I haven’t posted anything lately because, honestly, I don’t have any new and exciting news. And you know what? I love it.
I feel like I’ve been running around like a chicken with my head cut off for years. Sometimes I love the packed schedule, the friends, and the excitement. Sometimes I hate it.
Though I guess this "mini-break" is forced. I sprained my knee (MCL) a couple weeks ago and so I have to lay low for a while. The doc said 6- to 8-weeks. I have to admit that it’s hard to take a break when my life is so active. I can’t play soccer, run, or ski, and even going to the gym is hard at this point. Stick me on a recumbent bike with little to no resistance and tell me that I can’t run or lift (or break a sweat, really) = very unhappy Claire. So, I haven’t been working out speak of because it’s just torture.
On a good note, my awesome and stylish friend, Emily, and I went shopping to update my wardrobe! Never having seriously shopped at Nordstrom’s before, I have to say that I’m now in love. With some digging around, we were able to find some classy and affordable outfits that are work-appropriate and that I feel comfortable wearing. As a habit of buying larger sizes from when I had put on my Freshman 15 in college, most of my clothes were far too big for me. It's nice to wear clothes that actually fit! (I'm a size 4---wha??)
But trust me, most everything new is still made of cotton. If I’m allowed to wear jeans at work then I’m going to take full advantage of that, damnit! This has also forced me to branch out and get items that have color. Yes, color. Can you believe it? But don’t fret, I still have enough black and grey in my wardrobe to last a while.
Below is the casual, classic style that I am trying to embody. Well-tailored jeans, a nice, structured top or jacket, and generally a put-together look that's still comfortable and classy. Easy, right?
As the saying goes, dress for the position you want, not the position you currently hold.
I am the first to admit that I’m genetically challenged in the style department but I'm working on it. Shopping takes a hell of a lot of time (ugh!) but with my friends’ help I think I can make it happen.
To further my education, I’m actually going to a Runway Show this week in Boulder. Can you believe it? I’d much rather be at a car show, but like I said I’m branching out. I’m getting edumacated. On the downside, I’ll be surrounded by fussy, high-maintenance women all evening and I hate women. Patience, Claire. Patience.
I feel YOU on this one! I've been wearing baggy clothes for literally years, since losing 30 pounds senior year of college. When I finally got around to trying on clothes that fit, I also realized I was a size 4 and was like...what?
ReplyDeleteI'm totally into blazers. All you need to dress up a pair of jeans is a blazer, some funky earrings, and classy shoes (I have trouble with the shoes because I can't walk in heels, but I'm working on it). Also, I like that scarf you're wearing in a photo somewhere on here; scarves are another quick dress-up.
If you really want to learn about style without subjecting yourself to women (UGH LULZ), I suggest 1) style.com or any fashion magazine website (i.e. Vogue), 2) What Not To Wear on TLC, 3) America's Next Top Model, and 4) paying attention. By that last, I mean just looking at what other people are wearing, wherever you are at any given moment. It's a great way to see what clothes look like on actual people, to get ideas from even just one element of an outfit, to think "I'd wear that, but I'd change _____". This is also applicable to all TV shows and movies, no matter when they were made. These days, you can wear whatever you want, from any time period, and if you do it right, nobody cares. I mean, showing up to the office in full Mod attire is probably a little weird, but it's not weird if you just grab an element of Mod and add it to your current wardrobe -- say, flats, which are still kind of in right now anyway, score! That's all high fashion is, anyway -- designers pick an element to design with/around, display it at their shows, then everyone who makes clothes picks up a variation of that element. You too can do that with anything you happen to like. Fashion is fickle, just wear what you think is cute :D
The element approach is also a good way to gradually update your wardrobe. So, if you decide you want more colors, buy a few colored tops and mix them in with what you already wear. Buy one fitted jacket and see how many outfits you can arrange around it. If you have some free time, just go in your closet and see how many outfits you can come up with; put things together that you don't normally and see what happens. If you find yourself repeatedly thinking, "Hey, this outfit would be so much better with a wide brown belt" then go buy a wide brown belt, because you already have outfits to wear it with.
I happen to need a wide brown belt, coincidentally enough.
Also, I can't believe that CLAIRE is going to a fashion show. :D