Thank You, 9 West

Image Credit: sallyjanevintage.blogspot.com

Sometimes I do not heed my own advice. Several months ago I purchased some shoes I thought were ideal. They are wedges (I tend to wobble in other shoes) with a 2 1/2" heel, perfect for work. These black peep toe shoes went great with my pencil skirts and dresses. However, they pinched my bunion, leaving me in agony most of the day. Did I return them or have them stretched? No. I just let them languish in my closet.

Then my fashion-savvy friend at work suggested I take them to Nordstrom on my next trip to Paseo Nuevo, where they would happily stretch any shoe. That very week I headed to Paseo Nuevo; since the 9 West store is steps from Nordstrom, I thought I'd check to see if they could help me first. A friendly young man in the store stretched my shoes while I did a little shopping. When I returned, the shoe felt so much better. He told me I could bring any shoe in, not just the 9 West brand, and they would stretch it at no charge.

Wardrobe Wisdom tip of the day: Go to 9 West so you can wear those shoes you've been avoiding!

This will be my last post for a bit since my family and I are traveling in Europe for a month. I will try to check in and will, of course, post any photos of extraordinary fashions I see. I'm sure I will have some Wardrobe Wisdom to share with you when I return in mid-July.

Go to page 25 in this month's Coastal View News to read what I have to say about shoes for men and women.

That Icky Denim Smell

Image Credit: Levis.com

I think I take good care of my jeans. After at least 3 wearings, I wash them in cold water and hang them to dry. But Levi's CEO Chip Bergh is way more eco-friendly than I am: He "pointed to the dark denim Levi's he was wearing and noted that although they were a year old 'they have yet to see a washing machine.' Then he quickly added: 'I know that sounds disgusting.'"

Denim does, admittedly, get a rather sour odor if it does not dry within a couple of days. That specific, yucky smell is also apparent to me after more than 3 wears.

Bergh's one year without washing grosses me out, but here is what the rest of the article about denim care and astonishing amount of water that care entails.

Shorts, Short Shorts, and Longer Shorts

Photo Credit: stylebakery.com


When my 15-year old tells me that everyone is wearing super short shorts but that I must not even think about wearing them (not that I want to!), I point out a few things. One is that I think a person's bottom hanging out of the shorts, no matter how great of shape the person is in, is unattractive. I also think there are two appropriate settings for wearing such shorts: the pool or the beach. I also think a woman over 40 wearing tiny shorts is just kind of sad. I am fairly certain she no longer hears my voice when I start on this topic. 

I like all 3 shorts pictured here, and think they would look terrific on different women. The first are for the 20 and under crowd. They are short and sassy but not ridiculously short. The bottom would be fully covered!  The second seem ideal for a woman 40 and under and a 40+ woman with lovely legs. The baggy third ones are for super casual days on a woman of any age who is wearing a more fitted top. And the last ones are for the 40+ crowd. Yes, I am just full of ideas about shorts.

T-Shirt Quest

George Clooney looks quite perfect in his T-shirt (image credit: listal.com)

When my husband and I first began dating, he expressed shock and some alarm at how many white T-shirts I owned. I repeatedly explained how I wore them all the time and therefore needed multiple ones, and how they were timeless and made me feel good without fail. We have been together over 20 years now, and he finally understands my T-shirt love. Or at least he no longer questions it.

He also understands my frustration in my quest for the perfect T-shirt, knowing I have purchased some losers over the years.  Ones I have liked are from the Gap, Boden, Anthropologie, and Allen Allen. This piece in the Wall Street Journal shows that I am not alone in my love and search for this iconic American garment. It also sheds some light on why certain T-shirts cost over $100. Some even cost over $200! To me, that is pretty alarming.

More about The Dress Doctors

Image Credit: bizjournals.com


In her book, The Lost Art of Dress, author Linda Przybyszewski acknowledges that some believe women should not place much importance on appearance or what to wear. She says,  "I think we worry about what we wear anyway, and if we had some of the information that the Dress Doctors were teaching, then we would know what we wanted to choose, what effect we wanted to have, and how to actually make it.”

PhD in Dressing

Image Credit: goodreads.com

On May 30,  the public radio program, Here and Now, featured one of my all-time favorite stories, "A Look at the Dress Doctors." Go here to listen to the show or to read highlights and see photos. 

Here is a nice tidbit from the book discussed on Here and Now, called  The Lost Art of Dress: The Women Who Once Made America Stylish, by Linda Przybyszewski:

"Dress Doctors—taught American women how to stretch each yard of fabric and dress well on a budget. Knowledge not money, they insisted, is the key to timeless fashion."

I cannot wait to read this book, in which Przybyszewski writes: "As a glance down any street in America quickly reveals, American women have forgotten how to dress. We chase fads, choose inappropriate materials and unattractive cuts, and waste energy tottering in heels when we could be moving gracefully. Quite simply, we lack the fashion know-how we need to dress professionally and flatteringly."