On My Mind: Christmas Tartan and Kitten Mules
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“Strategist Brain” is a series where staffers share the stores they’ve stopped into, stuff they’ve spotted, and extra tidbits from stories they’ve worked on. You’ll hear from a different writer every week.
My tree is ornamented andmy mantel is garlanded, but I have yet to realize my holiday-outfit vision. There are a couple of contenders, but I’m still searching for the right accessories to take each potential look to the next level. I don’t think it will require much — just a pair of tights and some festive shoes — but they have to be special. Here’s what I’m considering.
I’ve wanted red tights ever sinceNew YorkMagazine features writer and friend ofSecret StrategistMadeline Leung Colemanarrived at theSecret Strategistpartywe hosted in October in a stunning monochromatic outfit. She wore a red knit top, red pencil skirt, and red tights with oxblood-red fisherman sandals and a red leather purse. It had never occurred to me that I could do that with a color other than black or white. Her tights are from Japanese company Tabio, and she says they’ve been holding up well for the four-plus years she’s worn them. I may order these.
I bought someCalzedonia socksearlier this year and wear them all the time. The brand also makes red tights in two shades, and I thought I would try them, since they are less expensive and easier to find than the Tabio. They happened to be on sale for Black Friday, so I ordered them in “red paint” and “dark red.”
As for what I’m planning to wear them with, I recently bought avintage Talbots red tartan pleated wool skirton eBay à la Ali MacGraw’s character in the classic ’70s filmLove Story. (I guess I still havepleated skirtson the brain.)Fashion blogshave obsessively tracked everything she wears in the moviefor ages now, and I am not immune to her preppy stylings. She wears her plaid skirt with red tights, and I plan to do the same. (I also just noticed that she wears ared dress with bare legsin another scene.) This outfit would be more appropriate for church or a professional setting rather than a holiday party, but honestly, I’d wear it to both. You can find a bunch more vintage red plaid wool skirts on eBay from brands like Pendleton, too. It was important that mine was knee-length or thereabouts so I could pair it with black riding boots.
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I got this fluttery drop-waist dress with polka dots and fluted sleeves on sale from Dôen earlier this year and think it could work on the holiday-party circuit if I wear it with red tights.
Now, the shoes are a bit trickier. Christmas dictates that footwear should be shiny or otherwise embellished in some way. I’ve been wearingthese patent-leather opera flats from Suzanne Raeeverywhere recently, and they’re frankly great for the season. But as an adult, I feel like I also need to add a fun heel into the rotation. It can’t be too high, and because it is winter, it must be closed-toe. I am thinking of a pointy mule with a kitten heel, which is surprisingly hard to find. I got these ’90s-style slingbacks on sale from the same brand that I love, but they are sadly a bit too narrow for my bunions. I’ve always loved theseberibboned mules from The Rowthat would be perfect for the holidays. I wonder if I could find an inexpensive pair in my size on The RealReal, where I see a bunch in different colorways. Actually, maybetheseMarie Antoinette Manolo Blahniksare the ideal Christmas shoe, but not for $1,900. The RealReal also has a lot more reasonably priced secondhand Manolo mules, like these aptly named feathered heels.
Here’s everything else I’ve seen recently
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In the past, I’ve coiled a fat wired ribbon around my Christmas tree, but this year, I’m thinking of adding bows to it. I was inspired by my friend and professor of philosophyLucy Collins, who always has the most beautiful Christmas decorations in her home. One year, she tied huge satin ribbons on a garland of pine needles that hung over a cased opening (she told me she was inspired by something similar she saw onHouses and Parties), and this year, she put bows on silver candlesticks. I asked her where she gets her ribbon and she said Japanese brandMokubaisthesource for ribbons in the Garment District. Sadly, it is now closed, but I think you can still buy some Mokuba ribbon at East Coast Trimming on 38th Street. I am looking for moss-green double-faced satin ribbon in maybe a 2- to 2.5-inch width, some narrower French-blue ribbon (inspired byLisa Przystup’s Christmas decorlast year), and some pink ribbon, either satin or velvet. I don’t see too muchMokubaonline, and if I can’t get to Manhattan soon, these ribbons on Amazon look decent.
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And finally, my kids just started piano lessons, and that has motivated me to learn music again. I never received formal music instruction besides casual piano lessons when I was a kid and classical-guitar lessons for a few years in college (I also sang in choirs growing and was part of the glee club in high school). My sister, who is a talented pianist and classical guitarist, let me borrow her guitar and thebeginner’s bookthat we (and my mom) learned on. While I’m able to play through the first few lessons pretty easily, I’ve never been good at reading music. I want to learn music theory once and for all, so I ordered this exercise book (Practical Theory Complete) that Ithinkis the one I used in school and this other book (Basics of Keyboard Theory) my sister recommended.
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