Advice for our Times

Bless Bill Cunningham and his most recent fashion slide show called "Another Facet of Paris." What I love most about this piece is the advice he gives to women toward the end: "It doesn't hurt to dress in a cheerful way," during these uncertain, difficult economic times. I like that he is not exhorting women to shop but to pull things out of their own closets.

Saying Yes or No to Trends

One of the many things I like about being in my forties is not feeling compelled to try every trend. It is not like when I was younger and felt frustrated and very left out for not being able to wear Dittos in the seventies. Trend disappointment memories came back to me while I was reading Style Bakery's excellent article: Spring 2009: Trends to Try + Trends to Trash.

Today I can easily laugh at some of the fads that do not suit me while embracing the ones that add some splash to my look: I know what works for me and what does not. I already wear black and white a lot so adopting that trend is no stretch, and I have always liked ruffles and floral prints so they will be appearing this spring on me as well. Safari jackets tend to come in colors that are terribly unflattering on me, and I have learned that I am never truly comfortable in jackets. So that is a hot new look I will skip. I will also pass on wearing jumpsuits and rompers. I don't really need to explain why, do I? The same goes for harem pants (see photo). HELP!

Snakeskin adds an interesting dimension to accessories and I find it adds a bit of edginess to my outfits. Since I don't like to invest a lot of money in trends, I am delighted with my $20 snakeskin sandals from a local surf shop and a very cool sash belt from Talbots last fall. Striped shirts and full skirts are looks I wear all the time, though I need to watch the proportions since I am petite. Now, as far as bright colors go, I think a pop of bright color here and there works for me. I will stick to bright blues and pinks but I will not veer into the neon range that is currently leeching into stores. Still, I've recently seen neon on several high school students and they looked great.

What about you? What trends are you looking forward to wearing this spring? Which ones do you know you will pass on? Tribal prints? Ripped and acid washed jeans? Long blazers?

And Dresses for All

I sure like to wear a dress. Wearing a dress makes me feel feminine and attractive. Wearing a dress on a day I feel yucky lifts my spirits. Moreover, I have observed that in general women are treated with more respect and get more attention while shopping--from small boutiques to the farmers' market--when they wear a dress.

This season there are a zillion lovely dresses in the stores. If you already enjoy dresses, you are in shopping heaven. If you like the idea of dresses but have not embraced wearing them yet, read on. About.com has some very good posts about clothing. One I found particularly helpful is called Flattering Dresses for Every Body Type. Not all dress styles are for all women, and this post shows what styles will work the best for your body type.

Confidence=Style

I went to a fabulous party this weekend. Most of the people there were in costumes, but I detest dressing up and wore a simple outfit with a feathered mardi gras mask. My husband was even more of a party pooper with no costume at all.

One woman at the party was wearing a belly dancing outfit. She danced, ran around filling everyone's drinks, and seemed to be having a blast. Even at this very lively party her confidence and joie de vivre stood out.

She did not have a svelt, toned figure, but was curvy, reminding me that so much about style has to do with how we carry ourselves. No perfectly Pilates-toned Santa Barbara women could not have held a candle to the costumed belly dancer. And she knew it!

Looking Your Best--or Not

The other day I found myself woefully under dressed. I wanted to hide, to not be seen by anyone I knew. In Santa Barbara, running into friends and acquaintances is a regular part of the day so I knew I was in for it. Moreover, as a fashion consultant who must be ever vigilant about presenting a great image, I should have known better.

My daughters' school was receiving a special honor at the Board of Supervisors meeting this week. My husband asked me at the last minute if I wanted to accompany him. Since I had made plans with a friend to walk over a month ago, I decided I could exercise right after the meeting though I would not have time to change. What was I thinking?

We arrived at the meeting and I instantly saw the error of my sartorial decision. Everyone present was dressed up! This thrilled me on a professional level since so many people dress like slobs nowadays, no matter where they are. I love seeing people dressed well, looking confident and professional. But on a personal level I was mortified. How disrespectful of me to arrive at a hallowed civic place wearing gym clothes (and no makeup!).

Those who were called up to receive commendation from the board were wearing suits, nice dresses, and pant suits. They all looked sharp! When it came time for my group to stand up, I knelt on the side of the room behind a desk, taking pictures. I will not be so careless about my appearance in the future, especially in a formal setting. Inexcusable!

Fashion Resolutions

I just read a great article on the Style Bakery site. The author challenges readers to take stock of their current style and resolve to bring at least one new look to their repertoire.

My resolution is to make more thoughtful jewelry choices. Jewelry, especially necklaces, tends to be an afterthought for me. But now that I have some very pretty necklaces, I need to think about wearing them every day, by themselves or layered. I know what a difference they can make in spicing up or completing an outfit. This should be a much easier resolution to keep, compared to the one I make every year to be more patient.

Do you have any fashion resolutions?

Beyond the Closet

I've written before about Sara Caputo of Radiant Organizing. Sara has a gift for helping people find ways to make better decisions about their time and space issues.

She is teaching a class through Santa Barbara City College's terrific Adult Education program in February and in April. Anyone can benefit from Sara's wise advice.

On Saturday, February 28th from 9-3 pm at the Schott Center, Sara's class will focus on how to get more organized and be more productive! Go here to learn more: http://sbcc.augusoft.net/index.cfm?FuseAction=1071

Sara is also teaching this class in April.