November 13, 2014

Winter White

Many thanks to Trudye for finding this sublime image!




With Arctic air plunging Chicago temperatures into the low 20s Fahrenheit, everyone is pulling out their woolies and bundling up for what looks to be another brutal Winter that has arrived unfashionably early.


Politics aside, what do you think of Mrs. Bush's outfit?


Is Winter White in your wardrobe? I absolutely love it as it's so eye-catching and elegant.  I would imagine it is horrendously difficult to keep clean even for an evening.  Winter White only first came to my attention as a formal option at our 2004 Presidential Inauguration when Laura Bush looked so fabulous and elegant walking down Pennsylvania Avenue and on the podium


Winter White is so 'Posh'


...and even more Posh when punched up with a full-bodied Red




It's going to be a long Winter in Chicago.


Love an opportunity to include a real grown-up !!!







Camilla Belle-never heard of her but she's gorgeous






Another very classy First Lady
any woman would look good in this...that's 5' 10" and size 2
actually nice from waist up but heels a bit much

GSL would like to open the floor to discussion. What are your thoughts on Winter White???

55 comments:

  1. I love it snd I have a white coat and even though it's actually not the best coat or really well made it always gets commented on. I don't wear it in Asia bc my relatives said it makes them feel cold looking at me!

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    1. That's funny Naomi but they really stand out and nothing looks more elegant in the winter.

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  2. I have a winter white coat (part of the hoarded collection.) I always feel quite smart in it! It's a great winter look.

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    1. Jen, we'll need Serena to style you out in a Winter White ensemble for that next dust jacket,

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  3. White is my happy colour, I don't wear much of it in winter as it stands out too much in our dull light but it is jut such strange comfort to me to wear that shade.

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    1. Tabs, I do recall you have a coat with fur-lined hood that looks sharp on you?

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  4. I love it too! In fact, I just picked up a pair of winter white corduroy trousers this very day, as I plan to wear that a lot over the holiday season! Love your choices!

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    1. Wendy, I actually have a pair of white cords that I wear quite a bit but are dreadfully hard to keep clean.

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    2. Darling, so chic! White cords/jeans such a perennial favourite of the fashion pack. Tell us how do you style yours, other than with stains?

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    3. Well done naughty Anon! You see that's why I frequent the Greek joint as the tzatziki sauce stains so subtly on my white cords.
      The interest I have in fashion and style is how it's applied to interesting women....and don't give much thought to my own personal style although I do manage to make myself 'presentable'.

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  5. Well I didn't know I wanted a white winter coat until now! Laura Bush's outfit in 2004 was amazing. It's a great look for winter and I wonder if it presents as more elegant because the upkeep is difficult?
    It's been snowing here all day, here we go...

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    1. A winter white coat would look fab on you Dani ! Not sure why white looks so much more elegant in the winter but it just seems to pop and look cleaner. Must have something to do with our latitude, sun position this time of year...I already have the Den staff looking into it.

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    2. Wait-WHAT?!-What did you say Dani?!...But you are only a stones throw from me. Am I to be spitting epithets when I open the curtains tomorrow morn?
      ...All day?....

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    3. Bebe it did, it snowed all day. I just walked back from dinner and observed icicles hanging from all of the buildings as I nearly froze to death while wearing 3 layers of Brora. It's true, steel yourself, and I've been hearing that this winter is going to be at least as cold as last...crying here!

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    4. *update*: yup.
      Thanks to your warning Dani I was able to maintain my composure. When I whipped open the curtains it was Mr Bebe that swore

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    5. Bebe, are we already back to Dustin's slushy undercarriage???

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  6. I love winter white on others, but can't wear white myself - I feel too much like a beacon, not to mention that I am way too dirty!
    Those pics are so glam!

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    1. Ruth, I think a winter white wool trench style coat (waist cinched, natch) with updo would look fab on you...probably a Northern Hemisphere thing so you should test drive in Chicago.

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  7. Winter white is a stunning look and you have made some great selections,G! I prefer on those dark haired beauties,though...love the contrast of dark hair,winter white! I do not wear it,but always admire people that do!

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    1. Trudye,
      I'm familiar with your palette but could see you definitely rocking Mrs. Bush's outfit only rotating in a red scarf/hat/gloves say just before Christmas in Chicago and you'd be all over the Daily Mail/Pinterest/IG the following day.

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    2. While I appreciate your sartorial suggestions,G, Laura Bush's look is not for me! She looks very elegant and perfect for the occasion. I prefer the VB look above...much more my style;-)

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    3. I do agree the VB look is very Trudye !... but do understand dear Trudye that GSL's keen eye is always right on the money...I could slip you into that LB ensemble rotate that perfect shade of red (I always know the one) for the hat/gloves/scarf and you'd be drop dead glam and make VB look like your errand girl.

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    4. Darling T, have just posted a couple of added pics including a VB ww ensemble with handbag in the absolute perfect shade of red to pair with ww....I must reluctantly give Estella praise here as she was singing VBs praises and believing in her when she was essentially a laughing stock but VB has been coming on strong !!!

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    5. Just noticed this dear G...punched up Posh! Cudos to Estella for sticking by VB!
      Those really do look like 'hooves' in last pic...funny, as is the whole outfit;-)

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  8. The old rule about not wearing white after Labor Day has been ingrained in me-I can't shake it. Otherwise, I love winter white, I think its lovely and I wish I could just take the plunge. You just have to be careful where you wear it around here-orange can be safer. Bow hunting seems to be gaining in popularity and for some weird reason I am more afraid of them than the hunters with rifles. Either way it would ruin my nice white coat.

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    1. Bow hunters in Woodcock Pocket? You haven't seen Tabs around stalking wild boar have you?

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  9. The winter white looks lovely on everyone but me. I can not bring myself to wear all white.

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  10. Love the winter white, but by the time we have Winter, after a long Summer in which I wear a lot of white, I'm a bit over the colour (or lack of colour) to be honest. It was 102F yesterday here, which is extremely hot for Spring. It doesn't bode well for our Summer, and it looks like while you'll be shivering in another Arctic freeze, we're going to have a Summer that feels like were living in an oven. I've already pulled all my white linen dresses out and have worn them a fair bit already… by April next year I'll be so sick of all my Summer dresses and colours I'll be desperate to don some Charcoal and black wool.

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    1. 102F???? and we're at 22F so I'll meet you halfway at 62F...no wonder big predators couldn't make a decent living down there.
      I'll be huddled next to my radiator all winter anxiously awaiting your garden updates and frilly summer dress selfies.

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  11. the images you chose are gorgeous g. i don't have a winter white coat but i'd like one! i love coats but here in southern california they just don't get worn that much. :(

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    1. Yes there isn't much call for winter white in SoCal but I would highly recommend a white trench for when you want to turn it up a notch.
      We're all pulling for you this weekend Janet and look forward to hearing how the big day came off.

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  12. Wonderful post and glamorous choices! Agree with Trudye on the contrast with dark hair, it's a stunning combination. The closest I have is a light grey coat.. love wearing it on a dark winter's day.

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    1. Dearest MaiTai,
      Your visits always send Den staff morale soaring and can see you and Darling Trudye's point on how winter white does seem better suited for brunettes but I bet Kaiser Karl (at least the Kaiser Karl we all remember) would lunge at an opportunity to style you out in full on winter white that would stop traffic and drop jaws all over Gstaad.

      I should also mention that we are doing a special leopard post next week to honor you and FF.

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    2. Aww, Kaiser Karl! I'd trade the styling session for a dinner, if possible.. I admire his work, but am captivated even more by his words!

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    3. I'd love to escort you to that dinner; the Kaiser is fascinating but we'd better hurry as 'he's getting on' as they say.

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  13. Interesting GSL...but I've never felt white works against snow. Always looks scruffy against the purity of snowy whiteness. Having said that I love wearing white and refuse to moo with the herd.

    And speaking of 'herd' the hooves the ostrich woman is wearing in the last pic are horrrrrrrific! Seriously?

    Is there a wedding to Estella on the horizon perchance? Congrats!

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    1. My dear dear Curator,
      Nobody will ever accuse you of mooing with the herd and agree the less true creamy whites diminish against a bank of just fallen snow.
      Those heels are horrific and I really don't like the outfit either although from the waist up it is quite wonderful.
      Oh goodness no!..and hers would be even more emphatic but as Estella can attest, I always told her one day she'd make a marvelous ex-wife...

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  14. Would appreciate suggestions for winter wonderland Christmas party theme in sunny Sydney ( down under ). Today it is 35 degrees Celsius. Thanks Den
    Ps love your recent posts. My great grandpa went to USA from Greece and helped to build the railway lines. My great grandpa was ready to move his family to the USA but they lost 8 out of 9 kids back in Greece to the plague. Only surviving child was my late maternal grandma. My great grandma wouldn't leave the land where her children were buried.
    I was born in Sydney but the first time I went to Melbourne Australia i thought everyone looked like a relative!!!

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    1. I'm terribly sorry my dear Anon about the oppressive heat and welcome to the Den with our blustery minus 5 C temp to freshen you up a bit.
      I couldn't even begin to come up with a Christmas party theme in such heat but that 'English Patient' scene where Katherine Clifton (Kristin Scott Thomas) comes inside feigning illness in that fab white dress and pearls and has a nice 'wall session' while 'Silent Night' wafts in from the courtyard will be a lingering sugar plum vision all day...
      How awful to lose 8 of 9 children to the plague...was it the Spanish Flu epidemic of 1918? I lost a great grandfather to that when he was 26...Yes I have only recently been told of Melbourne's large and thriving Greek population.
      One more interesting tidbit is that proprietor (Leo) of the Greek eatery I profiled last week told me his grandfather came to the USA to build the rails and then returned to Greece to fight in WWI.

      Thank you so much for stopping in Anon and I do hope you'll return!

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  15. I can't deny that I'm a little disturbed at the thought of you roaming the mean streets of Chicago in...white cords. And to think that you were handing out fashion advice to me yesterday, GSL! I might need to take you in hand - a very firm hand! Claire

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    1. My dear naughty Claire,
      I had promised my fiercely loyal and uber professional Den staff, I'd have a word regarding your avatarian housedress, rollers, and Snoopy slippers as they don't understand and appreciate eccentrics the way GSL does. Obviously if you are comfortable in such a get-up then by all means you are always most welcome.
      Now if one of the Den's proud overprotective staff should try to shoo you over to the tradesman's entrance or accusingly mention we were short 3 spoons yesterday please bring it to my attention...

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  16. I may be slightly eccentric, but I draw the line at slovenly! Claire

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    1. I want to hear more of where you draw lines Claire. You have GSL's full attention.

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  17. Thanks for posting the photos - inspirational! I bought a winter white coat from J Crew a few years back, double breasted with gold buttons. LUFF IT. I don't wear it that often but I need to! One thing I learned not to do was to wear it with jeans, the color rubbed on the edges of the coat on the inside. So now I wear it with off white cords and gold boots. I usually wear it with a cream cashmere turtleneck, so yay - I think it's a nice change of pace. I only will wear it if the weather is dry because in the rain, the slop goes everywhere (I'm in Oregon so that tells you something.....). I'm new to your blog and love it!

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    1. Ooh la la! I have a smoking hot visual of that winter white J Crew coat over off white cords and gold boots and say you sure can bring in the voom Vava! Now as for rain and slop, there is many a fair maiden and sweet little old lady that could regale you of gallant GSL body-blocking a wall of slush badly intentioned from a sadistic cab driver....thus yielding conquering hero a hot date and on one occasion a homemade apple pie
      Welcome Vava!

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  18. I love the idea and look of Winter White; but it's not for me. The closet I come, is my ombre mink jacket, in "Himalayan" shades of winter white, to dark taupe brown.

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    1. Duchess, I agree it is trickier with the fair light blonds like yourself and loved the patterned pink long coat/pumps I recently saw you in. Winter White does indeed seem to work better with brunettes.

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  19. Now, these are ALL ME in my dreams---young chic sylphs in Winter White, with wonderful places to go and things to see. I'm one of those sleek women with a perfect chignon and a slim wallet full of twenties for tips. It's what I wear when I dream of flying---do you fly upright, facing the wind, your clothes swirling in the draft, or lying down like Superman?

    You know I love the great variety of subjects you come up with---next I'll expect race cars and cooking school in Tuscany. Hope you're staying warm and well---you seemed to be getting quite a swat from all that Arctic blast. Just a few little cornflakes on Friday on the way home from school, and none last night.

    moire non,

    r

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    1. My dear Rachel,
      My dreams have me squiring a few of these young sylphs in their winter whites to a standing room only reading by the brilliant Rachel of Lawn Tea's growing fame.
      An old girlfriend did a cooking school in Tuscany and soon regretted trying to enlist me to roll pasta for a dinner party.
      I don't mind Arctic blasts one bit...it helps shoo away all those candy asses to warmer climes.

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  20. A little late to the snowy show but yes, I do love winter white and dream of one day getting my mitts on a beautiful coat (my latest obsession is the Alexander McQueen number with low notched lapels and double breasted - I believe the Duchess of Cambridge wore a black one during the Remembrance Sunday wreath laying ceremony last week). If I can't have the AMcQ one, I'll take the one Camilla Belle is wearing - just gorgeous!

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    1. CD, you would look sensational in winter white with your dark mane and as we discussed above it does work better for brunette or near brunettes. I looked at Kate's Remembrance Day AMcQ coat (very similar to Sophie's) and wasn't as taken with the cut as another Remembrance Day black coat I saw her in the google search (not sure which year)...but it is similar to the Camilla Belle coat above which I do like so maybe I'd like the McQ better in ww....Kate does have quite a wardrobe!

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  21. I do love winter white, usually on other people, but I am going to make an effort to wear a very pretty J Crew lady day coat in 'sea salt' this winter. These are great pictures, thanks for putting together this post. I was going to do a similar post using pictures from Bergdorf windows over the past 3 years. They LOVE featuring white in their holiday windows and seem to do it every year! XO, Jill

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    1. J Crew Lady Day Coat in Sea Salt?!?! Now doesn't that sound precious? I simply had to google and peek at what that might be and loved the image until I saw it on and it looked a bit too short at just above the knee but then it is a day coat so that makes sense. Wise choice and will look great on you.
      You've got great style Jill !!!

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