Life is short and can change on a dime, so we should look for joy – big and small – in every single day. For me, this applies to clothing too…no ‘saving’ certain pieces for special occasions because you may have splurged on it or it’s ‘fancy’ – enjoy your best things on ordinary days because everyday is special.

Example: a beautiful Anne Fontaine blouse with sheer sleeves, worn to work on a regular November day, for no reason other than it made me smile!

Why not dress a bit fancy? I buttoned it all the way up, then added a black silk floppy bow. Very french, a timeless look that Ginger loved…

The red wool skirt is by Theory – it’s a great versatile piece that works with a turtleneck, a blazer, or a simple white shirt. This particular combination could easily be worn to a holiday party by skipping the tights (yes, bare legs) and wearing a high strappy sandal. If you can’t bear the thought of bare legs in cold weather, another option would be to wear black lace tights and black suede pumps. Elegant!

These are my suede Gucci booties, at least three years old…I wear them to death and take good care of them with a suede brush and Meltonian Suede Renew spray (the toes actually need to be touched up again). Well made shoes should last for many years with proper care and occasional visits to the cobbler. (Ginger lesson!)

Living in New England, dressing for work during the winter months means two indoor layers for me – generally a blazer or a sweater over a shirt…but it would be such a shame to hide this shirt with a jacket, so I opted for an oversized wool scarf instead…it will look nice with my outerwear, and I can wear it in the office if it’s chilly…

Outerwear choice of the day – a faux fur leopard that feels so GLAM!

Now – do you know what I am referring to here? Hint: it has to do with outerwear in cold weather…

Did you guess? The ‘3’ refers to never leave the house without the essential THREE: hat, scarf, and gloves! A wool beret is a classic that I have worn for years, but there are many other options if this is not your style…keep trying different hats till you find the one you like…the driving gloves are by Sermoneta, purchased online since they no longer have a shop in Boston…I am officially obsessed, also have them in red and tan…:-)

So on this very ordinary November day I am wearing some of my finest wardrobe pieces and it feels quite good!

What’s in YOUR closet that you are saving for a special occasion? How about wearing it this week?