My mother-in-law asked if I’d be interested in a leather jacket [then] she showed me a knee-length black leather a-line coat with a tie waist and a black fur (real? i think) collar. It fit me surprisingly well – a bit loose in the waist (though I can tighten it with the belt), good length, and, key for me, well-fitting in the shoulders. I said I would take it and I’m kind of tickled because it’s like nothing I own and nothing I would pick, or could afford to buy. Plus I know the fashion mags say accents of faux fur are big right now, and that’s not the kind of thing I would generally go for, but why not take that trend for a spin for free?read more
I’m a big proponent of continuity of style. Experimenting with wildly different looks is a fabulous way to explore your figure and taste, but I believe that the end goal should generally be to create a wardrobe that has a few beloved common threads running throughout. To be clear, I am NOT saying that you should dress in similar outfits every day of you life, or force yourself to be consistent merely for the sake of consistency. I’m saying that understanding your own aesthetic preferences will help you craft outfits that broadcast information about yourself to the observing world, and that by attempting to cultivate some consistent elements you’ll be able to do so more precisely. In my experience, those who dress in extremely different styles every day draw more attention to their clothing choices than to themselves. And that’s a valid path, too, of course. But having worked with dozens of style consult clients, my impression is that the majority would prefer to have style support and reinforce who they are instead of becoming the primary point of interest and conversation.read more
Originally posted 2011-10-20 06:03:47.
About Sally
Sally McGraw is a Minneapolis-based freelance writer, blogger, and editor.
