A Site for Sore Winter Eyes

This time of year is pretty boring as far as my wardrobe...  the dull, cloud-filled days stretch out before me as I gaze into my closet, feeling very uninspired.  The weather, as of late, has me reaching for sweatshirts and jeans over and over again.  And the colors!  Bleh...black, gray, brown, tan and did I mention black?

Now is the time of year when fashion editors and retailers start pulling out the words cruise and resort-wear in order to bump sales just a little before spring.  ...and that's great....if you're going to a resort, that is!  This year, the prospects of a visit to a sun-cloaked, salty-aired island aren't looking so great for me!  :)

Inspired by my Christmas visit to the Tollwood Market in Germany (and a few purchases- see the lovely woolen scarf), I began to look online for the same type of fairytale, intricate designs...

Enter etsy.com and her European cousin en.dawanda.com!  These sites have only handmade and/or vintage items.  The stuff is usually one-of-a-kind or very limited in quantity/production!  UNIQUE is the operative word here!  Unique, colorful, unusual!  These designs are a welcome relief for bored, tired winter eyes to see!

I recently ordered a wonderful little coat from etsy!  The designer is based in Paris.

I threw it over my workout attire last week to get my son from my parents' house!  My mother immediately expressed her delight~  I knew she would.  Now that the Christmas tree is down and all of the holiday lights and glitter are packed away, we need a little glitz to brighten these days!

I must add a small disclaimer here:  I have my own etsy shop, but my designs at this time are only for babies and toddlers.  I'm a big fan of the concept of small, cottage-based businesses.  While, it's always convenient and nice to shop at a Gap to grab 5 knit turtlenecks, each in a different color for 14.99, I like the independence that is afforded when you sell and buy from other designers and crafters!

An interesting related link: 

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/571787/etsy_vs_dawanda_two_websites_to_sell.html?cat=15

The High Heel Conundrum

more often than not, i'm finding the old saying "all fashion ends in excess" to be very true!  lately, this rule seems to especially apply to shoes.  venture into a local shoe store or go online to find a pair of nice high-heeled shoes.  there you have it!  you must take your pick between five-inch nose bleeders or scuff-along-the-floor flats.  to me, this is just not much of a choice!  where are the mid-sized heels?  where are the 3-inchers?  i'm guessing these are just not enough of a fashion STATEMENT these days!

being tall, as in long-tall-sally, i can't get away with wearing such high heels - unless nobody stands near me, especially in a picture.  nobody!  i scare dogs and small children in catwalk heels!

flats....well, do you remember pop eye's olive oyl?   'nuff said.

I couldn't resist:

in search of..... the perfect leather jacket

...specifically a black (or dark brown) leather jacket, and i'm not talking eighties bombers' jacket.  ahh, those jackets of yesteryear only served to make me look like the michelin tire man...a little bit like a pair of legs with a large black bee-hive on top.  today, of course, "eighties are back"(...yea, whatever.)  not so much for me.

i'm looking for the perfect blend between tailored and feminine; detailed yet sleek.  one that is versatile and looks great with anything from a pair of jeans to a cocktail dress.  i prefer a soft, buffed leather instead of the thick, shiny stuff.  the leather-jacket-look has always been a bit of a gamble!  there is a very fine line between chic, lady-like versus edgy, rocker-girl here.  the idea, according to louloumagazine.com, "...is to look sexy and nonchalant. Look like a million bucks effortlessly."

according to this article in about.com,  "leather is relatively easy to care for if you take preventative measures. store it so it can breathe (no plastic!), wipe off spills and dirt on smooth leather with a damp cloth, regularly brush suedes and nubucks. fix hem problems with a touch of rubber cement. for major cleaning, avoid at-home products (especially waxes and other items that clog up leather pores); find a leather cleaning specialist."

here are some ideas.  what do you think?  ...or do you practice the "just-say-no philosophy" with this look?  LOL

elements of beauty

this is my how i would like to outline the five basic elements of beauty in this blog:

• frame - our bodies, our shapes.
• interior - what's inside. not just our organs, etc...what about our spirits, minds, feelings, emotions?
• canvas - skin! it covers our entire body!
• paint - cosmetics, perfume - how do we accentuate our good points, camouflage the bad ones?
• curtains - our individual style. clothing, fashion!