Iris Apfel

Photo Credit: pem.org

If you do not know who Iris Apfel is, prepare yourself for a brilliant and inspiring introduction, thanks to Advanced Style.  You can read more about her here. Enjoy!

Santa Barbara Shopping #6

Photo Credit: Vices & Spices website

Today my husband and I took our laptops to a local coffee shop and worked for 2 hours. It wasn’t the most romantic date, but we enjoyed our drinks and felt productive. Moreover,  I walked away with a new wallet, thanks to the carefully chosen gift items by the savvy buyer at Vices and Spices.

Sometimes I forget about this little gem, which as been in Santa Barbara since 1975. It’s a fabulous place to buy tea and spices by the ounce. The coconut pouchong tea is divine! It is also a terrific place to purchase unique gifts. The jewelry is always handmade and pretty, there are dainty English teacups and chunkier coffee mugs, shopping bags in different materials and patterns, lovely vases, drinking glasses and serving bowls, cards, and my latest discovery: fabulous wallets.

When I purchased a darling little purse in Paris, I began using my teenage daughter’s small wallet. Although it fit nicely into my purse, its design was not practical. Now I have a colorful, soft, and practical leather wallet from mywalit. It is bright blue, navy, and dark purple— eye-catching and beautiful. Other wallets come in aqua and dark blue, olive green and orange, and red and brown, to name a few. 

From the Dinner Party Download

Photo Credit: Richard Reinsdorf

As I have stated before, I am a huge Dinner Party Dowload podcast fan. During a recent episode, I enjoyed listening to Debbie Millman, President Emeritus of the American Institute of Graphic Arts and host of the internet radio show “Design Matters” dissect a few current trends.

Go here to listen to this part of the show or just click on the arrow below. 

The phenomenal conductor Gustavo Dudamel, above, was also on this episode of the Dinner Party Download. What a charming, handsome, and, as you can see,  well-dressed fellow.

A Regret

Photo Credit of Gianni Versace jeans: Bluefly.com

When I work with my more sensitive Wardrobe Wisdom clients who are loath to get rid of anything, I very gently and diplomatically suggest that they part with certain items. Not once have I heard them express a regret during a subsequent appointment. Instead, they feel liberated after purging their closets of unworn, ill-fitting, or ill conceived clothing and accessories.

In terms of my own closet, only one purged item stands out and saddens me. In the early 1980s, while I was a student at UCSB, I liked to shop the sales at the Polo Store in Santa Barbara. (It used to be located at The Galleria on Upper State Street, along with other shops.) One day I purchased a pair of white jeans, with hand painted flowers running down the length of the legs. Over the years, those beloved jeans moved from Isla Vista to Santa Barbara, to Newport Beach, Dana Point, and back to Santa Barbara.

Then one day, when I was in a particularly energetic cleaning mood, I got rid of them. Oh, how I regret that decision, especially now that printed, colored, and textured jeans are all the rage. C'est la vie.

Covering Up

Photo Credit: Sim Chi Yin


The photograph above, from a New York Times article, struck me as creepy. What on earth are those people wearing? I thought. It turns out that women in China are becoming more and more extreme in their efforts to keep their skin light. In the past, they used special skin lightening creams, stayed out of the sun, and wore protective clothing. Now middle-class women are donning protective sun masks, thanks to an industry which "caters to a culture that prizes a pallid complexion as a traditional sign of feminine beauty unscathed by the indignities of manual labor."

There are myriad health reasons why we should all stay out of the sun and wear sunscreen. In Santa Barbara, though, it seems a bit of color makes us all feel better, ironically, more "healthy." I still love a long day at the beach, soaking up the sun though I know I shouldn't. The Chinese face masks seem unimaginable here.

Men's Style

Photo Credit: American Eagle Outfitters

I got a call this week from a friend, asking if I could help her son and husband with their wardrobes. I love a challenge and said yes immediately. Unless a man is truly interested in fashion,  he shops with disinterest and dresses pretty conservatively. Not so my friend's son. He is a musician and thinks deeply about what look he wants to project. He just needs some help in finding what styles suit him best and how to put outfits together. His dad is in a position many men find themselves in: he works in a setting  somewhere between traditional and informal, and wants to break out of his khakis and basic shirt rut. 

My strategy is to send them my questionnaire, the answers of which will let me know what styles they like, if they admire any one's look, and what their lifestyles involve. I will also suggest some websites for them to peruse and will ask them to send me links to looks that appeal to them. Finally I will look at their wardrobes, have them try on certain pieces, put some outfits together, and makes suggestions about some garments that will make their wardrobe complete, where to shop, and what to do when they get stuck. I am looking forward to our time together! If you know a man who can use some Wardrobe Wisdom, please send him my way. Or nudge him to give me a call.

State Street and Beyond

Photo Credit: European Market and Deli website

Last week I attended a course on email marketing. Although the speaker was great and provided a great deal of useful information, I found myself getting restless. So I ducked out early and did some window shopping. What follows are some highlights.

American Eagle Outfitters: Sure, the loud techno music drove me nearly out of my mind. But the clothing was cute and the store carries some basics for women over 18, such as T-shirts, camisoles, and jeans.

Ooh La La: I wondered if Santa Barbara could support two French-themed consignment stores, on the same block! This store is tiny but I saw some great, well-priced tops and some cool evening wear as well. Like all consignment stores, you need to go often to have success.

Next I headed toward Goleta and went to the following places:

Folio: This place does a lot more than print cards and stationery. It carries some wonderful, locally made items such as beautiful silk clutches. Whenever I need a gift for someone, Folio is one of the first places I go.

European Deli and Market: Okay, this is not a clothing or accessories store, but shopping here was the high point of my day. I got a kick of wandering the aisles, discovering unusual jarred vegetables, spices, breads, sauces, yogurts. . . the inventory is endless. If you find yourself in this area one day, hungry, be sure to have a sandwich, rolled up into lavosh. Delicious! And if you want to bring some out of the ordinary appetizers to a party, get some Eastern European salami, cheese, and condiments here.

Out Damn Spot!

Photo Credit: Indian Makeup and Beauty Blog

What a huge drag to find a stain on an article of clothing. Awhile ago I posted a piece on using regular dish soap and boiling water to remove stains. I thought this was a brilliant and easy trick. However, a good friend just tried it and ended up with an even larger spot when the dish soap created a ring around the original oil stain. How annoying!

In desperation, my friend poured a bit of distilled white vinegar over the entire mess and voila! The garment was as good as new. Thanks for the tip, Katherine!

Leanne Shapton--A Swimmer's Life

Photo Credit: guardian.co.uk

I cannot get over the physiques and the swimsuits worn by the Olympic swimmers. Before this month, I had not heard of Leanne Shapton, "the eighth fastest breaststroker in Canada in 1988," art director at the New York Times, illustrator, and novelist. After reading a review of Shapton's memoir titled Swimming Studies, I know a few things about her. What captured my attention was the photographs she included of her bathing suits, racing and vintage. The suits shown in the book review range from a groovy 1960s or early 70s suit with a high neck, to a cool gray bikini that would be in style on any beach today. Her meditations on what she wore, along with the life she led, sound like a good summer read.

A Day with Rachel

My daughter Camille and I spent a lovely day in Solvang with Rachel Kett, of Hammered Hoops, and her two sweet daughters. We had a great time catching up on each other's lives, and then I asked to see her latest creations. So many beautiful pieces! I am hoping to have a jewelry party featuring her unique and special necklaces, earrings, and bracelets this fall. The pretty abalone earrings here are an example of what she is currently working on. You can find Rachel's jewelry at the following locations:

 Ladybug Boutique -- Santa Ynez www.ladybugboutique.com
Wendy Foster State Street -- Santa Barbara www.wendyfoster.com
Wendy Foster Sportswear -- Montecito
Angel -- Montecito
K. Frank -- Santa Barbara www.kfrankstyle.com
El Capitan Canyon -- Goleta www.elcapitancanyon .com
Ambiance Clothing -- San Luis Opispo
Kalyra Winery -- SantaYnez -- www.kalyrawinery.com
Indian Summer -- Summerland
Lola Boutique -- Santa Barbara
Hummingbird Boutique -- Carpinteria

Sometimes a new piece of jewelry is just the accessory you need to liven up your wardrobe. I know a certain pair of Rachel's earrings will do just that for mine!