Sparkling in Sequins

The office holiday party occurred this week.  There was lots of anticipation buzzing about the office.  And there have been lots of chatter about the dos and don'ts for office parties on the airwaves this week.  I was trying to decide between this outfit and another dress that I have in my closet.   This outfit won because I was tired after work and could not deal with the thought of a dress when I was feeling cold.  I made the mistake of wearing 3 inch heels during the day and opted for a lower heel in the evening.  My intention was to wear flats during the day.  I was really excited to wear this blouse since I have not had an occasion to wear this top.  I am not a girl who is comfortable wearing sequins causally or during the day.  But I am glad that I purchased a light colored sequin top.  I usually gravitate to the darker colors in sequins.  But this works for some reason.  I opted for minimal jewelry with this outfit.  It's laid back but chic at the same time.  Mission accomplished.  What will you be wearing to the office party this year? 

Monday

Hi all!  I hope that you had a great Monday.  I started the day very tired and wondering when my next vacation day would occur.  Unfortunately, after counting my days I figured out that I had used up all my vacay days.  Ugh!  Luckily, we have a few holidays coming up.  Paired with some creative planning for weekends, I think that I will be able to make the next few weeks restful and relaxing.

Are you wondering how I plan to accomplish this?  So, am I.  But I am hopeful.  I will look to the things that recharge and excite me.  And mix this up with a little R&R.  So, I'll be spending time catching up with friends, going to movies, checking out new museum exhibits, attending yoga and Pilates classes.  In a word, I will do all the things that I enjoy and none of the things that feel like a chore!  I will watch TV shows that I enjoy, cook, smell the roses and reconnect with people who are important to me.  While I do these things now to some extent, I feel a little disconnected and I want to be proactive and intentional as we move into the holiday season.  Usually this time of the year is so overwhelming for me, that I end up heading for the hills and hiding away.  This is followed by recriminations and sadness over missed opportunities to connect with loved ones.  

So I challenge you to recharge yourself now.  Make a plan now to keep yourself grounded during the holiday season and plan to enjoy this magical time of the year.  I am secretly hoping that by doing these things, I'll also stay healthy.   Please share how you stay centered and less frantic during the holiday season.  

Why I blog about fashion?

I have a secret to tell you.  I love fashion!  I don’t try to hide this aspect of my personality.  But I have discovered that it is difficult to find folks who share my enthusiasm for fashion.  When I was a child, I loved playing dress up and imagining all the clothes that I could wear.   This turned into visions of modeling, which I pursued as a young adult.   Since modeling was not compatible with my long-term career goals, I now live vicariously through shows like America’s Top Model and Project Runway.

But knowing about fashion and perusing the fashion magazines is not enough for me.  I want to talk about fashion and discuss the reasons why wool is a better fabric than silk to use in the construction of a garment.  Or how ingenious CoCo Chanel was in using tweed (a serviceable and inexpensive material taken from her friend’s factory) to make her now signature suits for women.  What’s fun about fashion is that it is a topic that all women can discuss.  And discussing the pros and cons of one’s choice has great possibility since everyone’s approach to clothing and fashion is different. 

Chanel-inspired Tweed Jacket. Photo by Meanreds99

I would like to share my tips on clearly expressing one’s personal style.  A well-dressed woman always intrigues me whether she is wearing jeans or a ball gown.  There is a certain aura to a woman who is confident in her style.  This kind of confidence cannot be taught but once you uncover it within yourself, you’ll be unstoppable.   

So, this blog is a way to connect with like-minded fashionistas and to document my journey to becoming the well-dressed woman who turns heads for all the right reasons. 

Autumn colors

So I have some exciting news to share with you.  I love fall.  But today's weather is not autumn-like weather.  It feels more like winter.   Burr!  Good thing I had gloves in my coat pockets.  But back to fall.  I love the transition time when everything changes.  The leaves change colors and fall from the trees.  The weather becomes cool and brisk.  Activities like apple picking, corn mazes and fireside s'mores abound.  I look forward to the time when I can exchange my T-shirts and shorts for sweaters, scarves and flannel.  

I am really excited because I have started a new project this week.  I have signed up for an e-course, Blogging Your Way, offered by one of my favorite bloggers Holly Becker of decor8!  My BFF introduced me to Holly's blog about 3 years ago.  I recall being impressed by how pretty and organized this blog was (and continues to be!).  Decor8 has great design content and wonderful breadth and depth of information.  So, when I learned about this course I jumped at the chance to participate.  I don't know that my blog will ever compare to decor8.  But if I can come close to the presentation of this blog, I know that I will have made great strides and come a little bit closer to my goal.  Stay tuned!

Movie Night

Spent a wonderful evening catching up with friends and viewing a movie featured at the American Film Institute for the Latin American film festival.  There are great movies to be seen.  If you are in the DC area it's worth a look.   This outfit came together with the thoughts of comfort, warmth and versatility.  The first goal is to always look chic.  I also needed a jolt of java prior to the movie to ensure that I would not take a nap during the film.   I have decided that I will play to my strengths this fall and stick with colors I love and ones that move me.  This is easy as navy blue is my favorite color.  Add grey, cream, rust/burnish orange, burgundy, purple, black and brown and my fall palette is complete.  I hope to talk about how I put together my outfits and concepts for my wardrobe. Some of it is haphazard, but I try to stay focused.  Let's explore together!

Monday OOTD

Happy Monday!  Today is a wonderful day.  It started out a little slowly.  But the weather is fine and the living is good.  I had a great weekend catching up the my BFF and doing what girls like to do.... shop!  I saw a few cute things but did not do too much damage.  I stuck to my guns and bought only things on my wish list.  :-)   I am re-evaluating my closet and need to add only items that will enhance the items that I already have.  

Speaking of things that I already have.  I must confess, that I absolutely love a good tweed.  And this skirt is fabulous!  The fit is awesome.  The texture only enhances other colors that I add to this outfit.  And it plays well as a neutral if needed.  The fabric is light enough that I can wear this in 3 of the 4 seasons comfortably.  It is one of the items in my closet that makes me happy just to look at it.  And it gives me a little pick-me-up whenever I wear it.  Do you have any articles of clothing that give you a boost? 

Goals for the Fall

Happy Labor Day!  I am spending part of the afternoon watching awesome tennis courtesy of the US Open!  I was hoping to see Roger Federer and Mardy Fish play.  But Fish just withdrew from the tournament stating medical reasons.  Mr. Fish experienced some heart problems (arrhythmias) requiring treatment early in the year, I believe.  The heat and humidity in NYC are uncomfortable for the spectators and worse for the players.  My guess is that his doctors advised him not to continue in the tournament.  What shame!  Mardy has been doing so well this season.  Good luck to you, Mardy!  I'll be looking forward to seeing you play in the fall.   

With the unofficial last day of summer upon us, I am now thinking about fall fashion more and more.  I am hoping to include more dresses and skirts into my daily wardrobe.  Do you have any suggestions on how to make some of these dresses effortless for work and play?  I'll share my thoughts in coming days.  Now back to the tennis, hot dogs and burgers!