Showing posts with label clothes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label clothes. Show all posts

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Because My Friends Cannot Make Decisions Without Your Help Either

Interweb, your assistance is requested regarding A Very Important Fashion Decision. A wedding-related fashion decision...which is pretty hardcore in the realm of clothing choices. The marriage may not last, but those photos are around FORFUCKINGEVER. (Just ask my mom about the harassment she has endured at the hands of her only child. Hey, if you wear a lampshade hat, expect me to comment on it, OK?) For the first time in the history of someone getting married I am NOT the one required to don a bridesmaid dress. But we have a Bridesmaid Virgin on our hands and she needs our help.

Miss Katie will be in her very first wedding in September, which is actually very exciting. The bride has chosen dresses offered through an online boutique, and has designated "persimmon" as the color. However, being a reasonable sort, she is allowing each girl to choose her own style. Here is where you can help.
We have a little poll going where you can vote on which style Katie should choose. She has it narrowed down to two, but is open to suggestions if you feel strongly. You can vote in the comments, too, and all opinions will be considered.

Here is Katie, in case you haven't met her:



Check out the dress options here http://lulakate.com/bridal/. Katie is leaning toward the Ashley or the Katherine (which would be kinda cute since that is her name and all, but not really a requirement), but open to suggestions if the overwhelming majority feels differently. This is kind of reminds me of playing dress-up with my dolls only it's a real, live person. Who really likes wine. See why we're friends?

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

What to Wear Wednesday: Special Double Issue

Today we have TWO questions and since I feel like an ass for making people wait, I'll address them both in one post. We'll call it a "Hotties from Pasadena" special edition if you will.

Our first question is from KB:

"When is it appropriate to wear brown and black together? I seem to scoff whenever I see them together."

I have never really been a fan of mixing black and brown. Call me a rule-follower or unimaginative, but I couldn't quite wrap my head around a way to mix the two but still create a cohesive outfit. BUT! My friend Roadtripper got me hooked on a fabulous fashion blog: http://whatiwore2day.blogspot.com/ and she has included some photos and examples of how she pulls this off. (Sidenote: I fully realize I am cribbing info from someone else, but I am also CREDITING the original artist like a good little English major so back off, OK?)


Here are some photos of how Kasmira, the author, mixes black and brown. While these outfits may not be everyone's cup of tea, I give her credit for linking the colors through accessories and managing to look purposeful rather than haphazard. It seems like you need to have a base, black OR brown, and then add accessories in the other color, and THEN a pop of something else just to keep yourself from being too boring. If you give it a whirl, send me some tips and photos!

Question #2 comes from Auditing Your Outfit and it is a doozy, kids.

"So my question does not pertain to fashion advice for myself (although I could definitely use it), but how to approach and solve the issues of others. And by others I do not mean the people I like to gawk at in Starbucks or at the grocery store. I mean those in my office. A place of business. A conservative corporate giant where it is supposed to be an honor to work (or something like that). All of these people have a college eduction, some even have a masters or a law degree. But for whatever reason, they cannot fathom that it is inappropriate to:

1) Wear pants that are a good inch too short (with white sport socks, sometimes)
2) Rock the camel-toe as though their names are actually Annie
3) Dress as though they can go directly from work to the club with ease
4) Sport 2-3 inches of cleavage (and still wonder why people don't look at thier face in meetings)
5) Appear in apparal my mother (or grandmother actually) would have been wearing circa 1986 (not in a cool retro way, let's not give people the benefit of the doubt here)

Those are the top 5.

Now I am not saying that its not okay to have commited one of the aforementioned offenses. It is NOT okay that committing the offenses is the norm rather than exception to the rule. It is an accounting firm people. Don't show up to work in an outfit that you stole from the set of Flashdance and think people are going to take you seriously in a meeting. Save that for when I see you at Starbucks or the grocery store. How, oh how do I even tell these people they are so so wrong? Please help."

Oh Auditing... It's like we work at the same place! Chico is a very casual, laid-back town and our entire campus reflects that vibe but damn, some people really take it to an extreme. Shorts and flip-flops are not the way to go when you work in an office. People use the hot summer weather as an excuse or claim comfort, but I am a firm believer that a skirt and nice sandals are just as comfy, cool and likely more flattering. And, you know, WORK APPROPRIATE.

We have a couple of issues going on here: inappropriate attire vs straight up fugly. Let's address the former first.

If someone who reports to you is dressing inappropriately (too casual, too revealing, whatever), pulling him or her aside for a little chat is fine. Or, you can have HR do your dirty work for you: a well-crafted memo reminding people of What is Acceptable and What is Not OK might help kick some butts into professional gear. Specific examples work here (mentioning cleavage, short skirts, etc) and you don't need to run around talking to everyone individually. And if you have an actual dress code for your office/corporation, post it or attach it to the memo. A procedure can be enforced. Bonus: YOU are not the Bad Cop. It's The Man keeping everyone down.

Now for the problem of bad taste. Yeah, if people are dressing within the confines of what is technically acceptable, but are doing so poorly (ie a suit with shoulder pads) there isn't much you can do unless you just want to start calling people out. Note: I am not really opposed to this, just not sure if you want to be known as the Style Police. If you are friends with one of the offenders, invite her to lunch near a store with some cute outfits in the window. Stop in front of the store and INSIST you go in and have her try something on. Rave about how freaking adorable she is until she buys it. Compliment the improvements to the wardrobe and point out flattering pieces.

I did this with a co-worker and there has been a marked improvement in her daily wear. Sure, she sometimes wears black pants with white socks and brown shoes (for reals) BUT more often than not she's looking more polished and like she put a little thought into her look. True story.
Sometimes a little positive reinforcement goes further than telling people they look like shit. Best of luck!

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

What to Wear Wednesday. Or Something Like That?

It's no secret that I like to tell people what to do and think my official title should be The Boss of You. We can blame it on being an only child for close to 28 years. Or being my mother's daughter.

With some prodding from FraochNiCymru, I am starting up a little advice column...but with a specific purpose. Can you guess what it is?

Well, I'll give you a hint:

Anyone who owns this much lip gloss knows her shit.

And anyone who owns THIS should not be ignored.


I know what you may be thinking. Aren't you the girl perpetually covered in crumbs? Didn't you used to have feathered bangs? And isn't there a picture of you in your high school yearbook sporting a top from Wet Seal with a matching fucking scrunchie? Yes, I will own up to all of the above. Let's just look past all that and move forward, mmmk?

Here is how this works: you send me a fashion or beauty related question and I answer it on Wednesday*. The more details you include, the better chance I have of providing actual help. Simple enough, right? Let's do this! Your questions could be about what to wear for a specific event, the right moisturizer for your skin, or ideas on how to use your new green clutch that doesn't "go" with anything else in your closet. You can email me or leave a question in the comments section.

Hit me with your best shot.



*Why Wednesday? Because it's Hump Day and that cracks me up. Don't look at me like that. This isn't parenting advice or finishing school, OK?

Sunday, February 1, 2009

My Favorite Things: What I'm Wearing

There have been some requests for photos of some of my Favorite Things in my wardrobe. It's Monday, I'm bored, and I have a camera. Let's do this!

Chicken Dress: I found this frock at a store here in Chico in their small "vintage" section. It was so 1950's and fun and inexpensive so I snagged it. Why is it called "The Chicken Dress" you ask? Because the pattern features flowers and chickens. Duh. I wore it to church with my grandma and she went crazy over it; I've seen pictures of her back in the day and she was one stylin' fox (how she managed that while wrangling five rambunctious boys I'll never know) so I'm taking that as a compliment. It's not lined and the skirt is see-through so I have to wear a slip with it, which actually makes me feel really proper and all Sandra Dee-ish.


This one's for you, Roadtripper... Please note the classy location for this photo shoot: my bathroom.

Black Boots: My quest for black boots was a complicated one, mostly because I am high-maintenance. I didn't want TOO high of a heel, or TOO pointy of a toe, and I also didn't want something that looked like it was straight out of Herman Munster's closet and I didn't want anything that looked like someone took a Bedazzler to it...my list of demands was ridiculous, really. Luckily DSW came to the rescue with this pair by Bandolino. Hallelujia!

How do I *really* know these are a winner? Gay men gave it the thumbs up.


Anthropologie Skirt: The skirt that made me Anthro's bitch for life. Eight years after its purchase I still wear it as much as possible and receive compliments on the unique style. Sometimes I worry it's a bit much. I mean, it's pretty bright and features sparkles - but if that doesn't describe me, I don't know what does. The material is soft and it makes me feel pretty. So there.

The bright colors! The beading at the bottom! So in love after all these years!


Pashmina Collection: All the haters out there can shut it. Go ahead and argue that pashminas are SO 1998. Whatever. They are cozy and can add some color to a blah outfit. And double as a blankie on an airplane. Magic! These photos should be proof that I have A Problem but they are all used, so I feel OK about that.

Exhibit A: The winter/fall color collection

Exhibit B: The spring/summer collection


Pink Clutch: Elisabeth sent this to me for my birthday one year and I may have actually squealed a little when I unwrapped it. It's completely girly - pink AND sparkly - which is nice for a tomboy like me.

Hello, Lover...

The Super Classy T-Shirt Collection: Lest you think I'm the Queen of England, here's evidence that CKD knows how to rock and roll all night, AND party every day. With, you know, breaks for snacks and napping of course. Probably the best purchases of 1998, really. The "Dick's" shirt is from a burger place in Seattle, hence the tagline "Where TASTE is the difference." I don't wear these shirts out in public anymore, but there was a time when I didn't think twice about sporting them out and about. My mom did not love that phase.

Van Halen, 1980 Invasion. Oh heeeelllll yes!

This shirt is so bright you can probably see it from space. Obviously, it was love at first sight.