Some days, a woman wakes up and knows immediately what she wants to wear.
Other days, she wakes up and has an idea of what she wants to wear but goes through a frustrating pile full of skirt-blouse-sweater-jacket-pump-flat permutations before settling on just the right combination.
And then there are those days.
The days where you reach a point where your mind stops thinking creatively, and if you don't catch yourself, you just might walk out the door in that pair of pleated cuffed high-waisted trousers, that butterfly-collared oxford and those block-heeled white-trimmed navy spectators your Mom passed down to you after graduation for your first big DC interview.
Unless, of course, you did what I did and declined the gesture - and every subsequent one - but kindly offered to take a cash donation in its place.
If you don't have my talent for tactlessness, you need a default option to which you can turn in your moment of time-crunch desperation -- quite simply, you need a sheath.
The sheath, like a simple black pump, pearl earrings or a jewel-toned blousy-sleeved satin mini, is a wardrobe essential.
Pick one in a muted color like black, grey or ivory.
Pick one that is lined and in a mid-weight (i.e. year-round) fabric.
Pick one that is fitted and doesn't pucker across the hips or stomach.
Pick one that ends within two inches of your knee.
Pick one with a neckline that flatters your shoulders and chest.
Pick one with sleeves that either accentuates or hides your toned/floppy arms.
Here are my choices for the sheath dresses that would look as good on size 4 as on a size 10, those that would be as comfortable in July as in February, and those that would be as acceptable at a PR firm as at a three-letter-agency:
Top to bottom:
1. Stretch wool sleeveless dress ($69.99 at bloomingdales.com)
2. Keyhole-dress by Cynthia Steffe ($250 at bloomingdales.com)
3. Shift dress by AKA New York ($74.49 at shopbop.com)
4. ‘50s pencil dress by Alice + Olivia ($198 at shopbop.com)
5. Scout dress by 3.1 Phillip Lim ($550 at net-a-porter.com)
6. Drape front dress by Rachel Pally ($216 at activeendeavors.com)
7. Fine weave knit dress by St. John ($950 at saks.com)
8. Merino dress by Tory Burch ($350 at saks.com)
9. Matte jersey sheath by David Meister ($280 at saks.com)*
10. Tank dress by Melissa Masse ($250 at neimanmarcus.com)
11. Tulip sleeved jersey dress by Fendi ($1,250 at eluxury.com)
12. Wool shift dress by Fendi ($990 at net-a-porter.com)*
*your editrix's picks
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