SAINT LAURENT PARIS

Elle September 2014

I was shopping at Nordstrom's yesterday. Rarely do I smell a perfume sample in a magazine, but something wafted from the page that I liked and decided to take a sniff. It is Jo Malone's new fragrance ... Wood Sage and Sea Salt. I've never bought a Jo Malone product; now was as good as other time. Plus, I had a Nordstrom's Note burning in my pocket. When I arrived to the counter, the saleswoman told me that it was sold out. I stood and stared. When I decide to buy something that I don't really need, I expect it to be available for purchase. And my stare stood me in good stead as a bottle magically appeared from the stock room that was, apparently, meant for me.

Before walking into Nordstrom's, my friend and I had come from a boozy lunch. So we were full of giggles and cracks. Now usually, we are only cracking each other up; but this time, we had a captive audience for our martini madness. In the time that we spent at the counter, we had time to really settle in and notice what was happening around us. And one of the things that I noticed was the outfit that the Jo Malone rep was wearing. It was the sweetest black suit with a delicate white chiffon collar and cuffs.

My grandmother Ann was the most elegant woman that I knew growing up. She was fancy. The outfit of hers that I adored was very similar to the clerks, and the Saint Laurent above. The Saint Laurent doesn't appear to be a suit, and it is velvet ... but it has the look: darkest noir with contrasting cuffs and collar and sparkly buttons. I've not ever had anything like it, which is surprising as most fashion that makes as much an impact as that on me, I usually try to recreate. I've been overwhelmed by the looks in this fall's fashion pages. I've torn very few pages out. I'm not sure if has to do with the fact that I haven't had the time to really examine them this year, or if they were a little ... uninspired.

Maybe this is the year that I stick to my closet. And just pick up a few new scents. Unless a little black suit with a chiffon collar comes along.