The Minimalist (Spartan) Wardrobe--My Way

When it comes to clothes, I like to keep it simple. I like to look good without a lot of effort. I thought about doing the mix and match capsule wardrobe, but I decided that all of that mixing and matching was too much work. The 10 piece wardrobe tempted me, but that seemed like too much laundry too often. Instead I decided I would put together 10 outfits that I really like and that suit my lifestyle, and I would just wear them in random rotation. I think I only wound up with 8 or 9 this summer which was plenty. All of the effort happened at the beginning when it came to choosing the outfits. Then I just always hung them up together, so I never had to think about what goes with what. I just pick the one I want for what I am doing that day. I had these clippy hangers from Korea that I put the pants on and bought plastic hangers with a flat bar at the top so I could hang the pants right with the tops. Clothes with mates in the laundry go to the left and empty hangers to the right. I also picked out one mowing outfit from clothes I would otherwise have given away which was in the laundry when I took these but goes to the far left. This really appealed to my extremely tidy minimalist (my husband calls it Spartan) personality, and it made dressing a no brainer. I didn't always wear the same shoes and jewelry with an outfit, and I didn't wear the same outfit the same day of the week, but otherwise it was the same outfits all summer. After doing this for three months, I mentioned it to the one who calls me Spartan, and he said he hadn't even noticed. It takes a little time and effort at the outset, but this is the kind of thing that is worth considering if you don't like the hassle of the modern American wardrobe. All of the stuff that didn't end up in these outfits either went to Goodwill or put in a storage box for later mowing outfits or just later outfits.

You might think you would get bored with this, but I never did. If ease of getting dressed in the morning and simplicity (plus a guaranteed great outfit every morning) appeal to you, give this a try--you might be surprised how much you like it!

Skip the midweek manicure

Here is something fun and practical for the gals. Thank goodness funky nails are back in style!
Start your week with a regular manicure. I started with the metallic gold on Sunday. When your tips start to chip, use a similar color about halfway or a third of the way down your nails (metallic pink for me). When this starts to chip off, paint just the tips with a darker color. I used metallic teal this week, and it is pretty but a little "young" for me. Next week, I am going to use the coral color in the first photo to simulate a sunset :)
As you can see, it is Friday, and I need to touch up the bases a little with the gold, and the teal could use retouched too, but the overall effect helps to hide the damage. In fact, I think it looks kind of cool, like an old piece of furniture with chipped layers of paint.

Shoe love!

OK, so I am a big fan of the whole "shop local" philosophy. (I'd be a bigger fan if they'd use the right descriptive word form.) I am also a fan of having a minimal wardrobe with only a few quality items, so today I decided to stop by one of our local boutiques and check it out. It's a cute place, but the clothes were a little too trendy and not enough timeless for my taste. There was one shirt I liked, but while trying to figure out what 75% off of $178 dollars was, my eye was caught by these wonderful sandals. I've been thinking about a pair of silver shoes to go with some of my dressier outfits for some time now, and since these were only $24, which is about what I would pay for a decent pair of sandals at WalMart, I decided they were meant to come home with me. It may seem strange, but they go better with everything in my wardrobe than black or brown would (+:

These will be next summer's sandals. It's pretty much normal for everything I own to be a year out of date since I mostly shop end of season clearance, but if you buy what works for you, this is never much of a problem.

 

Like a Rolling Stone

Sometimes you can't always get exactly the jewelry you want either, but again, if you try, sometimes you can make what you need. I've made a bunch of earrings for friends and neighbors from bits and bots I purchased at Michaels or Hobby Lobby, and today...

I am so excited to finally have a decent consignment shop in Houma. The Goodwill here scares me and department store shopping overwhelms me. Deja Vu Consignment is a cute little boutique, so my head doesn't explode when I shop there. Today I found this wonderful bracelet. It was originally a gold color, but I loved the design so much that I bought it anyway and then brought it home and introduced it to my can of silver spray paint (+:

You can't always get what you want....

...but if you try sometimes you can make what you need. Last fall I decided I desperately wanted a dark purple knit blazer. I searched in vain though. At the end of the season, I did find a knit blazer at Wal-mart that was on sale for under $10. It was bubble gum pink. I should have taken a before picture, I know, but I didn't so you will just have to use your imaginations.
Now, why on Earth would someone looking for a dark purple blazer buy a pink one? Simple: it was mostly cotton and there was dye to be had in the laundry detergents isle. Two boxes of purple and one box of denim blue later, I now have a blazer exactly the color I wanted.
My kitchen sink is no stranger to the dye packet. Last summer I bought a pair of chambray capri pants. I loved the cut and fabric. Try as I might, and in spite of the fact that chambray was insanely popular this summer, I just couldn't make them work in my wardrobe. I could have donated or consigned them, but when color turns out to be the only issue I have with an article of clothing, I don't consider that a reason to banish it from my closet unless it is a synthetic fabric that cannot be dyed. One pack of dark brown dye later, and I have a pair of capri pants that fit right in with the rest of my clothes and get worn often.
I will admit that dye doesn't always do exactly what you think it will, and if you are changing something that is already a color, that is when having a little knowledge of color theory comes in handy, but overall, I've had good luck changing things from colors that don't work in my closet to things that I love.

What I would do differently

We've all seen TV makeovers that have turned out only "so-so" that we have thought, "Wow, I could have done that better." So this blog is devoted to one that I think I could have done better--and it would have saved the victim...eh hem client....a load of money.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYEoRTQMjPM

First off, I am going to say that I think the hair and makeup were both a good change and I would stick with those. The clothing on the other hand was a disaster. Seriously, she came in wearing clothing that was much better suited to her shape than what she left in. She came in wearing clothing that draped nicely over her figure and left looking like what would happen if the Pillsbury Doughboy decided to become a rap star.

So, what could she have done to soften what she was already wearing to suit her "soft subtle" personality? Easy, soften the look by adding a scarf. She's wearing a dark pink, so a baby pink scarf would look great as would a lacey soft white one--or she could just take the scarf off of the girl who was supposed to be dressing her to look better. Then I would add a pretty broach to the cardigan, something like a cameo, and some delicate earrings to add a touch of romance. I would suggest that she swap out her black pants for soft gray ones in the future.

There is no need for this woman to throw away her entire wardrobe as is often suggested by these sorts of programs. (Makes you wonder if they are actually in cahoots with the fashion industry after all, doesn't it?) She can easily work with the pieces she has to soften them with accessories and different color combinations. Obviously, she already has a good idea of how to dress her shape, she just needed some ideas on how to dress her personality as well. Rather than throwing her money away on a failed style consultation and new clothes, I think she would have done well to have chosen one or two stylish friends and asked them for some ideas. People who actually knew her would probably have given her good advice that she could have experimented with and it wouldn't have cost her a dime.

So the moral of this story is: Never trust anyone who tells you that you are dressing completely wrong for you. You've been living in your skin your whole life. Chances are, you've gotten at least some of it right.

Nobody Puts Baby in a Corner!

The other day I was surfing through youtube videos looking for one about profiling for my Ethics class when I came across a bevvy of videos regarding beauty profiling and the Dress Your Truth series. I was intrigued. I watched several of the videos with fascination--the same sort of fascination with which you would watch bodies being pulled from the ocean after a ferry crash.
I have to admit that some of the makeovers turned out fairly well, but some of them were total disasters. Take these twins: one looks great, and the other, well I can't take my eyes off of the huge roll of fat around her middle long enough to really appreciate her hair and makeup.
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeXe9FgMNBY
This seems to be the standard result for the Type 2. Pretty hair and makeup, horrible, ill fitting clothing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYEoRTQMjPM

When will American women learn? There is no formula for dressing! There are no hard and fast rules for looking great! Fashion is as individual as the woman wearing it and anyone who tries to put all women into just a few categories is selling you a lie.

Consider color profiling--A useful tool that is actually based on science. When it first came out, there were basically 4 seasons, now these are subdivided into 4 categories each. Even so, getting your colors done is simply a helpful tool that will provide you will some guidelines--NOT RULES. When you have your colors done and are handed your palette, walk outside and take a good look at it. Are there colors you hate? Ditch them. Pick three or four that you love and are drawn to. Do you love black but were told you can't wear it? Of course you can, just keep it on the bottom half of your body. If you aren't sure of the colors you have been handed, by all means, get a second consultation from someone else. No one person is infallible.

Then there is body shape profiling. Again, it is a useful tool for helping a woman pick shapes and styles of clothing that will be flattering for her figure. The poor Type 2 women both needed more structure on top to avoid the nasty fat rolls that we all despise. Again, though, these are just helpful guidelines. If you see something you are drawn to, try it on. So what if it doesn't look great? Just put it back and think of the money you just saved. Women get discouraged trying on clothing and body shape profiling can help you avoid that, but it should not prevent you from trying on something just to see how it looks. In fact, that is the only way you will ever build a wardrobe you love. You have to try things on and be honest with yourself about whether they flatter your shape or not. Dressing well takes work.

Finally, you do have to take your personality into account and this is about the only thing I see of value in the Dressing Your Truth videos. You also have to take your lifestyle into account. If you are a girly, girl who loves pink and ruffles and lace, but work in an office that requires you to wear a suit, there is nothing stopping you from wearing a pretty dove gray suit with a ruffled pink blouse.

Ask any well dressed woman and she will tell you that looking good is a little bit science, a little bit art, a little bit psychology, and quite a bit of effort. It requires you to use your head but trust your gut. That would be your gut not someone else's, and certainly not some packaged formula that tries to stuff you in a category.

Not Every Woman Needs a Pair of Jeans

I know that nearly every fashion guru in the world would disagree with this statement. Jeans are on Tim Gunn's list of top ten must haves. Stacy London and Clinton Kelly make sure that every woman who appears on What Not to Wear walks away with the "perfect" pair of jeans--even that one poor girl who really hated jeans and even commented at the end that the $200 worth of denim she was wearing made her uncomfortable. I know the gurus would disagree, but the fact is, jeans are not for everyone.
I grew up on a farm, so not only did I love jeans, but I practically lived in them. Then, the jeans started to change, and quite frankly, so did my body. The jeans got tighter and stretchier, the waist bands got lower, and before long, the jeans were more spandex than cotton, and by the end of the day, I felt like I was in need of suspenders.
Then, like a lot of women in their mid to late 20s, I was diagnosed with IBS. I've talked to a lot of other women who are in the same or similar boats. One friend has Chrone's and insists that she has to wear low rise jeans because anything that sits at her natural waist causes her discomfort. I, on the other hand, am driven mad by a low rise pant. I've talked to women who only wear skirts and one woman who only wears dresses because anything that constricts the abdominal area causes pain, and let's face it, pain is just not sexy.
Even discomfort is not sexy. If you aren't comfortable, you aren't smiling. End of story. It took me some time to get things figured out, but after awhile I realized that any pants with a button and zipper waist were going to send me over the edge the minute I sat down in them. Still, I desperately wanted jeans. Afterall, who doesn't want Tim Gunn's approval?
I didn't wind up with acutal jeans, but I do now possess two pairs of denim pants. One is a pair of Faded Glory denim jeggings. I tried on a lot of jeggings before settling on these because of the comfortable elastic waist and the heavy denim fabric. I bought them a size larger than I really needed both for comfort and so they will fit more like a skinny jean than a legging. An added bonus is that they were under $15. I also bought and love the Westbound Park Ave fit denim pants from Dillard's. I am not a fan of the other fabrics in this pant, but the denim is awesome. The pant is comfortable and slimming and had little details to make it look like jeans as long as your shirt is untucked--the lighter color looks even more like jeans.
http://www.dillards.com/product/Westbound-PARK-AVE-fit-SLIM-FX-Denim-Pants_301_-1_301_502032382?df=03149225_zi_medium_indigo

I have to wonder if Stacy and Clinton don't know about these pants. I'm sure they don't shop at Dillard's and would never consider buying pants that only cost $18, but I bet that little gal they sent home with the $200 jeans that she is probably never going to wear would appreciate knowing about these.

Shoes Unexpected

Unless I am going to a funeral, I like all of my outfits to contain something fun. I mean really, what's the point of thinking about what you wear if the result doesn't make you happy? Often times, the fun article I add is shoes. It's a good place to add a pattern or a bright color--drawing attention to your feet. I've only ever met a couple of women who don't like their feet and personally I didn't see anything wrong with them. Mostly feet are a safe place to draw attention to as they are generally not fat, not wrinkly,  and have no stretch marks...

Art & Decor

This post is for anyone who is trying to introduce color into her wardrobe, or for anyone who has ever stood in her closet thinking: "I have nothing to wear," which really translates to: "I am tired of wearing the same old outfits."
If you are tired of wearing the same shirt, jacket, and pants together, but aren't sure how to mix things up and have them look good, I suggest that you stop staring at your closet and take a fresh look at the world around you. Do you have a favorite room in your house? in a friends house? at a local business or cafe? Do you have a favorite artist or painting? If you like the color combinations in a room or in a painting, chances are you will like them in an outfit.
This is the main entrance to my house. Since my body isn't as big as this room, I don't know that I would ever put together an outfit featuring yellow, blue, turquoise, purple AND white, but pretty much any two or three together would work for me.

 

Two of my favorite artists are George Rodrigue and Laurel Burch. Part of why I love their work so much is their use of color--I like it bold. Rodrigue would not be surprised that my yellow necklace looks great with my cobalt shirt, and he probably wouldn't even be afraid of my fuchsia and cobalt outfit. Even if your tastes run to less bold artists, you can still look to your favorite paintings for outfit inspiration. Chances are you will even get a lesson about adding a pop of color to a softer or more neutral outfit.

 

 

This George Rodrigue painting is featured on a calendar I bought myself for my birthday. The blue dog looks as good with his green buddy as my blue shirts do with a green necklace. I could get a lot of outfit inspiration from just this one painting, but I now have 12 to inspire me! If you have a favorite artist and can find a calendar featuring their work, it will probably be just as useful to you as any fashion magazine.



Color Blocks

 

My favorite color combo of the season: fuchsia and cobalt. It's bold, but it works, especially with neutral shoes....

Fashion Disaster!

A few months ago I bought this ruffled front top from Ross. I washed it in cold water like I was supposed to and hung it to dry. The ruffles still managed to shrink up so that the shiny material behind them showed through. Since you can't take things back to Ross after you have washed them, I figured this was about to become a brand new grease rag for my husband. Instead, I hung it in the back of the closet to think about it for a day or two. After studying my other ruffled tops, one of which featured every other ruffle in lace, I decided to add lace to this one to fix it. One trip to Hobby Lobby later, I had some nice long eyelet and a roll of melty fabric tape. Turns out that the tape doesn't work, and I had to have my neighbor sew the eyelet on, but now my "fashion disaster" is a unique top that I plan to wear this fall with a white cardigan. Sometimes, a little creativity and a little help from a friend can rescue you!

Fashion Vocabulary

I like to read fashion blogs and watch fashion v-logs on youtube, but lately I have noticed a few things that bother me. It's all because I was an English teacher in a former life. I appreciate precise and accurate language. So some things make me chuckle or get under my skin:

Wear: You do not "wear" a bag or purse. You carry a bag or purse. Unless it is raining and you are forced to use your bag as a hat of course.

Maxi: I do not like the term maxi for dresses and skirts. I'm old fashioned. To me, maxi means only one thing, and it's not pleasant. I'll stick to ankle-length, thank you very much.

Styling: When did we stop styling our hair and start styling our jeans? I have to admit, I don't mind this as much since it is accurate verbage.

Contrasting: Yellow and blue are not contrasting colors. No matter how much you may want it to be otherwise, orange is on the opposite side of the color wheel from blue. I don't want to dress like a Denver Bronco either, but I'm not making an excuse for sticking with primary colors.

Chromaphobe: This is a word I made up to describe my friends who are afraid to wear color or paint a room anything other than off white.

Saintsy: Not to be confused with saintly, this word describes anything that is black and gold and features fleur de lis. I need this word where I live.

Good Design

If I ever win the lottery, I will replace a majority of my wardrobe with Eskandar's clothing--though not this season's because I am not loving the colors as much as previous season's. I love Eskandar's flowing, feminine take on women's fashion. It's a timeless style that is flattering on women of all ages. The clothes look like they could easily be dresses up or down for work, special occasions, or daily wear...and it is one that is easily imitated with wide leg pants and drape-front cardigans.

When I am out shopping, I often look for clothing with the same shapes and cuts in less expensive brands or at discount stores like Ross. As fads come and go, this is sometimes easier and sometimes more difficult. Still, it's always fun to have an expensive inspiration look to aspire to. Who is your favorite designer?


http://www.eskandar.com/flash.htm

It's in the Bag

Some women have more than one purse. They like to change their purse to go with their outfits. I personally don't have the time or the patience to think about this sort of detail. I need a purse that pretty much goes with everything. Now, a lot of women in the same situation just get a big black bag and are done with it, but I am willing to bet that these women do not get as many compliments on their bags as I do on mine. Heck, I'm willing to bet that most women don't get as many compliments on their Coach bags as I do on this one.
If you are only going to have one bag, it's important to choose one that either matches or coordinates with the majority of your outfits. This one works great for me since I am almost always wearing something that is turquoise, cobalt, purple, or fuchsia. The bag should also reflect your personality. I love cats, and I love art, so buying a Laurel Burch bag was a no brainer for me--buying it in three of my favorite colors was pretty much as good as a chocolate chip cookie. Not everyone wants a bag this bold, but next time you have to replace that big black bag, think about getting a color that suits your whole wardrobe even if it is something simple like taupe or gray.

The back up bag: I can't imagine anything this won't work with--in my wardrobe anyway! I found this on sale at Burke's Outlet and picked it up for the sad day when my blue cat bag gives up the ghost.
 

But the Camera Steals My Soul....

In my whole life, I have only ever had one photo taken of me that I actually like, and I happen to be up-side-down in it. It is said that we don't like to look at photos of ourselves because we are used to seeing ourselves only in mirrors, which show us an image that is opposite of what we see in photos, and that even though we appear to be mostly symmetrical, we actually are all slightly off, causing us to be unfamiliar with the true, non-mirror image of ourselves that we see in photos. Plus, we all know that cameras add ten pounds.
According to some Native Americans, each time your photo is taken, it steals part of your soul. I feel like that sometimes when I am taking a photo for this blog. It's like taking a piece of myself and putting it out there for the whole world to judge and possibly discard or ignore. I generally take 20 or 30 photos of each outfit that I share in order to find just one that I think is decent, and I always look at them and say, "Am I really that short?" Worse yet, is having someone else take my photo. Totally uncomfortable. I can stand in front of 50 or 100 students and give a lecture, but put a camera in the back of the room, and I fall all to pieces. I have to give credit where credit is due. In this case, models are tougher than me.

Then again, there is something to be said for a really great photographer. I personally think that all women should hunt one down during their lives and have a really amazing photo of themselves taken to share with family and friends. It may cost a small fortune, but it is well worth it just for the boost it will give your self-esteem. Mine makes me look like Ophelia, and I loved it so much, I actually had a great big one printed for myself. (It's currently hanging in my dining room.) I like to look at me looking good. Yup, I'm goofy like that. Of course, it helps that I share the photo with my husband looking handsome. Then again, that rat photographs well pretty much all of the time.


Courtesy of Nicole Renee Photography LLC, Marinette WI


The Leopard Gets New Shorts

If you don't get this title, go out and read a book by Terry Pratchett. You could use the laugh.

So, for some reason, after nearly 40 years of doing without, I decided this spring that I absolutely must own something in leopard print. I decided on shoes because I have a thing for loud shoes. I went to Target. I found shoes I liked. The price was reasonable. They were comfortable, and........they even had half a pair in my size! Yup, I had been beaten to them by someone with one size 8 foot and one size 9 foot. Not to be deterred, I came home and ordered a pair online. Actually, I ordered four pairs online. I wear a 7 1/2, so I ordered 7s and 8s to see which is better.

Mad Love from Target

I also saw this second brighter pair that I thought I would give a go to. It all worked out pretty well because I ordered enough to get free shipping and what I don't want is easily returnable. These were not as comfortable and were too orange and bold for me. Both pairs went back. The lesson I learned from this is that it is a good thing for me to explore trends with small, inexpensive things like shoes, belts, etc. A skirt or shirt like this would have been too much for me. Now, shorts on the other hand...

Merona from Target



A Break from the Norm

One of the annoying things about living in south Louisiana is that there is no curb-side recycling for things like paper and plastic. On the flip side, you can get rid of basically any usable object that you no longer want without ever having to make a trip to Goodwill. You just wait until after the trash has come and then put out whatever it is you want to get rid of for the "pickers." I put things out on Saturday morning, and they are always gone by Sunday afternoon.

 

Last week, my neighbors put this little plastic patio table out for the pickers. Last week, the pickers were me! When I found it, the table was white, loose, and covered in mold, mildew, and Spanish moss. I brought it home, bleached it, pressured washed it, scrubbed a little with some steel wool, and then I painted it.

I went to Home Depot to buy a can of Rustoleum because of its magical properties that allow it to bond to anything--even plastic, only to discover that the color I wanted had been discontinued. I chose another color, came home, painted the table, hated it. Then I went to Michaels, where I found the exact color I wanted locked behind a glass door and not a single person willing to let me in. By the time I reached Hobby Lobby, I was in a foul but determined mood. I found the color I wanted, although it was in Krylon, and purchased it. I figured the first coat of Rustoleum would work as a magic primer. I gave the table a second coat of paint, and now I am loving it.

I love brown and aqua together for decorating. I need to remember to try it out in an outfit one of these days.



Back in Black

The moral of this story is: try, try again.
This top first caught my eye because of the criss-cross drape front design, but I nearly passed it by in part because it is black and in part because it was being worn by a mannequin who was also sporting a red tank and red skinny jeans. I was drawn in by the top, but I was pretty nervous about buying it, not just because I don't normally wear black, but because it was paired with the red, which is a color that I look awful in. When I brought it home (and realized I was stuck with it since the boutique I bought it from has a no returns policy) I tried pairing it with pants and a tank in the closest color I will ever get to red: fuchsia. It was way too bright and overwhelming for me though. Then I tried cobalt blue top and bottom and was a lot happier. I'm even happier toning it down even more with jeggings, and I plan to try it again with the fuchsia top and jeggings and a turquoise one if I can ever manage to buy one. (I've bought two so far this season and taken them both back because they were defective.)
The jeggings are Faded Glory purchased from Wal-mart. I tried on a lot of jeggings before I found these that I like--they come in petite so they aren't bunched at the ankles. I actually bought two sizes since I bought them online and sent back the ones that were skin tight even though they fit more like jeggings "should." I wanted more of a skinny jean look, but something without the button waist. Something flexible and durable that would go from mall to garden without a hitch.
It can be hard to work a new piece into your wardrobe, especially if it is different from what you normally wear, but don't get frustrated. Try it with several different things before you take it back or give it to Goodwill. If you don't get it exactly right the first time, it's no big deal. Not looking perfect now and then is not the end of the world.

I bought this pendant at a craft fair in WI, but hadn't worn it much until I suddenly had the right top for it to go with. Craft fairs can be great places to pick up unique statement pieces for reasonable prices. Plus, you are keeping a local craftsperson off the street!

The back of the top is lace to show off the pretty color underneath.

 

As a side note, this outfit got my husband's "you look nice" seal of approval, probably because it is not as baggy as my usual summer wear.

 

Trend Overload

I don't know about everyone else, but this season I am experiencing trend overload. Most years, you can ask yourself, what is in style this season? But this spring, you might be better off asking yourself, what's not in style?
Here's a list of what is:

black and white
neons
coral
emerald green
mint green
cobalt blue
leopard print
military/camo
lace
peplum tops
scarf prints

also seen in mass quantities in stores:

bright yellow
bright pink
turquoise
aqua

So as far as I can tell, the only thing that is not hot right now: neutrals.  So just skip the gray suit with white shirt and boring gold jewelry, and you should be fine! (And for goodness sake don't try to buy a brown t-shirt right now--you'll be frustrated.)

Two blogs that I enjoy reading:
For keeping up with the latest trend: http://www.jseverydayfashion.com/ 
For a less trendy, more long term look: http://carahamelie.com/outfit-ideas/
The first gal lives in Florida and the second in Seattle, so you get two very different perspectives, which I love. It is so interesting to see how style varies from region to region.

The (almost) Perfect Dress

My husband is fond of telling me that I "have issues."  On the subject of dresses--and a few other things--he's right. When it comes to clothing, most women have some sort of "issue." The reality is, our appearance is directly tied to our emotions, and sometimes how we feel in a garment outweighs how we look in it.
I grew up on a farm. I spent a lot of time working around machinery that made it not only impractical but quite frankly dangerous to wear a dress. So the only times I wore a dress as a girl was when I went to church or to visit my grandparents. Both events filled me with dread, and I dreaded the dresses I had to wear nearly as much. My grandparents were extremely conservative Christians, which meant that when I went to visit them, not only did I have to mind my P's and Q's, but I had to wear dresses that went down to my ankles, up to my collar, and over my shoulders. I hated these confining garments, and I learned to associate dresses with misery. I never felt pretty in a dress and never thought of dresses as pretty. I did buy and wear a couple of shockingly short and tight dresses in high school as an act of rebellion, and my mom made me a beautiful velvet tea dress for prom, but as an adult I never looked twice at a dress when clothing shopping. When I saw them on the hanger, all I could think of was fire and brimstone sermons and the misery of being a girl in a family that did not value girls.

This is how I felt in dresses, right down to the snarky expression.

This year, I realized that there is a limited amount of time before I turn 40 and that the days when I can get away with a fun summer dress are growing numbered, so this spring I set out on a mission to find a dress that I felt comfortable in. I had simple rules: no ankle length, long sleeves, no high collars. I wanted a dress that I felt pretty in. Let me tell you something: Nearly 40 years is not long enough to erase the fear that I will be struck by lightning if I show my knees in public. I nearly had a panic attack in the dressing room.

I probably would have liked this better if it went down past my knees, but I'll get over it.

As it turns out, I like dresses. They are a darned sight easier than skirts. You find one that looks good on you and that is it. No worry about finding the right top. Even shoes seem easier to pair with dresses. I actually found two sundresses that I liked right off. One is more stylish but less practical. This one from Old Navy is good for nearly anything. It's light weight and durable and long enough for pretty much any activity short of planting flowers. It's easy to pair with little sweaters and pretty jewelry. Most importantly, I feel good when I wear this dress--so much so that I bought it in two other colors! I even plan to look for similar dresses that are slightly longer that I could wear for gardening. Yup, I believe I have found the almost perfect dress for me. So what if it took me nearly 20 years?

The Terrible Twos

The school/church at Laurel Valley Plantation.

Last week, my best friend Melissa came from Denver to visit me. We had two stated goals during this visit: 1) See some of the local historical sites. 2) Do some serious clothes shopping for her. You might wonder why someone from Denver would come to the little town of Houma to go shopping. It certainly was not for our mall or shops or overpriced boutiques--all of which could easily be outdone in Denver. No, it was the lure of shopping with a friend who knows her personality and wardrobe needs, and who is a little bit more adventurous but won't force her too far outside of her comfort zone that led to the Great Shopping Expedition of 2013.
To be fair, her wardrobe really was in need of an update, seeing as how some of her clothes date back to college and possibly even high school. Her two biggest challenges are 1) she is an engineer and works in an office that is nearly all men, so she doesn't want to look too girly at work and 2) she is a size 2 and tall--really, really tall.....like an Amazon or a sequoia. My biggest challenge in shopping with her is that she is a total chromaphobe. I have to hold back from slapping her little hand every time she reaches for something black or gray.
I admit, I was worried. For the past few weeks, my next door neighbor and I have been on the hunt for a pair of colorful capris for her. (I think she is secretly jealous of my pink ones.) For me, finding colorful capris was no problem this spring, I walked into Sears, and there they were: pink, coral, cobalt, turquoise, yellow...  The only problem was choosing which color I wanted. Now, I admit, the capris this year seem a lot baggier in the butt than the ones last year, but I really wanted fuchsia pants to wear this summer, and since I usually wear longer shirts, I wasn't worried. Finding colored capris for June has turned out to be a near impossibility. It seems that the smallest size most stores carry these days is 4 and she is a 2--and she is a normal height!
As it turns out, we only found one pair of pants for Melissa. They are gray dress pants from Limited that look really nice on her and happened to be on sale. I have to say I would recommend this store for tall thin women, but stick to the clearance section! We had a lot better luck with shirts and were able to meet her husband's request for color, pattern, and maybe some flowers. At the end of the week, we got out her haul and made a "look book" for her since mixing and matching are apparently not skills native to the average engineer. All in all, it was a successful shopping expedition, and just a generally fun time. Shopping with a friend is just so much more fun than shopping by yourself.

The making of a lookbook. You can tell Mel is unsure about this pink cardigan that I talked her into, but it looked great with her gray pants--and her husband liked it!  It was by far the boldest thing I talked her into buying.

Off the Wagon

One of the things I love most about fashion is that there is always something new and exciting coming down the road. I love seeing what is new and figuring out ways to use what I have to keep current or to add small inexpensive items to my wardrobe that are trendy. I am a trend watcher. I am not always a trend follower. Sometimes there are things that I just can't get on board with. For example, I'm not a big fan of polka dots, so you won't see me walking down the street in a dotted dress any time soon. You might see me with dots on my nails though.
The one trend that I am really not loving right now is mixing patterns. It's something I often encourage people to do for interior decor when I am staging their homes, but it is not something that I like seeing on the human body. I've seen lots of examples in ads, on youtube, on TV, and none of them move me. In fact, they make me think of my years in Korea, where mixing patterns seems to always be popular. I would often see a Korean walking down the street and wonder to myself if that person had gotten dressed in the dark.
Maybe I just haven't found the right outfit yet. Maybe. More likely this is a trend that is just not for me, and that's ok. Style should be individual. Sometimes we can take a trend and make it our own. Sometimes we have to make adjustments to the trend (colored pants too much for you, well dark green and olive are colors, right? safe colors). Sometimes we have to just admit that something is not for us and let other people enjoy it.

 

I found this image on Google and a brief discussion at: http://www.luuux.com/fashion/trend-mixing-patterns   My only thought:  If an outfit makes a high fashion model look like a rodeo clown, the trend is probably not right for me.

What do you think? Any trends that are a miss with you this season?

On the Beach

I don't own a swimsuit. I grew up in an area of the country where bodies of water larger than a horse tank were a rarity. I finally learned to swim in my mid-twenties when my husband decided to buy a house with a pool. At that point, I decided I had to learn in case I fell in while skimming for leaves or the occasional lap-swimming ground squirrel. I don't go to the beach or the pool. Even though I wear sunscreen rated to stop a solar flare, I would still burn at either of these venues.
I don't own a swimsuit, but if I did, I would own this one. (Ok, I would own a much less expensive version that I put together from a Target top and a pair of shorts stolen from my husband.) I love the color and the fact that I wouldn't feel like I was walking around in my undies in public. Finally, someone is making suits for the women who wear them instead of the men who see us in them. Thank you Land's End!

Hey look, I'm a super model....and other things you'll never hear me say

I love putting outfits together. My obsession with color and texture is largely what drew me to a career in the Humanities. It serves me well when I create a painting or when I help someone stage her home for sale. It also serves me well when I am picking out what to wear each day. Photographing the outfit, on the other hand, can be a real challenge.
We all want to look good in photos, but a lot of us fell awkward in front of the camera. Where should I look? How should I stand? What should I do with my hands? How do I hold my head? Smile? Don't smile? You can be sure that after starting this blog, I am going to be paying a lot more attention to the ads and catalogs that show up in my mailbox. Maybe the models will provide me with some inspiration.
It also doesn't help that I have help when I am trying to photograph the outfits I am wearing.
This is what you see when I photograph an outfit:

 

This is what I see when I photograph the outfit:

Sometimes it's hard to not bust out laughing at the antics my cats get up to when I'm trying to take the pictures. The "mysterious paw" is a common occurance.

As for this outfit, this is yet another shirt that I bought on clearance from JCP a couple years ago and just hadn't worn. The bright blue color and the lace earned it a place in the sun since those are both trending right now, and the fact that it is sheer and incredibly light weight, making it perfect to wear over a tank, will keep it in my summer rotation as the days get hotter and stickier. My green necklace started out life as one of a pair of earrings from Body Central. My little canvas shoes are from Payless and are a must for living in the South. I change shoes every time I step out into my garden, so easy on and easy off is the name of the game for daily wear.

For some practical tips about looking better in photos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMeBQtUe5NU

Wear it or Die!

This is another one of my summer "wear it or die trying" skirt outfits. I originally bought the skirt on clearance from Christopher & Banks and planned once again to wear it with an off white top. This just did not work out and the skirt was forgotten. Then, two of this spring's trends kind of collided in my brain to make this outfit: black and white/color blocking. Black and white is not a combination that does me any favors, but I was happy to pull this skirt out of the closet even though it has some tan in it and does not strictly fit the trend, and I decided to try it on with my absolute favorite color: purple. It just works. The top is also from Christopher & Banks. The shoes are the Earth Shoe brand from Wal-mart. I love these shoes because they are insanely comfortable and have a strap across the back that prevents me from walking out of them. The necklace is just a leaf pendant that I picked up on sale at Michael's. It originally featured 3 leaves, but I took one off because I didn't like it.
Another thing I feel comfortable doing in a skirt? Baking. It's a great way to kill a rainy day too--besides where would any good house frau be without her trusty oven? Either that or this skirt has me channeling a 1950s appliance sales' model.
Finally, a thought about why I have these skirts and haven't worn them: I used to live in Marinette, Wisconsin. Winters are brutal there. Like many folks up there, I used to mall walk to maintain my figure and my sanity. It's a small town and crime is a rarity, so the stores in the mall used to put their clearance racks out in front of the shop and just leave them there. It's hard to walk past a pretty skirt that is under ten dollars once, but make 10 or 12 laps past it, and the temptation becomes unbearable. As discussed in an earlier blog, part of the reason I never wore these is because of how hard it is for me to choose the right top to go with them, but part of the reason was also that summer in Wisconsin is approximately two days long. Now that I live in warmer climes, I am making an effort:  Wear them or die trying!

Spring/Summer 2013 Jewelry Haul

Ok, so the word "haul" doesn't really apply to my shopping style. I almost never go into a store and come out with a bag full of new clothes. Usually I buy one or two things at most. A lot of times, I walk out of stores completely empty handed.
But this spring, I did buy a bunch of new jewelry. It's an inexpensive way to keep up with the latest color trends, and when the pieces are not in style, it is easy enough to stuff them in a shoe box until the colors come back around. Even though large "statement" necklaces are the in thing right now, and I have to admit to really liking them, I stuck with moderately sized pieces that will be less likely to go totally out of style.
One of my favorite places to shop for jewelry is Burke's Outlet. I bought the fuchsia bangle, fuchsia necklace, and the yellow necklace there. Most of their jewelry is under $10 and those pieces were all under $5. I also will buy things from Clair's (the skull bracelets and the turquoise bracelet) when they go on clearance. I got the skull bracelets for $1 each. Hands down, my favorite place to buy jewelry is Body Central. At $3.90 a piece, you pretty much can't go wrong. I bought the two green "necklaces" there. Originally, it was a pair of earrings, but they were too big for me, and I wanted a green statement necklace after seeing one on Carah Amelie's blog, so I got out my needle nose pliers and repurposed them. I do that now and again, and I recommend that every woman have a pair of pliers so she can do it too. Sometimes you can't get exactly what you want, so you have to exercise a little creativity. This also happened to work out well because I plan to give the longer one as a gift to a friend who loves green.

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A Hint of Mint

Living in southern Louisiana in the summer is sort of like living in a sauna with a mosquito infestation. I am always on the lookout for lightweight shirts to wear over tank tops, so I was pretty excited when I found this linen top in the clearance section at Old Navy. Of course, they didn't have it in my size, so I came home and ordered it (and a pink one and white one) online. I laughed a little when I read the reviews and found so many women complaining about the gap under the armpits. Duh! It's a safari shirt---it was designed to show off the pretty tank or cami you are supposed to wear under it!

After purchasing it, I waited for a sale at JCP, which happened to coincide with the arrival of an extra 20% off coupon, and bought a matching tank top. I also bought a fushci one. Both look nice with the cobalt blue, but it turns out that my favorite tank to wear under it is the mint one I bought at Rainbow. I believe I have mentioned before how much I love the mint that is trending right now, and how it doesn't look great with my skin, but it does look great with the cobalt and is the perfect peekaboo color this particular shirt. Plus, since you barely see the mint, I can still wear a bright yellow necklace which I also love with cobalt blue.

The "Joy" of Scarves

 These photos and tips were shared by my friend Joy. Joy is originally from Bulgaria, but she currently resides in South Korea. Like many of us Joy started out life as one "color season" in her youth but switched to another as the years went by. Originally, her hair was a warm dark color that landed her squarely in the autumn colors, so she built a wardrobe of warm neutrals. Now her hair is a highly enviable salt and pepper shade that places her among the winters. Rather than rush out and buy a whole new wardrobe to suit her new season, she has introduced the bright jewel tones of winter to her autumn colored wardrobe through the use of scarves, which put the much needed blast of color right next to her face.

Joy writes, "I always try to look stylish, but with my size, it's not an easy thing to do in Korea and Asia in general. As for my scarves, I just try to make them pop up if my clothes are dark and dull, or blend in if the clothes are colorful." For Joy, adding scarves was easier than trying to find new clothes in Korea where European and American women have difficulty finding clothes to suit their height and curves, but it's a good tip for anyone who is "changing seasons" or just wants to add some color to her wardrobe without spending a fortune.

 

For Joy, the love of scarves seems to be a family affair.

Joy and her daughter looking stylish and warm thanks to their scarves.

 

 



She's even added some color to her husband's wardrobe with a more masculine plaid that will help keep him cozy on cool spring days in Korea. I wish my husband was as fashionable!

 

Stuck in Colder Weather

Ok, cooler anyway. Every year people comment on "how strange the weather is this year." Ten years ago when I was living in Houma for the first time, I would have told you that the weather here was as predictable as clockwork. In the winter, it was cool and dry and sunny. In the summer, it rained every day at 3o'clock. This is the second year of our return to the area, and the weather, like everything else has changed dramatically. It is by no means any longer predictable. Last year at this time, I had the air conditioner on and all my blankets folded up and put away. My long pants were securely nestled in a drawer, and I was buying new cotton capri pants because my Wisconsin summer gear was not going to cut it here in Louisiana.
This year, we have had a mix of hot and cold that is driving my wardrobe toward bi-polar disorder. One day is 85 and muggy, the next is it 60 and breezy. I like this ankle length skirt because it is a heavier fabric that quite frankly makes me feel like I am walking around in a light blanket.

I have to say, I thought this was going to be: The outfit that would not be photographed. It seemed like every photo was blurry, and although this outfit looks great in a mirror and gets me lots of compliments, it did not so good in photos. I think a lesson I can share here is that if you are short and curvy, swingy and flowing outfits might not be your best bet for photos. So, if you are going to a wedding or other event where you are going to be photographed, snap a photo of yourself in the outfit before hand. If it doesn't look great, try something more fitted.

When I wear a lot of color in an outfit, I like to keep the jewelry simple. I bought this silver bracelet at Charming Charlie's last year because it reminded me of one of those metal puzzles that you have to take apart. I keep it in a dish by the sink with my wedding ring so I can throw it on as I walk out the door if my outfit doesn't already have a colorful bracelet and can use a little something.

Don't Spend a Mint on Color Trends

I rarely jump on the latest fashion color trends because the colors often don't look great on my extremely pale person, and let's face it, the "it" color now is going to be the "out" color three months from now. It's just safer to buy colors I look good in and stick with them. I love the mint that is uber-trendy right now though. It is way too light for me to actually wear clothing that color, but I found this Mint Sorbet nail polish at Rite Aid, which is allowing me to participate in the trend for $3.26, tax included. Fortunately, it looks great with my existing indigo, fuchsia, turquoise summer wardrobe. Unfortunately, it also makes me want mint chocolate chip ice cream every time I look at my hands....

 

Other trending colors that my nails will be sporting this summer: coral, bright yellow, emerald green, turquoise, and cobalt. I love the tiny bottles of polish because 1) they are usually under a dollar and 2) I can use them up in one season and not feel like I am wasting a whole bottle of polish, and also not have out of date colors piling up in my medicine cabinet. I got the mint and coral in bigger bottles because I can see the coral transitioning into fall and the mint being my go to fingernail color this summer as lighter colors work better on my hands.

I can't wait to try the coral with my aqua shoes!

One trending color I didn't have to buy: bright pink. This is a summer staple for me. Fuchsia Shock. That's what my husband goes into when I start dragging out my bright colors for summer!