds at my go-to discount HQ, the Outnet: current favorites are the essential silk-cashmere shawl in an autumnal neutral, and the pop-of-print foldover clutch for those holiday parties next month.

J.Crew is offering 30% off pretty much everything (and an additional 40% off sale) with HOLIDAY. ideal for treating yourself to some pretty baubles (like this delicate everyday gold necklace) and tackling that giftlist.

get thee some skinny overalls with 25% off at Madewell (CALMDOWN). lots of cute gift options too, like this old-school analog camera.

gamine minimalist HQ la garconne is offering an additional 30% off all sale with LGBFD30. this is the time to get the ultimate luxe boots for 70% off.

luxe minimal basics are 70% off at james perse with free shipping.

Nordstrom, my go-to department store, is offering an extra 25% off sale items.

the big 50% off holiday sale is on at steven alan. my picks: this minimalist-cool work tote and this chunky cashmere scarf.

H&M is offering 30% off purchases over $50 and an extra 40% off all sale.

stay tuned for more!

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what will you be doing this holiday weekend?

wardrobe building 101: the 10 best fall basics under $150

Sofia Coppola, via

earlier this year, i wrote about the quandary of finding quality clothing at reasonable prices. several readers have written to ask for affordable fall essentials, so here are my picks for the season.

f/w foundations: Carine x Uniqlo

if you've been looking for a sharply tailored foundation coat or the Chanel-esque little black jacket, you could just snap these up from the Carine Roitfeld x Uniqlo collection and move on to more important matters. a little black boucle jacket has been on my wishlist for years now, so this one is a special addition to my f/w wardrobe planning tally...

overall it seems to be a tight edit and closely modeled on CR's signature uniform. dark and monochrome, much in keeping with the moody, ever-so-femme fatale vibe. i'm not in need of any form-fitting skirts at the moment, but if you worked in a relatively corporate space and wanted to amp up the typical '9-to-5' look, these are excellent, versatile options with a bit of an edge. or you could just as easily pair the individual foundation outerwear pieces with existing staples and instantly add some swagger to your f/w rotation.

have you scoped anything from the collection? any pieces on your list?

sale PSA: all the dreamy knits

this PSA will be short and sweet, because the '90s super cozy oversized knit of my dreams is on sale (as well as all knits at Emerson Fry - via EFSWEATERS1015)! 

now that we've had a freakishly early cold snap over the weekend and dusk creeps in ever earlier, i'm breaking out the mason jar candles and gearing up for chunky knits.

winter is coming, what are you wishlisting?

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inspiration: the Château de Gudanes

the restoration of the Château de Gudanes, in progress 

(image source: Vogue)

i don't quite know how i stumbled upon this story, but it's too intriguing and awe-inspiring not to share.

sale PSA: the wishlist sale

it's midweek, mid-October, and perfect timing for the semi-annual shopbop 25% off (INTHEFAM25) sale :) 

my picks are the classic white oxford shirt, a colorful CV clutch, and the french trench.

are you eyeing anything? let me know if you snag any sweet deals!

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inspiration: b&w f/w 2015

Patti Smith + Johnny Cash forever

does it get any better than these two?

no, no it doesn't. some icons never get old, and all i want to wear lately is black and white.

sale PSA: PS1 bags

you guys, if you've been waiting to snap up the much-beloved PS1 satchel for 50% off, now is the time. i like the revamped lining too (feels more sturdy, better print than the old version). my vote is on the chianti - i saw a young mom wearing one last year and she looked super chic and laidback.

now the hard part: which color?

edit 9/28: more colors just added!

you're welcome :)

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wardrobe planning: fall 2015

via

hellooo, September. hello, favorite time of year!

leather 101: vegetable tanned leather // care & maintenance

in the morning: the Mansur Gavriel cammello tote after two coats of Collonil Waterstop

[this is a follow-up to my MG tote review.]

leather care has been a perennial question from readers, so this is what i did when i got my MG bag. it's a pretty easy leather care method that simultaneously conditions and adds a bit of protection.

sale PSA: Chan Luu shawls

via

so this is too good not to share: my favorite essential Chan Luu silk-cashmere scarves are on major sale in a bunch of lovely colors! 

i almost never see these discounted anywhere, so this is a pretty great deal if you've been looking for a light yet luxe all-season oversized scarf. i always pack one when i travel year-round. (FYI: may be hard to just get one...the full range of colors here.)