Sidewalk Style: Lovely in Linen

Ellery Ciesemier, 47
The mother of two had just dropped off her eldest son at Georgetown for his first year of college.

What she’s wearing:
Linen dress from Comptoir des Cotonniers in Paris (“In Paris in July, everything is 50 percent off”), Tory Burch tote, Sam Edelman sandals, Allison Stern silver bangle.

Tell me about your style and where you shop.
“I’m tall, so it can be challenging to find things that are long enough. I think I like to dress current but not too young. You just have to shop a lot of places and pick and choose. For basics, I like J. Crew. I like their belts, and their shoes are inexpensive. I’ll go to Anthropologie for a one-off belt or jacket. In Chicago, there’s a cool store called Sugar Magnolia on Oak Street.”

Where have you been shopping here?
“We’re here [walking into J. Crew] because my husband forgot a belt and shoes.”

So, half his wardrobe!
“Exactly.”

What’s on your shopping list for fall?
“I always love boots, and I want some more jeans. I don’t really wear heels. I buy heels and then I don’t wear them.”

Rachel says:
Ellery has what you might call an ideal figure for clothes: tall and thin. But an enviably svelte physique doesn’t necessarily make the job of finding fashionable—but not overly trendy—clothing any easier. Labels such as NYDJ (Not Your Daughter’s Jeans) and the French label she’s wearing market to stylish moms directly (see the Mothers & Daughters photo shoot on the Comptoir des Cotonniers Web site). Anyone out there have any favorite lines for the fashionable-mom set?