Cinderella's Black "Crystal" Slippers

One of the reasons we love to go to Artisanal in Banner Elk is that you can be dressed to the nines while blending in with the other patrons.

In my late 20s, I started collecting key pieces in black to wear to special events. The reasoning is that I have always felt confident and stylish in black, but moreover, the items work together so well.

I'm wearing items purchased over a span of about twenty-five years.

The Draped Front top is Covered Perfectly. The sheer layered asymmetric skirt was found at T.J.Maxx about ten years ago. I bought the velvet and faux fur trimmed Erté inspired evening coat from one of my sales reps in about 1989 when she also represented my jewelry line.

These Sam Edelman shoes are my most recent purchase. They are undoubtedly the most fabulous pair of shoes I have ever owned!

The clutch is from T.J.Maxx a couple of years ago. The earrings and ring are old from Stein Mart.

Winter blew in on sporadic gusts of wind during the night. We awoke to the first frost of the season in the mountains today.

I was a little girl in 1965 when I saw Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella with Lesley Ann Warren for the first time. I dreamed of the day when I would find my own Prince and go to the ball wearing a beautiful gown. Nearly fifty years later, I have at last found my Prince, and I get to wear my black "crystal" slippers if not to a ball, then certainly to dinner.

Patterned jeans and a leather jacket?

I feared that the two items of clothing that would no longer work for me are skinny patterned jeans and leather jackets. As soon as I saw these flocked animal print jeans at Chico's, I wanted them, but they had already sold my size.

Alas, it was meant to be! When I stopped in there yesterday to see what was new and have a look at the sale rack, there was a size smaller than I normally wear. I decided to give them a try, and they fit!

The white tank and faux leather-trimmed cardigan/jacket were purchased at Chico's earlier this year.

The woven leather belt is by Michael Kors via T.J.Maxx. The cuff is old from Chico's. The ring is old from Stein Mart.

Now for the exciting news! We have worn out several digital cameras during this blogging adventure, including the one we are using now. We have a new up to the minute camera on the way! Better quality pictures will be showing up soon.

Mr. Mickey took me to the Blackthorn Club for a relaxing dinner on Friday Date Night.

A Special Evening

As the sun was going down, the top-level of a parking garage was a great place to shoot photos on this beautiful evening.

We visited Wellington's at the Carnegie Hotel for dinner last evening.

My go-to look for eveningwear is a black tank over black pants with some sort of interesting jacket. As mentioned in the post from yesterday, the pants' cut and style dictate the cut and style of the jacket I pair with the pants. Opposites are more attractive.

All clothing is from Chico's. The jacket is from last year.

The satin evening sandals are by Kenneth Cole Reaction via Dillard's last year. I wish all shoes were this comfortable!

The bold statement necklace is from Chico's earlier this year, and the small hoop earrings were from Target last year.

The ring is old from Stein Mart, and the bag is so old I don't remember where I found it.

My tips for getting dressed for a special evening include not wearing too many colors or accessories. If black isn't your color, wear one color that flatters your complexion with a jacket or wrap in a color that contrasts but complements the base color. 

I hope my suggestions help you to easily get dressed for the special events of your life. Mr. Mickey and I never wait for a special day to celebrate. Our reason to get dressed up and celebrate this evening? It was a beautiful fall Wednesday evening, and we are alive and well.

Covered Perfectly V Neck

There is a new style of top from Covered Perfectly. Have you seen it?

It has a V-neck and three-quarter length sleeves and the longer hem length we all love.

This one comes in four colors. You can buy this top here.

The material is as soft as butter and drapes across the body beautifully.

Into The Clouds

We took a drive to Mount Mitchell State Park on Saturday because it was a beautiful fall day, and the leaves are just starting to turn.

I am literally standing by a cloud! We watched them float across the parking lot in front of us as we walked.

Mount Mitchell is the highest peak of the Appalachian Mountains and the highest peak in the United States east of the Mississippi River.

I wore a long silver cardigan over a long-sleeve lightweight silver tee with a low slung gold and silver belt and black jeans from Chico's last year. The shoes are DV by Dolce Vita 'Safia' Sandal from Nordstrom. You might still be able to find the shoes here.

Later in the day, we drove into Asheville to have dinner at Rhubarb. I hope you had a wonderful Saturday as well.

Lessons Learned

We enjoyed a wonderful Friday evening with great friends at Gourmet and Company, our favorite restaurant in Johnson City.

There's nothing better than spending three hours engaged in lively conversation while having excellent food and superb service.

The bag is by Nine West from Ross. The Steve Madden heels are from Nordstrom.

This vintage St. John knit jacket was another gift from my dear friend Mitzi. I am wearing it over a black tank and black pieced faux leather front leggings, both from Chico's.

Below is the daytime look for Friday.

The jeans I wore during the day yesterday and the leggings I wore to dinner last evening taught me a lesson. I used to wait for sales to shop, but now I know if I want great fitting basic pieces that I will enjoy wearing for years to come, I need to shop often but selectively at the beginning of the season to get my size. The jeans in my size from the day look and the leggings from the evening look are now completely sold out in all sizes (company-wide!). The second lesson is to buy jeans with a bit of stretch in size smaller. In two hours you will be so glad you did.

After Work Gathering

On Thursday evening, some of our friends gathered for drinks at the Johnson City Country Club.

I wore black jeans, a three-quarter sleeve white tee, and a wide silver cuff from Chico's. The white jacket is from Express. The animal print shoes are from Nordstrom. The woven leather belt is by Michael Kors from T.J.Maxx. The necklace is one of my own designs.

My shoes are by Louise et Cie. An idea for a flat style is below.

Wear It Wednesday - Casual

The first thing an image consultant will ask you to do is make a graph showing your wardrobe needs for your lead's lifestyle.

I am often asked what I wear for casual days, but it is a rare day that isn't filled with appointments or social functions. 

Today I will share some casual looks and my thoughts on why they work well or maybe not so much.

On a recent Sunday, I did take the day off to rest and read. With nothing more on the agenda than going to pick up a pizza, I am barely even wearing any makeup.

If I wear capris or cropped pants, I wear a platform or wedge shoe. This style of pants is very unattractive on most people, and flip flops or other flat shoes will make the legs look really short and thick.

Do you believe that a long tunic covers everything?  Unless you have a tiny flat behind, this is a flawed theory. The back of the tunic actually shows the bottom you are trying to hide even more.

A much better option is a long jacket or waterfall cardigan with movement and an open front. The layers are much more flattering because your body is no longer cut into distinct blocks. The eye is moving over the whole look rather than focusing on the one thing you are trying to conceal.

If the jacket or top ends about two-thirds of the way down the bottom, it is much more flattering. The legs look longer, and the behind looks smaller.