New Bras!

Image credit (both): Simoneperele.com

I require a lot of lift from my bras.  For this reason, finding just the right brassiere can be a challenge. So it was with the usual dread and excitement when I went bra shopping this week. Happily, I left Purrmission Lingerie, in Santa Barbara, with two new bras that fit great, are comfortable and give me plenty of lift.

No matter what you is shopping for, it is important to remember what your goals and preferences are. Even though I was offered a number of demi and balcony bras to try on, I stayed the course, asking the saleswoman to show me only full coverage, contour bras. Since Purrmission is known for its gorgeous lacy and fancy bras like the one below, the saleswoman could not resist bringing some stunningly beautiful ones as well. Sure, I tried them on. But in the end, I found two contour bras--one in black (above) and quite pretty, and one in nude, utilitarian.

I saw many, many lovely bra and panty sets, nightgowns, and slips at Purrmission. If you have not been, the trip is well worth it. I also picked up a bottle of Forever New, my favorite hand wash fabric soap.

Sunday Wardrobe Wisdom

Here are some fun facts from The One Hundred by Nina Garcia:

60% of Americans claim to have owned at least one pair of Converse in their lives.

Converse high-tops are also called Chuck Taylors, because in 1918, a high-school basketball star, Chuck Taylor, began wearing them. He later promoted and lent his name to the sneakers.

I think Converse sneakers are terrific. These days my favorite version is the white Jack Purcell (above).  They go with jeans, shorts, summer dresses, and casual skirts. Love them!

Bill Cunningham

Photo credit: brockelpress.com

How sad it was to hear that Bill Cunningham, longtime "On the Street" fashion photographer for the New York Times, had died. Many, many tributes have been written about him, and more are to come. This one was especially touching to me. He was clearly a very special man, described by his colleagues this way: "Bill expressed his enthusiasm regularly and effusively."

Here are some links to my past blogs about Mr. Cunningham:

The Palate and the Eye 

Good News 

Intoxicated with Fashion 

Sea Life 

Crazy Shoes 

Fashion Week 

Booties 

Hot Days and Men in Suits

I've Been Away

It has been a long time since I posted here. Sure, I spent a couple of weeks away from home, but my absence from Wardrobe Wisdom has been more about feeling uninspired. The clothes in magazines and stores had not thrilled me in awhile, and I could not seem to find wardrobe-related topics that fired me up.

However, now I have a short list of topics that I would like to cover, and I have some observations and suggestions to share. Today I am going bra shopping today which I am sure will lead to a blog post (or two!). I'm wearing an uncomfortable and ill-fitting bra in this photo from Emmett, Idaho. On the upside, the cherries were terrific.

Wardrobe Wisdom

Image Credit: pinterest.com



From the original "What Not to Wear" team, Trinny Woodall and Susannah Constantine:

"We incorrectly believe the notion of becoming stylish is a feat way beyond our grasp. Style isn't something you are born with, but something any one of you can learn."

So. . . enlist me for help with your wardrobe and closet woes;
          use a free styling service at Nordstrom;
          shop with a friend whose fashion sense you admire who can help you find clothes to suit your taste and lifestyle;
          start weeding out clothes that don't make you feel good to make space for those which will
          Read: What Not to Wear by Woodall and Constantine and/or Kelly and London

Real Women in Photos

 Photo credit: renttherunway.com

I recently described my anxiety-filled experience while shopping for my daughter's prom dress on the day of the dance. What I had tried (unsuccessfully) to do was urge her to begin looking for a gown a few weeks prior to prom. Deciding to ignore my advice, she did spend some time on Rent the Runway's site the night before the dance.

Something Rent the Runway does, which I think all shopping websites should mimic, is showing real women, instead of models, wearing the clothing. These photos were immensely helpful in demonstrating how the dresses really fit and how women with similar or different figures looked like in the dresses. I know that shoppers would be a lot more inclined to trust a site that showed how other customers wear the clothing and would be thrilled to possibly get some accessorizing ideas from them as well. Rent the Runway should also be applauded for the long, detailed reviews it features from its customers. Online retailers, take note!

Weekly Wardrobe Wisdom

Here are some wise words from "Visual Therapy" gurus Jesse Garza and Joe Lupo:

Editing your wardrobe is not about throwing things away needlessly, but "clarifying." It's about reading the clothing in your closet like tea leaves to find out what works, and establishing a life cycle for your wardrobe.