A singular style: What Anjela loves

Anjela, an elegant, articulate friend, wrote recently about her refined yet playful style:

"We are not 20 somethings and yet, not ready (I speak for myself) to jump into old lady clothes.

Though I, myself wear weird get-ups like Hunter Wellies with gypsy skirts or black jeans with J. Crew ballerina-style shoes or white tee shirts from Kohl's (really inexpensive) or a Ralph Lauren tweed skirt (HE HAS amazing sales online) with a Lauro Piana cashmere sweater.

I love Ghost of London for their beautiful silk blouses which go with threadbare jeans and boots of softest leather... Their black dress cut on the bias swings with such attitude it is sensuality personified but with undertones of class and elegance.

I adore Nicole Farhi and would wear her stuff ad nauseum if I had the money ...she makes ageless, timeless clothes) and add a strand of pearls to wear with casual stuff or the silver ball necklaces which works really well with a Pink of London man's shirt. I personally love Ralph Lauren men's shirts- and perfume subtle.

I love & adore contradictions in clothes- silk with denim and wool with silk and harsh with soft fabrics and integrating elements of masculine with feminine- androgeny can feel so good.

I once bought a pair of Prada black shoes- flat and chunky and have worn them with a sweeping pair of Eileen Fisher pants, to top it off a man's sweater and underneath a Rigby & Peller bra that is ultra feminine.

I love that outfit and it is more what I know than what I expose- to the world I may seem in a plain mood but, to myself I can feel the intricacies of lace against skin."

Anjela's ode to sensuality moves and heartens me. The reference to her "get-ups" is, believe me, tongue in chic.

The magic ingredient is quality. Better to hunt for your fine cashmere on sale than to cut corners with a synthetic.

If you'd like some beautiful new lingerie: Rigby & Peller is sold online through Fig Leaves' UK site; the US site is also lavishly stocked, but does not carry some of the European lines (like Barbara, my favourite.)