Dearly Beloved

We have returned safely from a most beautiful wedding!

The youngest son of our dearest friends was married to the love of his life this weekend. We were honored to be guests during this weekend of celebrations.

The wedding was held in the fabulous gardens at Heartwood Hall.

I wore a top by IC Collection over a tank by Clara Sunwoo and pants by Lior Paris. All these items were provided by ShopMyFairLady. The shoes are old by BCBG. The clutch is old from T.J.Maxx. The silver link bracelet was a long-ago gift from Mr. Mickey.

The handsome groom dances with his beautiful mother.

All of us gals dancing with the groom!

We wish you a lifetime of dancing together, Kerry and Wes.

Never having had my own children, I shower my love, concern, and pride upon the two sons of my best friend and, of course, their chosen mates. My heart was overflowing with joy and pride as we shared this special weekend with the family we love so very much.

Packing For A Summer Trip

When we travel, I take a few items that work together instead of pack outfits that may or may not be successful when we arrive at our destination. A few great accessories always help to create unique combinations.

For several days, we will be traveling to attend a unique wedding. There will be lots of walking, sightseeing, shopping, exploring old downtown, and eating out. All of these events will be very casual.

One of my personal packing rules is always trying on everything I am taking to make sure it looks the way I think it will look. There is nothing worse than getting ready for that special event only to find that the shoes you brought to go with your pants are too low to bring the hem off the floor. Today I am sharing the looks I plan to create from the items shown above on the rolling rack.

Below, I am wearing the tunic with jeans and sandals, all from J.Jill. The satchel is from JMcLaughlin. The crinkle cotton tunic is so lightweight I could wear it even on a sweltering day.

My apologies for the odd colors in these photos. The camera takes on an agenda of its own when we have to shoot inside and use the flash.

The gala sand-washed tunic will work with all of the pants.

The white long sleeve tee is very lightweight, so I can wear it with the vest and the white jeans when we go out to dinner.

The pieces shown above can be worn in many combinations according to the weather and where we are going. I am just showing you a few of the ways I plan to wear them.

My look for the wedding will include the swing blouse by IC Collection over a tank by Clara Sunwoo and white pants by Lior Paris. All these items were a gift from ShopMyFairLady.com. The silver clutch is old from T.J.Maxx. The silver sandals are old by BCBGeneration.

The life-changing Ultimate Back Smoothing Bra & Body Shaper is by Shapeez.com. I will be buying the black one and will be wearing these for the rest of my life. This is the first bra/shaper item I have ever worn that is so comfortable you forget you have it on, and it actually smooths your midsection and back without being hot. Epic!

Here is a video also!

How to Pose

For a short time, while in my twenties, I taught modeling to preteens at a charm school in Norfolk, Virginia. I have also been asked to model many times, but I do not consider myself a professional by any stretch.

Professional models give the photographer great shots one after the other. We sometimes take forty pictures to get four or five photos that are acceptable for the blog.

Many of you have asked me to share tips on posing for the camera, so this post is for you. I am happy to share what I have learned.

First and foremost is lighting. Always face the light source. The golden hour for perfect lighting is as the sun is setting. The worst time to take a photo is noon. When the light source is coming from directly overhead, your features will create harsh shadows and look more pronounced.

Look for the right background. My Covered Perfectly V-Neck top is black, so a light neutral backdrop allows you to see more of the details of what I am wearing. If I were standing in front of a dark bush or wall, there would be too little contrast.

Stand tall with good posture but relaxed. Imagine a string holding your head high and your body falling in a nice straight line beneath it. Whenever I model with someone, and it is their first time, they always ask, "What do I do with my hands?" Pretend your nails are wet. Relax your hands and keep them soft and natural when you pose. Every move should be fluid and small. The camera will capture it if you are stiff and unnatural in your poses.

Learn your best side, and practice how much a smile is enough. Straight on is best for me since I don't like my profile at all. If I am laughing too much, my gums will be showing. I have learned to look straight into the camera, relax, and give a small smile.

Create angles with your body. Put one foot in front of the other or out to the side, or turn one hip toward the camera. Put one hand on your hip or just bend one arm at the elbow and angle it out from your body. Create space between your arms and legs to avoid looking larger than you are. For example, if your arm is straight by your side, it will look more significant than if you angle it just slightly away from your body. If a part of your body bends, bend it.

Relax and have fun with it. When we are shooting, I am always moving, and Mr. Mickey is clicking away with each shift in movement. I hear a click; I move to a slightly different pose. It takes us less than five minutes to shoot fifty photos.

Remember that whatever is closest to the camera will look largest. For example, when I sit, I never cross my legs to the side and angle the upper leg away from the camera. That makes my thighs look huge!

In the photo above, my hands and feet look larger than they are because they are closest to the camera. That is the perspective. You can use this to your advantage if you understand how to manipulate perspective with your poses.

I keep my face, hands, and feet in line with my knees in these two poses so that nothing appears a lot larger than it is.

Below, my hands are closest to the camera, so they look bigger.

It is almost always better to be looking up at the photographer instead of down. Below is an example of a poor angle.

Two steps down so that I am more eye to eye with the camera is much more flattering. Slightly looking up at the camera is the best angle of all for a portrait shot.

I hope these little tips help you to have fun and get better photos for your book of memories.

In these photos am wearing one of my favorite easy casual looks. The top is the Simple Comfort V-Neck from Covered Perfectly. My waistline is relatively thick, so I used one of my favorite tricks to make it look more defined. That is an old hook and eye belt from Chico's that I am wearing low in the front to create a V rather than a straight horizontal line. For example, if I tucked this top in and wore a belt (horrors!), I would look twenty pounds heavier. 

The Jag Jeans have a smooth wide waistband with no zipper or loops to create lumps and bumps under my tops.

The shoes are at least three years old by Vince Camuto. The bag is a couple of years old by BCBG via T.J.Maxx. It is a great light neutral color, so I carry it often in summer. My favorite sunglasses are by Balmain via Saks Off 5th.

Special Occasions

We never need a special occasion to get dressed up to go out, but we had two important events to attend on a recent Saturday evening. 

Thankfully, I was able to find something in my closet that was appropriate for both events.

The first event was a fundraiser for the Johnson City Symphony Orchestra held at the Blackthorn Club. We enjoyed visiting with a few players and the string quartet that performed this evening. There are seventy players in our Orchestra. It is such a joy to hear their performances.

The flowers at our Club are always gorgeous. It is a surprise to see how much they have grown each time we visit during the summer.

The second occasion of the evening was the 90th birthday party of my sweet friend Ruth's husband, Vinnie.

I was so happy also to see my beautiful friend, fellow life-long model, and neighbor Mary.

Vinnie has always been a great athlete, a devoted husband, a loving family member, and a loyal friend. More than one hundred guests from all over the country came to enjoy a formal dinner, drinks, and dancing in his honor this evening. I loved meeting his Italian nieces from New Jersey!

On this busy evening, I wore a black tank, Travelers pants, and a Travelers duster, all from Chico's last year. The bag is old via Saks Off 5th. The turquoise and blue glass stone earrings are old from Stein Mart. The Kenneth Cole sandals are old from Dillard's.

What do you eat?

Summer means family and friends may be gathering for a potluck meal on the deck or by the lake. Whenever I am asked to bring a dish or plan for a summer event, I always use recipes like the ones shown below.

Cucumber Tomato Salad

Click here for the full recipe.

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Baked Falafel Sandwich

Click here for the full recipe.

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BBQ BAKED BEANS

Click here for the full recipe.

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Vegan Strawberry Ice Cream

Click here for the full recipe.

My friend, Diane Smith, is the writer and recipe developer behind PlantBasedCooking.com. We thought it would be helpful to share a healthy meal for those planning summer gatherings.

I always get lots of questions about what I eat and then more questions about transitioning to a plant-based diet. I am happy to tell you that Diane is preparing a course to help people transition to a plant-based diet. Contact her via her website to sign up for the course.

Diane Smith is the editor and publisher of PlantBasedCooking.com. We have so much in common, but most of all, we are passionate about being our best selves and sharing what we learn with others.

I was in a lot of pain, on medication, in and out of Doctor's offices almost weekly, and could not sleep more than a couple of hours. That was all before I switched to a plant-based diet. 

My back, feet, and legs hurt so much I could only walk short distances, even in flat shoes. Now I can walk pain-free for miles, even in heels!

Before at age 54               After at age 58  

The preservatives, sugar, fat, and salt added to most processed foods caused inflammation, fifty extra pounds, severe migraines every week, and numerous sinus infections. Removing those foods from my life allowed my body to heal and my immune system to thrive. I have not had a cold in five years. There are no more migraines! I take no medications now, and my lab results are those of a twenty-year-old. I feel much better now than I did when I was in my thirties. The only change I made was to a whole food plant-based diet. This is one of the most important things I wish I could share with my younger self.

The Shopping is Great!

During my recent visit to speak on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, I slipped away for a couple of hours on Monday to go shopping.

I love to explore Saks Off 5th while on Hilton Head. You never know what treasures you might find there. I purchased a couple of pairs of shoes (no surprise there), a large square silk scarf, and a long asymmetric hem dressy tank top.

An Instagram follower once mentioned that she can never put together a look when she shops there. I always search for unique pieces that fit my style and work with the elements I already own rather than looking for an outfit. 

My closet is arranged in departments so, I rarely wear the same things together in the same way.  If I have a few good looking pieces that all work interchangeably and a variety of accessories, I can go anywhere. I know many women who purchase only outfits but always tell me they have nothing to wear.

Whenever I travel, someone will always comment on how little I take for a three or four-night stay. For example, when I go to L.A. in a few weeks, I will take black, white, and denim pants, four different tops, flat sandals, heeled sandals, some jewelry, and scarves to change the look of the combinations.

My rule is that all the tops must go with all the pants. This formula gives me possibilities for creating several different looks even when I travel by plane with only a small carry-on bag. 

Each time I have visited the Copper Penny store in Shelter Cove, I have found a pair of stylish black pants that will go with everything else in my closet. This store also has a great collection of shoes, jewelry, handbags, and clothing.

Shelter Cove Towne Centre in Hilton Head is a great new shopping area being built where the old mall once was. I love this concept! It is set up with tree-lined streets so that you can park in front of the store you want to visit, and there is a park overlooking the harbor for relaxing with the kids. There are several excellent shops, including a French bakery, numerous restaurants, several clothing stores, gift shops, and many more places to shop or take a break.

The new Birdie James boutique is also located in Shelter Cove. This shop offers a collection of classic staples. Sadly, I missed the grand opening by a few days on this visit, but you can be sure I will be going there as soon as I return to the Island.

I enjoy the sport of looking for a few well-chosen pieces to add to my collection. Most of my shopping is done online these days due to my busy schedule, but I enjoy being able to visit stores when I travel to see all of the colors and textures in person. I also enjoy watching people and studying what makes them look like a success. I have learned a lot simply by watching the women whose style I admire and borrowing tips from them.

I hope that's what you do when you visit my blog. Take the information that is helpful to you and make it your own. We can look fabulous at any age, any size, or on any budget.

On this brief shopping trip, I wore pieces that easily slip off when trying on items. The sandals are from last year by DV Dolce Vita. The pants are by Tribal. The Clara Sunwoo tunic was purchased from ShopMyFairLady.com. The BCBG bag is old from T.J.Maxx. The necklace is from S.M. Bradford, located in Harbour Town on Hilton Head Island.

Accessories Change The Basics

You have likely noticed that I often wear a similar base, including a tunic or tank with narrow leg pants in one color.

This silhouette flatters my shape and height and fits my personality, so I often rely on this basic combination when getting dressed. 

Today I want to show you how I change the attitude and set the tone for different looks by changing my accessories. The same top and pants are worn in each of the examples shown here.

This fabulously comfortable tunic top was a gift from Covered Perfectly. This style is Fit and Flare. The flattering wide waistband pull-on dressy black pants are by Tribal, and they were a gift from Copper Penny.

For this around-town look, I added a black and silver and gold necklace, flat sandals by DV Dolce Vita last year, and a picnic-style wicker bag from J.McLaughlin to achieve a classic look that is appropriate for almost any event.

This top is very soft and comfortable for traveling. Just wash it out and hang it to dry. If you pack it, hang it up when you arrive and when you get up the following day, the wrinkles will be gone. 

For a comfortable travel look, I added flat loafer style shoes from BCBGeneration via Saks Off 5th. The scarf can be draped around my neck if I get cold on the plane. It is several years old.

I draped a Michael Kors chain detail silk scarf around my neck for a more uptown look and switched to a gold chain bag from Express. The cork and gold detail wedge sandals were by VANELi via Marmi Shoes last year.

I added a bold medallion necklace and an old cropped moto-style white jacket from White House Black Market old reptile embossed booties to achieve a more downtown urban vibe. I always use a jacket as an "accessory" to set the tone for looks. Also, the Calvin Klein bag is old from T.J.Maxx.

I hope these examples help you see how you can change your basic looks by wearing different accessories. A follower once commented that she could never put together a look when she shopped at a particular store that I often visit. I never think of putting together a specific look when I am shopping. Instead, I think only of adding elements that appeal to me and can be worn in different ways with what I already have to build appropriate looks for any event.