LE CATCH

I don’t know about you, but the first Monday of the year feels more like back to school than September ever does. The calendar flips, the inbox refills, and the rustiness is real—evident in something as small as having to pause before writing 2026 instead of 2025! And yet, there’s clarity here too. I find January doesn’t ask for reinvention so much as recalibration. The reset isn’t loud. It’s subtle, almost practical. What worked last year still works. What didn’t, quietly exits. Which brings me, inevitably, to clothes. The new year can tempt with the idea of new: new wardrobe, new silhouette, new self. But the smarter move—the one that actually sticks—is closer to editing than replacing. The refined basic that sharpens what’s already in rotation (in every color!). The warm sweater that layers without bulk. The cute coat that makes everything else look better (see below). The chic blazer (above) to throw over everything. I’m talking enhancements, not overhauls. More examples: these suede Prada kitten heels (everyday-worthy!), this faux leather t-shirt, these rigid trouser-like jeans (read: dressy), and these satin pull-on pants. P.S. I’m Day 5 into using this do-it-all greens powder and already I can feel a difference! And started using this hard-core hydrating serum in Jackson Hole to combat the dry mountain air and will continue because it’s made my skin glow—truly!

I took what turned out to be my first selfie of the year, above, without much thought, only later noticing Jackson Hole’s iconic bucking horse right behind me. Very apropos as it’s the Year of the Horse! Unplanned, of course, but the best symbolism always is. The meaning—whether we’re talking Chinese zodiac or Western iconography—is forward movement. Charging ahead, yes, but with purpose. Clothing-wise, I’m leaning into that energy too. Pieces that feel like they can keep up: confident layers, everything intentional. Things that say “Let’s Go!” whether conditions cooperate or not—i.e., flaming-red Jorde, above, the sparkly Simkhai sweater, these AYR black jeans, this Varley fair isle zip-up knit, these ribbed Cordova base layers (crazy comfortable, double as leggings, plus heat-trapping top!), and this deep V-neck Pixie Market sweater. Heading to the fresh snow now!

I’m spending this last day of the year in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, where perspective arrives immediately and with galactic ceremony. Standing in the cold, dwarfed by snowy peaks and moose-filled valleys, it’s hard not to see the year laid out like a graph: sharp climbs, sudden drops, no smoothing of the line. 2025 asked a lot. The Palisades Fire. My eldest leaving for college—equal parts pride and free fall. My father’s life retrospective in Amsterdam, which had a way of collapsing time. Moving into a new rental home, learning (again) how little permanence is promised. I know it wasn’t just me. So many of us had an excruciatingly challenging year. We made it through a little tattered, maybe, but stronger in ways that only reveal themselves after the fact. I surprised myself. I learned. I grew. I kept going. Forward, with intention. May we all find the peace, love, and healing we deserve in 2026. Of course, some stylish body armor couldn’t hurt heading into the new year such as this, this and these (very Khaite!). Let’s goooooo!

My last Substack of the year just went out—and, no, it’s not about my resolutions. But if I had to single out an intention here, it’s this: to share more. Substack feels different. Less polished, more process. A place for the behind-the-scenes moments that don’t quite belong on the grid—the trips that never made it to Instagram (hint: the latest post), the inspo, the half-formed thoughts, the things that inform what you read here five days a week without announcing themselves. If you’ve been curious about Le Catch beyond what shows up here, this is where I’ll be leaning in even more. Less broadcast, more conversation. Please join me!

After weeks of holiday parties and big dinners, restraint sounds downright appealing to me right now. Not in a big, life-changing way—just in a “maybe I don’t need another basket of bread” way. I’ve already indulged. This in-between week calls for a lighter touch. A reset, not a resolution. Enter these pieces pictured here: practical, unfussy, and mercifully low-stakes: The lace-trimmed Reformation pants (in these colors too!), the H&M cardigan (size up and wear like a jacket!), the peplum knit (belt it to crank things up a notch) and the coated skirt, above. No fantasy dressing, no post-holiday splurging—just clothes that feel like a palate cleanser before January starts asking questions and demanding accountability!

$790, moda operandi

Manifesting a year as glamorous as this dress.

1. Lela Rose palliette slip dress, $790, modaoperandi.com
2. H&M mohair sweater, $84, hm.com
3. Liffner clutch, $675, shopbop.com
4. Pat McGrath Satin Lipstick in Elson, $30, nordstrom.com
5. Khaite leather sandals, $990, mytheresa.com

At least we know one thing for certain about 2026: color is coming for us—joyfully, unapologetically, and from the ground up. Let’s start with shoes, because they’re always the tell. The runways have been whispering (more like shouting) that the era of sensible black boots and greige suede is officially behind us. Now it’s all about eye-popping reds, acid brights, saturated jewel tones—the kind of shoes that don’t blend in but boast out loud. What makes this shift feel real—and not just trend-cycle noise—is who’s participating. For Resort 2026, Khaite, long the patron saint of head-to-toe black and studied restraint, is flirting with pastels. Read: bright turquoise is not a whim—it’s a signal! Meanwhile, Valentino continues its exuberant Rockstudded march, treating color as punctuation marks, while Chanel is injecting unexpected primary color pops into its otherwise tweed-coded universe. I want to dip my toes in now with these butter-yellow Khaite pumps, these white Everlane ballet flats, these pink ponyhair Jamie Haller kitten heels, these Target (!) Mary Janes, these Le Monde Beryl satin flats, these Jacquemus sneakers, these Emme Parsons pointy-toes, and these green Favorite Daughter pumps. You can also get your pops in with this Cos, these Stems tights, and this Alex Mill cashmere.

When I’m not representing the high-fashion elf union and wrapping presents on the floor or panic-buying “one last thing,” here’s I’m doing this week: watching the last few episodes of Severance, reading this, wearing sweaters that say I’ve rested even if I haven’t and relearning how to put together an outfit that isn’t “festive-adjacent.” It’s that pre-everything time—where the calendar is blurry, the vibes are soft, the look less try-hard. Fitting the bill: my faux fur blazer/jacket, below, (on sale for $124!), the Simon Miller faux shearling (and the less expensive faux fur-trimmed leather), lots of red pops (Cos coat, above, Sezane jacket, below), cozy plaid, fringe, a statement waist cincher to instantly elevate an outfit, suede, and a monogramed La Ligne cardigan.

$98, melie bianco

Proof that good things come in small (sparkly) packages.

1. Karen Millen embellished sweater, $168, nordstrom.com
2. The Frankie Shop trousers, $157, mytheresa.com
3. Gucci tweed jacket, $3980, netaporter.com
4. Miele Bianco bag, $98, meliebianco.com
5. Farah Homidi Lip Compact in Red 1, $88, violetgrey.com
6. Vince Camuto ballet flat, $110, nordstrom.com

And we’re back to the Coco Chronicles. While my sister is staying with me this week, shooting a Brooks Brothers campaign in Hollywood, her off-duty hours are spent rummaging through my ski storage, assessing jackets, layers, and everything that might survive New Hampshire in December--i.e., where she's headed next through Christmas. She is assembling a polar vortex version of herself that will survive snow, wind, long dog walks, and holiday logistics. I want to pack her suitcase with these fun base layers (and solids, above, too), this quilted dickie, this fun Farm Rio floral puffer or this down Varley jacket, this chic wide-leg cashmere pants, this extra warm (and cute) fleece jacket, and this Tibi statement knit.