Just Because

And now a detour into the world of food.

David Lebovitz' blog is one that I always read. He is an American pastry chef who is currently living in Paris--what a dream! His writing is open, smart, funny, and full of super interesting and useful information about food, cooking, baking and eating. Here is a small taste of Lebovitz' writing from one of his recent posts, in Q & A format:

Do you agree with Julia Child, who said “A party without a cake is just a meeting”?

DL: Ha! Good one, Madame Child. Although one could replace the word “cake” with “cocktails,” “ribs,” “chips and guacamole,” or “wine and cheese,” and still have a pretty good party.

Lisa's Swimsuit Miracle

Photo Credit: trinaturk.com


A friend and I had a nice, long conversation on the phone over the weekend. We had not talked in awhile and got caught up on all sorts of things. Before we hung up, she remembered something she'd been eager to share with me: her swimsuit miracle!

Lisa had been riffling through a magazine when a certain one-piece suit caught her eye. She noted the brand, located it online, guessed on her size, and ordered it. When the suit arrived she found it fit her perfectly! For those of us who have spent innumerable hours shopping for, trying on, and being frustrated by the quest for the perfect suit, Lisa's experienced seemed impossible. However, with a little luck, you may find your dream suit.

Some Wise Words

A friend reminded me of a quote (paraphrased here) from a book we both greatly enjoyed, This is Where I Leave You, by Jonathan Tropper:

A good speech is like a skirt: short enough to hold your attention, long enough to cover the subject.

I Don't Believe in That

I try to keep this blog positive, but sometimes I just need to vent so please forgive me today.

Whenever my oldest daughter does not agree with something I've said, worn, made for dinner, read aloud, etc. she says, "I don't believe in that." This refrain has become a family joke, and I also use it at work with my boss sometimes which makes us both laugh.

Something I definitely do not believe in is a current trend in menswear: the deep V-neck T-shirt designed to show off a man's "he-vage." One glance at Jude Law (top) should be enough to convince people that this look is a very bad idea. Even handsome and well-dressed Ryan Gosling (bottom) does not look (so) hot in such a shirt.

What, No Mirror

Hall of Mirrors, Versailles, France

I spent several hours people-watching at an outdoor mall the other day. My 13-year old daughter and her friend were shopping; I was asked to stay behind. This suited me just fine since I got to indulge in one of my favorite pastimes while taking breaks to catch up on my newspaper reading. 

I gained more than a few Wardrobe Wisdom insights from those hours. One that struck me most was an apparent mirror shortage in people's homes. This had to be the only explanation for a woman in a smart pair of white ankle pants, a chic black sleeveless blouse, and cute black sandals. . . WITH a wide open top in the back, revealing her worn out nude bra band. I felt confused. I also did not understand how anyone would knowingly leave her house with her bottom hanging out of her shorts or a woman whose tummy fighting for its life in a striped dress. Come on! None of these looks was attractive nor did any look in the least bit comfortable. Where are the mirrors? 

P.S. A number of men seemed to have no mirrors in their homes either. 

Colliding Worlds

Photo Credit: RuthReichl.com

I love it when two of my passions--food and clothing--come together. So imagine my delight when Ruth Reichl's latest blog post appeared in my inbox this week. In case you did not know, Reichl is a former food critic for the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times, the editor-in-chief of Gourmet magazine (during its last years), and a brilliant writer. I've enjoyed her memoirs, such as Garlic and Saphires, and just last night was reading all about her first novel, Delicious!.

Anyway, in this post Reichl let readers in on how she packed for her current book tour. I like how she stuck with a color scheme and that we have the same Uniqlo puffer jacket! Now "savvy packer" can be added to her long list of skills. If you have the opportunity to hear Reichl speak on this book tour, GO! I saw her give a talk at UCSB a few years ago and she was terrific--a real, charming storyteller.

Happiness

My cousin (on right) sent me this photo, knowing I would appreciate her friend's colorful, chic outfit. And I do. But what really makes me smile about this photo is the sheer joy on Gina's and her friend Siggi's faces. These two beautiful women illustrate that when you feel good, you look fabulous.

A Fun Interview

Photo Credit: fashion.telegraph.co.uk 

I sure enjoyed watching one of my favorite comedians, Seth Myers, interview Sarah Jessica Parker and Anna Wintour about New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art's annual Costume Institute gala. Go here to watch the interview. 

Skirts

Photo Credit: Bodenusa.com

Go here to read my column on page 18 in this month's Coastal View News. I write about my love of skirts and offer reasons why you should love them as well. Some of my favorite skirts are from consignment stores, and now is a good time to shop there for spring and summer styles.

Pssst: I Got a Pair of Crocs

The word is out, and I am not too proud to say I am quite pleased with my purchase. As I stated in a previous post, I needed a pair of shoes that I could both ride a bike in and wear comfortably on a rocky beach this summer. Having resigned myself to wearing not-so-attractive, Tevas, I was disappointed to come up empty handed after failing to find an inexpensive pair.

I turned then to Ebay and to Croc. I know. . . I know. . . I have ridiculed Crocs ever since they came on the scene, having found them hideous.  My fashionable co-worker gave me a lot of grief for even considering Crocs. But I persevered, and found a pair that suit my needs: They are not atrocious in appearance; they are comfortable and lightweight; they will serve the dual purpose I need them for; and they were only $20.

Laugh at me all you want. I am content with my new shoes though I don't think they will make it into my suitcase upon my return to Santa Barbara in July.

Bathing Suit Bliss

Photo Image: Creative Commons

Let's see a show of hands for how many of you love shopping for bathing suits? Just as I thought: close to zero. Still, there are more bathing suit styles available than ever, and no matter your size or shape, there is a swimsuit out there for you. But who is to say that a bathing suit is any different than any other garment bought off the rack? A little tailoring handiwork by an expert can change your bathing suit into something mediocre into something fabulous!

At the end of the summer last year I purchased a bikini I'd been eyeing for months but was too cheap to buy. When I finally decided to purchase it on sale, it was not my size but sort of fit. I wore it once or twice, but did not feel all that great in it.

Then my friend told me about the remarkable Stacey Brown, a Santa Barbara swimwear virtuoso. I picked up my altered suit on Friday and it fits PERFECTLY. Nothing pulls or sags, nothing pokes or makes me look weird. I learned that Stacey makes custom suits which seems like a very worthwhile indulgence.  I am thrilled with her and her work and want to pass on her contact information:
sbbikini@cox.net
805-452-3267

Instagram

My daughters like to remind me, on a regular basis, that my Instagram account is wasted on me. When I  got it months ago, I planned to capture great Wardrobe Wisdom photos and post them with insightful comments. However, doing this has not become habitual, and I feel I have failed in a way.

I can still appreciate Instagram though, right? The Huffington Post brought the Gap's account to my attention, and I agree with their assessment of it as "picture perfect" in every aspect. The photo above is a good example of their snaps. I am beginning to feel inspired to jump start my own account.