Clothing Evaluation: Jewelry and Purses

I have a "love-hate" relationship with jewelry. I began writing (complaining) about how jewelry draws the eye to places I'd just as soon keep the eye away from, but realized that I was, well, complaining.

I don't want to complain.

So, I will say that I'm still dealing with wearing jewelry confidently. My solution to that will be to make it a point to wear a piece of jewelry every time I leave the house for the next month.

Purses are another area that I love and hate at the same time. I don't like to carry a purse, practical as it is. I prefer to grab my wallet. It would do me good to make a month's commitment to carry a purse for each outing. Perhaps I would overcome my tendency to be only partially prepared rather than attentive to being "put together."

My definition of "Put Together:"

Hair and makeup complete. All clothing items in good repair and neat, fitting well. Consideration for weather manifested in glove-wearing in the winter, umbrella carrying in rain, etc. Skin cared for (e.g. moisturized, pedicured, manicured, shaven), and all needed items contained in a matching, neat, clean bag. Jewelry tastefully worn. Perfume applied.

There is one thing that I adore: larger bags for carrying books and stuff. I use those for going to church (kid stuff, mints, notebooks to take sermon notes, etc.) and for taking school related items when running errands. I have quite the collection of those. Here are a few of my favorites:

Fake gator handles, jungle lining:

Unsnaps at the top to be as wide as the bottom. It's made of corduroy, so it's my "fall" bag:

My favorite bags:

I have two more bags that are white straw and natural straw...for summer, of course!

This post completes my "Clothing Evaluation" goal. It has been good.

To recap the resulting challenge: My goal for the next month (Until September 19th) is to wear one item of jewelry and carry a fully equipped purse every time I leave the house.

Clothing Evaluation: Winter Outerwear

Since it's the middle of summer, I was not looking forward to seeing my winter duds. I finally just set aside the time and found that it didn't take long. My inventory consists of:

• Thigh-length thick coat with hood
• Ankle-high "duck" boots for snow
• 4 pairs of thin to thick gloves
• Fleece jacket

Don't forget that I live "Up North." Also, don't forget that I grew up in Florida. One would think I would have FAR more than what I just listed. The reason I don't is that I discovered two important things since moving here 12 years ago:

1. LAYERS
2. I tend to go outside just long enough to get to the car or to the building.

I had high hopes 12 years ago. I knew for SURE that I'd finally get to wear wool when we arrived. I was wrong. In the winter everyone (except my house!) keeps their thermostats so warm that I'm roasting in more than two thin layers. I was very disappointed.

I have, since my son was born, made an effort to venture out into the snow when the conditions meet my standards. (Sunny, no wind, and in the high 20s to 30s.) I even took up "sliding" (sledding to the Florida folks) down the neighbor's hill. That was pretty fun as long as I used the blow up tube. Those hard sleds? Fuggetaboutit! Every bone in my body knew I was in my 40s!

Back to my clothing evaluation. The coat is new as of last year. The boots have barely been worn though I've had them 12 years.

The gloves I keep forgetting to put on before I go out. It's so funny. TWELVE years and I still can't seem to get it into my mind that I should put the gloves on before I head out into 3 degrees. If I leave them in the car, they're too cold to put on.

And, don't even get me started on the much-needed lotion for my pathetically dry skin FREEZING if I leave it in the car.

THIS year I'm going to get it together. I vow (should I cross my fingers behind my back?) to dress all the way to gloves before opening the door. I will make it a point to spend longer than 15 minutes outside each time I play in the snow with my son. I will also make it a point to go out more than two times to do said snowplay.

I will also put lotion in my purse.

There. Now I'm ready for winter. I'm in no hurry, though.

Clothing Evaluation: Blazers and Sweaters

I have several blazers. I have one sweater. If I were a size 6, I would have more sweaters and far fewer blazers. I have found that I feel more proportionate with a fitted jacket. A sweater pretty much gives me a box shape. I don't want to look like a box.

Besides the attempt at contouring my shape, blazers also give me the option of wearing a color that doesn't normally work well with my skin tone. I don't look good in black, but I can wear a periwinkle shell under a black jacket. Face is happy. Body shape is reasonably, well, shaped.

Back in the 80s there was something called "Color Me Beautiful." Anyone remember? Mary Kay Cosmetics adopted the system for a while. In my early 20s, I was...(drum roll, please)...a Mary Kay Consultant with experience in color matching. You may now be impressed.

Because of all of that training, I knew that my best colors come from the "Autumn Palette." Since I've gained weight I have wandered away from colors that look good on me to colors that make an attempt to hide me. Enter the need for blazers.

In going through my closet I discovered that all were in good shape and that all fit well and made me happy. They're all keepers.

I did discover something useful for any jackets that don't fit the bill. Here's a video tutorial that I saw on Wardrobe Refashion. (Click on THIS to see her version.)

If you can't wear it, turn it into a backpack!




How to make a Backpack, DIY Back to School Special, Threadbanger @ Yahoo! Video

Clothing Evaluation: Dresses

I love dresses. You don't have to match up the top and the bottom. Only one hanger is needed. Love 'em. Before I gained so much wait, I had a nice selection, too. (I'm in the midst of watching "Dallas" reruns and have been enjoying watching the clothes of my youth paraded before me. Especially the dresses.)

Sadly, considering my love for them, I have only three. They are all the same shape: sleeveless, straight from the shoulders to my ankles, with no perceptible waist. They're nice and cool except for the fact that I wear jackets over them. My upper arms are not up for any outings.

What I REALLY want to do at some point in the future is have a collection of HOUSE dresses. I'm not talking about dumpy and shapeless, either. I want the housedresses Lucy and Ethel wore. I want pockets. I want cute patterns and perhaps a little piping. As soon as my shape allows, I will attempt to make one of those housedresses. If it's successful, then I will make enough to be my daily "uniform."

The thought of a daily uniform for full-time homemakers is enticing. You always know what you'll be wearing and it will always look nice. Combined with an apron, of course. That's my goal.

Take a look at these. The first shows the housedress in action. I'm SURE that if I have a housedress I'll get more work done! The second looks cute, too. I like how the panels at the waist seem to reduce the waist and I like the zipper front. The third pattern I OWN. That will be my first project when I get small enough to make it.

Clothing Evaluation--Decimated Closet

I thought this would be amusing. My closet is on the smaller side. In the picture below you see how everything is smashed in, especially on the top.



I've already gone through the bottom rack where the skirts and pants are. I left the winter skirts in since there are only three of them. The top rack, however, is much roomier. (Note the distance between the hangers.) Why? I took out all the winter tops and the ugly and ill-fitting tops. What's left is three dresses, the summer shirts and the blazers.

When I decided to pull those items out of the closet, I envisioned the "after" picture being six lonely blouses, forlornly hanging. I have more than I thought for my "dress up" (eg church) clothes.

I went shopping yesterday. After 45 minutes and an ARMLOAD of capris and shirts, I walked away with one blouse. I love it. It fits wonderfully. It's pretty. It has no stains. It cost $4.50.

I'm happy.

Next shopping trip I'm really going to try and score a pair of capris. I'm obsessed with getting a pair now. Must. Have. Capri. Pants.

Not really. But, I do feel that with all this regular chassis maintenance I really want my regularly shaved legs to have a chance to see the sun!

Clothing Evaluation: Tops

I currently own the following coverings for the top half of my body:

• 14 sleeveless shells (to wear under jackets only)--I wear six.
• 10 summer weight 3/4 length sleeve--I wear six.
• 8 winter weight long sleeve--I wear five.
• 3 short sleeve casual tops.

Further issues:

• I like the shells. I like them in the winter because I get too hot wearing a jacket with a sleeved shirt.
• Since I wear the shells ONLY with jackets, that means I can't wear them in the summer.
• The summer weight shirts that I don't wear are because they're too small or unflattering.
• The three winter weight shirts are unworn because they are ugly as sin.
• I wear all three casual short sleeve tops. Sadly, two of them have stains.

Let's do a bit of calculating, shall we?

• In the winter I have exactly 11 possible tops TOTAL. I don't normally wear jackets unless I'm going to church, so that takes me down to five shirts that I wear over and over, as the winter drags on and on.
• For summer wear I have nine choices. On days that are actually warm (it DOES happen, I'm told), I am down to only three choices. If I don't want to look pathetic, I wear the ONE shirt without stains.
• Yet I OWN 35 tops.

I really don't know what to do about this. Obviously, losing weight will give me more options, but I don't know how long that will take. I need to be covered and comfortable, well, now.

I don't know what to do. I don't really want to spend any money (I know--I never do!). I could possibly sew something, but I keep doing other things.

This category is the most frustrating one in my closet. I am annoyingly top heavy, so I'm always trying to minimize that area. That has led me to buy things in desperation just to cover myself. They're usually not flattering and tend to be black or brown. B-o-r-i-n-g.

I have no answers for my dilemma. Instead, I have a closet full of "Nothing to Wear."

I WILL, however, chuck the stained items!

Capri!

The poll results said:

Buy the capris! I think I will do a shopping trip and see what I find. Poll results on the color is to start with khaki, which seems like a good neutral to begin with. If I actually make a purchase, I'll post what I find.

(I'm leaving the following part of my original post but as of 11/10, they no longer have the Virtual Model. Too bad. I found it very helpful!)

Trixie suggested some capris at Land's End. When I clicked on the links she gave, I found that they have a program that will provide a virtual "me" who will try the clothes on for me! That was fun to play with. I never could get the right hair, but the body shape was what was most important. I was even able to import her here to see how the capris looked.

Try it out for yourself! Virtual paper dolls that help you to see what you might look like in different clothes. Fun! Click on the link above and scroll down to where it says: "Try it on! My virtual model."

Thank you for your suggestions, links, and help.

Clothing Evaluation: Pants and Shorts

Well, that didn't take long. I have a total of seven pairs of pants and two pairs of shorts.

My pants collection includes:

• Black jeans (faded, mysterious white spot near right knee)
• Blue jeans (too tight in waist, too big in rear area giving me "Old Man Butt")
• Khaki stretch slacks that I LOVE (two greasy stains on right thigh)
• Navy stretch slacks that I LOVE (another mysterious white spot near knee)
• Chocolate brown stretch slacks (no stains 'cause I don't like them--too flared at bottom)
• Medium brown stretch slacks (no stains--look wrinkled even when I iron them)
• Olive slacks (no stains--I like them but keep forgetting they're there)

My shorts collection includes:

• 1 black pair
• 1 off-white jeans pair

The Khaki slacks I mentioned are what kicked off this whole project. They fit perfectly. They are comfortable. They go with everything. One day I noticed they have two stains. NOOOOO!

The question is what to do. Here's my FRUGAL answer:

• Attempt to replace khaki slacks.
• Use permanent markers to cover white spots on black jeans and navy slacks.
• Try once more to super-duper iron the permanently wrinkled pants.
• Put olive pants in a more prominent position in closet so I'll wear them.
• Donate the chocolate pair with legs that are too wide.
• Keep the jeans until there's enough weight loss to warrant purchasing a new pair. (Being able to breathe is overrated.)
• Shorts--two pairs will do for now.
• Consider buying my first pair ever of capris.

Yes, capris. I've always wondered about them and never purchased any. All the "experts" say that someone who is heavier shouldn't wear them, but I have been checking folks out lately. Every single lady I saw who had on a nice pair of capris and sandals and was carrying a little extra weight looked very nice. She looked "put together" in a way that shorts would not have done.

They also look more summery than wearing jeans or pants.

What say ye? Yay or Nay on adding a pair of capris? If yay, what color? Of course, you know that leads to a poll. Go and vote and help me in this momentous decision.

CE: Skirts and Shoes

My skirt collection is pictured below. I own 15 skirts. Three are winter only (corduroy, wool). The orange one hasn't been worn yet. Otherwise, I wear these on Sundays for church and for any other dress-up need. I would not wear these as my "everyday" kind of clothes as I work at home. I looked through them all and found them all in good repair. No spots (surprisingly!), holes, tears, etc.

Well, that one was easy!




My shoes, on the other hand, were screaming for attention. Here's the "collection" minus the old tennis shoes. I didn't want to subject you to them...




After taking the group photo I got down to business. I have had these bottles for years. I keep them in that cute little handled basket-purse thingy. They've been lonely in there, feeling that their lives were without purpose. I have a black, white, brown, and neutral bottle. (Weenie Elise suggested "shoe protector spray." I will be adding that to my shoe tools this week.)

I actually remembered to take a "before" and "after" example. The fronts of these shoes looked the same until I polished the left one.

First I sorted the shoes into colors. Then I cleaned them well with a damp cloth. I dried them off and began to swipe the polish on the surfaces. I buffed them with a dry cloth.


On a couple of pairs I needed to trim stray threads. That alone made them look better!


Things I've learned About Shoe Care (the hard way):

• Put down newspaper.
• Wear gloves.
• Start with the light colors and go to the dark colors.

I timed myself and it took SEVENTEEN minutes to take care of nine pairs of shoes. I plan to do this quarterly. I also intend to look at my shoes when I take them off and remove any mud or dirt right then. It was sad to see the spotches of mud that have been there for who knows how long!

Clothing Evaluation Plan

I have committed to evaluating my clothes each Sunday until, well, until I go through everything!

I went through my skirts tonight. I also worked on my shoe upkeep. I'll get pictures tomorrow (daylight) and post about tonight's evaluation then.

I am breaking up my wardrobe into the categories listed. I know myself and know that I will get overwhelmed if I plan too much. For me, being overwhelmed means I will grab a bowl of popcorn and a sweet tea and watch TV instead of working. That is not conducive to success with my project.

• Pants/shorts
• Tops
• Dresses
• Blazers/sweaters
• Winter outerwear
• Jewelry

One area I will not be going through is the clothes I'm saving for when I can fit into them again. I'll deal with them when they deserve to see the light of day. With that thought I am going to go and drink a glass of water and go to bed.

(NOTE: I have waylaid myself in regards to the "Beautify" phase of my home. I got bogged down in the process because things required my husband's help. I have NOT given up on that, but I will table it for a short while and regroup. I am determined to follow through on this as I'm very excited about the potential of these many, many projects finally being completed! I will prevail!)

Shoes

I've found this whole shoe discussion to be very interesting. I seem to have struck an area that needs attention.

Yes, shoes are primarily functional. We need our feet covered in the winter and at least the bottoms protected in the summer. They don't have to be fancy. They don't even have to be stylish.

They do, however, need to be well-cared-for looking.

Many of us have commented about the condition of our shoe collections. Tennis shoes that are worn out do not HELP your body when you try to exercise. Dress shoes that are scuffed, nicked, stained, etc. do not "finish" your appearance when you've gone to the trouble of dressing up.

Many years ago I had a friend who was definitely a "Mercedes." She was ALWAYS put together. Every hair was always in place. (She cut and colored it herself). Her clothes were always neat, clean, and never worn looking. (She bought quality when it was on sale and carefully took care of mishaps as soon as they occurred.) Her nails were always impeccable. (She gave herself manicures and pedicures.) I added the parenthetical statements to show that SHE was the one who took care of her "chassis maintenance."

Once, I asked her for advice regarding laundry because I was so impressed to see the same classic clothing for several years and yet it looked as good as new. I will post her laundry tips separately (they are GOOD!), but I want to share her shoe regime now:

• Have two pairs of everyday work shoes and alternate them so that one can air while you wear the other.
• When you've worn shoes in inclement weather, clean them as soon as you can. Salt, mud and dampness shorten a shoe's life.
• Regularly take time to examine dress shoes for scuffs and worn areas. Use a "Magic Eraser" to remove black marks. Clean with a little soap and water. Use liquid shoe polish (She had one of each color) to coat and protect the shoes. If they're a favorite, comfortable pair, have the heels repaired when they become worn.
• If they're too worn...Replace them!

One doesn't have to go out and buy new shoes all the time. Remember that CARING for our belongings makes them last longer.

The clothing part of my "Chassis Mission" on Sunday will include an examination of my shoes to see what can be changed. I will follow my friend's advice. If you've used any words to describe your shoe collection that are less than positive, maybe it's time to take a hard look and allow your feet to always look like you care about them...and yourself.

After all, they have to hold us up and get us around to do all that we need to do--for the next several decades!

I'm Torn...

According to the most updated poll results (it's not over yet--go and vote!), I'M the one whose middle name is "Imelda!"

I see from those who have commented and also by looking at my closet that we buy shoes for function over form.

My shoe collection is very serviceable. I do need to replace at least two worn pairs. I'll do that at some point soon.

My "chassis maintenance" challenge, however, is to get myself AWAY from doing only the minimum, getting by with just the necessary. I'm also all about saving money and not spending much if any. I have a dichotomy on my hands.

Since it's summer, I think we're in the easiest season to add a little spice to the shoe closet. My goal is to look around and see if I can add a pair of PRETTY sandals (that also feel good!) for under $2.00. Yard sales are good for this as are thrift shops. If you're squeamish about wearing "previously owned" shoes, keep an eye on the sale racks at the stores. Rini found a pair of flip flops at Old Navy for $1.00, for example.

Speaking of flip flops, I would consider them as candidates for this mission. They come in all SORTS of colors and designs. If you're up for joining me in this challenge, the rules are simple:

• They must cost $2.00 or less.
• They must be comfortable.
• They must be pretty.
• Black or brown is admissible ONLY if they are strikingly pretty.
• Looking at them should bring a smile to your face.

I have a soft spot in my heart, though, for the flip flops my parents would buy every year at the beginning of summer. They would always have a giant plastic flower attached. I loved them! Do they make those for adults?

I just did a search and they ARE out there! Look at these two cute numbers. Any bells going off for you?? HOT GLUE, baby! Get a cheap, comfortable pair of flip flops and decorate! If you do it, link a picture. Then, consider your chassis upgraded!

Clothing Evaluation--Week 1

I took some pictures. I viewed the pictures. I deleted the pictures. It's just SO embarrassing!

My clothes are pathetic. After my child was born (AFTER, mind you), I packed on 40 pounds. I dealt with PPD and other issues and allowed junk food to become an addiction. I decided that I just couldn't buy any nice clothes until I lost weight.

My child just turned 7 in April.

I have bought a few things here and there, mostly because I had no choice. Nothing looked good on me, so I stuck to black. Then I branched out into brown.

So, for my "Clothing Evaluation" chassis maintenance task I decided to start in what I thought would be a relatively painless area--my underwear drawer. Oh my. That was definitely one picture I didn't even bother to take! (You're welcome.) After I threw away all that had stretched out elastic, holes, or whose patterns were so dingy and faded there was no longer a pattern, I found that I own approximately 4 pairs of decent underwear. It's a good thing that I do laundry every day! (Don't worry--they're on my list to buy on errand day.)

Next was my sock drawer. I have never owned so many pairs of socks in my life! When growing up in Florida, I pretty much went barefoot or wore sandals. I think I owned a pair of tennis shoes. I also owned "jellies." Anyone remember those? (They're b-a-a-c-k. I saw them in Wally World the other day.)

Now, living "Up North," I have accumulated a dozen pair of black socks, a dozen of white, and two pairs of brown socks. I did that just before last winter, so my sock drawer is in good shape.

Next I turned to take a look at my shoe situation. Sad, very sad. Everything was worn, scraped, limp. Everything was black...and brown. SOMETHING has to be done! I have a TOTAL of ten pair of shoes:

• Suede winter slip-ons (1 black, 1 brown)
• Dress shoes to wear with pants (1 black, 1 brown)
• Heeled dress sandals (1 black, 1 brown, 1 blue)
• Flat sandals (1 black, 1 PINK)
• Old tennis shoes

I told you it was sad. The pink sandals were a purchase on a yard sale day because my feet were getting too hot in the socks and shoes! They're my favorites now as it's nice to look down and see some color.

I feel another poll coming on. I know my "Shoe Number" is especially low and abnormal. I intend to try to increase my collection by a couple of pairs this summer. But, I'm curious as to how I "measure up" to NORMAL people.

What's YOUR shoe number?