Inexplicably Camel

Do you ever get something in your brain that you want to find in a store, and then you become a teensy bit obsessed with it, and you're not even really sure why?  

That's my current situation.  I have decided that I want to have either a pair of camel-colored slacks:

(not necessarily this specific pair, but you get the gist)

or, a camel-colored skirt:

(again, for context)

I am not sure why all of  a sudden I feel like having something in the camel shade would make me happy, but there you go.  Practically speaking, I'm sure that I would get something on it almost the minute I put it on to wear.  But I do that with everything I have - if it's not a pencil or pen mark, it's a spill, or dog drool, or who knows what?  

And, pants would probably be more versatile, and warmer when it's cold.  But then again, I do love skirts and dresses.  

In any case, it's really kind of a moot point, because I have no plans to go shopping anywhere anytime soon, and more importantly, I have no money to spend!  

But in the meantime, it's kind fun to look ... 

Just Not What I Expected

Hi there!  Well, it's a gloomy day here in Philadelphia - as well as being ridiculously windy (or as the weather people say, "gusty"), we are supposed to get downpours this afternoon.  Other than walking home later today, I don't have to be out in it, so I'm not too disappointed that it's not a perfectly beautiful day.

Moving on from the weather, I wanted to talk about something that has struck me lately.  I read quite a few blogs about various topics, and for the most part, I enjoy them.  I like hearing several different voices talking about things like reading, cooking/baking, fitness, etc. because like the knitting blogs I read, everyone has something different to offer.  

But I have to say that the ones that puzzle me the most are the ones where every single day, there's a post showing what is called an "OOTD" - or Outfit Of The Day.  These are people who generally write about lifestyle - traveling, cooking, how they spend their spare time - you get it.  But they also have a photo - or 5 - of them wearing their OOTD.  

I "get" taking pictures of a recipe that you are making as you do it, and/or a shot of the final dish.  I also understand photos of things you saw/found/bought when you were out and about, particularly if it's something unusual, or if you got a good bargain.  I don't quite get taking a picture of yourself every day in what you are wearing.  That seems like a WHOLE LOT of work to me.  Granted, some of the photos are clearly snapshots using selfie sticks, but quite a few are like magazine modeled photo shoots.  Who takes these photos?  Who has time every day unless they do not have to work to organize the whole thing?  And who has a completely different outfit for every single day?  And by "outfit" I mean an organized, put together look, not the lazing-around-the-house clothes you change into when you get home from work.  (For me, even those "outfits" are not different every day!)

Now don't get me wrong, it's not that I disapprove of this practice.  I don't really care, and I've even been known to look at one and saying to myself that  "Oh yeah I never thought about wearing it that way."  I guess it's just not what I was expecting, since none of the blogs I follow are primarily fashion or style blogs.  

(Above image from the blog "What Katie Wore" which is no longer current.  But as you can see, Katie wore some interesting combos.  I actually kind of wish I'd known about this one, I think it would have been entertaining.)

I know a lot of people wear a "uniform" every day, in that they have some clothes that they have consciously purchased that all coordinate with each other, so that getting dressed for work is easy in the morning, and I actually can appreciate that.  I guess I just don't have the wearwithal or the desire to make an effort every day to create, wear, and photograph an "outfit."  

Do you do this at all?  And who *does* take the photos?  Inquiring minds want to know. :-)

When the Unexpected Works Out

I would have to say that 99% of the time, I'm a fairly cautious person as far as buying things goes.  Particularly in the case of clothing, since getting things that both fit me and that I like for a price I am willing to pay can be tricky.

At the moment, I don't remember exactly how it turned out this way, but I recently found myself in the possession of a $75.00 J. Crew gift card (I think it was from a return of a gift after Christmas).  I'd forgotten all about it, and came across it when I was cleaning out various pieces of paper and whatever from my purse and wallet.  Hm, I thought - $75.00 is a lot of money, I should spend this.  So I poked around on the website, since the closest store to us is somewhat small, and I'd actually have to change out of my pajamas on a weekend to go there.

I saw a few things I liked, and gave them consideration, but then I saw these and for reasons I still do not completely understand, decided that maybe the gift card should go towards purchasing them.  There was some kind of sale going on, so between the gift card and the sale promotion, they were under $50.00.  Still in this state of weird unreality for me, I ordered them.

What was that about?  JEANS?  I have a hard time finding jeans that fit me and that I like.  And "boyfriend" jeans?  With rolled cuffs?  What in the name of a small black dog named Pete was happening to me?  First of all, it was unlikely they were going to fit; if they did, the legs would likely be too tight to suit me; and, they were probably going to look ridiculous.  My only consolation was that I knew I could return them, but I was irritated at myself, because why did I buy something that was not going to work?  

So then I probably saw something shiny, or thought about pie, because I completely forgot I'd ordered them and went on to be concerned about something else that I'm sure was unimportant.  As one does.

A few days later, the package arrived and I was actually embarrassed.  It was visual proof of my huge mistake in judgement.  But I opened the package, if nothing else, to see if it would be easier to return things via mail or get dressed and walk up to the store.

The thing is though, the jeans kind of looked nice.  And when I took them out of the plastic bag they had been shipped in, they didn't look all that "trendy" or tight.  They actually looked like they might fit.  And the rolled cuffs could be unrolled.  I was intrigued.  So I figured, what the heck, and tried them on.

Huh.  They FIT.  Really well.  And the legs were not tight.  And they looked nice, not like I was trying to make people believe I was 30 years younger and 20 pounds lighter.  Because I am not a supermodel, they were not as cropped on me as the picture on the website showed.  I actually liked them.  And so I decided to keep them.

Since that time, I've worn them four or five times, and it turns out that they are one of the nicest pairs of jeans I've ever owned.  Even The Tim, who seldom comments on anything I wear, said, "Are those new jeans? They look nice."  WHAT???  

I have decided that it was just one of those times when the universe was on my side, and the planets all aligned.  I am unlikely to ever order jeans online again, from any website, because I feel like I've used my one free pass.  

But boy is it making me happy in the meantime ... :-)

See?  HAHAHAHAHAHA - who IS this???

Clean Up Progress Report

Earlier in October, I wrote this post. Sadly, I wasn't able to get to working on it that next weekend, and the weekend after that, we were in Rehoboth Beach - which was FUN, but not conducive to getting anything done at home.

But this past weekend, I did spend some time cleaning out my closet.  And I actually got a lot of stuff cleaned up and organized.  It's funny - I don't have that much in my "wardrobe" but I also can't spend more than an hour or so on cleaning out/shifting stuff around.  But I got quite a bit done anyway.  By the time I finished, I had these bags ready to take to the Red Cross donation truck near our house.

Now, I still have some work to do, cleaning out.  But the good thing is that once I get started, I become much more committed to getting serious about it.  And I realize that a lot of the things I thought might be worth keeping for "someday" are not things I'm ever gonna use/wear.  So as I continue this weekend, I won't be keeping the things I kept for no real reason, "just in case."  Because I have a tendency to keep things if I feel like there is any possibility in the world that I might wear them, ever.  Which doesn't make sense when - if I really think about it - I know I never will.

On the one hand, a lot of my clothes are ones I've had for years, and still wear.  The problem is that since I have had them for so long, I have a tendency to be surprised when they actually wear out and need to be replaced.  So I'm making a list as I put some things away and get other things out for colder weather of things that are probably on their last legs.  Theoretically, that means that I can hopefully replace them before they completely fall apart.  Theoretically. ;-)

Anyway, baby steps, but some progress.  And at least at the moment, I'm wanting to continue.

Something's Gotta Give

Yesterday and today, I was out shopping and doing some errands.  The weather was especially hot and humid, even though it's only the middle of May.  So I had on a t-shirt and capris (yesterday) and a t-shirt and shorts (today).

I walked past a mirror (yesterday) and a store window (today), and it stopped me in my tracks!  Both times, I looked like a street person, or someone who had been ill for a long time.  Granted, on neither day did I go out of my way to get fixed up, but I figured I looked OK.

Now I don't spend an inordinate amount of time obsessing over my appearance, but these two things just really rattled me.  I expect to look awful if I've been exercising, gardening, or if I am in fact recovering from some illness.  But not when I am just walking around.

Recently, I have been reading the book The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up, by Marie Kondo.  I have found it both amusing and interesting, and have been slowly working my way through things applying the principles in the book (our house isn't big enough, and I don't get enough stretches of long time to pull out everything in every room each time, as she suggests).  I've made real progress, which feels good, but I also now realize that it's not just my closet, or the kitchen cabinets, or places here that need to be tidied up - it's me as well!

So it's time to make a plan, and try to get my person in order.  I know it will make me feel better, and give me more energy.  I've been making a concerted effort to find something positive in each day, and maybe this little push is just what I needed.

I'm giving myself a few days to think about the what/when/how of getting myself "tidied up" because I would like to do this in a systematic way.

It can't hurt, and it might help - right?

(Not me, of course, but I do wear hats in the summer ...)

*image borrowed from here

Thinking Ahead to Fall

Fall is one of my very favorite times of year.  The weather cools (well not here today, but ...) and the air feels crisp, the leaves change, and there is a sense of anticipation.  Even as a kid, when I wouldn't necessarily look forward to going back to school, I still enjoyed it when fall actually announced itself.

For me, and maybe also for you, it means switching out most of what is in my closet and dresser drawers.  The shorts, sleeveless tops, and sandals get put away to make room for heavier clothes, shoes, and boots.  I like to change purses as well, and update my makeup.  Granted, this doesn't all take me that long, since it's not like I have so much stuff to work with, but I am still determined this year to do it more thoughtfully.  Too often I keep things because of "maybe" - as in, maybe it's better than not having a blue shirt, etc. at all, maybe it will fit again/fit better next year - you get the drift.  Then when I pull it out the next year, I feel obliged to keep it.

Not this time.  I am prepared to be serious about what I actually keep and donate what I can.  Other stuff will either be repurposed, or thrown away.  And I'm going to apply this rule of mine to everything I put away.  Another bonus is that it will mean taking up less storage space, and in our house that's always a good thing.

Will it actually happen?  Can I do it?  Well, I'll keep you posted, wish me luck!

Hooray, Christmastime Has Arrived!

Oh how I love Christmastime!  Ever since I was a little kid, and even now when I am often surrounded by holiday curmudgeons.

I was thinking about it the other day, and realized that I love reading and/or hearing about Christmas or holiday parties.  The special foods, clothes, decorations, all sound so festive and fun.

And then I realized - I never really go anywhere during Christmastime anymore.  When both of us had regular, Monday through Friday, 9-5 jobs, we always made it a point to do at least one "Christmas" thing every year - i.e., a concert, a tour.  It was fun, and really added to the celebration.  We also used to go to midnight Mass, which seemed so magical.  Occasionally, we would actually be invited to a party, or a dinner, and once or twice even hosted one ourselves.

Then The Tim got laid off from his "regular" job, and ended up working in retail.  Which was great, since we both need to work, and as it turns out, he's really good at it.  But it means our Christmastime events calendar is greatly reduced.  Not just that he has to work evenings and weekends, but since he was promoted a few years ago, he has to work six shifts a week during the two weeks before Christmas.  So it's hard to do anything extra, because even if our schedules can be worked out, he is just so tired.  Which is 100% understandable.  And we don't go to midnight Mass anymore, because no place around here does it anymore.  Plus, he works on Christmas Eve, usually getting home around 8:00 p.m., and we would rather have a nice Christmas Eve dinner and relaxing evening.

I'm not complaining, though I do miss a lot of it.  But the thing that is weird, is that I still love the idea of buying a new lipstick, or pair of shoes, or something that is special to wear for Christmas - which of course, is funny, because I don't have any place special to wear those things!

As a matter of fact, today I was reading a magazine, and saw a blazer-type jacket with just a few sparkles here and there (I don't know if it was sequined, of if they were something else), and I thought, "Oh wouldn't that be fun to have!"  And it probably would, but *where* would I wear it????!!!

So for now, I will enjoy my Christmastime social events vicariously, and save myself some money at the same time.  Not really a bad deal, and since I am lazy, it's actually kind of win-win ... ;-)

Guess what?  Only 19 days left!!!

Finally Getting There!

After fighting with shingles for what seems like forever, I did actually feel well enough to start organizing/cleaning out my closet today!  I started with my shoes, and made a fair amount of progress.  I would have gotten more done, but I figured if I was doing it at all, I should actually clean the floor of the closet, which was covered with dust, dirt, and dust jackrabbits (dust bunnies doesn't begin to describe them ...).  It looks much better now.  :-)

I do feel motivated to keep going though, so that's good.  It means that I won't suddenly just stop and then suddenly realize that I need things other than sandals and flip flops in the cold weather.  And I'm not surprised to realize that I have a lot of crap.

This morning while I was eating breakfast, I had the TV on, and was watching the local news.  They had a segment that I thought was pretty interesting, and I thought I'd share it, in the event that you hadn't heard about it.

Tradesy is a website where you can sell/buy designer goods that are slightly or barely worn, or even brand new.  Apparently you sign up, take photos of the things you'd like to sell, and they devise a price.  Once the item is sold, they keep 9% of the cost, and send you mailing materials to ship it to the buyer.  I thought this sounded like a good idea.  Not that I have many - or even any - designer things, other than possibly a purse or two that I received as gifts, but have never used.  I do like donating things to those who might need them or would really enjoy them, but I'll admit that sometimes I'll wish that I had a way to get some money out of some of the stuff, since it's either new or nearly new.  Like I said, I don't have a lot that would sell on Tradesy, but it's a lot of fun to look and see what is for sale by others!

Back to the real world, and tomorrow is another day or purging and organizing.  Even though it makes me crazy to work on it too long, I'll admit to looking forward to seeing what more I can accomplish!

Here's hoping your weekend is a good one.

The Great Purge Is Coming!

No, this isn't my closet - but my closet isn't too far off.  Like most people, I switch my clothes at the change of the seasons, and so [theoretically] my closet is cleaned out twice a year (warm weather vs. cold weather).  In reality, it usually has to get really bad before I am willing or even interested in doing a thorough job.

On top of which, I tend to keep things even if I don't wear them, "just in case."  Which is stupid.  And it's one thing if you have two items in that category, but over the past few years, I've accumulated quite a collection.  So I have decided it's time to purge the closet, not just switch the seasonal clothes.  And I'm hoping to work on that this coming weekend.

I've read a lot of articles and and blogs about taking charge of your closet, and am familiar with things like Project 333 and Dress with Less.  I'm not sure at the moment that I can whittle things down to ____ amount of items for the next 30 days or whatever.  Mostly because I have not really taken the time to prepare, and I get itchy after so long, going through stuff.

So I'm going to try and apply those overall principles to my work this weekend.  I'm going to just donate things that are still wearable, but that I don't wear, or that no longer fit.  I'm going to get rid of things that are just plain worn out.  And I'm gonna confess that there are things I just no longer like.  This is hard for me, because I get attached to my clothes, and I also hate feeling that I wasted money.  Which is why being able to donate unwanted clothes makes me feel a bit better about the whole thing - I'm hoping most things will fit into that category.

And I'm also only doing one group of clothes at a time, rather than all of my clothes.  A few years back, I very conscientiously purged my winter clothes before putting them away over the summer.  Which was fine, except I forgot that there were things I wanted to buy to replace some of them.  Needless to say, I had  couple of challenging weeks, with one pair of slacks, and cardigan and a blouse to wear!

I like clothes, and I have also been trying to buy things that will last for a while, and very often, that means I've had to save up to buy them.  Which as you can imagine, makes it really hard to let them go down the road.  But you know what, keeping things that you don't/can't wear, or that you no longer like, or that are too worn out to actually wear, is just a waste of space, which leads to a waste of time when you are trying to decide what to put on during any given day.

I'll keep you posted.  I think because I am feeling especially motivated, I might be able to take more care on this project.   I hope so.  I really do not like having a messy closet, and just having extra stuff around.

As my sister says, "White man's troubles."  :-)