twin pact

There was time when I would sneak into my twin sister's room, scared of ghosts or thunder or both, and beg to sleep in her bed. Most of the time she'd let me. Some nights, she would negotiate payback: make her bed in the morning or load the dishwasher after dinner, and if I agreed to her terms, she'd let me. Fast forward to present day and our I-scratch-your-back-you-scratch-mine terms of agreement remains: shoot my picture in exchange for clothing in my closet. Thankfully, this deal works pretty much every time, no dishwashing included. The latest transaction: she took my pic in her berry-filled garden over the weekend and repossessed my just-acquired Alex Mill cardigan, above--and then snapped up the scarf, below, this reversible jacket and this fair isle turtleneck in the gift guide I curated on Alex Mill's website. Um, I think she got the better end of the deal!

 

 

you first

 

I spent pretty much the entire weekend holiday shopping--for myself! In no particular order I self-gifted this Khaite-spirited Madewell belt (that's so good it's backordered till March 2024!!!), the $42 H&M vase, above, that will soon take up residence on my kitchen counter, the pleated Anine Bing jeans, below, which look nothing like the other denim jammed in my closet, this Zara knit inspired by the tie-it-on-and-go styling trend, last pic, and these super sleek sneakers from The Row, which, even though they are sneakers, will be among the nicest shoes I own! Proper gift guide for you coming soon, I promise. P.S. Should you feel inclined, you can treat yourself too with an extra 25% off at Shopbop!

save of the day

 

Not a day goes without a compliment (or five) on my never-take-off necklace stack, and I have Adina Reyter to thank for that. Her jewelry is not only stay-on easy, but statement-making easy. And today and tomorrow, it's also gift-giving easy, because Le Catch readers can get 20% off today with the code MARLIEN20. See all of my favorite pieces here. You're welcome! 

look here

 

Since everyone has been DM'ing me via Instagram about the coat I wore earlier this week, I thought I'd answer here: it's by H&M, previously featured on Le Catch. For future inquiries, please make sure to check out my "Looks" page on Shop My. There you'll also find an up-to-date line-up of latest looks, including the fringed Zara from last night, and archive of past posts, weekly finds and more! Happy Weekend, people! 

tinsel and tweed

 

$53, charles keith

A Chanel dupe durable enough for everyday errands--in style.

1. Alanui sweater, $1207, mytheresa.com

2. AGOLDE jeans, $220, netaporter.com

3. Alex Mill coat, $595, alexmill.com

4. Charles Keith tweed slingbacks, $53, charleskeith.com

about last night

 

 

Last night started with a group pic that evidently only one of us wanted taken (guess who?), followed by a traffic-filled, multiple-freeway trek across town and a sweaty, uphill walk to Flamingo Estate, where we celebrated Aimee Song's collaboration with Madewell. Throughout the evening, Dorsey founder Meg Strachan, my sister and I covered a lot of ground, starting with the best boots out there this winter, why leather trousers, specifically the Sandro pair on sale, below, have become a closet staple, and how we're all going to wear the Zara mesh dress in myrid ways, last pic. We also explored Meg's obsession with long coats (this and this in particular), Coco's fascination with this book, and why I am a sucker for sequins (reasons one, two and three). All in all, it was a good night! (See more details/outfits on my Shop My Looks page amd Instagram!)

 

 

in the hood

 

$89, zara

 

How to finesse the current hoodie/blazer combo with zero bulkiness and spot-on proportions.

1. Zara hooded blazer, $89, zara.com

2. AGOLDE jeans, $235, mytheresa.com

3. Zoe Lev bar signet ring, $640, zoelev.com

4. Marni bag, $357, mytheresa.com

5. Steve Madden mesh boots, $129, stevemadden.com

gray matter

 

What better way to embrace winter's grey days than to wear it top to toe. London-based creative director Yatri Pabari offers a how-to master class via her Instagram feed. The prerequisite: an A+ pair of grey jeans. They look refreshingly different from blue/black denim, but equally neutral/versatile. Let's dive into the course with River Island's bomber jacket and jeans, above, then study the outfit-edifying pair by Zara, below. I also love these jeans by Frame, Totem and L'Agence. To go with: this, this and this. P.S. I found a pre-loved version of her Bottega bag, last pic, here!

Photos: Yatri Pabari

the cure

 

Denim on denim sounds easy. Personally, I find it tricky to execute, because I want to the combo to look seamless, yet not too matchy-matchy. Furthermore, I struggle with the combination of shades, and which washes work best. Well, Haikure is here to save my denim days, using sustainably-crafted, organic denim, to boot, with the one-and-one jumpsuit, above (also here). The Italian line also excels in perfectly-cut wide-leg white jeans and shorts, below.

ping me

 

 

My phone pinged as soon as I hit sea level. I was sweaty from my hour-long hike, buzzing with endorphins. One of my best friends had messaged me. Not let's get coffee and catch up. Not how are you. Not even hi. It was just a link to an inexpensive yet very Le Catch-looking jacket. The subtext was: "Should I buy?" I am well versed in this type of shorthand/correspondence. In fact, I kind of think it's cool that I can communicate with my nearest and dearest without actually saying or writing a single word. And I love that my friend who, truth be told, can afford a jacket with multiple zeros on the price tag, enjoys the thrill of the hunt--a lot like me. Speaking of thrills, I found some options to share with you today that are not Black Friday/Cyber Monday material of yore. These are year round-affordable pieces that elevate everyday dressing (my favorite kind). Take for example, the H&M jacket, above that goes hand in hand with an Hermes Kelly bag, no problemo! Then there is Jeffrey Campbell's take on Alaia's bound-to-sell-out mesh and leather boot, Mango's crystal studded top, and H&M lace shirt and tuxedo jacket. Feel free to ping me anytime!