7 Months Down

On Monday it will be 7 months without buying any clothes.  I had been looking forward to celebrating this milestone and blogging about my fashion ideas but my cousins wife died this week.  She was 50.  She will not be here to see her daughter get married this year.  To enjoy this spring.  To spend days with her family.  I am so thankful each day that I am here to enjoy life's pleasures.  Buying clothes just seems very unimportant right now.

A little something something for me!

I used to love Christmas shopping! I always looked forward to getting up very early, like 4 am, on Black Friday, to go out looking for those special toys for my children.  I can still remember the mad quest for cabbage patch dolls.  I actually made one for each of my chldren when I could not find them before Christmas.  (Of course I was able to easily get them right after Christmas.) Over the years, the requests changed and got easier (clothes and video games) but there was still an air of excitement as I set out armed with a list and a plan.  I would wait in my warm car  until the mall opened to get in to the store of choice to make my first purchase. After making the purchase, I would buy my hazelnut coffee and just walk around the mall and soak up the Christmas spirit.  I looked forward to and enjoyed every Black Friday.The crowds did not bother me. I looked forward to this past Black Friday just the same.  I cooked my fingers to the bone Thansgiving Day- butternut squash and apple soup, stuffed mushrooms, mini hot dogs in crescent rolls, cornbread stuffing with sausage and mozarella, reguar bread stuffing with sausage and mozarella, sweet potato casserole with marshmallows, pineapple casserole,Mashed potatoes, carmelized butternut squash, red onion and brussel sprouts, turkey and ham, cheesecake with cherries, pecan pie, pumpkin pie, brownies and chocolate covered pretzels.  All the time I was cooking, I was looking forward to my special "Black Friday" time.  Well, guess what??? I went out on Black Friday and it just wasn't fun!  I could not figure out why.  At first I though it was because now all my children's lists are linked on Elfster and just a click away, no need to physically shop.  But no, something else was missing.  Well, sad to say, suddenly it dawned on me why it wasn't fun this year, I couldn't buy a little something, something for myself.  The fun was gone! Oh how many more days to go???? If I am really being honest, I just don't need the clothes, my daughters give me so many throw aways (like the pic linked here, can you believe she threw this out!!!) I guess for me a lot of the fun is the hunt....

Women of a Certain Age

For about three years I kept my hair cut short into that angled bob.  Why?  It was what "women of a certain age" were supposed to do...Well, my granddaughter was looking at family pictures and said "Grandma, you look a lot better with long hair", so you know what?   I may be a woman of a certain age but I grew my hair long again and I like it.  Are there things women over a certain age should not do? It seems that most society thinks there are certain things that women over 40 should not wear. I actually read in a fashion magazine that women over 40 should not wear jeans! Are you kidding me?   I have also heard several so called fashion experts say that the rule of thumb for appropriate clothing is "If you remember wearing it the last time it came around, you should not wear it this time."  Well there seem to only be about four different styles of clothing that keep coming around,(preppy/classic,hippie/bohemian,biker/goth and minimalist.) If I stuck with that rule, I would at this point in my life not be able to buy anything even if I were not going two years without shopping. Well I must admit there are certain things I don't think I should do, like wear real short shorts but what if someone of that certain age has amazing legs, should she wear those short shorts? Or is it not appropriate for anyone over the age of say 45?  I really want to try a biker jacket over chiffon, should I or will people think I am a nut?  Just this past week a good friend of mine helped her grandmother celebrate her 90th birthday. With the permission of my friend I have posted her picture on this blog. I want you to look at this  gorgeous women and tell me that age should determine what you wear.  I am going to wear that biker jacket over chiffon next week...Maybe I'll even upload a picture...

Why do I love those fashion magazines so much???

Why do I love those fashion magazines so much?  Let’s face it, they are often just repeated pictures over and over.  How many times have we seen Taylor Momsen and her raccoon eyes in the "Who Got It Right?" page. ( Just to let you know if you are a Gossip Girl fan and love Taylor, don't even go there because Taylor never gets it right.)  Or Reese Witherspoon in her plaid blouse, skinny jeans and black flats? (Loved her ever since those cowgirl boots and short dress in "Sweet Home Alabama") Or probably the most often used photo of Jennifer Aniston in her “relaxed classic style” of jeans, espadrilles and white tee?  ( I found myself tearing out that photo and trying to emulate that look this summer. )  I will even admit to frequenting sites that tell you how to buy the cheaper version of a celebrity’s style, such as Celebrity Style Guide http://www.celebritystyleguide.com.  Yes, and even the site that is properly named “How to Dress like Taylor Swift”  Hey, don’t laugh I am after all both southern and a country music fan.  Well today when I logged onto MSN one of the top links was “10 Style Rules to Try” (below).  So of course, not being able to buy clothes I have to try something else to appease my desire to shop for clothes so I am going to try some of these fashion rules.  Maybe I’ll start with the denim on denim or should I do the biker with chiffon…Let me think about it…Oh well, I am off to revise my Elfster List…

10 Top Style Rules  to Try

1.       Match your lipstick to your dress.

2.       Let your hairbun be messy.

3.       Use a clutch instead of a strapped bag.

4.       Wear a coat that is shorter than your dress.

5.       Wear socks with your skirts.

6.       Mismatch prints.

7.       Wear two clashing eyeshadow colors.

8.       Wear denim on denim.

9.       Wear big 80’s style hair.

10.   Wear a biker jacket over a sequin minidress or chiffon.

Now about that garbage...

Now about that garbage…residents of  New York City and the surrounding boroughs (where I live) generate 12,000 tons of garbage each day!!   Yes, I said day, not year.  The garbage is then taken to landfills in other states, (Pennsylvania, Virginia and Ohio). We pay these states and often this money goes to support education.  The landfills in these states are almost full.  Where will it go when no states will take our garbage?  How did this happen? Years ago trash was burned but this created another problem, air pollution.  Is it possible that we could as a society take responsibility for this problem and stop buying unnecessary items? I’m just one person but lots of ones together could make a big difference.  Just think about it.

making a list, checking it twice

     All right, I was up until 1:45 am last night making my Christmas list on  Elfster.  I am a fashion nut.  I love to look through fashion magazines.  (My personal favorite is People Style Watch.) So I was listing and fine tuning that list for about 5 hours.   In years past, a Christmas list didn't really mean much, I knew that if I really wanted something, and didn't get it, I would probably just buy it after Christmas for myself, and for a reduced price even.  This year, the Christmas list is everything.  Let me give you the prequel.  On July 22, 2010, a day that will live in infamy, I, after spending so much money that I felt very guilty, promised my husband that I would not buy any clothes for two years!! Yes, you heard right, two years!   A week from Monday will be four months.  So now my Christmas list really means something, like it did when I was a young child growing up in North Carolina.  My Dad was a teacher and my mother never worked outside the home.  We lived far out in the country on 8 acres and counted down the days until the Sears Wish Book arrived in November.  Then the four of us, my sister and two brothers, fought over it for days.  Trying to wait patiently for a chance to look, decide what our wishes would be, and make our list. My brothers both had spring/summer birthdays so they had another chance.  But me, if I chose wrong had to wait until the next Christmas to try again because my birthday is on Christmas Eve. I could just say I made a mistake but since starting I am almost on a mission.  I teach Earth Science and each year I have my students do some local initiative to help the environment and here I was buying all these clothes tha eventually ended up in a landfill.  I mean New jersey can no longer dump garbage here.  They have to pay other states to take our garbage.  Maybe I will even continue after two years!
    So this is it.  This is all I will be getting until next Christmas.  Let's just hope they don't come out with some amazing fashion trend for this summer that I can't be seen in public without.  I will be working on my Christmas list again tonight.  Let me give you the rules.  I have four children, one gift from each for my birthday.  A gift from my husband for my birthday and one for Christmas.  Then one secret santa gift for around $50.00 from a family member.  (There are a few things on here over $50, just hoping they will come down before Christmas.) If anyone out there is reading this, I need your help. Help me make this elfster list the best ever.  (I have given a few options for different things I really want, like the nude pumps.) Let me know what doesn't make the grade and what that classic is that I don't have on my list...Remember, a total of seven gifts, all under $50.  Also I was thinking that if the items are cheap enough people might give me two? Quality or quanity, give me your opinion.  Here goes...

Elfster List

1.  Nude Pumps- Forever 21
http://www.forever21.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=FOREVER21&category%5Fname=footwr%5Fdressy&footwr%5Fstyle=&footwr%5Fsize=&footwr%5Fcolor=&footwr%5Fprice=&product%5Fid=2081149524&Page=1#
2.  Nude Pumps - Steve Madden
http://www.stevemadden.com/Item.aspx?id=50831&np=127_282-136_394
3.  Tweed Jacket - Olsenboye for J. C. Penney
4.   Black or Brown? Harness boots - Target
http://sites.target.com/site/en/spot/page.jsp?title=kraft&ref=sc_iw_ss_2
5.  British Khaki Minnie pants- J Crew( favorite store ever, ever, ever!!!)
http://www.jcrew.com/womens_special_sizes/tall/pants/PRDOVR~24646/99101961958/ENE~1+2+3+22+4294967294+20~~~0~15~all~mode+matchallany~~~~~minnie%20pant/24646.jsp
6.  Black Pumps - Olsenboye for JC Penney
http://www5.jcpenney.com/jcp/X6.aspx?GrpTyp=STY&ItemID=190ef44&Nao=0&hdnOnGo=true&Ne=840+4+877+878+5+961+6+29+3+598+11+15+12+506+10+23+585+596+1031+8+18+904+903+969+949+833&Ntt=olsenboye+black+pumps&SearchString=olsenboye+black+pumps&N=4294959029&SO=0&PSO=0&CmCatId=searchresults
7.  Sequin Tank - K mart
http://www.kmart.com/shc/s/p_10151_10104_027B025563000001P?prdNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1
8.  East 5th Tweed jacket
http://www5.jcpenney.com/jcp/X6.aspx?GrpTyp=PRD&ItemID=19f766e&Nao=0&hdnOnGo=true&Ne=840+4+877+878+5+961+6+29+3+598+11+15+12+506+10+23+585+596+1031+8+18+904+903+969+949+833&Ntt=tweed+jacket&SearchString=tweed+jacket&N=4294959029&SO=0&PSO=0&CmCatId=searchresults
9.  Belle Layering slip - Free People
http://www.freepeople.com/perfectly-belle-layering-slip/_/searchString/layering%20slip/CMCATEGORYID/683d4023-53f5-4900-b5ce-ecf465df31a9/

Any changes or suggestions?