A reader asked the following question:
To my fellow SWNE readers,
Could we have a parallel conversation to the men's trad/ivy conversation, but for women? If so:
- What are the traditional elements of Women's Ivy business attire?
- Do those elements still make sense today?
Thank you, kind readers!
Furthermore, what is a mid-30s woman to wear without looking stuffy? Most of the winter I dress like a man -- corduroys, turtleneck, wool shetland.
ReplyDeleteI have heard the saying 'there is no bad weather, just bad wardrobe choices' and I believe that to be true. I too, feel like I look like a man in the winter. So many of the wardrobe choices I see on men I'd wear but just add pearls and lipstick. All I care about is being warm. In Texas we only have to endure a few weeks out of the year. The rest of the time I can wear skirts, dresses.
DeleteBack in the '80s - which, if you ask me, was the last Golden Era of this style of attire for women - my favorite professional work outfit was a grey flannel A-line skirt, pale blue OCBD from BB, navy blazer, cordovan stacked-heel Bruno Magli pumps (with sheer hosiery; goes without saying,) red foulard silk padded headband, pearls, and a saddle tan Coach (the ORIGINAL Coach) briefcase. I suppose showing up in the modern-day equivalent of my workplace dressed like this would cause some to think I was cosplaying.
ReplyDeleteI was unfamiliar with the word cosplaying. I dress very traditionally. I wonder if I look as though I'm cosplaying.
DeleteOh my god, i´m in love!
DeleteI owned the exact same outfit. Still have the briefcase.
DeleteBallet pumps
ReplyDeleteI did some writing this past fall at the Boston Anthaneum. The lady—and she was one, to the fingertips, so this is the word I intended to use—who came out of her office to tell me that I was on the wrong floor (we quickly sorted out that I wasn't) epitomized this, but in the most naturally patrician way I've ever seen. I wish I'd paid more attention to the details of her dressing, but I was so smitten by the totality of her presence that it's all I can remember. It was that organic. But I'm pretty sure she didn't spend a lot of time on the authenticity of the details of her wardrobe. It just seemed to be part of her, like flowering blossoms on a very solid tree.
ReplyDeleteKnee length skirt and merino or cashmere twinset; lightweight wool trousers, merino shell and blazer or merino or cashmere twinset; charcoal gray wool sheath and black blazer if you will be in front of a judge; unfussy jewelry; sheer stockings or black tights sometimes; flats or low stacked heel always.
ReplyDeleteWhere can I get a nice twinset from these days?
DeleteMy favorite shoes are my Bass Weejun loafers with a bow - very feminine. I tend to wear a lot of button-downs with ankle length pants and always carry a cardigan or blazer. About the ankle-pants: they look best on my long-waisted, short-leg frame and luckily where I live I don't have to wear socks very often. I also wear a lot of pull-over sweaters (what the British call 'jumpers) over a button-down and a string of pearls with pearl stud earrings and a David Yurman bracelet. In the south we wear more makeup than our northern sisters, so I feel as long as I have on my makeup and jewelry, my plain wardrobe works. If I need to dress up a bit more I'll slip on a high-heeled (but not very high) pump, trade out the pearl studs for sparkly earrings, and trade out the David Yurman for a sparkly bracelet and I'm 'dressed up.' If it's a normal winter we only have cold in January and some of February. The rest of the time I'm in Lilly Pulitzer. Keep in mind, I think the way we look - even as traditional/WASP-y (I hate the word 'prep) people, a lot of what we wear depends on our region. I know Lilly is too-colorful for some of my far-north sisters, but here where I live we like a lot of color. Also - this is the first year i have like Lilly Pulitzer in a very long time. Finally - they have a few things for us 'older' women this season.
ReplyDeleteI don't know about the David Yurman ... but it may be a regional thing. Here, north of Boston, no.
DeleteHow many sisters do you have in the north?...Do you mean other women and call them "sisters"? Or you are a nurse, by any chance.
DeleteI think men are more into sharply defined rules (hooked, not just center vent) than women. A lot of men are unconfident at making nuanced decisions, so rules are a convenient way to avoid the discomfort. They dress well without really knowing how they do it.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, I think women are more likely to follow their own guidelines and personalize the fit, colors and accessories to suit them and the situation. They have more clothing knowledge and don't use rules to decide whether something is Trad. They just know.
Style will out everytime!
ReplyDeleteIf you can find images of women at Garden Club of America gatherings, all questions will be answered.
ReplyDelete