Did I handle myself “stylishly”?

I love the movie Breakfast at Tiffany’s.  One of my favorite lines is when George Peppard is breaking up with his “lady friend”, Patricia Neal …and he says, “Can’t we handle this stylishly?”.   Many times in travelling down the path of life  and something difficult or uncomfortable occurs, I think of how I’m handling the situation.  My mother used to say, “It’s not what happens to you in life which defines you…It’s how you handle it”.  I know she didn’t make it up but I shall credit her with this for now.

I was part of an important life passage for my daughter this week and I wonder from her perspective how I handled it…well, at least the last few hours of it.  We  dropped  her off at Indiana University this weekend.  As some people are aware, there were quite a few clothing items that we brought down in 2, yes 2 cars.  I’m now certain that a Big 10 school means 10 square feet of living space in the dorm.  But, suffice to say, it all fit.  It took effort  but it fit…and we only had to bring home a few items…and not because they didn’t fit but because she didn’t like them.

I have dreamed of the day when I would have to say good-bye to Meredith.  Dreaded is actually a better term.  It has loomed over my head for 18 1/2 years…and the day was here.  We got everything moved into her room, and the inevitable of having to leave came upon us.  I was really doing well, and when my husband said we should leave, I was feeling rather confident that I would not break down.  I thought for 18+ years, I’ve dreamt of making a scene in her dorm room, and I was about to make a clean getaway.   What a stroke of great Irish luck! 

How wrong I was… I cried.  But…I did Not sob uncontrollably, which is a huge plus  and as we said our goodbyes in her room, I realized I was so happy for her.  She is going to a Big 10 University…and living her dream.  What an amazing gift we have given her.    So, did I cry?  Of course…But it wasn’t uncontrollable sobbing  and not altogether horrifying.  Mascara wasn’t running down my face.  I dont’ think I was too terribly blotchy.  Plus, I had my sunglasses on, so no one was the wiser…nor was I wise to every other Mother, and many Fathers who were also wearing their sunglasses in the dorm.   So, I believe I handled myself Stylishly!  :)   And this is  the story I will tell  and I’m sticking to it…Plus, Meredith has texted and skyped us, so she’s still speaking to me, so I think I handled myself well.  Very well.  And I think Meredith will agree, which is actually most important. 

They say we give our children wings to fly away…I just didn’t realize it meant feeling like I’ve lost one of my own arms.  To all my friends who have gone through this passage in life with their kids…Well done.  We did it.  I am on the other side, and happy to be here.   And I’m still standing…and wearing high heels!   :)

xoxo

T.

What does a girl pack for college?

It would appear Everything, is the correct answer here.  Everything in regards to clothes.

 

And when I said, “Meredith, you cannot take all these clothes to college”

she replied:

“That’s not everything.  There are no pants, jeans, skirts or shorts there”.

So, now we had this (and since I don’t have a wide angle camera, this is only Part of it):

 

I have received no sympathy from my friends, as the typical response has been…”She’s your daughter”.  “The apple doesnt’ fall far from the tree”.   “Golly, wonder where she gets That from”?   I’ve always loved clothes and fashion, so it truly should come as no surprise that my daughter does as well. 

When I tried to explain to her that college isn’t a fashion show, she indicated, and correctly so.

“I can learn and still dress well”.

Truer words were never spoken. 

Learn well.  Dress well.  Be well.

Meredith, we haven’t even left, and I already miss you dearly.

Indiana, here you come.

xoxo

Mom

Hello (again) World

I’ve determined I will blog once a week. I think that is sufficient, and hopefully I won’t irritate the masses too much.  And let’s be honest, there really aren’t any “masses”…yet.   3 Followers does not a “mass” make…but I’m hoping.

I’d like to focus on a Friday “Fashion Fab”, but this week I am blogging on a Tuesday.  See, no hard and fast rules.  Of course, I may blog about things that are not always “fashion-related”, but I shall try to put a fashion or stylish twist on them. This should keep us all happy.  Or at least me happy and my 3 Blogging Followers.  :)
Today, I am going to dabble in Fashion Rules…and Fashion Do’s (Not Don’ts).  I personally like to focus on Fashion Do’s, rather than Don’ts,  especially when working with my Dressed to a T clients.  It’s like that book, Eat This, Not That… I prefer… Wear This, Not That.  I lean more towards, you can wear this with this, this and this… I typically don’t tell people What Not  to Wear…just lead them down the path of What To Wear (or what will look best on them).  Now, we all have our opinions of the Glamour Don’ts…and I am no exception…however I, unlike most other “fashionista’s” ( I use that term loosely)  feel if you like what you are wearing, and feel good in it, then Fabulous!…who are we to make you feel badly?  …Unless you happen to be  doing the following:
1. Wearing white to a wedding. Please don’t do that. It shows a great deal of disrespect to the bride, who may not even be wearing white to her own wedding (ahem). Everyone has their chance and day to shine in the sun, and let it be on your wedding day, not hers. 
2. Hose with sandals. I really , really  don’t think this a good look. However, if you choose to do this, again, your choice, it won’t ruin my day, but I think you’d look better without the hose. When wearing pants or skirts  with sandals, some women feel the need to still wear hose, to streamline their look.   You can achieve that in other ways. Spanx. (that’s gonna be its own blog). and hose, but cut them off above the ankle, so the pants fall below them,  so you can’t see them.  You obviously cannot do this “trick” with a dress or skirt (or ones that are above your ankle), but you can certainly wear Spanx, or other wonderful, powerful undergarments.   I think a bare leg (shaven and with a little of nature’s sun..real or fake), with a skirt or dress, looks terrific. And, unless you are in a very strict law office or bank, this is totally acceptable for business. Now, if you must wear hose, then wear a pump, or a closed toe shoe is another a great choice.  I know they make sandal-toed  hose, but they’re still hose, so don’t wear them with sandals or open toed shoes.  Skirts with boots are my favorite and most comfortable look, so look for that blog in an upcoming week.

***This above look (both of them actually) is guaranteed to Add 10+ years onto your look.  Funny how a picture can truly be worth a thousand words.
3. Wear clothes that fit.   Something that is too tight,  is not going to look good.  And, it’s not going to feel good.  Who hasn’t put on their favorite pair of jeans to find that they don’t fit…Well, you can put on another pair of jeans…try and wear them with spanx (though I cannot imagine this would feel comfortable), or if you must wear those jeans, wear a loose top with it, which covers up the top of the jeans…and may help cover  the muffin-top (if you happen to have a muffin top).  Oh, the same goes for clothes that are way too big.  You can bring them to a good tailor, and Voila, your clothes will fit properly.

4. Bra straps showing.  Blatantly.   Enough said on that subject.

That’s basically it… I think you can wear White after Labor Day, as well as before Memorial Day…and yes, there are indeed “purists” out there who won’t do it, and that’s fine. But it’s also fine if you choose to wear your favorite pair of white jeans to my birthday soire on Sept. 21st. I think you can wear black or red to a wedding (not white)…It’s whatever makes you feel good.    Now when my husband wears black socks with shorts and sandals or shoes, I really don’t like that either…but I’m not making a Fashion Stand against that, because I truly don’t think there is anyone else out there, other than my husband, who would dare try to pull off that look.  Now I’m sure I have friends who will say, “Hey, she’s the fashion police and has much stronger opinions than this”…true, but I really am about women and men feeling good about themselves, so if the “shoe (or garment) fits…wear it…and wear it with pride”.  Of course,  I would like to reserve the right, in future blogs, to touch upon other fashion don’ts (or Fashion Do’s)  that I happen to stumble upon on the streets, but for now, I feel good about this list.

Disclaimer…. Yes, there are going to be people out there, wearing something that makes all of us think “What in the world are they thinking”…and chances are it’s probably something that’s ill-fitting, been in their closet for eons, or, they left the house without looking in the mirror.  There are going to be people out there, who regardless of what society dictates,  think they look stunning in what they are wearing, and they are the Only person who thinks so.  You know what?  Good for them.  All the more power to them.   Plus, they’ll probably get tackled by Stacy and Clinton in an upcoming episode of What Not to Wear…and they’re gonna be $5000 richer in clothes, with new make-up, and a new hairstyle (and aren’t we glad that Nick is gone, as he gave basically Everyone that same hairstyle)?

That wasn’t so harsh, was it?  Thanks for checking in and have a Fabulous Week.

xoxo

T.

Hello World!

Well, I am officially a blogger…well at least Word Press thinks so.  Thanks to my darling friend Gina, who suggested this, I am now part of the cyber-blogging world.  I’ve always felt that Tweeting and Blogging is a tad bit, shall we say, narcissistic, but who am I to judge.   Actually, I enjoy reading blogs, and many friends do a great job with them. It’s Tweeting that I always figure (and know I’m in good company), “I don’t think anyone out there is remotely interested in what I have to say in tweets on an ongoing basis”. Of course, I am on Twitter…TerryOBrien, but I don’t really Tweet. So, I thought, I do like to write, Plus, I have a lot to say…and feel strongly about fashion, clothes, accessories, Etcetera fashions, and live by the mantra…It’s better to look good, than feel good…  Actually, it’s great to pull off both, but sometimes when you feel lousy, and can pull off a cute look, it’s mind over matter…so, here is my blog. Or at least, my first shot at it. I understand I can edit this, so will probably use that feature. Often.

I’m thinking this will be a work in progress…and we will learn as we go along.  Plus, I have no followers to this blog now, so I shall consider this a Journal.  Speaking of Journals, and I will delve more into this in a later blog, I do think it’s important to journal your outfits…so you don’t always show up wearing the same favorite outfit we always pull from the closet.  I keep a mini fashion log on outlook noting what outfit I wear to industry events, parties, and work functions…so I don’t always wear the same Cheetah patterned swing skirt, with brown turtleneck, and brown boots, to every industry meeting.  Of course, now there’s an app for that, and you can keep track of these on your iPhone.  And they’re free…lots of fashion-related apps are free.  Of course, sometimes, you get what you pay for.

Goodbye World – Girl’s Night Out, for a movie and drinks, and not necessarily in that order.

xoxo

T.