Lobster, Vintage Fur and Diamonds

We recently joined friends for dinner at Café Pacific. It is located in North Johnson City.

We have cool temperatures now in the evenings, so I wore a vintage fur-trimmed black cable front sweater by Ralph Lauren. I have a few jackets and high-end sweaters that were fabulous gifts from my friend Mitzi when she also recently downsized. When I wear a vintage piece, I keep the look sleek and simple and wear it with very modern elements.

The pants are pieced faux leather front leggings from Chico's. The Adea tank is my all-time favorite!

We had not been to Café Pacific in several years, so we had forgotten what a treat to the eyes and the palate it is to have even a small meal there. We share and order small plates often.

There was a delicious amuse-bouche from Chef Scott. Amuse-Bouches are different from appetizers in that they are not ordered from a menu by patrons, but when served, are done so free and according to the chef's selection alone. These are often accompanied by a complementing wine, are served both to prepare the guest for the meal and offer a glimpse into the chef's approach to the art of cuisine. This one is strawberries with herbs and a balsamic reduction with a passion fruit juice chaser.

The warm pieces of bread were served with whipped herbed butter and pesto olive oil for dipping.

The lobster bisque is a divine dish that is so rich we recommend sharing.

Everyone had a delicious seasonal salad.

Have you ever had a dessert amuse-bouche? This tiny bite was so full of fall flavor!

Now for the real dessert! We also shared this fabulous decadent chocolate dessert with fresh berries and a delightful light cream sauce. 

The shoes are by BCBGeneration via Dillard's. (Aren't they fierce?!) The antique amber watch, the ring, and the earrings were gifts from Mr. Mickey. The evening bag is from T.J.Maxx.

Many of you have asked me how to keep my weight down while going out to eat so often. Mr. Mickey and I share a few small plates and then order a salad as an entrée. I get to taste several different dishes without feeling I have to eat the whole thing.

Starting Over

Someone asked me a great question this week. "If you were buying a whole new wardrobe, what would you start with?"

When starting a capsule wardrobe, the points you need to consider include lifestyle, personal style, and colors that work for you. If you never attend a formal event or work exclusively from home, you might not need many dressy pieces in your wardrobe capsule.

The black, white, and red combination works well for me, but black is too harsh for many people. Brown, cream, and rust, or perhaps navy, ivory, and plum, might be better groups of colors for you.

A nice pair of slacks in a dark color would be one of the first things to buy. Next would be a good quality fitted jacket that you can wear with everything (remember not too boxy). A great jacket can make even a nice pair of jeans look appropriate for many events. Jeans are considered neutral but not too faded out works best for most of us.

Scoop neck long sleeve tees and tanks in your color grouping allow you to change your look. I chose scoop neck over V neck or turtleneck because they are more flattering to most face shapes. If you wear a jacket with a V neck top, it sometimes gives you two of the same V shapes. Contrasting shapes are more pleasing to the eye. If you add a necklace, remember this tip. Three necklines of the same form can look cluttered.

If you have been following me for a while, you know that I did indeed have to buy a whole new wardrobe in 2011. Not even my shoes fit after I lost 45 pounds. I wish I had known how to use this formula then. It would have saved me a lot of buying mistakes.

A straight black pencil skirt to wear with opaque tights and boots might also be a good look for you. The long cardigan would look great with jeans too. The purpose of choosing a capsule of three colors and essential pieces is that almost all the pieces can be mixed and matched to create many different looks without having to spend a lot of money.

Wear It Wednesday - Choices

A few years ago, I was about fifty pounds over my ideal weight, and I was ill quite often. My fashion choices were plunging into the depths of frumpy old lady styles. I had given away all of my jeans and cool shoes because I was convinced I should start dressing in a more mature style.

A print knit top with ugly khaki slacks and a strange summer weight scarf to top it all off was my look for our tour of the Barnsley Garden ruins in the early spring of 2010. Check out those sensible shoes.

In 2011 I read the book "Eat to Live" by Dr. Joel Fuhrman. It gave me the information I needed to help me make healthier choices at mealtime. 

Over the next few months, I lost more than forty pounds and found my confidence again. My health improved dramatically. I returned to wearing my lifelong favorites, including jeans and solids in neutral colors. I now have many styles and colors of jeans and wear them with attractive shoes almost every day. I am honoring my true self.

The top photo was taken when I was four years younger, but the extra weight and clothing style makes me appear ten to fifteen years older.

The choices we make at every meal, and each time we get dressed, reflect our self-image. Your clothing selection is silent communication with those who see you, but those clothes also send messages to your inner self. Each time I saw myself in a picture or caught a glimpse of myself in a mirror during that earlier time, I was filled with self-loathing. My inner voice would always say, "What has happened to you?" 

It makes a monumental difference when I am at or near my ideal weight and wear clothes that feel comfortable. Not just comfortable on my body but also clothes that reflect who I really am. I grew up on a farm in western North Carolina, so I was always a bit of a tomboy. Floral prints, dresses, and ruffles are entirely against my nature.

The moral of this post is, wear what makes you feel comfortable. Wear what reflects your true self. Don't try to fit anyone's perception of what is right for you. Be your best self, and celebrate who you truly are every day.

The black jacket, white tank, and jeans are from Chico's. The belt is from T.J.Maxx. The shoes are by Nine West from Ross. The bag is from Finely House Couture in Blowing Rock, NC.

Sunday Drive

The weather was beautiful on Sunday so we drove out to the country to view the changing leaves against a clear blue sky.

I wore a vintage St John Country white jacket which was a gift from my dear friend Mitzi. The long sleeve gray tee is from Kohl's. The straight leg jeans are from Chico's. The reptile and suede short boots are by Vince Camuto from Nordstrom.

The earrings are old from Stein Mart. The ring is one of my favorite gifts from Mr. Mickey. The pony hair belt is from T.J.Maxx.

White, orange, and green pumpkins in a huge field along the way.

A stream runs through the Laurel's Recreation area.

Shopping With Mr. Mickey

When Mr. Mickey takes me shopping, we go to Chico's or perhaps Kohl's, Stein Mart, or T.J.Maxx.

I shopped in Stein Mart on Friday, where I found this fabulous faux leather jacket in a plum color.

On Thursday, I found this black leather belt with silver hardware in T.J.Maxx.

A few weeks ago, I was shopping in Asheville, NC. I wore pointed-toe black flats that day because I knew I would be walking a lot. Halfway through the day, I had to stop in Ross and buy these strappy black shoes with a heel because the flats were so uncomfortable.

The black jeans were purchased at Chico's earlier this year.

The bag is perhaps ten years old. I think I bought it at T.J.Maxx. The long sleeve white tee is from Kohl's.

We stopped by the MeadowView Marriott to have a late lunch after our shopping day for Mr. Mickey. Above is a view of the entrance rotunda looking up. Below is the entrance hall to the convention center part of the hotel.

Behind me is one of two waterfall features near the entrance.

The ring and earrings were special gifts from Mr. Mickey.

You may ask, "What does Mr. Mickey buy when he goes shopping?"

Congratulations, my dear! 

May your new purchase take us on many wonderful adventures.

Animal Print Heels

Friday evening is the perfect time to unwind and relax over a leisurely dinner with good company.

The long jacket with a black tank and leggings are from Chico's. Normally I would not wear leggings with heels, but these have a texture like the heavier Travelers material from a few years ago.

The Chanel inspired bag is from Express.

The Guess animal print and leather shoes are from T.J.Maxx. The ring is from B'Dazzled in Blowing Rock, N.C., and the octagon shape sterling silver with clear stones earrings are old.

Ming Wang at Dinner

Our weather is still cool and rainy so for Wednesday date night I brought out the mink scarf and a Ming Wang jacket worn over my Adea tank.

The jacket is from the 2013 Ming Wang collection. The wide-leg slinky knit pants are from Evan Picone via a great sale at Dillard's earlier this year.  The mink scarf was a long-ago gift from Mr. Mickey.

The Steve Madden heels are from Nordstrom and the small evening clutch is from T.J.Maxx. The rings are from Stein Mart. (The square stone is purple like the jacket.) The black and silver earrings are from B'Dazzled in Blowing Rock, NC.

Wear It Wednesday - Jeans

Jeans are one of my all-time favorite items of clothing. That being said, they provide a lot of frustration for me as well.

The jeans I am wearing above are the least favorite pair in my closet. The trendy gray/brown "dirty" tint to the wash and the slouchy fit is not flattering.

Mr. Mickey and I were going out for bagels and coffee, so I thought I looked OK until I saw this picture. The jeans are now in the To-Go Bag!

Trends in jeans are not always a good idea for us ladies of a certain age. These Junya Watanabe jeans are $1,165!

While they might look cute on an eighteen-year-old, they certainly would not be right for this fifty-eight-year-old.

These Atlantic Sea dark wash jeans would be a much better choice for most of us.

The slim straight leg allows me to wear heels or flats with them—jeans by Chico's.

If you wear loafers or other flats or perhaps boots with your jeans, you might enjoy a boot cut pair of jeans. Note: I wear athletic shoes with jeans or yoga pants ONLY when running or walking for exercise in the neighborhood. 

These jeans are Levi's.

In most cases, jeans with a jacket or a nice sweater are perfectly acceptable in most situations. I would never wear jeans to a job interview, to a court date or a business meeting, to a gallery opening, or to the symphony. Nor would I wear them when giving a dinner party, to a wedding, or a funeral.

Some of my favorite jeans are Talbots, Chico's, Not Your Daughter's Jeans, Michael Kors, Kut from the Kloth, and Levi's. I look for straight legs, a dark wash, and no embellishments. When buying jeans that stretch, I buy a size smaller than I normally wear. After I have them on for an hour, I am so glad I did.

I usually add a third element, such as a jacket, a vest, or a cardigan, when I wear jeans. I feel more appropriate and also much more comfortable.

Not all my jeans are blue. I love black jeans most of all, but I do have lots of white and on occasion, I have worn brown or red. The tone on tone patterned jeans below was out of character for me, but I like them.

Speaking of white jeans or white jackets... I wear them all year long in dry weather. No white after Labor Day is an incredibly outdated fashion rule.