Photo by Nina Malyna / iStock

MY FIRST GROWN-UP dress was a Ralph Lauren knee-length black jersey with ballerina neckline, long narrow sleeves and a wide belt to cinch the waist. When I wore it, I felt beautiful, a new sensation. I was 16 years old, growing up in D.C. and awakening to the peculiar power of youth and femininity.

That same year, my mother also gave me a string of good-quality pearls. When I learned that oils from skin help the gems retain their luster, I rarely took them off. This was the late eighties. We wore pearls against our crewneck volleyball uniforms or doubled the strands on our wrists to pile up with friendship bracelets woven from embroidery thread.

I remembered that dress when I recently watched the classic film “Funny Face” (1957) in which Kay Thompson plays the editor of a fashion magazine. Tired of drab wardrobes, she declares “Banish the black,” and demands a remake of her next issue.

“Now hear this,” her character Ms. Prescott orders over the office intercom, as she assembles her staff for a meeting. Wearing a black suit and white blouse, she pronounces the planned fashion spread dreary and demands: “Everything goes pink!”

She speaks my language.

After living for more than two decades in California, I built an almost all-black wardrobe. Draped on hangers and folded on shelves, my clothes disappeared into each other, an amorphous blob of negative space. From this uniform shade, I selected items by texture, fingers distinguishing cashmere from wool, ribbed cotton from brushed.

How did life become so achromatic?

Until I reached adolescence, pink dominated my closet and my life. Even my bedroom walls were pink. And thanks to Laura Ashley, pink and green also popped on my bedspread and lampshade, creating an eternal springtime that carried me through boy crushes, bad bosses, friendship feuds, family frustration and bombed chemistry tests.

Clinique carried the theme into rosy blush, packaged in a sea mist-colored compact. Red food coloring flushed my home-baked sugar cookies with coral frosting. I loved pink so much that friends teased me: They said pink paint used in prisons, supposedly to calm, actually aggravates.

But pink made me happy. It was the color of roses in my prom corsage, my pet mouse’s nose, Trimline telephones, Molly Ringwald’s dress, edgy hair, Hostess Sno Balls cupcakes, lox,  Anais Anais perfume, strawberry ice cream, summer watermelon, Shirley Temple cocktails and the tastiest lemonade.

So how did I go from being known for pink — as well as floral print dresses and neckerchiefs in brilliant colors — to day after day of basic black?

Geography unearths the answer. When I left the East Coast for college in California, black’s absence of color defined me. Wearing black sent the message that I was more sophisticated than orange athletic wear, cooler than coastal stripes.

The monotony of California sunshine augmented this affinity for black. Also, black was easy to wear and combine, looked good whether costly or cheap, and hid fur shed by my coal-colored dogs. Dressing on a Central Valley morning in long-sleeved black T-shirt, jeans, a necklace and boots, I could take a walk with my husband, Matt, and the dogs along the American River, board a plane and land on a D.C. evening still suitably attired.

Black clothes allowed me to blend in at Zen retreats, poetry readings and unfamiliar yoga studios. Black was quiet and unobtrusive, fearless in its simplicity. Eventually, even my underwear and sock drawers came to resemble bar codes. I furnished my house with black. The car was white with black upholstery. I insisted on black ink in my pens.

Continuing a custom in my marriage of buying Matt logo T-shirts on travels, I found myself coming home empty-handed if I couldn’t find black. I cut my purple yoga mat into pieces to use as rug pads and started teaching exclusively from a black one.

Then I moved back East. Traveling light, Matt and I brought two black zafu cushions, the black bed, white sheets, a black table, white bookcase, black tray and stone-colored bath towels. (Is gray considered a color?)

We arrived in spring. Throughout summer, D.C. tourists provided spots of myriad hues, excitable songbirds mitigating the crow-like local garb.

Then fall and winter followed. Spilling out of apartment buildings and Uber rides came black puffy jackets, black boots, black flats and black umbrellas to populate the short, hoary days, filling in city spaces like tedious pointillism paintings, a light-sucking prospect stretching into infinity like an M.C. Escher mezzotint.

For a day trip to New York, I wore black jacket, black boots and jeans. My friend wore black, too, and we searched high and low for each other at Penn Station among a multitude of women of all ages dressed in the unvarying anemic onyx of urbanites. Suddenly, I missed my blue coat.

Yes, my blue corduroy coat purchased on sale from Patagonia almost 10 years ago. It cloaks me in associations of turquoise bracelets, berries, beaches, Matt’s eyes, Georgia O’Keeffe skies and little birds of happiness. It has been my exception, my anomaly, my deviation.

I missed the pink blouse I threw impulsively into a Sundance order when I purchased yet another pair of jeans. It’s the color of Gerbera daisies, my old dog’s tongue, grapefruit sorbet and desert quartz.

I missed my green shetland sweater. It reminds me of mossy stream banks, farmers market cucumbers, Emily Carr forests, thick carpets in fancy hotels.

I regretted giving away a coral-colored scarf, a sapphire blue sweater, my husband’s red sweatpants.

So now I’m bringing color back where it belongs, next to the skin, near the eye, on the table. I’ve changed my email background from gray to pink and replaced the dove-colored pillowcases with rosy ones. (I realize dove is just another doleful shade of gray.)

I’m adding an image of Helen Frankenthaler in pink blouse and white skirt, and images of her dauntless color fields, on my Pinterest boards.

Gotta say, though, a black dress stays. Long gone is the Ralph Lauren that paved the way to maturity and all its mixed blessings. I have now its second cousin hanging in my closet. A simple dress from J. Jill, ballerina neckline, long sleeves and a straight waist to be cinched if I feel like it. Also a gift from Mom.

— Alexa Mergen
Alexa Mergen teaches small-group and private lessons in yoga, meditation and writing in Harpers Ferry, W.V. and Washington, D.C., and edits Yoga Stanza.

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WHEN SIDEWALKS ARE SLICK, leave those pumps and flats at home and saddle up in sturdier shoes.

Women need to balance foot fashion with whole health, especially in wintertime. A foot has 26 bones, 33 joints and more than a hundred muscles, tendons and ligaments. That’s a lot of moving parts.

Dr. Eliezer Trybuch, a podiatrist with a longtime practice on Capitol Hill, sees a clear increase in ankle injuries among women wearing high heels and other dressy shoes through snow and ice.

“You want to wear a flatter shoe and a shoe that’s warm,” Trybuch explained, “a shoe that’s comfortable with no pinching. Women tend to wear something that’s more stylish but not good anatomically, such as high shoes and pump shoes with wedges or something pointy. The curve of the foot is not a point.”

That means no ballet shoes or high heels when temperatures hover near freezing.

“Walking around in a high heel or narrow shoe is not the best type of shoe for everyday use,” Trybuch emphasized. “Reserve those shoes for a special meeting or a wedding or a party, but women should not walk around in those shoes.”

If directing a meeting in shearling doesn’t appeal, keep a pair of something jazzier in a drawer at the office.

For people who work out in the weather, boots are a no-brainer. Pearl Wetherall, field manager at New Morning Farm in Hustontown, Penn., says the trick is finding the right boots.

“I like boots with removable wool liners,” said Wetherall, taking a break from Sunday’s rush at Dupont Circle’s FreshFarm Market. She wears through several pair of rubber boots a year. New Morning Farm encompasses 40 acres. “I’m walking everywhere all the time.”

After a day checking crops, Wetherall treats her feet to warm socks when she comes inside. “I should get some slippers,” she mused. Regretting that her house doesn’t have a bathtub— ”that would be nice” — Wetherall shared a few tips.

“Out of the shower, I’ll put lotion on my feet. I use Everyday Shea. It’s fragrance-free. I find oil-based stuff — coconut oil, olive oil — doesn’t really moisturize. It provides a protective barrier but doesn’t add the moisture I need. That’s why I went back to lotion.”

Trybuch agreed. “Do not use Vaseline or baby oil or Crisco. It’s not going to help.”

Choose a hydrating lotion that is neutral smelling or with a very light odor. “Smell is alcohol based and that’s drying,” Trybuch said.

Rub the lotion in completely. The feet should feel almost dry when you’re finished. If they’re still greasy, you’ve applied too much lotion.

In addition to wearing sturdy, warm shoes and hydrating the skin, keep feet clean, trim nails and limit pedicures. That’s right, limit pedicures, Trybuch said, even at a clean salon. There can be a health cost attached to colorful toenails and satiny heels.

“Go to a pedicure place sparingly,” Trybuch said when asked the most important action women can take for their trotters. “They are too aggressive for the health of the toe. They try so hard to make callouses go away that they cut too deeply and cause an infection.”

On the farm, Wetherall tends her own toes. “I don’t do a pedicure,” she said.

If you can trim your own nails, that’s great, Trybuch said. If that’s not an option, see a podiatrist. “Your feet must last a lifetime.”

He said that you can still go to a salon for polish and massage.

Or, as the wind blows and snow flakes gather, try foot massage at home. Whether or not you can reach your feet, these four simple motions will soothe and strengthen. You can do them standing or sitting, in socks or bare feet. Just be sure you feel steady if you stand:

1. Roll the sole of the foot back and forth on a tennis or golf ball. Where spots feel tender, press the foot gently into the ball’s surface.

2. With feet flat on the floor, squeeze and release the toes. This is particularly pleasant on thick carpeting.

3. Place a dish towel or bandana under the toes and try to lift it by gripping the toes like fingers.

4. Lift the foot slightly and write the entire alphabet – cursive or block letters – in the air with your toes. This takes the ankle through a wide range of motion. Repeat with the other foot.

If you can take hold of your foot easily, weave your fingers between the toes and shake hands with your foot. Pull gently on each toe.

Not up for so much touch and movement?

Seated, feet on the floor, imagine dandelion globes on the end of each digit. Breathe in. On an exhalation, imagine the puffs of seeds dispersing as the toes release them. Inhale again and exhale with a sigh.

Send the tootsies some gratitude. They take us where we want to go. They allow us to exercise in ways that energize us. They hold us steady as we work, love and learn.

The prescription’s clear. Set yourself on sturdy soles. Tend the dogs. Cozy them in socks.

“The feet are the foundation of your body,” Trybuch said. “If the foundation is solid, the building is strong.”

— Alexa Mergen
Alexa Mergen teaches small group and private lessons in yoga, meditation and writing in Harpers Ferry, W.V. and Washington, D.C. and edits Yoga Stanza.

KATHRYN SARGENT began her career as an apprentice on London’s Savile Row, the center of bespoke tailoring for almost 200 years. In 2009, she became the first woman in Savile Row history to have the title of head cutter. Four years later she launched her own company. Thanks to a partnership with D.C.’s Jefferson Hotel, Sargent will be bringing her tailoring talent here, beginning this weekend, Feb. 25-Feb. 28.

Lest you be confused about what bespoke means, Sargent sets the record straight. “It is something that is made exclusively for the individual from scratch. It is a working sculpture of the person.” All pieces are hand-cut, handmade, and hand-tailored. Sargent works with a small team of specialists that includes trouser makers, pressers and button makers. The process begins with a one-hour consultation about the client’s lifestyle – where does he or she live, how often do they plan to wear the item? For example, says Sargent, cashmere is beautiful but it’s not for an everyday suit. So, answers determine the type of fabric, stitching and color a client will choose.

Patience is required for perfection. Fitting sessions take place over a period of three months and could go up to a year until there’s a finished product. A typical two-piece suit (for a man or a woman) will set you back about $6,000. But this is not throwaway clothing, says Sargent. It should last 20 years or more. Thank goodness for that.

To schedule an appointment with Sargent, send an e-mail to: kathryn@kathrynsargent.com. In addition to hosting general appointments with Sargent, the Jefferson has created a Tailored Weekends suite package. Guests can reserve one of the hotel’s 23 deluxe suites during any of Sargent’s visits and get her personal attention in the comfort of their own room. You’ve missed your opportunity to reserve this coming weekend (rooms must be booked a week in advance), but Sargent will be available for appointments June 17 to June 19, and Nov. 18 to Nov. 20. The nightly rate for the suite is a wallet-crunching $715.

— Janet Kelly

Just this weekend a couple of us were complaining about how makeup removers don’t get the job done, leaving residue of eyeliner and tinted moisturizers on pillows and towels. Not a sight we like. We’re partnering with the PrettyGossip blog to provide this story. PrettyGossip is the site where a beauty-obsessed (in a good way!) woman shares things she has tried–cosmetics, treatments, procedures–to make her feel pretty. PrettyGossip is pretty honest about the products she tries. She acknowledges that she sometimes receives samples of new products for review, but she tells the truth (at least her truth) about them.

I HOPE YOU HAVE at least one skincare resolution. Always room to improve our skincare routine right? Your future skin will thank you! Please feel free to share your skin resolutions in the comments below. I’d love to read and be inspired by them!

Today, I’d like to review for you a super popular Korean cleansing cream from Banila Co. I purchased Banila Co’s Clean It Zero (sensitive formula) a few years ago and have been meaning to review it for you complete with an eyeliner challenge!  Let’s get started…

This bestselling cleanser is in sherbet form when you scoop it, but melts into an oil-type makeup and residue remover as you massage it over your skin. Formulated with papaya, acerola and herbal extracts, it leaves your skin feeling nourished and supple. Follow with a water-based cleanser.

This cleansing cream is amazing. No wonder it’s a best seller in Korea!

• How to Use: Scoop a nickel amount and massage onto dry skin. Rub gently as the cream turns into oil. Notice as the makeup dissolves. You can either tissue off or rinse off with water. I often will double cleanse… more on that later. Please keep scrolling
• Consistency: In the jar, the cream looks hard. To my delight, when I used the included spatula (see photo above) to scoop up the cream, it was super soft. Guess that’s why they call it “sherbet.” As soon as it touched my skin, the cream melted immediately into oil with the warmth of your skin. Super soft and emollient.
• Scent: Subtle and not overly sweet.
• Effectiveness: To really put the cleansing power to the test, I’ve put the cleansing cream up against some of the most hard to remove, waterproof eyeliners. Here are the eyeliners I used:

From left to right… NYX The Curve, Milani Ultrafine, They’re Real push-up liner, Make Up Forever Aqua Eyes, Bobbi Brown Gel Liner.

Let’s see how the cleansing cream performed in my eye liner challenge…

Eyeliner Challenge Results: The Make Up Forever Aqua Eyes didn’t stand a chance! It was completely removed. Bobbi Brown Gel Liner also didn’t stick. These liquid liners stayed the best: NYX, Milani, and Benefit. Not surprised because these three liners are always the most difficult to remove even with other eye makeup removers. I’d give the cleansing power a 4 out of 5.

Overall Thoughts: I highly recommend this cream cleanser for all skin types. You’ll be able to remove all makeup and prep your skin for your skincare routine. For dry skin, it’s the perfect cleanser all year round. Banila’s Clean It Zero Cream Cleanser is also great for all skin types, especially during the cold winter months when your skin is the driest.

If you like the squeaky clean feeling, you can follow-up with a foaming cleaner. Why you ask? It’s called double cleansing! You probably do it already without even realizing. Ever remove eye makeup with an eye makeup remover then wash your face with a face cleanser? That’s double cleansing! Think of Banila’s Clean It Zero as the all over makeup remover.

IF YOU MISSED Sloans & Kenyon‘s vintage fashion auction, here’s a little something to make the upcoming chilly weekend and Valentine’s Day a little cheerier.

I’M FICKLE WHEN it comes to fragrance. Last spring and fall I was mad about Creed’s Vetiver Geranium and loved getting compliments when I wore it, but then I walked into a Diptqyue boutique in Westport, Connecticut, and became smitten with Benjoin Bohème Eau de Parfum. Still, over the years, I find myself returning to my all-time favorites listed below.

Acqua di Parma: I first discovered this fragrance in Portofino and fell for it instantly. At the time I had no idea that Hollywood legends, including Cary Grant, David Niven and Audrey Hepburn had similar feelings about this scent, launched at the turn of the 20th century. Although the classic colonia fragrance is light, infused with notes of bergamot, citrus, lemon, bitter orange, sweet orange, rosemary, sandalwood and vetiver,  it seeps into the pores and remains a presence throughout the day and into the evening. The eau de cologne is available at Bluemercury,  Saks Fifth Avenue and Sephora.

Jicky: My fascination with Jicky began when my best friend told me she had discovered it while living in Paris and that Proust was said to have worn it, along with Brigitte Bardot, Colette, Empress Eugénie, Sean Connery and Roger Moore.  She describes it as  “summery, sophisticated, uncommon and very French.” It didn’t have the same transformative effect on me, but that’s the thing about fragrance—it smells different on everyone. By the way, my pal, who still has a bottle of Jicky ($337 at Saks Fifth Avenue) now wears Amouage’s Epic, an under-the-radar kind of scent, which is made in Oman without alcohol.

Bois des Iles:  Created by the same perfumer—Ernest Beaux—best known for Chanel No. 5, this spicy, rich and woody fragrance came out of an era entranced by the exotic, whether it was the countries of Africa or dancer and chanteuse Josephine Baker.  Recently, I was standing outside a restaurant waiting for a cab when a couple standing nearby inquired what perfume I was wearing. I’ve been sold on Bois des Iles ever since. $280 at Chanel and Saks Fifth Avenue in Chevy Chase.

Eau Sauvage: Dior’s first fragrance for men holds a special place in my heart. My first semi-serious college boyfriend, movie-star handsome and worldly, wore it. It was a far cry from my high-school beaux, who thought English Leather was a no-brainer way to impress their female classmates. Every now and then, indulging in nostalgia, I’ll swipe some of my husband’s Eau Sauvage after-shave and splash it on.

And, if my husband happens to be reading this, and remembers that February 14 is Valentine’s Day,  I would be happy to receive a replacement for the bottle of Coco Noir that I’ve run out of.

—Janet Kelly

DROP BY Core 72 this week (through Sunday) to score deals on the retailer’s stylish selection of activewear and accessories. Everything in the store in the Cathedral Commons complex (3316 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-244-1100) and items at the front of the store on Connecticut Avenue (5502 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-686-4258) are 50 percent off.  Onzie printed capris are $34, reduced from $68; Giselle running tights are now $38, down from $76 and Icebreaker jackets are $142.50. More discounted brands: R&R Surplus, Omgirl, Stella McCartney for Adidas, Koral Activewear, Sundry and Rese.

Rumor has it there will be an inaugural January 20, 2017. So, in case you needed a place to stay and party or drown your sorrows, the fashionable Fairmont in D.C.’s West End has announced a $27 million renovation, including all 415 guest rooms, to be completed by April 2016. Expect a mix of classic and modern furnishings, big-screen (49 inches) TVs, walk-in showers and large vanities.

Mark your calendar for the Super Bowl of shopping, Old Town Boutique District’s 11th Annual Alexandria Warehouse Sale. Line up for discounts of up to 80 percent on clothing, shoes, jewelry and home furnishings. The action takes place this Saturday, Feb. 6, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at a new location, the Westin Alexandria Hotel, welcoming new boutiques throughout the D.C. area. This year’s slate of retailers will include Betsy Fisher, Bishop Boutique, Coco Blanca, Estiletta, Lululemon, Periwinkle, J. McLaughlin, Sherman Pickey, Shoe Hive and Gossypia. The Westin Alexandria is at 400 Courthouse Square (garage and street parking available; there will be a free shuttle from the King Street Metro). Admission is free. More information:  www.oldtownboutiquedistrict.com or www.AlexandriaWarehouseSale.com.

Prepare to properly pucker up for Valentine’s Day with a custom lipstick. Order the $60 Finding Ferdinand Starter Kit lipstick palette (with 16 highly pigmented lip colors) through the mail. Mix and match the shades you prefer in the empty wells and blend on your lips to create your special hue. Once you find the combination you’re in love with, make up a name for your color choice and select the colors you used from the palette (maximum number of colors allowed is four), then submit to www.findingferdinand.com and the company will create your own personalized, full-size tube and ship it to you. Nice.

MY SAVVY MOTHER had a saying when it came to buying clothing, furniture, houses, well, almost anything. She used to caution me, “Cheap can be expensive.”

LittleBird friend Elena Mekhova, who runs the mobile boutique Shoe-La-La in Spring Valley and participated in our November Shop Opp, holds a like point of view. Thank you, Elena, for sending us this Lifehacker post, “Cheap Clothes Are Too Expensive, Buy Quality Instead.”

©Valery Kachaen / iStock

Here are five, take-away common-sense tips from that article to keep in mind when contemplating new clothing purchases.

• Spend more money on what you wear most, less on seasonal items like bathing suits or heavy snow boots.  If you work most of the time at home in your jeans, it pays to have a few really nice, figure-flattering pairs that will last five years, rather than buying six sort-of okay pairs that don’t have a long shelf life.
• Know how to recognize quality construction. For example, examine the seams of a jacket or shirt to see if the thread is holding the fabric together tightly. Notice how well the buttons are secured. How does the fabric feel? Is it comfortable, durable?
• Don’t be fooled — expensive, brand-name clothing can be poorly made.
• Have clothes tailored — you’re likely to wear them more if they fit you well.
• Maximize your wardrobe options by choosing clothing that mixes and matches.

— Janet Kelly