New Year's Eve 2010

Preparing for a new year is a bit of an undertaking.  There are so many beliefs in things to eat or do to ensure the coming year is a good one.  Too many things to count yet alone follow.  I didn't eat the pickled herring, or the twelve grapes at midnight.  I didn't make black eyed peas on Jan 1st.  I kind of cleaned but would not call my house spotless for the new year either.  Despite it all I feel good.  This year is full of possibility and potential.  I intend to take advantage of it.  The year 2011 will be the year of self actualization.  Its the year I stop getting caught up in things that don't matter and start accomplishing things for me in a focused way.  Look at 2011.  It just looks happy.  A year smiling at me.  Happy new year!  Happy me!

One new year practice I did follow was the pop of color requisite from Nina Garcia.  I had visions of floating into the new year in billows of sophisticated grey tulle and was lucky enough to find the perfect dress.  White House Black Market dress and pumps bejeweled with something old and blue (a different fashion belief but what the heck why not) with a vintage swarovski beaded necklace.  I turned the belt around so the rhinestone belt buckle was decorating my back and popped some red into the picture with red lips and nail tips.  I felt like a princess floating through a fog.  Now hear I am in a clear New Year.

May 2011 be filled with your favorite things and all around unexpected awesomeness!

Stylish book report The Little Black Book of Style by Nina Garcia

Nina Garcia what is it that makes you tick?  I see you sitting by the runway quiet; seemingly emotionless as you size up the competing would be designers.  Your thoughts are organized and analytical.  Some times your comments are harsh but most often they are constructive.  You look together, well accessorized but unassuming.  Your accent is not familiar, a combination of many places perhaps.  Your smirk is jovial, your eyes genuine and warm.  If I met you in person I would look you straight in the eye because, at the risk of sounding much like a crushing teenager, I want to get to know you.  So I am reading our book-or one of them.

Stylish book report: The Little Black Book of Style by Nina Garcia.

As previously mentioned, I do not like people telling me how to dress.  However, I do love being inspired.  In The Little Black Book of Style Nina Garcia states early on that her goal is not to provide a list of rules for readers to follow.  Instead she begins the book by sharing her personal inspirations then urges readers to look to themselves for the ultimate inspiration.  She offers observations on ten basics principles she feels style icons often share and then offers insights and pop culture references as evidence.  If you love the study of modern style you will love this book.

I was originally intrigued to hear Nina’s voice.  This book did not disappoint.  As she regales scenes from her childhood growing up Columbian and learning to incorporate many styles from around the world I was charmed.  When she, like me in the initial paragraph written before reading the book, talked about the type of woman whose style pulls her in I felt a kinship.  Her references of so many recording artists, movie recommendations and time frames made me want to invite her over for a style film viewing party and girl gabfest.  And when Nina interviewed some of today’s most admired designers for their take on everything from shoes to “not giving a damn” I was in awe.  This is a woman who has lived an incredibly stylish life and continues to traverse each day with an openness to continue to identify the amazing to come.   Intrigue deserved.

Terrible trouble; Pop of color.

When I dress in the morning my thoughts rarely fall to the question, “How does this outfit pledge my allegiance to my local sports team?”  Sure I root for the home team.  Yes, I get excited to attend the occasional game, bathe in the sense of community, and be a member of a jovial crowd routing for a common goal.  Unfortunately the game schedule and opponent team color wheel are not committed to my memory.  

Monday night I watched my Cincinnati Bengals narrowly miss a win against rival Pittsburgh Steelers in the final minutes of the fourth quarter (ok, ok, I may have spent a good portion of the other three quarters channel surfing but I paused thoughtfully when it counted).  I too was disappointed by this loss.  However, when I woke up Tuesday morning and faced my closet I thought, “Inspire my day!  Take an average office outfit and make it wow.  Keep me comfortable, interested, and awake sitting at a desk for 10 hours.”  Mondays loss had been put behind me.

My thought process for getting dressed Tuesday started with the outfit details as it often does.  For the week I concocted a new manicure.  It is French style with purply red tips instead of white.  Just so happens this maroon/red matches the shade of my red patten leather Michael Kors platforms perfectly.  Realizing this it seemed like a logical place to start the creative dressing process.  I wanted to wear something comfortable so I went to the most comfortable and time tested black slacks in my wardrobe.  Then realizing the day was perhaps one of the last unusually warm days of the season and seeing the section of my closet housing professional button down collared shirts was not getting much love, I chose a short sleeve white with black pinstriped top with white collar.  Comfort was achieved but it was kind of boring so I threw on a pop of color in my new favorite way.  I grabbed a long fabric strip of soft jersey and gave it a knot around the neck.  In my mind this concoction was a quickly assembled win for a boring Tuesday.  

Then I got to work and realized how men’s outfits are often assembled.  “Is that a terrible towel?”  asked one of my coworkers referring to the yellow terrycloth towel that Pittsburgh Steelers fans swing above their heads at sporting events.  “What?”  I looked at my outfit and it took me a minute to realize what he was talking about. Clearly this florescent yellow is different than that mustard yellow the steelers claim? We debated the shading.  He was jovial enough through this; as were the next three coworkers that inquired about the yellow swathe.  Yellow black and red, yup, in hindsight those are steelers colors.  

My mind jumped back to a similar oversight last summer.  I was excited to be invited to a Cincinnati Reds baseball game with my cousins, aunts, and uncles; and was excited to find we also had an opportunity to arrive early and watch batting practice.  In that situation I thought about what to wear in sports reference but to be coy about my color introduction I wore mostly black with red nails and accents instead of an all out red ensemble.  This would have worked but then in a rush out the door it was cold so I threw on the functional pop of color, a yellow trench that has brought me so many good memories over the years... Fond memories were not created by the jacket that day.  I arrived to a chorus of “What? Are you rooting for the other team?”  Apparently the opponent was a black and yellow team.  I was forced to remove the jacket and shiver for a few hours.  Even having the coat on my arm, like a flag for the opponent, evoked an uncomfortable feeling of alienation. 

I don’t mind people bringing up this oversight.  In fact I like it.  The criticism and teasing gives me the opportunity to explain my error and grow through the oversight.  Truly this was not a bold statement in opposition of my cities sports leagues,  “Fellow Cincinnatian my intention was not to slap you in the face!”  

What concerns me the most are the people I don’t know that don’t ask.  I am sure my cute pop of color was lost Tuesday on that guy in the bengals jersey staring me down at the gas pump with a look of salty loss on his brow.  “Hey guy pumping gas!  I am a home town supporter!  We are rooting for the same team!  Feel the community?!?  Give me a smile!?!”  I wanted to yell.  “Hey cute new Reds player that just got brought up from the minors!  I really do want you to win!  Come hither so my cousin can get an autograph and I can admire that baby face up close!”  Last Tuesday and last summer mighty Emily’s ensemble had struck out.  

ferocious kitty back on the prowl

I read in a magazine kitten heels are back with a vengeance.  True, their presence was all over the runways this fall.   There was a time when the low heel and pointed toe seemed all I needed for an outfit.  But that was almost two years ago.  That was before I discovered the power of the platform.   I was uncertain I was ready to rediscover such a contradictory trend.

There is a certain sex appeal to a platform pump.  My legs seem to go on forever and my butt is given a little perk.  If arched just right a sky high heel can be as comfortable as a tennis shoe, allowing me to walk gracefully and with confidence.  The right platform takes an outfit to another level.  Sure I may be 6 feet tall in a 4-inch heel with a 1inch platform but the confidence that comes with this new latitude is addictive.  Feeling like a model with legs lengthened to unrealistic proportions while still stepping with comfort is a win, win. 

As most trends often end in extreme, the heights of some of the platforms had become dangerous.  Balance off put, and twisted ankles are the downside of such magical heights. And with an average male height of 5’9” and intimidation easy to find it seemed the power of the pump also had a negative impact on the dating life of the fashonista.  It wasn’t hard to see a change soon in the wind.

I was just not sure I was ready for such a drastic shrinking of the shoe this fall.   It just seemed so drastic; it just seemed so soon.  After a day of attempting to walk quickly to work on stone finished sidewalk in sky high heels not quite arched to perfection, however, I was ready to give a modest heel another try.  Reluctantly I excavated the depths of my closet for the kitten heels left there years ago. 

Oh kitten heels!  I had forgotten how comfortable you are to wear.   How easy it is to keep a long stride with you as my footwear.  The balls of my feet are not burning, even without Dr Scholl’s massaging gel insoles!  I welcome you back with open arms and relaxed toes. 

Still, the demure decoration of a few years ago seems a bit out of place with my new love of ferociousness in fashion.  After Gaga I feel there still needs to be a level of sass in my newly rediscovered little kitties.  I went first for the metallic purple snakeskin print  kitten heel and things just seemed to right.  I paired it with an industrial chic plexiglass necklace for edge and a bold teal/turquoise top.  The mix felt right. 

Comfy Kitten heel

I am not ready to abandon my favorite platforms quite yet but my current rotation must now be expanded to include another type of shoe.   The subtle style and comfort of the kitten heel is worthy of revisit.

Taste: Acquiring What Money Can't Buy; A book report.

So what is it that makes a woman stand out in a crowded room or stay in the mind of those around her for an evening, a month, a decade?  Taste. Acquiring What Money Can’t Buy by Letitia Baldrige attempts to answer this question with a study of style and the influential people that wield it over time.  More than a commentary, Taste is an interesting look at art and culture, as well as  a peek at the life of the author herself, a woman that made a career on advising others on matters of taste.

Beginning with an attempt to define the title Letitia, also an authority on manners, artfully manages not to offend any specific tastes as she limits her commentary to kind words while evaluating them.  Process of elimination seems to be the starting point for the analysis.  Letitia gives many examples of what true taste is not, 

Assembling wonderful elements doesn't do it.  Size, fit, and

appropriateness are all essential to style.  We should dress to disguise

one’s imperfections not magnify them. 

(53)

She stresses the importance of attention to detail, “even the best clothes cannot compensate for negligent grooming.” (p54)  And presents many arguments for why injecting taste into your regimen is important:

The conspicuous minority that instinctively dress with taste always stand out in a crowd... an attractive part of the scenery.  They are also propelled forward in business and social life.  People want to have them around... They are considered sophisticated and knowledgeable. 

(31)

After much analysis and the process of elimination a conclusion is reached with a simple description of taste as an “understanding of what appropriate means.”

Next Letitia looks at taste through the ages and across cultures.  She presents the often omitted observation of the Native American’s sophisticated fashion trade as a precursor for our current love of fur and organic materials.  Then weaves the contribution of French fashion and the House of Worth’s practice of creating mannequins to size garments for their clients great distances abroad into the fit.  She demonstrates her understanding of fashion today and how it was formed.  Expanding the discussion to include social graces, entertaining, and interior design she demonstrates her versatility.

When we were organizing a dinner in honor of a UN official who was

planning a visit to Rome, I suggested that the ambassador...print the guest

of honor’s latest important speech on fine paper and bind it in a

decorative endpaper as a memento for each dinner guest. 

(175)

The analysis provides a good sense of the many influences that made fashion and taste today a possibility.  

Letitia concludes her analysis with ample examples of tastemakers throughout history.  These case studies are perhaps the most colorful and endearing portion of the book.  Letitia worked for embassies abroad, she spent time as a social representative for the Kennedy White house, and navigated fashion social circles for decades.  She provides very personal accounts of each of these.  Letitia talks in detail about responding to letters on behalf of Jackie Kennedy.  She talks of the first Ladies passion for creating an environment that represented the residence of the United States in a respectable way.  Letitia talks of the style support team that helped make Jackie and other admired women as memorable as they continue to be  and evidences the strength of the women themselves with examples such as Nan Kemper’s dinner spent pant less in defiance of a dress code keeping women in dresses.  This recounting is entertaining and inspiring.  Insights into each of these situations also provide a feeling of privilege at being held in confidence. Letitia inspires us with her recounting and many examples while providing insight into humanity of the icon.    

Taste: Acquiring What Money Can’t Buy by Letitia Baldrige is not a book to tell you how to dress but rather it is an investigation of the underlying elements that have worked for those deemed iconic in the past.  The author offers historical context to design elements and personal observations about common practices of some of the most famous over the ages in an attempt to find a common thread.  While some similarities are present, Letitia comes to the conclusion it is really each person’s environment, focus, and individual opinion that matter most.  

Bibliography:

Baldrige, Letitia.  Taste. Acquiring What Money Can’t Buy.  New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2007.

Dreams of chiffon dance in my head

Ralph Lauren
Spring RTW 2011
www.style.com

I have a dream... It is of white stone, hound’s-tooth, herringbone, horseback riding, roadsters, and a little manicured courtyard with peacocks meandering.  It is of chiffon floating across shiny marble and effortless comfort under the weight of glittering things.  I think it is a dream shared by Ralph Lauren and dreamed since I was a girl reading the Great Gatsby, Pride and Prejudice, and the Secret Garden.  And so when "I grow up" fast seems looming and the roadster and marble just seem a bit out of reach what is a girl to do? 

Ralph Lauren
Black Label ad 2010

Ralph Lauren Black Label ad 2010

Rhinestones and plaid

a comforter tie

I will swath myself in sturdy fabrics, satin and rhinestones, or perhaps the curtains (or a piece of comforter) shiny and stiff.  I will wrap myself in mystery and look coy when asked where I am going.  Most importantly I will believe this is just the beginning of endless possibilities…

Satin and rock climbing

Day at the races

Yesterday I hopped on a bus of fun people and spent the day at Keeneland watching horse racing.  I love Keeneland as it is the epitome of Kentucky horse country.  Ladies dress like ladies, and men don suits, ties, and french cuffs.  Think Kentucky Derby only with the glitz and glam removed and in its place solid love of the races, ivy, and old world charm.  It is a day of drinking but the atmosphere makes it refined.

You know you are getting close when the grass stretches for miles soft, vivid green, portioned off with intersecting white slatted horse fences.  The stone walls rise and form the stately buildings at Keeneland.  My favorite part is the area when you first enter.  Horses get paraded before each race.  There isn't a bad looking animal there but I like to pretend I know what I am talking about as I comment on how good each animal looks.










Inside the betting and the racing is the main event but the people watching could be a close second.  The crowd is a mixture of everyone.  Heavy hitting gamblers intermingled with dressed up young professionals, and families with children in tow.  Bourbon is the liquor of choice and if you want a beer the Kentucky Ale also has the sweet oak flavor of bourbon as a favorite.

 I chose my outfit looking for something comfortable enough to sustain a day of drinking but ladylike enough to fit the scene.  Chilly morning but warming in the afternoon.  My current favorite jacket and pumps, and a go to dress, but I wanted a punch so i added the purple tights.  I loved it more by the minute.  The tights got a lot of attention, some good, and some from people that didn't get it.  Either way, I still loved it!