LE CATCH

Last night before going to bed, I scrolled through all of my pictures taken in 2023 and paused when I saw this snap from November 8. It was shot during a festive luncheon at my house, one of the few I've had this past year, but perhaps one of the most fun. It features me (Rothy's Mary Janes) and my friend Asha (Rothy's clogs), but what it actually captures is pre-holiday me (polished/prim) and post-holiday me (casual/easy), because I'm now living in the clogs. I'm even wearing them as I write this! Though these styles may seem vastly different, they're both grounded in comfort, and for me, that's a year-round style mandate. I love them both!

After Christmas with my family, I am feeling full in every sense--like I need nothing more to make me happy. That being said, a new pair of cuffed jeans that are coming in hot for 2024 will, I am sure, amplify my everyday joy. Particularly these by Mother (nearly sold out but also here), Citizens of Humanity and AGOLDE.

My last Substack of the year is out and it's all about my peripatetic adventure in London and Alta Badia last week--and my never-ending quest to dress for all occasions, stylishly. My La Ligne pajamas certainly lived up to my velvet and mirror-paneled hotel room at The Twenty Two in London, above. Now that I'm back in LA, I can assure you they're definitely not sleeping on the job! Please read it here!

Hair of the dog for today's (holiday-shopping) hangover can be had in spades here, here, and here, but I also suggest you knock back Le Catch's past posts, newly and neatly archived here, so you can shop what you missed, most likely at a deep discount. Merry Christmas!

If you're wondering what I'm planning to wear now that Christmas is over, the answer is two night stay at a spa. Any spa.

I took my sister skiing yesterday for the second time in her life. I'm not sure who was the braver one among us as it was my first time skiing The Dolomites, where the trail maps are written in German and Italian (and, truth be told, I can't read maps). Thankfully, we managed to swish around without incident. When she complained that her ski boots were painfully uncomfortable later on in the day, I consoled her, explaining that ski gear leans more function than fashion--and a lot less comfort. Hence, I sported my Miu Miu sweater and brand new (actually comfy) Bogner pants to compensate/carve the Alta Badia slopes, only to lose my (style) steam for apres ski, when things suddenly became more about fashion than function. Yikes! People pulled out all the stops: prints, stripes, a million-ply cashmere. Most intriguing to me was the prevalence of these cropped, kick-flare, figure-flattering pants that almost looked like ski pants but absolutely were not. Comp in the pic below, to shop here, here and here. These cute pants were finessed with all kinds of knitwear and shoes! One woman had on the coolest sweater set that had both my sis and I coveting, which we tracked down and found here (on sale!).We also spotted: this, this, and this. Need to level up for the next Euro Apres pronto!

Put it this way: these pink H&M plates were so good I lugged them for two miles, shopping up and down London's Regent Street yesterday. No big deal though, because I've done this before with other H&M plates scored on trips past that have prompted my Hermes dishware-collecting friends to flip them over and verify their provenance. I also scored this insane faux leather skirt, this feathered La Double J, and this Toteme sweater (that looks like Phoebe Philo), this and this. Again, more to come on Substack.

After a ten-hour overnight flight from LA to London, I hit the ground running with my twin sister with help from instant-glam pieces: faux leather Madewell pants, the sequin Zara blazer, Dorsey sparkles, Chanel anklet ballerinas, and these sheer socks. Next day, same, same with my Sacai jacket, repeat Madewell pants, and Adidas Sambas, below. Up next for tonight for dinner at Brat: the under $200 Endless Rose chained-trimmed jacket, last pic. Of course, I will be sure to share all my holiday shopping scores, restaurant recs, and more London must-do's on my next Substack, coming this weekend!

"I couldn't take it anymore," my sister admitted to me over the phone while scurrying down Broadway, back to her Tribeca apartment. "I had to buy one." She was talking about the floor-length coats sweeping the city that everyone--except her apparently--is wearing. Her trusty puffer from last winter, she said, was looking very last winter, so she needed to level up. She had toyed with buying the most popular one by The Frankie Shop (less expensive in this wool here) and eyed these by H&M, Toteme, Good American, and Moon River. Ultimately, she snagged the last black medium at Zara.

Sheathed in $120 River Island sequins, above, at last night's holiday party, I didn't let the surrounding army of Hermes Kelly bags, La Double J feathers, and Chanel clutches, below, intimidate me. In fact, just the opposite: it inspired me to find even more merry and bright (under $200) finds. I am loving Commense's $125 maxi coat, below, and Pixie Market's faux leather jacket and oversized knit, along with Rails lace-trimmed slip dress. There's a whole lot more you can get for less, particularly things to wear to soirees and sit-down dinners on crazy, compelling sale right here!