Boots for Summer

by Sally on January 16, 2021 in the category: shoes, tutorial

I own plenty of pumps and sandals, but consider boots to be my favorite type of shoe. This is partially due to the fact that I am much comfier when I can wear socks, and boots make that possible. But more than that, I feel my sassiest, sexiest, and most powerful when I’m wearing a fabulous pair of tall, heeled boots.

So I make damned sure to keep that sassy, sexy, powerful feeling going all summer long. Who says that every summer day must be a sandal day? Not I!

However, I think that wearing boots – especially tall boots – can be a bit tricky during the summer months. No one wants to look all summer-on-top, winter-on-bottom, right? So here are some tips for keeping your boot-based looks seasonally appropriate. read more

Originally posted 2010-06-01 05:29:00.

Thrifting Lessons from a Pro

by Sally on January 13, 2021 in the category: thrifting, tutorial

You’ve probably noticed that nearly all of my outfits include at least one thrifted item. I’ve written a whole bunch of posts about various aspects of thrifting, but thought it might be helpful to cull some highlights. Especially since spring and autumn are high shopping times for most of us, and present fabulous opportunities to hit the charity shops and score some fabulous, affordable, environmentally-friendly new duds!

Make time to thrift: Very few people can duck in and out of a thrift store in 15 minutes. Since you’ll be sifting through rack upon rack of poorly organized goods, allot yourself a chunk of time so that you can truly explore the bounty.

Try stuff on: Eyeballing it can be incredibly risky at a thrift store, so try everything on. My method is to wear leggings and a tunic or dress whenever I thrift. That way, even if the store doesn’t offer fitting rooms, I can throw things on in the aisles and make sure they aren’t horrifying on me. Try it all on, friends, including belts and scarves.

Keep an open mind: Take a wish list of items to keep yourself on track, but always allow the Thrift Muses to throw a surprise your way.

Experiment: Does something grab your eye because of color or texture, but scare you off because of how it’s cut? Try it on anyway. Are you drawn to that zebra print skirt, but have no idea if it’ll work in your wardrobe? Try it on anyway. Don’t buy stuff that makes you feel uncomfortable or is wildly impractical, of course, but thrifting is the best possible place to encourage your style to expand. Clothing is affordable, relatively sustainable, and the variety of offerings is VAST. Branch out a little. I mean, why not?

Don’t buy it just because it’s designer and a bargain: Oh man, have I ever been tempted to snap up undervalued duds simply because I knew their true worth. But here’s the thing: Unless you’re going to resell on eBay, you should only thrift items that you love and that work for your figure. A $5 Max Mara dress is a waste of $5 if it makes you feel like 15 hot dogs shoved into a tube sock. Use your common sense, and don’t be tempted by something just because it’s designer.

Reader Request: High-Waisted Skirts

by Sally on January 6, 2021 in the category: reader requests, style, tutorial

how to wear high waisted skirts
Reader Olga asked this question in a comment a few weeks back:

Perhaps you could find the time to write how-to post about high-waisted skirts? I have a pencil skirt similar to yours in black, but I always end up wearing my blouses above it instead of tucking it in. Otherwise, my upper body seems ridiculously short. Am I doing something wrong? I have an average figure (65 kg, 1,76m), few curves and H-shaped, so probably there is some secret that you know how to get the look right?

OK, I’ll tell you the secret to rocking a high-waisted skirt: Confidence. No, really. This is a style that is challenging to pull off for just about every body type. Depending on your build, it can make your biggest bits look even bigger and create vaguely funhouse-reminiscent proportions. And besides being a challenging piece, a high-waisted skirt looks best with sassy, retro-influenced styles that are often pretty bold. This style is not for the faint of heart, but if you’ve got the chutzpah you CAN rock it. read more

Originally posted 2010-05-10 05:50:00.