The Space Between My Peers

NOW BLOGGING AT BETWEENMYPEERS.COM

2007-01-04T08:57:00.000-08:00

Click here to visit the new: The Space Between My Peers

Hey, Look at This!

2007-01-02T22:04:00.000-08:00

I think this was my real Christmas present. Many thanks to the Bargain Queen for her helpful advice in making the change, Kathleen Fasanella of Fashion Incubator for her post (quite a long time ago, but she's having technical issues right now, so I can't link the exact post) urging bloggers to buy their own domain, and to Darren Rowse of ProBlogger for drawing my entry to win the 10 books, which somehow made it urgent to do it TODAY.

So who will be first to link to the new site?

My Wardrobe Improvement Goals for 2007

2007-01-02T15:31:00.000-08:00

Many thanks to all who answered my New Year's question concerning your personal wardrobe improvement goals for 2007, thereby giving me another day to consider mine. Not nearly as profound as any of those submitted, mine is simply this:

to fill in my wardrobe of accent tops (basic tee-shirts, dress shirts, etc.)

Mentally my wardrobe exists in three building-block-type components:

Bottoms. Skirts and trousers. Most often, I think of shoes and socks in conjunction with these.
Top Layers. Jackets and sweaters, blazers and sweatshirts. Thinking of these sometimes leads to considerations of outerwear, as well.
Accent Tops. The mortar that holds outfit together. Necessarily flattering to the face, I am missing some of these bread-and-butter basics (like a white dress shirt). I guess that makes sense that my challenge would lie in this arena, since this category of clothing is considered an accessory by some.

There you have it, my top priority wardrobe challenge (to myself) for 2007.

May I suggest a goal, if you don't have one already? Invite a friend over to help you organize your closet and advise you on what to biff. Tessa is willing to come and do it for free if you pay her travel expenses, as am I.

But here's the catch: what you commit to get rid of leaves with me. No changing your mind later.

I'm the Winner!

2007-01-02T08:29:00.000-08:00

So, I woke up this morning to discover that, not only did I finally get a lovely article of clothing for Christmas, which I happily wore to play games at our New Year's Eve festivities, I won a drawing over at ProBlogger! Oh happy day! It's enough to make me regret all the sulking about Christmas shopping.

What I won: a copy from Amazon of each of the 10 books that Darren rated as having the biggest impact upon his blogging last year. How I won: I commented on his post What's the Weirdest Thing You've Sold on Amazon? It was just a random thing that I happened to know the answer, Aura Cacia Peppermint Oil.

Now, if you were a person who attempted to look to God for direction in every aspect of your life, how would you take this development as it relates to the blog?
BTW, here's the beautiful item my hero got for me. It's frugal too!

Happy New You!

2007-01-01T10:26:00.000-08:00

He hee ...

What are your wardrobe improvement goals for 2007?

Today's Outfits

2006-12-31T13:53:00.000-08:00

This is what I wore to church today. Despite it being a very nice, well-coordinated outfit, made up of some of my favorite pieces, I still had a momentary twinge when faced with other people in their new coats, etc. Believe me, I'm over it now.

BTW, this shirt and sweater combo is the same one I wore
Christmas Eve, with jeans and my birthday belt.

But will I wear it again tonight? Attending a game night, with the same group we were with for the Thanksgiving Leftovers Party, the big question mark is temperature. How many layers will I need? At the previous event, the wife of the pastor in charge runs just a little colder than I do. Perfect. But I don't think they will be there tonight.

My first choice is actually the outfit pictured back here. And since my hero just informed me that he knows how to work the heat in the fellowship hall, I guess I will wear what I want.

Update: What I want will be the sweater I wore this morning, topped by the jacket pictured here, which my hero just bought for me. We only paid $35 American, though. Washable suede, the XS fits (!), and it's my signature color. Yay!

Hi Grandma!

2006-12-31T07:20:00.000-08:00

When Grandmother Adella said in comments back here that she'd see me soon, she really meant it. I am so excited that in 2007, within the next several weeks/months, depending on weather, etc, she will be moving closer!

This random post comes to you simply because I set my alarm clock this morning, and then actually got up. I have washed and dried my hair, made and drank my coffee, started dinner, and I'm sitting here eating my breakfast, blogging, with time to spare.

Crockpots and alarm clocks. Fabulous inventions.

Resolved: NOT Playing Dress-up on Sunday Morning

2006-12-30T16:36:00.000-08:00

Recently I reposted a classic early post featuring a strategy to avoid Sunday morning wardrobe trauma. I still need improvement. Perhaps I've been blogging too much?

Well, here's how I plan to use the blog to get me out of endlessly playing dress-up and being late to church every Sunday:

I'm planning a Month of Sundays feature, where I will dress up in four different outfits all based on one trouser or skirt that I would wear to church that month.

The tricky part is whether I will wait for primary photographer, with camera that actually works, to return from vacation before shooting the initial installment. The good news is I already have the outfits selected! And, yes, I do know what I'm wearing tomorrow.

Fashion Lab: Better Late Than Never

2006-12-30T12:22:00.000-08:00

I really should get some modeling lessons or something, rather than continually subjecting you wonderful people to these hack photos.

Typically I choose not to focus on the type of advice that picks some "less-than" body part ("I hate my thighs!") and uses "fool-the-eye" techniques to compensate. It's all too confusing. In most cases, learning and employing the basics (line, shape, proportion, scale, and, of course, personal idiom and color) will create a much more integrated, simple, and aesthetically pleasing look.

But an outfit I threw together recently caused me to think about a principle I had previously run across:

To camouflage or draw attention away, surround the feature with something larger or more eye-catching. In these pictures, the "feature" is my thighs and the "something larger or more eye-catching" is the line of the t-shirt hem(s) and the belt buckle.

In which of these pictures do I look most normal to you?

And another question: How would this principle be used if the "feature" being camouflaged was a slight tummy bulge?

On one thing I'm sure we can all agree: Use tunic-length tops with caution! (They never worked for me in the '80s either.)

Reader Question: Trench Coat Length for an Hourglass Figure

2006-12-29T14:21:00.000-08:00

Or should I have titled this "I love fashion research?" And it's not just an excuse to avoid doing any work. At least I don't think it is.

Vildy asks:

Can I ask a question about balance in design here? I have a silky dark navy raincoat with white pin dots. I like the contradiction between the feminine fabric and the full-out trench detailing. It isn't my best look - the fullness, the belted trench, the epaulets and belted sleeves, the full cape back bodice, the half cape front bodice, the semi-dolman sleeves - but I like it.

Here's what I'm wrestling with. It was an 80's style with the rounded extended shoulder pads. I replaced these with smaller and somewhat crisper. The former length balanced all this "design." But it was ankle-length on me - I'm 5 feet with that all around hourglass.

My first thought was that I had to be careful how much I shortened it because of needing to balance the top fullness. So I have it around mid-calf, perhaps a bit higher. Looking at runway pictures I see many similar full cut trenches that are knee length and even above the knee. It gives a very wide poofy effect even on the slender models.

What do you think?

My off-cuff-answer was "not above the knee", but here's what I found after a bit more research.

Generally these looks measure two "units" above the belt and three below. That is in accordance with the basic laws of proportion governing the universe.
But I think some of them are belted above the natural waist. Okay for a skinny model, not actually workable for a genuine Type X figure.
And then there is the matter of the sleeves. Nearly all of them were 3/4 length or at least pushed up. I suppose that is merely parenthetical to the actual point here.
But shape is the elusive element. If you belted the coat at the first natural-looking spot below the bust and then hemmed the coat to a length (from the belt) 1 and 1/2 times the length from shoulder to belt, would the "skirt" of the coat poof or drape? Would the overall silhouette be an hourglass, a figure eight, or a mish-mash? And would the length be above the knee or below?

If it worked, it could be fresh, pretty, and springy.

Picture "borrowed" from Elle.com. Subscribe here for even less than Vogue.

Distance Department Store Shopping on a Budget

2006-12-29T13:22:00.000-08:00

Some things one can only get at a department store. Well, there are alternatives, but certain things are typically purchased by those of us on a limited budget at a department store:

Undergarments.
Coats and dresses.
Seasonal gear such as gloves or swimwear.
A wide variety of household items.
Children's clothes.

If you are in the market for any of these things, and live where you cannot easily get to a department store, you may be interested in $0.99 Standard Shipping on entire orders at Kohls.com. 12/29 - 12/30.

Also going on now:
Kohl's After Christmas Clearance Sale. Sale Prices are good through December 30th.

Happy shopping!

Things Are Not Alright in Bloggerland

2006-12-29T11:29:00.000-08:00

Given the fact that my primary photographer took her camera and went on vacation for a week, and that it took much of yesterday to get her there, presently I am awaiting back-up photographer's arrival; I have not yet taken the pictures for today's fashion lab. :(

In the meantime, I posted a small thought over at my Titus 2 blog and it has become obvious that all is not right with Blogger. The post is there, somewhere, but not at the top of the main page. *?*?*

So I am at the mercy of Blogger (and my back-up photographer). Will we indeed have a fashion lab today? I hope so.

Update: In the end, it was neither Blogger nor my back-up photographer that scrapped, or at least postponed, today's planned photo shoot. It was equipment failure. To avoid these kind of technology-based problems, follow the Bargain Queen's advice. Admittedly an old article, but the truth of it (especially #1) affects me everyday. Have I ever mentioned that I blog from a Windows ME operated computer?

US Vogue Cover: January 2007 Picturing Angelina Jolie

2006-12-28T08:50:00.001-08:00

In the spirit of my previous Vogue cover art reviews, I will be calling out just a few of the artistic principles employed here:

Color choice: With a persona as glamorous as this, what other choice is there but red? Note that the red here is the "little to the dark, without going burgundy" I mentioned in my recent post Steps to Successfully Wearing Red & Black, a wonderful red for those with deeper coloring.

Visual weight: Clearly the dress is of a light-weight fabric. I am confident that if it were not so, we would see more of the actress's hair. Adjusting the volume of one's hair is the primary way of adapting to fabric weight.

Taut vs drapy: Generally speaking, taut fabrics are congruent with the hardness of visible bone structure, drapy with soft roundedness. Pictured is an example of a slender person of soft roundness. Agreed?

Read more on this issue at the Runway Scoop. Unlike Maria Palma, who identifies with Angelina Jolie, I feel no connection to her at all. She's just an extraordinarily pretty face.

BTW, you could buy me a subscription to Vogue for pretty much less than the price of a tee-shirt.

Resolved: Posting Outfits Prior to Event

2006-12-28T05:42:00.000-08:00

Two considerations compel me to try harder in this next year to plan and post my outfits prior to an event:

KNOWING what I am going to wear. No small matter.
Just in case one of my real-life friends is curious. Probably a small matter.

But it did happen. Christmas Eve, to be precise. The hostess of the party we went to had checked the blog that day to see what I would be wearing. Her diabolical plan: to wear the same thing!

The eerie thing about it is that, although I didn't post what I planned to wear, or even have a plan earlier in the day, we were not dressed that different. Chunky shoes, bootcut jeans, v-neck sweater over collared shirt. My daughter even pointed out that our sweaters matched our hair: hers - dark brown, mine - heather gray.

Evidently she's been paying attention.

Coming Soon

2006-12-26T18:28:00.000-08:00

As my husband took today off from work, I will not return to normal blogging until tomorrow.

Just a few hints as to what's on my mind:

Things I'd like to improve in my personal wardrobe planning process in 2007. Like low-pressure New Year's Resolutions.
A Vogue cover artistic analysis. Yes, the US January edition featuring Angelina Jolie.
This week for Friday Fashion Lab I will be dressing up in jeans with different lengths of tops layered over and thinking about line placement as it relates to body particulars. Anybody care to play?

From last year's post-Christmas post, Style It Yourself:

Ever wonder about statistics for being sick on Christmas and/or the day after compared to any other day of the year?

What Did You Get for Christmas?

2006-12-26T11:51:00.000-08:00

Did you get any cool clothes? (I don't think anybody dares to get me any. There was a nice pair of hiking socks in my stocking, though, and plenty of $$$. I'm happy.:)

Christmas Ponderings

2006-12-25T11:24:00.000-08:00

Ever since we declared an end to the insane shopping schedule we were keeping, I've been able to focus on what about the Christmas season gives it meaning. Giving and receiving gifts? Spending time with family? Special foods or pretty lights? All these things, and the rest of the trappings, fail. I mean, what if you don't get what you want? Or can't afford to buy gifts? Or your relatives don't like you?

I don't want any of those things to be able to make or break my Christmas. They aren't what it's about anyway.

John 1:1-14

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

He was in the beginning with God.

All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.

In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.

The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

There came a man sent from God, whose name was John.

He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him.

He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.

There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.

He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.

He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him.

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,

who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

The Word became flesh. God became a human baby. That makes my Christmas.

Merry Christmas!

And This Is News?

2006-12-23T15:58:00.000-08:00

My husband found this on World Net Daily and it was the source of enough sarcasm around here that I thought I'd share:

Macy's pulls Sean John dog fur jackets:

Macy's has pulled from its shelves and its Web site two styles of Sean John hooded jackets, originally advertised as featuring faux fur, after an investigation by the nation's largest animal protection organization concluded that the garments were actually made from a certain species of dog called "raccoon dog."

and

Macy's removal of the coats comes on the heels of other tests conducted by the Humane Society of the United States on a range of fur-trimmed jackets from retailers such as Burlington Coat Factory, Bloomingdale's, J.C. Penney and Saks Fifth Avenue as well as from designers and clothing lines such as Baby Phat, Andrew Marc, MaxMara and Calvin Klein. Those tests revealed that most of the jackets labeled as "raccoon" or coyote" from China in fact contained fur from raccoon dogs.

Who wants to wear a coyote-trimmed coat, anyway?

2006-12-23T09:32:00.000-08:00

Are you as tired of Christmas shopping as I am? For some reason, and I'm not ready to commit to it being my own incompetence, this year has been positively brutal: up and down the mall, shopping every lunch hour, looking at thousands of things that are almost right, deciding on something only to find out it's sold out. At least I'm getting exercise!

Usually I feel guilty about buying stuff for myself while doing Christmas shopping, as if I am being too self-focussed. This morning I woke up wondering if the little shopping-for-me that I am usually able to do is actually refreshing.

So if after Christmas shopping and/or opening gifts you find there's still stuff you need:

Shop the RedEnvelope Winter Sale. Over 150 new markdowns with savings up to 75% off.

Winter Sale Dates: December 22nd - January 12th

Maybe I'll get a jump-start on next year.

Cheater Fashion Lab: Pant-leg Silhouettes

2006-12-22T13:30:00.000-08:00

I call this cheating because ... well, I am. I was just too lazy to get dressed for pictures, so these are from Zafu fit finder.

Allegedly, wearing tapered pants makes short legs look longer. Of course, most fashionistas have been wearing flares (albeit labelled "boot-cut"). Balancing the hips with volume at the hem was the prevailing concept.

Somehow, Zafu's model resembles me enough in figure that I dare to ask: What shape jeans do you recommend for me? Rarely do I wear heels, so I can use all the leg-lengthening I can get.

Since this Friday Fashion Lab turned out sort of a "hack" affair, perhaps we will re-visit this topic in the future. In the meantime, I recommend to you the Zafu blog.

A Truly Riveting Question

2006-12-22T11:07:00.000-08:00

My latest riveting question is a hot topic indeed. (Hint: it's about Christian teens dating.)

Moving rather slowly, I am still planning on posting a Friday Fashion Lab today. :)

Pantihose, Skivvies, and Slips, Oh My!

2006-12-21T15:59:00.000-08:00

Far and away, googling pantihose questions is the number one way new readers find their way here, with slip queries next in line. In this post from last April, Pantihose Do You Wear Them?, and especially in the comments, readers and I discuss whether or not they are a necessary evil. This time of year, most of us are wearing tights for warmth.

To determine hosiery color "from scratch", I use the length-balancing principles I explained here, in How to Wear a High Waisted Skirt. For abundant specifics on this topic, and more, Ask Alison.

Skivvies, aka thermals or long underwear, are a winter necessity here in the mountains of the Great Northwest, much warmer and more comfortable than nylon stockings. I wear these daily. Under jeans, of course.

With skirts and dresses, I dodge the need for a slip with an old-school style-enhancing feature: LINING. Frankly, and I own this as a strong personal preference, slips just don't work well. How many otherwise well-dressed women ruin their entire look with a slipping slip? If it doesn't have a lining, I just wait to wear it until the weather's warm enough to go stocking-free.

Slightly related, Jenn and I were talking in comments over here about socks (context: not looking dated). What kind do you wear?

Are You Done Christmas Shopping?

2006-12-21T13:53:00.000-08:00

Lamentably I am not.

Believe it or not, I could still order from Eddie Bauer and get it in time for Christmas (as late as 11:00 am EST on 12/22 for guaranteed Christmas Delivery). Now through January 3, they're having their Ultimate Winter Sale, with savings up to 50% on select styles.

Shopping for yourself? Enjoy free standard shipping on orders of $100 or more now through 12/25.

What to Wear to the Office Christmas Party

2006-12-20T16:20:00.000-08:00

Or What to Wear When the Invitation Specifies "Cocktail".

The following definition was given by my husband's very gracious office manager. To my delight, NOT A SINGLE PERSON showed up dressed in an appalling fashion. Several displayed stellar taste and creativity.

I have had a number of people ask me what “Cocktail” dress means. My intent by choosing this description is to merely say dress up more than you would for work. It certainly wasn’t intended to mean rent a tux. It would be no different than any of our other Holiday parties or if you were going to a nice restaurant (not a tavern) for dinner. Some guys may wear suits and others nice slacks and a good shirt. The ladies usually dress up a bit more, because they don’t get to wear their fancy outfits very often.

Flip through the following for more ideas:

The Fashion Faction - Holiday Parties
La Petite Chou - Christmas Party Outfit
What I would have worn if I hadn't worn this.

Realizing this post is a couple of weeks late, tell me - what did you wear to yours?

Steps to Successfully Wearing Red & Black

2006-12-20T08:44:00.000-08:00

As many of you know, I do not have a TV. Consequently, I thank Wendy that I even knew about Mrs Bush's Christmas dress incident.

With the resurrection of the red/black combo this holiday season: what are some easy guidelines to doing it well?:

Choose your red. Carefully.

as in my red silk skirt

little to the dark, without going burgundy

Major on the majors.

How a Blonde Can Wear All Black

How to Wear Any Color

Add another neutral.

Your best metallic.
White, ivory, or pearls.
For business, charcoal gray or camel.

Then there is the matter of personality. Do you even like red and black together?

I admit, I don't. But then I somehow still crave it in December.

Great Idea: Pooling Resources

2006-12-19T08:22:00.000-08:00

Amy from MotherLoad: The MomAdvice Blog, and host of this week's Festival of Frugality, offers this creative solution to the Frugal Holiday Finery dilemma:

I have worked out a deal with a girlfriend where we trade clothes for all of our special occasions. Usually she has the shoes, purse, and shawl and I supply a knock-out dress that I have found thrifting. Pooling our resources has saved me from spending tons of money for these one night occasions!

Obviously, you couldn't do this with just anybody; for size, shape, coloring, and personality considerations. Nevertheless, the idea has potential.

Tell me, do you have anyone in your life that you could approach about such an arrangement?

Frugal Holiday Finery

2006-12-18T15:56:00.000-08:00

Bloglines subscribers: you will want to pop over and view the picture. There's something new and different about it. He hee.

Thinking it's somewhat of an insult to the readers who have been here since the beginning, sometimes I'm afraid to post an idea I've previously blogged. A foolish notion, most visitors come via Google. Thanks to this post at Copyblogger, I'm encouraged to repeat the things which bear repeating.

Like these three ways to dress up for Christmas for almost nothing:

Borrow: Last year I wore a long silver skirt with this top, one I picked up for $1 (new with the tags still on) at a thrift store. It has since gone to several upscale events with other ladies. Surely your friends would rather lend you their little-used formal and cocktail clothing than to have it collecting dust.
Thrift: If I must buy a dress, for any occasion, I never pay "real money" for it. Just today, I saw literally dozens of really great dresses, each only $1 American, at my favorite thrift store. Obviously, not every area offers those kind of deals; just consider ebay your online thrift store.
Separates: Many special occasion separates are downright frumpy! Some classics that I have mixed and matched with success include: metallic t-shirts such as the one pictured, or ones with sequins; velvet jeans, skirts, or blazers; fuller skirts, such as the red silk pictured or the silver one mentioned earlier; a black straight or pencil skirt, or wide-legged pants; silk or sateen blouses and blazers. A black tee-shirt and black skirt, under dimly lit conditions, easily fills in for a black dress.

One final thought: Set against an all-black outfit, even your pre-schoolers dress-up jewelry can look very festive. Why not try it?

(More on this topic at Frugal Mom Has a Social Life.)

The Perfect Coat for a Type A Figure

2006-12-17T12:22:00.000-08:00

Isn't this the cutest coat? Perfect for a Type A figure.

I'm Back!

2006-12-16T11:48:00.000-08:00

Well, I think I'm back. Thanks to our friend (the one that I was going to ask to build me a computer). And Firefox.

Since I never really post much on the weekend, I am not even going to begin to try to catch up on all the thoughts I had this past week:

Wearing red and black together.
What to wear to the office Christmas party. (Ours is tonight. I'm wearing silver silk metallic top with red silk skirt. I'll try to get a picture, but no promises.)
Update on undergarment questions.
And, of course, Friday Fashion Lab. Next week's topic, now, will be pant-leg silhouettes.

BTW, it really does pay to wait. Last year I began craving flannel-lined jeans. This week I found some: Eddie Bauer, practically brand-new, with a pink floral flannel inside, at Goodwill. Oh yeah! $5.

This Is Really Weird

2006-12-15T21:24:00.000-08:00

Yeah. Hi! Our computer is doing unspeakably strange things. Last night we patched it with a stick of "bubble gum" (RAM) and now I am here through a "back door". I cannot access Internet Explorer at all. The good news is we WILL be getting a new computer.

Funny. My last Riveting Question was "is it time to take a break from blogging?"

Hmmm ...

Eddie Bauer - Free Shipping on All Orders

2006-12-11T17:12:00.000-08:00

Free shipping on all orders – two days only

12/11/06 – 12/12/06

Last Ship Date to arrive by Christmas Eve: Dec 19

Currently Experiencing Technical Difficulties

2006-12-11T15:20:00.000-08:00

On the one hand, and I'm pretty sure this rates abundant sympathy from my internet friends, my computer has "interrupted" its functioning close to a dozen times in the last 16 or so hours. Posting such, I hope to avoid having any of you worrying if I drop off the face of the planet for a day or two. Unlikely that will really happen, though. If this stone-age, ME-driven, desk-top beastie dies; I plan on asking a friend to build me a lap-top. Maybe.

On the other hand, I tried my daughter's three barrel waver and it just made my hair frizzy. Next up, the small curling iron.

Update:

Today, I am simply unable to bring up the "create a new post" page. Sorry!

If I have a working, blogging computer I plan to do a Friday Fashion Lab this week. Topic: pant-leg silhouettes.

My Purse Now Available Online!

2006-12-10T14:02:00.000-08:00

Finally, the purse I got for my birthday is available at Wilsons Leather online. For only $69!

Although it isn't pictured, I want to let you know that the navy is actually a very contemporary, very glamorous cyan. The brown, which I got, is only brown in bright sunlight. Most winter days it's a delectable deep plum.

Would if I mind if we had the same bag? Feel free. I did have it first.

How We Handle Filling Our Stockings

2006-12-08T16:49:00.000-08:00

Inspired by Jenn, who has been blogging about Christmas on the cheap, it suddenly occurs to me that we have a fabulous tradition that must be shared with as many people as possible:

Drawing Names For Stockings

This is for when the kids are all old enough to start helping with the shopping, although we started before the youngest was in elementary school. Just match the teams up carefully, so nobody is shopping with someone who is shopping for them.

Draw names from a hat and form shopping teams. Each person gets a $10 bill; that is all that may be spent on the entire contents of the stocking for the person they are shopping for. Any change left is also put into the stocking. Everyone shops at the same time, at the same store, carefully avoiding one another, of course. We choose Fred Meyer, they have a wide range of items including clothing and groceries.

Thankfully I remembered this just in time for Frugal Friday at Biblical Womanhood!

Christmas Shopping at Shoes.com

2006-12-08T15:14:00.000-08:00

Saturday Sale, December 9th

Or, if you miss that, how about a coupon?

10% off $75 or more
Valid Nov. 15th to Dec. 31st

Not valid on Sale items
Not valid on excluded brands: Allen-Edmonds, Bragano, BRUNOMAGLI, Cole Haan, Donald J Pliner, K-Swiss, Kenneth Cole, Lucchese, MERRELL, Royal Elastics and Ugg

Code: GIVE10OFF

Here is the schedule for holiday shipping:

UPS Ground: Order by Dec. 15, 10am CST for Dec. 23 delivery

UPS 2nd Day: Order by Dec. 20, 10am CST for Dec. 23 delivery

UPS Next Day: Order by Dec. 21, 10am CST for Dec. 23 delivery

Gap.com Holiday Offer

2006-12-08T13:34:00.000-08:00

Just in time for one of the biggest shopping weekends of the year, an offer to stay home and shop at Gap.com:

This weekend only. GET 20% OFF PURCHASES OF $100 OR MORE. Available only online.

Code: HOLIDAY20

Friday Fashion Lab: Sleeve Length

2006-12-08T09:39:00.000-08:00

I know precisely one rule concerning sleeve length:

If your legs are short, pushing up the sleeves will optically elongate them.

I have no idea why this works. Does it follow that a person with long legs might choose a longer sleeve?

In this first set of pictures you can see the contrast between a super-long sleeve and a pushed-up sleeve. Not only do my legs look longer in the second picture, they look thinner as well! Optically it's almost the equivalent of putting on heels (but much easier to walk).

Now I mentioned in my post prior to Thanksgiving that I felt the sleeves of this blazer a little too short, as seen in the picture on the bottom left. While each of the other pictures shows a technique for adapting a jacket with a too-short sleeve, my FAVORITE is this last one. And the white accent does a visual drawing up of the eye, as well.

(It may seem counter-intuitive to wear a white shirt with a brown print jacket. But think about the guys: what color dress shirt would a man wear with a brown print suit?)

One final thought about sleeve-length: most of us must consider practicality when choosing our sleeves. After all, much of life is "done" by the hands. (Diapers and extra-long bell sleeves? Let's just say no!)

And nothing beats 3/4 sleeves when it comes to doing dishes.

Warm-up For Sleeve Length Fashion Lab

2006-12-07T16:12:00.000-08:00

In preparation for the upcoming Friday Fashion Lab, I've been thinking about sleeve lengths. How do you like this Gap Lightweight fleece peacoat? (I like the blue. On sale for $49.99)

Are we getting back to pushed up sleeves?

Flashback: A Between My Peers Classic

2006-12-07T06:18:00.000-08:00

Attending this holiday event has become an annual tradition. I'm afraid I'll be curling my hair today!

Flashback

Flashback to last Thursday, that is. I just can't get over how slim and elegant some of the ladies looked at the event I attended. How they did it:

Each one created an outfit with unbroken lines within her natural silhouette.
The ubiquitous notion that dark colors make everyone look slimmer really works for dimly lit evening affairs- but NOT for swimsuits!
Obvious reflective elements, like glued on little mirrors or glitter, caused their outlines to be less distinct.

Something else about this event that was fun: it was ladies only! No flashbacks to the high school dance, when you were all decked out and your date arrived in a sweater.

Use these tips to put together your own holiday ensemble.

More later!

You Are a Nice Piece of Art

2006-12-06T09:02:00.000-08:00

How can you tell if you're listening to Hawk Nelson or FM Static? Listen to the entire CD. If the song you were expecting to hear never comes on, you were listening to the other one.

You make me feel like a lavender sweater,
When I'm caught in bad weather,
in my Volkswagen Jetta.

You make me feel like a complete work of art,
When I'm just falling apart.
A really nice piece of art...

Dear God, I hope you hear me...

From FM Static's Critically Ashamed, stating the theme of this blog. In poetry.

Between My Peers Classics: Focus on the Face

2006-12-05T17:28:00.000-08:00

Focus on the Face

Rule number one states simply that the face should be the focal point of every outfit. That seems obvious. Focal point = the point which the eyes are drawn to. But, have you wondered how that is accomplished?

A primary tool in directing attention to your face is the use of balance points. There are two measurable points that determine how far down the upper body the neckline should go. In addition, the collar or neckline should be at least as wide as the face. For additional information on this topic, I recommend The Triumph of Individual Style, by Carla Mason Mathis and Helen Villa Connor (which I just noticed has a reduced "best price" offer. It makes a wonderful Christmas gift). Bridgette Raes illustrates this concept in her blog, with reference to accessorizing.

Here's more:

This tells you how deep your neckline should be to draw attention to your face. Wonder what your best neckline shape is? Roughly the shape of your jaw.

Is Ethnicity a Factor in Style?

2006-12-05T11:16:00.000-08:00

This topic has been knocking around in my mind since I read this post at Style Bubble. With over 60 comments at last count, no doubt many of you have already read it and considered it. And with over 60 comments, and me with so many words, I prefer to weigh in over here.

First, my view of the whole PC-speak, race designation thing (Chinese vs Oriental vs Asian): Why do any of those have to be offensive?

Now I realize that my racial background is considered majority and so there are things that I may not understand from personal experience, but I have been referred to as both White and Casper. (No one has ever called me European-American, although I suppose that's coming.) Neither designation is strictly accurate as my skin is actually a light muted orange; White is probably meant respectfully, Casper most definitely is not.

Second, and this really has nothing to do with the conversation at Style Bubble, I bristle when asked to define myself for statistical purposes as a member of a specific race or ethnicity. In my personal belief system, all humans are of one race: Adamic. What does this mean? It means just that we are all the same kind of being, created with immense value and incapable of being perfect.
Third, I'm confident that there are innovative trendsetting fashion personalities of every ethnicity. (Traditional for different cultures would, of course, look different.) My question: is a person more likely to wear a dramatic look or accent if they, by virtue of ethnicity or some other physical reason, look more different or are indeed in a minority?

Please forgive me if I've offended. In my attempt to be as diplomatic as possible, it is still a distinct possibility.

Eddie Bauer's One Week Only Sweater Sale

2006-12-05T08:39:00.000-08:00

Eddie Bauer's One Week Only Sweater Sale. Buy any Sweater, get another at 50% Off.
Now through 12/10/06

Free shipping on all orders over $100 - expires 12/25
Coupon Code: HOLIDAYFS
Now through 12/25/06

Vote on This Friday's Fashion Lab Topic

2006-12-04T17:16:00.000-08:00

You choose:

More about belt placement.
Wearing white runners with jeans?
Something on sleeve lengths.

Other suggestions? I'd love to have them.

Between My Peers Classics: The First Formula

2006-12-04T16:06:00.000-08:00

Continuing from last December's archives:

The First Formula

There are those who think it amusing that I actually have formulas and mathematical equations that I use for shopping. Like the one I use to make sure I have the minimum of certain key pieces. Since I wear a wool sweater just about every day that it is below 40, today (7 degrees) is the day I will stop, count, and calculate whether I have enough. Just in case you weren't absolutely certain that I was nuts, here's what I do:

a) Figure out my laundry cycle. What's the longest number of days something might sit in the hamper before it's ready to be worn again?

b) Calculate the percentage of days that I need to be able to wear this type of item.

c) Estimate how many days I can wear something before washing it. (When I had babies, I would estimate how many changes of clothes I needed per day.)

The math:Multiply a and b, and then divide by c. Or if you are a mother of preschoolers that last operation would be a multiply. I hope you get it. I need to go shopping.

Here's a post where I used the formula to calculate how many jeans one needs.

One Year Ago Today: Sunday Wardrobe Trauma

2006-12-03T14:57:00.000-08:00

Facing Tomorrow Without Trauma

Tomorrow is Sunday. No doubt when we leave we will all be dressed, but chances are good that someone will have had some wardrobe trauma in the process. Generally, one of us ladies is the one with the problem and one of the others is the one with the solution. Look out if two of us can't decide what to wear!

I recall a time a few years ago when my own Sunday morning wardrobe trauma was pretty much weekly. My problem: I didn't actually own a dress, but every Sunday morning I tried to select one from my closet to wear. My solution: I bought a khaki skirt that I could wear to church with my T-shirts. That skirt was one of the few items I ever paid full price for (I think it was $30 or so), but I wore it several years before selling it on consignment this past summer. In warm weather, I wore it with tanks and sandals. Come winter, it was turtlenecks and boots.

So, figure out your own formula. What do you like to wear to church? I guarantee you won't find it in your closet on Sunday morning if you don't actually have it.

One year later, I still need to get better about trying on my outfits ahead of time. The ladies have almost no Sunday wardrobe trauma; but it occasionally surfaces Saturday night. They plan ahead.

2006-12-01T21:45:00.000-08:00

Between My Peers Classics: Rule Number 3

2006-12-01T16:24:00.000-08:00

I'm on a roll here ...

Rule Number 3

Never wear anything that takes constant attention in order for you to be able to function. Tugging on your clothes is never elegant.

Later I re-wrote that one:

Never wear anything that takes alot of effort to be functional (or makes you walk stupid).

So, because my new shoes have the little track grippy things in the front (which work exceptionally well in the slush), I asked my husband if they make me walk stupid.

He said I walk elegant.

Finally! New Riveting Question

2006-12-01T11:48:00.000-08:00

How sad! It's been like three weeks since I posted a riveting question. Not that I haven't had any, it's the 'round to it that's been lacking. Or I think of a cool question, but neglect to write it down.

Anyway, I finally put one up and it has to do with cold weather:

Do men NEED meat?

Pop on over and leave an answer. :)

Fashion Lab: Belt Placement

2006-12-01T08:37:00.000-08:00

Why did it just not work when one friend took her belt off the other night and put it on another friend in the same, low-slung position?

I think the key is somewhere in balancing the lengths. Here, from last December, is where I explained how to do length-balancing with pants. If you really want to examine the topic, this post, from last May, links to most of what I've written on the topic.

In these pictures of me, though, I think there are some other things going on:

Scale: In general, the details (straps and so-forth) worn on the upper body should relate to the scale of the facial features. Details on the lower body relate to apparent body size. Aside from the fact that the color isn't great, do you like the wide belt on me at all? (Here's another picture of me in the same belt. I'm afraid I've shown myself to be a fashion victim.)
Silhouette: My natural shape is Type 8. In both the examples where the belt is worn at the waist, the shape has somehow been transformed into more of an I.
Frumpiness: Just what accounts for the frumpiness of the belt-at-waist looks? I've said once before,

Length balancing is the key to dodging the frump factor: 50/50 is boring.

From the top of the turtleneck to the belt worn at the hip is 2 1/2 "units", from the bottom of the turtleneck to the hem of the pants is 4. What's in between, especially with the smaller belt, is accent and can be subtracted from the total. For the belt at the waist looks to work, the top would have to be tucked in.

I think ...

Update: Current Coat Conditions

2006-11-30T16:51:00.000-08:00

Have you seen the MSN's animated weather maps? Perhaps it will explain my recent focus on coats.

I said, concerning my coat wardrobe, that I was using a black puffy down coat, until I found an ordinary quilted down jacket in a better color. What I didn't anticipate was a friend not having a coat at all. In obedience to Luke 3:11 I took the coat to her house today. I have others.

For spring, if it were in my color palette (NOT BLACK), I'd consider a coat like Agathe's blue leather trench at Style Bytes. Seems perfectly functional to me!

Between My Peers Classics: Rule Number 2

2006-11-30T10:08:00.000-08:00

Continuing the "Blogiversary Celebration", I now bring you Rule Number 2, from the December 2005 archives:

Everything you wear should make you feel like yourself, going where you are going and doing what you are doing. Nothing is more distracting than feeling inappropriately dressed. Be yourself. Then focus on reaching out and making others feel comfortable.

I suppose that could be more concisely said, but I'm not sure how. Now I'm busy thinking about belt placement. This afternoon I should be taking pictures for the fashion lab.

Rumor: Kohl's Replacing Mervyns

2006-11-29T11:11:00.000-08:00

Oh, by the way, I heard a rumor that Mervyn's is being replaced by Kohl's.

This could be good ...

Athletic Shoes: A Better Color Choice

2006-11-29T09:49:00.000-08:00

L.A. Gear - Women's Honey (Brown/Pink/Bone) Free Shipping from Shoes.Com

Yes, it's true. Mervyns is closing stores in several states (I wrote about it last February). So Saturday, on our way home from our second family Thanksgiving gathering, we stopped to check out the sales. Romantic/Trendsetter daughter and I both found athletic shoes.

And then we noticed the pattern. Hers are grey with green, mine (pictured) are brown. Both are our eye color.

Which makes perfect sense. Athletic shoes are sporty and active, they should be an accent color. Which leads me to a question I've had for years:

Who looks good in white runners?

Now I think I know the answer, test this on yourself: someone whose inseam is greater than half her body's total length. Or greater than four head-lengths.

Am I on to something?

Between My Peers Classics: Rule Number 1

2006-11-28T13:46:00.000-08:00

At Jenn's suggestion, in honor of my blogiversary, I am going to try to do a little "mini-series" featuring some of my favorite posts. Since I started this blog November 26th, 2005, the November 2005 archive only contains four posts. I like them all. But the following is the most significant in terms of getting dressed:

Rule Number 1

Forget what the so-called fashion experts tell you, the focal point for every outfit should be your FACE (not any other body part or a piece of jewelry). It's a matter of human dignity.

Leather Outerwear Sale at Eddie Bauer

2006-11-28T09:13:00.000-08:00

All leather outerwear now $50 off, plus enjoy free shipping on all orders of $100 or more through 12/25.

Remember, though, if you live in the Great Northwest, leather outerwear is NOT a winter coat, although we often see shivering people pretending that it is.

Free shipping on all orders over $100 - expires 12/25
Coupon Code: HOLIDAYFS

My Coat Wardrobe

2006-11-27T17:02:00.000-08:00

This jacket is too romantic for me but ... maybe you'd like it.

In my lifestyle segmentation pie chart, only two slices are really worth serving: leisure and casual. Living in a region with four distinct seasons requires more coats, to my practical mind, than would seem necessary. But they are.

Here's the run-down:

Leisure winter coat = a puffy down jacket. Currently I am using a black one, which will naturally be replaced when I happen on something in a great color (for the single dollar which I paid for this one).
Casual winter coat: If I could only afford one coat, it would have to be a topper-length wool. Like my aubergine one I blogged back here.
Leisure spring: uh, yeah. We'll have to come back to this one. I do have the suede jean jacket, but that's no good if it rains.
Casual spring. Back here I mentioned that I consider a leather coat a great rain coat. After trying it on again, I am keeping the leather blazer. What remains to be seen is whether it will make a suitable (read: warm enough) spring coat for me.
Leisure summer: a white jean jacket. What else? (I do have a windbreaker, in case I go to the beach with my parents.)
Casual summer: All summer long I carry a cardigan around in my purse. Comes in handy at restaurants, the grocery store, basically anywhere air-conditioned.
Autumn leisure: the burgundy quilted pictured here.
Autumn casual: This black chenille bedspread looking thing is what I've been using. Works for me.

Now I need to go look what I have besides these. Can I justify any more? Probably.

You Are Invited to a Fashion Lab

2006-11-27T11:09:00.000-08:00

In the spirit of cooperative problem-solving, I invite you all to participate with me in analyzing the topic of belt placement.

Why did it just not work when one friend took her belt off the other night and put it on another friend in the same, low-slung position?
Does it really work to belt a cardigan or jacket?
How about transforming a fitted sheath into an empire-waist with a ribbon belt?

You embellishment people must have many more creative ideas to add.

Here's my invitation. I will post a Fashion Lab: Belt Placement piece this Friday, Dec 1st (sometime after I get up, PST). If you would like to play, just write a piece picturing or describing or testing something related to belt placement, and leave the link in comments on this post. I will link to you, in the spirit of a blog carnival. If you have no blog, I will publish your piece here.

BTW, my Blogiversary was November 26th.

Looking for a High-Waisted Skirt?

2006-11-26T21:34:00.000-08:00

How about this one? Ann Taylor sz 6 soft-black wool tweed pencil skirt

19 more hours ...

A SWEET Thanksgiving Deal From Aeropostale: 50% Off EVERYTHING!

2006-11-25T21:43:00.000-08:00

I wish I had known about this sooner, but there's still another day to get 50% Off Storewide (excludes fragrance and already marked down items) 11/23-11/26/06 at Aeropostale.

And to top it off: Free Shipping on orders of $75 or more.

(We just came from the mall.)

Thanksgiving Leftovers Party

2006-11-24T17:09:00.000-08:00

Have you ever been to a leftovers party? Picture a potluck of Thanksgiving leftovers and games, with your friends, since yesterday was spent with relatives.

My outfit (that's me on the right, but dd's outfit is so cute I made her be in the picture too):

Old Gap jeans. I paid $1 at the thrift store. As usual, I am wearing silk "pants" under.
Old merino wool turtleneck, originally clearance at JCPenney.
Gotta love the burgundy quilted jacket with corduroy trim. $10 at the "Eddie (Bauer) Outlet". It's too "classic" for my style, I wear it as a costume. Alot.
My practical shoes.
Yay! My birthday belt came today!

Something else to be thankful for: the ladies bought us Apples to Apples for Christmas (and allowed us to open it prior to this holiday weekend). Have you played it yet?

Holiday Reading

2006-11-23T11:54:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving! (I'm happy. I'm not cooking!)

Links for reading:

All About Eva is blogging a novel.
Fashion comics at What to Wear This Very Second.
The Bargain Queen's rules on fashion trends.

BTW, I did finally notice that it took more than three clicks to get to my Fashion Personality Quiz. I fixed it. Sorry.

Black Friday $5 Shipping Weekend at Gap.com!

2006-11-22T13:32:00.000-08:00

Get $5 Shipping on every gap.com purchase - starts today and lasts through Nov 27th. (If you are still thinking about the fleece blazer, does this help?)

What I Will Wear: Thanksgiving

2006-11-22T08:10:00.000-08:00

About the feet: I will really be wearing my practical shoes, but I wanted my sister to be able to see the slippers that I bought with part of the gift card she gave me for my birthday.

Unfortunately I didn't realize until it was too late that you can't really see the coolest thing about this outfit:

The blazer is brown (multi) velvet paisley!

More later!

What To Wear: Thanksgiving

2006-11-21T10:09:00.000-08:00

Now that we are really getting close, and I have a fairly full social calendar this weekend, I am beginning to give serious thought to what I am going to wear for Thanksgiving. The big question mark is, "What kind of an event is Thanksgiving, really?"

When I was growing up, Thanksgiving was more of a fancy dinner. I wore a dress. But this weekend we will be attending two separate dinners given at people's lake houses. Probably a bit more casual. Dressy leisure wear?

If it fit me, I might wear this leather blazer, for sale on ebay, along with jeans and a nice shirt and boots. Unfortunately it's a hair too small. Would it fit you? (Starting bid $9.25 American. Auction ends in just over five hours.)

I'm going to try to "play dress-up" and take some pictures some time today. In the meantime, how do people dress at your Thanksgiving festivities?

Uniform Template for SAHM

2006-11-20T11:47:00.000-08:00

Googling "SAHM Wardrobe Basics" brings people to this site on a regular basis. If you got here that way -- welcome! Just know that what you are about to view is not a one-size-fits-all prescription, but a suggestion for a specific, real live person. Adapt to suit yourself.

The basic template:

basic bottom (jeans, khakis, black slacks, or simple skirt)
+ tee-shirt in a flattering color (sleeve-length dependant on season, sweater for extreme cold)
+ layer as needed for warmth and dressing up/down.

How this works practically:

Running around the house, doing stuff with the kids, you are wearing your jeans and a tee-shirt topped with a sweatshirt if it's cold. You have a Bible Study, parent/teacher conference, or some other such meeting to go to. Remove the sweatshirt, throw on your black wool blazer, and you arrive looking crisp and stylish. (I'll let you in on a little secret, though. The blazer pictured is fleece, Gap Lightweight fleece blazer, and on sale for $49.95.)

What could be simpler?

What To Do With Too-long Jeans

2006-11-20T08:37:00.000-08:00

Don't hate me because I'm average.

Three thoughts for when the inseam on your beloved jeans seems super-sized:

Take a page from Maria Palma's (metaphorical) book and tuck 'em into boots.
My personal fave, from The Pocket Stylist, by Kendall Farr, cut them off and let them fray.
If you really want to hem them, Dacia Ray has this fabulous old post showing how.

For Sale: Eddie Bauer Khaki Blazer

2006-11-18T16:21:00.000-08:00

Currently available on my ebay auctions:

New with tags! Size Large EDDIE BAUER cotton khaki blazer. Minimum bid of $3.85.

Fashion Lab: Jeans Tucked Into Boots

2006-11-17T13:11:00.000-08:00

When I first noticed the practice of tucking jeans into knee-high boots being revived, I thought to myself, "I'll just sit this one out".

Until one day last week. Walking at noon with my husband, I happened to notice a lady on the other side of the street. Her boots were very like mine, and she looked quite normal wearing them with jeans tucked in. With the color value similarity of the dark jeans and brown boots, her legs looked like legs (not hams on pedestals, which was my fear).

The other thing I noticed was that her top was a light color, in contrast to the pant/boot combination.

"Ah ha!" Maybe that's the trick.

So here you have it:

What I actually wore today. Since I was the greeting mentor at our MOPS group, I wore my Eddie Bauer Seattle Suede jean jacket over my sweater.
The look I am testing: dark jeans, tucked into knee-high boots, topped by a light colored top. I think it works!
For the sake of comparison, the same look only with a dark brown top.

What do you think of jeans tucked into boots? What techniques have you successfully used?

Now Through Christmas: Free Shipping on $100 Orders at Eddie Bauer

2006-11-17T07:52:00.000-08:00

Deciding whether to shop on-line or in stores this Christmas? Maybe this will help:

Eddie Bauer - Free shipping on all orders over $100 - expires 12/25

Coupon Code: HOLIDAYFS

Gift-giving: Selecting a Sweater Color

2006-11-16T06:16:00.000-08:00

Do you love getting clothes for Christmas or does it make you cringe? Recently, as I was looking at the back of everyone's heads in my Sunday School class, I was thinking about some easy ways to choose a color which stands a chance with a gift recipient.

Three to think on:

209 very light violet: works well with brightish yellow hair or skin.
133 very deep yellowish green: for those with dark hair and pink skin.
171 very light greenish blue: consider for those with soft/light coloring.

What color sweater are you hoping for this Christmas?

Fashion Lab: Apparent Body Size

2006-11-15T16:13:00.000-08:00

The question posed was, "do you think that clothes that are just a little big make the wearer look smaller?"

Cast your vote: do I look smaller in the fitted gray turtleneck or the oversized gray turtleneck?

Length Balancing Lesson: Isaac Mizrahi Couture

2006-11-14T16:24:00.000-08:00

Okay, some of you have asked for more pictures of do's and don'ts. Since the Coutorture team has been kind enough to provide some, the least I can do is to provide a small commentary telling you which it is.

This picture is a don't, which the photographer was able to make look like a do.

The dress is actually pretty, but quite impossible from a length-balancing stand-point. So how is it that the photographer was able to make it look attractive? Cut off the model's feet!

If you really want to be analytical, take your tape measure to the picture. Headless, which is a perfectly appropriate way to measure these things, the ratio of the dress to the leg shown is about 4 to 2.5, which is perfect. Trouble is, how do you add shoes to this look without making it 50/50? 9 inch bright green platforms anyone?

As long as we've got the picture here, do you spot any other don'ts?

Follow-up: Crimson Pleated Velvet Skirt

2006-11-14T08:40:00.000-08:00

Thank you, Tessa, for blogging a picture of the skirt in question. Admittedly I was having a hard time picturing it. (Question and answer here.)

And thank you, Wendy, for offering more specific top options:

... black or white tuxedo style shirt, a black (ideally cashmere) twin set, or black on black beaded sweater. And I'd wear black pumps.
The good news for Tessa is that she has dark, almost black, hair. Makes life easy!

Today and Tomorrow: Free Shipping at Eddie Bauer

2006-11-13T15:08:00.000-08:00

Free shipping on all orders for two days only - November 13-14

I'm looking at this clip timer/watch for my husband.

My Most Difficult Reader Question Yet

2006-11-13T09:23:00.000-08:00

Tessa asked, and I had to put her off and think about it:

What kind of top does one wear with a crimson velvet pleated skirt with pink lace at the bottom?

Honestly, my first thought was, "None!", as in, "get rid of it"; but I have seen enough of Tessa to believe that she has good taste. The skirt must be worth wearing.

So the birthday card my sister had gotten me provided a little bit of inspiration. I'll try to explain:

1) First of all, establish a rhythm with the colors. I assume the crimson and the pink relate to each other, choose a third color that relates to the crimson in the same way the crimson relates to the pink. It could even be black.

2) The texture of the top and its length you will have to choose according to YOU. Likewise the shape. However, the visual weight of the fabric of the top should be, in my opinion, either at least as heavy as the velvet or half-way between the velvet and the lace.

3) Now add heaps of delicate necklaces, or a scarf, incorporating both the color of the lace and the color of your hair.

4) Shoes: How does one go about matching crimson and pink? Not. Wear a black, fitted, knee-high boot, as long as there is some other black in the outfit; or choose a soft neutral that relates to the hair-color (a little darker is fine for shoes). Knowing that Tessa is fair-skinned, I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest something like this:

Does that help? We'd love to see a picture of the outfit you end up with.

My Viktor & Rolf at H&M Post

2006-11-10T14:13:00.000-08:00

What does Viktor & Rolf for H&M have to do with a SAHM at the bottom of the fashion food chain in the mountains of the Great Northwest? Not much. But when Catwalk Queen (beware: pop-ups) began showing up in my Sitemeter, I serendipitously got a peak into how the more fashionable live.

Queuing up for hours to buy things fascinates me. I've even been know to get up early on the day after Thanksgiving (does that shopping day have an official name?), go with my husband to get a latte, and drink it in the car, while watching the early morning shoppers go in and out of the store. So I thoroughly enjoyed Shiny TVs video, at Catwalk Queen, as well as Style Bubble's longer one with interior shots.

Tell me: what position in the fashion food chain do all those people in line occupy? And more importantly, what are you willing to queue up for?

Do You Make This Common Shoe Color Mistake?

2006-11-09T10:50:00.000-08:00

The common shoe color mistake I am talking about is to wear only black dress shoes, if your coloring is soft or fair. In the early days of this blog, I suggested that the one shoe color you really need is the color of your hair. But there is an easy alternative.

What brings this up again? Other bloggers talking about the return of nude heels. Since high school I have considered "leg-color" the single most versatile neutral.

I'm afraid that some people, however, consider it an odd, shoeless, uncomfortable look. What about you?

New Riveting Question: Can Responsibilities Be Delegated?

2006-11-08T16:33:00.000-08:00

Please consider stopping over at Riveting Questions to help me out with this one:

Can one's responsibility be delegated, or merely the functions pusuant to it?

Obvious question for a mother of teens, don't you think?

How to Spot a Fad

2006-11-08T08:58:00.000-08:00

Or perhaps more correctly titled One Way to Spot a Fad. Please leave a comment and share your method. Here's mine.

When you see a look that contains an inherent contradiction, it will probably turn out to be a fad.

At the very least, it will project a somewhat dramatic look. For example, a sleeveless turtleneck sweater, a 3/4-sleeve coat, stilettos with jeans, you get the idea. Which explains why the modern Bermuda suit is so much more wearable than yesterday's (corduroy or whatever) "city shorts".

When to wear it anyway:

When your personal idiom is high drama. Either your style personality is glamorous or trend-setting, or you work in a high-fashion arena.
When the look just matches you, for some unique reason. Like my pink-striped flip-flop necklace. Casual, and with a hint of a joke, the color and pattern on it are just right for me.
When you can be certain you are going to wear it so much while the look is hot that you achieve your cost per wear before it cools off.

So, only one question remains: How do you spot when the fad is expired?

More on Apparent Body Size

2006-11-07T20:05:00.000-08:00

Laura left a fascinating comment my post Apparent Body Size. I didn't want anybody to miss it, so here it is:

I think that frame size has a LOT to do with it. I have two sisters who are within an inch of each others' height and within a few pounds of each others' weight.

Yet one of them is apparently-tiny, and one of them is apparently-strapping. Tiny has a small frame, delicate features, and carries most of her excess weight where it can be easily disguised. Strapping has a broad, strong-looking frame, large hands and bosoms, and some facial softness that makes her look like she's carrying around a few extra pounds.

It's not just clothing size that people guess, either. People often perceive Strapping as several inches taller than Tiny. Heck, people perceive *me* as taller than Tiny, and I'm shorter -- but like Strapping, I've got a broad, solid frame to Tiny's narrow, delicate one.

Very interesting! Thanks for sharing, Laura. Now I'm going to be analyzing everyone's apparent size by looking at their face. Anybody else?

Public Service Announcement: Nordstrom Half Yearly Sale

2006-11-07T11:55:00.000-08:00

Hey, I thought (some of) you'd want to know that yesterday, when I was driving through downtown, I noticed they were putting the Half-Yearly Sale for Women and Kids sign up on the window at Nordstrom's.

In-Store and Online Sale Start Dates - Wednesday, November 8, 2006. Happy Shopping!

Where to Shop: The "Old West"

2006-11-07T11:01:00.000-08:00

picture via Cavenders.com

It's not my style, but I'm always impressed with the selection of clothing available at a certain category of, often overlooked, retailer: the combination hardware and western clothing store. With names like The General Store and Big R, I wouldn't expect much in the way of style. I'd be wrong.

The other advantage to these types of stores is that they actually carry sizes, specifically 36 and longer inseams in men's pants, unlike Eddie Bauer, which is where I formerly bought most of my husband's clothes.

Have you discovered the "Old West" store in your neck of the woods?

Coutorture It

2006-11-06T16:45:00.000-08:00

The newest from Coutorture:

In the spirit of social news sites like Digg, Reddit, and Lipstick, Coutorture has developed a site that will allow all users to submit and vote on the top fashion news stories of the day. Anyone who registers can submit a story and the entire user community will vote on the piece to determine its placement. The stories can come from any space in fashion whether traditional media, blogs, magazines, or forums. It is up to you the users to decide what gets top billing!

Check it out!

Eddie Bauer Outlet Clearance - Take an additional 30% Off

2006-11-06T15:06:00.000-08:00

11/06/06 - 11/12/06

Speaking of vests as outerwear, I like this quilted corduroy vest (see the other color too) better than fleece. On sale, but still beyond cheapskate range.

Fleece Vest = Outerwear

2006-11-06T08:38:00.000-08:00

(I have tried these links in every conceivable order and it still comes out like this. Since I am still geek-less, I invite any of you to tell me how to fix it. :)

Anyway, my point, and I do have one, is this: IMHO, a fleece vest looks like outerwear. When wearing it, you project the appearance of wearing a coat. In fact, almost all polar fleece gives off the same vibe -- "I'm outdoors".

I allow there are exceptions, but in general I wouldn't wear it except for leisure activities. And never as shown, with a short sleeve t-shirt.

And, another thing. These kind of cotton t-shirt type turtlenecks are UNDERWEAR, especially when done in cutesy little prints. Together with a fleece vest, they could be a cute look for a sporting event or game night (WITH JEANS).

Just my opinion, but I thought you'd want to know.

CoutureCandy Dress Sale

2006-11-03T18:03:00.000-08:00

This dress would be cute over a pair of pants (I know I said dress over jeans is a don't.)

CoutureCandy is offering 15% off all dresses for the month of November.

Crazy Hip Blog Mamas Giveaway

2006-11-03T13:53:00.000-08:00

IGIGI has teamed up with Crazy Hip Blog Mamas to offer the following contest:

During the month of November, 06, blog about a time when you felt like the fashion disaster at that fancy wedding, your best friend's graduation ceremony or on that hot date, and leave a comment here with a link to your entry for a chance to win a styling session with an IGIGI in-house consultant and a $100 gift certificate to splurge on yourself!

Three lucky winners will win IGIGI gift certificates each for $100. The contest starts on November 1, 06 and ends on November 30th, 06. The winners will be announced on Crazy Hip Blog Mamas website and will be notified via email for their prizes.

See all the fine print at Crazy Hip Blog Mamas.

Blogtipping Day

2006-11-02T16:34:00.000-08:00

I "hear" the first of every month is Blogtipping Day.

Can't you hurt a blog if you tip it over?

Let's hear from you cow-girls. Hee hee.

Apparent Body Size

2006-11-01T15:05:00.000-08:00

It's hard to tell how big somebody is just by looking.

In this post with picture, I noted that when I wear these particular jeans a frequent comment is that I look small. To which Maria Palma said it was hard to tell from the picture that I look small. She's right.

But even in person, looks can be deceiving. I have one friend who is barely bigger than me, but somehow she appears to be a larger-scale woman. Presumably her larger scale features and exotic appearance create a greater "presence", making her seem larger-than-life, so to speak.

So what goes into apparent body size?

Height
Width
Supposedly that's all. I wonder. That in no way explains why gifts to my two daughters are invariably smalls while mine is medium.

Selecting the everyday purse is the primary reason to identify apparent body size.

What about you, do people tend to estimate your size wrong?

Taut vs Drapy Fabrics: Combining for Congruence

2006-11-01T09:39:00.000-08:00

This vest is on sale at Gap. Click on the picture to buy. Contact me if you need a place to have it shipped to. :)
Maybe we're all sick of discussing taut vs drapy fabrics and relating them to the body, but I still have a few ideas left in my brain that make some sense. After that, I throw up my hands and declare, "cashmere and stretch cotton for everybody!"

As I explained in this recent post, my own body-type, speaking now of fleshiness vs angularity, is combination: straight on top, curvy on bottom. What about the combination pictured makes it so right for me?

The crispy white shirt, which is what I need most and should buy with my remaining birthday money, would both support and hide the straight lines in my upper body.

(What could be grosser than a smooth, drapy, lightweight tee-shirt with collar bones showing through? Okay, maybe a smooth, drapy, lightweight tee-shirt with rolls showing through. But it's close!)
Although barely visible here, the jeans appear to be more on the softly broken-in side. And clearly heavier weight than the crispy white shirt.

I'm beginning to suspect that my distaste for drapy fabrics on bottom is because the fabrics I am picturing are too lightweight for my body-type. In terms of jeans, softer, either because of wear or spandex, seems better.
The vest, being both soft and medium-weight, seems to link the top and bottom harmoniously.

And note the patterning created by the combination of vertical ribbing and cables. Because my face is primarily vertical, with some rounded features, this is good. All cables, however, emphasizes the tip of my nose. Crazy!

Actually, there are a few other things I like about this combination as well, but since I'm not writing a book here, I'll stop now.

Your turn. Does this give you any ideas?

The Books Vildy Mentioned

2006-10-31T11:09:00.000-08:00

Two books which reference the angularity vs fleshiness we've been talking about, but which I have not read are:

Color and line in dress, by Laurene Hempstead

David Kibbe's Metamorphosis: Discover Your Image Identity and Dazzle As Only You Can

I'm going to try to get to the library and/or used book store today.

Mentioned in the Amazon review page for Kibbe's book were his list of style-type designations: Dramatic, Romantic, Theatrical, Classic, Natural, Flamboyant, Gamine.

Nothing to Wear?: A Five-Step Cure for the Common Closet only lists 5 style types; my sporty/FUN daughter was quite offended that her elegance didn't even rate a designation. Personally, I'm still trying to some up with a set of names I'm thoroughly comfortable with. I'm stuck at Sporty.

Which one of Kibbe's styles do you think that is?

Straight on Top, Curvy on Bottom

2006-10-30T15:19:00.000-08:00

The book uses Georg Kolbe's Junge Frau (Young Woman), bronze, 1926 (at Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, Walker Art Center, photographed by Doug Miller) to illustrate my body type.

I'm feeling sort of naked.

Fun Stuff at My Other Blogs

2006-10-30T11:26:00.000-08:00

The question What's Your Blogging Personality? and my anwer, as well as the link to take the quiz yourself, are now appearing at Riveting Questions, thanks to Wendy who picked it up from Susie at Style Bubble.

Appearing at a titus 2 project, a US geography game courtesy of Mary at Homesteeped Hope. BTW, I got 48/48 on my third try, but it still told me that I failed the third grade!

Fun stuff!

Two Ways to Create Harmony: Repetition vs. Contrast

2006-10-30T10:41:00.000-08:00

This post is totally unrelated to my "gingerly wading" into a sea of shower water in my basement this morning. I'm putting myself on a plumbing bleaching schedule!

Gingerly wading into the sea of confusion surrounding the "flowiness" of fabric, I'll start by calling out the idea, as requested by Jennifer, behind the rule of the thumb prescribed in The Triumph of Individual Style:

The principle is to create straight lines where your body is straight and curved lines where your body is curvy. (Remember this saddlebag solution? That was a medium taut fabric constructed into a curved shape. Hmmm ... like a fitted jacket or blouse with darts.)

In this, and most of the other artistic principles I have blogged, harmony is created between clothing and the body of the wearer by repetition. Using a color palette based on your own personal coloring is an obvious example.

Contrast is another way of achieving harmony, and emphasis. (Boy, do I feel the need for an art teacher about now!) In color, the example would be to use the complement of your natural color.

(No doubt Wendy is correct in suggesting that fabric choices are related to personal idiom, even as Vildy had noted that she has a "crisp personality".)

But what about Jennifer's other question: Doesn't that make you look more extreme? Which emphasizes the natural straightness or curviness of the body more, repetition or contrast?

More thoughts? If one learns best by discussing a subject, I suspect I'm going to be on this one for a while.

Enjoy Fall with Eddie Bauer Down

2006-10-30T09:55:00.000-08:00

It's frosty here in the Great Northwest. Shop Eddie Bauer for the season's must haves, such as Men's Down, Women's Down, and Down Bedding.

Lucky Shops Giveaway

2006-10-29T21:49:00.000-08:00

Homeopathic Depression Remedy

2006-10-28T13:07:00.000-07:00

With the days getting shorter, some unnatural melancholy is beginning to surface around here. Nobody really wants to admit being depressed but, hey, I'll go first.

I have used this product in the past, with amazing results. Honestly, it worked so well I ended up giving away the last half of the bottle. It's hard to find, but ...
Yay! it's available from Amazon.

Legwarmers From Sweater Sleeves

2006-10-28T10:56:00.000-07:00

Jenn at Frugal Upstate found a tutorial about how to make legwarmers from the sleeves of sweaters and it is posted in an article on her blog.

Thanks Jenn!

TheText on Texture

2006-10-27T08:53:00.000-07:00

Vildy's comment hits me right in the uncertainty zone (at least we're there together:)

I'm not sure anymore how I feel about textures. I would wear this out to a casual evening but not stretch velveteen in the daytime. Not any more, anyway. I've just gotten rid of all of my flannel suit jackets, skirts, trousers. I realized I never wanted to wear them because I like smooth fabrics. I like fabrics with substance and crispness, too. This goes against the whole "there should be movement in your clothing" philosophy.

I get a lot out of reading your thinking about clothes and life. I'd love it if you'd write more about texture. Even though I'm rounded, I have a crisp personality and feel awkward in soft, draped clothes - like I'm selling a bill of goods.

The textbook answer to the taute vs drapy fabric question is this:

Skeletal (straight line) body types wear taut fabrics, muscular = semi-taut to semi-drape, molded (smooth, where the natural padding obscures the visibility of either bone or muscle) types wear drapy fabrics. Combination types wear taut on the straight parts and drapy on the smooth parts.

But that advice has never suited my personality either. And it seems to contradict Clinton and Stacy's regular practice of making chubby people look slender by putting them in structured jackets.

Lots more on this topic to come. What are your thoughts?