Recently my friend Lori asked:
I was just wondering if you’ve always been so intentional with your style and fashion choices. I wish that I put more thought into what I wear, but with 2 little kids I usually find myself getting dressed at the last minute, wearing whatever is clean ( and sometimes things that are mostly clean :). Is there hope that as the girls get older and more self-sufficient I’ll be able to devote some time and thought into clothes? When your girls were little were you as into fashion as you are now?
My answer: 
When my girls were the ages of yours and my boys were in elementary school, I was just coming off a fashion/retail career. I had loads of nice suits and little else. I had discovered the need for a better casual outfit, but I never had more than one. And I didn’t have near enough “gardening & dog-walking clothes”. I remember despairing that one day I would be out puttering in the yard in one of my suits because nothing else was clean. lol
Gradually I settled into a simple “what to wear” pattern: long-sleeved tee shirt and jeans in the cool months, short-sleeved tee shirt and (short-sleeved) jeans in the warm months. The weather was alot simpler there.
My girls were in mid to late elementary school when we began studying The Triumph of Individual Style
My bad (or how I discovered I needed a better casual outfit):
Showing up to an event inappropriately dressed is always dreadful, but I guess my worst episode happened when I had recently been transferred by my (former) company. In those days, I had power suits and I had grubbies but I had nothing in between. My husband and I went out looking at homes and then, without changing clothes, I went to the store to do a “competitive shop” (at Nordstrom) with the bosses — wearing jeans and pumps, with a BA TEE-SHIRT (yes, it really pictured a cartoon character flipping the BA).
Biff your message tees. Before you embarrass yourself like I did.
I have one black message hoodie (text & illustration in silver) that I wear, adore, and get compliments on. “The Manolo Loves The Shoes!” (The exception that proves the rule perhaps?)
Once you know the rules, then you know when to break them! 😉
It’s good to know that we’ve all got some embarassing fashion stories out there – thanks for sharing yours! I’ll be sure to check out that homeschool material, it sounds fascinating! 🙂
I first got the book through the library, before I bought it, although I think you’ll like it so much you’ll want your own copy. I also have the teacher’s guide.
That’s great that I can check out that book – I LOVE the library. I can’t bring myself to buy books knowing I can get them there. However, your new book sounds fun and I’ve enjoyed those ladies style tips before. Enjoy!
When we first moved from the East Coast to the Midwest, I didn’t know the fashion rules. I showed up in an all-white woman’s tux in a sea of black dresses. C’est la vie. I had a good time.
I bet you looked great! Would you have worn a black dress if you had known? (I personally like to be a little bit unique, so I probably would not have. Maybe a dark jewel-tone or something.) 🙂