Flops away

These are my favorite shoes

So are these

but since i am trying change my style i need to look beyond the flops.  Also fall/winter has arrived 

(its 80 degrees...burrrrr)

and my feeties are getting cold.  I needed a change, something stylin',  so i found these...

I got them at a clearance sale for just $15! 

How cool is that?! 

Of course they were probably made in a sweatshop by 3 year old babies

out of material that is caustic to the human body but what the heck!

Color Me Pretty Part Three- Take a clothes capsule and look marvelous in the morning

A quick recap:  We found our color group, know our body shape and organized our closet.  We are ready for our capsule now.
 
What's a clothes capsule you ask?  By definition it’s a group of 5-12 pieces consisting of a jacket, skirt, slacks, shirts, etc. that work in combination with each other in style and color. 
   

Here is a sample of one to give you an idea:

From this basic group of one jacket, one shirt and two skirts, I created at the least four different ways to wear them.  I can dress them up for work (if I had a job) or just go casual. A clothes capsule can make it look like you have more clothes than Macy’s warehouse before Christmas.   Keep in mind this is only a sample.  You can and should have more in your basic group like two jackets and two shirts.  Then you can really increase your wardrobe options.

Hopefully it’s clearer now why we grouped our clothes by item and then color.  This allows you to better see what you have and helps to provide a blank canvas for you to create a new outfit.  After I did this step, I spent hours putting together different outfits.  Considering I hate shopping and anything "dress up," I have to say it was fun.  It was like I had an entirely new wardrobe and it didn’t cost me a dime!

I created a couple clothes capsules for my work clothes and casual.  I am even able to pull some things from my work capsules into my casual ones.  Instead of wearing the exact same thing every day, I try to mix it up. I actually shock my friends now when we meet up because I’m not wearing my daily uniform of cropped khaki's, a white tee and flops. (don’t get me wrong, I still put those on when I’m not going to see people. I do loves my comfy clothes most definitely.)

To give you a better idea of the clothes capsule concept here's a video i found on youtube.com.



After you have played with your clothes then you may see some holes in your capsule. Maybe you need a new jacket or skirt to round it out. My suggestion is to check out a Goodwill Store (a resale shop), a consignment shop or even Marshall's or TJ Max,

I bought a brand new (tags still on it) suede camel colored jacket at my local Goodwill store for $10. You never know what you will find. One good tip, go to a resale shop in the rich area of town. Good pickings there!

Just because I am unemployed doesn’t mean I need to look homeless. Now more than ever I should care about how I look, dress and present myself to the world whether I'm interviewing or shopping at Wal-Mart.  I always reached for the easiest thing to put on without any effort.  If I don't care why should anyone else. 

OK boys and girls that concludes my topic on how to dress and not look a mess.  I know I didn't give a blow by blow detail on how to do it but what i discovered while researching is that you need to create your own style.  Don't go by what I wear, but by your own color type and body shape. Get creative.  Look at what you have in your closet and see how you can make it work for you. 

Coming into the closet - Step Two from slob to styling

Last week we looked at finding out what colors looked good on us and incorporating those colors into our wardrobe.  By now we should have gone through our closets and become a radical clothes racist, kicking out all the colors that don’t belong. 

Now for Step Two – If it Doesn’t Fit You Must Omit

Take everything you have in your wardrobe that’s left after your colorectomy and try them on.  EVERYTHING.  If it’s in your closet try it on. If it doesn’t fit properly get rid of it.  I know what your thinking cuz I had the exact same thoughts; “but I’m gonna lose 10 pounds and I will be able to wear it again.”. Then I realized I have been saying that for YEARS.  So let it go.  It’s OK.  If we really do lose 10 pounds we should go out and celebrate by buying something new (as long as its in our color plan).  Let me share a secret.  We can still lose weight if that thing isn’t in the closet.  Trust me, it’s for the greater good.  Don't let this be you:

OK, We have thrown out the tight stuff (don’t make me come over there and do it for you!)  Now we need to become aware of our body type.

Banana Shapes:  The Bust and Hips are basically the same size with no noticeable waist

Apple Shapes:  The Bust is larger than the hips

Pear Shapes:  The hips are larger than the bust

Hourglass shapes:  The bust and hips are basically the same but the waist is more defined

Knowing this helps with the rest of our elimination process.

Keep only what looks good on your body shape. You will need to do research on dressing for your shape.  There is a lot of information out there to help you out.  Pick what is flattering.  If you aren’t sure ask.  Be sure to ask someone who is honest (and don’t get mad if they tell you your butt looks big).  If it looks bad, chunk it. Be done with the uglies!

Whew!  That’s a lot of work but just one last thing to do and we are ready for margaritas.  Take all the clothes you are keeping and put back in the closet.  But group  items together.  In other words, all jackets together, all shirts together , all pants together.  Once you have your clothes segregated by item, group by color.  Example:  All your jackets are in a section together with all the black jackets together, all the brown jackets together.  See?  All jackets together separated by color.  Easy.

If you have a suit (jacket and skirt) then you must separate them.  Put the jacket in its section and the skirt in its.  You will see next week when we continue with....

From slob to styling – Take a clothes capsule and look marvelous in the morning.

Color me pretty. From slob to styling one step at a time

found on http://www.screamcute.com/color-splash-photography2.php

I think every Friday I will share what I have learned about how not to be a slob.  That way you have the weekend to do whatever it is that needs to be done, like throw out the ugly stuff and organize anything that may be left. 

I have been doing lots and lots of research.  There is a prolific amount of info for stylishly challenged folks like me.  That's good because I don’t want to end up on the pages of www.peopleofwalmart.com. 

I have tried to compile this info into some sort of logical order. At least I hope I did.  I was a project manager after all; I should be able to map this process out.  I also am trying to keep this style refurbishment economical as possible.  I am on a very limited budget so I am going to suggest alternatives to paying the big bucks to look pretty.

 All righty then, let’s get going….

 Step One:  Know what colors look good on you.

Color is the foundation of your wardrobe, even your make-up.  If the color looks good on you, you radiate a positive look to the world.  Literally.  Colors can brighten your skin; even highlight the color of your eyes.   Color is important. Wearing a crappy colored designer dress will only make you look crappy. 

 

I thought everyone knew instinctively what colors looked good on them and would pick those choices out automatically but apparently not.  It seems I have picked some real color stinkers just because it was “in style”.  So never ever go by what’s in style, but by the color.

 

If you don’t know what colors look good on you, there are quite a few free color analysis sites on the web you can try. Here’s a couple: 

http://www.colorenalysis.com/index.html. 

http://www.shopmyclosetboutique.com/color_guide.html  

There are also books on the subject.   Color Me Beautiful by Carole Jackson is an oldie but goodie. It goes into a lot more detail, not just about colors in your closet but what color make-up you should use.  You can check it out at the Library.  If you don’t know what or where the library is try a used book store or www.amazon.com.

I am what they call a warm autumn.  Basically, fall color hues look best on me because of my skin tone and hair and eye color. 

http://www.shopmyclosetboutique.com/color_guide.html

Now that I am armed with the correct color swatches I am going to weed out my clothes based on that.  In other words, I am going to become a clothes racist and kick out all the colors that don’t belong in my spectrum! Don’t send hate mail, it’s only clothes and they will be placed in a loving home via a charity store. Keep in mind, I don't have to throw out everything.  Maybe there is something I could dye to make it fit into the color spectrum.  Still, pull it out of the closet and pile it somewhere out of the way until then. 

While I am at it, I will also go through my make- up and throw out my lime green eye shadow.  I kid!  (as far as you know). 

If I need to replace any make-up I can get it cheaply at ….

Wal-Mart! But this time I will look soooo much better than the last time I walked through those doors.

Knowing what colors you should incorporate into your wardrobe and on your face is the foundation to a changing your style. 

 Well, that’s Step One.  Next week for Step Two we go into the closet!   

These threads they are a changin'

OK y’all; you know how disturbed I was last week about my threads when I went to my local Wal-Mart (see October 1^st post to relive my trauma).  So much so that I decided to change my wardrobe and/or my style.

I will be the first to admit that I know absolutely nothing about clothes, fashion, style (uh that’s why I am at this point right now).  I hate shopping for clothes.  I hate trying them on. It’s just not a fun experience.  Honestly, I would rather wear capri cargo pants, a white tee shirt and my flops.  But that’s gotta change. It’s time for me to grow up.

Since I can’t hire a personal stylist I am going to have to do this on my own. That scares the hell outta me because I don’t know where to begin.  Trust me, I need a lot of fixing.  So I will begin where most people start….at Google.  I am sure there are plenty of tips and info out there to get me started on the fashion runway that’s hiding in my closet.  Hopefully this won't cost me a dime or at least not more than a dollar!

So if you are fashionably challenged like me….stay tuned.  Once a week I will post what I have done or will try to do and see where it takes me.

Wish me luck.

My Fair Lady

OMG!   I am soooo disgusted with myself.  I know I am trying to be more accepting of my self and not be critical but honestly, today I was shopping at Wal-Mart and everyone there was dressed better than me.  E V E R Y O N E !  That's just wrong.

I need to pull myself together.  I can’t be a slob.  I need to start updating my wardrobe.  Actually, I need a wardrobe to update is more accurate, but the point is I need to figure out what to get, where to go. I just don’t have a clue as to what to get; what looks good for my build, etc. I’m not a fashionista.

I think what I really need is a personal stylist.  I want someone to transform me from this bulging, faded, wrinkled wardrobe Wal-Mart wanna-be to someone put together, someone who looks like she has order in her life.

But, being that I am unemployed at the moment getting a personal stylist is not a possibility. I gotta figure this crap out on my own.  God help me.