The other night in yoga class, my teacher talked about the principle of “effort and ease.” Basically, it means that in our yoga practice, we need to find a balance between the effort and intensity that we put into our physical practice, with the calming of our minds as we relax into each pose. To get the most out of our yoga practice, there must be a balance between our minds and our bodies. View Post
I love distressed jeans. And since it appears that they are still among the trends for Spring 2017 (yay!), I thought it would be fun to talk about how those of us who might have worn them the first time they appeared on the fashion scene in the 60’s might wear them now . . . or not. View Post
Remember when I mentioned my friend Dona’s styling service called Shop Your Closet? Well, we decided that once in a while, we’d shop MY closet and do some wardrobe styling. Maybe this will give you an idea or two of how to make new outfits from forgotten items in your own closet.
So, to start, I found a favorite pair of pants that I rarely wear. They’re made from a kind of brocade-ish, black & green satin/polyester fabric with a nice weight to them. Since they’re a little on the fancy side, I typically only pull them out for holiday gatherings and events – one season a year.
I love these pants and recently wore them in a more casual setting – and it worked well. So Dona and I thought we’d try a couple of additional options to see if I could get even more use out of them.
I don’t know about you, but I love every outfit that we came up with. Take a look and let me know what you think.
This first option includes a long tunic shirt open with a neutral cami under, and a scarf to provide balance. The burgundy shoes give the outfit a nice pop of color that adds visual interest. This outfit would work well in the office, lunch with the girls or out to dinner.
The next outfit features a denim shirt knotted just below the waist with a black cami under and cute black mules. We added the sparkly necklace as a fun nod to the “fanciness” of the pants. This would work well for running errands or any casual event like a book group gathering or a lunch date.
Wearing a gold satin blouse with a long cardigan sweater and a chunky necklace lends this outfit a slightly more uptown vibe. The pop of red in the necklace again adds a little visual interest. This outfit would work in an office setting or business meeting, nice dinner out or even to the theater or similar event.
Why not take a fresh look at your own closet and see if you can take a lonely item and make friends with it. Or if you’re in So Cal, give Dona a shout out. Her fresh eyes are 20/20!
Till next time,
Judy
Meet my dear friend, Dona. She’s a stylist, comedienne, trusted friend and a downright amazing human being. We’ve been friends for . . . wait for it . . . . 46 years! We met in our high school Choir, and as they say, the rest is history. Our senses of humor or silliness, and our love of fashion were the instant glue that bound us together. Our friendship has endured many changes in our lives.
And now, here we are starting a new adventure together.
What you wear is a kind of shorthand communication that tells people something about you. Conservative? Artsy? Sporty? Stuck in a time warp? Hiding from the world? Elegant? Fancy? Hip? There are as many definitions, or stories, as there are people. And there is no wrong answer (well, almost no).
I love how I can use my clothes to make me feel a certain way. I love how what I wear helps me tell the world who I am – or at least who I am that day. I love how I become more confident when I wear something that makes me feel the most like . . . well, me.
Clothes let you tell your own story.
Just to be perfectly clear, when I use the word “story,” I’m not suggesting that we be untruthful or phony. I’m a communicator by trade and by nature, so to me, it’s important to use whatever means at my disposal to send the right message, to tell my story.
For example, my story can be summed up as Harmony Designed: