Magic Pants!

Are you confident in your pants and shoe combinations?

It was almost seventy degrees in Asheville on Sunday! So I wore one of my favorite combinations to brunch at the Grove Park Inn. 

I feel very comfortable in a long cardigan or jacket, a tank top over great fitting ankle pants, and a pair of fun heels. This long cardigan is old from Saks Off 5th. The silver tank is old from Chico's. 

Have you worn Lisette L Pants? Hoda and Kathy Lee feature them on today's show often. These were supplied to me by Purple Poppy in Cape Cod. 

I enjoy wearing ankle-length pants because my legs are short. That means this length won't bunch up on the top of the short boots and funky shoes I like to wear, such as these Vince Camuto shoes. If the jeans I am wearing are too long, I may turn them up a couple of times to fit long and lean instead of creating that very unattractive bunching over the top of the shoe. To my eye, this event adds pounds through the muffin shoe effect. (Yet another muffin to think about!) 

I always want to wear pants that fit smoothly and stop no more than one inch above the top of the shoe or boot. Again, I do not want to create visual breaks on my legs to make them look even shorter because I have short legs. That's why I rarely ever wear cropped pants. When I do, I make sure they end at the slimmest part of my leg and not on my thick calves. I will also wear a killer pair of nude sandals with a heel or platform to elongate my legs.

I look for pants that are slim fitting with a smooth waistband. That is another reason these pants are winners! This color is dark slate, which will go with everything in my closet. I had never worn this brand of pants before, but as soon as I slipped them on, I felt as if I had lost five pounds. 

They have a wide comfortable waistband as well as a built-in fit-control feature that is fantastic. It smooths your tummy area without ever feeling constricted or uncomfortable. I can easily see why these are the favorite pant style for Hoda and Kathy Lee!

Many of you tell me you don't wear heels, so I am also showing you how to wear these pants with cute flats. Notice that I paired a shorter asymmetric jacket supplied to me by IC Collection via ShopMyFairLady with these bow detail flats by Vince Camuto. This pairing shows more of the full length of my leg. This proportion is also better for petite women. A more fitted jacket would also flatter the petite woman.

These pants were supplied by Purple Poppy, and the jacket was supplied by ShopMyFairLady.

The opinions are my own.

I limit statement accessories to one area per look. Too many accessories and a bag that matches your shoes can look dated. I normally wear ankle pants and cute shoes without socks. The Kenneth Cole Reaction clutch is old from T.J.Maxx.

I hope you find these tips for wearing ankle pants helpful. They have been around for several years, and I see them offered in many different styles each season. They are here to stay for me!

A Drive In The Country

After a hectic week, I look forward to long lazy Saturdays with no particular schedule.

On this beautiful day, we stopped in Jonesborough to walk through town and enjoy the sunshine before continuing our journey through the countryside to visit the Amish store. I like to go there a couple of times a year to buy most of my food in bulk. I stock up on dried beans, rolled and steel-cut oats, flax seeds, lentils, and various spices.

I was growing very weary of dressing for cold weather. Our morning started out with temperatures in the 30s, but as the afternoon progressed, I removed my short black trenchcoat and pushed up my J's sleeves. Jill cashmere tunic. It was pure bliss to sit in the sunshine for a moment and enjoy temperatures in the mid-60s!

J.Jill supplied this tunic. 

The opinions are my own.

Today I wore flat BCBG Leather Loafers and short soft crew socks from Ralph Lauren. The dark wash slightly boot-cut slim fit jeans from Loft are the right style for this type of flat shoe. 

When I wear flat shoes and socks, I chose a pair of pants that just touch the top of my foot and have a slight flare at the leg opening. The socks should match the pants. I like to keep the same tone to elongate the leg. For example, if I had worn tan loafers, my legs would have looked shorter. 

I am often asked how I decide which shoes to wear with each pant style. I will write more about pairing shoes with pant styles in tomorrow's blog post.

Jonesborough is the oldest town in Tennessee. It is always a treat to go for a walk there on warm sunny days.

Rolling meadows and the foothills of distant mountain ranges provide breathtaking views along our journey.

My early childhood spent on a farm in the western North Carolina mountains means that brief glimpses of farm life always bring me joy. These horses left the meadow at full gallop when they heard this farmer's truck arrive. They knew that dinner was about to be served.

The Nolichucky river winds lazily through the valley, creating prized fertile farmland.

I hope you have enjoyed sharing part of our peaceful day with us.

Inspiration

I am often asked where I get my inspiration for putting together outfits.

I may see pictures of young people in color and fabric combinations that spark my interest. For example, below is the beautiful young blogger Alyson Haley. Her look was my inspiration for the look above. You can see from this comparison that inspiration does not mean copying to the letter.

My interpretation includes a slim black turtleneck with a slim black blazer and a supple soft plaid scarf. I never want to add bulk to my upper body. A smaller, more structured bag serves me well. Faded straight leg jeans make the look more relaxed, and the sophisticated loafers bring the look back up a notch.

Having great style includes knowing what looks good on your body shape. I know that I would look like a sumo wrestler in the fabulous ensemble Alyson put together, but it flatters her delicate small frame beautifully.

I have always loved Ralph Lauren ads! They take me away to a world I can only dream about.

The rich colors and fabric combinations may get my attention, but my body requires thinner pieces with a more forgiving cut and smoother textures. So I will layer pieces differently to smooth my softer, rounder shape.

Price has nothing to do with style. I know women who shop at Neiman Marcus and still manage to look a mess. I also have friends who shop at Goodwill and always look stunning. The secret is in knowing what flatters your body and how to put things together to honor you.

Inspiration helps me create modern and youthful looks, but I know some changes are necessary to make the look work for my body shape. I hope this exercise helps you to look at your wardrobe and the inspiration around you in a new way.

Animal Print is a Neutral

I ventured outside for the first time in days!

I have adored animal print since the '80s. Each season, I think it might fall out of fashion, but it keeps coming back stronger. It is now considered neutral. While most of these prints are too golden for my cool skin tone, this top seems to work well for me. I find that some earthy neutrals will work if they have a reddish hue. The black and white tone animal prints are much more within my comfort zone. I usually reserve the brown animal prints for accessories only.

This animal print dress/tunic by Tyler Boe is from Monkee's of Johnson City. I modeled it in a fashion show last year and later purchased it.

I rarely buy them now, but a few animal prints and geo prints can still be found in my wardrobe.

I only wear this dress as a tunic with leggings. These reptile texture black leggings are labeled "Jack," and I found them in a small boutique on Hilton Head Island. The over the knee boots are old by Vince Camuto. They have a knit panel in the back, which makes it possible for me to wear them. My muscular calves mean most boots and all skinny jeans are out of the question for me.

The necklace is old from Chico's. The bag is old from Finely House Couture in Blowing Rock, North Carolina.

The faux leather-trimmed black ruana is old from Carlise/PER SE. I enjoy wearing ruanas since you can layer them over a coat or any other item to provide stylish extra warmth when needed. Toss one side over your shoulder to look more polished.

Style Evolution

When you look back at photos of me from 2010, you will see a woman who was forty pounds heavier, very unhealthy, very stressed out, and very confused about my style.

I dumped the very frumpy wardrobe and forty pounds in about six months. It took a few more years for me to settle into a style that reflects my personality.

Style is unspoken communication. For a few years, after I lost weight, my style said, "I am dressing in what might be age-appropriate, but It feels as if I am wearing my mother's clothes and shoes." Crepe sole, round toe shoes make me feel ill. Boxy jackets and masculine-style-tailored slacks will never touch my body again!

One pop of color and one statement piece of jewelry (not three!) works much better for me. Wide lapels, or heaven forbid, two wide lapels plus a scarf is not a good look for me. The muted golden brown tones of the scarf and the too textured cardigan's color are entirely wrong for me.

Another what was I thinking moment! Up close and in person, this jacket looked like a subtle animal print. In photos, it looks like an ode to Duck Dynasty. After I stopped buying prints, my closet became my happy place.

Other, more subtle changes helped me to relax into a look that feels more authentic to my personality. I let my hair grow out a bit, and it is now cut into a stacked angled bob that is side-parted to be more flattering to my round face. 

My stylist added some very subtle lowlights underneath to give my gray more depth to softly frame my face. She also adds a chrome glaze to my hair and trims it every five or six weeks. I no longer blow dry it every day, so it is much healthier and fuller.

In my most recent photos, you will see a woman who wears what feels comfortable. My wardrobe doesn't just physically fit my body; it now reflects my personality. 

I have ditched the trying too hard hair, too much jewelry, and bulk adding details.

Clean, simple lines, classic pieces in solid neutral colors, sleek, structured bags and shoes, and slim-fitting (not skinny) jeans are my staples. I can now get dressed appropriately and comfortably for any event in about five minutes.

I hope this post helps you to see what a difference subtle changes in your style can make.