Finally wore 'em

I ordered these boots well over a month or two ago after receiving a gift card for DSW from a friend. So you would think I'd have worn them to death by now, right? Heck no. Why? I think it's because I've sunk back into that funk of mine as far as appearance goes, and only when I go to work. I mean, I wore the boots to Pete's dinner and party last night, and dressed up a bit, but come Monday I'll have a hard time convincing myself I should wear them to work. I got lots of compliments on them, but I'm not sure that will be enough for me to bring them back out again.

I wish I could work up the will to wear these lovelies, as well as all the other pretty stuff in my closet, but I've retreated into a pattern of comfort and minimal effort. I think it's partly because I'm more and more (and more) unhappy at work and don't feel like making the effort, but also because I've slid quite a bit in my fitness routine during the last few months. Essentially I have NO fitness routine since becoming sick back in December, when I was in the height of health, working out, and feeling better about myself.

It's been hard to get back into that grove, and I'm wondering what will give me that push back onto the treadmill, even if to just walk a little. Perhaps warmer weather, or just the itch to get back into a healthy routine. Whatever it may be, I know I'll be back at that point soon, because it's been on my mind a lot lately and my clothes have become rather ill fitting. If that's not a motivating factor, I don't know what is.

Officially obsessed

That funky theme song, those fashion victims crying out for help (and even better, those who aren't), the sarcastic yet helpful hosts, Stacy and Clinton...how can a girl NOT obsess?



I freely admit it, I'm totally obsessed with What Not to Wear. If it's on, I'm there. And the marathons? Like giving candy to a sugar addict. I'm in makeover heaven on those rare days.



What is it about this show that draws me in? I'm always a sucker for a good makeover, and there have been some seriously bad cases on the show. The best episodes are when the person is not only fully transformed on the outside, but on the inside too. You can see their excitement and confidence when they've finally figured out how to properly attire themselves.



I love it when Stacy and Clinton go through the person's closet and comment on various articles of clothing. Some people laugh and act sheepish, but others are outraged and fight for the last piece of polyester in their closet.



And the 360? How can they NOT see what they're doing wrong? Sometimes a glimmer of understanding begins here, when the person is confronted with their wardrobe from all angles, but there are still others who won't budge an inch.



Once the shopping is underway and Stacy and Clinton make their surprise appearance on Day Two, a transformation is clearly visible. And then Nick and Carmindy swoop in to make the finishing touches, although I don't always like the haircuts Nick gives. Does everyone have to have a chin-length haircut? Is long hair really so bad? And must everyone who has curly hair have their hair straightened?

At least most people are pleased and excited by their new looks, although there are always a few holdouts that are quite obviously NOT impressed. Those are the saddest cases, I think.



Anyhow, I'd love to babble on and on about What Not to Wear, but I can't. I'm in the middle of watching yet another episode—gotta go!

How do I look?

Taking a short break for some ramblings about style...



I often wonder what people think of what I wear. I guess that's bad, that they say you shouldn't care what people think of you. That's not what I'm talking about though. I'm more interested in their impressions of my wardrobe, what they think about me as a person, and what my clothes say in that regard.

Not that I care to the point of changing my style, but I do like approval, interest, and support. It sort of feeds my boldness and makes me go even farther out on that shaky limb called fashion. I like looking different from other people, but I think most people don't "get" me or what look I'm trying to go for. I suppose I don't often know myself, although I sometimes have emotions or themes in mind when I'm choosing an outfit.



Why do I care so much about trivial matters like my clothes? I guess it's because it's fun to express my artistic side in ways other than art, photography—heck, even writing. I realized that I rarely wear the same outfit twice (not counting my weekend cleaning/errand clothes). Do people think that's weird? Do they wonder what I'll wear to work, are they mildly amused, or do they not care at all? Do they think I'm a good candidate for "What Not to Wear," or are they inspired by my offbeat notions and sometimes questionable choices in attire?

I'm always fascinated by others and what they wear, why they wear it, and what it says about them. Are you? Not to say that I'm fascinating, but these are the thought processes that go through my head when I look at other people. Does that make me weird? I dunno.

Anyhow, just thinking out loud here. Back to playing with my pretty shoes...

Turquoise suede lace-up boots

Why do I like stuff like this? I saw these on Etsy and thought they were the coolest boots ever. I have trouble wearing all the boots and shoes I already own, much less a crazy pair like this, yet here I am drooling over them. They are so very cool, aren't they?

I think I'll just admire them for now and have pleasant daydreams about them while I'm at work tomorrow.

Massage afterglow

I'm taking it easy tonight after having yet another stressful, "Is it going to be today?" type day. It was quite timely that I had a massage scheduled today (a theraputic deep tissue massage for my Hooveritis). Usually, after I have a session I'm somewhat sore and tired and run down (although looser), because although all the kinks are worked out, the lymph nodes are also massaged and flushed out. So that's where I'm at now, taking peeks (okay, long looks) at Fashionist archives and watching Shatner's Raw Nerve. I'm going to hit the hay early and will miss out on catching up on all my blogs, but I think I need to keep up on my sleep. Otherwise the stress of my daily existence at work will catch up with my health.

I'm chewing over ideas for a funky and colorful outfit tomorrow that may involve a few inexpensive finds of mine, including these booties. Hopefully I'll feel up to sporting it tomorrow. Stay tuned!

Current obsession: Vintage boots from eBay

Some great size 8 vintage boots...






I'm currently into vintage boots, and I have found a wealth of them on the pages of eBay. Why vintage? Well, as you all know, I love shoes, and in recent weeks I've been exhausting myself looking through the racks at places like DSW, Famous Footwear, Marshall's, and the like for just the right boots. I'm particularly interested in three types of boots right now:

• Riding boots
• Knee-high high-heeled boots
• Cowboy boots

Now, of course I have a ton of knee-high high-heeled boots, but as you may know, I have rather healthy calves. Most of the boots I've come across either don't fit my legs, are too cheap/plastic-y looking, or way too expensive. I especially want to find a pair of KHHHB that I can fit over my jeans, as well as riding boots and cowboy boots that fit the same bill. I've never owned cowboy boots and I'm kind of picky about how they look (I don't want too much of a "Western" look) so eBay has been a great resource in that regard. And riding boots are all different as far as fit and style and the leather used. So this has been a bit of a challenge, but I'm always up for a challenge when it comes to shoes!





So of course I turned to eBay after being disappointed at both brick-and-mortar and online shoe stores. And I figured I'd look into vintage boots, because they are generally better priced, nicely worn, and made of better materials than something I can get for the same price that's new. These photos are from a selection of boots in my size that I found while browsing this afternoon. There are tons of other boots available in a vast array of sizes, too. I already snapped up a pair of gorgeous brown leather riding boots (first image, below), and have my eye on a stunning pair of cowboy boots (second image, below) and some pretty flowered high-heeled boots (third image, below). Many other pairs have caught my eye, but I have to proceed with caution because of those previously mentioned healthy calves o' mine. The prices are awesome, and I love the worn and well-loved (but still in great condition) look that these boots have.





Aren't they lovely? I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the cowboy boots might be a "Buy It Now" item (I emailed the seller requesting such a transaction). And I asked the seller of the floral boots about the calf size (again, those pesky healthy calves) and I'm waiting to hear what she has to say, since it's hard to see in the photo.

eBay can be a great source for shoes, but you need to be smart and careful about your purchases. Make sure the sizing is stated, and that the photos are clear and show the product in detail. And feel free to ask the seller about any damage, scuffs, wear, etc. You'll run across rather worn and damaged shoes that are being sold for ridiculous prices, but most of the shoes and boots are in pretty decent condition. The seller should also be willing to answer any other questions you have about the product, and they are sometimes open to a "Buy It Now" transaction (so that you don't have to bid with others and jack the price up). It can't hurt to ask, can it?

Now, back to all those lovely boots...

Happy hunting!

Pretty pencil skirt and slick black boots for an icy Thursday

Ann Taylor Loft wool pencil skirt with velvet trim (from thrift store), Nine West "Exotic" boots bought on clearance at DSW


Closeup of the skirt and velvet trim/bow detail (slip's showing!) and boots, plus the sweater knit tights that I never wear but really should, because they're so pretty (bought them from Target a few years ago)

(Boy, I should really invest some time in some new and different camera angles and outfit shots.)

The mini skirt

Speaking of mini skirts...

What do you define as a mini skirt? Who should wear one and who shouldn't? Why?



This is something I've been thinking about for quite some time, long before I turned 35 this September. It seems everyone has an opinion on how women should dress appropriately for their age (whatever that means). And the debate over how old you should be before you stop wearing mini skirts is a never-ending one.



It surprises me how worked up people get about this issue, too. I googled this subject and read many message board posts with varying opinions, all hotly debated. People's opinions range from the belief that no one should wear a mini past 18 to the belief that you should wear whatever you want, as long as your bits and pieces aren't hanging out and you look decent. A "mini" can be defined as hitting anywhere from a few inches above your knee to barely clearing the butt cheeks. I personally think anything resembling the latter is a micro-mini (as some of these photos show), and something like the skirt below is a more standard mini skirt length.



I must admit, I'm in that more easy-going group. I mean, if a woman wears a skirt that is, say, 4-5 inches above her knee, looks nice, and isn't completing the look with fishnets and spike heels, then what's wrong with that? Why must we suddenly adopt a certain dress code once we hit a certain age? I have seen 18 year olds wearing minis who struggle with the look, and 45 year olds wearing minis who look awesome.



Do I ever think about that older woman being too old for such a look? Of course not. I always admire people who look good, who are stylish, and who can rock a certain look. The more artistic and fashion-edgy element of society tends to buck the system and do whatever they please, but once you start talking about the rest of the population, there are suddenly rules and regulations about fashion. Of course, you should always follow the dress code of your particular job, but otherwise I think if you can swing it, why not?



To show how silly this age rule is, think of this. Should it be said that once you're over a certain weight you shouldn't wear, say, leggings? What weight would that be? 135 pounds? 150? 200? 300? You could stand two women side by side who are both the same weight and they can look radically different from each other. And why should either woman be restricted from wearing something because of a number? If they weighed 5 pounds more than the "limit", are they suddenly excluded from wearing leggings? Or should they keep a pair on hand in case they hit that magical number again? The same ridiculous argument applies to wearing a mini skirt, I think, except age is the deciding factor. But what about an 80 year old wearing a mini, you ask. Well, if she can work that outfit, then wow, I'm impressed! And if not? Hey, she's 80, she can do what she wants!



I saw this post on a message board regarding denim mini skirts today:



I see nothing wrong with wearing a denim mini skirt. How is it different from wearing a pair of shorts, aside from the fact that people might see your panties if you bend over too far? As long as you have the legs, who cares. I think the real issue is society is uncomfortable with women over a certain age flaunting their sexuality. For whatever reason, only teenagers and women under 40 are allowed to look attractive in clothes. We are told it's really because we're older and should have dignity and we're mothers and so on. But I think you can be an adult and have dignity while looking attractive and sexual. Nevertheless we seem uncomfortable with this idea and we're afraid of seeing the ravages of age that every woman over 35 supposedly have. As you can see with celebrities and women you may even know, not every female over a certain age has a terrible body that should be covered up. Many women 35 and older take really good care of themselves and in my opinion have earned the right to flaunt what they have. Part of the fun of being a woman is dressing up and showing off your figure. I don't know why a woman shouldn't enjoy it as long as she can. If anything, I think teenagers should dress more conservatively and adult women of every age should be free to showcase their sexuality.



Now, I'm not saying women should start wearing itty bitty skirts to flaunt what they have, and I don't think that's what this person meant. I think the point is if you feel like wearing a shorter skirt, why not? In the end, I think it should be the length of the skirt and not the age of the woman that should determine whether it should be worn or not.



What do you think?

(Third image courtesy of Corbis)

Gap plaid wool mini skirt and black boots for a slushy day

Gap plaid wool mini


Me in my mini and boots (and the lovely kitchen floor, under construction)


Oooh, look—pockets!

Today I wore my cozy but light Gap plaid mini skirt that I got on clearance several weeks ago for $15. At the time I bought it, it sat waaaay too high up on my hips (due to my more voluptuous frame back then) and I had to put it aside for a while. I whittled my waistline on my treadmill for the last month or so, and it seems to fit low enough on my hips now to be appropriate for wearing in public. Give me another month or two and it'll be another few inches lower. I paired the skirt with the black version of my beloved Chilis boots, which was perfect for today's inclement weather.

And look—my skirt has pockets! How cool is that?

Toasty Tuesday

Benetton scarf (from the Community Thrift Store, $1.88) and Delia's sweater


Vintage bracelet (from the Barrington sidewalk sale this summer) and Levi's


Nine West granny boots—first wear!


"Pearl" earrings bought for my wedding but never worn
(Pardon the neckne, I've been breaking out quite badly lately.)

I almost wore a nice skirt ensemble today, but I was a) feeling crappy and b) freezing. So I went with the scarf and sweater set. I always regret not wearing a skirt once I get to work, though. I arrive there and invariably there are fashionable skirts, shoes, and boots on parade. Then I feel like I missed out and should have just gone for it. And I almost always end up feeling better later in the day anyhow, so I really have no excuse, do I?

I played a little bit of fashion show for the animals tonight when we got home. I was trying to piece together an outfit for tomorrow featuring a skirt (snow be damned!) but was struggling to put just the right pieces together. I seem to buy things I like that don't necessarily match other things, so then I have to try to buy stuff that coordinates with my purchases. Anyhow, between detaching Dollie from my hanging shirts (my closet is a playland paradise to her) and making sure the dogs weren't getting into trouble, I couldn't concentrate on what I was doing. Maybe I'll feel inspired tomorrow when my mind is fresh and rested...I hope.

(Late) outfit round up

Just thought I'd share my look this week. Sometimes I can't wait to talk fashion and show people what I'm into, and other times I'd rather just schlepp to work in a potato sack (they look comfy but itchy). Since I was sick last week and didn't do too much fun outfit stuff, I thought I'd be more fun and colorful this week. So here goes...

Monday's look:

Plaid wool mini from Goodwill (sorry about my booty shot), brown belt from Target, cream turtleneck from Kohl's, green tights from Target, new brown Chilis boots from Marshall's, gold earrings from Target

Tuesday's look:

Black sweater dress from Target, black shrug from Old Navy, blue tights from Kohl's, Steve Madden black patent leather mary janes from Piperlime, blue and white glass necklace from Shoozles (Etsy), white earrings from Target

Today's look:

Gray argyle sweater from JCPenney, Levi's 515s from JCPenney, argyle flats from American Eagle for Payless, white earrings from Target

I'mot sure that you can see the entire ensembles in these pix, but there you have it. As you can see, I have been busy and unable to offer quality posts this week. I'm going to be cooking up a storm tonight but I plan to blog, blog away while the stuff cooks.

What have you been wearing lately? I'd love to see pix, or hear all about it. I'm always inspired by what other people do, too. Especially people like Georgia, who is one of the most stylish people I know. She "owns" her outfits, as she advised me to do, and I really admire that in her. I am a wimp and will concede to people's comments and insults, and I tend to throw creativity and color out the window sometimes in favor of blending in. But not Georgia! She is truly a unique and interesting person.

Anyhow, hope you're having a great day, and are going to spend some quality time with friends and family tomorrow eating some good food!