Company of We

Finding the happy medium can lead to wonderful things -- just ask Goldilocks. Hitting the sweet spot between price and individual style, Company of We, available now

The just-launched, first-ever collection from an LA-based women's fashion vet and an NYC ad writer-cum-novelist, CoWe runs the gamut from business-very-casual to beach-ready prep; the guiding notion, according to the founders, is that there existed "too large a gap between Bergdorf's and Urban Outfitters", and that this gap could be bridged by a sort of Bergan Outdorfers. Starting topside, CW offers work-ready button downs (the pale blue Langdon, the double button collar, gingham Palmer...), several cotton knits (ribbed-cuff, five-button cardigans, black vests, and colorfully striped pullovers), and a handful of slick blazers, including the white, Miami Vice/maitre d' "Bertrand", the slate or black, double-button, new-wavy Hemingway, and the double breasted Captain -- a slim-cut classic, its beauty is in the aye-aye of the beholder. Belowdecks, CW peddles all manner of shorts (the baggy, half-pant Harem Loungers sweats; the symmetrically eyecatching Madras Patchwork), plus trousers, running from the ultra-comfy (straight leg drawstrings, relaxed fit and double-pleated white Saigon pants), to everyday-wear with a hint of grunge (Cobain jeans, with plaid reverse cuffs), to the dangerously retro, e.g., the white, pre-ripped, skinny Idol jeans that conform to your supple curves with material that's 2% stretch, 98% cotton, and 100% embarrassing

CW's collection does include two outliers, a white tuxedo polo with ruffles along the placket, and a polka dot pullover in marmalade, striking a delicate middle ground between your outfit and the food you spill on it.