These Short Were Made for Walking

Saturday's Clinton Kelly Style event featured a number of outfits featuring shorts. The models ranged in age from teens to 50ish and selected ensembles reflected trends appropriate for each age group.  Shorts went from very short and casual for the teen and to progressively longer the older the model.

I know many women of a certain age think they can't wear shorts because their legs have issues.  From wrinkled knees to varicose veins our legs change as we age. My own legs have never been my best feature--they are short, I'm hippy and I don't have trim ankles.  I'm not beating up on myself, they get me where I want to go--they are sturdy.   So despite their imperfections, I like the comfort and freedom of a pair of shorts if they are the appropriate length.  I'm loving all the length choices out there.  There is a length out there--more flattering than a crop pant.  If you wear skirts and dresses, you can find an attractive and flattering pair of shorts. 

I love the corals and oranges out this season, but I don't care for them with black.  That combination just screams Halloween to me--sorry if it's one of your favorites.

I do, however, love orange and navy (despite the fact that they are the school colors of dreaded athletic foe UVA).  Adding a wedge gives the outfit a bit of polish and for even more polish, you might substitute a jacket for the sweater.

Outfit details:  All Talbots - Charming Cardigan in Pink Flamingo; Paisley Slub Knit Tee; Twill Bermuda Short; Belt (old); Shoes (old); Necklace (old); Bracelets (old).

A Tale of Two Jackets

On Saturday I was touched by Clinton Kelly, it was only a handshake, but nevertheless, I've been touched by a fashion God.  AND, he complimented me on my jacket (Talbots Tweed Jacket - currently available on sale).  I may wear it at least once a week going forward, right after I have it tailored.  All of this took place at a Clinton Kelly Style Event on Saturday at Macy's Towson (Md.).  He's hilarious, snarky but not mean, as cute in person as he is on TV, hyper-energy, and down to earth.

He pulls no punches when it comes to identifying and critiquing fashion faux pas.  One brave soul--a very busty mom who had had twins, her first children, at age 40-- volunteered to be his subject for a style critique.  She was wearing a horizontally striped tee, elastic pants and crocs!  His first words to her, "Get a professional bra fitting."  It's a sore point with him that far too many women aren't wearing a correctly fitted bra.  Don't know if you've heard this before, I had not, your breasts should rest half way between your elbow and your shoulder.  So if you've got girls, go to the mirror and check yourself out.  I'm not sure where to find a professional bra fitter, which is who Clinton wants you to see, but I'm going to try to hunt one down.  I think I'm okay, but just want to check it out. 

Now about the jackets...if you follow Clinton on What Not to Wear or have read any of his books (I got 'Oh No She Didn't on Saturday and was able to get it signed), you know he thinks a jacket just completes an outfit whether it be casual or dressy.  He also expounds the need for tailoring.  He did a bit during the Q&A on fashion designers and fit models and why we need tailoring.  So right along with my hunt for a bra fitters, I'm going to search for a better tailor.  That is, better than the lady who does alterations at the cleaners who isn't really a tailor.

It's been cool enough to need a sweater or jacket over the last few days, low 60's weather with a breeze.  The jacket on the left was one modeled during the Style Event.  It's a great knit and was under $40.  It will be perfect for travel.  The denim jacket, which is actually what I wearing out and about yesterday, is from Old Navy and was around $35. 

Which look do you like best?

Outfit details: Right:  Macy's - Alfani Collarless Jacket; ;Banana Republic -Striped Elbow-Sleeve Tee; Polka dot scarf - Old; Jeans - Talbots - Old; Shoes - Tory Burch
Left: Old Navy - White Denim Jacket

It's a Crop

These three Talbots' looks all include the pervasive crop pant.  The first two are the super crops and the last is their five-pocket crop which features a 'slim leg.'  That becomes legging-like on my body type. 

While no fan of the crop, I've a thicker calf and ankle and feel they shorten my silhouette and emphasize the wideness of my hips, these looks all work.  

If you love crops, and many do, you might want to try the monochromatic look to lengthen the silhouette and add a great scarf or jewelry to draw the eye upward. 

I'm in love with the beaded stripe cardigan in the first look and think it will make a classic and useful addition to my wardrobe.   

Do you feel the love for any of them?  Which one might you wear?

Outfit details, all Talbots, left to right:  Beaded Stripe Cardigan; Signature Fit Twill Skimmers; Wrinkle Resistant Shirt in Pink Flamingo. Middle - Charming Cardigan in Lapis; Wrinkle Resistant Shirt in Palm Frond; Signature Fit Twill Skimmers in Palm Frond;Fleur-De-Lis Floral Wrap.  Right - Ponte' Knit Jacket; Cotton Crewneck Tee; Signature Seaside Dot Crops Seaside Sea Glass;Lexa Crisscross Espadrille; Striped Straw Tote

Mellow Yellow

This is one of my very favorite color combinations that I don't wear enough.  And while pattern mixing may not be for everyone, done well, I love it, believing it takes ordinary to extraordinary.  This skirt caught my eye in the Talbots May catalog, but sometimes I shy away from patterns on the bottom--I've a lot of real estate in that body area.  They are also more of a styling challenge, once worn with the easy solid color top look where is there to go?

On the hanger, this look made me go, "hmmm?" Once on it was love at first sight. It's a great summer mix of colors and the individual pieces can work so well with other existing wardrobe pieces.  The yellow in the skirt is a beautiful tone--bright sunshine captured in pattern, what's not to love? The blue and black in the sweater works beautifully with the skirt, but the sweater is lovely on its own.  The scarf adds a lovely extra dimension with its bandana print. And  there's a darling tee tucked up under the sweater that has a sweet bit of cut-out lace at the top. 

Outfit details:  Floral Sweater - Talbots; Skirt - Talbots; Tee - Talbots; Scarf - Talbots; Necklace;  Shoes - Michael Michael Kors via Macy's.

Black, White & Bold

I love this cotton voile dress from Talbots, love it.  The classic black and white is timeless and a fit and flare is my favorite fit for summer. It's a dress a girl can twirl under the stars in...or a girl's mom.  It's easy to wear now by throwing on a jacket or cardigan while its sleeveless cut allows it to still work in the heat of full summer. 

I had the opportunity on Sunday to try on some fabulous looks put together for me by a Talbots stylist.  Can't recommend this service enough.  Here we added a color punch with the fushia denim jacket and the cobalt necklace.  We added a narrow black belt and a scarf that provides a bit of pattern mixing while providing a great vertical line. 

Outfit details: Nautical Stripe Dress - Talbots;  Denim Jacket - Talbots; Scarf, belt and Necklace - Talbots; Shoes - Michael Kors via Lord & Taylor.

The Mother of the Bride Dilemna

So the good news is that our oldest daughter Meghan is marrying her soul mate on March 24. She is very happy, her Dad and I are happy, we're pretty sure he is happy. There is a great deal of happiness going around.

The wedding is being planned in a short time frame, only four months from engagement to ceremony and reception. Meg landed a dress on her first visit to the bridal salon and her sister, Julie, had the same good luck when she went shopping for her maid of honor dress. Meg purchased a sample dress and her first fitting is this week. Jule's dress is in stock and will be here in two weeks.

Dad gets to wear the custom suit he had made before Julie's October 2009 wedding.

So everybody's ready to roll except for me. It's the story of our wedding life.

This post was written in November of 2011, but only published today.

New Year's Resolution 2012

Last year, in my one and only post, I vowed to post more often. That's one vow I failed to keep.

Some of my resolutions seemed easier to keep than others. We're eating better, I'm still volunteering with the Literacy Council and exercise has increased.

Despite numerous attempts to pare down possessions, that effort seems to have moved in fits and starts. Seems as if I got one group of things sorted and thinned out and in the next breathe I hauled in a bunch more things. In my defense the successful completion of that resolution was greatly hindered by the clearing out and sale of my parents home. It's been difficult, as least for me, to say goodbye to both my parents and the things which I associated with them. I couldn't keep my Dad forever, but I could keep his cherry chest of drawers.

Being thankful for the life I have was also sometimes problematic. The second week of January my Dad was diagnosed with bladder cancer. A blessing was that he had a wonderful, wonderful, caring physician who provided my sisters and I with all the treatment options and assisted us in making a pallative decision. Though he lived less than three more months, almost all the family was able to visit Dad prior to his passing and my sisters and I were able to share his care for the last months of his life.

I wasn't ready to let him go, perhaps we never are ready to lose those we love. But I was blessed to have had him in my life and to have had the opportunity to spend so much time with him as his life came to a close.

For me, seeing the glass as half full is an ongoing battle, but the tide may be turning for the power of positive thinking.

Seems as if last year's resolution list may need to have its deadline extended. This year I resolve to make more effort to get the job done.