How to get the most out of your wardrobe.

I chose the above quote for this blog because Macbeth and Lady Macbeth´s “clothing” is actually Macbeth´s new title of Thane of Cawdor. At this early stage in the play, they are thankful that they have the title and are not being greedy at this point. Let’s connect that with us literally buying our favorite pieces and caring for them so that they last and are not cast aside so quickly. (Am I reaching? Lol…just roll with me.)

Ok…we love are clothes and we want them to last. How do we do that? Let me give you a few tips on how to do exactly that.

Skirt: Gucci (about 4 years old)

READ THE LABELS:

Those labels are there for a reason. Make sure to check and see if your garment can actually be washed, or if it should be dry-cleaned. If you’ve ever washed something that should have been dry-cleaned, then you know about the possible catastrophic events that can ensue. Washing on the delicate cycle is always a safe bet, as well as mesh bags. I love mesh bags. They are perfect for delicates and anything else that may need extra tender love and care. Another thing you can do is air dry your garment. The dryer can cause shrinkage and put unnecessary heat on your clothes that may ruin them. So air drying is your best friend.

Sweater: Zara (last year) Jeans: Zara

Shoes: Miu Miu, Socks: Gucci

PROPER STORAGE:

How you store your clothes will add to their longevity . For example, hanging up your skirts and pants on proper hangers is something you should do. The right hangers can preserve the shape of your clothes, providing you hang them properly. I really like to use those special skirt hangers. You can also use velvet hangers that will prevent your dresses and shirts from slipping off the hangers, which can be really irritating. Also, keep in mind, some things should not be hung. For instance, cashmere sweaters. Hanging them might cause them to become misshapen, so I would suggest folding them.

QUALITY OVER QUANTITY:

I realize that fast fashion is very tempting, and can be a good choice if you want to try a trend before investing in it. However, don’t overlook the fact that investing in quality pieces will stand the test of time. Often times, these fast fashion pieces are very inexpensive, and when you wash them, they fall apart. Threads start unraveling, hems come apart, discoloration, etc. So, what happens is, you end up wearing the item once or twice and you’re back ordering again. Contrast this with investing in a quality piece that costs more, but it will stand the test of time and you will get your cost per wear out of it….which leads me to my next point.

Boots: Alexander Mcqueen

COST PER WEAR:

Cost per wear simply means the cost of the item divided by how much you wear it. Now, don’t let the math intimidate you…lol. The basic premise is the value of the item is directly related to how much you wear it. If you follow this rule, you will be able to justify that high price tag, because you are getting the maximum amount of wear out of said item. I put this equation to the test when I purchase items that are pricey, but I know I will reach for it time and time again.

Well, those are a few of my tips. I hope I could help. Let me know some things you do, to get the most out your wardrobe.

Thanks for stopping by! XOXO

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2019 Trend Alert: Making a statement with statement sleeves!

Dress: Zara, Bag: Fendi , Necklaces: Dylanlex Palm cuff: Gucci

Headband: Cult Gaia Socks: Gucci Shoes: Louis Vuitton

Puffs. Tiers. Ruffles. Ruching. The statement sleeve trend this season has got you covered. Literally. Whether you are going grocery shopping or going to a gala, there is a sleeve that will suit the occasion. Some people may feel that this trend is just too unwearable, that it only looks good on the runway. Let me just shout a resounding NO to that. At every price point, you can find a sleeve to fit your comfort level. There are poofs, puffs, and ruffles of various sizes to fit the statement you’re going for. Take a look at my first outfit below.

This fabulous khaki-colored dress from Zara has sleeves that aren’t that extreme, however they still make a statement. It´s a very wearable way to dip your toe into the swimming pool of this trend. If you want to dive into that pool and do a few laps, check out my next outfit.

This Cynthia Rowley dress has glorious statement sleeves. I could hide this cat in them, and no one would know….lol. These ballon sleeves will instantly elevate your look and take your outfit to a whole new level. Believe it or not, this is actually a summer dress. Pairing it with jeans and combat boots extends the life of this outfit, allowing me to wear it in the fall and winter. I believe in getting as much cost per wear from the outfits I wear, and this is how it can be done.

If you haven’t already, try this trend this season. Make a statement without saying a word. Let me know how you’ve styled your statement sleeves!

Thank you for stopping by! XOXO!

Damn! You are so skinny!

Recently, I went to a Thai restaurant to have lunch. I’d been to this particular restaurant several times in the past, however, this was the first time I had seen this particular waitress. As she was taking me to an available table, she exclaimed quite shockingly, “Wow, you are sooo skinny!” I’m going to assume that because English wasn’t her first language (it was quite obvious), that she didn’t realize using the term skinny has a negative connotation. And using it with strangers can come across as off-putting and rude. However, while taking all of that into consideration, and assuming she had no intentions of being rude to a paying customer, I simply smiled and said, “Yes, that’s true.”

Dress: Athena procopiou (I don’t think dress is available anymore.)

Shoes: Gucci Ace Sneakers

Purse: Gucci

Photo credit: BT

You see, this has been happening my entire life. I am really very, very naturally thin. I basically have been the same size my entire teenage, young adult, and now middle-aged adult life. I cannot tell you the countless times I´d been teased growing up because of my weight. As a child I was called Olive Oyl…remember her? :-) I was also a cheerleader from age 7-18 and of course those skimpy cheerleader uniforms just accentuated my skinniness even more. All of the other cheerleaders had curves by then, and I was still “straight up and down” as they used to say back when I was young. My mother even thought that after I had a baby, I would do as she did, and gain a lot of weight. She, too, had been thin as a child and as an adult before she had children. However, after I had my child, I snapped right back to the exact same size I had always been.

I guess people who know me and have known me my whole life aren’t really fazed by how thin I am. They don’t even notice. And quite frankly, most times, neither do I. But, in today’s society of enhanced body parts, my lack thereof, may seem strange to some people. And the fact that I embrace how I am, and don’t strive to look like what society deems is “perfect” at whatever given moment may also be a factor. I am naturally the way I am. And that suits me perfectly.

The quote above is Shakespeare´s Sonnet 130, and it is mainly discussing people’s perception of what beauty is. What is our standard of beauty? Why are we always striving to fit a standard that is ever-changing, and is quite frankly a hollow template that cannot possibly contain all of the greatness we are? This lady (the Dark Lady, she’s called) that the person in the poem is describing has none of the attributes that make a woman “beautiful”, and yet he is deeply in love with her. He basically is putting his middle-finger up to society and it’s bogus beauty standards.

I’m not putting my middle finger up to society in this blog post…lol…but I do want to stress that we should all be comfortable the way we are. If you want to change something for you, that’s great, but don’t try and fit into society’s fickle perception of who you should be at any given time. When those thoughts start creeping in…that’s when you get those middle fingers ready!!! ;-)

Thank you for stopping by….XOXO!