Designers

Skirts Under are useful when you want the movement of a dress without giving up the ability to change the top.

Embellished bags are the answer when an outfit is technically correct and still missing a point of view.

Mini dresses under $250 that make a decision quickly: bare shapes, halters, knits and lace for hot evenings and occasions.

An affordable tops edit for tops that carry an outfit without making the trousers, shoes and jewelry work overtime. Shop shape and neckline.

The best designer gowns have a clear proposition and a shape that does the work. Shop long-line gowns with a neckline you can wear with ease.

Clutch bags are the accessories I save for outfits that already have enough going on.

The best mules are the shoes you can slip on quickly. Shop 40 from RAYE, St. Agni, Gucci and Sam Edelman, $71 to $1,550.

The best dresses under two hundred and fifty dollars are the ones that solve a real dressing problem without pretending to be an entire personality.

The best leather tote bags are not the biggest ones. Shop structured totes that carry the day comfortably and keep their shape for work.

Shoes under $300 are not a consolation category. Shop flats, pumps and wedges judged by shape, sole and fit, not by the discount.

The best tops under two hundred and fifty dollars are the ones that change the balance of an outfit without requiring a new wardrobe around them.

A luxury tote has to be judged by what it can carry, but capacity is only the beginning.

Tops under $300 are where a wardrobe gets its personality. Shop tops that change the shape of an outfit, by neckline, fabric and fastening.

An edit of boots organized by material and style: leather, suede, shearling and faux fur, plus knee-high, ankle, western and lug-sole pairs.

Shoes in this price range are where I expect the best decisions, because a useful pair should not require a special occasion to justify itself.

The best designer skirts are the ones that give an outfit a point of view without making you solve the rest of the outfit around them.

The coats edit is really an argument about proportion. A coat is the layer everyone sees first, so it has to do more than keep the weather out.

The best designer tote bags make capacity feel like a choice rather than a compromise.

The best tote bags are practical without looking like an apology for carrying things.

The best designer tote bags combine serious capacity with a shape that still feels like fashion.

The best tote bags are the ones that carry a real day without making you feel as if you packed for an expedition.

The best tops under $500 change the proportion of an outfit without a rethink. Shop tanks, shirts and blouses that solve a dressing problem.

The best sandals are the ones that make getting dressed simpler, not the ones that demand a whole outfit around them.

Dresses for women under $500, from mini to maxi lengths. Shop 40 from Lovers and Friends, Tularosa, Rotate and Guizio.