LE CATCH

Have you seen Zara's latest outerwear drop? It's vibrant and perky and fun--everything that winter is sometimes not! I especially love the 2-in-1 floral print puffer, above, with its removable sleeves (so it's also a vest!), the crochet pullover, the made-fore-layering cropped vest and the floral leggings for. All totally suitable/exceptional for NYC's winter outdoor dining or Cloud Nine's champagne swilling!

My twin sister has always been a better (faster, stronger, more dedicated) runner than me--but I tend to sport better running clothes. So, there! (I often get an assist from this robust yet discounted source!). But then she one-upped me the other day, turning up in the latest super cute Staud x New Balance collaboration, pictured here. Adding insult to injury, most of the stuff she wore had already sold out! However, I did scrounge up the cute puffer vest, above, to wear from track to town, along with the cool fleece pullover, below. Plus, I discovered Girlfriend Collective, a responsibly-made, well-priced, minimalist-inclined line of activewear, which will definitely keep me ahead of my sis in the style race!

Paris-based creative director Anne-Laure Mais's interpretation of fall casual boasts a distinctly French-chic accent. Which I'd like to adopt! Thankfully, her style is pretty easy to emulate with these anchor pieces: a print puffer jacket (like the Perfect Moment, above, this Rag & Bone and this Tory Burch); cropped Levi's jeans; a cute faux fur-lined Claude Pierlot vest (or this), and slightly oversized knits (this, this and this).

Photos: Anne Laure Mais

It must be our identical DNA that causes my twin sister and I to buy the same clothing when we are on opposite coasts! Our most recent joint purchase: the pretty Ulla Johnson puff-sleeve (and great necklace-framing) blouse, above, now on sale at Shopbop! Clearly, it's versatile, able to work LA days and NYC nights! And so are these other amazing sale finds, twin-approved, of course, from Brochu Walker, Jonathan Simkhai, byTiMo, Borgo de Nor, and Frame Denim. Check out the situation for yourself here.

My local coffee shop is now serving Peppermint Lattes. Read: it's officially that holly-jolly-crazytime of year! A funny viral Instagram post I saw succinctly sums up things like this:

November 1-21 = Christmas

November 22 = Thanksgiving

November 23-December 25 = Christmas

If you're ready to shop for the holidays, I recommend hitting up Banana Republic's Flights of Fancy sale, featuring 40% off purchase and free 2-3 day shipping on orders $175+ for all kinds of goodies. I'd start in the denim department where I just bought myself a pair of truly excellent jeans, pictured above--perfect stretch, length, flattering fit, no joke, along with this luxe-looking fleece sweatshirt, this super versatile sweater hoodie and this striped sweater! Also spot on: this cable knit sweater, this duster cardigan, and this fitted ribbed tank. This post is sponsored by Banana Republic. LTK #ad #theNewBRLook

$49, zara

I'll be sporting this cute and cozy statement apres-ski!

1. Zara sweater, $49, zara.com

2. Isabel Marant jeans, $415, matchesfashion.com

3. Luv Aj pave hoops, $65, shopbop.com

4. Gucci tote bag, $3100, gucci.com

5. See by Chloe boots, $495, shopbop.com

'Tis the season of epic knitwear! Among the brands crushing sweater weather is Rag & Bone with the Fair Isle turtleneck, above (I also love this printed puffer!) and Andersson Bell, below, (previously sold out on Le Catch and now re-stocked here), with a hoodie and all. Also distinctly cool are these by Doen, Something Navy, Zara, and Sea New York. Happy Friday!

It's been a while since I've bundled up for the cold, but helping me get back into the chilly swing of things is Amsterdam-based Hollie Mercedes, a seasoned master of wintry-dressing arts. Her unerring strategy: bright, bold knits, quilted jackets and funky, unexpected accessories. Among my favorites: this wool knitted And Other Stories hood, these vibrant oversized turtlenecks by Balenciaga (below), Zara, Line & Dot and Free People, this throw-over-everything quilted jacket from The Frankie Shop, pictured, this extra large (extra cozy) Zara scarf, this Last made-for-layering dickie and these balaclavas by Leandra Medine Cohen x Closed Denim and Kule.

It started out as a Halloween shopping mission with my children but somehow for me it segued into a Walmart fashion spree! I gleaned the print skirt and oversized knit, above, along with more winter-ready additions like this adorable ski-spirited zip-up knit, this throw-on-and-go dress, this belted fringed cardigan, and this sherpa-lined bomber. Check out this edit of goodies here! This post is sponsored by Walmart.

For a few minutes there yesterday, I felt like I was in a sun-soaked Umbrian piazza, ciao-ciao-ing with some spirited locals, awaiting my creamy Cacio e Peppe--all because of my Euro-chic vintage-looking paisley tunic. The reality: I was sitting in an alleyway, off Canon Drive in Beverly Hills, about to eat a chopped salad. But, honestly, that is the transporting power of my new beloved Zimmermann top, which looks as if I had snapped it up in Ibiza or Capri! I actually bought it from Farfetch--A.K.A. the endlessly stylish rabbit hole lined with the most-coveted and hard-to-find pieces curated from under-the-radar boutiques all over the world (yes, like Ibiza and Capri). To prove my point and then some: take a look at this, this, this and this! Enjoy the rabbit-hole run and, better yet, use my bespoke 10% off code MARLIEN10 while you're at it. You're welcome! (T&C's apply!)