Daily Outfit: Effortless with Little to No Effort

Locker room selfie!

Well, a bit over a year later, I finally have another outfit post.  I know you're all so excited!

This outfit is pretty boring but it works; it's somehow edgy for work because everything out of the absolute ordinary is edgy, and it's a bit classy, laid back, and maybe even normcore.  Yay!

This outfit is one chosen once my closet has downsized.  Which is awesome, because like I said in my last post, it means that getting dressed is not about getting stressed (oh jeez), and that basically everything in my closet goes with everything else.  My other goal is to buy used when I can.  And fair-trade/humanely made, too.  Let's not contribute to the fast fashion industrial complex (I know I've done my share of that already in my life).

I'm wearing a Burberry trench in the office because I'm cold, and it also let's them know I'm "authoritative" or something like that.  I have always wanted one, and miraculously one day a few months ago, I found one at a very good price used, that actually fit me!

Here is my outfit:

• Burberry trench in classic length and fit.  It was $200 at Crossroads Trading, and would be about $2000 new.  Supposedly made in Britain.
• Trovata blue striped oxford button-down.  It was $15 at Crossroads Trading, and would be about $200 new.  Supposedly made in California.
• Old Navy special edition skinny jeans.  They were $5 at Thrift Town and I bought them nearly two years ago now.  Not bad.
• Sabah two-tone leather shoes.  They were $200 but handmade in a fair and humane way.

And there you have it.  Trying to have less stuff and hold onto it longer, and not participate in fast fashion, is a goal of mine.  Let's keep trucking on that.

Decluttering: End of the Closet Purge Project

These represented my final project completed, and one (heirloom) dresser emptied!

A little backstory.  I guess I've talked about my closet purge project for awhile now.  The need for it started back when I was a friendless high school freshman.  My mom would give me $5 for lunch.  It was a fair amount of money to get a balanced, nutritious meal.  However, I would take $4 of that and save it up.  I would spend $1 of that on a cup o' noodles and a can of Hawaiian Punch.  It's amazing I made it out of high school as relatively healthy as I did.  Yikes.

I spent that remaining $4 on something cute at the thrift store.  I'd save it up and go on a Friday, sometimes.  The thrift store was my happy place, where all the clothes were my friends.  I later made friends who either understood my thrifting obsession or even "got it" and showed me tips and tricks!

This all translated into an overloaded closet, bedroom, and eventually boxes in the garage (when I lived at home).  My canopy bed served as an extra closet rack.  My poor closet with the 40 year-old wooden rod crashed down in the middle of the night.  I bought an extra (cute) wardrobe at Ikea to house more clothing.  It was a disease that could not be stopped.

All these clothes bought me joy.  Some weren't even my style, but were what I wanted to "be" like.  Some I bought because they were funny, others because they were cool or rare or vintage.  Most I never wore more than once.  If you think of how much money I spent over the span of twenty years (1996-2016), I could have taken some cool trips!

My poor mom!  How did she put up with this.  Only a mother could!

In 2010, when I started to move out, my mom jumped for joy at the thought of finally getting back a good portion of her garage!  I had to figure out what to do with all the crap clothes.  Storage for awhile.  Going through some for awhile.  Keeping some at my parents' for awhile (until they retired up north and said they weren't going to move my crap) (fair enough).

2011-2013 was going through all this stuff in earnest.  And the more I went through, the more I realized how little I actually wore and enjoyed. 

2014-2015 was my purge in earnest, and the discovery of "capsule wardrobes," less consumerism, and the like.

The last year or so has been my purge project in addition to our goal of downsizing.  We are hoping to move into a smaller house.  We currently have a large tract home (renting) and want to move into a smaller home that is more efficient, with less material possessions.  So, with that earnest goal in mind, the past year has been spent preparing for life in a house that was built before people had disposable fashion.  They made their own clothes and repaired items, and had quality, not quantity.

In addition to this goal and the "capsule wardrobe" movement, Kondo wrote her awesome book about Tidying Up.  I scanned it and loved what I saw.  It made perfect sense.  I'm loving the whole waste not want not, downsizing, mentality.  It frees you up for more important things.

I also found it helped to find someone who needed help moving, but had way too much stuff...  That will inspire you to get rid of your own stuff so you don't have to move it when the time comes.  In addition, what really helped for me was taking pictures of "cute" things I was getting rid of but didn't really jive with my style.  Then you have the picture.  Release the item!

Once I got rid of this, then some more bags, then that, and then another bag....  I figured why stop there?  And I made it my goal to get rid of a dresser.  That was a fun project that culminated with the two drawers you see, above.  I used to have a drawer each for:  stockings/tights, undies/bras, socks, slips, workout gear, woolens...  I combined those so they took up half the space, and this meant that finally I could get rid of my tall dresser.

The dresser is something my grandpa made by hand.  He was a hobbyist carpenter, back from a time when people had lots of talents, and he had many gifts.  I didn't get rid of it.  My mom is "holding" the dresser until either of us can find room for it.  It currently resides in her garage and my dad will probably use it for storage of some sort. 

It feels great being that much lighter, having that much less stuff.  And surprisingly, or not very, getting dressed in the morning is super easy.  I only have stuff I use!

Daily Outfit: Keeping it Simpler

That's me in the corner...

I thought I'd put some outfit posts on this here blog.  Sometimes, I'm wearing something and I think "hey, that turned out pretty well!" but then I get too busy to take a picture, even in my beloved work locker room that you need badge access to.  I hope to have some more Daily Outfits here and there.

Oh, sorry for the hiatus, by the way!  I just have been busy doing other things, and heck, it's my blog and I can do what I want, right?  :-)

The outfit above is a hodgepodge but it matches.  Which is unusual for me but I'm getting there.  Making outfits has been a bit easier since I made the closet purge.  Lots and lots of bags went to Thrift Town...  Some to Crossroads resale.  Then more to Thrift Town.  And, there is a chance I will need to get rid of more--right now, my clothing stretches across two (well, 1.5 due to giving my husband his fair half) closets...  If I have to get down to .5 closets, something has to give, and some other shelving options will probably also be considered.

Oh!  I digress...

With my slightly pared down closet, it's easier to see what I have to work with, and what I like is easier to access (just get rid of the static and get rid of things you don't love!).  Without further ado, this is in the picture:

• Pendleton Merino wool tan-colored cardigan, bought on sale for $40 (marked down by $100)
• Forever 21 cotton red gingham collarless tunic (sale, have had for at least six years)
• Eddie Bauer twill grey trousers (sale, marked down to around $15)
• Red socks (origin forgotten but they match the gingham)
• Atwell leather tan shoes with scallop edges (sale from Gilt, probably around $50)

I don't know if you can necessarily say that my outfit is expensive.  If you want to add my wedding band (plain gold) and two heirloom pieces, all gotten for free but worth some money, maybe it would be more.  But I hope that my outfits can show you that you can look OK (I don't look great, and that's not my goal as a doc control specialist who has to hoist dusty old cardboard boxes some days) for a fairly manageable amount of money.

Hipsters and Bohemians

Lens flare, pipe, beard, glasses, deep-v, weird hair...  Catnip for hipsters.

I just read a pretty good article about the "Fall of the Hipster."  What do you think?

For ages and ages, there have been bohemians.  As the article says, we may have called them punks, hippies, beatniks, flappers, or any iteration of the word "bohemian."  But, they are the cutting edge of the new guard (avant garde), and where they lean, the rest of society, including the squares and basics, follow (even if it's a few years later).

This explains why, after the "squares" of the 60's admonished the damn stinky hippies, ten years later they were wearing bell bottoms and sandals (with no nylons!) gotten from JC Penney.  The article shows a similar thing happening now, as ten years ago hipsters were ridiculed for their tight jeans and ironic shirts, but now, every suburbanite teen has the same uniform, gotten at Target.  And every Brentwood mom is wearing bohemian boots and a scarf, because it's what everyone else is doing ("I'm trendy").

The other interesting part of this article is how the fashion industry is constantly struggling to remain relevant.  So, they try to see what's on the cutting edge, and they lucked out with hipsterdom.  Hipsters have been dressing more or less the same for the past ten years.  It helps, as the article says, that the look is based on what's in the thrift store, because bohemians usually are running on a lower amount of funds than the average bear, and generally shop at thrift stores.

But what about the new hipster?  The article says this is more of a "Portlandia" hipster than a "Vice" hipster.  It's kinder, gentler, softer, and more conscientious.  It is a hipster who worries about where their food comes from, worries about what we are doing to the environment, worries about America's actions and their effects on the rest of the world, and most importantly to clothing retailers, worries about where their clothing comes from.

The new hipster doesn't mind dressing in full-on normcore.  As long as the clothing is AUTHENTIC, it doesn't matter.  Give us some Levi's, a plain sweater, and a pale blue button-down oxford.  Some well-made, maybe ARTISAN-made, shoes as well.  Sure, we may look like our grandparents, but it is COOL now that mainstream and basic has co-opted the hipster aesthetic.  The substance behind this is intriguing, and I hope that the new trend is responsibility all-around.  I'm excited to see what us 30-somethings will accomplish. 

Make Out Like A Bandit

Gun, hat, and mustache not required, but nice to have.

Looks like I need to dig out all those gorgeous scarves I never use in my scarf drawer.  Fashion week shows so many looks with them, ranging from fancy knotted silk scarves, to the classic western bandana.  I'm loving it.  A new way to accessorize!  I'm loving them paired with ponchos and shearling.  Cowboy style is a classic, always.

Joan's Way of Life

Joan being dressed by the legendary Golden Age costumer, Adrian.

 

Recently I had the pleasure of reading Joan Crawford's book, My Way of Life.  It's another of those obscure, out of print books that I believe is a treasure.  I first heard about it, and got it via Link+, several years ago.  However, I ran out of time to finish it, and forgot about it for a few years.  I decided to try for it again, seeing as a purchased copy goes for about $100.  It's not really a memoir per se, although there are some tidbits (none very juicy) about her Hollywood life, very little about her childhood and pre-Hollywood times, and a few more anecdotes about her various husbands and "friends," her life married to the CEO of Pepsi, and her family life.  Of course, when you read about her times with her daughters, it is hard not to envision Mommy Dearest.  For more juicy stuff, click here.

 

Her style tips are very intriguing.

 The tips in the book read like a "Happy Homemaker" guidebook, albeit one written by a slightly deranged and very rich lady who came of age during the Silent Film era of Hollywood.  All of us can have double-decker closets (i.e., two stories tall), right?  You know, for our out-of-season items.

The pencil marginalia was already on the book.  NO WIRE HANGERS!!!

Some of the book made me a bit sad, as she definitely seemed like someone who had an undiagnosed case of OCD.  I'm not sure how good it is for your shoes to be rubber-banded together and put in plastic bags.  You really have to feel for her "help."


Diet tips are somewhat sensible, surprisingly.

 For an interesting party, invite a variety of guests.  You know, maybe a CEO of a large corporation, a poet, an artist, etc...  Oh yeah, just the usual bunch.  And if you want to be a good hostess, get help (as in, hire a maid) so you can enjoy your own party.  If you aren't too well off, just one will do, but two maids and a butler is better.

I'm sure she was a lovely woman.

 This book is really a good read if you like movie history, actresses of the Golden Age, or retro homemaker guides.  Some of Joan's advice is actually pretty sensible, while other bits are just a little on the loopy side.  Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but I do get a feeling of her loneliness, sadness, and struggles in life, even though she works hard to gloss over everything and make everything sound picture perfect.  I'd like to think that if I met her, she would be a woman who just needed a friend and was a bit misunderstood for the route she took in life.

Cheap Chic Forever

1974...  or 2015?

Cheap Chic is my fashion bible.  Forget Vogue.  Well, maybe don't forget it, but it's not my bible.  I'm not alone.  Peruse Amazon and see that my fellow fans wished they printed more copies of this, are willing to pay hundreds of dollars for the rare, out-of-print book, and are stoked that it will be reprinted this September!  I just got on the list.  Woohoo!

 

The above picture could have been taken this past summer, or perhaps summer 2015.  Did you know that jelly shoes are a classic French maritime sandal?  Can you picture all these macho fishermen wearing these super cute shoes?  A style classic, I tell you.  Her chic beach coverup, glasses, and large bag can all translate well 40 years into the future.  You see, for even though this book was published forty years ago, and was of the moment then, about 90% of it still translates to current days because it is modern and classic.  Classic is modern.

 

The picture I wanted to share with you that would not rotate properly for whatever reason was a fashion photo from 1978, from the Cheap Chic "Update."  It looked like it could have been for Fall 2015, the current fashion season being shown at NYFW.  Oh, and let's talk for a moment about NYFW 2015.  Just do a google search and see that basically every trend from the 70's, from bell bottoms to feathered hair, is back.  (And let me remind you that various aspects of 70's style were actually stolen from the 40's golden age of style...)

 

Cheap Chic has different chapters for various aspects of style--classic, sporty, work wear (including surplus), vintage/antique (which at the time could also mean gorgeous slips from the 30's!), ethnic (breaking down amongst countries and continents).  It guides you on how to incorporate whatever aspect of this you'd like into your own wardrobe.  You can do it on the cheap.  Or, you can get a lovely pair of boots for $$$ but they will last you forever, which is probably a better thing than buying a cheap pair that will fall apart in a season. 

 

The tone of the book is like going shopping with a friend.  A fun, cool friend who wears really cool clothes!  And, dispersed throughout the book are short interviews with fashion stalwarts like Betsey Johnson, Yves St. Laurent, and in the Update version, even a fun interview with the legendary Gilda Radner.

 

This style guide really is the best.  With all the talk of capsule wardrobes, responsible fashion, American made classics, thrifting, etc., that we see in 2015, this book is so ahead of its time and still relevant.  For an even better writeup of this gem, click here.  The blogger at into-mind has also included more photos of the book, so you can see just how much coolness oozes out of every page!

 

Hope you have a chic weekend.  :-)

Those Darn Millennials and Their Refusal to Buy Stuff

Gotta love stock photos!

I read a really interesting-sounding article that turned out to be not as interesting as it sounded, but still thought-provoking.

Click through and read the short article.  Go ahead, I'll wait.  Don't worry, it's not one of those New Yorker articles that goes about twenty paragraphs too long.

Back?  Okay, can I just say one thing now?

Can we just STOP talking about MILLENNIALS.  Oh my gosh.  Young people have always been young people.  Some grew up during extraordinarily hard times, and met the challenge (The Greatest Generation).  Some grew up during extraordinarily prosperous times, and those are our parents (Boomers).  All were young people, finding their way in the world.  All were admonished by the older generation, who would invariably shake its collective fist at the young'uns and say, "Those darn young people!  Why, in my day, blah blah blah..."  The current crop is no different, on both counts.  My favorite example is a Time magazine cover lamenting the new Millennials as self-obsessed nincompoops.  Someone then took the time to gather Time cover photos of EVERY SINGLE GENERATION of the last several decades, all lamenting young people.  Yeesh, give it a rest!  Let's all band together and make each other's lives easier.  Same goes for you, feminists and non-feminists, and the Mommy Wars!  Enough already!

Anyway, sorry about that.  I'm calm now, and looking at this stock image of a happy consumer happily toting around three purses has made me all the calmer.

The article says that youths don't require things just for ownership, as previous generations.  They like to have something that does something, something that they can share (#instagramhashtag, anyone?), something that they can use as a way to express who they are, or who they want to become.  I agree with that, but I think that this is the case for ALL consumers, to some extent.  Or, if you want to poll youths through history, that is probably the case for all youths since the dawn of consumerism.

I am more interested to hear what makes Millennials so different than youths before them, if that's the case.  I think there are a lot of things at play here, and it is far too complicated to be summed up in a blog or article.  Here are my thoughts on some reasons us youths may be slightly more averse than average about consumerism:

• We have seen the previous generation or generations just become swamped by their possessions, which brought them no joy, but did bring them a sense of dread that they now had to do something with all this junk.  Extreme cases saw us have to help go through elderly relatives' homes and sort through all the possessions.  Even more extreme cases saw us watch as folks from the older generation went bankrupt to afford whatever status symbol was designated to them.  All these events have turned us off of acquiring things just to acquire them.
• We spent our formative years (depending on age, that meant high school, college, grad-school, or some combination thereof) trying to find our way as young adults while we faced the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.  For many of us (myself included), this involved a stint of unemployment.  It made money tight, and recreational shopping and consumerism something looked at with a healthy dose of skepticism.
• Many of us youths (myself included) don't have broadcast television.  Now, we do have a TV at our house, and a fair amount of time is spent watching it.  However, since basically everything we watch is on-demand (YouTube and other video sharing sites, Netflix streaming, HBO Go...), we have much more control over what we watch, vs. just channel surfing.  This also, more importantly, means that we don't get commercials!  Now, advertisers are still trying their darndest to make us watch commercials before watching the content we clicked on.  But for the most part, such commercials are largely ignored, and this lack of advertisers being able to tell us what we "need" to buy has left us with less consumerist drive.

Now, these are just my opinions.  What do you think?  Any reasons I left out?

Old Reliable and the Basic Wardrobe

Groundbreaking yet confusing film--but oh the fashion and cool hair!

I stumbled upon this "mood board" on a new blog I found.  I love the look.  Effortless, chic, easy, cool, put-together.  A classic.  Since it is a classic, it wasn't just invented today.  Probably an early benchmark of the cool chick look can be seen above, in one of my favorite movies (confounding though it may be), Breathless.  That's Jean Seberg, pictured, above.  The main character in the groovy, jump-cut-filled film.  Google her to learn more about her sad life and tragic death.

The film was made during a time when women were generally expected to wear gloves, girdles, etc...  Especially in America.  Pre-marital sex was an obvious no-no as well.  The movie, undeniably fresh and modern even now, was groundbreaking.  The look, an instant classic.

The ingredients for the look are:

• Breton stripe tee-shirt, preferably long or 3/4 sleeve, preferably bateau neck
• Loose, flowing knee-length skirt or slacks or JEANS
• Sunglasses (optional but recommended)
• Sass (required)

This look resonates so much that every other fashion blog recently has posted something similar, especially with the new trends of:

• Reduced consumerism
• Retro/Classic/Vintage Cool
• Normcore and Basics (but not bitches)

There is all sorts of good news in this.  In the mood board link above, the classic striped top is paired with patchy beat up blue jeans, flat boots, and hiking socks.  All utilitarian, classic looks that aren't just making a comeback, but never went away in the first place.  Hiking socks I am seeing everywhere, and I LOVE that, because my feet are almost always cold.  And I will always love a good pair of blue jeans with a good shirt.

But the best news is this:  The look can be as cheap or expensive if you want it.  And I want it to be cheap.  After all, I am trying to save for a house (which, in the Bay Area, will take YEARS, but every penny helps).

Go to the thrift store.  My favorite is Thrift Town.  Go to the women's or kid's section.  There is your pick of all sorts of striped shirts, in fits ranging from slim to artfully baggy, all for a couple bucks.  Then, go to the women's or men's section (men's seems to have some good vintage Levi's usually, but my giant hips will not fit in them).  There is your pick of all sorts of delightfully worn jeans with a gorgeous patina that you would have to pay a designer upwards of $200 to obtain, all for a couple bucks (the most expensive pair I have found was a Paige denim pair for $12, retailed at $180).  Accessories are easy:  maybe a funky scarf to add some panache.  Maybe a cool pair of Audrey Hepburn-wannabe shades.  Shoes?  You can go the easy route in ballet flats or Chelsea boots, or get some crazy 70's wedges if you're lucky enough to shop somewhere that still has stuff pre-1990.

Your outfit is put together, unique, and YOU.  And my guess is, the entire lot cost you around $30 or less.  The beautiful thing about chic stuff is you will never fill ripped off.  It's a can't fail look.

Normcore and Fashion--Probably the First in a Long Series

These aren't my feet, but according to Google, I can reuse this image.

There has been a lot of talk over the past year or so about Normcore.  This is not when you dress like Norm from Cheers, or even Norm MacDonald, but it is when you wear "normal," sometimes ugly, clothing.  It's not the same as being "basic."  I'm pretty sure women I've known in the past whom I would describe as basic would avoid the above Birkenstocks.  So yup, it's about almost knowingly wearing things that are ugly, but celebrating their utilitarian chicness and quality.

Here's my question to you.  If you were in fact going to buy Birkenstocks, would you pay for the classic Birks, or would you get a designer iteration of it, like these here for about five times the price?  I personally would rather have the originals.

What about these designer iterations of Adidas Stan Smiths?

Or these weird-looking ballet slippers instead of these classic Capezios?

I guess it goes without say what my preference is.  To me, the gold standard is with the company that actually invented and designed the original shoe or item.  The classic.

The pant has already been invented.  The blouse, the button, the zipper--all have already been invented.

I love fashion.  But, charging $600 for basically another version of the Birkenstock is not a good thing, in my opinion.  Fashion is about fun, style, and reinvention.  Changing the color on a well-established design is not reinvention.  And making new stuff just to make it is irresponsible.

After going through my closet, I noticed that I tend to gravitate toward the same styles again and again (and those styles that didn't suit me sat in the closet unworn).  My closet purge was an exercise in getting rid of the "fashion for fashion's sake" items, and keeping the stuff that made me look and feel my best.

When someone says they prefer "classics," I always think "BORING."  But, it doesn't have to be.  What are YOUR classics?  Your "classics" is your style.  I'll be going through my recently pared down closet (which can stand for some more paring, but it's a start).  Can a fashion item be a classic?  Sure.  Can something vintage or old be a useless fashion item?  Sure, if it has no place in your closet.  I recommend again that you check out Cheap Chic for an elaboration on this philosophy.

I did get rid of two of my favorite pairs of shoes:  My Birks and my Adidas "Superstar" or as I like to call them, Shell Shoes.  Why?  Because I had had both for 15-20 years, and they were worn out.  Classics are classic for a reason:  they really never go out of style, even if fashionistas tell you that they do.  They look great, they are useful, they are well made.  And, they are reasonable for what they are.  Cost per wear (CPW) for my $100 Birks are probably pennies, since I had them for so long.  I lucked out that both of these shoes are now "it" shoes in the fashion world, but it doesn't matter to me as much as it does that they are cool and comfy.

Which brings me to my other point:  Can we just stop having "it" items?  Wear what you like.  Don't overpay for it.  Repair, replace, recycle.  Don't just consume for consumerism's sake.  When you do buy something, buy responsibly and thoughtfully.  You DON'T have to buy a wardrobe every season.  Besides, California doesn't have seasons, LIKE DUH.

Decluttering: Blue Jean Baby

RIP the jeans tower

For those poor souls aka my friends who have had to move me to various apartments and locations throughout Fremont and Newark, this might seem like too little too late.  Not only do I have 8 instead of fifty coats (this will be in another post), but now I have a fraction of the jeans I had before.

"Um, you still have like fifteen pairs of jeans," you may be saying.  Or, as my husband put it, "You now have a normal human amount of jeans.  It's still too much, but at least it's not crazy-hoarder levels."

People in the know also may remember the above jeans tower.  Well, as of last night, it is no more.  I now have a normal enough amount of jeans to actually fit in my closet.  Imagine that!  This means easier to access outfits, and it means less crap in my room.  More space in our oddly designed master bedroom is always a good thing.

The only bad thing is that halving my jeans collection meant I thought I could get RICH by reselling these jeans to something like Crossroads Trading!  But no such luck.  They didn't want any of my Seven for all Mankind jeans I paid $$$ for.  They did, however, take one pair of random Levi's that I got at like Kohl's or something ten years ago.  Hm.  Lesson learned.  I could sell the rest on eBay or Etsy but I think I will take 'em to Thrift Town.  :-)  Sometimes a lighter house and car is worth more than money.

Oh, and what did I keep?  Vintage.  Levi's.  Classic designs.  No bells and whistles.  I still have several pairs of designer jeans (Paper Denim Cloth, James, Earnest Sewn...), which I got on sale at various places.  But they are just basic classic jeans.  I'm currently reading Cheap Chic, an awesome style guide published in the mid-70's.  Even back then, they said to avoid crazy pockets, zippers, pulls, and embellishments.  Guess what?  They NEVER age well.  So long, blingy Seven jeans with the bedazzled butt.  Might have been the look I was going for in 2007, but it is not exactly a la mode or classic.

Added bonus:  having all my clothes easy to access, in one location, and organized means picking an outfit is not only easy but fun, and quick.  Getting rid of "white noise" clothing has made the house so much more appealing to hang out in.  No longer working off the top of the wardrobe, and letting those wardrobe items I wasn't using, be enjoyed by someone else, is definitely a wonderful thing.

"Yummy" Vintage Fashion on Downton Abbey

"Oh DO get on with it, I have work to do, if you please!" - Lady Mary, who doesn't.

Well, how about a lovely fashion show to get you pumped up for the weekend!  I still need to watch last week's episode of Downton Abbey to catch this awesome fashion show.  Most episodes have distractingly beautiful costumes, even though they may be understated.  They are beautiful because of the details.  Details are something that are long forgotten about in our modern fashion industry, except at the couture level.  Of course, the likes of Lady Mary were in fact buying couture.

Okay, I do love the plot, writing, acting, etc., of Downton Abbey, and even though I am not a soap opera person, I am so into this show!  But bar none, my favorite part of the show is the gorgeous clothes.  The costume designer is a costume history buff, and makes sure everything is historically accurate and of the year.  So, you won't see something in 1922 that wasn't invented until 1927.  That stuff really makes me happy.  And as I have said before, they just made clothes better then.

Here is a wonderful slide show of the fashion show they had on Downton Abbey recently.  There are some great quotes from the costume designer about how they search for items, do research, and even restore vintage items so they look new on the show.  Let's face it, no one was walking around with a flapper dress that looked to be 90 years old, in 1924.  In 1924, it was brand-new.

I am always stoked to find a vintage piece--a true, high quality, well-made, vintage piece.  As Downton's costume designer says, "things are disappearing."  I'm noticing this, too.  I first started vintage shopping 20 years ago.  Now, a lot of the stuff that was brand-new 20 years ago is filling up vintage and especially thrift stores.  I wore a lot of 70's and some 60's and 50's items, growing up.  Now, to find an actual vintage item from the 40's or before is like finding the Holy Grail!

Let's not even talk about the current book I'm poring over, Cheap Chic, which talks about vintage shopping, but in 1974.  People in the 60's were buying vintage flapper gowns and gangster moll fur coats...  Like we buy 1970's bell bottoms.  Scary thought, huh?

In another post, I'll talk about my jackets, including my newly re-lined vintage Persian lamb coat (please don't google how politically incorrect Persian lamb is; I had no idea when I bought it, and besides, it was vintage!).  But for now, I'll leave you with this thought.  If we get back to a less consumer-driven society, and stop buying 100 clothing items a year at Forever 21, and begin to repair nice items instead of throwing them out...  Maybe we can one day return to pride in craftsmanship and attention to detail not seen in at least forty years.

Decluttering: Our Addiction to Cheap Fashion

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I ran across this book while listening to an old podcast from Stuff Mom Never Told You (one of my fave podcasts).  It is now on my reading list, for sure.  If you get a chance, check out the podcast I linked to, as well.

All this talk about decluttering, and what is the root cause?  Shopping!  And why do we shop?  Because How can we afford not to.  We shop when we're bored, we shop when we're on vacation, we shop when we're socializing with friends.  We buy stuff because it's on sale, it's pretty, it's fun, it might add something, if not to our lives, well, to our afternoon.

The statistics in the podcast are a bit frightening.  Women dispose of many times more clothes than men do.  Because women, like, love shopping!  When you take clothes to the thrift store (as I love to do), not all of them are given to the needy, or sold to fellow thrifters.  Some are recycled into rags (those weird pink rags you see at the auto parts store).  Some are shipped off to Sub-Saharan Africa.  Well, several billions of TONS are shipped off...  And let's not mention how much STILL winds up in landfills.  And, do those in Sub-Saharan Africa actually need our clothes?  Not especially, and there is evidence it is negatively impacting their culture and livelihood.

What can we do, as consumerists?  Consume less.  I am not innocent.  I was a shopaholic for several years, and only in the past four or five years have I stopped, but I had amassed a buttload (to use a technical term) of clothes, shoes, and bags.  Plus, everyone knew I was basically someone who would take any clothes, so people gave me their old clothes.  AND, my grandmother was a clothes horse as well, so I got all her old clothing too.  As an aside, she had excellent taste, and I still wear, and kept most, of her clothing, including vintage Pendleton.  They just don't make things like they used to.

But I digress.

We just really don't need as many clothes as we think we do.  When statistics fly around that women wear 20% of their clothing 80% of the time, you know something needs to change.  It's not entirely our fault.  We are being market to, just as we are marketed to about everything.  Every year, we need new things.  Every season, we need new things.  Even in California, where there really are no seasons!

I am trying to make amends for my former shopaholic ways.  I have gotten rid of many clothes, trying to as responsibly as I can, but some were taken to my trusty local thrift store, which claims on their signs that the clothing or money from it goes to help local charities--this is really tops in my book, and not the worst thing you can do--definitely better than trashing it in a landfill.  Others, I have taken to consignment stores like Crossroads.  My friends don't want any, which refutes the suggestion in the podcast that the only responsible way to get rid of clothes is through a clothing swap.  That assumes that you and your friends are clones who all have the same style.

Here are my suggestions:

• Don't shop.  If you need something, think before you buy.
• This means, is there something you own that can already work for the item?
• If you have a shirt that is torn, or jacket that needs mending, don't just chuck it, but try to repair it.
• The mantra should be: repair, replace, recycle.  Upcycle.  Just don't toss.  And don't treat your clothing as disposable in the first place.
• Approaching shopping in a mindful way means less waste.  Less waste means a better economy for our country and world, and it means a better environment, too.
• Shop responsibly.  This doesn't always mean Made in USA, but many times it does.
• Be the non-consumer--buy from consignment and thrift stores.  You can find some clothes still with their tags on!  This means that people bought the garment, never wore it, and then got rid of it.  Or were given the garment from a well-meaning but clueless friend.  Not a good thing.
• Some retailers like Patagonia have programs in place to repair old items of theirs, to keep them out of landfills.  Similarly, such companies often try to make sure their factories have as little impact on the environment as possible.  You won't believe how much water these places use!
• The book I mentioned above, Overdressed, has a handy shopping directory at its site, to guide you to some places that are a bit more responsible than Forever 21.
• Listen, Forever 21 is one of my most favorite stores to shop at.  Fast Fashion is Fun!  But, the cost involved in the creation and eventual disposal of it makes that supposedly expensive $200 blouse that is "slow fashion" look like a steal.
• Google "Made in USA" or "sustainable clothing" for more ideas.

I recently watched an early Hitchcock film, called Young and Innocent.  Besides the fact that the lead actress had the coolest name ever (Nova Pilbeam!) and that I had no idea who any of the stars were, and besides the fact that while I love 30's movies and am interested to see how Hitchcock found his style, what I really noticed was the clothes.  They were cut so beautifully.  Of course, duh, you say.  It's a movie.  But, I will counter that everyone wore the same costume for the entire movie (all 83 minutes of it).  People owned less clothes, but the quality was miles better.  Clothes weren't disposable.  Things in general were less disposable.  I am hoping our generation moves back toward less a disposable society, for the sake of our future and environment.

Dress for Success?

Miss America contestant Yolande Betbeze in 1950, just chillin' in casual wear of the day.

So, we got some exciting news from the head admin here today.  The company president will be joining us from the Mothership tomorrow and the next day.  The frantic e-mail clearly stated not only that we must dress business casual, but ABSOLUTELY NO JEANS.

If you happen to reside on the East Coast, you may be saying "finally, you slacker California hippie!"  But us Californians have a knack for getting shit done while looking uber-casual.  Silicon Valley style, anyone?  Let's be frank, here:  California is birthplace of the modern blue jean.  Levi Strauss?  Anyone?  Not to mention that The Gap, skateboarding, mountain biking, and many other awesome and epic (and casual) things were invented or founded here.

But this is not something you say to the visiting company president.  To say we are casual around here is understating a bit.  Out in the corner of the building where I work, we are not part of legal, finance, or any other business-y department.  We are R&D and QA, and we get the job done in comfy clothes (the job sometimes requires hauling boxes of dusty old documents, or working with chemicals).  The average outfit around here is:  ratty jeans, crocs or beat up tennies, a polo shirt, and an old fleece pullover from a former company.  I figure I am making things a bit classier when I pair slightly nicer jeans with leather shoes (tennies only on Friday for me--self-imposed rule), a blouse that has buttons (tee-shirts only on Fridays--another self-imposed rule), and simple gold jewelry.  We all have our own ideas for what to wear when there is no requirement.

But is this a good thing?  I hope to talk in the future about how women (and people in general) have adapted to modern clothing requirements (seriously, only lawyers and financiers wear suits).  Some good discussions have come up recently.  I'll get back to Women in Clothes (it's on my read list), and Cheap Chic (the most awesome style book ever) in upcoming posts.

But back to the more pressing matter at hand.  In order to be seen as professional and successful, and to leave a good impression, and to be taken seriously, must your clothing and appearance be a factor in it?  I am a feminist and want to be taken seriously for my ideas over my appearance.  But of course, any interview I go to, I am definitely wearing black slacks, a nice shirt, and blazer, with some nice respectable shoes.  It's your first impression.

This is not me, but this is just about the look I go for at an interview.  Still more casual than the 1950's idea of casual wear.

I am a fashion person and I love clothes.  I always have to laugh at people who say "I don't pay attention to what I wear."  Just you knowing that you don't means you do.  Did I just blow your mind?  When you put on ratty jeans or ugly cargo shorts that haven't been trendy for fifteen years, and top with a shirt that has holes and not in a good way, you are sending a message to the world, like we all do when we get dressed.

And what about modern wear?  Were we better during the times of Mad Men, when everyone looked so chic and together, with not a hair out of place, perfectly applied makeup, a sweater, skirt, and heels, even on a chill day?  Watching a few old movies that seem to veer more towards the realistic side of dress, and seeing old family photos, shows me that people looked a bit less put together when being super casual.  But even camping meant:  penny loafers, khaki slacks, and a button down shirt.  Take that, Patagonia and North Face!

I don't know if the answer to the "what to wear?" conundrum is to return to more respectable forms of dress.  And I am a huge fan of blue jeans.  But I think if we each spent about two extra minutes each morning putting just a tiny bit of thought into our outfit, we might be projecting just that much better of an image to the world.  That's not bad, right?

Maybe if I had to dress nice every day, I would not be excited about the next two days.  But, since it's "special," I'm looking forward to wearing a dress or skirt, tights, and cute boots or shoes.  Vive la fashion!

High Fashion on the Cheap

I am in the midst of my monthly foray into high fashion.  Which I am able to enjoy for free.  How?

Why, my local library, of course!

Your local library has all sorts of things.  The newest books, which could be put on hold and requested to be delivered to the library closest to you.  Old, out of print, priceless books that can be yours for a few weeks thanks to interlibrary loans.  The newest movies.  Discounts to museums and other institutes of culture.  I have an Master's in Library and Information Science, so I am definitely a cheerleader for all that the library has to offer.

What I am enjoying today is my digital access to hundreds (thousands?) of new magazines related to all subjects.  Of course, my go-to is Vogue.  Besides, do you really want to lug around the paper version of this behemoth?  In this digital age?  I like paper as much as the next gal, but NO.  It's mostly ads anyway.

If you have an Alameda County Library card like I do, you can access Zinio's portal here.  If you don't live in or near Alameda County, you really should check out your own local library.  Libraries are awesome!  Fashion is awesome!

Also, is it me, or do the fashion poses get more and more ridiculous each year?

Welcome to Our Blog!

Phew!  Hello there, and welcome to our new blog.  Click around, as we get on our feet, and we hope you enjoy yourself.  My name is Kati, and I look forward to sharing my thoughts on all sorts of topics.  Sometimes, I might even have guest bloggers, so we can get a new perspective on things.

We are going to focus on:

- Style - Style tips for the rest of us.  News and trends.  Shopping tips and how to apply them to living a less consumerism-driven life.

- Cooking - My housemates and I are not chefs, but we are cooks.  I hope to share some of our go-to meals, and new ideas too.  Let's eat yummy and healthy food--the two are not mutually exclusive.

- Home - Organization, decoration, gardening.  Including tips on how not to do things the tacky way, how to make the home a place you look forward to being at, and gardening ideas for my fellow lazy gardeners.

- Travel - Tips on traveling and camping, and enjoying the outdoors.

- Fitness - Tips on staying fit, even if you are busy, or if it takes a lot of motivation (it does for me).