Dressing for the weather

We’ve been having storms for the past few weeks here. My basement flooded with about fourteen inches of water last night and got me thinking about dressing for the weather. Braving the weather on certain days of the year certainly takes courage, but attempting to look cute on these days adds entirely new layers of challenges (pun intended). It’s so funny how much the weather can affect our moods. Some people feel gloomy and tired on rainy days. Many people feel grumpy when dealing with snow and ice. And most people feel happy on a bright, sunny day. Of course there are exceptions on humid and hot, sticky days, which make you feel exhausted and drained. You can try to avoid melancholy of rainy days by having a few cute accessories that brighten your day and mood. Firstly, a cute umbrella is a must. Not only are they effective in keeping you warm and dry, but you can also turn a few heads with the right choice and style. Next, you’ll need some adorable rain boots to complete the look. It’s days like this that I recommend you wear a nice knee-length flowing dress that you feel gorgeous in, a pair of tights, some simple but attention catching jewelry, your raincoat, and maybe a scarf over you head for a touch of vintage. With this look, you’ll be ready for a good kiss in the rain! Snow days can be an even bigger challenge. You want something that will keep you warm (obviously) but not make you sweat while you’re trudging through mountains of ice and brushing the snow off of your car. A good sturdy pair of boots are a must for these conditions. I recommend a cute pair of knee-high black leather boots. They keep you warms and dry, but you can still look well kept and professional for work or school. If you choose to wear pants, I recommend something you can tuck into your boots and keep dry. Nothing can ruin you day like a wet pant cuff that makes you sick with a cold for the rest of the week. The look that works for most women on these days is a warm yet breathable sweater dress, leggings, a long but feminine coat, cute hat and scarf, and gloves to match your boots. Hot days also present a challenge. You want to wear something cute and trendy, that not too revealing, but at the same time will keep you cool. Light layers and breezy materials are your friends! But be sure that the sheer articles won’t be a set-up for disaster or wardrobe malfunction. 

http://simplesong.typepad.com/home/2008/09/

http://myfashionhere.blogspot.com/2011/05/rain-boots.html

http://howimetyourfatherblog.blogspot.com/2010/04/rain-boots-and-wellies-fashion-friday.html

http://www.feelstyles.com/category/clothing-3/women-clothing-3/raincoat/

http://thefedorachronicles.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7094

Rotating Your Wardrobe

Everyone has their favorite articles of clothing that they wear regularly. Most everyone is guilty of having those articles for an occasion that will never arise, but we keep anyway. What about the pieces you are afraid to wear? Sometimes those pieces should be immediately thrown out because your gut feeling is indeed correct, and no one wants to see that. But I like to encourage people to take chances with their wardrobe. However, be sure to test the outfit before you take the plunge though! You can do this by wearing it around your apartment and in the privacy of your own home to make sure there wont be any wardrobe malfunctions – it’s always fun to play dress-up, so enjoy it! Maybe make a night of it! Enjoy a glass of wine and listen to some fun music while playing a solo round of dress up to test your fun and daring outfits you never get a chance to wear out. Also ask others what their thoughts are. If you have tested the outfit for wardrobe malfunctions, and heard all the criticisms, and are still daring enough to wear it out – I say go for it! But finding these pieces can be a challenge when they are in the back of your closet and hidden under other articles. My suggestion is to rotate your closet and drawers when you do laundry. In order to switch things up, you need to take action. Instead of folding your clean clothes and putting them on top of your less secure safe choices, and rotate them out – make a change and put them on the botton for once – crazy, I know! When the clothes you are more afraid to wear are right in front of you, and not out of sight and out of mind, you will be more inclined to wear them. 

http://www.arizonafoothillsmagazine.com/valleygirlblog/news/10-tips-for-organizing-your-closet/

http://www.askmen.com/fashion/fashiontip_400/496_am-rule-refresher-maintain-your-wardrobe.html

http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2009/10/06/how-to-stop-buying-clothes-you-never-wear/

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/706897-articles-of-clothing-you-ll-never-do-without-never-wear

Neck Ties

Neck ties have been worn by men for centuries. Roman soldiers use to wear them in order to identity themselves to certain groups. These scarves eventually transformed into cravats, which turned into neck cloths, bandannas, bow ties, ascots, and finally, the long tie. The industrial revolution motivated men to find a neck accessory that was easy to put on, tie, and would remain on and tied throughout the work day. The long neck tie became the norm for men, and remains so to this day. There are many different types of neck ties but even more ways to tie them. For example, the four-in-hand knot, grantchester knot, half-windsor, Windsor, pratt, and small knot are a few ways. I prefer a Windsor knot myself – I like the symmetry and neatness of the look. Seeing a well dressed man in a Windsor – forget about it! However, choosing the right neck tie is paramount. The right necktie can compliment and enhance, the wrong one can draw attention in a bad way.

Over the years width and length of ties have changed, as do all trends. In the 60s, ties became extremely thin. I think that this also relates to the length of womens’ hems on skirts and dresses. Which I have found is usually relative to the economy. As the economy becomes stronger, hem lengths usually become longer. My real question is why women do not wear the same accessory? You would have thought that after “Anne Hall,” the trend of women wearing ties would still be in. It’s a shame because I think that the look can be quite adorable on women. I’ve got a few neck ties of my own, but my life has been leaning more and more towards the professional side of business and wearing them gives people a bad impression. –But the look may just be too tempting for me to resist!

http://www.beautiesltd.com/category/neck-ties

http://amanincharge.wordpress.com/tag/necktie/

http://alexandraschorndorf.wordpress.com/2012/01/11/women-wearing-ties/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/never-never-land/galleries/72157632179294039/

Hats

As most of you can probably tell, I love thrift shopping. During my spring break, I went thrift shopping for less than an hour – believe me, it wasn’t enough. During my paroosing time, I found some amazing hats. I will also be starting a new job this summer, so I’m always on the lookout for new professional articles of clothing. The hats that I found would have gone amazingly with some of my suits. Unfortunately, these accessories would have been a bit of an overstatement and too bold for the industry that I will be going into. Heartbroken, I left them behind. But the experience got me thinking how sad it is that we don’t wear such beautiful accessories anymore.

I believe that this is mainly because our culture has become less formal. Finding an appropriate occasion and venue to wear hats is becoming a challenge. The baseball cap while jogging, or the sunbonnet while gardening maintain their roles in today’s fashion culture. Fedoras have becoming increasingly popular on the beach, and knit caps are sported by many groups of peoples. However, wide brimmed hats and bonnets are no longer appreciated. There are still some islands of use such as the Kentucky Durby or polo games, but I for one have never been to such events.

This yearning to enjoy the femininity of a good hat was satisfied on Easter Sunday; my sister joined me in this delight. My bonnet was a black, wide brimmed hat, which folded at just the right place for that peek-aboo look. My sister chose a tan straw hat. It had three half-inch white ribbon surrounding the brim, creating a halo effect. She wore the brim raised over her left eyebrow to give it a sophisticated touch. Although my craving has been satisfied since my thrift shopping experience, I still yearn for chapeaux times gone by.

Here's one of my favorite's:

http://youngbrain.us/womens-hats-are-fashionable/

http://www.etsy.com/listing/41813264/late-1930s-early-1940s-burgundy-womens

http://www.sandiegohat.com/Womens/FallWinterWomens/ChaChaWomensFW12/CHA6360

http://hollandhats.com/catalog/i1070.html

Shoes

Shoes. We all wear them. What was initially created to protect your foot against the elements of nature has since evolved into an aesthetic statement and status symbol. Shoes take the biggest beating of all our articles of clothing. They pound the pavement. There is a shoe for every activity now. Before people only wore sandals. As time went on people wore shoes for work, recreational activities, as well as special events. Now people have running shoes, yoga shoes, soccer cleats, equestrian boots.

As an accessory, the shoe must now match the outfit you are sporting.

Men tend to purchase shoes based on functionality. Women buy shoes for specific purposes, but also for aesthetic purposes and form of catharsis. Putting on a dress that doesn’t fit diminishes your self-image, where as the size of your shoe does not have a stigma associated with it. For women, shoes are like candy; it’s one of the only articles of clothing that you can try on and almost always wear the same size. Shoes never betray you; no matter how much you weight fluctuates, they are there to support and enhance you no matter what state you are in.

The high heel. A piece that many believe was created by men to objectify women has since been reclaimed by women. The dominatrix would not be seen without her thigh high six-inch stiletto heeled boots, and the high powered female executive would never leave home without her red soled Christian Louboutins. High heels have become what the power tie or the power suit is to men. The fact that the heel actually does elevate us, gives us a true sense of power.

Here's one of my fav's!
http://correcttoes.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/my-pictures1.jpg

http://vmacandcheese.com/2010/10/19/ten-things-tuesday-high-heeled-oxfords/

http://pieceofvirtue.blogspot.com/2012/04/shoes-shoes-and-more-beautifully.html

http://www.swingfashionista.com/2009/07/remix-vintage-shoes-at-swing-crash-festival-italy-june-2009/