We all know I’m a jewelry hound.  While I have several places I love for investment pieces, I’ve always been a fan of places like Kenneth Cole or Banana Republic for on-trend costume jewelry to keep things up to date.  A recent look through Banana Republic’s website, however, has made me wonder about where they’re trying to go with their jewelry and accessories lines.

After seeing a necklace I liked in Lucky, I perused their jewelry holdings this week.  As I expected, they have several very wearable pieces, most of which are offered at a price that’s reasonable for what they are.  Their 51″ framed jewel chain necklace at $45, fine.  Their glam bib necklace in smoke gray at $69, fine.  It was this piece that really jarred me:

Banana Republic, $198.00.

Don’t get me wrong, I like this necklace a lot.  So much so, in fact that I considered buying it… until I saw the price. $198?  Really?

read more »

Adorable summer jacket from Theory.

As you may recall, Betsy’s third request for her spring wardrobe update was cardigans or other cover-ups that she can put over dresses.  Last time we covered cardigans; today we’re going to talk jackets.  Now, I’m not going to cover the standard blazer today.  Absolutely, they’re always business-appropriate.  But this is Betsy’s office and not mine.  At her office, there’s a little more emphasis on looking fashionable and a little less on looking formal.  There are a million great variations on the blazer out there, but I’m going to try to stay away from jackets that look like they ought to go with a pencil skirt.

read more »

Also in black, white, and oceanic!

Today we’re up to stage three of Betsy’s spring wardrobe update.  The next item Betsy asked for is coverups to go over dresses.  I’m sure you’re all familiar with the problem.  Yes, the summer months are coming and it’s going to get hot.  Unfortunately, plenty of offices seem to be air conditioned to a temperature suitable only to penguins or particularly hot-blooded men in suits. (They measured the temperature in my boss’s office at one of my former jobs and it registered at, no joke, 53 degrees Fahrenheit.  This is not, in my opinion, “room temperature.”)  This leaves most women and many men with the choice between either freezing in your office or sweltering once you step outside, particularly if your commute involves an AC-less subway platform or a car that’s been baking in the sun for eight hours.  Throw in the occasional movie theater and, if you’re lucky, cool evenings at the beach, and having a cute cover-up for your warm-weather dresses is a definite must.

For an office like Betsy’s, cardigans or blazers and other casual jackets are the easiest way to go. Yes, pashminas are great, but if you’re at the office, getting stuff out of drawers, attending meetings, and generally going about your business, wraps just aren’t practical.  Today we’ll focus on cardigans — they’re easy to roll and stuff in a biggish handbag, and in the right color, can be hugely versatile.

read more »