Financial diet meets fashionphile

The family is undertaking some pretty aggressive financial goals for the foreseeable future. My husband and I realized that we have reached a point in our lives where we are ready to commit to an agressive plan to pay off our home in an abbreviated period. Can we do it? Time will tell. And situations change. But it all comes down to the small choices we make each day.

I know. You are currently thinking, "how boring!" What's more boring than being fiscally responsible?! Well let me tell you. Its driving to your nice restaurant in your nice station wagon singing Depeche Mode's Black Celebration album at the top of your lungs like you are still in 8th grade. Yes, folks, middle age has arrived and the winds are shifting.

What does this mean for my love of fashion? For starters, all the care I have taken for my clothes, shoes and accessories should pay off in being able to wear my wardrobe without a lot of replacement for several years to come. For example, I still have my black trench from 1999, my red wool coat from 2006, and my D&G gold sandals from 2008, and they are all in great condition. There are some basics that will have to be replaced during this time, like under garments, but the cost of that is significantly less compared to the wardrobe investments (read: leather coats and cashmere sweaters) that I've made in the last few years. Secondly, I will use any small clothing budget I eck out during this time for wardrobe styling instead of clothing. That's right - mix and match is the magic to refreshing a look. Finally, it means maintaining my weight is critical to maintaining my wardrobe. This was one piece of advice I received early on working with personal stylists. And it is so true. You don't have to keep buying clothes if you previously bought quality items, care for them, and maintain your weight for your wardrobe.

So fun purchases are off the list, but fun styling is even more important. This ever evolving blog will morph to more frugal fashion selections. And maybe the occasional financial post for my friend Marina.

Yours truly,
(Now Frugal) Style Illiterate

This is what I live with

You may have heard me talk about my fashionable husband in the past. Here he is in his full glory heading off to work without any help from personal stylists. Yes, those are baby blue pants with cognac shoes. Under the funnel neck pea coat, he is sporting a purple shirt, navy tie and grey v-neck sweater. And he is just going to work at some technology company. How could I not try to step it up from my dead head t-shirts and tevas?! Or maybe a better question is how could he fall for a girl like me looking like he does? I think its my loud laugh. In any case, this will be 15 years of wedded bliss this September. And he still inspires me to stretch my fashion skills on a daily basis. 

Sunshine

How I get dressed in the morning without thinking...

The most notable thing about this outfit is the great ability to move in it. While it looks very fitted, the jacket is super stretchy. The shoes have a wide heel. And the jeans are slightly baggy. As my husband would say, its all in the details. Notice the pintucking in the jeans. They are a casual, baggy style, but the pintucking takes it up a notch. The nude shoes have an elongating affect. And the sweet bow top balances the razor, "f-yeah" necklace.

How do I get this comfortable, effortless look, you ask? Well, I certainly don't just find inspiration when I wake up in the morning. A seasonal styling session with Alethea really shortens the morning ritual. This session consists of pulling out everything in my closet for the season and seeing how it works together in the latest silhouettes. We simply mix and match until we accomplish the right look. Notice all of the shoes at the bottom of the pic? This ensemble required 4 different shoe attempts before we landed on the right pair. And I love that we have a combination of old and new items in this picture. The jacket and the top were last year while the jeans and the shoes are new. After each of these sessions I end up finding some items to donate, some to store and what works from past years for this year. It really keeps my closet and look fresh and focused. And it only takes an hour of work with Alethea so I don't have to over think every single morning what I should wear.

But this is how I roll since I don't know how to dress myself. 

Yours always, 

Style Illiterate

Date night duds

The great thing about maintaining your clothes over many season is the ability to combine fresh pieces with old reliables. My shoes and necklace were finds from over 3 years ago on Gilt and Banana Republic, respectively. The Pat Benatar jacket, as my boss likes to call it, is last Spring's Stella McCartney for Adidas. The additions from this season are the new mesh shirt and the Rag and Bone jeans. What does this equal? Date night!

On a related note, my favorite date night fashion combination is when my cute husband sports his most conservative powder blue pants and purple shirt, and I'm attired in the Pat Benatar look. Such a perfectly matched couple.

Finally, thanks to my stylist, Alethea, for the ever evolving style inspiration. This is her work.

And happy date night to you, too!

Function over form

Sometimes you just have to choose function over form. At 88 degrees near the equator, I would say that is  a good time. St. John be damned, in the Dominican Republic no one cares if I've considered Resort 2012. This is a place to play, and play hard. Jumping over 27 waterfalls - check. Eating dinner in a local barrio - check. Neck deep in the ocean - check. Clothes - optional. Rash guard - necessary. Fashion was out the window on this trip and it was wonderful.

Storing Clothes

I have just finished up with my Fall/ Winter clothing storage ritual. This little practice has helped me keep my winter jackets for well over 10 years in some cases. After a season is over, there are a few basic steps I take. While it seems a bit time consuming, it really saves time and money in the long term. And I don't have to fight the lines for fixing pieces when the season starts again. I'm all ready.

1. Dry clean Most heavy wear pieces visit the dry cleaners. I don't take anything to the dry cleaners more than once a year. Dry cleaning can wear out your clothes faster than anything else, so I use this technique sparingly. And once a year is sufficient to keep my clothes fresh.
2. Hand wash I hand wash all wool and cashmere before storing. 
3. Repair I repair any damaged clothing. My favorite red jacket had a torn up lining this year. It is much cheaper to take this to a tailor to repair than replace the jacket. 
4. Replace I buff my boots and replace any heels. 
5. Store All off season clothes are stored in cloth bags. This was a new recommendation from my stylist, Alethea, this season. Cloth bags allow your clothes to breathe and leave them with a chemical smell. Throw a few cedar balls in there to avoid the moths. 

That's about it. Do you have any seasonal fashion rituals that you adhere to?