If there's one thing I don't like it's the beige dress for spring (or the grey dress for winter). Clothes should evoke a certain je ne sais quoi, not just cover us. This year I'm seeing lots of big floral prints that are fun and beautiful at the same time. What a relief from the doldrums of winter.

As a practical shopper, prints aren't always a great choice - you can't wear them over and over (people tend to notice), but when the styles are classic, you can wear them over the years. So it shouldn't be surprising to hear that it was love at first sight when I saw this dress by Giorgio Armani. So classic and classy, it would look great at a cocktail party or just thrown on for a dinner date.

For a less dressy occasion, Armani also makes this cute floral-print tank dress, which I thought was adorable until I saw the $1,285.00 price tag. This Carolina Herrera sundress is in a similar genre (but with a friendlier price). It's a classic style, but the print is completely fresh.

Basically, everyone has prints out right now, but it's the big floral prints that I'm most drawn to. They never go out of style, and are pretty and feminine. They whisper to me of spring weddings, summer nights, cocktails on the balcony… in short, they whisper of romance.

The image above is from NeimanMarcus.com.

The boyfriend blazer is back. Or it's not back, but rather, it's new. Or… whatever. Anyway, it's what we're all supposed to be wearing. When I'm reborn as a six-foot, willow-thin model, I plan to follow every fashion trend, but until that day, I'll tailor them to fit my personal style.

And so, this D&G blazer. I'm not quite sure how my boss would take it if I showed up in it with the shorts they picture it with. But as part of a suit, it's hot. A tailored blazer is just one of those incredibly sexy things. And I love that they pair it with a T-shirt.

The only bummer is that it's made with wool, which means it better come off the shelf fast before we're all on to the next thing for Spring. I hear see-through pink is the next big trend. Something to contemplate while I finish my bowl of ice cream.

© nikoretro


Shopping for clothes has never been my favorite chore. I'm not much of a fashion horse. I just have to look professional. I know what I like, what I wear. I just don't like walking the streets looking for it.

Think of a city like London. At my age, am I going into the city and walking around looking for clothes if I don't have to? You don't walk into Selfridges in Oxford Street or Harrods in Knightsbridge and walk out in five minutes with what you were looking for. I've got other things to do with my time. Better things.

Look, you probably know your waist size and inseam. You surely know your own shoe size. Everybody goes to town occasionally. But when you do go, do you really want to spend your time looking at slacks and sneakers? I'd rather spend my time at a restaurant or pub, but maybe that's just me...

I read the same articles you do: online shopping is going to do away with the boutique. "In twenty years there will be no more stores," is a typical headline.

I am convinced the people who write these things know nothing about fashion.

Case in point: shoes. I have purchased shoes online. I know better than to do this, but that doesn't stop me. Only last night I was genuinely irritated that this adorable pair of rain boots wasn't available in my size. As if it rains more than once a year here in L.A.

Anyway, French Sole Shoes would clearly go out of business if they relied solely on their website to make sales. I have never seen a less appealing collection of photos for a more attractive collection of shoes. For example, these shoes are gorgeous "in person" and they actually don't look half bad on Zappos.com. They are classic and classy (I own them in the cognac and in the dark brown), with a pretty gold buckle that automatically dresses up any pant.

And these are my favorite run-around shoe (so comfortable you wouldn't believe it). Check out the same shoe on the French Sole website. Are you getting the drift?

Anyway, someone please write them and tell them to get their act together. I like their flats.

Designers are very clever with their pricing. They know us intimately, and they know our weaknesses. Example: this is the world's cutest jacket. I can envision it with jeans, with dress pants, with cords. It is $448 at Neiman Marcus. Sigh.

I have a dream that some day gorgeous classic clothes will be everywhere and they will not cost $500 a piece. Is it just me? Still, I can't be entirely upset about the jacket. I clicked through to Nanette Lepore's other items and found this dress. Suddenly $288 seems like a steal.

Now in comes the designer. Nanette Lepore knows that if we buy that jacket, we will wear it for the next five years. It will show up at a spring wedding, on a first date, at work (more than once). It will lose a button, have one lovingly sewn back on, and it will see cursing when finally it dies, under a shower of spilled coffee - at least for me, that's how all the white things in my closet meet their untimely demise.

The dress, on the other hand, will be worn exactly four times. Twice during the first season, and once a year for the subsequent two years. During that time, it will see four dry-cleaner trips and many compliments. It will, of course, require at least one pair of new shoes to match it, and possibly a new handbag.

After its fourth wearing (three years from now), I will realize that I am too old to continue wearing skirts this short and that the dress is sadly out of fashion, and it will take its final walk: to The Salvation Army.

So which to buy? Well isn't the answer obvious? Nanette knows us so very well, and that is why she made it out of Youngstown, Ohio and now has ten boutiques scattered across the globe. We must purchase both.