Cold Weather Again

Relentless high winds have returned cold weather to this part of the world, so the photoshoots are back indoors.

My brief fling with spring attire is over for now. On a recent date night, I wore this look layered with a fur vest, a long-ago Christmas gift from Mr. Mickey.

The ring is fun, bling I picked up during our travels. The reptile texture box bag is from S.M. Bradford Co. on Hilton Head Island. The top is from White House Black Market at the Outlet Mall in Blowing Rock, North Carolina.

The leather-trimmed blazer is old by Helmut Lang via Saks Off 5th. The pull-on dressy fabric pants are a couple of years old from Chico's. The fierce booties are by BCBGeneration via Saks Off 5th.

I share with you where I bought the pieces I wear to formulate a plan for building your wardrobe. You can likely find similar classic pieces wherever you like to shop if you want to use my looks for inspiration. 

Think about the items in your core wardrobe as building blocks. The pieces should all come from the same tribe, meaning they can be worn interchangeably to create different looks to fit the weather and the occasion. Accessories and add-on pieces can change your look and add personality later on, but you should invest in a great core of basics to build upon first.

Many of you asked about the Chrome/Pearl Glaze yesterday. My stylist creates a combination that is the right tone for my hair. She leaves it on for only a few minutes before the shampoo. A hair glaze, similar to a gloss, is temporary. They can be clear just to add shine or have some pigment to complement the hair color tone. Unlike a gloss, a glaze does not contain peroxide or ammonia. It only coats or sits on top of the hair.

What do you order when you go out to dinner? Most of the time, I order a salad and a steamed side vegetable such as broccoli. 

When I pieced together the items I wanted from the menu on this particular night, the server must have told the chef that I needed special attention. He came out to say he would be happy to make up a special pasta dish with vegetables for me. I thanked him and welcomed the chance to try out his version of vegetarian pasta since this is a new restaurant we were trying for the first time. 

What arrived was this mess with oil, heavy cream, and cheese holding it all together with shrimp and mere traces of leeks on top. Isn't it amazing what some people think vegetarians eat? I rarely eat any pasta at all. I never choose dishes with heavy sauces or gravy, bread, or cheese toppings. 

I did eat all of the salad with no dressing, which was fresh and crisp.

Onward to the next adventure!

I Traded Old for Bold!

Did you go boldly into middle age without skipping a beat? Not I!

Most of these photos were taken yesterday as I carried out my usual Friday responsibilities. I had no meetings or appointments, so I could throw on a pair of jeans and a tank with a black linen biker jacket and a pair of sandals.

Personal style is the interpretation of a suggestion.

And then there is this.

The photo above was taken in 2010, shortly before I turned fifty-four. I weighed about forty-five pounds more than I do now. I was very sick and suffering from deep depression. I was still traumatized that I had turned fifty a few years before and couldn't figure out how to dress for this new phase of life. I thought I had to follow a new set of rules and wear different clothes as I aged. That depressed me even more! I wanted to dress age-appropriate, but I knew no guidebook for that.

I also wrongly believed that gaining weight was part of the aging journey. The aches, pains, health problems, and a weak immune system that came along with the weight gain were also attributed to the process of aging.

I gave away all my jeans and high heels in my late forties because I thought I needed to dress for this new stage of life in a different way or risk looking foolish.

I remember standing in a shoe store looking at a fierce pair of strappy high-heeled sandals and wanting with all my heart just to wear those shoes one more time. An evil little, wretched voice in my head whispered, "You are too old for those."

I realize today that depression and weight gain were part of a grieving process. I was mourning the loss of the person I wanted to continue being.

I will turn sixty in a few months, but I am not depressed about that milestone. The difference is my attitude mixed with a bit of wisdom. I know now that I can keep my lifelong personal style with a few tweaks.

I am wearing an old black linen biker-style jacket from Express. The Erin London silver-gray tank top is from the Marble Lion boutique located in the Inn at Biltmore Estate. The jeggings are from Chico's last year.

The bag is by Zac Posen via Saks Off 5th. The shoes are by Sam Edelman via Nordstrom a couple of years ago.

I went to see my friend and stylist this week. She gave me a fresh chrome mixed with pearl glaze and a trim. I am good to go for another five weeks.

Rock on, sisters! We've got this!

Packing Tips

When we travel, I take a core wardrobe of pieces in three colors. I can take a few pieces but have several possible combinations, from casual to dressy as needed.

The color choices for this trip were black, white, and gray. I wore this combination to breakfast on Saturday morning during our recent stay at Primland. J.Jill provided the gray cashmere sweater. The white tank is from Peck and Peck via Stein Mart. The pants are by Lior Paris. The shoes are by Vince Camuto via Saks Off 5th. The watch is by Michael Kors via Nordstrom. The rings were long ago gifts from Mr. Mickey.

I regularly get numerous comments about wearing heels. I am not encouraging you to wear heels. I find that shoes such as these, which have many straps, support the whole foot and the ankles, and are so much more comfortable than ballet flats or (horrors!) flip flops, which often give the foot no support. Mr. Mickey can attest that I can even run in these shoes when I need to.

The view from our table by the window at breakfast was nothing less than spectacular!

That is the observatory tower behind me. We spent the afternoon enjoying being pampered in the Spa at the resort. They thought of everything! There is a theater, library, and workout room as well.

I took two white jackets, one dressy one casual. I also took an ornate black jacket, gray sweater, one white tank, one silver tank, and a black one. The three pairs of black pants were of different fabrics and styles. I took two pairs of shoes in addition to these, which I wore for travel.

In addition to all the other amenities at the resort, there were many original art installations throughout the property.