What Is a Southern California Woman to Do?

Even I use a personal shopper sometimes. For example, I am forever on a quest for something warm yet summery-ish to wear from May through September. Jenelle at Nordstrom is still looking for that perfect piece.

Many women I talk to share the chill I feel in the evenings in Santa Barbara and feel like they have to change clothing several times a day to be comfortable. The mornings can be foggy and cool; the afternoons are downright gorgeous and sunny; and when the sun starts to go down, it is cold (no, not cold, cold, but relatively cool again.

Below are some things I do when the weather is not in my ideal zone (which my husband mockingly describes as between 72 and 76 degrees). He thinks I am a bit wimpy.

1. Carry a shawl: I have a lightweight but warm (cashmere or wool) scarf in my car or in my bag to wrap around me when it cools down. Even putting it around my neck can make me feel cozy.

2. Change shoes mid-day: I may start off in ballet flats or cute sneakers, and then change to sandals.

3. Roll up pants: When I leave my house in the morning, my white jeans are full-length. But when I start to warm up, I roll them up for a great summer look.

4. Layer, layer, layer: You may hear this all the time, but it is good advice. I make sure that every layer I have on looks okay by itself. For example, if I wear a tank under my sweater, I make sure to have on a strapless bra so the tank looks good when the day gets warmer.

I realize that those reading this blog who live outside of Southern California are not crying any tears for me or my neighbors. They regularly have to contend with blazingly hot days and nights and humidity that makes me weep. I admit we are quite spoiled with our weather here, but that doesn't mean we can't complain!

The Three B's

My dad cracks me up. He could not be less interested in fashion, yet he comes up with some sartorial tidbits for me every now and then. He also comments on styles he sees on the street with wonder and curiosity. A funny man.

Recently he cut out a Dear Abby letter from "Reformed Frump in Texas" and gave it to me. I will quote the entire letter here as I found it inspiring and wise.

"Dear Abby: I empathize with 'Loose and Baggy.' When my mom and I would go shopping, it always ended in a big fight with me in tears, I was teased mercilessly by the other children for dressing alike a '40-year-old' and never had the cool things the other kids were wearing even though my clothes cost just as much.

I vowed never to do that with my daughter, and by the time she was 12 she was shopping for her own clothes. Our only rule was that she had to follow the three B's--no butt, no boobs and no belly. At 16 she has an amazing sense of fashion and is often emulated. 'Loose and Baggy' should be given some boundaries and then be allowed to buy what she wants."

My, how wonderful it would be if everyone would follow the three B's. Maybe that could be my new mission in life--to educate people about the B's and enforce their compliance. Such a thing would delight me and save me from sights like yesterday's. My 12-year-old daughter nudged me to look at a girl walking in front of us. She had on a very, very tiny string bikini bottom, a loose top, and sandals. We were far from the beach so what on earth was she thinking? I wanted to cover her up!

Giving Jewelry a New Life

I was touched by an email I received from a close friend about a piece in my recent newsletter.

Here it is:
Loved your newsletter as usual. I really liked the Italian piece, the bit about wearing your dressier accessories every day. I have this amazing ring that used to be my grandmothers. It's more of a cocktail ring than en every day ring. I vaguely have memories of her wearing it (mostly for church). Then, she gave it to my mother who wore it all the time. It's a large ring with a beautiful dark blue/aqua stone (nothing expensive) set in a white gold and yellow gold setting. It's an oval shape. It's been sitting in my mom's jewelry box since it was given to me after her death. The ring was in bad shape. The stone was very worn and the band broken. Back in May, I decided that I was going to wear that ring and took it to the jeweler. It took a month, but the stone was entirely re-cut, the mount rebuilt and the band fixed and sized. I LOVE this ring and wear it every day. The picture [above] doesn't do it justice. You'll see it when I see you next.

Anyway.. Inspiring blog!

Love, Heather

For those of you considering re-fashioning some jewelry, I highly, highly recommend you contact Calla Gold. She lives for such projects and does beautiful work!

Shopping Santa Barbara-3

Whenever one of my Wardrobe Wisdom clients needs a piece of jewelry to spice up an outfit--something that won't cost a fortune--I direct them to Lewis & Clark in Santa Barbara. This store, and its smaller one in Montecito, are known for their unique and beautiful jewelry, home furnishings, books, and stationery.

Let's say you have a simple black jacket that you wear all the time. It could use an eye-catching brooch on its lapel. At Lewis & Clark you will find lovely, tasteful, bejeweled pins that will update and elevate your jacket's look.

Or imagine you are going to a wedding and have the perfect dress. All it needs to look complete is a pretty, sparkly necklace with some semi-precious stones. You will find the perfect piece at Lewis & Clark. I often like to pop in there just to admire the jewelry cases, making a mental list of what I'd like for an upcoming birthday.

Pictured above are a pair of earrings that are typical of what you will find at this charming store. I receive nothing from promoting Lewis & Clark--I just truly love it!

New in Town

Most of us struggle when we move into a new town. It is hard enough to make new friends and figure out where the nearest Trader Joe's is. What can also be challenging is finding the services you counted on in your former town, such as where to get a haircut and how to find a good tailor. Thanks to the folks at Put This On, the search for experts is made easier. Go here to read their post on this topic.

P.S. In terms of finding a great hairdresser, just ask people who have styles and cuts you like, who cuts their hair. They will be flattered and you will have a good lead!

Cheat Sheets

Knowing how to wear belts is a real plus. In stores and magazines, belts are shown in all sizes and materials. The questions arise. When to wear the skinny one? How to wear the metallic one? And how on earth does one tie the kimono-style belt?

I find it handy to have some cheat sheets--photos of different belt looks--taped onto the inside of one of my cabinets, near my closet. In this way, I am reminded how to wear my various belts and can look to these sheets for inspiration. You can create such cheat sheets in a book, like some of my Wardrobe Wisdom clients do, and use them for getting ideas on how to wear all kinds of clothing and accessories. No one needs to know you are cheating!

Summer Sales

I hate to even think about summer coming to a close and resent it when, in mid-July, I hear about "end of summer sales." Nevertheless, it is useful to know how to be a smart sale shopper. Just because something is on sale doesn't mean you have to buy it. As usual, make a list of needs and go from there, trying not to get distracted by perceived good deals. For more advice on shopping the sales, read this well-researched article.