Shop Your Closet

 I shopped my closet for Sunday's outfit. Since I work from home I can get away with dressing very casually Monday - Friday. In fact, some mornings I go from pajamas to running clothes, to the shower and back into shorts and casual tops for the rest of my day. A lot of what I do involves online research and writing. For example, today my work includes writing a resume/cover letter for a client in the insurance business. My day's work will also include preparing for my upcoming speaking engagement, "Turning Hearts Toward Home" in Mayo, FL. I am speaking Friday night, Saturday morning and Sunday morning, so lots of writing, praying, and listening!

What do you do when your clothing budget is in a season of "non-existent"?
I shop my closet. I challenge myself to put together articles of clothing in new and different ways. Fortunately I also have my daughter's closet from which to "shop." The mocha colored blouse is hers and the skirt is one I rescued from her yard sale pile! In fact, before I wore it I had to remove the $2 sticker.

 My Shoe Tips

One tip: Do not buy cheaply made shoes. Buy well made shoes at discounted prices! And for me, comfort counts, too. When shoes are cheaply made, they do not hold up. Well made shoes last a long time.
I am not a "gotta have it right now" kind of woman. One of my best traits is that I am content with delayed gratification. When I shop retail, I shop the sales.

Another shoe tip is this one: Find a pair of shoes in a neutral color...one that is close to your skin tone. A neutral shoe coordinates with any color you wear. Don't know what to wear with a red dress? Wear a neutral shoe. I have 3 beautiful pairs of shoes (all purchased on clearance) in varying neutral shades. Living in Florida, I rarely wear hosiery. Once a year...maybe? Neutral colored shoes blend well with tanned legs. Need to fake a tan? I like Sally Hansen's Air Brush Legs. (Running every day gives me plenty of color on my legs but I have used Air Brush Legs in the past.)

3rd shoe tip:  If you want to elongate the leg, do not wear a strap across the foot or around the ankle! Wear a slingback or a pump. If you have long, thin legs, then go ahead and wear the ankle strap.
Stand in front of a full length mirror with one of each type shoe and see which looks best.
My favorite type shoe is a neutral tone with a platform and a slingback...just like the ones in this picture. The platform keeps the high heel from feeling quite so high.

One thing is for sure, I will not run into anyone else with this same outfit!

Silk Blouse ~ Apostrophe (thrift store); Skirt ~ Merona from Target; Sweater ~ The Loft;
Shoes ~ BCBG (purchased several years ago from Marshall's, I think.) Belt ~ old

Shop Your Closet?

Yesterday morning I did a dumb thing. 

I decided to wear a pair of pants to church that I had rescued from my daughter's yard sale pile. 

Here's where the dumb part comes in. They were extremely long. My daughter is about 4 inches taller than I am and even with my highest heels, the pants were too long. 

So what did I do? Choose something else to wear? Nope.
I put them on and took up precious "getting ready for church on time change Sunday" time to hem them. While I was wearing them. Yes, I said I hemmed them while wearing them. Hey, it's a gift.

The pants are a low rise navy with a faint pin stripe. I picked a sleeveless silk blouse that has a water color-y look to it. It has tones of gray, blue and dark pink (fuschia-esq). Blouses are IN in a big way right now. At least that's what Ann Taylor keeps telling me. She emails me all the time.
I tucked the top in because it's rather long and the pants are quite the low rise.
Since it was also a bit chilly in Florida yesterday I borrowed one of my daughter's cap-sleeved sweaters in navy to top it.

I still think I need to hem the pants a little shorter.

Why am I telling you this?

Because way back in 2009 I started a blog series called "Shop Your Closet" and I am thinking about reviving it. 

And then this morning I found this post on this blog. And I felt inspired.

How about you? Do you enjoy putting things together that you already own in a new and different way?


Have you ever hemmed your pants while wearing them?

More True Confessions of a Closet Shopper ~ It's A Wrap

Again, I shopped my closet for what to wear to church yesterday. This dress is one of 2 that I own. Normally I buy separates because they are so much more versatile in that I can do a remix on the individual pieces. This particular style is the popular wrap dress and I have had this one for 8 years or longer. The wrap dress came about in the 70's and is flattering to most figures, especially those with some curves. It defines the waist and whittles the hips. It is also flattering to the upper body. Unless you are very thin with a boyish figure, the wrap will most likely be a flattering style for you.

Again with the hem length ~ The universally flattering length is from mid-knee to right below the knee. Just don't wear your hem at the widest part of your calf! And remember, the shorter your hem (once you get completely above the knee), the lower your heel height should be.

I heart the necklace I'm wearing. It was a gift from my BFF. You can't see the matching bracelet, but it's there!

Find Your Diamond ~ Best hem length

Do you know your best hem length? Stand barefoot in front of a full length mirror with heels touching and toes turned out (1st position in ballet). Unless you ARE a ballerina, you probably won't be able to turn your feet out quite like THAT!

Now, do you see the diamonds that are created in this position? Those are the most flattering hem lengths for you. And you should have at least one diamond.

Wearing your skirt or dress so that the hem is at your diamond is the most flattering, however sometimes you can fix the proportion by choosing a shoe height that is more appropriate to your hem length.

A too-long dress or skirt can give you a dowdy appearance. If you have an outfit that you generally love, yet something is not quite right, it may be that the hem length is all wrong.

Wearing a dress or skirt that is too short for you can look juvenile, or something else, especially if worn with a higher heel. However, if you do wear a shorter length for casual occassions, wear a lower heel. That may be just the fix you need for a better proportion.

Any questions, class? 'Just kidding. I'm no fashion expert. I just play one on this blog.

(photos from photobucket)

Shop Your Closet & Your Best Neckline

I wore another "shop my closet" outfit today! A few of the ladies at my church who read my blog have started asking me, "Is that a shop your closet outfit?" And a couple of women have told me they have been inspired to do the same thing. I'd rather be an inspiration than a terrble warning any day!

Here's the rundown on my not so new "new" outfit.

Skirt - Ann Taylor (new last year and, as always, on sale)

White Cami - Target last year (camis are a staple)

Blue Top - Shopped my Daughter's closet (came from the Gap)

Vintage Brooch (belonged to my MIL)

Shoes - favorite open styled, "nude" heels. These shoes are old but I treat them well and they return the favor.

I have a pair of white wedge sandals with a strap that would have worked with this outfit, but when I want to make my legs appear longer I wear a pair of heels that virtually disappear. Try it at home, you'll see what I mean. My daughter, whose legs are much longer and thinner than mine, looks great with ankle straps. In fact when she tries on my slingbacks they do not look nearly as cute on her. This is because she got her grandmother's very slender calves and slingbacks make her legs look like matchsticks. On the other hand, or leg, ankle straps make my legs look like cigars. And stubby cigar legs is not my idea of cute.

My best neckline is a Vee. I'm kind of busty so a classic crew neck is baaaaad on me.
You can see that the open expanse of neck gives me breathing room and that's a good thing.
Do you know what your best neckline is? Crewneck, bateau, Vee, scoop, square? Not sure?
For a very good resource for deciding which is your best neckline, click HERE.

Upclose and personal shot of shoes..See how the color and style kind of fade into the leg. This visually lengthens the leg.

And just so you can see the entire "shop my closet" outfit, rest your right ear on your shoulder and view the video. Can't do that? Sorry...I don't know how to fix it! And my 12 year old son got roped into helping Mom get these pictures taken for "Shop Your Closet." See our little pup in the corner. He posed for you. Notice his legs are crossed. We love him and he returns the favor.

Haircut Day, Shop My Closet, Platforms, Doggie Adoration

Sometimes a girl's just gotta do it! So I did. See the hairstyle in my sidebar? I've had a variation of that for 2 years now. I loved it but I was tired of it. So 30 seconds before I sat in the chair Friday I picked up a short hair magazine and chose the first style I saw! Seriously.

Last week I made a "closet confesison." This is my "new" outfit I wore to church yesterday. All of it came from my closet and none of it was new but I had never worn these pieces together. And that's what made it "new." The cami is really old...maybe 6 years old. The skirt is one I bought on clearance last fall (under $12), the tied top is the newest piece that I bought in the spring ~ so technically maybe that is "new." The necklace is a mother's day gift from '08 or was it a bday gift? I have earrings to match but you can't see them since I cropped my head out. I had a weird expression on my face, no doubt due to the Florida humidity!

Close-up of the platform slingbacks...some of my favorite shoes (at least 5 years old) because the platform makes the high heel comfortable and again...slingbacks visually elongate the leg.

Another style tip to "elongate" the leg: Wear a neutral flesh toned shoe.



Last week was One Fine Man's and my anniversary. We went out for seafood and then came home and walked our dog and our neighbor's. Romantic, I know. But it really was because we were together with another couple in love.
These two doggies adore one another. Ours is the pekingese, Ted. Reese is his girlfriend. See how our little dog gazes so adoringly at his big boned girlfriend? And notice how Reese is blinded from basking in Ted's love?