LE CATCH

A Monday night out heralded the start of holiday partying--and dressing up--for me. While I love slipping into a dress (I wore this La Double J last night along with an opulent glow c/o a True Botanicals facial--see here!), I plan on turning to new-again silk blouses to see me through many fun soirees. Easy but elegant, all the way! And thoroughly easy to execute in lovelies like the ($112) LOEIL, below, this classic, goes-with-everything Frame button-down, above, this pretty ARoss Girl x Soler, Ulla Johnson, Asos, and Pixie Market.

$59, h&m

Breezing into this fall day like. . .

1. Balenciaga sweater, $950, netaporter.com
2. Re/Done jeans, $265, netaporter.com
3. H&M parka, $59, hm.com
4. Kate Spade New York ring, $108, shopbop.com
5. Prada printed nylon mesh bag, $1270, luisaviaroma.com
6. Stuart Weitzman patent slingbacks, $365, neimanmarcus.com

It's 80 degrees here in LA and, reportedly, for the foreseeable future--and I am not at all complaining. But to give my dresses a little seasonal, fall-time update, I like the idea of styling them with pants, as shown here. The kind of frocks that can finesse this look are midi-length, nipped in at the waist, and open in the front, plus fluid and feminine to counterbalance the bottoms. Exactly like these versatile dresses from Staud (last pic), C/Meo Collective, The Reformation, Ganni, and Asos (similar to immediately below).

$228, madewell

These chic, shearling-lined boots are now on repeat through the deep freeze.

1. Vince cashmere sweater, $425, netaporter.com
2. House of Holland checked wool blazer, $770, netaporter.com
3. Bauble Bar huggie earring set, $44, shopbop.com
4. Prada clutch, $375, therealreal.com
5. Scosha signet ring, $775, shopbop.com
6. Madewell boots, $228, madewell.com
7. J.Crew corduroy jeans, $110, netaporter.com

Happy Halloween! Both my sons will be trick-or-treating in Ghillie suits--easy and effective, one-and-done costumes. (A sign, perhaps, that they've inherited my style-hack gene?) California kids through and through, they gravitate toward surfer clothing; In fact, they define formal as putting on a polo shirt! At least right now, I'm down with their version of dressed-up, in light of how cool collared tees currently look teamed with more sophisticated pieces. I'd twin with my kids in these polo shirts by Lacoste (I have the men's small!), Ralph Lauren, Nobody Denim, Monki and In Wear.

The fires, the smoke, the hurricane-force winds. While I'm infinitely grateful that we could escape to safety, I wouldn't mind a mental escape, even just for a few moments, far, far away to a carefree, soot-free, coconut-laden beach. Like, say, Mauritius--and prepped for it exactly like Emili Sindlev, pictured here. I'd breeze around in sarongs, tied around me as tops and skirts, like Faithfull the Brand, above, and Chanel, below. I'd keep cool in a polka dot bikini and bucket hat (like above) and when the sun starts to set, I'd slip into a pretty pastel dress such as this floral one and this one, both below, and this Hemant and Nandita mini. Au revoir!

A friend from London recently DM'ed me, wondering if I had any easy-to-layer tissue-thin turtlenecks to recommend. Specifically, she wanted one she could wear under dresses like this and this. While looking for some good options and finding these by Veronica Beard, Theory, 1901, and Alex Mill, I came across creative director Jen Azoulay rocking not only a versatile knit turtleneck by Cos, but an insanely chic sautoir Ginette pearl necklace. (P.S. She also wears it in her hair like a ponytail holder!) Immediately, my search pivoted to necklaces that I could top turtlenecks with and then some and I landed on these gems by Jennifer Zeuner, Lizzie Fortunato, and Brinker & Eliza.

Photo: Jen Wonders

I woke up at 3:34 Monday morning because my right arm had lost all feeling. Panicked, I sat up. As the nerve-needling slowly began perforating the numbness, trickling down from my shoulder to my hand, I smelled smoke. It was coming from outside, streaming in through an open window beside my bed. I looked out to see a huge fog-like cloud hovering just above us in the night-black sky. Thus, my day began. After following LAFD's Twitter announcements, checking the wind forecast (again and again), and then finally receiving a mandatory evacuation order text, we started to pack. It was 5AM. Family photos, irreplaceable art, passports and jewelry first. I'm not going to lie: I spent a good chunk of time in my closet, figuring out what really needed to go in the car pronto, and, truth be told, it wasn't a lot. (Yes, some exceptionally great/old Zara made it into the suitcase, along with one-of-a-kind vintage and my most beloved investment pieces.) While my kids loaded up their favorite possessions--two teddy bears and a drawer full of Nerf bullets among them--I thought about the irony of Architectural Digest featuring our recently renovated home on its website just three days ago and how, worst case scenario, it would be immortalized in some fashion. Right now, though, all I can think is how grateful that we, our bodies and those in our community, are safe. Thank you, Los Angeles Fire Department.

This River Island belted denim jacket lined with puffer-padding, effectively making it the coolest denim jacket I've seen in maybe... ever. (The faux fur collar and cuffs are removable, too!). More High Street highs: the corduroy Topshop jacket, below, this zebra-print statement-making Pixie Market dress, this Storets tweed set, and this amazing Asos (but doesn't look Asos!) dress and this one, too!