Style Inspiration for the New Year

December 19, 2017 By Jay

In collaboration with Misook

Morocco is on my travel wishlist and until I get to my own riad courtyard there, I’ll be wearing this mood. Think: layers of sheer white, unfussy silhouettes, architectural mules, dewy pink lips (I’m ready to forget mattes!) and a golden jacket. I love this sparkling sequin jacket from Misook. It’s the kind of statement piece that you can wear with jeans or a white trouser for day and wear on your shoulders with a beautiful maxi dress for night.

Get 25% off at Misook with code MSK9191

Pink and red might be the most flirty color combination. It’s just perfect! Around this time of year, I start to think about fresh versatile pieces to add to my closet. This ankle-length pant is a must-have. This version in red knit will look lovely with stripes, caramel, pinks, purple! Obsessed. If you’re looking to splurge on something pink, go for an accessory which will add a burst of sweet color to any look. Go for a heeled mule or a leather bag.

A shortcode to great style is to wear a lot of black. This Parisian dream is another one of my moods for the new year. The classic tweed jacket looks gorgeous with pair of modern, stretch over-the-knee boots. The Misook tweed jacket is a knit (their signature) which makes it particularly comfortable and cozy. Wear this look with your trusty pair of opaque leggings and a longline tunic in black or white. Pearls optional.

One style inspiration I’ll be bringing into the new year is rustic feminine. I love this aesthetic for casual moments with denim, studs, and suede. But these can also be dressed up. Think: holiday at a mountain resort. This gorgeous studded knit skirt would be perfect with a turtleneck, a long cardigan, and a wide brimmed hat. Swap out the cold weather pieces for a pink bodysuit and heels for spring.

I think the somewhere-in-the-middle level of dressing can be harder than dressing up or dressing down. Not quite a dress, not quite joggers. Think about the kind of outfits to wear to meet a friend for tea, a meeting with your kid’s teacher, weekend brunch with your mom. I think the solution is a luxe shirt. They just look so classic and smart. I love this bold black and white shirt and how it’s styled with slim pants and flat mules.

Because I’m a Lady

October 20, 2017 By Jay

In collaboration with Talbots.

I believe in elegance, thank you notes, in perfume, in wearing the right dress at the right time. All these things form part of what it means to be a lady in my imagination.

There’s one problem: these ideals and my real life are often at odds. I’m a mom to a little girl. I’m busy. I’m more apt to serve turkey burgers than I am to serve endives. I write for a living, but not in a I-can-see-the-ocean-from-my-cottage kind of way; in a I-need-to-submit-the-brand-copy-by-deadline kind of way. I’m more likely to go on a hike with my husband than I am to sit with him at a candlelit dinner. I forget to send thank-you notes, but I’m great at sending thank-you texts.

But you know what? To be modern-day lady is to contain multitudes. That’s why I’m smitten with Talbot’s “Because I’m a Lady” campaign. It’s smart and witty and and real—which, coincidentally, are my favorite kind of ladies.

Find out more about #BecauseImALady.

The term “lady” has previously been used to describe a “gentle and polite woman.” But today, being a lady doesn’t come with the same set of prim and proper rules, manners and meanings it did fifty years ago. Which is why we at Talbots – a company made up of 92% women – are here to evolve this old-fashioned word and celebrate the modern classic women redefining it. Because today, being a “lady” is defining it for yourself and being unapologetically you – real, confident, fun and imperfectly enchanting. So let’s politely set the record straight, shall we?

Speaking of definitions, Talbots also reached out to Merriam-Webster about the need to modernize the four-letter-word, “lady.” Check it out:

My personal, updated definition of what it means to be a modern lady includes making the perfect pancake, a quiet cup of tea after dropping off my kid at school, a sweaty hike, multiple direct deposits, and yes, the right dress at the right time and a spritz of perfume before running out the door.

P.S. If you’re feeling inspired for fall, here’s one my favorite, ahem, ladylike looks for the season.

A perfect pink coat and suede bow pumps.

Share your own version of #BecauseImALady in the comments! x

The Average Woman

September 8, 2017 By Jay

Jay Miranda, Lauren Downing Peters, and Rachel Kinnard. Photo: Racheal Pena.

I had the pleasure of speaking at CLOTHING & SIZE, a panel organized by Rachel Kinnard along with Sommer Green, Lauren Downing Peters, and Marcy Guevera-Prete. If the subjects of plus size fashion and body positivity interest you, it’s a great read.

The average American woman is said to wear a size 16. Marcy made a brilliant point about the average woman–she has obligations, works, is married, has kids. “She’s always buying the kids shoes!” This made me think the average American woman probably feels like her whole life has been marked by transitions. I have certainly felt this way. Babies, career moves, aging parents, etc.

Then there’s the idea that plus-size women see themselves as a body in transition. This might be true for some, but it’s often used as an excuse against making clothes in our size.

As you grow into your 30s, the meaning of fashion shifts. You might be thinking about or spending more on others than yourself. You might be focusing your energy on other areas of your life. That’s grown woman stuff.

And that’s fine, until you need a dress for an event.

My body HAS changed in the last few years and this HAS been a challenge I haven’t written about. I’m a few sizes smaller. My proportions have changed. Some things don’t fit as expected and I’ve felt a little sad in the dressing room at times. Dressing a different body is an adjustment.

Then, serendipitously, you find an amazing dress. And you get it for yourself, as you are now.

What can I say about Target? There’s no other place where you can buy detergent, play doh, and a dress that makes you feel like you’re falling love in Portofino.

OK, OK, that last part was probably due to the fact that my husband and I had dinner afterwards at SPERANZA, a beautiful little Italian restaurant in Los Feliz, Calif.

Gazing at my husband over a candlelit dinner while he tells how much he loves me in the unrestrained ways of pinot grigio? Um yeah, I could do that every night.

Garden canopy at Speranza.

But. This. Dress.

It’s a wrap dress, which means I got a perfect fit. It’s on-trend with these gorgeous prairie ruffles. It was flirty, romantic, feminine. It was cotton. It was under $40. Let’s all collectively hope that Target’s Who What Wear collaboration endures.

Maybe life shifts more toward experiences than appearances. But the right outfit can always enhance how we feel. And how we feel in the moment is ultimately what we remember.

If you want THIS PARTICULAR DRESS, you might still find it in-store in straight and plus-size.

Wishing you more of those wonderful, unexpected moments. As always, I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

The Holidays: One Gift at a Time

December 12, 2016 By Jay

Just like that, the holidays are here. This year feels a little different; we’ve collectively made it through the many ups and downs of 2016. There’s so much to enjoy about this time of year—the food, the lights, the stillness of a silent night and, of course, it’s gifting season! I believe any gift, big or small, is special when it’s given earnestly and with love. Today I wanted to share some of my favorite gifts to give from JC Penney. Bonus: I bought everything on this list for less than $100 total. Now that’s a holiday steal!

Holiday Lounging

Few things are better than staying in on a cold day. That’s why I love to give holiday pajamas. These Total Girl pajama pants are perfect for cozy nights in.

A Handsome Holiday

Gifts can be given throughout this time of year and a nice gift to give early in the season is a bit of decor. I love the look of a nutcracker on a mantle or bookshelf. Plus, this is the kind of gift that can paired with food—like a bag of walnuts or pecans or a copy of The Nutcracker if you’re giving it to a family with kids. This North Pole Tracing Co. Nutcracker looks fancy, but was a steal.

Jay Miranda

Good Taste, Mom Life, Homeschooling