Couture - The Diamond Pendant

cou·ture

ko͞oˈto͝or,-ˈtYr/

noun

1. the design and manufacture of fashionable clothes to a client's specific requirements and measurements.

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Shopping is fun and all, but designing your own items and having them made exactly the way you want is the best. 

I still owned my old engagement ring from my first marriage. It was a very simple and elegant Tiffany solitaire (hey, he did a couple of things right). I sold my wedding band a long time ago, but I was reluctant to get rid of the diamond ring. First, the resale value was poor. Second, the diamond was really beautiful. Third, though our son could probably care less, I wanted to keep it to pass down someday. 

The ring sat in my jewelry box for nearly 8 years. My excuse came when a small jeweler's store, Swissa, moved from downtown Seattle into our neighborhood of Queen Anne. They showed me a custom piece they had done for another customer, and we modified the design to accommodate the larger stone. I chose white gold for practical reasons - there isn't a place in Seattle that works with platinum so it would have to be sent away. 

We differed over the edges - the jeweler wanted to round them but I like the slightly harsh modern angles. Luckily, with couture, I get the final call!

I was shown the red wax mold initially, and even in that, the diamond looked awesome. I brought in some old broken jewelry and the platinum setting from the engagement ring for credit towards the ring design. It included a broken herringbone gold necklace I had in high school. Even with the '80s and '90s revival, no one wants to see those back.

The final outcome was elegant but clean and modern and works well with casual and dressy clothes. 

The Bag: THE Bag - The Birkin

Like for many women, the Hermes Birkin has had a certain mystique for me. The early introduction as a bag that not even Samantha Jones could get on request started the intrigue, though in reality, it's not really a Samantha bag at all. It has been an It Bag for as long as there have been It Bags. 

I wasn't sure initially that I would want one. The Kelly has a more elegant, refined history and was my personal grail. But, I am, shall we say, a sloppy bag owner. I am constantly stuffing things in and scrambling to get things out, usually while balancing my phone and keys and a beverage of some sort. The Birkin's tote style and ability to look structured and trim while completely undone began to appeal to me. Plus, variety is the spice of life.

So, like many Hermes devotees do, I gave a list of colors I would consider to my sales assistant, and waited. My color choices were all over the map, from pale neutrals in whites, creams and grays, to deep jewel tones (malachite being my ultimate desire), to the classic Hermes orange (Tennessee orange to my dear husband.)

I had stopped in to the store before the Neiman Marcus fashion show for Pointe to the Stars (blog post coming) and put a tickler in my SA's mind. The following week, I got an email from him suggesting I should come in that weekend, as he had something to show me. My clinic schedule had just ended early, so I suggested I come over immediately and asked for a hint. It was a Birkin, but I'd have to wait to find out the color.

This delicious Hermes Birkin 35 in Craie togo leather and gold hardware was waiting. It wasn't the best match to my black and white outfit, but I fell in love. The color was a creamy warm vanilla, like melted ice cream. See my Delvaux standing guard in the car above?

Like opening a present to yourself

 

Perfection.

The Outfit: Summer Dress in Winter

This GAP shirtdress was an easy choice over the summer (except, of course, the ironing and making sure the underpinnings don't show through.) 

Inspired by some other bloggers, I wanted to see if I could make it wearable this winter. Tights and books, plus a sleeveless sweater and comfy cashmere-silk scarf warms it up a bit. 

I can't really get away with crop tops usually, but over a dress would work. This sweater easily folded under to create a mock crop. 

The simple black and white color scheme allows the accessories to stand out, so it still comes across as minimalist despite boots with multiple gold buckles, the printed Hermes Brandebourgs CSGM, and hinged bracelet in rose gold.

Messy hair updo.

 Not minimalist enough for this accessory (gift from a patient (get your mammograms!)) 

The Bag: Marc by Marc Jacobs

Marc Jacobs had a rough end to the year. He had two articles in the Post about his personal life (he apparently hosted an orgy at his home after inviting people through Grindr) and about his diffusion line, Marc by Marc Jacobs, which is being closed. Allegations of drug use after a history of being clean, a fall out with his old business partner... My impression of him has always been someone who seems to use bluster to cover up some fears or insecurities, which is a shame because I have always really enjoyed his designs. Specifically in his diffusion line, the fashion is a clever, quirky take on femininity and ladylike style. 

While in medical school and residency, I couldn't afford many higher end designers. I moved to New York City to attend my breast surgery fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, still on a very limited budget, reeling from an ugly and bitter separation and divorce. I would window shop at the stores I had always dreamed about. Barneys was my favorite, the most uniquely New York, but most of the time, I was too intimidated by the prices even to try things on. 

When my divorce was finalized, I felt like I needed something to honor that day. It was the end of a lot of things - a marriage that had been entered in hope, an awful 17 months of fighting and lawyers and fear, an identity as a wife and a name I would no longer use. It was also a beginning - a freedom to pursue happiness, a chance at love, a life. My clinic day let out early, so I went to Barneys. My first Barneys purchase would be on this day. There wasn't a lot that was affordable on my budget, but I found a very simple black quilted nylon pouch lined with a flash of hot pink. The Marc by Marc Jacobs label was recognizable but also inconspicuous. It worked perfectly as a simple clutch, a little funky but subtle enough that it could be used with lots of outfits. It was also only around $100, so my bank account didn't take too big a hit. I 'm pretty sure I used the Barneys shopping bag for weeks afterwards to carry my lunch as well.

In truth, my Marc by Marc Jacobs bag is cute but I have others that are better made, more unique, showing less wear and tear. It has been seven years. The bag has such significance, though, that I will never part with it. Even better, I'm now at the point in my life (happily remarried with a second child, a good career, a rewarding social life) that I can grab the bag out of the closet and just think of it as a cute bag for a date night or casual outing. 

I, unfortunately, have had other friends go through the pain of divorce, and I encourage them to find something to commemorate that event. They can look at it as a reward, a trophy, or a consolation prize. Regardless, that divorce day is a major event in their lives. 

I hope that Mr. Jacobs, if he is indeed struggling right now, also finds an end to this difficult period. And perhaps designs a new it bag in remembrance. 

Designer Spotlight: SCHAI

My style tastes are all over the place, but I have tended to avoid both very fitted, very body-con items and high volume, architectural designs. I wanted to break into new areas, though, and since I love independent and emerging designers, I absolutely fell in love with local Seattle designer, Suk Chai of SCHAI. Born in Korea, Chai studied at FIT and designed for Nordstrom for years. Her personal line is characterized by clean but not sharp architectural lines, exquisite attention to detail and crafting, and luxe fabrics and tailoring. She was recently highlighted in the New York Times T Magazine as part of the Not Just a Label pop op shop at the Waldorf-Astoria, honoring designs made in New York. The pop op shop opens tonight and runs for a week. 

I had been trying to hook up with her for months, and actually preordered two pieces from her spring line, sight unseen. 

Finally, I was able to see her clothing up close and personal (and meet the designer herself, who is lovely, warm, funky but elegant, and clearly cares enormously about the clothes she creates) at her sample sale currently on through Saturday at Sell Your Sole in Belltown. These gorgeous pieces are up to 80% off. She has a number of leather and shearling items, like this glorious black shearling-lined coat. 

She has a leather and calf-hair t-shirt with zippered shoulders, shown here with matching jacket.

I ended up leaving with an inky leather crop top in a boxy silhouette and a long face-powder pink fleece skirt with a high waist and full, subtle high-low shape.

Some of the looks seem simple until you examine the construction, which is exquisite enough that you could wear the items inside out. Look at the lining and inner seaming of this fleece skirt. 

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McQ sweater, Hermes CDC belt in etoupe, Chloe Drew bag in cement pink, M. Gemi loafers

High fashion meets the Snuggie. This may be the first time ever I have been warm in my drafty office. 

Halloween - Fashion Girl Style

Cookie. Freaking. Lyons.

With a full time surgical career, two kids, a husband who travels, and an active volunteer life, my TV watching is pretty limited. I resisted the chatter about Empire until the end of this summer, when I binge-watched the entire first season in less than two weeks (seriously fast, in my life!).

The music rocks, the brothers are adorable, but the show belongs to Taraji Henson. She steals every scene she is in - mostly because of her incredible acting, but her costume designer (Rita McGhee, if the interwebs can be trusted) gets serious credit as well. She manages to be fabulous and over-the-top and tacky and luxe, all at the same time. 

This Halloween, I rejected my 3 year old's decision that I go as Skye from Paw Patrol to recreate a Cookie Lyons iconic look from when she meets Lucious at the prison.

Fantastic.

Of all of her outfits, this one is distinctive and easy to recreate. I had a black leather skirt from Saks Fifth Avenue and some amazing Jean Michel Cazabet caged mesh booties. I ordered an inexpensive Calvin Klein white tank top and some cheap plastic "gold-like" jewelry from Amazon (China - FYI, 4 weeks for shipping!) The jacket, obviously, was key. I wasn't springing for the original Moschino for a costume that I wouldn't rewear, but I found a patchwork denim jacket from Burlington Coat Factory for about $25. A few dollars of a stretchy gold fabric, some really terrible basting while watching Project Runway, and a decent imitation was created. 

I debuted it on the Friday before Halloween for the business trick-or-treating in our Seattle neighborhood. The makeup, carefully done while studying a picture of Cookie, was a little extreme for work, but went perfectly when I got home and threw on the costume. The 3 year old insisting on the Paw Patrol costumes for the whole family? Refused to wear his. 

Of course, the fact that many of the people I know are also too busy to be on the cusp of cutting-edge TV (and, of course, the misleading factor of my not being black) led to mostly erroneous theories about whom I was. A Real Housewife was the most common guess.

Whatever. Nailed it. 

The Bag: Chloe Drew

Happy birthday to me! It is such an It Bag, but every time it came across my instagram, I coveted. I finally succumbed during last minute shopping before our belated Bali honeymoon at Nordstroms. I tried on the moss gray, but finally got the sales assistant to order in the last cement pink one from a store in Texas. It's a perfect pink - basically a neutral but with more interest. I will not be retiring it for the winter. 

Now I just need more gold jewelry.