LE CATCH

When I was in New York a couple of weeks ago, eating dinner at a sidewalk table outside a little restaurant on East 9th Street, someone yelled "Coliena!" from an idling taxi cab. I yelled back, "I'm Marlien, Coliena's twin sister." Silence followed, and then the taxi surged forward with the traffic and whoever (I found out later it was a famous skateboarder) mistook me for my sister vanished into the night. My dinner companions laughed at the strange encounter, and I explained that this kind of thing happens to me all the time. Sometimes these cases of mistaken identity offer unexpected perks, like the time I was at a surf trade show in San Diego years ago. There I was minding my own business and of course eyeing the super-hot guys on the Quiksilver surf team, when they suddenly saw me and all ran towards me to embrace me. In addition to the long hug, I am pretty sure I happily accepted a few kisses on the cheeks as well, before I told them I was not Coliena, who as it turns out had just photographed them in Maui. As you might imagine, there are less exciting moments too (think hairy man bear-hugging me at LAX and getting progressively angrier as I continue to insist I am not Coliena). Such is the life of an identical twin, and of course, it doesn't help that we also have a good amount of overlap in our fashion tastes and often show up places wearing the exact same, skirt, top, jeans etc. which we both have purchased unbeknownst to one another. One interesting aspect of this duplicative shopping is that when we both get an item, it tends to be really good. By that measure this navy J.Crew jacket and this printed fur Topshop sweatshirt are likely keepers.

$67, asos

My art history major twin sister would no doubt appreciate the Mondrian-chicness of this ponyhair clutch. IMHO, it's a well-priced masterpiece!

1. Whistles sweater, $195, whistles.co.uk
2. Han Kjobehvan sunglasses, $119, madewell.com
3. Lauren Wolf earrings, $165, shopbop.com
4. Asos ponyhair clutch, $67, asos.com
5. Saint Laurent white pumps, $625, netaporter.com
6. Warehouse pleated skirt, $85, warehouse.andotherbrands.com

While the Spring 2014 runways are dishing out compelling new trends to try (tea-length skirts! peekaboo lace! oversized jewels!), I've also been looking off-runway for inspiration on what to wear this very minute. I rounded up my favorite looks of fashion show-goers in New York, London, Milan and Paris and compiled a wishlist of wardrobe-revolutionizing pieces I'd like to own. It includes the cozy Acne sweater, above, and the Alexander Wang structured pencil skirt to go with (or this one by Tibi).

Also on my list is a white lace skirt that I will most definitely wear with a simple grey sweatshirt. So easy. So chic.

More skirts! Printed ones have the power to pull together an entire outfit. I'm swooning over the floral Christopher Kane skirt, above, and also eyeing this leopard print Whistles and this printed fur Topshop.

A slouchy V-neck sweater is the perfect foil to a deeply feminine A-line skirt. J.Crew makes the best ones in grey and cream that are currently 25% off. And how excellent are those rich burgundy ankle boots? Yes, please! Love these Brian Atwood booties and these everyday ones by Rag & Bone.

The imminent chill requires a bold chunky-knit sweater or two. And the louder, the better. I like these guys from Tibi (similar to above), Proenza Schouler, and Tory Burch. I'm also smitten with the chunky but not so brash Theory knit.

Photos: Pinterest

$69, dorothy perkins

Some artful lace-like beading elevates this everyday sweatshirt into something not so everyday. I'd go up a size for a chicer loose fit.

1. Dorothy Perkins beaded sweatshirt, $69, dorothyperkins.com
2. Marc by Marc Jacobs chain link bracelet, $88, shopbop.com
3. Venessa Arizaga bracelet, $55, shopbop.com
4. Fendi bag, $2890, neimanmarcus.com
5. Tretorn sneakers, $68, jcrew.com
6. J.Crew leather pants, $695, jcrew.com

Red is known to boost your mood and bolster your confidence. It may be the reason why fashion show-goers from New York to Paris are sporting the fiery hue. Or perhaps because when done head to toe, the effect is mouth-dropping stunning. Whatever the case may be, I am inclined to work this trend with this Chloe showstopper (on sale!), this Asos coat, this Thakoon Addition strapless dress (or this less pricey one from Halston Heritage that's holiday-worthy), this resort-ready and well-priced One by Pink Stitch maxi, and this Rebecca Minkoff backless wonder. I also just found a few red-licious options on sale at Shopbop including this Milly dress (30% off), Ramy Brook jumpsuit (20% off), and Rebecca Minkoff bag (30% off).

Photos: Grazia, Pinterest

$99, mango

This faux fur bag is wildy statement-y but great for everyday. It's also so soft you might want to pet it all day long.

1. J.Crew elbow patch sweater, $98, jcrew.com
2.Sheriff & Cherry mirrored sunglasses, $145, shopbop.com
3. Noir Jewelry ring, $65, shopbop.com
4. Mango faux fur bag, $99, mango.com
5. Christian Louboutin patent leather pumps, $625, netaporter.com
6. Tory Burch tweed pants, $325, netaporter.com

The fall chill may be in the air, but evidently, it's not yet time to put away our summer rompers. With a sharp grey flannel blazer and a wool fedora, this woman fall-proofs her sleeveless black playsuit. The effect is both clever and chic, chic, chic. Hats like this and this can pull off the same trick. And as for blazers, check out this 3.1 Phillip Lim and this Gucci for endless winter wearing.

Photo: WWD

My family and I recently snuck in a quick two-day getaway to Santa Barbara. It's a place we go to often as it's close to where we live and yet it feels like we're worlds away. It's also where my husband can surf some of the best breaks California has to offer. Most of our time there is spent on the beach, as my husband's surfing addiction demands close proximity to the waves from morning till night. Which means I pack my beach bag more like a survival kit and stock it with everything from a sun-protective rash guard for paddle boarding (mine is by Parasol, a stylish line of SPF clothing designed by former Vogue editor Alexandra Kotur) to an extra large beach blanket (like this chic one by Chance), which can accommodate my entire brood, to extra bathing suits (The Outnet has a lot of cute ones on sale right now, such as this Marni bikini). I also pack a cozy, warm sweater like this to wear when the sun goes down, a ski jacket (this is not overkill--it gets seriously cold and windy post-sunset!), workout clothes for when the mood strikes, crazy amounts of food and refreshments, and some good reading material (Beautiful Ruins, Crazy Rich Asians, The Marriage Plot). Read on for trip highlights...

We kept busy on the beach, building forts made from driftwood, boogie boarding the sand dunes, and burying each other, in this case, my youngest son.

This is the entrance to the beautiful house we rented. It was perched way up high on a mountain in what my husband calls the back country (perhaps because it's 2.3 miles away from the ocean!) It had a ping pong table in the garage, which allowed me to resurrect my childhood skills and beat all of my competitive opponents (i.e., my husband, and four and seven year-olds). We also played musical beds. My kids have a knack for evicting my husband and I out of bed in the middle of the night and into their twin cots whenever we go on vacation!

I definitely felt like we were in the back country on Sunday morning, when about a dozen vultures circled above us as we ate our breakfast on the porch. I managed to capture a picture of one, as we braved a brief hike outside our house. I seriously felt like we were in the movie Birds!

We met up with some friends on the beach and ended up barbecuing and pool partying. Evidently for the kids, it was an all-out rager!

We got treated to this pastel-perfect Santa Barbara sunset before driving (bumper-to-bumper) back to reality on Sunday night. I am already looking forward to our next trip!

$210, monsoon

Happiness is wearing this candy-hued sequin jacket. Especially on a Monday.

1. Topshop fluffy t-shirt, $48, topshop.com
2. Monsoon sequin jacket, $210, monsoon.co.uk
3. Carven suede bag, $1090, shopbop.com
4. Vans slip-on sneakers, $47, madewell.com
5. J Brand pants, $213, netaporter.com

Season after season, Isabel Marant defines what I want to wear: feminine, laid-back yet cool clothing--with a bit of Parisian je ne sais quois thrown in! She hit another home run with her Spring 2014 collection, which debuted today in Paris. Ergo, it's now clear that my spring wardrobe will not be complete without a ruffle (or 10!), cut-out ankle booties, short white lace dresses and slouchy black blazers. Check out my favorite looks from the show--plus some ways to get in on these soon-to-be-highly-coveted silhouettes now with this, this, this and this.

Photos: Style.com