Breaking Out of a Fashion Rut, Part 2

Without further ado, I'd like to introduce the subject of this week's posts, Martha:

I'm going to tackle these 3 outfits at once today, because I feel they all have a common thread. I'm going to dub this look, "Martha Hides Her Figure." Now I happen to know from some of the other photos she sent that Martha has a terrific figure; however, my readers would be hard pressed to know it from these outfits. It occurred to me earlier today that although there was a long list of qualities Martha mentioned she was looking for in a wardrobe, 'sexy' was not among them. I'm going to take the liberty of adding it to the list, and try to gently steer this look in a more flirty direction.

I fully understand the appeal of these tops from a comfort standpoint: they don't constrict at all around your midsection, and they have the added benefit of masking any perceived flaws in that region. But they also do a gross disservice to your poor waist, which is completely obliterated by that A-line shape. In order to counteract the effect of the top, there needs to be a sexier look in the bottom half of the outfit. For this I'm going to suggest a skirt, which will be the subject of my shopping tips today.

I'm just going to sidetrack for a moment here and talk about the black slacks in the two photos above. While there is nothing inherently wrong with black dress slacks, I feel they stifle creativity for someone who's having difficulty getting out of a fashion rut, because they have limited potential for building really imaginitive outfits. So Martha, I'm going to present to you a little challenge, because I get the sense that you may rely on these slacks a little too much: I'm going to challenge you to not wear them for an entire month. It's tough love, folks, but I think Martha will thank me in the end. In fact, I'll play this challenge right along with you and build my next month's worth of outfits without my black slacks (although I'll fully admit to cheating here because I rarely wear them anyway), and when the month is up I'll showcase a couple of different looks with them. I'd hate for any items in your wardrobe to go to waste on my account, but I want to get you thinking in a new direction by setting some of your standby pieces aside for the time being.

OK, back to the skirts. A flirty, figure-hugging skirt that shows a little leg will give you back your feminine curves without sacrificing comfort. For today's outfit I chose my swingiest, most comfortable A-line top as a starting point to illustrate what I mean. The skirt I selected to counteract the loose-fitting top was this pencil skirt, which hugs my hips and does wonders for my bum. Though my actual hips aren't visible under the long top, the line of the skirt continues to taper where it emerges beneath the top's hem, which hints at the shape that's going on underneath. Sure, if you're 21 years old you can just throw on a micro miniskirt and you're done, but the over 30 crowd needs to be a little more subtle in our approach. So what you're looking for are skirts that suggest your shape without suggesting too much else.

In order to keep your fitted skirts comfy and fun to wear, keep these factors in mind:

1. Choose your waistband wisely. For non-elastic waistbands, look for ones that are wide (let's say an inch or more) and that rest on the hips rather than constricting your natural waist. You can always artificially create a high-waisted look with a wide belt, which I'll discuss later in this series. For elastic waistbands, test the elastic to make sure it's nice and stretchy, and that it still has plenty of give even when you have the skirt on.

2. Go for pleats over slits. Pleated hems, whether they be kick pleats, fishtails, box pleats, or any other type, are more comfortable than a simple slit. They also add an element of movement to the skirt that looks more interesting when you're walking. As an added bonus, the pleats can become a focal point that sets the skirt apart from plainer cuts.

3. Look for stretchy fabrics. Fabrics that have even a small percentage of lycra (the skirt I have on today has just 3%) have significantly more give than those without. A little stretch can make the difference between 'fitted' and 'tight.' There's certainly no point in wearing a comfy empire top if you're stuffed into your skirt.

There were a couple more tricks I employed today to slim down the line of this top; one was adding the long scarf. I tied it in a simple Windsor knot (like you'd tie a man's tie) to make it hang straight down the middle, drawing the eye up and down, rather than letting it get "stuck" on the baggy top. The second trick was to add the eye-catching socks. From the bright patterned scarf, the eye makes the natural transition down to the socks, which relate to the scarf in color but add a contrasting pattern. I'll go more into more detail about accessories such as scarves later this week.

I should point out that a pencil skirt is by no means the only way to offset a loose-fitting top. Here are a few other ways I've worn A-line and empire tops:


Finally, the details on today's outfit:
Brown top: Noa Noa
Black top: Max Studio
Scarf: Promod
Skirt: Sunhee Moon (this skirt, the Maren style, is still available on the website, but I'll warn you that the sateen fabric version is not at all as stretchy as the plaid)
Socks: Sock Dreams
Boots: Bata

Breaking Out of a Fashion Rut, Part I

This week I'm running a special series inspired by one of my readers, the lovely Martha, who you'll meet tomorrow. Martha is in a situation that I think a lot of women find themselves in at one point or another, namely a fashion rut. A couple of excerpts from the numerous emails we exchanged describe Martha's dilemma:

"I'm just in the phase of wanting to go through my closet and would love to cultivate a style that's more like yours- interesting, artistic, feminine, etc. But, as I look in my closet, that urge is at odds with my desire to be comfy and a bit schlubby in my yoga pants and Birkenstocks. Is it okay to be both sophisticated and quirky and comfy and casual, or is that just representative of a greater disconnect?"

"...I'm interested in the mix of comfortable, sophisticated, elegant, feminine and grown up but not old. I guess I feel like I'm in a demographic that's not the cute, young, partner-hunting group, but I'm not willing to submit to a lifetime of sweatpants and ponytails either. SO, there's a psychological component about getting together the energy and inspiration to do something different, and knowing that your presentation is significant (despite what my feminist mother told me about not buying into a commercial ideal of femininity.) There's also a personality and identity element- who am I and what do I want to project to the world? And then there's a technical element, particularly for those of us who aren't so visual as we would like; how does one go about picking out an original, thoughtful and courageous outfit. I have a feeling that all of these things are pretty rudimentary for someone with your skills, but please help those of us who may be trapped in boring suburban (mom) hell."

This is a pretty tall order, and I hope I'm up to the task. My goal this week is to cover some different elements each day, sharing shopping tips as well as strategies for building outfits. In addition, Martha was kind enough to share some photos of her current rut-bound wardrobe, which I will endeavor to restyle for her as the week progresses.

The underlying theme of the week's discussion is comfort, and how to maintain it while still cultivating a stylish and interesting look. Though I've been known to suffer for fashion occasionally, I really don't subscribe to the notion that comfortable clothes can't be stylish. The outfits I'll feature this week are all selected for maximum comfort. I'll get right to the heart of the matter and start with shoes (and accompanying legwear), since they play such a huge role in how comfortable an outfit is. Here are a few things to consider with regard to shoes and legwear:








1. Chunky, substantial heels are far better suited for all-day wear than stilettos. The danger is that a chunky heel can sometimes look matronly if you're not careful. Check out today's shoes, a pair of vintage Enzo Angiolinis I found at the Goodwill over the weekend. They're on the left in the photo above, along with a few other pairs that illustrate the type of heel I prefer. Compare them with the others I've selected here. Pretty conservative, right? Pair those suckers with a calf-length skirt and a chunky cardigan, and I'm halfway to suburban momville myself. However, pair them with some duelling argyle patterns and a funky floral jacket, and all of a sudden they've crossed over to geek chic. If you don't want to think about it quite so hard, there are a few brands that I know I can count on to offer substantial heels AND interesting style. John Fluevog definitely takes top billing in this category, with their quirky retro-inspired styles and interesting color combinations. Fly London and Camper are a couple of other brands that come to mind.

2. Keep in mind that an expensive, well-constructed shoe made of quality materials is not always guaranteed to be comfortable. A beautiful shoe is a work of art, but a comfortable shoe is a work of architecture, and the two don't always go together. Whenever I'm interested in a brand I haven't worn before, I always make sure to do plenty of research and read the online reviews first. There are plenty of brands out there that offer both style and comfort, so make sure you've done your homework lest you drop a lot of cash on a pair of beautiful torture devices.

3. Make sure your shoes can accommodate your legwear. A great way to add zing to an outfit is with funky legwear, but it can sometimes be tough to find the colors and patterns you're looking for in tights, particularly if you're really going for warmth. In order to add more variety to my cold weather outfits, I wear a lot of above-the-knee and thigh high socks, which opens up loads more possibilities than tights. If you plan on wearing your shoes with socks and tights, make sure you wear a good thick pair when you go shoe shopping, or consider ordering your shoes a half size up when online shopping. A great selection of fun and interesting socks and tights can be found at Sock Dreams. While we're on the subject of legwear, I'll also add that it is well worth the price to invest in quality tights with a high percentage of wool or cotton, such as Cronert or MP. They're far warmer, more comfortable, and more durable than cheap nylon tights.

4. Give yourself some extra support. If your stylish, interesting shoes lack the arch support you need, or if your feet slip around a lot and rub blisters on your toes, consider adding some insoles. The ones I really love are Superfeet insoles, which come in all sorts of different thicknesses and for different purposes. If you find that adding the insole makes your shoes too tight, just rip out the one that's already in the shoe. Superfeet aren't cheap, but they can easily be swapped between different pairs of shoes for maximum usage, and they last at least a year or more. They can make the difference between a pair of shoes that just looks great and a pair that you really look forward to wearing all day.

Tomorrow I'll introduce Martha and help her restyle one of her outfits, as well as covering another outfit element. I'll close this post with the details of today's ensemble:

Top: I.N.C.
Cardigan: La Redoute
Skirt: thrifted
Socks: Sock Dreams
Shoes: thrifted
Jacket: Liquid

80's Night

On Saturday Mark, Jess and I attended an 80's party where our friend Tom's band was playing. Jess and I spent several hours that day scouring the huge Goodwill store on Mission Street in search of the perfect outfits. We came up with a rocker look for Jess and a loud preppy look for me. Mark sported a new wave look, though his skinny black tie is barely visible here.

Ironically, I wouldn't have been caught dead in this getup when I was in high school in the 80's (not that I would now either, unless I was going to an 80's party, of course). I would've been dressed a lot more like Jess, in fact. In The Breakfast Club, she'd have been the Molly Ringwald character and I'd have been Ally Sheedy, but for Saturday night's party it was a bit of role reversal.






How perfect was it that we found a t-shirt with a picture of the Space Needle on it for Jess??