It is a dark and stormy morning here at Sweetwater!
A great morning for a cup of coffee and some MUSING!
One of my blog feeds is a lovely blog by Tish Jett called A Femme d’Un Certain Age.
Her blog is a fascinating read all from the point of view of an American in Paris. She is all about analyzing, dissecting and incorporating the “French Style” for us.
I highly recommend that you find your own beverage of choice and sit down to browse through some of Tish’s Musings.
I read one her blog posts about Uniform Dressing a few weeks ago and it really stayed with me. Her take on wardrobe simplicity is truly spot on.
In the post she made a list. I LOVE her list! I certainly wouldn’t claim to be a fashionista, but I do like fashion and an ease in being somewhat fashionable.
So, I am sharing that list with some Sweetwater Style musings on her thoughts. Enjoy!
“It takes no more time to be stylish than it does to be sloppy.”
This is a no brainer! When you go to your closet to pick what you are going to wear, it is just as easy to pick out things that you know go together and look nice on you. Even your yoga pants and t-shirts can be chosen with style in mind.
No woman really wants to be invisible does she?
“Taking care of one’s clothes makes them last longer.”
It is rarely necessary to dry clean any clothes. Goodwill “finds” are often there because the label says “dry-clean only”! Even cashmere and silk can be carefully laundered on the gentle cycle. Quality clothing is made from fabrics that stand up over time. Because of that I have good quality stuff purchased at thrift stores that still look great after 5-10 years of wear.
“Frenchwomen make sure that everything in their closets is ready-to-wear.“
If the clothes in your closet are clean, ironed with all buttons in place and hemmed to the right length, then anything you see can be put on. Keep clothes that need tending to in another place and try to take care of those “fixes” soon.
“Taking care of one’s clothes means you’ll always have something to wear.”
All budgets can be accommodated.
Well….this is truly the Sweetwater Style point of view! So many of my favorite wardrobe items are from thrift stores. Why in the world would I want to spend lots of money buying basic things for retail prices when they can be had for a fraction of the price. Style does NOT have to be expensive. I hear people talking about how much time it takes to shop at the thrift store. But for me…it seems more time consuming to go to the mall and shop all day for “just the right” outfit. I always have a much harder time deciding what to buy if I am going to have to spend “big bucks”. I also know that I am willing to take a risk and buy something a bit outrageous if I am paying thrift store prices. These gems often become the things that I reach for over and over again because they are FUN!
It’s depressing to have an overflowing closet and nothing to wear.
Tish is all about “Uniforms Dressing”. She makes the case that if you take the time to analyze your own style and choose items that work together to become your “uniform” it is liberating and not boring. Maybe it is black leggings and loose tops. Maybe it is long loose skirts and t-shirts or jeans and crisp white shirts. Whatever…it is just a matter of taking those basics and adding a few accessories. And hey…shopping for accessories is lots of fun.
Your “uniform” means that you will always have something to put on! I have on my “to do list” to cull my closet of those things that I don’t wear because they no longer fit my life style. Wish me luck with THAT!
Making the effort to look stylish is psychologically healthy.
Right now I am sitting in my sleep pants and a plain sleeveless t-shirt. Since they came from Good Will, they are nice enough…..but not terribly stylish! Honestly, when I walk by the mirrors in the house, I am less than “happy” with the look. It is time to take the 5 minutes it will take to go put on something else. It will be an attitude changer that won’t take much effort. We all know the feeling of going out and about not looking our best. It never fails….you will run into a friend….or worse an aquaintance….and wonder what they are thinking! Not worth the stress!
Looking good makes you feel better.
“Dressing down sends a message of “I don’t care about me”
(or you either for that matter).”
When you choose to wear things that go beyond casual to sloppy you are actually telling the people you are with that you don’t value spending time with them enough to make an effort to be your best. Of course, how you interact with people is always more important than how you look. But if looking good makes you feel better, then you will be more comfortable with your interactions. Nothing is more boring than a conversation that starts with an apology about how “terrible” you look. Way better to say….”don’t we look fabulous!” and get on with having fun.
I am off now to get out of my current outfit and put on something presentable.
I hope you take some time to go read more inspriration from
The rain has stopped and it is time to stop MUSING!
Have a Wonderful Day!
Buy “like new” items only!
Sizing at the thrift store is NOT an exact science! I always think that some items have been donated precisely because they are not sized correctly! I am so happy that the newly designed Good Will stores have vastly improved the dressing rooms…..but if you can’t bring yourself to try on in the store….you can always return the item if it doesn’t fit! 
