Well suited.

The ultimate skirt suit: Tuleh, Fall 2006.

It's 'all been done before', but by God, has anybody ever done it quite like THIS? The sartorial equivalent of Haley's Comet. Unbelievably rare, and undeniably lovely, lovely, lovely.

Channeling Veronica Lake ...

-- L.A.E.

Anthropologie 101

The Anthropologie catalog for Fall 2006 features a very European mix of youthful pieces shown in surprising, often interesting ways.

This marvelous portrait jacket from p. 52-53 is the showstopper: thoroughbred lines, neatly capped sleeves, jaunty little pockets and a hefty (but not overwhelming) self-belt in the matching tweed. City or country, lunch or dinner, day or night, this piece is having your cake and eating it too.

Brav-oh!

-- L.A.E.

(image: Anthropologie catalog Fall 2006, p. 52-53)

Manifesto.

Welcome to my world.

"Never Lovelier" is intended as a kind of virtual cat's eye perch on the universe of fashion. I claim no special qualifications to this position, save that of someone who has been reading the major U.S. glossies for 20 years and developed exceptionally strong opinions (one might even say fierce) about what ranks (few things) and rankles (most things) in the notoriously fickle, often exasperating, but mostly entertaining world of fashion.

Are there more profound matters than these to be concerned with? For heaven's sake, yes. There are many forums dedicated to thoughtful discussion and exchange of ideas on the vexing issues. I visit them myself with some regularity. In spite of that -- or perhaps because of it -- I allow this: minor relief, and a small, sweet sigh of release at the sight of of something lovely executed in three dimensions, an article to be worn on the body, or a foot, on the head or a hand. Something done so beautifully, so well that it momentarily arrests your blinking, making you wonder whether fashion is more than artful.

Is it art? Or even Art?

I have more opinions on the issue than I will ever have handbags. But if I wasn't opinionated, why would I have a blog?

-- L.A.E., Tastemaker