Bathing Suits

Yes, ladies, swimsuit season will soon be upon us. Just like fog along the southern coast of California in June, it is a yearly, mostly unwelcome event. Still, my love of the beach and swimming in the ocean gets me through the often agonizing task of swimwear shopping.

I have recommended custom swimsuits from Summerland, California's Bikini Factory, and great swimwear from Land's End, and Athleta.

A surprising source, Style Bakery, came up with this helpful series on where to find swimwear that is flattering to different body shapes.

And Now for Men's Swimwear

Men tend to wear either baggy, shapeless swim trunks to the beach, or form-fitting Speedos for serious swimming. Neither is a particularly attractive option. So I am grateful for the trend in men's swimwear: a more streamlined, less sloppy style.

I just read about this trend in the New York Times and am quite delighted. Though designer Adam Brown's trunks are ridiculously high priced, I like his philosophy: "A well-made swimsuit, like a well-cut Savile Row suit, addresses anatomical shortcomings. . .It shouldn’t matter if you’re fat, thin, pear-shaped, have a big bum — it’s equally flattering." More reasonably priced copies of Brown's trunks are sure to appear in the stores this year.

It is a drag to see one guy after another at the beach in ill-fitting, too big Costco swim trunks. I say, bring on the new trend (and hope the guys buy it!).

I Think What She Meant Was. . .

Gwenyth Paltrow continues to get a lot of grief for her lifestyle blog, GOOP. I subscribed to it recently, knowing she shares my passion for food and clothing, and I consider it a fun read. Others find her blog extremely offensive, saying she has no clue how the rest of the world lives and how unrealistic and insensitive her "do" and "get" sections are.

This is what I like to think she meant in her recent post: Here are some fun ideas for sprucing up your spring and summer wardrobes. Look what I picked out and see what you like. Then you can take these ideas and create them on your own. I hardly think she expects everyone to copy her style exactly, to the tune of $18,000.00.

Fashion Vs. Style

While giving a talk to the Professional Women's Association at UCSB last week, I mentioned that I was more of a clothing person than a fashion person. In other words, I love clothing, but I am not always comfortable with what is considered fashionable. Many spreads in magazines leave me scratching my head, and the trends that come out each season rarely hold much appeal.

I just came across a thoughtful article on this topic, written by Lisa Mirza Grotts. She offers advice on what to wear when confronted with different dress codes such as black tie. I especially liked the sections "Rules that Matter" and "General Rules of Dress."

What resonated with me, and what I try to convey to my clients, was stated beautifully by Joy Venturini Bianchi of San Francisco's Helpers House of Couture, which benefits the developmentally disabled: "The fashion industry promises to help you find an 'instant' identity that you can display to the world. This is fashion as image. Style is a different thing altogether. To develop it, you have to give up the idea that you will find yourself in images of other people. You have to engage in the process of finding out who you really are--from the inside out. When you do this, you begin to discover that certain fashions allow 'the best of you' to be seen, while expressing your own taste, not that of others. The more you discover your own real self, the more you will find the fashions that suit you, and the more you will develop your own style."

Now THOSE are Shoes!

A good friend and Santa Barbara Wardrobe Wisdom client is the first to tell you she is a shoe fanatic. This is quite an understatement. When I first went through her closet I was struck by the number of shoes she had--and I have been in a lot of closets. Still, I remained calm, nonjudgmental, and clear-headed as we edited dozens of shoes.

When I heard she had discovered a new shoe website, I could not wait to check it out. Can I see myself wearing many of these wild shoes? No. Can I appreciate the designers' outrageous creativity and extraordinary imaginations? Yes! Now I want to share this site with you: Irregularchoices.com. It will blow your mind!

The Most Stylish Men of All Time

I can think of a few glaring omissions from that list as well as a few names I would omit. Woody Allen? Hugh Hefner? Judging a person's style is a subjective exercise.

Nevertheless, Esquire magazine set out to name the men it considers the coolest dressers ever. You can go here to read the entire list of 75 well-dressed men. If you are a man, this list is worth perusing; in the words of Esquire, " take a few notes: there’s wisdom in these here clothes."

Makover

Over the past few years, I have gone from wearing lipstick and feeling great all day, to a more evolved, mature makeup routine. It was time to look like a grownup.

Still, I don't feel completely at ease when I approach makeup experts. I sort of think I know what I want, but I flounder around quite a bit. Style Bakery offered some simple advice to ensure a successful makeup counter experience: ". . . it makes sense to use the free makeup services offered at department stores. Go to a brand you've used before and that is in your price range and tell them very simply that you want an everyday look that is neutral but personalized to your coloring."

Summer Sandals

I get asked all the time to name some summer sandals that are cute and comfortable. Here is my short list:

1. Korkease

2. Bernardos

3. Softspots

4. Clarks

What is not on this list are the very cute and stylish pair of sandals from Frye that I purchased last year. Every time I wear them I get a blister near my right toe. OUCH! Though I should have done this long ago, I am now following my Wardrobe Wisdom advice and will be giving them to a friend this week (warning her about the pain they've caused me!). Life is too short to wear shoes that hurt.

I'd love to hear what your favorite comfortable (and attractive!) sandals are.

Let's Hear It for Tailors!

I like this post from Honor Thy Tailor.

Today I tried on my pencil skirt that Kim from Zip Kleen took in. It fits beautifully now, skimming over my hips instead of hanging loosely. I also brought her a cute knit jacket which had too long sleeves and a broken clasp. I trust Kim with any and all of my clothing, and with my husband's suits as well.

As I have said before, tailoring marks the difference between a well-dressed person and someone who simply gets dressed everyday.

Kim's Tailoring at Zip Kleen on the Mesa in Santa Barbara: (805) 963-1437.

1998 Cliff Dr, Santa Barbara, CA 93109

Labels Shmabels

Karen called me the other day to tell me she had just talked to a woman from her school, who seemed to be an advertisement for Chanel: "She was wearing a C necklace, jacket, shoes, bracelet, ring, and belt." Karen couldn't even remember her conversation with the Chanel woman; she was so distracted by her many labels. Not everyone goes so overboard, but it's important to remember that you should love a garment for its fit and how it makes you feel, not just because of the status associated with the label.

A few years ago I read a very good book, Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Luster. The author, Dana Thomas, detailed how dramatically the world of luxury labels has changed. Only Hermes, a company renown for its leather products, seems to adhere to the high standards and hand-made workmanship the company was founded on. Of course, couture designs are still created with a great attention to detail and high quality materials and tailoring. But couture designs are not what we find in most boutiques and department stores.

One fascinating thing I learnd is that the same factories in China that make handbags for Chanel, make them for places like Banana Republic and outlet stores. Now I look at "designer" handbags with new eyes. Just because it says Chanel does not mean it is exquisitely made.

Again, be a savvy shopper and do not assume that a label means an item is well-made out of fine materials. Instead, consider purchasing something that you find beautiful and that complements your style. And if you are a label person, check out consignment stores. They often have designer pieces for a fraction of their original prices.

Shopping Santa Barbara-2

Today I spent some time trying on darling clothes at Talbots. (I promise to hit a locally owned, small boutique next time.) You know that I do not receive free clothing or payments from any store I write about, so you may wonder why I bring up Talbots rather often. Here is a little secret: Talbots is hip now, making cute, current clothing. And here is the best part of Talbots: exceptional service.

Right now Talbots is carrying some great-looking dresses and sweaters. These photos sho just a sampling of some of the things I tried on. The clothing is well-made, the layout of the store is open and bright, there are moderately priced accessories which are also hip, and it is easy to see how easily the clothing coordinates with other pieces.

I was going to list the saleswomen who have been particularly helpful, but as my list grew, I realized that every women who works for Talbots is helpful. There is no other store comes close. So get in there ladies! Your mothers' Talbots is a thing of the past.