Blog Archives

Opposites attract

10/30/2013

At first it may go against everything in your nature. But one of the best ways to get more of your wardrobe into circulation is to pair opposites--opposite styles, opposite colors, opposite fabrics.

Opposite Styles: Dressy & Casual or High/Low
You have work/dress clothes, & you have weekend/play clothes--never the two shall meet? But do you have some work/dress clothes that are so dressy they're too much trouble to wear? Or you feel too conservative & dressed up in them? Pull out your t-shirts & jeans. See if you might match some dressier items with them.

"Clothes mean nothing unless someone lives in them."
--Marc Jacobs

Dressy jacket, jeans Suit, camo tee

Outfit from Peruvian Connection: Miramar Baby Alpaca & Wool Jacket + Boyfriend Jeans

We set up artificial boundaries for our clothes--work clothes, play clothes, dress clothes. Allow them to stray back and forth, and you'll find you have twice as many outfits.

Image from J. Crew catalog

Would you consider wearing a crisp white long-sleeve shirt with your leggings?

Image from J. Crew catalog

Dressy skirt & t-shirt Dressy skirt & casual sweater

Carbon Pawprint tee, Forever 21 skirt

Garnet Hill Sequin Pencil Skirt and Cashmere Turtleneck Sweater

Opposite Colors (maybe not opposite but unexpected): Deep Red + Icy Blue; Deep Purple + Green
We're used to pairing black with its polar opposite white. But don't stop there: try other unlikely mates.

Deep red & icy blue:

Boden sweater, H&M cords

Click on the photo above for more examples of cranberries & icy blue paired together.

Deep purple & green

H&M top, New York & Co. pants

Opposite Fabrics: Thick & Thin
You've been struggling for ages to pair the fabrics just right--a silky blouse with a silky jacquard skirt, for example.
This matchmaking is hard work and may result in just one outfit. So why not try a wool sweater with a lace or tulle skirt? A silk blouse with a tweed or corduroy skirt? Who knew they'd get along so well?

Wool sweaters, lace & tulle skirts

GAP sweater, Forever 21 skirt

Image from Garnet Hill

Anthropologie sweater, J. Crew skirt

Velvet skirt, summer blouse Tweed skirt; silky, lacy blouse

Boden top, Garnet Hill skirt

H&M top, Piperlime skirt

What do you think? Do the combos work?
Let's help each other get more of our clothes into action. Please share other styles we might mix, color combinations we should try, fabrics we might pair together.

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More tips
for getting
your wardrobe out & about

Dressing
down
fancy

Black & white

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A little flounce in your skirt

10/28/2013

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A little flip in your hem, a ruffle in your step--something playful, flirty, & flattering about flounce skirts.
Do you own a flounce-hemmed skirt? Where did you find it?

From Ann Taylor

Ann Taylor High Low Hem Pencil Skirt, $89 minus 50%

Ann Taylor Faux Leather Ponte Flounce Skirt, $88 minus 50%

Ann Taylor Tweed Flounce Skirt, $98 minus 50%

Ann Taylor Leopard Jacquard Flounce Skirt, $69.88 minus 50%

From Anthropologie

Anthropologie Cateline Skirt, $69.95

From Banana Republic

Banana Republic Fluted Shine Skirt, $98 minus 40% (code BRSAVE40)

From Brooks Brothers

Brooks Brothers Peplum Skirt, $148

From J.Crew

J. Crew Fluted Skirt in Double Crepe, $98

From Piperlime

Piperlime Fannie Boucle Knit Skirt by DV by Dolce Vita, $88

From Boden

Boden Hayley Skirt in sage, $98

Boden Hayley Skirt in fig, $98

From Talbots:

Talbots Seasonless Crepe Flounced Skirt, $99

Talbots Italian Flannel Trumpet Skirt, $129

From The Limited

The Limited Ponte Flounce Skirt, $59.95 minus 50% (code BIRTHDAY)

The Limited Houndstooth Flounce Skirt, $59.99 minus 50% (code BIRTHDAY)

The Limited Ponte Flounce Skirt, $59.95 minus 50% (code BIRTHDAY)

The Limited High-Waist Flounced Hem Skirt, $17.49 minus 30%

Dress 'em down or dress 'em up.
Try 'em with a bird tee... with a lace top... or with a crisp shirt or sweater.

Bird tees

Lace-topped tees

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Very short interview with a vampire

10/24/2013

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I know a man in NYC who's out every night & never sleeps. I asked him
if he likes Halloween
if he goes out that night
if he likes girls in costume.

He told me "I like Halloween, I'm always out, I like a female in a cat costume." (Fashion Feline approves! >^.^< )

I asked him if he ever dresses up for Halloween. Guess what he said?

"No."

This response didn't surprise me.

Then I got a last tweet from him: "I might go this round as a Vampire."

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What to wear for a school awards ceremony

10/21/2013

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Whether you're the one bestowing the award, receiving the award, or attending the event, the best cue for what to wear to an awards ceremony might come from girls--they know that a special occasion calls for something special, whether it's a sparkly pair of earrings, a fancy updo, or a colorful dress.

It's not that you can't wear business attire, but to me it doesn't convey a true celebratory spirit.

Of course, this doesn't mean you should wear club wear either. Your heels should be whatever height you feel comfortable in for walking across a stage--probably not towering. Your dress shouldn't be too revealing nor too short. Ideally you're wearing something sweet, something that would make your family sigh with pride & joy.

Girls dress up in colorful dresses (often with cardigans) for award ceremonies

I spoke at a school awards ceremony yesterday. Here's what the best dressed participants were wearing for this special event...

A sparkly blouse, a colorful dress shirt, a fur-lined cardigan--special touches made these outfits stand out.

Here's what I wore:

Knee-length skirt

J. C. Penny Joe Fresh Print A-Line Skirt, $14.99

Basic sweater (not this exact one)

J. Crew Factory Cotton Charley Sweater, $39.50

I stood up when I spoke :-)

It's not often that we take the time to celebrate our accomplishments, & it's not often that we have a reason to dress up. Award ceremonies are by nature a bit awkward, but they're also infinitely memorable. Try to wear something you'll remember when you look back on the event years later.

Another sticky situation to dress for...

What to wear for a tightrope walk across Niagara Falls

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Halloween tees

10/20/2013

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Why didn't the skeleton cross the road?
He didn't have the guts.

A few of my favorite Halloween tees from around the web...

Cafe Press Halloween Baby Skeleton Maternity T-Shirt, $31.99

Etsy spider t-shirt, $24

Threadless Imposter Tee, $9.95

Urban Outfitters Skeleton Unity Tee, $24

Women's Halloween Dolman-Sleeve Tee, $16.94 minus 20% with the code ONSAVENOW

Zazzle Boo the Ghost Tshirt, $32.70

Kohl's Skeleton Costume Hoodie - Boys 8-20, $29.99

Most liked Sunday Tees:

Tees for English teachers & grammar sticklers

UnderRepped tees

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Keep it in the closet

10/17/2013

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How many things do you have hanging in your closet with the tags still on?

Why haven't you taken the tags off & worn it? Maybe you're just waiting for right weather to wear it?

But I'm always amazed how many other things people have in their closets with the tags on that aren't waiting for anything.

Maybe you bought it on a whim or for an occasion that didn't happen? Maybe it was a gift.

Clothes with tags hang in no (wo)man's land--not quite right for circulation but not wrong enough to return.

Perhaps you keep these things because you rather like them even if you can't seem to wear them. They appeal to some side of you, some vision of yourself that you saw when you purchased them. Perhaps they are items purely for the closet, items to try out, to dress up in at home every once in a while.

"we all have a face
That we hide away forever
And we take them out and show ourselves
When everyone has gone.
Some are satin, some are steel,
Some are silk and some are leather.
They're the faces of the stranger
But we love to try them on."
-Billy Joel "The Stranger"

"The Waiting Place...
for people just waiting.
Waiting for a train to come, or a plane to go or the mail to come, or the rain to go, or the snow to snow, or waiting around for a Yes or No or waiting for their hair to grow."
-from
Oh, The Places You Will Go!
by Dr. Suess

Here are the two items I have in my closet that still have the tags on...

1. the sheer lacy long-sleeved cold-shoulder blouse from Love Culture:

I bought this shirt ages ago--far too long ago for me to return it. I liked how it mixed conservative & racy. I talked myself into the frivolous purchase by thinking I'd also wear it as a very lightweight layer under crewnecks that would show off that little collar. Alas, I tried it on under a sweater this morning, & it looked funny because of the lace. I haven't worn it on its own with a cami either, & who knows when I will?

2. the dress from H&M

H&M Jacquard-weave Dress, $20

I do love this dress.
It feels stately and glamorous to me. I don't know when I'll have an occasion to wear it, but at $20, I bought it for the closet. Will that glaring red sale tag ever be removed?

What you can do with your clothes with tags on them:

return them (may take nerve. if it's been ages, they'll probably give you store credit)

sell them on ebay
sell them at a second-hand or consignment store
donate them. New work clothes would be especially appreciated by women in a women's shelter seeking employment.
wear them on a Tuesday #fearlessfashion #wearingit
swap them at a clothing swap!
have a tag-popping party where everyone wears something with tags that they've never worn out of the house before

How to host an elegant clothing swap

One of my favorite Michael Jackson songs & videos, "In the Closet"
(best dancing starts around 5 min. Warning: pretty mature video):

How many items do you have with the tags still on? Won't you tell us about one of them?

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<<Here's something I pulled the tag off & wore today!

Amy's star sapphire ring

What are your signature colors?

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Monica's rings

10/14/2013

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Monica Fuglei sent us this lovely story for our The Stories of Our Rings section...

It wasn’t the diamond that I loved so much, I think. It was the smooth curve and deep v in the ring that made it unlike any other wedding set I had seen.
It was the curve and points of the pearl ring that went with the set.

It was how they were stored, nestled in deep green velvet in the small plastic white ring box they came in. They meant that my parents had once been together and much like these rings – they were smooth, rough, coming together, pulling apart.

Loose in the box was a third ring – heavier, darker. It was a hand-crafted silver wedding band my father had bartered out of another artist with the precious pay of acrylics or pottery. At one point in the past, this dark stormy ring had a partner – but the partner is now at the bottom of Harlan County damn in Nebraska, under thirty years of silt.

I’m not a sad child of divorce. Let me be clear – my parents divorced and went on to find lovely partners and build amazing new families of which I am a part. In the ensuing years, I’ve gone from only child to one surrounded by siblings, from having two parents to having four. I’m happy with the lives they built. Still, I love having the symbols of the time they were together.

"At one point in the past, this dark stormy ring had a partner – but the partner is now at the bottom of Harlan County damn in Nebraska, under thirty years of silt."

When I opened the gift of that small white box on my 18th birthday to see the rings staring back at me, I was delighted. And later, when I chose my own wedding band, I found something that echoed the waves, the freedom, the loveliness of my parents’ rings.

"I love having the symbols of the time they were together."

Monica's story is now published here:

The Stories of Our Rings

Will you send us yours?

Come & spend the
day at Monica's

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T-shirt supporting budding journalists

10/13/2013

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If you served on the staff of your high school yearbook, literary mag, or newspaper, you know how vital, exciting, & fun it is to be a student journalist. Let's support a new generation of well educated, technically savvy, fair-minded journalists.
Let's support the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) & the Colorado High School Press Association (CHSPA).
#jday13 #thinkj

We've got issues.

T-shirt Sunday Tees

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3 ways to wear navy tights

10/11/2013

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Bluestocking: "an educated woman who is interested in books and ideas"
--Merriam-Webster Dictionary

The word on the street is that you can only wear navy tights, hose, or leggings with navy, & you must wear navy shoes with it. I beg to differ! You can wear those navy tights, hose, or leggings with everything--they're the most versatile choice out there. And you can wear black shoes or any other color with it. Let restrictive beliefs die.

1. With a navy dress:

Boden navy dress with navy tights

2. With a neutral:

Urban Outfitters dress with navy leggings

Same dress, navy hose

3. With burgundy, with florals, & with most prints:

Tea dress with navy leggings

Where to get them...

Chadwicks

Chadwicks Control-Top Opaque Tights, $6.99/2 for $6.25/3 for $6

Old Navy

Old Navy Microfiber Tights, $10

Target

Target Merona® Women's Opaque Tights, $8-$10

Are you a bluestocking too?

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16 navy dresses under $100

10/8/2013

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Not as dramatic as black, navy can be worn daytime or night, any time of year, for any occasion. It flatters most skin tones. It has a smoldering but professional quality.

All of these dresses are from Boden clearance. They come in other colors too. Limited sizes; you might want to hurry if you like one. Boden ships for a flat $10.