Duster - it just sounds so cool. With all love and respect to Wild West-style dusters, there are so many great dusters that are way too nice to go anywhere near a dusty trail. OK, but what exactly is a duster? How do I fit them into my wardrobe? Should I...

Put down the deliberately ugly holiday sweater. We need to have a chat. And not just about how on earth the Ugly Holiday Sweater became a trend. And you in the back with the Christmas Red/Christmas Green top, and your friend with the Hannukah Blue and White dress? You need to...

A while back, Allegra was at a 60th birthday party - a real fancy 'do with a professional photographer. She noticed that some women kept running away from the photographer. Not because they're in the witness protection program, but because they hate how they look in pictures. You'll be unsurprised...

If you're like me, you have a small collection of statement clothes that spend way too much time in the closet. Or you fall in love with stunning pieces all the time, but never buy because you have no idea where to wear statement clothes. I get it - when you don't get...

I've gone on and on about how you shouldn't buy clothes that you could only wear on a special occasion. In most instances, it's better to invest in well-made, versatile pieces. But that doesn't mean I think you should show up at parties wearing the same exact outfit you wear to...

Is there a more terrifying phrase than "class reunion"? Probably, but this one is right up there. Our school years are just so fraught with drama and angst and cliques and why do I want to see these people? Good question. If nothing else, you want to show off how...

Including a dress code on an invitation can make it easy to pick an outfit for the event - as long as you know what it means. You might groan at the words, "Black tie," but at least you know what's expected of you. Smart Casual can make you want to...

So you've been invited to a beach wedding. Your first thought was probably, "oh, isn't that nice?" And your second thought was, "ugh, what am I going to wear?" This is a tricky one, but I've got you. Why is This So Complicated? You've been to plenty of weddings, but this...

I'm always going on about versatile clothing and how you shouldn't feel obligated to buy an outfit that's only appropriate at weddings, holiday parties, and special occasions. But "don't feel that you have to" isn't the same as "you shouldn't". Clothing is supposed to be fun. If you want to...

I'm always blathering on about how versatile dresses can be dressy or casual depending on the accessories. Dress it up! Dress it down! That can sound like vague and useless advice if you don't have a ridiculous amount of accessories like I do. So let's talk details. The Base Clean, unembellished clothes are the...

...and other people you don't want to see. Sometimes you need an outfit that says, "see how much happier I am without you?" Oh sure, your confidence and the way you carry yourself can convey that nicely. But you want an outfit that can shut someone up the second they...

As much as I love a closet full of classics that I can wear whenever, I do love to add a few new pieces each season to keep things interesting. Ideally, those pieces are classic enough that I can keep them in heavy rotation. At a minimum, they shouldn't be...

We talk a lot about how this or that outfit is appropriate for a cocktail party. But what do we mean by that? Even if you're never in your whole long life been invited to a Cocktail Party, you've probably been to that type of party. When we say cocktail...

Day to Night outfits are the white whales of the fashion world. It takes obsession to actually find one and no one really believes they exist. In reality, they sort of exist and sort of don't. There is no outfit that looks appropriate at the office and at an evening cocktail...

Here we go again, ladies. Spring weddings. Graduations. Often with the same group of friends and family. There was a time when I bought a new dress for every special occasion. All that got me was a closet full of dresses that I only wore a couple of times. I...