Bathing Suits

I know: It is hardly bathing suit season, but I am eager to share a brilliant website with you: Freya Swimwear.

Why is it brilliant? Because the sizing is based on one's bra size. This means you do not have to squeeze into a top made for a less busty gal or have a bikini top fit your cup size but be loose around your body. This means you can have a Goldilocks "just right" experience when you put on your swimsuit. Imagine!

Sure you can wait until you are ready to plunge into bathing suit shopping, knowing you have a new, fantastic resource. Hooray for Freya!

One Woman Defines "Style"

I like to learn what fashion writers and clothing designers see as the difference between style and fashion. They describe fashion as the clothing and accessories rolled out each season. Style is different. Style is what people do with fashion to make it their own. You can have terrific style on a budget and spend a lot on dressing horribly.

Novelist Carol Edgarian states: "Style says, 'This is who I am--this is my signature, my voice, my scent, my colors, the cut I like best. This is me, good as I am.'"

Personal style evolves over time--at least it should. Do you think about your style? Or do you think about wanting to find a style that is right for you? Ultimately, when a person has found her style, and is mindful of it each day, getting dressed for any occasion and shopping become a pleasure and a snap. With Wardrobe Wisdom, I help women identify their style, and make their closet reflect their best selves.

Shopping Santa Barbara--5

Sorry about that ghost post!

On Friday a good friend and I strolled State Street. We had finished our holiday shopping and were happy to go in and out of stores at our leisure. I was delighted to discover a fairly new shop tucked into La Arcada court: Coast 2 Coast Collection.

This store was filled with sparkly treasures. What caught my eye were the incredibly ornate and dressy clutches. Each one showcased beautiful beadwork or embroidery, the next one even more gorgeous than the last. I cannot imagine a better source for a one-of-a-kind evening bag to wear to a special event. Perhaps a New Year's Eve party!

Clothes as Autobiography

From one of my favorite books, The Thoughtful Dresser, by Linda Grant:

"If you were to gather together all the clothes you have ever owned in all your life. . . you would have your autobiography. As if the textile itself has memory, formed as it is out of its intimate closeness with our bodies, a coat or a dress or a pair of trousers is a witness to the fact that once we went for a job interview, or on a hot date. Or that we got married. . . The clothes we wear, they comfort and protect us; they allow us to be who we want to be. They tell others what we want them to hear. We come to understand whether or not we can depend on them."

I ponder quoting this passage when people tell me they don't care about clothes, or that it is superficial to like fashion. Our clothes do matter.

If You Believe in Signs

Here are the signs that onlineorganizing.com lists to determine that a piece of clothing should not go back in your closet:

1. It is more than one size too small for you

2. It was last in fashion about 20 years ago

3. You constantly tug and pull at it while wearing

4. It is itchy, scratchy, binding, or just uncomfortable

5. The color or print isn't flattering on you

6. The style makes you feel unattractive

7. You haven't worn it in over a year and it's not a special occasion item

8. It needs to be cleaned or altered or repaired

9. You always find an excuse not to pick that outfit to wear

10. You just don't like wearing it!

I think that any 3 of these signs are telling you to get rid of an item, so take a look at your closet and do some editing! I am happy to help if you need encouragement.

Organic Cotton

I am all for organic foods and try to feed my family healthy meals (much to my daughters' dismay). Is it more expensive to buy organic? Yes and no. Though organic produce may cost more, its health benefits pay off in the long run.

What about organic cotton, denim's latest update? The processes denim goes through to get that worn in, cool look are astonishingly detrimental to the environment. Here are some statistics, from Marie Claire magazine:

- 1,500 gallons of water are required to produce 1.5 pounds of cotton--the amount it takes to make one pair of jeans.

- Cotton fields claim 25 percent of all insecticides sprayed worldwide.

- Synthetic dyes used to give jeans their trademark indigo hue often leach into nearby water and soil, destroying plant and animal life.

Buying organic denim jeans does not need to break your wardrobe bank. Patagonia (shown above) offers a pair for $79. Stella McCartney's jeans, on the other hand, are $415! So give some thought to going organic when it comes to making your next jeans purchase.

Paying Retail

I don't enjoy hunting for clothes, digging through piles of shirts to find one I like. Spending hours combing the racks of discount stores is not how I like to kill time. And I get grouchy the minute I enter an outlet mall. However, I do enjoy saving money which is why I like consignment stores so much, especially well- curated ones such as Lola and Renaissance in Santa Barbara, Traci and Laura's in Solvang, and Finders Keepers in San Luis Obispo. Wonderful Alpha Thrift stores in Santa Barbara and Goleta are also well-organized and pleasant places to shop.

In this month's Esquire magazine, David Granger makes the case for paying retail. Many people (including my husband!) equate paying retail with getting ripped off. But Granger says this about our relentless pursuit of deals: "We settle for things we kind of maybe would consider owning. Services we might maybe someday use. We compete for crap at 60 percent off."

I urge you to read Granger's short column and to give some thought to the true meaning of a bargain: getting a real discount on something you really want.

Tangerine Tango

Oh, goody! The Pantone Group, responsible for establishing the colors we will see from blouses to picture frames next year, has chosen a bright orange-red ("Tangerine Tango") for its color of 2012. How do I look in orange-red? Like a corpse. I tried really hard to wear a light orange sherbet color one summer when I had a deep tan. Not a winning look.

What are the other colors will be trendy? Go here and learn what to expect from designers this spring and summer. And if you look good in Tangerine Tango, have a ball!

Valentino Virtual Museum

What on earth is a virtual museum? According to Giancarlo Giammetti, Valentino Garavani's long-time business partner, "Animated galleries show a life's work, and hundreds of key dresses have been photographed revolving 360 degrees to show every line and stitch. One click on the dress and the user can discover its history—who wore it, where, and when. Five thousand documents, photos, and 190 videos make up the Museum's database."

In a previous post, I raved about the gorgeous movie, "Valentino: The Last Emporer." I was struck dumb by the art and genius behind Valentino's exquisite designs. Now I can view his creations via my computer. Go here to read more about this unique museum.

Rainy Day

It's cold and chilly (by SB standards) today. What I want to wear when I run errands is my flannel pajama bottoms, my cozy Ugg boots, and a fleece sweatshirt. No one would bat an eye; I see women wearing this all the time at Trader Joe's, on State Street, at the farmers' market. The sight of women in their pajamas, sloppy sweats, and slippers is dispiriting to me.

So I am going to put on a pair of jeans, my largely waterproof Puma ballet flats, a t-shirt and pretty sweater, and a raincoat. Wardrobe Wisdom is about taking care of oneself, caring to take the time to look put together and happy about being out in the world.

Too Big for Fashion?

The other day I was chatting with a cashier at Trader Joe's. She asked me what I did for a living and I told her all about Wardrobe Wisdom. She listened carefully and then responded, "But you never have advice for big gals like me, right? That's why I've just given up on buying nice clothes."

I have heard this sort of comment more than once and it elicits several thoughts and responses. The first is from a good friend who is a "big gal." She has told me that she loves clothes and loves to look great but hates shopping. I used to shop for her when she lived in town. Another feeling is sadness for the women who have simply "given up" on caring about their appearance. I also get frustrated with the fashion industry for often ignoring the plus size demographic.

Here is the advice I give to those women who struggle with finding clothes in their size:

Do some reading to learn what styles and fabrics will be most flattering for your figure. I recommend The Pocket Stylist by Kendall Farr and Dress Your Best by Clinton Kelly and Stacy London. Both books show what looks work best on plus size women and offer excellent shopping tips. Once you are armed with more knowledge on what to look for, it's time to shop.

Yes, you must enter some stores and try clothing on! I realize that this has been a frustrating and emotionally draining process in the past. But once you find the styles that work for you, your shopping experience will change for the better. I recommend starting at Nordstrom, where you will get good customer service and can on quality pieces. Even if this clothing is out of your budget, you will know what to look for when you shop elsewhere. Though Talbots does not carry its plus-size line in Santa Barbara, the saleswomen at the La Cumbre store will be more than happy to help you figure out what clothes will suit you best and can help you order them online, right there in the store.

If you are comfortable shopping online, here are some sites I recommend:

Gayla Bentley

One Stop Plus

Avenue

IGIGI

and Talbots

The fashion industry creates clothing that very few women can wear off the rack. Unfortunately, this is not likely to change in the near future. What can change is your attitude toward getting dressed. With some research and careful shopping, you can feel better about how you look in clothing, and begin taking better care of yourself. You are worth it!

Spa-liday Party

I can think of at least 3 people, including my dear mom, who can use some pampering right now. It's time to book an appointment for a luxuriating massage or rejuvinating facial. Each time I have enjoyed one of these services from the talented Roxanne Zbinden, at Cielo Spa, I have felt like a new woman!

This Saturday, Roxanne is having a special party at Cielo, from noon to 3 PM. Go here for more details and take care of yourself!

December!

This can be a nutty time of year for a lot of us. Enter Sara Caputo, of Radiant Organizing, and her incredibly useful tips for maintaining sanity in December. A great read!