Figuring out your style ~ Charm School Part 2

I think the hardest challenge I ever face when I think about my personal fashion tastes is simply “What is my style?”

Do I say vintage?  But it’s not solely vintage, like Solanah from Vixen Vintage, or Fleur from Diary of a Vintage Girl…  Sometimes it’s more of a china doll come princess trend ~ sort of like Violet’s Hime Gyaru look from Tales of an Ingénue, but again, not really!

I find it hard to describe exactly what my style is, but I do know what types of clothes and trends fit into my wardrobe.   This in itself is not always an easy thing to determine so I thought I jot down a few simple guidelines that might help you determine what your style is and what clothes fit into that. 

~ * ~  What pieces of clothing do you get complimented on?   

Is it that fab leopard print jacket that you bought on a whim?  Your 1950s tea length party dress? Or perhaps your understated, yet versatile black skinny jeans.   Either way, pieces of clothing that compliment your style, taste and figure will be noticed.  For instance, I was complimented on a pair of jeans I own by a random stranger in my computer lab.  I always thought that they suited me, but ever since then I know I will never throw that pair of jeans out!

~ * ~  What fashion pictures do you keep?

I do not know about you, but I have a folder marked “Fashion Inspiration” sitting in my hard drive and that thing is chokers with photos!  From the pictures I’ve collected I have been able to establish that the 1940s is my favourite vintage era, and that if it is feminine, frilly and pretty I will pretty much always like it. 

~ * ~  What type of fashion bloggers do you NEVER skip in your feed reader?

There are some fashion blogs that I follow that I only bother to look at when I have the time.  But if my feed reader is alarmingly full {how DO I get over 200+ posts to look at??} I will skip a lot of them and mark them as read.  The one that I always read however, are the bloggers that resonate with me, but also have a style that is either similar to mine, or one that I want to emulate.  If I see a piece of clothing similar to what I loved when I saw it on their blogs, it has to be mine.  I have never had an “Oops, why did I buy that again” moment from doing that.  At the moment I am collecting white, ruffly, girly, sweet blouses and loving them. 

~ * ~  What type of outfits do you love on the street?

I love people watching and again, it is the same as before ~ if you see something you love on someone else, chances are that if you find something similar in ready to wear, or out thrifting, you will never regret it if you take it home with you!

~ * ~  What kind of item is an instant purchase? 

This is a big one.  Occasionally you will find a piece of clothing that just screams at you “Take me home!” but that only happens once in a while and more often it is harder to find anything that appeals to you when you go shopping.   But what you can do to combat the “Oh golly, I cannot find anything at all” shopping blues is to take notes on the elements of your Must Have pieces. 

For instance, I happen to know that I love bows.   So pretty much anything with a bow I am going to check out.  Sometimes I will buy it, sometimes I won’t.  But I do know that it is worth looking at at least!  It is the same with anything that is vintage flavoured, girly, sweet, lacy, ruffly, pretty, etc.   I know what the major elements of my style are and therefore it is much easier to shop for things that I will actually wear.

So after all that ~ the big question…  

What is my style?     Well, I define my style as romantic & vintage.   Classic, girly, sweet and feminine.    How about you ~

What is your style?  

I hope these guidelines may have helped you to have a closer idea of what your style might be and how best to look out for pieces that suit your taste.   ^ U ^

xox,

bonita

P.S.  ~  I do not know where the picture of the girl with the bicycle is from; if anyone knows who I should credit please tell me and I can update the post with the correct link.  Thank you!

Keeping Well Dressed ~ Charm School Part 1

Video curtesy of Glamour Daze

I have been greatly inspired by Lottie of Lottie Loves and her Finishing School posts.  Her tips on grooming, posture and more, help to polish your appearance and conduct into a ladylike manner, as well as giving you self~confidence.

But Lottie is not alone in her quest for greater finish in every day life.  Across the wide web there are lots of vintage ladies addressing modern day casualness with flair all of their own and answering the questions I find myself pondering.

What classifies as well dressed lady these days?   Is elegance something to be striven for only if you are walking a red carpet or can we infuse it in to everyday living? 

When I look back on the past and at all the vintage fashions that I adore, things like darling hats and gloves with stockings and a neat purse add such chic to the outfits they wear.

Now a days we don’t wear gloves or stockings all the time, but sometimes we will pop a hat on top.  Most of the time when I think well dressed, I think brand names.  So Chanel, or Jimmy Choos and therefore, not necessarily the appearance of the clothes, but rather how close to designer fashion they are.

Still, I think that there are lessons we can learn from from the ladies of the past, so that no matter the brand or style of the clothes we choose to wear day to day, we can still look classy and elegant ~ in essence, well put together.  It does not take much money, but it does take thought, time and effort.  Do we always have the time to do this?

I know I don’t.  But I try every day and I think in the end that’s what others will see.  Hopefully you will also be inspired to try to be well dressed.  After all, the idea of polish is more than simply fashion and the clothes you wear, it is an attitude.  

I think it is an attitude of care and confidence knowing that you did your best to look your best.  No one can give more than their best, but when they do, it always works.  And I think that this attitude is found in those that are always well dressed, no matter the occasion.  What do you think?

xox,

bonita

Video curtsey of Glamour Daze.

Cleaning out my closet ~ *gasp* Pruning shoes???!

I am a shoe addict.   There is no doubt about it.  I like belts, hats and bags but if you are to add those up against shoes ~ my shoes win: hands down.

No, I do not have any designer shoes {Ah, Jeffery Campbell…. One of these days…}.  And no, my shoe closet is not as large as it could be, nor as large as I would love it to be! 

But at a healthy 30 + figure {Of course I am not including speciality shoes such as riding boots and snowboarding boots} I think I can put myself firmly in the shoe lover camp.

And just like any shoe lover I tend to collect, but never throw out.   When do you prune your shoe closet?  Should you ever throw out any of that precious foot wear out?  Well, I have actually thrown shoes out {once in a blue moon!} and these are the guidelines I have used in deciding what to keep and what to toss or donate.

When do you throw your shoes out?

~  Space & Storage

Okay, I admit I am a shocker with this one.  No, I do not have enough space in the bottom of my wardrobe for all my shoes.  No, I have no idea how I am going to fit them all into my new closet.  However, shoe addict as I am, even I admit there is a certain point where you have to draw the line.

• When you cannot put all your shoes away; now is the time to reassess your shoe collection.
• When you do not wear certain pairs of shoes for an extended period of time {about a year in my case!} because you have forgotten that you had them and they were buried under all the other shoes.

~  Wear & Tear

• When there are holes in the soles, top, lining or other significant structural damage to the shoe.  If they are a favourite pair, you might like to take them to a cobbler; but consider the cost of repairing them over finding another brand new favourite pair of shoes.
• When they are uncomfortable and you do not want to wear the shoes.  So far I have met few pairs of shoes that cannot be broken in, but if you do not have the time or the inclination to break them in, it is time to get rid of them.  Guaranteed you will pass over them every time for a more comfortable pair!
  

~  Out of Style

• When the shoes are out of style.  This one is tricky ~ your personal style may not be in fashion at the moment, but you still love your shoes.  For me, if the shoe is out of style and I do not like it any more ~ then it is time to get rid of them. 

I hope you found the last segment of Cleaning out my closet useful ~ as always, if you have any of your own tips and hints, let me know! 

xox,

bonita

Cleaning out my closet ~ What to Keep, Throw & Other Big Decisions!

Well, you cannot do a series on cleaning out your closet without facing the biggest part of reorganizing your wardrobe ~ getting rid of clothes you do not wear. 

I always have a huge dilemma trying to decide what and when I should purge the clothes in my closet.  It is not that I particularly want to hang on to everything, it is more that I am petrified that as soon as I throw a piece of clothing away I am going to want it again!

That being the case I love hearing other people’s ideas on what to keep and what to throw/give away, so I thought I would compile a few ideas for anyone else out there in the same boat as me.

Generally, the suggestion is to choose a specific time and set aside a few hours to do the job.  I would do it at all at once because I hate stretching a job like this out.  However, I do think that if you did not have the time to get through the entire job, do not just put it off but section your wardrobe into categories and work on each category as you have time.   For instance, you could divide your wardrobe by tops, bottoms, dresses, outer wear, under wear, etc., whatever works  best for you.

The other thing you can do is schedule this clean out at the same time as you change your summer/winter wardrobe over.  You may only want to do a tossing clean out once a year, rather than bi~annually.   I have been rather remiss, and have not done one through go through of my wardrobe in years{!}, but I have one scheduled for this seasonal swap over. 

So on to the big decisions ~ how do you decide what you keep, toss and donate?

Keeping Clothes ·

Besides the obvious pieces you wear all the time, there are often other items in your wardrobe that you might want to hold on to.  Remember that even if you do not wear something, it does not means it has be thrown away or donated ~ storage is a great option to clear out some more space.  Just remember if you store things there will be a time when you have to move them and/or sort them again so think hard about it before you choose to store.

When to keep an item:

• You still really love it and cannot bear to let it go; but it is out of date.  I would put these pieces away in storage if you have the room, because what goes around comes around.   All fashions refilter in some way, and even you do not use them again, maybe someone else would, like a daughter or niece.   
  
• If it is a high quality, basic item such as a blazer, suit or shoes {only keep the shoes if they are in excellent condition though!}.  Again these can go away in storage, but really think about these items.   If you really just do not want them; sell them!  Ebay is a great source of a bit of extra cash for that new jacket or pair of shoes that you will really love.  
  
• If it is a unique item such as a beaded top or special occasion dress.  You may not wear these items that often, but remember you do not go to those special events that often, so keep them for later.


• If you want to upcycle or repurpose an item.  DIYs and crafty people are generally always on the look out for supplies and materials, if you think you could use the clothing in another  project, put it in your supplies stash.   The other idea is that if you are handy with a sewing machine {or even just scissors and safety pins!} you can always recreate the garment into something new.  
  

Tossing or Donating Clothes

When you make up your toss/donate pile it is important to consider the last time you wore the item.  Some experts say that if you have not worn something within 6 months to a year, you should get rid of it, but personally the best time frame I have used was two years. 

The other trick I have used is to down grade the item ~ so if I used to wear it out, but am not sure that I want to any more, I use it for around the house clothing, doing chores, painting, gardening ~ that sort of thing.  If you find you do not care what happens to it, then you have made the right choice.  If you hesitate wearing the item because you do not want to ruin it, then you might need to upgrade back to ordinary wardrobe wear, or just simply donate it.  The same principle of down grading can apply for ‘special’ outfits ~ although extremely formal wear usually does not work as everyday wear!

Also, it is a good idea when you downgrade to throw out a piece of around the house clothing, working with a replacement system so that you do not collect too many old tops/pants/etc.   You do not need more than two or three old tops to do the dishes in!

When to toss/donate an item:

• If something is ripped, stained or worn out; throw it out.  If it just has a little hole in it, it is more than likely that someone else may still find the garment useful, so you can donate it.  Just use your discretion ~ if you think it is ruined, there is a good chance that someone else would too.
  
• If you are only holding onto it for sentimental reasons.  With this tip I think there is definitely leeway as long as you have the space!  For instance, keeping your wedding gown, or perhaps your prom dress.   You cannot keep everything; but that does not mean you have to throw everything out either.   That denim jacket from high school may come into style again ~ so if you have the room you can hang on to it. 
  
  However, do not hang on to sentimental items that you cannot wear again ~ like your lucky socks that are in holes.   Unless you plan to cut them up and use them elsewhere, like in a quilt or something, do yourself a favour and toss them!
  
• If something noticeably does not fit you.  Again, there are exceptions ~ you might like oversized t~shirts or sweaters, and belting a dress can often take it from a tent to looking completely new and completely cute.  It is harder to get away with pants and jeans that are too big, so use your discretion here.
  
  On the other end of the scale, too tight clothing is really not a good look, so toss or donate anything that is straining at the seams, popping buttons/zips or bunching awkwardly.   If you want to keep a special dress or garment for weight loss inspiration ~ I say go for it!  But you do not need a whole ‘weight loss inspiration wardrobe’.   Chances are that once you reach the size you want to be, you will also want to celebrate with new clothes, so hang on to one or two items, but get rid of the rest. 
  
  And maternity clothes do not count unless you have decided that your family is large enough, in which case there may be a mother~to~be that is grateful for your donation to help with the budget costs of babies! 
  
• If you do not love it anymore.   This can be a little hard with basic items, because you do not always ‘love’ these pieces, but if you wear them a lot than that’s a good indicator that you need to hang on to them.

I hope you find these guidelines helpful for the next time you are cleaning out your closet ~ do let me know if you have any other tips and hints that you have found helpful.  I love hearing your ideas too!  ^ u ^

xox,

bonita

Cleaning out my closet ~ Seasonal Swaps

So it is that time of year again ~
Spring has sprung, the grass is riz; I wonder where the birdys iz?  They say the bird iz on de wing, but that’s absurd because the wing iz on de bird!    Well, actually if you are in my hemisphere it is the time of the falling leaf as autumn marches it’s way across the land.  But no matter north or south, unless you live near the equator it is quite likely that you have a winter and summer wardrobe. 

If you are lucky, you may have enough closet space to keep both wardrobes together all year round ~ and before I married I could do that. 

Obviously that has changed and even though Husband does not have an extensive wardrobe {he HATES shopping with a passion; which makes it even more great when he very graciously comes with me.  > U < } we do not have enough room to fit everything in. 

There are a few things I found that help with this seasonal swap over ~ some things have come through personal experience, others I have picked up but have not tried yet.  Hopefully they will be of use to you. 

Sorting Options:
What do you want to change over?  Sometimes the hardest thing is to know which items of clothing you want to swap out.   Now that layering is such a popular option through winter, you can also get a lot more wear out of your favourite pieces, making it even harder to decide what to keep out and what to store away.  

• Layering:  Most of the time I would choose whether I keep a piece in my wardrobe based on how warm it is.  Obviously for the spring/summer transition, you have to put away your warmer clothes because you just will not wear them! 
  
  But for the fall/winter transition, you can think about the piece of clothing in terms of layer~ability.  Is it a neutral piece? A nice pop of colour?  Does the floral print have a dark background, making it more winter~friendly?  If you like styling with layers, do not worry about how thick and warm the clothing is ~ that is what layering is for after all!
  
• Shoes:   I have a lot of shoes.   And this means that I cannot keep them all out at once!  *sad face*  There are shoes that we do not wear as much depending on the season.  Long boots, ankle booties, a few of the more ‘closed in’ wintery~ish shoes like oxfords and warm lace ups.  If you know you will not wear these shoes, store them away.  You will be amazed at how much extra space this gives you, and how much easier it is to see what shoes you do have available to wear.
  
  Before you store all your summer sandals away for the fall/winter transition, remember that socks under your strappy heels is a hot trend on the run way at the moment.  Try out a few pairs and decide which ones you would like to rock this look with and store the rest.  If that style is not up your ally, that is okay; just pop all your summer lightweights away. 
  

Storage Options:
There are a few different ways to store your clothes ~ it really depends on how much space you have available to you.   If you have a spare room or garage, you can basically choose whatever option suits you best.   However, if you live in a small apartment, you may not have that luxury; then it is time to get creative with your storage. 

• Old Wardrobes:  When we moved into our new house, there where three old, but still good, wardrobes left behind that I knew I did not want.   I was going to throw them out when my MIL suggested that I keep them in the garage for storing clothes and other stuff in {and if I did not want them, she would take them!}.
  
  As our garage is large enough to keep them I immediately jumped at the idea.  With a few moth balls scattered around I can take all the summer clothes hanging in my wardrobe and swap them for the winter ones.  An easy storage technique that will keep everything organized and still hung so will take less time to swap over.  Plus, if you ever find you need some article of clothing that you have already packed away, you can access it without having to root through a bunch of boxes!
  
  If you have the space I would recommend finding some second hand wardrobes, or even dressers and implementing this system.
  
• Boxes:    It a pretty obvious storage option, but my tip here is to spend a little more cash and invest in plastic boxes with lock down lids.   They can be expensive, but they are pretty much guaranteed to keep you clothes free from bugs and moisture.
  
  You can use cardboard boxes, but if you store these for a couple of months, whether inside or outside, bugs and possibly mice will be attracted to them.   Outside storage is worse ~ but you’d be surprised how many bugs get into your stuff even when it is inside.  I should know, after living out of boxes for the last year or so!
  
  You really do not want slugs and mice poop through your clothes….  Ew! Gross!  To use cardboard boxes I would put all your clothes in a plastic garbage bag with some moth balls first.   Seal it up tight, and your clothes should be safe.
  
• Vacuum sealed bags:   This is probably the best solution for those that are in tight spaces, as there is less bulk with these.    You can buy them at most general stores; in Australia I would go to Big W, Kmart or Target to find them.
  
  You pop your clothes in the bag, attach the vacuum, hit reverse suction and voila!  Your clothes are sealed up safe from bugs, moisture, etc.  I do not think that I would put these outside without putting them in a box first though, for easier storage.
  
• Suitcases:  If you have suitcases that you do not use that often, you can put some clothes in them to utilize that space.   However, this is not the best solution if you travel a lot. 
  

Creating extra space in your wardrobe: 
There are always some  items that tend to take up a lot of space in your wardrobe ~ for me these are my coats in winter {and the accessories; beanies, scarves and gloves} and my hats in summer.   I try to store these else where to maximize closet room.

• Coats:   If you have the space, I have discovered that the best way to keep your coats is to keep the majority of them on a coat rack.   If you have space in your entrance way, or even in the corner of your bedroom, hang the coats you use the most on the rack, and keep the special ones tucked away.  
  
  You can hang the scarf that matches your coat on the same hook so you do not need extra storage space for that and pop your gloves in the pockets.   Also, hanging your coats up also makes it easier to grab them when you are running out the door in a hurry {like me!}.
  
•  Hats: I like to put these on my coat rack in summer for the same reasons as I hang my coats ~ more room in my wardrobe and easy access.  As I have a lot of different summer hats {and winter ones} this really helps.  But if you have only one or two, you can always ‘display’ your hats by hanging them on some hooks on the wall, or on your bookshelf, or dresser; the options are as limitless as your imagination.   They can add a really nice touch to your decor and you do not have to worry about them getting squished. 
  

My last tip is to enjoy the swap over!  Now is a great time to ‘shop’ your wardrobe and discover your old favourites all over again, as well as those pieces that you forgot you had….   Of course, this is also a great time to do a through clean out, and throw away/donate the clothing you have worn out, or do not wear; but as that is a whole other post in itself, I will leave that one until later.   

If you have any ideas or tips about changing over wardrobes, please leave a comment to share.   I love to hear your ideas; it is great to learn about more tips and tricks for managing my clothes!  

xox,

bonita

Guest Post ~ Lottie Loves

Hi everyone! 

I am over at Lottie Loves today with a guest post about tea!   Please check it out because Lottie is one of my favourite vintage bloggers, and she is super sweet and nice.   Plus, this is my first ever guest post.  > 0 <   I have my fingers crossed that her readers will like it!  Hopefully I can entice you further with a snippet from my post….

All About ~ The Perfect Pot of Tea

Today I have the honour of writing a guest post for Lottie Loves!   I adore Lottie’s posts on vintage etiquette and her darling thrift finds, so I thought for all the vintage lovers that follow her blog I could write about another aspect of vintage {and modern} life ~ tea.

 

Ahhh…..   Tea.  What a glorious beverage indeed!  Whether it be morning, noon or night, you really cannot go wrong with a steaming pot of tea.

I find that even in the swelter of an Australian summer, a good cup of tea really hits the spot.  But what constitutes a good pot of tea and how do you tell when you drink it if it is good?

 

…. Click to read more ….