Holiday Shopping Official Kick-off
What are you doing tomorrow, the day after Thanksgiving?
Me? Last year, with a family member working in retail (Macy’s), we concocted a crazy plan: take her to work at *gasp* 5 am, then go to Krispy Kreme, pick up coffee and head to watch the insanity from the safety of the parking lot. This year I’m sleeping in.
If you, like me, are a bit overwhelmed by the seasonal retail scene, how about some online shopping? I predict the day is coming when all my Christmas shopping will be done from my armchair (or as my sister would say, “in my skivvies”). If not shopping, is anybody having a Thanksgiving leftovers party?
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Scarf Wrapping
Chatting with dcrmom about accessorizing with her new boots (Ugg - Swell Tall (Brunswick) - Footwear), I realized an observation about scarf styling which may be helpful.
A young lady who tends to be tall, modest, and busty (like dcrmom) is flattered by a scarf worn like this:
I, on the other hand, generally wear my scarves, if I wear one at all, lariat style:
Since I’m not an accessory person, I’m not sure why this works. Thoughts?
If you’ve posted on scarves - tying and wrapping, please let me know and I’ll add your link to this post.
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Wilsons Leather Closing Stores
Concerning the email in circulation warning against giving gift cards for Christmas: the snopes on store closures. And a re-run of this post.
Now, back to real life last February. I am freshly returned from the mall, where I met a friend to go walking. While there, we noticed the “Everything Must Go” signs at Wilson’s Leather. Confirmed: they are closing most of their stores, there will no longer be one in Spokane. No word yet on how that affects the online store online store has been up and running all year, albeit a bit less active.
This appears to be a trend: both Eddie Bauer and Gap have recently closed stores in the same mall (although they have other locations in town); Ann Taylor and Talbot’s have also announced they will be closing stores, but have not revealed which ones.
How do you interpret this trend? I confess it’s better for my wardrobe for these stores to remain open and not be performing well (more clearance!), but of course that can’t be expected. Are well-to-do women moving toward smaller wardrobes or just other retailers?
Are you planning to give gift cards for Christmas? And have you scored any screaming deals due to store closures? I’m still tickled with the two smooth white tanks, brown cotton/spandex button-front shirt, and pink plaid flannel shirt I bought (for $30) at the Eddie Bauer store closing. In fact, I’m wearing the flannel today for a “just get dressed” day.
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The Value of Contrast
This handy-dandy little strip is called a gray scale and gives a tool for talking about how light or dark a color is (although my watercolor instructor generally calls out colors on a scale from 1 to 10, with darkest black being 10).
Take the young lady pictured. If you were describing her to someone, wouldn’t the first thing you mentioned be her dark hair? About a level 2, wouldn’t you say?
Contrast can be achieved in any of the three color characteristics: hue, value, or saturation; but value (light or dark) is what I believe we notice first.
How that relates to getting dressed:
- The hair is the basic frame for the face. The garment that completes the frame, as illustrated in my previous post Focus on the Face, should be roughly the same color value as the hair.
- Two colors worn near the face could repeat the color value of the hair and skin, especially in a high contrast combination such as is shown here.
- In my case, hair and skin are nearly the same value, so mimicking the values of my skin and eyes (as in the new profile picture) is more interesting.
- Alternatively, when wearing just a color that approximates the skin tone, combine it with white or black.
BTW, don’t you think her glasses flattering on her?
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My Three Sions: Introversion, Extroversion, and Depression
Last night I went to bed with a headache … and still had it when I got up. While I am no longer hurting, I am not necessarily feeling “sharp”; hence, it remains to be seen whether I will be able to compose a coherent post. At least the corny title is worth the price of admission …
Contributing to the beauty of blogging is the ease with which you can ride along my thought train with me:
- drwende’s Happiness, Humiliation and Hue
- and Tops! What are they GOOD for?
- wikipedia: extraversion and introversion
Application points:
- Technically I’m an ambivert: equally extraverted and introverted. More realistically, I’m a shy extravert.
- Bloggers seem to skew to the intro-.
- Sad, but true: Washington is one of the five most introverted states, and Idaho’s not far behind.
- “Talk therapy” is one of the treatments for SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), but nobody wants to talk about it — they just want to sell you vitamins or special lighting.
- I actively desire for my wardrobe to convey both authority and approachability.
In terms of color, authority is associated with high contrast color schemes and approachability with brights. How do you balance the two in your wardrobe?
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Wardrobe Therapy Week One, Part Two
I should be working on tops this week. Instead, I’m still working on my interview. But I did buy a pink oxford button-front shirt just like my white one that I love (that has darts in exactly the right place!), brand new, for $5 (at Spokane Discount, which sells Costco’s reject merchandise).
Now, on to the interview:
How You Live & the People Around You
- If there were a uniform for where you spend most of your time, what would it be? Nicer jeans than I can afford. Boots, driving mocs, or heels. Killer coat. If you have a great coat, what difference does it make what’s under it? Except in downtown Spokane, that’s always stellar too.
- If there were a uniform for where you spend your leisure, what would it be? Mostly the same. But “outdoor leisure” is a significant presence here too.
- What do you like best about the prevailing style where you are? Honestly, the ladies are mostly very presentable, a joy to look out, with a gracious natural friendliness too.
- What frustrates you? Personally? Having to choose between my trench, which fits well over a sweater or top, and wearing a blazer. In others? Fleece worn as a sport coat. Black lace worn as day-wear.
- Is there another place (one you’ve lived, visited, heard about, whatever) that better captures your idea of style? Actually, yes. Italy. Because they have more stylish functional shoes. But here is not bad.
- Construct a quick pie chart of the occasions for which you dress. Mine hasn’t really changed.
Your Wardrobe
- In three bullet points, what is the problem with your wardrobe?
Completely lacking street-length dresses, at least any that I feel like really work for me. I seriously almost skipped a wedding this summer …
Also missing: winter casual trouser to wear with flat boots. Last year’s plaid wool-blend pair just doesn’t fit to flatter.
Several items which could be called Torture Devices; pieces I love, except they really need a bit of alteration.
- If your wardrobe could speak, what would it say is the problem?
“You’re always too busy talking to your friends about me to really do anything with me. Perhaps it’s time to put your money where your mouth is.”
- What one thing do you want your wardrobe to do more of?
Win friends and influence people. Oops! That’s two.
- What do you want people to say about your look?
That it works for me. And that they would like a look that worked equally well for them.
Phew! That’s done! Now, on a personal note, this is the final weekend of Peter Pan. Sad, but true. And I’m sorta looking forward to a wee bit more room in my schedule.
What’s up with you these days?
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A Sad Little History
Speaking of conversations, you may have noticed that the comments aren’t always about the topic of the post. Like in this previous post, where the comments ended up being primarily about the blog girl talk (which, by the way, has no comment form, a blog characteristic I am not fond of).
As I was reading through their very thorough treatment of the subject of modesty, I came across this statement:
Now let me set your mind at ease. Adorning ourselves in “respectable apparel” doesn’t mean we must restrict ourselves exclusively to cheap, out of style, unattractive clothing. Paul is not saying that gold or pearls or braiding are forbidden. In fact, you will find other places in Scripture where godly women wore fine clothing and jewelry.
The reason this post is called a A Sad Little History is because when I first became a Christian, as a young mom in my 20s, I immediately pulled out all my out of style clothing and began wearing it again! Where did I get the idea that a Christian must necessarily convey a dowdy appearance?
The good news is that God isn’t like that. And I guess that’s one more reason to keep on blogging. Yay!
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Maybe I’m an Impressionist
At Ellem’s request, I am posting a picture of my final painting from my beginning watercolor class. Recognize the image?
(Not like a person who does impressions. lol)
No. What I mean is a visual simplifier, like the impressionists who were accused of not finishing their paintings. At least that’s what my watercolor teacher told me last week, after he had us paint what to me seemed a pretty detailed colored landscape in under two hours.
Tonight I have my final in the class; we will have 2 1/2 hours to complete both a black and white painting and one in color. In the weeks leading up to the final, our most challenging assignment was finding “paintable subjects”. When I showed him a photo of one of my daughters that I really wanted to paint, he took one look at it and said “no way!”
Well, this week I painted it anyway. In sepia. In one hour. And if you lay it on the table and look at it upside down from 5 feet away, it is clear who is pictured!
Anyway, while this painting scenario had a good outcome, another left me rather frustrated. Let’s just say that Saturday was a long day of set painting where no matter what two colors I mixed together, the result was purple. Then I got home and watched an old movie where the sets were so hokey they could scarcely even be called impressionistic! Why is it necessary for us to work our tails off on so many overwhelming details, when professionals can just paint a styrofoam cone green and call it a tree?
Which is the same kind of frustration I get when told I must wear lipstick or accessories. Or when I think I should do more fun “extras” in the children’s program I administrate. I really just want the basics. Just the basics, done right.
Now, more than ever, I’m convinced this is a matter of being either a big-picture (global) thinker or a detail (analytical) person. Or maybe it’s right brain/left brain. I’m left brain global. Which are you?
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Friday Fashion Lab: Opening Night (Peter Pan)
The background on this dress: back a year or two ago, when I was picking up stuff for a dollar at Value Village and then trying to sell it on eBay, I picked up this dress, but never sold it. It’s French Connection, tags still on it. The reason I have never worn it? I have never been sure whether it was elegantly drapy or sloppy big.
Until today. With Peter Pan opening tonight, of course I wanted to wear something elegant. And I have a peculiar preference for thematic theatre dressing. Hence, the green is ideal.
(And, as some of you may have picked up, I am positively smitten with this color this year!)
What makes the fit work:
- pulling the belt firmly across the high hip, effectively changing the silhouette from baggy dress to drapy shirt and A-line skirt.
- cuffing the sleeves. Nothing makes something look too big faster than sleeves that are too long. I actually think they are supposed to be worn cuffed.
- Wearing it with heels. This is probably a proportion thing; with flats boots, I would have needed to be able to push the sleeves up to 3/4.
So, here’s my problem: I have only one belt which fits through the mini belt-loops, and its color will not work. No time to shop. Do you prefer the brown sash belt or the print? One consideration: I definitely look better in smaller belts at the hip (and if only I understood why). Or do you have another improvisational belt suggestion?
If I don’t hate this dress by the end of tonight, I will probably wear it to the office Christmas party this year. But with dressier shoes.
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Wardrobe Therapy Week One, Part One
My life = continual wardrobe therapy.
For week one, Wende has given us an agenda and an interview project. Read the agenda over there, I need to go finish up the laundry before biffing something and then reading an In Style magazine. Oh, and it all needs to be done before this weekend, when I am taking a two-day watercolor workshop, instead of hitting Nordstrom’s Semi-Annual Sale to spend the $81.59 that remains in my 2008 clothing budget. he hee.
Read the interview here:
Favorites
- Who is your candidate for “best dressed,” real or fictional? These kind of questions, as well as the next, are super hard for me. Perhaps I should come back to it in its own post.
- Is there anyone you’re tempted to see as a style icon, but you’d never dare dress that way? See above.
- What is your favorite garment/outfit ever? Aaah! Too much pressure! I have no idea, but I did and still do love my wedding dress. I could come back to this one too.
- What is your current favorite garment? The sateen trench, I suppose.
- What would you wear if you could wear absolutely anything? What I’m wearing right now: jeans, pumas, and cashmere sweater.
- What would your favorite store be, if money were no object? And parking were free? Banana Republic. Or JCrew, if we had one. Or Washington Square (it’s nostalgic).
- Do you have a favorite store now? If so, why? If not, why not? Nordstrom Rack. Style (compatible with mine) and (reasonable, not bargain) price, without the overwhelming shopping experience.
- What’s your best fashion faux-pas story, now that the scars have healed? Hmmm. I’ve posted one or two of those on this blog …
Part Two to come.
