Scarf Storage

This one is for you, Laura!

It can be so hard to see our scarves sometimes that we forget what we have. Therefore, storing them front and center, in an organized way, is key. Even before you store them, do some weeding out, only keeping the ones you love and want to wear.

The photos here illustrate a couple of ideas for storage. I store mine in neat stacks (up to 5 in each one) on my closet shelves and on a hanger like the one shown here on the right. Some women use pretty hooks or belt holders to store their scarves. If your scarves are made of wool or cashmere, make sure you have some cedar around them to keep away the moths and other critters.

Pantyhose

Thank you for reading this post instead letting the title scare you off. More than one client has asked me lately if pantyhose are now back in style. What they really want to know is if they are required to wear the dreaded things!

Kate Middleton, of all people, a young, beautiful, hip woman, is the one I hold responsible for this resurgence in leg wear. When she puts on a lovely dress or skirt ensemble, she usually wears pantyhose. I must say that she always looks polished and appropriate, like a princess should be! And that is what pantyhose do: They finish an outfit, giving it an air of professionalism and polish.

For those of you who automatically put on hose when you went to work, wearing hose now may not seem like a big deal. Many women feel better, more together and attractive in pantyhose. Still others swore they would never wear hose again once bare legs became the norm.

So I say that once again you have freedom to skip or participate in this trend. If you feel good in pantyhose, by all means, wear them. If you are like me and only remember the urge to pull them up all the time and the aggravation at how easily they ran, opt for other leg wear. Beautiful, interesting tights and hose are available now (like the ones above from Nordstrom) in all sorts of patterns and colors. They are an instant way to update an outfit and are more durable than traditional pantyhose.

Fashion Tips

InStyle magazine's Makeover 2011 issue had the usual plugs for certain beauty products and clothing must haves. It also included a feature titled "The 50 Best Fashion Tips of All Time." I was eager to cast my critical eye on this feature and was happy to see that the tips were quite practical and practicable.

Here are a few of the best:

1. White cotton button downs "elevate jeans and keep ball skirts from drifting into fantasyland. Buy three and refresh regularly."

2. Accessorize in brights when "you've got a closet full of neutrals."

3. "Hem your pants to a specific shoe height. Hem to either heels or flats--no going back." I have jeans hemmed to flip flop and ballet length and others hemmed to platform or pumps length.

4. "Always check out the rear view. And don't leave the house until you like what you see. Every angle matters."

5. "Consider the wear and care. Don't shell out for clothes you can't, or won't take care of. If you know you'll never hand wash that embellished sweater or fancy bra, walk away."

I would add that you should only hand wash your bras and delicates, using a gentle detergent, such as Forever New, which I purchase at Purrmission Lingerie in Santa Barbara.

Style as Art

What goes through my mind when I see women on the street in outfits that do nothing for their figure? I impulsively begin to make them over from top to bottom: She can wear a knit v-neck top instead of the tube top; she can switch the micro-mini for a flowy maxi skirt; instead of those cheap-looking flats, she can wear a nice pair of beaded platform sandals. . . Sometimes I merely marvel at the sheer confidence required to wear certain garments when the finished result shows rolls of fat and less-than toned legs and arms. Bravo!

The women I am in most awe of are the ones who have clearly taken some time to choose their outfits, and though their finished product may not reflect my taste, I cannot help but applaud their self-possessed sense of style. As stated in Harper's Bazaar, "Our personal style is the most important work of art that most of us will ever create."

How true! I am not likely to produce a brilliant novel or a extraordinary painting, but I can be artful in how I dress every day. We all can, by choosing to add beauty and wit to our look with interesting accessories and fantastic clothing. Last night I was thinking about style and art as I got dressed for a play I was attending with my mom. My outfit needed something as it was rather monochromatic. So I added a sparkly blue rhinestone brooch to my scarf and voila! I had created a little work of art.

At its best, art elevates our everyday experiences, makes us stop and appreciate something beautiful and/or striking, and makes us feel alive. Think of this the next time you are getting dressed.

Scarf Time

I love wearing scarves but have tired of the 5 ways I tend to wear them. Thanks to Sophie, I learned 25 ways of tying scarves via this brilliant YouTube video.

Wendy, the scarf genius, will go far. She makes excellent videos and has a great sense of style.

Scarves shown from Garnet Hill

C-R-A-Z-Y Shoes!

Straight from the spring fashion shows, check out these wild shoes via Bill Cunningham.

Wise Words

From Father to My Style:

" The memory of bad quality lasts longer than the shock of high prices."