Yesterday I put on a lovely blue dress. I was heading out to shop and have learned I receive better treatment from salespeople if I wear a dress. After shopping awhile with a client and friend, I remembered why I don't wear that dress more often. Besides the fact that it requires dry cleaning, it reveals too much of my bust for my comfort level.
Last night I solved that problem by taking 10 minutes to tack the front of the dress together. Now it is perfect! This made me think about clothing I have encountered in my own and in clients' closets, clothing that just requires a bit of tweaking to be made wearable. My advice is to look through your wardrobe for clothing that is not quite right. Determine if your garments can be fixed by you or can be easily altered by a tailor. Then get busy! If you find clothing that requires a lot of work, or if you know you are not up to the task and do not want to spend the money to make certain garments wearable, donate them. They are just taking up valuable closet real estate.
One thing I have learned from working with dozens of Wardrobe Wisdom clients is how much our shopping habits and behavior goes back to our childhood. Some women learned how to look for quality and fit from their moms. There are some women who show me clothing their mothers have given or purchased for them--clothing they don't like but have a hard time parting with. Others learned how to track down a bargain. A lot of women never learned how to shop for their body type and nor developed their own style because their moms were not interested in clothing. I could write an entire book about mother/daughter shopping stories.
What I want to recount here was a proud moment with my own daughter, who is twelve and a half. We don't always agree on what "appropriate" means, and I sometimes struggle with shopping in her favorite stores which give me sensory overload within moments. However, when she was considering some shorts the other day, she said, "Mom, I just don't know about the color. Tell me three things I have that will go with this." She knows that I tell my clients to only purchase items they can coordinate with 3 pieces they already own. Instead of coming home with the shorts and never putting them on, she (I) made a thoughtful purchase.
Jesse Thorn, from the blog "Put This On," wrote a very helpful piece on wardrobe purging and where to donate your stuff. Here is the link.
There is nothing like the little high I get from purchasing a new white T-shirt. My husband has, on more than one occasion, counted the number of these shirts I own and wants to know why I need more than one. Sheesh! As fellow white tee lovers know, I wear them several times a week so owning more than one is a necessity!
If only these tees did not get those icky yellow underarm stains so quickly (which is why you must replace them or only wear them under things when this happens). I've written about the white T-shirt problem before; here are some more tips, from InStyle magazine:
1. For light stains, spot-treat areas with a mix of two parts water to one part detergent before washing.
2. For spills, soak shirts in non-chlorine bleach for 30 minutes before laundering.
3. For heavy stains, it is best to take your soiled clothing to a dry cleaner.
 
You never know where wardrobe wisdom is going to come from. When I heard RuPaul's huge, joyful laugh on a recent episode of NPR's "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me," I could not wait to quote him. Here is just a bit of what he said when asked if he ever went out of the house looking like a slob: "My life is so much better, so much more enriched if I make the effort to celebrate with gratitude the fact that I get to be on this gorgeous planet." For RuPaul, showing gratitude means dressing up, whether it's in a fabulous suit or a glam gown. I love his spirit!
You can listen to the whole episode here.
My husband must mention TED at least twice a day, and if we are with friends, he must mention TED ten times. Sometimes I wonder what he does all day! If you haven't heard of TED, these are a collection of riveting videotaped speeches, all shorter than 18 minutes, by some of the worlds greatest thinkers.
A friend recently sent me a TED speech given by designer Jessi Arrington. She only buys used clothing, and clearly has a complete ball searching for things to wear. I appreciate her shopping philosophy, which includes not wanting to spend a fortune and only buying what she is truly excited about. I too, believe it makes sense to buy used clothing and to meditate on the idea of "conscious consumption."
My only reservation about Jessi's talk is that I think it is a lot easier to find wild, outrageous, colorful clothing, and to throw together wacky ensembles, than it is to find affordable used classic chic clothing that I love. While I love shopping at consignment stores, I do not share Jessi's enthusiasm for mining thrift stores. If I arrived in Palm Springs with 7 pairs of underwear in my suitcase, I might have to run around semi-naked for at least a couple of days before I scored some cool clothes!
On a related note, here is an eye-opening article on our history of shopping habits. Author Elizabeth Cline writes: "As clothes have become cheaper, our clothing consumption has gone through the roof. In 1930, the average American woman owned an average of nine outfits. Today, we each buy more than 60 pieces of new clothing on average per year. Our closets are larger and more stuffed than ever, as we've traded quality and style for low prices and trend-chasing. In the face of these irresistible deals, our total spending on clothing has actually increased, from $7.82 billion spent on apparel in 1950 to $375 billion today."
My daughter and I were heading home after a trip to the Apple store on State Street the other day. En route to the car, we decided to pop into Plum Goods. Oh, I could have stayed there for hours! This charming store bills itself as carrying items that are "handcrafted, fair trade, upcycled, and eco-chic." I was in love!
We saw beautiful, sparkly jewelry and dainty gold and silver rings and bracelets, lovely recycled glassware, whimsical lighting, cool driftwood wreaths and framed mirrors, wonderful, quirky items made from bicycle chains, original goods made by Fabian Ojeda, and many more treats. Lucky for us, Fabain was in the store and we chatted with him for quite awhile about the store's inventory and where he gets his inspiration.
Plum Goods is where you want to go to get a gift for someone, to find something unique and beautiful for your home, to get inspired!
A wedding invitation arrived at our house recently. We don't get many of these anymore, so I was pretty excited. Then I read the dress code: "island casual." What on earth does that mean? Ambiguous dress codes make me sort of crazy.
So I appreciated Diana, of Fashion for Real Women, who wrote about wedding dress codes in a recent blog. She also mentions things to consider when dressing for an event, such as weather and location.
By the way, I learned the wedding is taking place on the beach. I have decided to wear a floral print dress and some sandals I can take on an off easily. And I'll wear a flower in my hair. It should be a fun time!
Oh, the quest for a great-fitting strapless bra that lifts and supports. Oh, the failed attempts, the trips back to the store to return a bra that started out fine and ended up just above my belly button. Years ago I gave up even trying on dresses or tops that required a strapless bra. I would watch small-breasted friends wear tank tops and camisoles without a care in the world.
Then a buxom friend told me with great enthusiasm about her new strapless bra. Of course I could not wait to give it a try. Imagine my disappointment when the bra she loved was out of stock in my size. My determination was fired up though, so I headed to Purrmission.
There I tried on my friend's bra, by Fantasie. It fit okay, but it cut into my ribs. As if a strapless bra is not already uncomfortable by definition! Undeterred, the helpful saleswoman suggested I try a strapless bra by Marie Jo (one of my very favorite lingerie brands). When I put it on, I felt fantastic, as if I were wearing a regular Marie Jo bra. I then walked around the store, and the bra stayed up; there was no downward drift. Eureka!
So, do not despair. The right strapless bra is out there for you, just in time for this summer's breezy styles.
There are some regimes I follow consistently: I eat well, exercise several times a week, and wear sunscreen. However, I do not always take the time for regular facials.
My friend, Cielo Spa owner Roxanne Zbinden, gently reminds me once in awhile about the value of facials. Each time I have received one from her (not often enough, I know!), my skin feels rejuvenated and healthy. She educates me about taking care of my skin and has introduced me to some terrific skincare products by Babor. Recently, Roxanne suggested I use Nahla Beauty's heavenly moisturizing serum for my (mature) dry skin. Not only does the orange and clove serum smell wonderful, it leaves my skin feeling incredibly soft.
Roxanne gave me some very simple and wise advice years ago: Take your makeup off and wash your face right when you get home. Whenever I follow her advice I am always happy. It is such a relief to not have to go through that routine right before bed, when I am exhausted.
Take care of yourself, ladies! You will look and feel better, guaranteed.
 
Several of my Santa Barbara Wardrobe Wisdom clients are petite (5'4" and under). They have expressed frustration at the limited number of clothing offerings for petites in boutiques and department stores. Alas, there is some good news!
JCPenney is one of the few large stores that has actually expanded its petites department. The clothing is fashionable, good-looking, and spirited. Hooray!
Yes, it is all about the view from the back. When it comes to jeans, if they don't fit well and make your bottom look fantastic, continue shopping. My friend Stacy just had a very positive jeans shopping experience at the Gap.
We have all spent hours trying to find jeans that we love. I bring a minimum of 6 pairs into the dressing room when I am looking for denim. Stacy had one of those mythical days when the first pair she tried on looked terrific, from EVERY angle, especially the rear. It's worth trying on a number of different styles. I have no hips, but for some reason curvy jeans fit me sometimes. Oh, that's right: The reason they fit is that labels are largely meaningless!
Have fun!
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