An Alternative Mother of the Bride Ensemble
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= not exactly a mother of the bride dress. Nonetheless, what I will wear.
Details:
- the “shrug” (which word will never pass my lips when describing an article of my own clothing) is actually a tan color which makes a nice set with the metallic “bustier” (which word I will also hereafter not use)
- the skirt has the tan in the print
- skirt and top are lined, and mostly cotton. Sweater is mostly silk. Thus I will be warmer than if I wore a $300 polyester dress
- I already had all the correct underpinnings and accessories to complete the ensemble
- bride and groom both like it
- I will have another opportunity to wear it in late May
Now, the truly amazing part of the story: yesterday, at the suggestion of one of the ladies in my Bible study, at stopped at this store on the way home, around noon. With the helpful service I received, I spent well over an hour in the fitting room before deciding on the outfit pictured. But they didn’t have my size in all the pieces. I took home the top and ordered the rest from Bellevue, and they arrived today! Before the mall was even open today, I had my entire outfit, with time to try it on!
Now I can relax and enjoy the season.
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Are You in a Rut?
Here’s how I knew last week that I was in a rut: it was just as easy, in my thinking, to just get up and put on the same clothes I wore yesterday. Not good!
The same thing happens to me occasionally with regard to meals. No inspiration. The antidote? Get off the computer and go work in the kitchen. Start somewhere and work until I care again.
So I figure there are two possible approaches to resolving wardrobe ennui: go out and buy an entire new wardrobe or get into the closet and get to work. And one option is obviously more doable than the other. It may be rainy and 40 degrees, but it’s past time for me to switch over to my spring wardrobe.
But back to the food thing: what’s a favorite food option of yours for breaking out of a rut? Tonight I’m making stuffing.
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Whose Face is That I Painted?
Some people have expressed interest in seeing my paintings. Here’s a picture of one.
Can you recognize who it is? (Hint: an actress. I’ve never seen any of her movies.)
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What Are You Wearing This Fine Green Day?
Am I the only one who seriously is still afraid of being pinched? Who do I think is going to pinch me? Nevertheless, every year on the seventeenth of March I scrape together some outfit with green. Today I pulled out everything I own that has any green in it at all, which is not much. In random order:
- the asparagus shoes
- ribbed tank
- short sleeved, button front, knit shirt
- half-sleeve pleated neckline top
- striped shorts
- unlined cotton skirt
- rockin’ belt
- satiny shirt dress
- aubergine, green, and tan print scarf
Since I was going shopping in the nicer part of town, I wore the dark green top, with wool trousers and aubergine sateen trench, and added the scarf.
What are you wearing this fine, green, wintery and/or summery day? And what’s for dinner? We aren’t having dinner together tonight, but I’m hoping to fit corned beef and cabbage in another day this week.
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What Not to Wear to Work: Velour Track Suit
Seriously.
Some people have no clue. Unfortunately, most of them don’t read fashion blogs, or other sources of clues. Like the woman in the very nice vintage clothing store I was just in, who was wearing a brown velour tracksuit (with black tee-shirt) and a ponytail! This was no teeny-bopper, either, she had to be in her early 40s.
Since this is a conversation, where would you wear a velour track suit? And what’s your opinion of the professional appearance of a ponytail?
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Shoes.com Saturday Sale - March 14th, 2009!
Today only!
Shoes.com Saturday Sale on March 14 Only - Save up to 75%
* One Day Only -Saturday, March 14
* Up to 75% Off
* Biggest Markdowns of the Season
And here’s my suggestion of what to buy, if you don’t already have something you need: another pair of serious, walking-around, “full shoes”, dressy flats. Full shoes because spring, in my experience, is the rainy season. Color? Blend with trousers if your legs, like mine, are on the short side; match hair if long-legged. And one more thing: I’m shopping down a half size, so they don’t slip and rub, causing blisters.
What kind of shoes are you in the market for this spring?
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Black is Aging. Unless …
Accepting Imogen’s assertion that wearing black is aging has taken some thinking. But not only do I see the light now (stealth pun!), I also see an exception to the rule, and perhaps a corollary.
For the person who wears black well - one with coloring cool, deep, and bright - heather gray may be that dangerously aging neutral.
Some pictures to illustrate (but I really wish I could have used pictures with 60 year old models):
On the other hand, it strikes me that alot of the reason for young ladies preferring black is the aging effect. It makes them feel sophisticated.
In which of these pairs of pictures does the model look younger to you in the black?
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Wear to Work Fashion Lab
My mom requested that I update this post, listing y’alls comments next to each outfit. This may take awhile …
Because this is a conversation, I like to let you know what I’m thinking. And right now I’m still thinking about personas and perceptions, so I thought it would be fun to do another fashion lab like last week’s, only this time concerning office attire.
Here’s what I was thinking we’d do. For each look presented, please tell us
if you saw this person in your office (or your husband’s, mother’s, or whomever’s office), for what purpose would you think she was there?
He hee. This should be fun! (If you want to specify what kind of office, feel free.)
In a word: unambitious.
Is there because she thinks it her duty to contribute to her family’s income, Newly hired perky Midwesterner working in an entry-level job in an accounting division, underpaid catalog model secretly yearning to wear something better in the next shoot, applicant for an accounting job, “I’m not conventionally ambitious - never after your corner office but liks to look ‘nice’”, 30+ individual contributor, who doesn’t particularly care to get ahead, Administrative assistant, probably a temp.
Overall impression: productive, persuasive, and professional.
A producer (as in, a professional who does whatever work her business casual industry does), Mid-level sales representative who often has to take clients out for lunch and a round of golf, also an underpaid catalog model secretly yearning to wear something better on the next shoot , the only female in a sales presentation team, “I’m friendly and have an ‘open door’ policy”, Friendly manager-level or director-level professional, works in marketing.
Impression: Fashionable, but possibly immature.
Intern, Fashion magazine intern, (yet another) underpaid catalog model secretly yearning to wear something better in the next shoot, counselor, (what she means to communicate by this outfit is) “I’m modern and fashion conscious, but trying to get ahead at work”, Sales/marketing/communications – not taken seriously and doesn’t know why, someone whose outfit just needs a minor tweak or two to make it more appropriate for the office.
Overall impression given by this outfit: creative and necessarily functional (or funky?)
Single or divorced woman in her 50s who works because she has to, Works on a movie set or shoots street photography, delivering requested media material, “I’m creative and funky and you need to appreciate this”, Physician with administrative duties, someone working in a creative industry. This is one look, in my opinion, which could easily be misunderstood, although that is less likely in black.
Somehow this outfit manages to convey upscale leisure
Top boss’s stay at home wife who stopped by for lunch or whatever; Country club administrative person, receptionist or similar job; daughter of co-worker, coming for $; “I’m doing this to fill in time, I don’t need money (we have so much already)”; Art director / creative director; another person whose outfit just needs a minor tweak or two to make it more appropriate for the office or yet another underpaid catalog model. This could be an effective look for a business casual office.
Never, ever wear something which could be mistaken for pajamas to the office (with the possible exception of the case where appropriate office attire is scrubs)
In the office because they haven’t figure out how to make her retire, Model on shoot for a mattress/sleep-number ad, canvasing for social cause, “I hate suits and dressing up for work”, Boss’s wife (SAHM) meeting him for lunch, Confused telecommuter, since these are clearly pajamas. There’s a fine line between a casual matched set and sleepwear.
Not advisable.
- If, in your understanding, this outfit constitutes real clothes, you might think the wearer in the office for something like: Fund-raising for the arts, PR agency designer or architect (has to work late several times a week), some other worker in a creative-type industry, a dental hygienist, or bringing pizza. On the other hand, this outfit has huge potential to not be understood AT ALL, as evidenced by the statement, “I slept at my boyfriends last night, my life is wild!” and my sister’s total inability to imagine who would wear that.
Not respected (or respectable)
Receptionist, or perhaps low-level marketing assistant, Sales person in an auto showroom, counselor headed out for date night, “Hold onto your husband at the office christmas party”, Marketing manager on her way out for a hot date, someone in a creative industry who isn’t necessarily communicating her value through her appearance. Or another underpaid catalog model secretly (embarrassed and) yearning to wear something better for the next shoot. This look is for nightlife.
Impression: inexperienced and boring (not your best look if you’re serious about your career).
Is there to get the boring job done in the most proficient way possible, Technical sales representative with significant bargaining power, counseling or psychology intern, “Not sure why I don’t get promoted, even though I dress really well, people don’t take me seriously”, boring director level or wanna be, Interviewing for entry-level professional position, since nobody with an actual income should be caught dead in such a cheap looking suit.
Artistic, stylish, and powerful
Fashion consultant brought in to train the office how to dress business casual; owns her business, maybe a caterer or an event organizer; happy, but underpaid catalog model, secretly hoping to be able to keep the outfit (okay, I made that up); secretary/receptionist in a counseling office; “I want to be a curator at a gallery”; Fashion executive, another professional whose outfit just needs a minor tweak or two to make it perfect.
All outfits from Nordstrom.com, simply because their system is easy for me to use.
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