My case for the new iPhone and more on scarves

New iPhone

All right. First, I have heard from many of you that my pic quality sucks. Yes, my friends are very delicate with me. I agree and this is my public pitch to my hubby for the new iPhone. See the pic quality difference between the two images? Vote for me to get my new iPhone now.

Second, remember Ms. M who recently met with a stylist? Here she is sporting a new scarf. Scarves are such an easy way to make a very basic outfit look interesting - adding color, texture and form. I asked her how she formed it and she was coached by her stylist to make it the messier the better. Just tie it around loose and tuck. I think it looks very French.

'Tis the season for scarves and boots

This outfit makes me smile. You can't see the red tights here, but pair it with my red coat and eggplant bag and every time I get on the corporate elevators with throngs of black, grey and beige, it makes me feel like sunshine. And looking at my littlest lady also makes me feel like sunshine.

The other reason this outfit makes me smile is that I just picked up this scarf from Madewell for about $30. It reminds me of a Diana von Furstenburg scarf from this Spring that ran about $200. Also, I bought it on a little jaunt away from the household with no plan and no time limit to be home. I bought this scarf and then took myself out to dinner. It was lovely.

Who woulda thunk this bag would get so much use

Stupid face, cute outfit

I'm finally accepting the belt thing in my life. I got this top at
Buffalo Exchange and my alterations lady said it couldn't be fixed so
I'm just wearing a cami under to avoid major cleavage at work. After
work, well that's a different story...

Uninspired

New personal shopper/ blog discovery

All right. Some shoppers shop their style. Some shoppers shop your style. If you can't find the later, find the former that also matches your style. I just found an online stylist/ blogger that appears to do the romantic style quiet well. Cardigan Empire I may test her out for spring season if we have any budget after the basement remodel.

Belt?

Personal shopping success story

This is the story of one of my colleagues, we shall call her Ms. M, who recently engaged a personal shopper for the first time in her life.

First, a little background on Ms. M. Ms. M is the mom of two young kids, works full time (and I mean until midnight most nights after putting the kids to bed), has a hubby who works... You get the picture. Life is hectic. Despite the frenetic pace of her life, she is still a very fashionable chic. When I met Ms. M, I noticed all the lovely details of her ring, her fluid emerald shirt, the cool boots, the lovely olive complexion. It worked. While this is what the outside observer sees, only she knows the chaos inside the closet. Normal clothes mixed with old maternity stuff. Clothes she fell in love with on the rack, but never wears. Clothes that are years old that she hasn't parted with. To use the popular vernacular, her closet was a hot mess. She heard me rave about personal shoppers and decided to try it herself. This is the message I got from her after a closet clean out and day of shopping:

"Was possibly the best day of my life after the birth days of each of my children. [Insert personal stylist name] rules. I’ll NEVER shop any other way."

Shopping with a personal stylist for the first time is like getting your first kiss as a teenager. There is so much bubbly glee, I wanted to capture the emotion and thoughts of the moment. We talked more about why this worked. It all comes down to time and selection. I don't know many women who claim to be bored. We are all busy. Busy people need a selection curated to their specific style, size, color, and lifestyle. The malls and stores are completely crazy with the amount of options you have. Any sane person would be driven mad with the amount of wading you have to do to find the right product for you. Her shopper pulled two choices for shoes, instead of thousands. Three pairs of pants, not hundreds. You get the picture. Its all tailored to Ms. M's style, color, size and budget. She is one happy customer.

For the record, her style is natural. Her body straight. Her color vivid, blue-based. And she is rocking this outfit. Go, Ms. M.

Enough spanx to secure an army

Comfy casual

One color

Changing title from "Hmmmm" to "Fugly"

After scrolling past this picture several times on my own blog (yes, I'm vain enough to look back at posts to see how it looks now), I've decided this outfit is not only confusing but ugly. The hubby liked it. I must have been ovulating when I wore this, because no one should like this unless they are under the spell of the womanly powers.

Chris and Karen's wedding

Ok. They got married, not me. But I made the hubby snap my photo when no one was looking. It was a lovely wedding. The bride's dress was gorgeous. And gave me a good excuse to dress up. Thanks, Chris and Karen!

Elongating

Not so great

This picture actually prompted me to go running TWICE today. That's right. Get rid of the mommy belly, already. She's two! Anyway, I remember some advise my first stylist gave me that is timeless. The best thing you can do to build a wardrobe is maintain your weight. So true!

Happy Halloween!

Simple solution

Just ok

The neckline is great. The sweater appears too small. This is just ok.

Fashion terror and other horror stories

In the spirit of Halloween I thought I would take a moment to share two of my favorite fashion horror stories with you. And don't say you don't know what I mean. I know there is a picture of you hidden deep in the recesses of your closet with an asymmetrical haircut or a neon pattern shirt or a fuzzy Christmas sweater. We've all got them, so why not enjoy sharing your story with the rest of the world. The interwebs are totally anonymous, right?

The first story begins when I was twelve. My parents sent me to etiquette classes to learn how to behave like a proper girl around boys (if you know my husband, you know how well that worked). It was 6 classes once a week culminating in a big dance party at a hotel where all the young ladies wore nice dresses and the boys wore ties. I was so excited about my dress. It was peach silk with a drop waist. There were ruffles and bows in various places. It was cotton candy and I was in heaven. These were the days of pantyhose, and I was armed with mine. After several glasses of punch - yes, wild streak at 12 - I left to use the bathroom. On reentering, I got about 10 yards back into the ballroom before a nice hostess came up and escorted me back out. She promptly pulled my dress out of the top of my panty hose. That's right. I had reentered the dance with my dress tucked in to my pantyhose and my bum hanging out. When I say reentered, I was already talking to some boys who couldn't see my behind until the lady whipped me around to take me out of the dance. Mortified! I think I started the trend against pantyhose. I still refuse to wear them to this day.

Horror story number two occurred more recently, but there is some back story. When I was younger, my mother had a cedar chest filled with the most beautiful costumes. She had danced ballet into her twenties and kept all the costumes my grandmother hand sewed. Each Halloween we opened the chest and picked out something fabulous. I always had the best halloween costumes without really trying and I loved it - gypsy, can can girl, pirate, you name it. Fast forward to my early twenties. I was already hanging out with my hubby, trying to impress him any chance I could get. It was Halloween and I think I went as Morticia from the Adams family. This consisted of wearing a tight black dress and maybe some long jewelry. No wig. Robert took me to a party in Capitol Hill where the gays showed up in full force. Now if you are an adult and you've never done Halloween in the gay neighborhood of your local village, you are really missing something. The gays do Halloween like Catholics do Christmas. I mean, its serious. So in walks four guys dressed as 1920's aristocrats - long, tight dresses, fitted with a kick; huge, sweeping hats; and mack up with prosthetic pointy noses that really elongated the whole look. They were stunning. Ok. The right thing to do in this situation is appreciate how fantastic they looked, not dwell on your own sad costume. But I was 20 and self absorbed so I dwelled. And dwelled. And dwelled. Its now more than a decade later and I have refused to celebrate Halloween since. I mean, if you can't be the best, why try? This is also why I quit running track. Party pooper.

Well this year I'm happy to report I have swallowed my pride (read: stupidity). My daughter is two and starting to understand the world around her and I'm not going to be the party pooper who stole Halloween from her childhood. That's right, the whole family is getting dressed as Wizard of Oz characters for Halloween and there will be pictures. Despite my neighbors best efforts for emailing me slutty Glinda outfits, I found a rather tame adult Glinda costume and tiara. There will be pictures and posts. And if you think my costume is lame, I don't care. This time I'm doing it for the kid.

Repeat theme with jeans

I'm pretty happy with this. Just added a big, long crystal necklace to the mix. Subtle but fun.

Pocohantas and Amelia Erhart

There are two of my favorite ladies from my local Buffalo Exchange -collectively known as the Laurens. Not only do they love my daughter, but they also buy my clothes and look out for good new stuff for me. Also, they are such creative dressers. Check out their Halloween finds from BE. Awesome style.

Repeat theme - little sausage

So this one worked really well with a skirt, but makes me look like a little sausage with jeans. No s-curve shape to support my hourglass figure. Remind me not to do this again.

Red coat shortened

You will notice that I altered this coat by about 4 inches. Coat length wasn't really something I considered before my new stylist team suggested we pull this one up. I agree - it looks like a lot better length. I had my tailor recover a cloth button that was wearing, as well. And after owning this coat for 4 years, I feel like it just got a new lease. We also altered this skirt which previously hugged down below my knee. The only thing new for this season is the boots.

Navy wool jacket with shawl collar

This is a good example of taking my formal banker attire (Max Mara jacket) and making it less formal with jeans and red shoes. I feel good in this. I recently shortened the arm length slightly with my favorite tailor. Good improvement. And the only thing new this season is the dark, high-rise, boot cut jeans.

Alterations have arrived

As a five foot tall woman with curvy proportions, I have developed a dedicated relationship to my tailor. For my figure, there is very little I find that is "ready to wear". Pant hems are obvious, but I often buy tops slightly long to allow chest fit. These must be altered too. I just altered this shirt, adjusting the straps up. Much better for coverage and comfort.

Friend Profile, Kaye

I was able to spend a lovely weekend with my friend Kaye recently and we talked fashion. A little about Kaye. She is wonder woman. As in, super friend, super professional, and super wife. Like many women I know (yes, the finger is pointing at myself), Kaye has two very different wardrobes - corporate ass-kicker and weekend outdoors adventurer. Again, like me, when she shops, Kaye often buys outfits for something specific instead of considering her full wardrobe. The result of this type of shopping can be a confusing closet with limited relationship between clothes. Case in point, this weekend we needed an interview outfit that wasn't banker-ish. We found it, but I'm not sure how the pieces we bought work in the full picture. 

In order to create a working wardrobe, instead of an outfit, you must evaluate the basics. We learned a lot about Kaye shopping for this outfit, even if it was a quick fix. 

• Body type - straight. Now there was much debate with Kaye about what that means. We pulled up the chart and talked about other types of women with this body type. Cameron Diaz or Kim Cattrall is a perfect example of a straight body type. "But I don't look like that!" explained Kaye. Doesn't matter. I don't look like Selma Hyak, but we are both hour glass. The reason why it helps seeing specific body type role models is that you can learn from them what works. Now I don't know much about dressing for a straight body type, but I learned a lot shopping with Kaye. She should never buy jackets that have a straight bottom. Jackets that are rounded at the bottom or have a defined waist look best. Also, with broader shoulders shawl collars can be a bit tricky. 
• Color - blue based vibrant (aka winter). Now this was a little confusing. I change my hair style like underwear. I have been a blond, brunette, red head with cropped, mid length and long hair at various points in the last 15 years. I have no idea what my natural hair color is. In recently identifying my color base as blue, I learned that the brassy hair colors I was wearing was doing nothing for my face. It was washing me out instead of brightening me up. I switched to a blue based brown and things have improved dramatically. Kaye is currently wearing a brassy blondish color, mid length.  We tried some color draping and definitely saw an improvement with blue. Kaye is also attracted to vibrant colors. She feels more confident in them (important sign). But some basic reds we tried that should have brightened here looked awful. What we finally realized is there was a clash with the hair color. We discussed going to a blue based blond (ash blond) to support Kaye's natural color base - blue. Note to all: Hair color can really mess with your complementary color palette, making colors that should be attractive appear unattractive. There are blue and yellow based hair colors in all shades of blond, brunette and red. Choose a base within your complementary color palette and you should be ok. 
• Style - natural. No, this does not mean hippie. Kaye is not a hippie. Remember from the style post - natural is athletic, relaxed, informal, warm, casual. Lots of texture. Clothing never tight or full. Simple detail. Actually, Cameron Diaz does a great job as an example of this style, as well. Kaye was surprised she looked good in a little bit of ruffle and a lot of pattern for underpinnings. I have always thought she looks best in interesting prints. 
• Life style/ stage - casual professional, family focused. Have we talked about this one yet? I don't think so.  More in depth analysis to come. For Kaye, her work life is moving from banker to a more relaxed corporate environment. After almost 15 years in banking, Kaye may take some time to adjust to the less formal environment. What I have learned myself is that while this feels like a big change, adding some strategic casual pieces (good jeans, a couple casual jackets, and cardigans) has allowed me to continue to wear my more formal attire in the new environment. However, I think Kaye is in need of a wardrobe sweep to clear out the noise of around color, body type and style. Once that is complete, Kaye will serve her broader wardrobe by focusing on some key casual pieces in her style, color and body shape traits.

Shopping with Kaye was great for me as I don't get the chance to think about this body type or style very often. Hopefully, the analysis was helpful for thinking about the wardrobe in the future. And once Kaye lands the awesome job in the Pacific Northwest, a wardrobe shopping trip is in order.

Style Illiterate

Jean dress

I love this dress. I'm trying to determine how to layer it for Fall
without losing the silhoutte.

Wide legs make wide mommy

Your remember this jacket from last week? This is a similar execution
with wide leg jeans and it's terrible. Very boxy affect. This jacket
needs a slimmer silhouette.

Snuggy Chic

It's a cold wet day in the Pacific Northwest. Nothing better than
boots, a comfy dress and drapy sweater.

Give me some sass

Another new sweater jacket

This one is all about the detail of the blouse and pumps. I think the
sweater is a little boxy looking.

New sweater/jacket per stylist recommendation

A classic style dressed down.

It's going to get a little tricky now - your personal style

There are so many different schemes for personal style today I can hardly stand it. Modern, Chic, Natural, Downtown, Bohemian - it gets really confusing for the average dresser. Go to any well meaning site today, and you will find some sort of style prescription that may or may not fit your personal style. How do you sort it all out? Pick one style profile system and stick with it. It will be easier to map other styling systems to your profile, than trying to sort it out for each new system you find. I subscribe to the Color Me Beautiful style templates:

• Dramatic: Formal, aggressive, energetic, stimulating, impulsive, mature. Bold contrasts of color. Angular, unbroken lines. Plain necklines. Widely spaced designs. Extreme exaggerations. Emphasis on the waist.
• Natural: Athletic, relaxed, informal, warm, casual. Lots of texture. Clothing never tight or full. Simple detail.  
• Classic: Well-proportioned, tailored, conservative, slightly formal, reserved. Soft pleats or folds. Simple skirts. Small details. Simple lines. Softly tailored neck. Clean, straight lines.
• Gamin: Perky, youthful, cooperative, energetic, friendly. Bright colors. Short jackets. Small details. Casual and youthful proportions and prints.
• Ingenue: Social, creative, sensitive, carefree, idealistic. Curvy details and lines. Gathers. Princess and empire silhouettes. Feminine and soft. 
• Romantic: Sophisticated, suave, mature, theatrical, sociable. Very feminine. Restrained curves. Emphasis above the waist. Fitted waistline. Softly tailored. Neck and upper chest are open. 

So my style is primarily Romantic (examples below), with a subtext of Ingenue. How does this map to other styling systems? On ShopBop, I'm "girly." On Banana Republic, I'm "flirty and feminine." At Saks, I'm "contemporary." At Nordstrom, I'm "current." See what I mean by confusing?! So find a styling system that makes sense to you, educate yourself on the primary attributes of your style, and stick with it by applying other systems to yours. Of course, by knowing your style, you will start to notice specific stores and brands that cater to your style. Anthropologie and Valentino are great for Romantics. Banana Republic is Classic central. Marni, depending on how worn, can be Dramatic or Natural. If your not sure how to interpret yourself in the style templates above, just ask your best friend, mom, or sister and they will peg you in 2 minutes or less.

Style Illiterate

You thought the hubby analysis was direct...

My new stylist team took very thorough notes from our first visit. Checkout some of their tips below. I think it encapsulates a lot of my self criticism. I am learning about the arm length for my figure.

• Romantic pieces with an edge hold special appeal. Strategic draping with properly placed seams help make this style compliment your figure.
• Natural fabrics and mixed textures are preferrable. With a more petite stature and lovely hourglass shape, it is important to balance thicker textures so that they don’t overwhelm you
• Shoulders that are overly “strong”and turtle or crewnecks are create thickness and are foreshortening and should be avoided
• While not expressly forbidden, boatnecks and cap sleeves are to be approached with caution. Cap sleeves especially can create a wider upper arm or a wider line across a fuller bust. A deep scoop neckline and an elbow or 3/4 length sleeve is more flattering
• Waist-defining staple pieces are a must, especially in jackets and dresses
• “Snuggy chic” is a great aesthetic, but we need to watch proportions so you don’t become overwhelmed with fabric
• As a “true winter,” being thoughtful with color and tones is crucial. You are not limited to only jewel tones, but we’ll avoid most all greens, many browns, and grey-based peaches and muddy pastels. 
• Patterns should be proportionate to your frame (the smaller polka dots and stripes are more complimentary)
• Alterations are your friend, for items you have as well as new items
• Proportionately larger head looks great in cozy knit caps (I confess, I told her I had a large head)
• Black tights with black boots and pumps with lengthen the leg in fall and winter, as will a camel/nude pump or sandal with a bare leg in spring and summer
• You are not relegated to a pointy toe, but shoes with toes that turn up at the end can shorten the leg and aren’t your best choice

Style Illiterate

Not terrible

Not great, but not terrible. I like this bag for Fall to brighten things up a bit. The sweater is a little conservative for my style. The overall affect is a little butch. See the contrast with the immediate previous post, and you know what I mean.

Work uniform

Yep. This is my work uniform. It's a little boring here, but very
comfortable. A new tee from Jcrew and a sweater from Buffalo Exchange.
It works. No fuss.

Block of black

Not all outfits are created equal. This on looks like a black block on
me. No shape. Just a block on top of boots. Next time I reach for
this, I will remember the great block and avoid the error of my ways.

Out with the old, limit the new

I am interviewing a new stylist. No names here so no one gets hurt in the making of this blog. Up to this point, no one has matched the creativity of my first stylist, but alas, it wasn't the right timing for either of us. The stylist I am currently interviewing comes as a team. I was introduced to one of them through the I-can't-afford-her stylist. We had a get-to-know-you meeting a month ago (you should expect this before any money is exchanged), and were finally able to get into the wardrobe this last week. This was the first closet edit where I was more aggressive than the stylist. If it wasn't working, there were no compromises. Gap sweaters I bought last week that are already pilling - gone. Balenciaga vest that I was persuaded to buy due to a sale price in 2009 - outta there. Remember that first photo of the silk Dries von Noten skirt that was bad - bye bye skirt. We were ruthless. And this is not normal for a first time closet edit. I was pushing harder than the stylist to clear out the noise. Typically you can expect to get rid of 1/3-1/2 of your closet if you've never done this before and you are a horder like me.  This was more like 2/3 and I was digging it.

Why was this so decimating? Since early 2008, I haven't worked with a stylist on a consistent basis. I've shopped mostly on my own. As I've told you before, sometimes that's a hit. More often than not, its a miss. As a result, I have again amassed a large pile of things that I've rarely or never worn in my closet. For some reason, I have a really hard time seeing the truth in a mirror at a store. I am more in the fantasy of shopping and newness and trend. Not the reality of my shape, that terrible color, and the slimming mirrors. I mean, why the hell would I ever think it was a good idea to buy an octopus or Cancun tee. Delusional.

One cool part about this edit is that the stylist is going to sell some of my items at a consignment shop, so I can make some money back for shopping. I also sold a bunch of stuff to Buffalo Exchange. Thank you, ladies! I returned sweaters to Gap and ghastly shirt to Jcrew. So now I have some credit to buy a few pieces that work for the season. We also found a number of things that could be salvaged if altered. Those items are with my trusted tailor.

What was the analysis after all the carnage? I have very few underpinnings (shirts) and need some cardigans. More good jeans would be a help, but not necessary. Not bad. And I feel more sane about having a closet that makes sense. It was a cleansing ritual that was long over due.

Style Illiterate

Take the blanket off

Nuf said.

Hubby's analysis

The hubby just broke it down for me on what is working and why in each post thus far. As a former mathematician, he spent most of his time talking about geometry and body type, but I got his drift. Here is the basic analysis:

1. I'm a banana-hour. I don't even know how that is possible.
2. Wearing any structured shoulder doesn't work for my "muscular" build. Get rid of any shoulder padding or structure. This is the same man that called me pumpkin-ass and thought it was a complement.
3. I need to show neck so I don't look like an injured midget.
4. High collars look great with v-necks on me, as long as there is a slopping shoulder.
5. Wear lady like lines around neck and shoulders to soften my muscles. Does this guy think I'm a line backer? To be fair, one of my closest friends comments on my bi-athlete neck on a regular basis.
6. Ok. Now he is making fun of my head size. If I was 6'6", my head would be 30" in circumference (derived from my current head:height ratio).

Where do you go from here?

Style Illiterate

But sanity finally prevailed

The beauty of having a stylist is eliminating the daily dilemma of what to wear. Good stylists will help you put together the best looks of the season so you are not wasting time thinking about it. This morning's fashion catastrophe took 20 minutes of unnecessary time. Thank you, patient husband. I felt much more comfortable in this style.

And then this....

I think this shirt needs to be returned. Talk about a block.

I almost left the house looking like this...

Ugh! It's not just the picture that is wavy. The whole outfit is wavy.

More lady attire

I like the profile of these jeans. Slim, but not showing every detail of my leg. I'm still debating if this is the right color red for me.

The things that come out of my husband's mouth before he takes the shot cannot be repeated on TV.

Do belts work?

The hubby's is not sure the belt theme I'm rocking the season is
working. I'm debating this as well. I think it works in some cases
(see snuggy chic), but maybe not here with the vertical stripes.
Friends, don't be gentle. Give me the truth.

Some information on color

I love yellow, but yellow doesn't love me. Camel is king this season, and if I don't steer clear of it, you won't be able to see me outside of a one block of beige. It is my personal camouflage.  Why does one person look lovely in camel and another person disappear? Why do you feel more appealing in one color v. another?

Colors communicate different things in our culture. According to John Molloy's Dress for Success, to communicate authority and increase our likelihood of promotion in a business setting, one should wear black, grey, navy, and camel. These are the colors of the upper-middle class. Red draws attention. Pink is thought to signal sexual attractiveness. Green expresses creativity. And so on and so forth. What I have noticed over the years is that I am more attracted to a certain palette of vibrant blue tones. In my home, in my art, in my clothing, this is what I feel most attracted to and comfortable in. A simple color matrix can be broken into the following:

• Blue-based vibrant (Winter)
• Blue-based pastel (Summer)
• Yellow-based vibrant (Fall)
• Yellow-based pastel (Spring)

A person's color palette is merely a function of the skin tone. Blue based, olive, and darker complected look better in winter/ summer. Red based or peach skin looks better in fall/spring. You probably already know your color (hint: those you are most attracted to throughout your life, not just this season), but in case you are confused just ask your mother what colors look best on you. If you don't like your mother's opinion, ask your dearest friends. Or pay attention to what colors you are wearing when people complement you. If you have the chance to have someone drape you to see the visual affect of color on your skin, go for it. But you will be paying to confirm what you already know. This may be the third time I've mentioned this book in this blog (and its only two months old) but Color Me Beautiful by Carole Jackson is the bible of color analysis. Buy it and treasure it.

One last thing on color, you can always go outside your complementary color palette, but you will not look as good. Why wear yellow when you can look so much better in blue (or vice versa, my yellow-based friends)? If you must buy that fun color outside of your range, put it on your feet or in your handbag. I do have a pair of yellow platform sandals that I love to wear with a sailor theme during the summer, but they are as far away from my face as possible. You see I have a tan jacket, but I try to wear a navy or red to punch it up into my range. Preferably, you are a stronger person than me and you can steer completely clear of the mistakes. Alas, I am still style illiterate.

Style Illiterate

Some information on body types

Any one who knows me knows at my core, I am not cool. I'm the girl that calls weed mar-ee-wana loudly at parties, as in, "No mar-ee-wana for me, thank you." I also enjoy musicals and going to the state fair each year. I have come to accept this over the years and stopped trying to fight the inevitable stream of nerd-dom that is my core. That brings me to wikipedia. Anything you've ever wanted to know about anything is on wikipedia. I use it daily. If you want to know about idempotency of systems - wikipeida. Planning a trip to Bologna - wikipedia. Interested in standard body forms for women - I've included it here, from wikipedia. And frankly, after reading these descriptions, I now realize I'm not really an hourglass. I'm a banana. I think I've considered myself hourglass all these years because of the big chest issue (another topic).


Why do you care about your shape? A simple choice, like a shirt dress, can be beautifully right or terribly wrong based on the combination of your shape and the dress form. Also, your shape and the clothing form can play up or play down your body type. An hourglass figure can play up her body type in a wrap shirt dress or play down in a straight shirt dress. A pear can rock an open or embellished neck line with an A-line skirt to draw the eye up. The original UK ladies who created What Not to Wear had some great advise on this front (sorry to out you Clinton and Stacy). Ok. Here is the useful information.

Apple (triangle downward)

Apple shaped women have broad(er) shoulders compared to their (narrower) hips.Women of this body type have (much) higher androgen levels compared to women with other body types. Because of this high androgen level, the skeleton develops in a very masculine pattern. Apple shaped women tend to have slim legs/thighs, while the abdomen and chest look out of proportion compared to the rest of the body. Fat is mainly distributed in the abdomen, chest, and face.

Banana or straight (rectangular)

The waist measurement is less than 9 inches smaller than the hips or bust measurement.The body has a relatively high androgen  level compared to the estrogen level; this causes the skeleton to develop in a bit more masculine pattern and body fat to be distributed predominantly in the abdomen, buttocks, chest, and face. This overall fat distribution creates the typical ruler (straight) shape.

Pear or spoon or bell (triangle upward)

The hip measurement is greater than the bust measurement.The distribution of fat varies, with fat tending to deposit first in the buttocks, hips, and thighs. As body fat percentage increases, an increasing proportion of body fat is distributed around the waist and upper abdomen. The women of this body type tend to have a (relatively) larger rear, robust thighs, and a small(er) bosom.

Hourglass shape (triangles opposing, facing in)

The hip and bust are almost of equal size with a narrow waist.Body fat distribution tends to be around both the upper body and lower body. This body type enlarges the arms, chest, hips, and rear before other parts, such as the waist and upper abdomen.

A study of over 6,000 women carried out by researchers at the North Carolina State University around 2005 found that 46% were banana (rectangular), just over 20% pear, just under 14% apple, and 8% hourglass.

So get out your tape measurement, ladies, and find out what shape you are!

Style Illiterate

Repeat theme

This version includes some granny jewelry. I love my grandmother's jewelry. One thing my grandmother taught me is that beauty doesn't have to be expensive. She shopped consignment and used sales for furniture and jewelry on a regular basis.

Lady Look

It's officially Fall. Rain and fog and sweaters required. Animal prints are all over the Fall trend reports. I have a few pieces from several years ago, including this leopard print bag.. I don't  carry it very often, but I think it completes the lady theme. In general, I think this works, but the band on the sweater base is a bit blunt on my form. 

Terrible mistake

If this doesn't scream, "Look, I'm pregnant!" I don't know what does. BTW- I'm not. Check out how the bloussey-ness makes me so top heavy. I'll try this top one more time and then it's a toss.

More boots

A little bit of old, a little bit of new. The boots are super mom comfy and the only major purchase I made for Fall season. I think this works with the jacket nip at the waist.

Saturday stroll

This is what I wore while judging everyone else. You might not have deemed me successful either.

Dress for Success and other advice

I have a friend who swears by the golden rules of Color Me Beautiful and Dress for Success. I recently picked up New Women's Dress for Success to see what all the fuss was about. Dress for Success was first written in the 1970s by a researcher, John T. Molloy. The book is research and data driven analysis of how some forms of clothing perform better than others when it comes to corporate success. The book really took off in the Eighties when power suits had lots of shoulder padding and the briefcase was the status bag.

The material was last updated in 1996, right on the cusp of the internet revolution and casual Silicon Valley workplaces. As I was reading this, I kept wondering how it would apply to today. I work in the technology sector where most people are happy they got some clothes on on the way out the door in the morning. But even in this most casual, west coast environment, some of Mr. Molloy's advice still holds true. One of the most blunt pieces of advice he gives is that people perceived as upper-middle-class are more likely to be successful than others. If you are able to mimic this behavior, you can be successful too.

While I was reading the book, I found myself paying close attention to my judgements of others out in their daily life based on their appearance. Take this test the next time you are out in public. For one hour, ask yourself if someone is an executive as s/he walks by, and you will find very quickly there are certain things you will look for. The people you assume are executives are slender, neat, traditional, conservative and like "everyone" else. I observed my own tendencies, as well, and realize I have certain rebellious streaks that really pull me away from Mr. Molloy's recommendations.


Rules I Break
1. Dress to fit in with your co-workers. Given that most of my coworkers are men who have the convenience of a baggy blue dress shirt and jeans uniform, this is generally not the case. Even when working with women, I have preferred to stand out in my attire. I'm not convinced this is necessarily a good thing.
2. Be one of the more traditional dressers in your group.Since the tech sector does not cater to fashion conscious folks, I tend to be less traditional. When I was in financial services, I found ways to wear John Fluevog shoes to work, throwing my difference in the face of the man. Thinking back, if I'm an executive looking at such a person, I would wonder if they will be able to effectively represent the company. Interesting hindsight.
3. Make sure your hairstyle and makeup say "executive". I change hairstyles like some people change their bed sheets. I could probably tone this down to be less visual about my hair.
4. Wear serious footwear - no boots, sneakers, sandals, and spiked heels. Given that I'm 5 feet tall, I'm constantly wearing very high heels. I've also been told every inch is $10,000 in salary, so I'm making $50,000 in footwear alone. I also think the boots thing is dated. But have you seen any executive wear boots to work lately?
5. Wear only upper-middle-class colors and combinations - gray, navy, black, beige. Sometimes I follow this, but I have a hard time being pulled away from purples, pinks, blues and whites.

Rules I Generally Follow
1. Carry and wear obviously expensive accessories. I do love bags and shoes and have splurged on occasion. I wear a lot of my grandmother's costume jewelry.
2. The best casual clothing is made of natural fibers. Done.
3. Neatness counts when you are dressed casually. Agreed. I can do a better job of this on the weekends.I mean, I was judging people simply walking around shops on a Saturday if they were successful. Don't think it doesn't happen to you.
4. Don't dress sexy to work. Mr. Molloy points out that if a man dresses inappropriately, another man will say something. If a woman dresses inappropriately, no one will say anything since the men are embarrassed and the women don't think its their job. I have had the pleasure of coaching some young female team members on clothing appropriateness, so I have seen this avoidance in action. Once you are sexy at work, it is hard for people to take you seriously.

I'd love to see this book updated for the tech sector. What attire rules do you see followed for successful people in the tech business? In your sector?


Style Illiterate

P.S. If I dressed sexy at work, you would tell me, right?!

First boots

There is a lot going on here. I love the coat. It is a winter staple
bought in 2007 at JCrew. The sweater attempts to mimic that lovely V-
shape cream sweater I wear in summer. I'm debating if it is too long.
The jeans I dug out of a box of "I'm feeling fat" clothes and I've
decided I really like them for the Fall.

Fall Fashions

Going out with hubby

This outfit is snuggy chic. I feel cozy all night, but still a bit
dramatic. The sweater is from a Washington designer - Jarbo. The belt
makes the hourglass form work, I think. Maybe a little too thick
around the middle. Keep in mind, I'm posting this from a gelateria.
Ciao ciao.

Blue and beige

Tan is a tough color for me. It can really wash me out. I have to pair
it with one of my better colors, like blue. The jacket is leather -
soft and supple -but the boxy shape isn't great for the hourglass
physique. Hence, the small belt to bring in the shape. I'm not sure
this is working yet. Thoughts?

Summer is almost over

These pictures are taken by my husband. Usually he is telling me to
pretend I'm on the Alps or at the Domo, neither of which we've been
to. As a result, you will normally see me laughing or smirking. As far
as this outfit, I think it generally works. The shoes look a little
blunt. The color and form are right. And I like the v-shape the
sweater leaves. It works for the hourglass.