Eccentric, Informative, and Delightful

Photo credit: pbs.org


Last night I discovered a delightfully quirky program called "Tales from the Royal Wardrobe".  PBS states that in this show, "Dr. Lucy Worsley, Chief Curator at Historic Royal Palaces, will peek under the robes of Kings and Queens past and present, asking what their chosen garments reveal about their reigns, what message they were trying to project with their selected attire and how their majesties’ sartorial choices influenced the fashion of the day."

My younger daughter and I got a kick out of the obvious glee Dr. Worsley had in describing what royalty wore and why. Most of all, we loved watching Dr. Worsely dress up in royal attire and glide around like a queen or king or just a fancy lady. We learned about whalebone undergarments, codpieces, and the symbolism found in Queen Elizabeth's gowns. Great fun!

Sunday Wardrobe Wisdom

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From Clinton Kelly in his book "Freakin' Fabulous on a Budget":

Have you ever looked at the backside of a mannequin? The clothes are all completely pinned up, twisted, and pulled to look perfect. So, if the clothes on the rack don't even look good on the proportionally "perfect" mannequin, how will they ever look perfect on you? All I'm saying is: Be aware. Nothing is as perfect as it seems.

Just One Thing

I find it refreshing to have a very small, precise shopping list. Right now, the only item my wardrobe seems to lack for spring and summer is a white dress. Although this may sound like a simple garment, what I am looking for is quite particular in terms of fabric, fit, and style. I sure wish I sewed well enough to make exactly what I seek. I like the one above, but would want a less puffy version.

It's not to early to consider what you may be looking for this next season. Were there any voids in your wardrobe last year that you would like to fill? Start making your list now and do some mindful, specific shopping. It is much easier to be disciplined when you know what you are looking for.

An Artist to Admire

Photo credit: www.thesun.co.uk

Musical artist Florence Welch has so many admirable qualities: she's smart, has a gorgeous, powerful voice, is a spectacular performer, is smart, and seems very in touch with herself and her goals. Reading in Sunday's Los Angeles Times about Welch's thoughts on fashion made me admire her even more. I love what she had to say when asked about work clothing:
 
"When I’m working really hard on a project, like making an album, I can't get dressed. I have to  put on the most simple pair of leggings and a black T-shirt, because actually getting dressed up is a form of creative expression, it’s a form of using your imagination, and when I have to make a record I have no other thoughts left. ... If I need to get from [point] A  to [point] B without getting noticed I put on full sports gear. No one thinks it’s me at all because they can’t put those two things together. I can hide [that way] if I need to."

Sometimes Inspiration Strikes. . .

 
Image credit: sparkonit.com

and sometimes it does not. In the past two weeks, I have not written a blog post and have been trying to figure out why I feel so uninspired. Have I not been in stores enough recently? Am I tired of my own wardrobe? Why haven't the magazine articles, newspaper fashion columns, and other bloggers posts not sparked an idea for a post? What is my problem?

When I look back on recent weeks, I see that my days have been very full and quite stressful. Focusing on clothing and fashion and developing thoughtful insights into them takes energy, and I simply have not had it. I realize that my eyes have zoomed in on particular tasks and have not noticed what people are wearing around me, something I normally do all the time. When I have picked up something to read about fashion, I've ended up skimming it quickly instead of folding corners of pages over, highlighting words I like, and tearing out pictures that strike my fancy. In short, my mind has been full of too many other things to add Wardrobe Wisdom to it.

However, it's a new week.  My life has slowed down a bit and I'm breathing more easily. I am ready to be conscious of what people are wearing around me and can keep my mind on what I am reading. Moreover, I feel giddy about checking out what is new in Santa Barbara's stores this week and will be doing some serious people watching. Look out!

The French

Image Credit:mareseosullivan.com
Whenever I try to explain what I do in my wardrobe consulting work to my relatives in France, they always ask me why American women have so many clothes. There are some shopping tips to be gleaned from the French. So read this post from Verily about Frenchwomen's shopping habits.

Marcus Samuelsson

Photo credit: nytimes.com

Someone whose clothing style always makes me smile is chef Marcus Samuelsson. I have his new cookbook, Marcus Off-Duty, and while the recipes and stories are enticing, the photos of Samuelsson stand out. Here is someone who likes color, knows what styles suit his body shape, and has fun with clothing. And he can cook! Bravo.