Clothing As Metaphor

"Why not be oneself? That is the whole secret of a successful appearance.
If one is a greyhound, why try to look like a Pekinese?"
~ Dame Edith Sitwell

Clothing mistakes. Who among us hasn't made them?

If our clothing is a metaphor for what's inside us, why would we want to keep those blunders?

The more comfortable I become in my own, changing skin, the fewer faux pas I make.
I'm fairly certain what I want people to know about me when I walk into a room, based solely on my clothes.

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I no longer make the age appropriate mistake.
I don't need to wonder if something is too young for me.
My idiot meter, mercifully, screams loud and clear on that one.

And yet...I now have several impostors in my trunk heading back to the store.

Someone else will look and feel fabulous in the patterned, flowy skirt.
The structured blazer belongs in another woman's wardrobe.
And the shockingly bright coloured sweater that called to me from the escalator...is not me.

Those siren calls don't usually grab me, but this week I was an easy mark.

I'm packing for my summer on Vancouver Island, and apparently forgot how differently I live and dress when I'm there. Still...nowhere in my life would these garments work for me. They grate on my eyes and sensibilities in the clear light of my own mirror.

Do you keep the impostors you buy and try to make them work for you?

Perhaps you don't make those mistakes?

Comfort Shoes

...a term used to describe Gnome shoes...

If I were an aging hippie type I'd have no problem finding comfortable shoes at a reasonable price. But I'm not, and even when I was a hippie in high school, I didn't go for that look.

........

I haven't shopped for shoes in over a year.

*First, was the decision to make-do with what I have because having a larger wardrobe doesn't make one better dressed. Owning and coordinating the right pieces does.

*Second, was the financial crunch that kept me on track with number one.

*Third, and always was the inability to find anything comfortable.

........

I was a ballet dancer for many years. Toe-shoes were not kind to my feet. Ten years of jogging helped me almost maintain my sanity through my children's teen years, but was murder on my feet.
In a nutshell, my feet are shot.

One of my shoe mainstays for the last several years, is no longer an option. Ballet flats compress a nerve that's inflamed so I have to toss all mine out. Shoes can't stop at, or have a seam near the ball of my foot. Plus I have wide feet. That makes shoe shopping for something I can wear with a skirt, a depressing challenge.

Anyi Lu...these just miss that nerve and are very comfortable.

Beautifeel...have the most amazing cushioning. They're like walking on little pillows.

Arche...my "high heel". Soft suede uppers and very flexible soles.

I can never go hunting for a shoe...it just needs to cross my path.
Strangely, they were all lined up for me yesterday, online and at Nordstrom.

My criteria are simple.
They must be comfortable.
They must be semi stylish.
They must cost less than the mortgage payment.

Yes, these shoes are all in black but they're comfortable and will work with a skirt or dress.

Do you indulge in "comfort shoes" or can you wear anything on your feet?

What brands do you find comfortable?

The Silver Lining

~

To find the silver lining in life's stormiest clouds takes faith and perseverance.

Knowing there is a hopeful aspect to every unhappy situation.

~

I've been helping a family member navigate the health care system for several long months.

Being his health care advocate. Caring for him in my home between hospital stays. 

Organizing his medical appointments, procedures and Dr. visits. 

Being with him as he is given the results and prognosis.

Holding him as he cries. Crying with him. 

He's my brother in law. I didn't know him well when this process started.
I know him very well now.

As terribly sad as it is to nurse him through this terminal disease, I am gratified to know I have brought him comfort. The small amount of peace I can give him is evident in his trust. 

The look of relief on his face when I enter his hospital room. He is comforted to know I will worry about the details...all he need do is worry about how he feels. 

~
Last week he asked me to sit at the end of his hospital bed so he could always see me. He told me he feels better just knowing I'm there.

~

There is joy in giving and helping ease the worry of others.

I realized this morning, I'm proud of myself. 

That is a silver lining for me.

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Beauty Book

I'm bored with everything I've been knitting on.
I don't feel like gardening this weekend.

So I bought a book. Just now.
A kindle version...delivered in seconds for instant gratification.

My collection of wardrobe and styling books is obscenely large extensive. Most of them are pretty technical...not the sort you go back to reread for fun. No tips or pretty pictures in them.

Pam at Over 40 Feeling 50 mentioned a book she was reading a few weeks ago and it looked like fun.

So... through the magic and costly convenience of Amazon, I now have the Kindle version to read today.

This a quick, fun read. The author has a great sense of humor and helpful ideas to share.
Her tales from "behind the cosmetic counter" are pretty hilarious.

Have you ever allowed the salesperson at the cosmetic counter to make you a small sample of the brand new, gee whizz, obscenely expensive product from the tester on the counter?

You might not want to ever again.

Are you a fan of the Amazon "buy it with one click"?

Its more dangerous than online shopping for clothes...because it's so instant.
No going to peruse your "shopping cart", where reason and budget has a chance to enter the picture.
Just click and you've paid for it.

Have a lovely weekend.

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It's Not About The Lines On The Face

...it's about the wisdom behind them...

The media is now hitting us pretty hard with gorgeous aging models.
Some who've had work done and a few who haven't.They are inspiring with their gorgeous gray hair and confidence.

But what about the women aging gracefully without surgical help?

How comfortable are we with their images as role models?

Real women. The ones who's character is etched onto their faces.

If we're fortunate enough, we'll get to show our wrinkles off.
It is a privilege denied to many.

I'm embracing the lines on my face, the top of my knee's and elbows, neck...the list goes on. Oy!

Anti-aging creams and regimes insult my intelligence. I am aging and it's not a bad thing.

That doesn't mean I don't care for my skin carefully and conscientiously.  I'm just not planning to drop hundreds of dollars a month on skin creams and miracle serums. Many of my friends do.

I use only cruelty free, organic products which are just as luxurious and good for my skin as the expensive, chemical filled ones.

How hard are you willing to fight the battle against wrinkles?
Do you ever feel insulted when a 19 year old is selling you anti wrinkle cream?
I do.

How To Be Elegant

~~  

We're all a combination of style characteristics.  

That's what makes personal style...personal. 

How you dress is the outer reflection of your personal style and your behavior usually speaks the same language.

Working with a new client last week, we discovered that Elegant was a large part of her style formula. She also incorporated, sporty and sensual into the mix...but always in an elegant way.

..{ elegant behavior }..

She must have self confidence.
There's a graciousness to the elegant woman. She is polished and refined.
She speaks softly and listens with quiet attentiveness.
She has a warm smile for everyone. She is kind.

An elegant woman looks people in the eye when they're speaking to her.
She doesn't rush and acts as though every conversation she has is the most important one of her day. You have her full attention when you're speaking to her.

She is perceived to be highly intelligent.

Princess Grace of Monaco epitomized elegance.

..{ elegant appearance }..


An elegant wardrobe requires the art of self restraint.
The guidelines for an elegant wardrobe are simple and need not be expensive.

1-Uncluttered looks with clean simple lines. No over abundance of frills and extraneous details.
2- A comfortable, neutral color scheme that is not overly bright or jarring in its contrast to ones own inherent coloring.
3-Beautiful tailored clothing that fits the body with a natural ease for movement, neither too tight nor loose fitting.
4-Quiet, well bred accessories that do not overpower the woman. Loud, ostentatious jewelry or accessories are the antithesis of the elegantly dressed woman.
5-She chooses clothing in the finest fabrics she can afford. Cashmere, silk, linen, the softest cotton and wool.
6-The focus is on the woman. Clothes and accessories never eclipse her.

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis is an example of grace and elegance in the face of tragic challenges.

"Less is more..."
wrote Robert Browning in his famous poem "Andrea del Sarto", published in 1855.

This same concept is applied to the elegant woman's wardrobe.

The famous architect Ludwig Mies van de Rohe embraced this concept as a precept for his designs in the early twentieth century, which were characterized by simplicity and extreme clarity. His designs were refined.

Refined is frequently used to describe an elegant woman.

Audrey Hepburn was another icon of elegance who embodied a sweet charm and gentleness of spirit.

We know an elegant woman when we meet her.
We recognize her when we hear her speak and we are comfortable with her integrity.

Serenity, honesty, sincerity, and intelligence are all attributed to the elegant woman.

Who do you think is elegant today?

Do you have elegance as part of your style recipe?

Wrinkles Around Your Mouth?

Happy Monday morning!

I subscribe to a daily newsletter from Dr Andrew Weil. A pioneer in the field of alternative/intergrative medicine...he is a wealth of knowledge.

I've read most of his books and heard him speak numerous times.

This little piece of interesting information was included this morning.

~~~
It's one of life's small injustices
- women are more prone than men to form wrinkles around the mouth.
There are a few reasons why:

According to a recent analysis by dermatologists in the Netherlands, women have fewer oil-producing sebaceous glands around the upper lip - meaning less oil to keep the skin soft and supple.

*Women (particularly postmenopausal women) have fewer blood vessels in the upper lip area resulting in less blood flow to the region.

*The muscles around the mouth are closer to the skin in women than they are in men; this can mean the skin is pulled closer, leading to wrinkles.
~~~

I don't smoke, I wear sunscreen religiously, I don't use straws and I moisturizer heavily.

Oh...and I've taken up smiling for no reason whatsoever, whenever I think of it.
It helps lift spirits and hopefully smooths some of those little lines.

Just one of life's little nuances designed to keep us on our toes.

Have a wonderful day!
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