Fashionista

circa 2007

2008

I like this style!

Or not.

Today's post is meant for Kelly's Korner blog. Each week, she hosts a "Show us your Life" post where hundreds of bloggers chime in on a variety of themes and topics. I love perusing the posts from week to week and this week's post is all about Fashion tips. I need it bad. Let's just suffice it to say, I am not a shopper nor a clotheshorse. For the past five years or so (since our big cross-country move) I have subsisted (Proudly) on clothes I either A) had before B) acquired as hand-me-downs C) bought piece by piece during the occasional stop at Goodwill or other thrift shops or D) given to me by my husband. This approach served me well, even last year with maternity wear. So many friends passed on their maternity clothes and the rest I bought during a shopping spree to an Ohio thrift shop when I was 12 weeks along. Now that I sport the postpartum bod, it is time. Time to purge and shop.

My fashion philosophy is basically one word: comfort. I despise waistbands, buttons, zippers, and fasteners of most any kind. I love one piece cotton stretchy tee-shirt material clothes. Now this worked the best from 2002-2005 when I owned a kids yoga business. Work wardrobe= yoga pants and tank tops. Bare feet ruled. For teaching, I love skirts and dresses, especially long ankle length skirts paired with long stretchy tees. (Where are you Express Sexy Extra Length tee from winter 2007?) Today I am wearing a cap sleeve black tee from Target (circa 2005- one of three in brown, red, and black) and a Tommy Hilfiger khaki miniskirt purchased in September in a Palm Desert thrift shop. My favorite topper is a stretchy light pink hoodie from American Eagle purchased at Goodwill a couple of months ago. Collars are avoided.

As far as shoes, I am a flip-flop girl. Winter and work are challenges for me. Dansko clogs and boots are my options.

Here are my fashion goals:

*Update the basic work wardrobe by adding comfy, fresh, easy to care for pieces in neutral colors.
*Shop when I go to Florida at the Sanibel Island Gap outlet and the Sawgrass Mills Anne Taylor outlet, my two favorite treasure hunting spots!
*Invest in a pair of flat boots to get me through winter.

My only tips?

Go for comfort and frequent thrift shops in places like Palm Springs and Naples or other more expensive residential areas. This way you can find the brand names without the price tag, often in new or nearly new condition!

Kouza!

The whole family is off for an adventure later this afternoon courtesy of Gramp Joe! We are heading to Irvine for a performance of Cirque De Soleil's Kouza under the gran chapiteau (big tent!) Owen is coming along, since lap babies under 2 are free! Should be an amazing experience. Derek and I saw a CDS show in Las Vegas a few years back so we are looking forward to this! Thanks, Joe! Can't wait to see you in TWO WEEKS!!!

Twinkle in 2010!

Twinkle: verb (of a star or light, or a shiny object)
* shine with a gleam that varies repeatedly between bright and faint
noun *a sparkle or gleam in a person's eyes
* a light that appears to continually grow fainter and brighter

Spanish: papadear (star, light) brillar (eyes)

Twinkle is my theme word for 2010. For the past three years, I have selected a word to focus on for the year. In 2008, it was "sparkle". In 2009, it was "bounce". I wanted to be more resilient. This year, I selected twinkle, mostly because it is a synonym for sparkle and I loved feeling sparkly all year. Looking for the glitter in life. I am looking for a balance between inner and outer focus, so twinkle seemed appropriate because it incorporates the brightness and the faint, quiet glow of each. What is your theme word for 2010?

Happy New Year! 2010

Here is a sneak peek of my biggest change for the new year!

Welcome to 2010! Hope yours has started off with a bang! We had originally planned to have dinner with friends on New Year's Eve, but an awful painful sinus infection kept us home, picnicking on the living room floor and watching Prince Caspian instead. This morning Owen sat on my lap to watch the first part of the Rose Bowl Parade, and the cat decided to start off the new year by crawling inside the lining of the box spring of our bed. We coaxed her out pretty easily, and look forward to a relaxing day of organizing for a great new year! This will be a year of travel for our family, it looks like. With five plane trips on the docket already, we will certainly be racking up the frequent flyer miles this year. Luckily our littlest family member will still fly free! I updated a few things down the right side of the blog. Check out the updated winter 2010 avatar with Owen flinging food from his high chair and the new pix of O down the right.