Style
This is not a fashion blog. You have probably already guessed that by the lack of self-portraits, outfit posts, what-I-wore-Wednesdays, cute accessory shots, and so on. However, this week we are going to talk style. Crazy as it may be, this topic has pretty much fallen in my lap and set me up with a string of posts for the week. I like when that happens.
Let me start with the book.
When I posted about this book on Friday, I hadn't really started reading it yet, but now I've gotten a little bit into it and I'm really enjoying it. The author describes various people who influenced her style from a very young age. Each "chapter" is a different person from her past, and she talks about what it was about that person that made them so stylish to her that she wanted to copy it and how it eventually formed her overall style. I relate to it completely, and I bet many of you can too. You know you've seen someone while standing in line at Starbucks, or while running errands, or maybe a coworker or other mom at school, who is wearing something enviable, so much so it makes you want to run out and buy one of whatever it is you're eyeing. That happens to me a lot. But I've been thinking about it and here's my take on that: I don't think it's totally what they are wearing so much as how they are wearing it, and you know how they are wearing it? With confidence. I think that's one key element to looking great, and I wish I had more of it.
Anyway, from that post, Paige left me a comment with this link to a post titled, "No More Yoga Pants: How to Dress Like a Frenchwoman." Of course I clicked over to it immediately. I love the message of it: women in France do not wear yoga pants or sweatpants or any other kind of workout attire out of the house, and they look nice because of it. They wear simple pieces with great accessories and they know how to mix and match. I think we in America have fallen into this "comfort" pit. I'm not saying that we need to go back to the days when women wore dresses all the time (though how nice did they look?) but maybe we've gone a little bit too far in the other direction where it is acceptable to look sloppy in public. I'm not trying to be insulting; I just think we could maybe present ourselves in a better light.
Personally, I am not one to wear any kind of yoga/sweat/running pants or pajamas out of the house. I always manage to pull on jeans and a sweater, which I find to be just as comfortable. I am not necessarily what I would consider stylish- in terms of being hip and trendy- though I don't think I'm a total dowdy dud either. I fall somewhere in the middle of managing to put regular clothes on but falling short of a stylish outfit. I really would like to change that.
While searching for a good link to I Want to Be Her!, I happened to find this book:
via
Hello, entire book based on dressing like the French. Coincidence? I think not. In fact, the library has a copy of it, so I think it must be fate. I had to put it on hold but I'm excited to get my hands on it and see what it says. It looks like it has tips and tricks to dressing more classically.
Where am I going with this post? I want to find out what style means to you. For me, it means classic clothes with perhaps one trendy piece thrown in accessorized nicely with hair and makeup in place. On average, I'm hitting 1.5 to 2 out of 3 of those things, but even on a "2" day I still never feel as pulled together as that chick in line at Starbucks, you know? So how do you define style?
Do you feel like you always look great, or do you feel dowdy? Do you manage to get regular clothes on, or are you a workout wear lover? Love trendy clothes or no? In what style areas do you excel and which not so much? Are you French, and would you like to chime in? I'm really interested in getting a sense of what your opinions on the subject are!
Right now I feel like I need to weed out my closet and try to hone in on one particular style, and I've been feeling that way since I've been able to pack away the maternity clothes. I kind of feel like I have clothes and I have jewelry but no style. And I want to work on that. So this week will be a little exploration of style and closets and clothes and hair and jewelry- actually, LOTS of jewelry. I have not one, but three jewelry giveaways for you this week to help you on your stylish way. I think it's going to be an interesting week!
So my mother had a rule that were never allowed to wear pajamas outside the house. I mean never. We always had to dress up in some type of regular clothing before leaving the house. We also couldn't wear slippers outside the house. My father ironed everything. I mean EVERYTHING. So not only did I not wear pajamas, my clothes were always ironed.I have never owned sweatpants, not even ones that say UCONN on them. Although I really should get a pair.
ReplyDeleteI still do not wear pajamas outside the house or go without ironing my shirt. I like clothes I am comfortable in so I typically wear jeans, flats, and a shirt. It wasn't until I started working at The Loft where I started venturing out of my basic tees into actual blouses. Now, I try to have a nice blouse and jeans. I'm slowly getting into dresses but only in the summer. My style is slowly changing. As my income changes, I'm sure I will become more and more lavish.. like a 10 t-shirt instead of a 5.00 one. hahaha.
My style sounds similar to yours: basic pieces that can be easily mixed and matched, amped up with fun accessories and jewelry. I've learned over the years that my life is SO much easier when my individual items can make many outfits. (Plus, then I have to buy less.) Like I mentioned to you before, I'm not a sweatpants/yoga pants kind of gal either. I get that they're comfortable and easy to put on, but jeans and a real shirt don't take any extra time. I'm always That Person at a wedding or other kind of celebration whining that people aren't dressed up enough, haha. I miss nice dresses sometimes.
ReplyDeleteSo glad you liked the article! Those Frenchwomen are onto something.
I feel the same way about my own style. There are a few things that define my current style (cardigans, scarves, and flats to name the top three). But I never feel as put together as I would like. I think I want the same type of classic style with a few accents. I'm excited to read more about what you find!
ReplyDeleteI am hit or miss. Some days I think I rock it. I am constantly getting complemta on cute clothes... However, I have been caught out at least once a week in yoga pants. Does it help of I'm wearing them with a fun scarf and a hat??? My trouble is less getting dressed and more I HATE doing my hair. So I will end up in a bun almost every day. I need to work on that. Hey, I did shave my legs yesterday, so that's a start I guess:)
ReplyDeleteI've been reading "Bringing Up Bebe" and am so intrigued by the way the French do things. All of these books look so interesting to me-- thanks for the suggestions!
ReplyDeleteand I so agree about getting too comfortable with our looks and running around in sweat pants. it's totally abused and I know I've been guilty on occasion. I need to change my habits before I have kids who want to wear sweats out of the house too!
It's funny. There are sweatpants and then there are sloppy sweatpants. I live in the New York metropolitan area, and yoga pants are very much "in" while sloppy baggy sweats... not so much. I would never wear pajamas in public and am so put-off by people wearing slippers in the stores. Ick! Sorry if I offend anyone, it's just my opinion :)
ReplyDeleteSo excited to see what you come up with. Maybe I'll actually get to see what you look like one of these days? (she writes with no creeper-ness at all) ;)
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