Back on Top?

Sunday's Los Angeles Times' Image section contained a number of interesting and informative fashion articles. I was especially intrigued by the one titled "They're Back on Top." The "They" in the article refers to hats, which author Jenn Harris says are making quite a comeback. While I see a lot of fedoras in Santa Barbara, folks in this town seem slow to adopt this trend. But I am all for it!

I like what hat maker Azita Ariane Azarpira says: "To me, a modern milliner is not a slave to fashion. . . A modern milliner will encourage women to explore their inner beauty and share their individual beauty by wearing a hat that speaks to who they are." Sounds like she is the ideal person to help others figure out how to wear hats confidently.

Summer is a great time to test drive a hat since the styles are casual and you can find them everywhere. In Santa Barbara I recommend The Green and Yellow Basket, Goorin Brothers Hat Shop, and Nordstrom.

Our family cat, Woody, is pictured here in his Halloween hat. When we inherited him, his previous owners gave us a bag of cat costumes. My girls like to dress him up once in awhile, and he is resigned to humoring them. I am not suggesting that you put hats on your cats (or dogs).

Virtual Fittings

Is this a dream come true? Many shoppers think so. In the Los Angeles Times this month, I read an article about a machine similar to a body scanner. Once you step inside it and get scanned, you receive a printout that recommends styles to fit your frame and the stores that sell them. Talk about streamlining the shopping experience!

In my Wardrobe Wisdom work, I encounter a lot of men and women who detest shopping and hire me to do it for them (which I am delighted to do!).  They have spent countless hours in stores, ending up with nothing but frustration and despair at the end of the day. Now "new technology is making it easier than ever to find clothes that fit and flatter."

Naturally, retailers hope that these new machines will, in the end, mean more profits for them. What I  hope is that shoppers will learn what styles suit them best and where to find them. After determining what styles are most flattering for their body shape, they can venture away from the list of stores provided by the machine. Armed with self-knowledge, shopping can become more pleasurable, involving less time and energy.

What the Kids Are Wearing

Photo Credit: Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, UCSB

When I was at UCSB in the early 80s, I wore jeans, sweats, and cardigans. On rare occasions I would put on makeup and a blouse with jeans instead of my usual t-shirts. Clearly, those were not my most attractive years.

Today when I walk around UCSB I am struck dumb by the fashion conscious men and women on campus. It's fun and informative to see what they are wearing and all of the fashion risks they take. Go here to see some photos from a student's blog.

HIgh Waisted Bikinis?

Photo Credit: Free People

Probably not. When I am at the gym I listen to podcasts on my iPod. Yes, I am a nerd that way! My favorite ones have to do with food and news stories. This week, while listening to the brilliant Dinner Party Download, I heard fashion stylist Aya Kanai discuss some trends for this summer. I appreciated how the hosts, Rico Gagliano and Brendan Newman, were dumbfounded by certain looks that are currently in vogue, and laughed along with their comments about high waisted bikinis. To listen to this entertaining segment, go here.

I find the blue and black color block suit unforgivable, but I think swimmer Esther Williams looks smashing in her bikini from 60+ years ago.

Super Organized!

This month I visited friends and family in Orange County. I was so happy to help my friend Diane go through her closet. We did some serious editing which made her realize how much she really had and how much she did not wear.

Her mom is incredibly organized in every way. Marilyn's meticulously arranged closet is featured in the photos. Wow!

Worth a Look--Assistance League of SB

I ran a number of errands today, including consigning some baby clothes for a client and donating some clothing to the Assistance League, off Las Positas. Little did I know that it was Dollar Day, which meant that most of the items in the store were dramatically discounted and some cost only a dollar. Boy, was it bustling there.

After dropping of my client's items and collecting a donation tax form for her, I cruised into the "finer" women's clothing section of the Assistance League Shop.  Soon I was trying on two darling skirts in brand new condition. They did not fit, but this experience reminded me that stopping in at thrift and consignment stores once in awhile (I try to do this at least once a week), can yield some great deals on pretty terrific things. I keep a running list of clothing and accessories that I truly need in order not to fall prey to bargains I may encounter.

The Correct Size

Sometimes when I shop with a Wardrobe Wisdom client, she is reluctant to try on a size that seems larger than her usual one. I stress to her that standard sizing is an oxymoron in this country today, and that she should just ignore the size on the label and simply purchase clothes that truly fit. Some women though, refuse to go up a size, thinking it signals a first step on a slippery slope.

If there were standard, reliable, consistent sizes, my wardrobe would consist of size 4 petite garments. However, I have clothing from size 0-10 in my closet, from XS to Large, and I have learned to go up or down a size, depending on where I shop and the style. Frustrating!

Last weekend I noticed the woman pictured above on the beach. It was extremely difficult for me not to approach her to suggest that perhaps her bathing suit top was a wee bit too small. I am thinking perhaps she should have gone up a size.

It's Called a Slip, Ladies

Thank you Style Bakery for providing an answer to women everywhere regarding a simple undergarment: the slip. I feel like such a prude sometimes, but I wonder if women (of all ages) realize they are revealing everything when they do not wear a slip under sheer or crocheted clothing. The image above features a slip from Nordstrom's website, which carries beautiful slips. So does Purrmission in Santa Barbara, and Sears.

An App I Am Liking

Photo Credit: Apple iTunes 

My husband sent me this link to an intriguing looking new app called Cloth. I have just started getting acquainted with it and had my daughter take a photo of me for Cloth today (since I particularly liked my outfit!). The following quotes describe attracted me Cloth:


"There are more than a few solutions for snapping, saving and sharing your outfits with others. None, however, offers as clean a user experience as Cloth, nor (in most cases) as many privacy options." – Mashable

"Cloth... is your personal outfit diary. And it’s a beautifully designed personal diary to boot." – The Next Web

Sure, you can do hip things with Cloth, such as collect points and badges (not sure what these are yet), post your photos online, and share them with friends. For me, I will use it to jar my memory about ensembles I liked,  and where and when I wore them. I think my Wardrobe Wisdom clients will like using Cloth as well. I'd like to hear if you get Cloth and how you are using it.

Soft Focus Lens

Sure there are a few things about my late 40's that I don't love, but overall I am quite content at this point in my life. I certainly do not envy the young women who feel they must wear tiny tube skirts day and night in order to be on trend. And though I am not thrilled about the way my knees have fallen, I have decided that one of the keys to appreciating my aging body is to not examine it too closely! So I don't. This has led to some ill-timed observations when I use a magnified mirror. For example, as my husband and I were driving to a party recently, I noticed a rogue chin hair. Nonetheless, my strategy of not looking too closely keeps me happy.

Deep Thoughts about Clothing

It was surreal to be preparing dinner in my tiny Paris apartment while listening to NPR on my iPhone.   Such a familiar ritual in such an unfamiliar setting. One night I heard Tom Ashbrook,  the host of On Point, interviewing Elizabeth Cline, author of the new book Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion.   You can listen to the interview here.

Apartment Therapy offers some practical suggestions on how to be less wasteful, more mindful consumers. Go here to read it.

I think quite a lot about what happens to all the clothing that does not get purchased. Obviously, a great deal more is manufactured than is bought and worn. I wonder if our consumer habits will change in the future. According to Cline, they must.