The Long Grey Cardigan

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Okay it’s getting freakin’ cold.  Every morning I experience the despair of choosing an outfit that makes me stylish or makes me into a monochrome marshmellow (I know, I know, #firstworldproblems): “Oh Rachel, if you’re wearing those pinstripe pants you gotta go with the deep black pajama top.”   “Don’t be silly! She’ll freeze off her tatas if she doesn’t put on at least two Uniqlo Heat-Tech’s underneath!” “But hello, it’s low cut…. And those tanktops are not…. She’s lucky enough she can get away with it thanks to her humble cleavage”. “You bitch.”   …I am not a morning…

The Red Mohair Knit

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I recently learnt of the word ‘autumnal’.  Ask me why it took nearly 28 years to discover this and be met with a dumbstruck shrug. Here I am representing my native American-English to Belgians, and all I can say to describe a whiskey cocktail with bitters, cinnamon and clove smoke is “OMG it’s so Fall!”… Autumnal. Autumnal…. I should have read more as a child [bangs palm to forehead]. Of course Autumn is the only season that gets such a regal adjective.  It’s rich. It’s vibrant. It’s velvety. It’s passionate. It’s Autumnal.  The crisp air and lowering temperatures call for…

The Nevillee Silk Reversible

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Continuing on the great European quest, my eyes are open and observant to everything. I’ve got two months of work under my belt now, and I must say: consumption is far less a part of life here than it is in the US.  The women in my office all have their own unique sense of style, be it the structured blouse, oversized knit, dress+blazer combo à la Kate Middleton, or just bare minimalism. Oh, and pretty much no one ever wears flats.  Perhaps a pair of Stan Smith Adidas sneakers will cross the hallways on a Friday, but even then –…

The Glitter Knit

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As the cold winter weather grows in strength, I always fall into a rut with my clothes. It happens year after year, a stretch of time when getting dressed becomes more a mission of bodily warmth than creative style. I despise it. In these mornings I open the closet and my hands, operating on auto-pilot, reach for the tank top + wooly knit combo that worked so well yesterday, and the day before, and OH YEAH, the day before that. Y’know sometimes in life, you just need a quick and nasty slap in the face – to remind you that…

Layering You Didn’t Even Know You Had

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If you’re a bozo like me and often times choose style over basic human necessities such as warm and stable body temperatures, then I am pleased to announce I’ve uncovered a fall winter layering trick that will tickle your fancy! I always encourage leveraging the full utility of your closet, for as much of the year as you can. So when I was browsing through my vestiaire, shedding tears for the lighter jackets worn too seldom, a bing-bong went off in my head. Jean Jacket + Statement Coat = HIPSTER WARMTH. As any clothing obsessed maniac would do, I ripped…