Today’s newsletter is underwritten by Tory Burch. All ideas my own.
I found myself nodding along when reading a newsletter that substack served to me on instagram recently. Such a great headline: Americans don’t dress badly, we just lead unsexy lives. This hit me just as I was trying to put my finger on why I enjoyed getting dressed in Paris so much this season and why I haven’t wanted to wear those exact same outfits recently in New York, when I’m doing the same things, mostly. Not that I don’t love to get dressed here, I do! But somehow I want to have more of an element of daytime-ness in my clothes, no matter what time it is. Not so done up that I stick out, because people here are generally…just less done up.
All cities have their own style undercurrents, though. Milan is extremely Milanese when you start to really look around. Full skirts, cropped pants, chunky soles. And Paris is extremely Parisian: slim jeans, slim boots, blazers and a scarf. So I started thinking, what clothing makes New York style its best self?
It wouldn’t be right to call the undercurrent preppy – that really stems from old English ideals and has also been reinterpreted by both New England and The South. Or similarly, the idea that New Yorkers just wear black feels like a silly cliche. So what is it?
I find myself stopping for a second glance when women look super put together and super unbothered all at once, but definitely DRESSED. Similarly, I am the happiest walking down the street when I’m in some sort of nod to the classic idea of sportswear – the category that came of age, primarily, to address women entering the white collar workforce en masse. It’s the Claire McCardell —> Bill Blass —> Isaac Mizrahi of it all which evolved into the Marc Jacobs —> The Row —> Tory Burch —> Khaite of it all!! Coats and jackets that look tailored but not stiff. Dressy clothes in soft colors that take the edge off. Great looking skirts and dresses you could climb stairs in. Pockets! Clothes that could take us into a variety of situations without feeling overwrought in any.
The shapes of American sportswear have evolved over the decades, of course, like fashion on every continent. But what remains is this idea of a woman who lives many lives within the confines of a single day. And that to me, is supremely American. So it makes sense that we challenge our clothes to last us through the twilight stretches of the office holiday cocktail all the while looking perfectly at home on the morning commute and during meetings all day. And it also makes sense that we talk about this American way of dressing during one of the hardest dressing seasons to accomplish this goal: the event-heavy, holiday crunch.
Use pastels to temper party pieces
The first thing I thought of when puzzling this weekend’s challenge together was the idea of pastels. Soft colors are inherently “sportswear” to me, much in the vein of the powder blue bathroom of my grandparents’ home. Could incorporating them make our evening elements feel more at home during the day? All signs point to yes…
A sensible bag makes for a winning night
This pastel-hued thought was followed closely by the word SENSIBLE. Can’t you just hear your chic grandma in a little cape and ballerina flats using this word? This manifested for me in the form of a mid-sized shoulder bag. For some reason, I was (and am) extremely drawn to this bag while starting to gather both my thoughts and the clothing for today’s letter.
I THINK it comes back to this idea of a sensible bag being the balancing act for wearing party-appropriate clothes during the day. A mid-size bag that fits comfortably over my shoulder all of a sudden makes a feathered skirt feel workaday (in a good way!)
But sensible doesn’t mean basic. This roomy bag is covered in little metal knots (that I’m told were inspired by a cushion from Bunny Mellon’s Antiqua home – HELLO SPORTSWEAR ICON!!! I KNEW I WAS ONTO SOMETHING!) that give it charm.
**Editor’s note: Obviously this spurred a deep dive and THIS is the house that Tory bought, restored and found said cushion, OMG.
Use texture to dress up black and white separates
But back to the outfits. With zee fun+functional bag securely in the forefront of my work-to-party-wardrobe, it’s time to get back to layering. Let’s start with some black on black layering (a comfort zone for many of you) and how to snazz it up. Might I suggest your favorite black skirt (maybe one with some flair), a black cardigan and a white button down and then mess around with how it’s all layered. Can you unbutton here or there? Intentionally untuck? Add some texture or shine in one of the elements? This lurex cardi could be great with a white silk tee for example!
The Knee Length Personality Coat, A Sportswear Icon
It wouldn’t be holiday dressing if I didn’t offer up a coat. And man did I find a dream coat when doing my Tory edit. It’s got sportswear written all over it with its velvet details (we discussed the inescapability of velvet last weekend) taking it easily into evening. The little shawl collar is neatly tucked into a more tailored construction. Covered buttons!!!!!
The sharp lined look of a straight, mid-legnth coat in a fabulous fabric is a key feature of (my personal interpretation of) American sportswear. It’s such a New York thing to make coats your full personality – the season being filled with events that you’re popping into, and never even removing your outer layer. So while the black one above is my pride and joy, I am also here for all the brocade and satin and tweed we’ve been talking about already this year.
Swap your jeans for chinos
Now I’m going to say something controversial so make sure you’re sitting down. I do not think jeans should be considered sportswear. I think of sportswear as having the air of being quite dressed, and to me, that means no denim. As old fashioned as that sounds. But I consider this is actually a blessing in disguise. Because look how much more dynamic this outfit looks with white chinos!!!
Sure you could wear a red fringed halter top with jeans. But with white chinos, it’s a whole look!
Add something winky
Sportswear evolves with the decades, as I said earlier. It obviously meant something different to Halston than it did to Ms. McCardell. Today’s sportswear takes elements from these eras and is loosening them up even further and mashing them together. In the end, it’s all comfortable, just a new way of using standard elements like a polo, a straight skirt, a cotton dress. Proportions are a bit more extreme now. Huge shoulders. Sheer skirts. Layered knits. Pooling hems. But if you stick with the classic general categories, you can weave in some of these elements successfully. And then…add something cheeky like a fun belt. A statement necklace. An animal printed shoe to bring it all back to that whole confident lady look we are going for.
Speaking of shiny tops (yes that yellow striped top above is sparkly), there might not be a more straightforward way to scream holiday party than a top with a little shine. The trick of course, is to make these tops work for your workday. I love this mermaid blouse from Margiela (below) which I layered with a black silk cami underneath and threw a leather jacket over to tone it down.
Tie closures – an American Sportswear micro-trend
Tie closures cannot actually be credited to American sportswear. Heck, they can be traced to people dressing themselves from the beginning of well…documented history. But something about an asymmetrical tie feels very of the American sportswear golden age to me. A little retro. A little louche when undone, communicating a relaxed feel. And a simple extra flair when all the way done up, conservative but not boring. This sweater easily does the trick. As does this dress which I ordered already lest you all gobble them all up. And finally so does the “housecoat below.” Fun over a black skirt or with our pastel pants!
And if all else fails!!! Nothing quite like a your favorite black power dress with cheeky accessories to start a conversation at the bar.
I could keep going, but then what would we talk about next week??? Happy schedule to the MAX season! See you back here next Sunday.
Yours TRULY,
Becky
