While the recession has forced many people to shop their closets, Mayle's closing has put many of us in a similar situation. With the sun coming out this weekend--and the humidity remaining moderate--I was able to wear several recent Mayle finds--my black silk Josie romper, Mirabelle, Jemeen and Cecilia. With the cooler spell today, I got to wear Fedosia. While it is a little scratchier than perhaps I'd like, I am really pleased I got it, even though it was pretty expensive at $399. It certainly fills a gap in my wardrobe as I have few short jackets (Fedosia is about it).
So, I'm going to showcase a few of my favorites here in the next week or so--summer teaching notwithstanding--and also think about ways to accessorize and vary the looks I can get out of the Mayle I already have. The Tati belt is great with my Nieves dress, which also works as a great canvas for many looks (with cardigans and tights, with Africana flats and bare legs.
I'm also going to photograph a few other favorite items. I was cleaning out my closet this weekend as Evan and I did a bit of spring cleaning. Besides realizing what a total waste of money cheap clothes can be--witness the bags stacked with H and M, Gap, etc. waiting to be donated to the Salvation Army--all that could have been a couple of Mayle dresses, I recognized how beautiful some of my other clothes are. My Lyell Bonnie and Clyde dress from Fall 05 and my beautiful beaded velvet Jill Stuart flapper dress from Holiday 04? are definitely worthy of sharing the spotlight with Mayle, as are my Lyell peacoats, blue cashmere dress coat and Sara W. dress.
Amanda Burton’s Chicken Zorba
4 days ago
15 comments:
oh yes, cheap clothing is never worth it, especially when it starts looking shabby after a few weeks. i think your wardrobe is extensive enough at this point that you'll be able to come up with many new and interesting outfits.
which shoes did you wear with the Mirabelle? i am racking my brains trying to figure out something appropriate for a low-key party this weekend. i still haven't worn the dress out, which is terribly embarrassing.
I know--I felt so awful as I pulled shirts and dresses off their hanger and realized how flimsy they were. Not to mention that some of them seem to have yellowed, despite being clean and barely worn. Most of these were pieces I thought were a good substitute for a more pricey item--except I'd still be wearing the more expensive pieces now and these cheap items are either fit for nothing but rags or on their way to charity shops. If I added up what I spent, there was no economy involved.
I wore a pair of t-strap Chie Mihara sandals with Mirabelle. They have a three inch stacked heel. It seems to look best with a bit of a heel, or something with some detail. Plain sandals just made it look a little underdone--like a sun dress. While that's a good look, it doesn't play up the dress's beauty. It's also super comfortable.
I hope you had a great time in California, Erica.
Moy I cannot wait to see your favorite pieces! when I wear mirabelle I normally pair with the lola clogs or lately I have been obsessed with my black patent flats from 2006....
I totally agree about the cheap clothing. I have purchased countless inexpensive sweaters that work well right off the rack, and then disintegrate on repeated wearings and cleaning. I'd rather have a few things that are made well, than a lot of cheap clothing. Somehow I still need to shape my closet to meet that ideal.
The Nieves dress sounds absolutely perfect - I wish that I could still find one of those! I would love another simple dress to wear.
Moya - I very much look forward to reading about your favorite outfits and combinations. I also just found your other email in my spam folder! I will respond, but wanted to let you know that I will send things as soon as I get back from California.
(Erica - the OC may be in my future again).
hi moya,
as the mayle expert that you are - love your blog! - would you know how to contact any of the mayle gals? i had signed up for a billie bag at the mayle sample sale with jess, who said she'd call me re; pickup in early may. Never heard from her. Do you have her email, or maybe elise's? I so wanted that bag! Any ideas welcome - thank you!
tamara
hi moya,
as the mayle expert that you are (i love it!), would you know how to contact any of the mayle girls? i signed up for a billie bag with jess at the ny sample sale - she was supposed to call me in early may for the pickup but i never heard back. Do you have her email, or maybe elise's? any help would be much appreciated!
tamara
Tamara--send me your email and I'll write back off list.
just yesterday i told my partner that this would be my "summer of frugality." shopping my already overflowing closet, getting rid of unworn pieces (many of which were cheap purchases), and spending less in general are my goals for the next few months. i never follow through on new year's resolutions, but hopefully making one in may will work out better!
thanks, moya. my email is tbenveniste@hotmail.com
thanks again!
Good tips, Moya and Marti. i don't really own many interesting shoes, so wearing the Mirabelle is going to be challenging. I tend to buy simple flats or sandals. But it does seem like I'm going to need a bit of height to pull off the dress.
OC maybe, Leanne? Sounds intriguing. I have such a love-hate relationship with that place, but I wouldn't mind living there at all. Probably because I'm a local!
Jcrew is about as cheap as I'll go for simple basics. Sometimes the Gap is good for a camisole or something that I know I'll wear out in a season, but it makes me so sad to think about all the cheap clothing that ends up being thrown out. Of course what really depresses me is when I buy something pricey and never wear it.
i have to say gap cardigans are great. so are jcrew's but i honestl am not sure where I am going to shop now. Moya, have you heard from anyone at the showroom? I havent heard back from Jane in ages. She mentioned taking pics of the left overs and putting them online for people to buy and that never happened either......
Erica - I am of the simple/flat shoe persuasion and I think you can pair mirabelle with neutral oxfords, ankle boots, or non-gladiator strappy sandals. Taupe/nude shoes might give you some height without plying on the heels?
I was thinking about this post and I think I have odds and ends from H&M, Zara, etc that I adore. I've had to get rid of some stuff because I purchased blindly, but I've come to realize that buying edgier, cheap basics has worked well for me, because you can add an interesting layer to your treasured pieces.
ooh, i like the idea of mirabelle with oxfords. moya, i'm really looking forward to seeing your faves, this is such a great idea! did you get my email about rosamelia? how did it turn out?
Hi Susie,
I got your email--I am sorry I didn't get back to you. It's been a crazy week for emails, what with exams and then the inevitable grade-grubbers who want just a few more points or can't understand why they didn't do so well in the final (maybe because they didn't study or do the readings?). I got behind on fun emails, like yours. I will get back to you about Rosamelia. Still on the fence about it, even after alterations, but I am playing around with belting it. I think it would work better without the ruffle on someone shorter, as the proportions aren't quite right on me.
no problem at all, moya! hope you are hanging in there. summer is right around the corner!
Post a Comment