Wear It Wednesday - Attitude is Everything

Do you realize the huge impact your attitude has on your life?

Attitude is more important than looks, youth, wealth, success, or power. You can have all these things and more, but you will find it very difficult to enjoy all you have if you embrace a negative attitude.

We all know people who seem to have everything, but they are never happy. They always have a long list of complaints and negative comments each time you speak to them.

There is only one thing that you have complete control over ... your attitude. You can wake up each day and treat it as if you have just been born. Nothing that happened before matters. It's a new day, and you have another chance to be and do your best.

A positive attitude can be cultivated. If you believe you can or you believe you can't ... you are correct.

One person has been a shining example of what a difference attitude can make. Mr. Mickey is always positive, smiling, and joking with everyone he meets. He has many reasons to not be that type of person, but he makes a conscious choice each and every day of his life to get up, get well dressed and face the day with a positive attitude and extreme kindness.

He has inspired me to look on the bright side for all of the nine years he has been in my life. I can attest that it makes all the difference in my health (both mental and physical), in my confidence, and in what I have accomplished.

We all have things that happen to us that break us and knock us down in life. Attitude determines what happens next.

Wear It Wednesday - Shoes For All!

There have been countless comments about my shoes in previous posts, so today, I will show you the same look again and again with different shoes and a different bag. (That is the only thing that changes.)This exercise will show you how easy it is to adjust a look to fit your desired shoe style and heel height.

These animal print flat loafers are by Vince Camuto, and the bag is by Coach.

These metallic wedge sandals are by Kenneth Cole Reaction. The straw clutch bag is old from T.J.Maxx.

These Børn loafers have about a one-inch heel. The Tignanello bag is old from Stein Mart.

These Vince Camuto cork platform heels with ponyskin animal print uppers are old from Nordstrom. The Alberta di Canio handbag is from T.J.Maxx.

The half-tucked white top and the jeans are from Chico's. The belt is by Ralph Lauren via Belk.

A Night Out

Occasionally on date night, we have a progressive dinner, roaming from one restaurant to another.

For the first course, we may have a glass of wine and an appetizer in one restaurant.

At another restaurant, we may have a salad.

Our first course for this evening was enjoyed at Cafe' Lola. This is a great place to meet with friends for a cocktail after work and then come back later in the evening for an elegant date night.

Our next visit was to the bar at our old favorite, Wellington's, in the Carnegie Hotel.

Sometimes we sit by a fireplace or a window with a great view and have a glass of wine and a long conversation. Those conversations often draw in other people sitting around us. This evening, we met a delightful group of women celebrating one young woman's start of med school here at ETSU.

These two beautiful ladies are the mothers of the lovely young women below.

We visited with this delightful group for a long pleasant conversation. It was great to share in the celebration of the exciting life adventure that they are just beginning.

The last stop of the evening was on the patio at our favorite place to visit in town. Gourmet and Company are celebrating twenty-five years in business. So on the 25th of each month this year, there is a special dinner menu and living entertainment on the patio. Tonight's performance was by the great local band, This Mountain.

The festive evening ended with great friends and listening to superb live music.

The Cynthia Rowley shoes are from Belk, and the little black dress is by Ralph Lauren via T.J.Maxx. The asymmetric neckline and ruching at the waist are details that make it unique.  I am most definitely more comfortable in pants and a jacket, but there are occasions when one needs a dress. I am glad I found this one last week.

And now for a little Wear It Wednesday... Many of you hated my cool lace-up black shoes with this jacket and a pencil skirt in an earlier post, so I restyled it for you here as requested. I still love the shoes, but I will wear them with straight-leg pants in the future. The skirt is in the to-go bag.

Wear It Wednesday... Tools

There are a few tools of the trade that keep me and my clothes looking their best. Today on Wear it Wednesday I'll share a few.

Don't you hate it when your iron is too hot and you cause a shine on the seam of your new black pants? That's why I use a steamer so often. If you have ever worked in a boutique or almost any retail store you may remember steaming the clothes before you put them out on the floor. I have had a steamer in my home for many years. It saves on taking items to the dry cleaner when all they really need is to be steamed. I use it on all new clothes to freshen them up and for things like a new shower curtain, rugs that have gotten crimped while in storage, and new dust ruffles. You can buy this steamer at Macy's.

I use neutral shoe polish to protect and clean wallets, handbags, and belts as well as shoes. If you have one of those studded leather cuffs that are so popular right now, you should polish it before you even wear it. Get leather pants and jackets professionally cleaned at least once per year.

If you have curly hair use the diffuser tool with your hairdryer. Get out of the shower and scrunch your hair in a dry towel to get out excess water. Don't brush or comb it out. Use your fingers and the diffuser to style and dry your hair. Scrunch it in your hands as it gently dries. This will keep the max amount of curls.

Here's a quick video to show you how.

Do you have a favorite tip or tool to share? Just add it in the comments below. You are welcome to participate in the conversation!

Wear It Wednesday... The Look

Do you remember when you figured out which looks flattered your shape? I do... I was over 55 before I had a clue.

The magic word for me is NEUTRALS.

I love the way solid pieces in black, white, silver, dark denim, or deep red all work together. Occasional selections in fuchsia, cobalt, turquoise, or purple also complement all but the red.

Straight leg pants (not tight) and pencil skirts help me to look taller and thinner. Dressing in neutral solids allows me to put together an endless variety of looks at a moment's notice. Shoes, bags, and jewelry make each combination unique.

Jackets, sweaters, and tunics that fall below my natural waist and serve me well without many details. Showing a little skin helps too. A V neckline, ankle baring pants, and three-quarter length sleeves all help draw attention away from my nonexistent apple-shaped waistline. (I still cringe at those times that I wanted to be at the height of fashion and wore a jumpsuit a couple of times in my twenties. Youth is wasted on the young!)

I strongly recommend this little exercise: When you determine your body shape, find a famous person with the same shape who dresses in a style you admire. Study their way of dressing in a variety of situations. Do a Google search of images of that person and look at them for a few minutes each day until it becomes second nature for you to put together similar looks. We tend to emulate the dressing style we see around us just as we pick up the same speaking manner. This is a way to choose your influences.

Soon you will be able to walk into your closet and put together a look for any event in just a few minutes. You will already have a mental picture of a variety of looks that you feel comfortable in. The same success will come when you walk up to a rack of clothes in a store. You will always recognize what part of your winning combination is.

Mastering this tip will save you time and money. You won't need that many clothes because everything you own can be worn in different combinations almost all year long.

Wear It Wednesday ... Hair

After many not so great hairstyle choices, I now have a keeper.

This cut is softly layered around my face with long bangs. I normally tuck most of the sides behind my ears.

I stopped coloring my hair when I turned fifty. I have never missed all those coloring appointments at more than $100 a pop, and I really hated the look of visible roots after such a short period of time. The softness of the natural silver-gray complements my own softer coloring much more than ever applied to my hair.

I use the Jhirmak Silver Plus shampoo at least once a week to keep it from turning dull and yellowish. On a couple of days, I skip the shampoo and just use conditioner. (These photos were taken on one of those days.) My hair and skin are much drier than when I was younger. I have tried a "zillion" shampoos and conditioners at all price points, but Suave is the only one I have found that my scalp doesn't react negatively to.

My hair is wavy by nature, but I blow dry it using a round brush to smooth it into the style you see above. The silver brush is used when not drying my hair, but I rarely think about it for the rest of the day. I don't even carry a brush in my bag.

The red arrow is pointing to the mystery button on many hair dryers. I didn't know until a few years ago what it was for. Turn down the heat to warm and hold the button down to blow cool air to close the cuticles of your hair. It also removes all the heat held in your hair so that you aren't perspiring while putting on your makeup.

Here's the rest of the look for Wear It Wednesday!

The cascading vest is from Covered Perfectly. The white tee and black Capris are from Chico's last year. The black platform sandals are from Kohl's a few years ago.

Wear It Wednesday, Handbags

"Why do you change your handbag so often?"

Some form of this question is asked so often, so I thought I would discuss handbags today on Wear It Wednesday.

My handbag is part of my outfit and not limited to utilitarian service. 

For evening or dressier events, I always slip only the items I will need into a small clutch that complements what I am wearing.

Most of my bags are arranged on this built in shelf in my closet.

 

This red bag from Tahari via T.J.Maxx is one of my favorites, but I never carry it if there is a chance of rain because it will spot. Taking care of my bags ensures that they will last for a long time. I keep most of them for years. 

Always store your bags stuffed with tissue paper so that they don't lose their shape. Keep all that tissue they wrap your clothes in when you shop to stuff your bags.

I don't carry a lot of things around with me. I keep small items such as dental floss, a small pair of scissors, a nail file, lip gloss, an ink pen, and a small note pad in a makeup bag. Business cards, lotion, keys, a small mirror, eyeglasses, phone, and a clutch style wallet are normally what you find in my bag.

This makes it easy to slip only what I need, including the lip gloss color that complements what I am wearing into a smaller bag for the evening or switch to a different one for the day.

Wear It Wednesday ... The Skin You're In

Looking your best starts with glowing skin.

When I posted this photo a few weeks ago, there were numerous comments about my skin and my courage to be in a closeup with a woman who may not even be twenty yet. That's me with Abby Hathorn who is also a blogger at VintageInspiredPassionista. (There is no filter on the camera and I do not even know how to use Photoshop.) My skin is not as firm and smooth as Ms. Hathorn's, but I will be fifty-eight in three months and is about twenty years old.

I have also been asked many times about my skincare routine for the whole body, not just the face.

Our skin is constantly shedding and flaking off as new cells replace old ones. We often add oils and lotions to our skin, which also produces its own natural oils. The cells that should flake off can't, which leaves our skin not looking so smooth and clear. The skin can look a bit ashy instead of clean and bright or even break out because of trapped oils.

The secret weapons for my best skin include a natural bristle body brush, clean washcloth, olive oil, or coconut oil.

This natural bristle brush comes with a detachable handle and can be found in most drug stores as well as Walmart. I use the brush on my body before each shower. Sit down and relax while gently rubbing the brush in small circles over your whole body except for the face. Start with the feet and always work toward your heart. This sloughs off dead skin cells but also helps with circulation.

Hot water on a clean washcloth massaged into my face each morning feels wonderful. I use hot tap water as warm as my hands can tolerate and massage my face with the cloth until it starts to cool. Repeat this eight times. Follow with eight cold massages. Splash with cool water and then dry. 

Before bed each night, massage olive oil or coconut oil onto your face and body. After about five minutes, it has been absorbed, and your skin will feel smooth and soft. 

I use many items from the kitchen for skincare because I experience the least amount of reactions, such as redness and puffiness. A great exfoliant for the face (avoid the eye area) is sugar or salt mixed with your favorite cleanser. I often wear a hat when I am outside for long periods.

What you put in your body is important too! 

This pretty cut glass pitcher full of spring water and the juice of two organic lemons or cucumber slices is the first thing I see when I open my fridge. This is the water I sip all day.

Other items in my fridge are what contribute to healthy skin and body. Fresh fruit, unsalted natural nuts, seeds, and plain Greek yogurt are other items you will almost always find in my fridge. (Lower right corner... I wash grapes and keep them in a colander with a wet paper towel over them to keep them crunchy and fresh tasting.)

Get six or seven hours of sleep each night. Drink a glass of wine occasionally if you wish. Eat mostly fresh fruits and vegetables. Go for a brisk walk each morning for about a half-hour.

Now you know all my secrets!