tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28115833505665242092024-03-13T19:13:01.736-04:00The UnfashionistaWhere fashion, fun, and frugality meet!Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18314065360393630188noreply@blogger.comBlogger740125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2811583350566524209.post-22253076385547337862023-02-18T10:00:00.001-05:002023-02-18T10:00:38.230-05:00Fashionably late for Valentine's Day<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCyYtYL-jNFZHQhtFH_tMYdrsTejZwL7ILtPiahg0ZU1aQEFZvi1RJTkettBc7giu-r-1cZGBH5f1ltg3LVC4Q0RSvVv8XE1vp2qNEE4XMhivRJAbiJJos26qjoGjG9RBZYyHA7p3Z6aOFlqSI9kdwvHjdhDfH7tccYKcC7_H7bwjTSNF3dqzkH-qL/s1272/Vday1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1272" data-original-width="954" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCyYtYL-jNFZHQhtFH_tMYdrsTejZwL7ILtPiahg0ZU1aQEFZvi1RJTkettBc7giu-r-1cZGBH5f1ltg3LVC4Q0RSvVv8XE1vp2qNEE4XMhivRJAbiJJos26qjoGjG9RBZYyHA7p3Z6aOFlqSI9kdwvHjdhDfH7tccYKcC7_H7bwjTSNF3dqzkH-qL/w480-h640/Vday1.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p></p><p>Not being much of a fashion blogger any more, when I do wear an outfit so nice that someone else volunteers to take a picture of it—well, I'm not sure quite what to do!</p><p>And that's why this post about my Valentine's Day Dress of 2023 is only making it out into the world four days after Valentine's Day. But it made it! And that's what counts!</p><p>I've had this dress since well before Valentine's Day of last year. I optimistically bought it in early fall, thinking I could wear it on a second or third date (too revealing for a first date!) with someone special. Or maybe even on Valentine's Day! Well, if you don't recall, Valentine's Day last year was <a href="https://valsgalore.blogspot.com/2022/02/valerie-times-day-xxxix.html">a total disaster</a>, definitely unworthy of a sexy dress, but I never lost hope! </p><p>A year later, I finally got to wear it on a so-many-I've-lost-counth date with someone special! That's my boyfriend (official as of sometime last spring)! He is so special, that he appreciated my efforts enough to – without even being asked (without my even considering asking because I'd basically given up on self-promotional photography in any form) – offer to take pictures of my outfit!</p><p>How could I refuse? And once said pictures were in my possession, how could I refuse to share them in the one place where self-promotional photos go? No, not <a href="https://www.instagram.com/valerie_n_stuff/">Instagram</a>—that's for my dog. I shared them in my old, neglected but still beloved, fashion blog!</p><p>And now on to the outfit. Beyond its backstory, the dress is relatively simple for the Unfashionista. When I got it last year, rib-knit dresses and chest cutouts were having a moment. Admittedly, at that point they were on the downswing of their moment, and time is not kind to any trend, but I feel the silhouette of this dress is basically timeless. The dark maroon color is a subtler take on the vibrant reds and pinks I favor on V-Day.</p><p>So to punch things up, I got out <a href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2020/02/my-fuzzy-valentine.html">the fuzzy heeled booties I made in 2020</a> and probably haven't worn since then. And probably won't wear again—so look out, eBay! They're coming your way!</p><p>And that was that! An entire outfit in two pieces. With the vibrant red hair that has been my signature color for almost a year now, I was a picture in romantic monochrome. I also wore tiny heart-shaped earrings, but who would have noticed that? </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2tXpHE52QIDKMV4UDYHjNLq2TRbjT3K2cUaUCrs1H_h5QQ1vg-Qyu7VjsaeJ7U0xT52QOct_sDBINuhj9lPZHd65cAIVXIyyLrPGKMBnF9A_Wrt0ph58K0l8gEL97rO-nzhUo_NuQQ_E2ZbELzlxkBxvb9X7Ja_mQgaw_4e2jAJFIf2WiRQOxy7bS/s1386/V-day2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1386" data-original-width="954" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2tXpHE52QIDKMV4UDYHjNLq2TRbjT3K2cUaUCrs1H_h5QQ1vg-Qyu7VjsaeJ7U0xT52QOct_sDBINuhj9lPZHd65cAIVXIyyLrPGKMBnF9A_Wrt0ph58K0l8gEL97rO-nzhUo_NuQQ_E2ZbELzlxkBxvb9X7Ja_mQgaw_4e2jAJFIf2WiRQOxy7bS/w440-h640/V-day2.jpg" width="440" /></a></div>Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18314065360393630188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2811583350566524209.post-79340073732785291912022-08-26T18:00:00.002-04:002022-08-26T18:00:00.191-04:00National Secondhand Wardrobe Day <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUfkSzCOg0jtZf905xufCdqN2hLtTejHxcklbRZVqEDXch15nlJzaeOJykUTVnDSohCB7HNowUUJgUHJSJxA1weHXB1A1g06dQTgurIvtlk9aGNVoNUyHDH-bycBLEfQO8xYbLRGQXCjZqZcf12QgL2WHxOQkpi7m1dtD9H1i8qOAxyD76pAoQzTB9/s1302/PXL_20220825_184353622~2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1302" data-original-width="976" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUfkSzCOg0jtZf905xufCdqN2hLtTejHxcklbRZVqEDXch15nlJzaeOJykUTVnDSohCB7HNowUUJgUHJSJxA1weHXB1A1g06dQTgurIvtlk9aGNVoNUyHDH-bycBLEfQO8xYbLRGQXCjZqZcf12QgL2WHxOQkpi7m1dtD9H1i8qOAxyD76pAoQzTB9/w480-h640/PXL_20220825_184353622~2.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p></p><p>Yesterday was a special day for The Unfashionista—<a href="https://nationaldaycalendar.com/national-secondhand-wardrobe-day-august-25/">National Secondhand Wardrobe Day!</a> </p><div>Pretty
much all my wardrobe is secondhand, barring the occasional piece that I
received or bought myself as a gift (more on that later?), but today I
challenged myself to wear the most secondhand of the secondhand—featuring a
reincarnated top and a resuscitated skirt.<br data-mce-bogus="1" /></div><div><br data-mce-bogus="1" /></div><div>The top, originally sourced from <a data-mce-href="https://www.swap.com" href="https://www.swap.com">Swap.com</a>, you may recognize from previous posts. I converted it from a <a data-mce-href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2017/05/free-shoulder.html" href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2017/05/free-shoulder.html">long-sleeved dress to an open-shoulder dress</a> (back when that was still somewhat trendy) in 2017, and then the next summer, <a data-mce-href="http://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2018/07/even-freer-shoulders.html" href="http://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2018/07/even-freer-shoulders.html">hacked off the sleeves</a>
and turned them into a belt. The garment achieved its fourth and final
form in 2020, when I dramatically raised the bottom hem and <a data-mce-href="http://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2020/07/some-day-my-prints-will-come.html" href="http://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2020/07/some-day-my-prints-will-come.html">made it into a blouse</a> with a waist tie. Four lives for one piece of clothing? That might be a new personal record!</div><div><br data-mce-bogus="1" /></div><div>And now, because I've worn the dickens out of this shirt and am tired of it, I think I'm going to donate it, making it assuredly not just a secondhand, but a thirdhand wardrobe piece.<br data-mce-bogus="1" /></div><div><br data-mce-bogus="1" /></div><div>Meanwhile,
the skirt that I chose for this occasion had held a long and rich life of
its own, a portion of which was spent waiting unworn in my closet. I
no longer remember how or when I got this skirt, but I realized it was
completely unwearable when I got it out of storage this summer to find
that the smocked waistband had lost all its elasticity and wouldn't stay
up. Never one to let a good skirt be kept down, I flipped it inside out
and stitched an elastic waistband (undoubtedly salvaged from some elder
pair of pants or skirt) to the inside. It's a quick and dirty fix, but
no one looks inside the waistband of your skirt!</div><div><br data-mce-bogus="1" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdnHfonjF0eJ0TAO6XtVUcUgi1v39tMiE3uDqmZLQfXGPu1gS-U13wm5l63lCKK5M4kdIK76pthY4GTKx3NSwJNgHpL-MGvz1_k5fL5kD8PuSsaeUWQ1YinEDypLHrupwnsSYc151f5Y3s-ETcrIniYpO3jdUtYvSbebnJNOrfueh7bQ8BWvP9iPBx/s1512/PXL_20220824_152705119~2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1511" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdnHfonjF0eJ0TAO6XtVUcUgi1v39tMiE3uDqmZLQfXGPu1gS-U13wm5l63lCKK5M4kdIK76pthY4GTKx3NSwJNgHpL-MGvz1_k5fL5kD8PuSsaeUWQ1YinEDypLHrupwnsSYc151f5Y3s-ETcrIniYpO3jdUtYvSbebnJNOrfueh7bQ8BWvP9iPBx/s320/PXL_20220824_152705119~2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br data-mce-bogus="1" /></div>The final piece to this masterpiece is the shoes, which I also purchased on <a data-mce-href="https://www.swap.com" href="https://www.swap.com">Swap.com</a>.
Do you know how hard it is to find green shoes? Hard! But after months
of searching, I finally managed to drop these green ballet flats in my
cart for only $12.50. They are an almost-perfect color match for the
green skirt, and they're even real suede leather. A true steal and
source of secondhand celebration!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF_3FdvHi1HmxwwGgPbuiCznXqKjtfLo1i8_AYBGjtVqYp7aGHs1SE-HmDdvLjvp6hsQtkPOncmLzQYPycolOHNBT6ShfQPWIJ21XscAPTlrIaNRCvLF8mDRT2MrgjSqLH4_wW7l4Q6FrUaEM9492cAOseLLVTP_ICvrVg2Vav3KZjaawJvs9-yHM_/s2217/PXL_20220825_184521310~2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2217" data-original-width="1661" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF_3FdvHi1HmxwwGgPbuiCznXqKjtfLo1i8_AYBGjtVqYp7aGHs1SE-HmDdvLjvp6hsQtkPOncmLzQYPycolOHNBT6ShfQPWIJ21XscAPTlrIaNRCvLF8mDRT2MrgjSqLH4_wW7l4Q6FrUaEM9492cAOseLLVTP_ICvrVg2Vav3KZjaawJvs9-yHM_/w480-h640/PXL_20220825_184521310~2.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18314065360393630188noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2811583350566524209.post-87608451294978250772022-06-07T21:20:00.001-04:002022-06-07T21:20:49.811-04:00Split front pants<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhZXIvbMwqhHvvyibrXo3Q1OwE0GMCn6wVz2Vq0jIFuTjdzpZID0HUSPm2d1eMU6quvVRMemRsuzAxYMEfZ1XKIHZKm7SK7qekHLySXaN3Sp7uhFJDu2eFLuiBoCCiRVXwJivX6h5CEN8Fgkei6GsWPIsBo3yUoAKRE0eNkPlCZ8DavzbGEgEDS17xi" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1136" data-original-width="852" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhZXIvbMwqhHvvyibrXo3Q1OwE0GMCn6wVz2Vq0jIFuTjdzpZID0HUSPm2d1eMU6quvVRMemRsuzAxYMEfZ1XKIHZKm7SK7qekHLySXaN3Sp7uhFJDu2eFLuiBoCCiRVXwJivX6h5CEN8Fgkei6GsWPIsBo3yUoAKRE0eNkPlCZ8DavzbGEgEDS17xi=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /></div><div>After almost 39 years of wearing pants that fully cover my shins, I was
ready for a change. How convenient that split-front trousers began
appearing sometime early last spring, just in time to lift me out of the
rut that I didn't even know I was in! I was instantly drawn to the
style, but it took me until just now to actually try it out for myself.<br data-mce-bogus="1" /></div><div><br data-mce-bogus="1" /></div><div>I was on the verge of donating the pants that I had used so many years ago to try out the "<a data-mce-href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2017/05/stepping-up-my-florals-game_8.html" href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2017/05/stepping-up-my-florals-game_8.html">stepped hem</a>" look, when it occurred to me that they might as well be put to good use as another experiment in alternative hem styles!</div><div><br data-mce-bogus="1" /></div><div>
I re-sewed the side seams, bravely cut a slit right up the center,
about 1/3 the way up to my knee, and finished the edges so they wouldn't
fray.</div><div><br data-mce-bogus="1" /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh9kT2m8Ve_iWq97FOc0vGP5cuN1VWq0yORL8Je99LvIJKkMNVAvAXF0HE2ea0YnbJq-6yiOBbtpeRf5Jg7gW-9nu9cqzs7J7cuHLSasRx3fKERKjBx97-OCrHDRP4BOQDbNXt6tb1wVlRn2AhRtu8vGgdK_XRzIPYc3TkX7dKaUpInHmWe8BvrHoXZ" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="1944" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh9kT2m8Ve_iWq97FOc0vGP5cuN1VWq0yORL8Je99LvIJKkMNVAvAXF0HE2ea0YnbJq-6yiOBbtpeRf5Jg7gW-9nu9cqzs7J7cuHLSasRx3fKERKjBx97-OCrHDRP4BOQDbNXt6tb1wVlRn2AhRtu8vGgdK_XRzIPYc3TkX7dKaUpInHmWe8BvrHoXZ=w320-h320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside view<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br data-mce-bogus="1" /></div><div><br data-mce-bogus="1" /></div><div>This was a super-simple project, but one that gave me great joy! One of my coworkers even noticed them!<br data-mce-bogus="1" /></div><div><br data-mce-bogus="1" /></div><div>And
that nearly upended my neat little world. Since the past year or so,
I've pretty much given up on "doing fashion" at work. My long stretch of
working from home made me realize how little I actually interact with
people at the office, how little need there is to dress to impress, and
how little value there is in spending all my time planning, executing,
photographing, and commentating outfits. Which explains why I've gone
from writing two to ten blog posts a month, to, uh, so far, closer to
two a year.<br data-mce-bogus="1" /></div><p>But,
this was a creative crafty project that attracted comment! So, for old
times' sake, I decided to share it. Is this the beginning of my
triumphant return to prolific blogging? Stay tuned til September to find
out!</p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiBOGeODs2yMnWiB0-KfDXf1q_AQUTbPsmOo-oDkOTZmOE8PA1EQrOnMKoZ91y30uoIjguSRg5QH6mV3diAvrBC4DUUJwK3QJujpuAPWE-IXWcPCNERKTk2OrjqnOTMcD1TMDoJl1bQeQwyoXt0kZDeRK5diF4mRxkriIMwzubbgk6uJZk468a5SeVC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="750" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiBOGeODs2yMnWiB0-KfDXf1q_AQUTbPsmOo-oDkOTZmOE8PA1EQrOnMKoZ91y30uoIjguSRg5QH6mV3diAvrBC4DUUJwK3QJujpuAPWE-IXWcPCNERKTk2OrjqnOTMcD1TMDoJl1bQeQwyoXt0kZDeRK5diF4mRxkriIMwzubbgk6uJZk468a5SeVC=w400-h400" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhh4z1dqPIh1ywkThK0IToahac5Tp83O7mF03JkKCTEL4UymFNzWVx1B61gHR_63Q8xNWjw19r9cU89rS0de_TRMRuGvnIoTBNFcXurzI1YGMnLpkXUY3pZNnVXLI9uHHldYN3miUqrWI7eWuawSXUI3CfTV-3vUpFzxGCvQsyBizkZSU1jFLjLw7Lk" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1284" data-original-width="963" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhh4z1dqPIh1ywkThK0IToahac5Tp83O7mF03JkKCTEL4UymFNzWVx1B61gHR_63Q8xNWjw19r9cU89rS0de_TRMRuGvnIoTBNFcXurzI1YGMnLpkXUY3pZNnVXLI9uHHldYN3miUqrWI7eWuawSXUI3CfTV-3vUpFzxGCvQsyBizkZSU1jFLjLw7Lk=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><p></p>Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18314065360393630188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2811583350566524209.post-10918534352643246742022-01-08T18:18:00.000-05:002022-01-08T18:18:03.792-05:002021 Fashion Recap<p>Another <a href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2022/01/very-peri.html">tradition I just can't give up</a>, no matter how small my audience, is the <a href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2020/12/2020-hindsight.html">year-end trend report</a>. Hey, maybe I should actually start doing it at the end of the year instead of the beginning of the next one—what do you in my small audience say?</p><p>Whatever you say about that, here's what I have to say about the fashion of 2021, beginning with what some even more knowledgeable folks had to say about it.</p><div><h2 id="rib" style="text-align: left;">Rib knit pants</h2></div><p>Every fashion publication in my inbox (<a data-mce-href="https://www.whowhatwear.com/2021-trends-for-women-over-50/slide20" href="https://www.whowhatwear.com/2021-trends-for-women-over-50/slide20" shape="rect" target="_blank">Who What Wear</a>, <a data-mce-href="https://www.purewow.com/fashion/fashion-editor-trend-prediction" href="https://www.purewow.com/fashion/fashion-editor-trend-prediction" shape="rect" target="_blank">PureWow</a>, and <a data-mce-href="https://www.vogue.com/article/spring-2021-fashion-trends" href="https://www.vogue.com/article/spring-2021-fashion-trends" shape="rect" target="_blank">Vogue</a>)
all spent the early part of 2021 forecasting that rib knits in various
forms would blow up over the course of the year. I was most captivated
by the idea of rib knit pants, which I'd never seen before, but which
sounded comfy and stylish and right up my <a data-mce-href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2020/03/week-from-home.html" href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2020/03/week-from-home.html" shape="rect" target="_blank">unconfining-pants</a>
alley. Now, a forecast trend doesn't necessarily mean an actual trend,
but during my journey through the year, I saw my fair share of the
legwear style, even trying on a pair at Uptown Cheapskate (you know a
trend has gone mainstream if you're already finding versions of it at
the consignment store!). Unfortunately, they didn't look great on me, so I
passed, but I still fancy that some day I'll be able to find some of my
own...maybe even as part of a matched set (another 2021 trend) like <a data-mce-href="https://www.saksfifthavenue.com/product/proenza-schouler-midweight-rib-collared-cardigan-0400013565173.html?dwvar_0400013565173_color=OFF%20WHITE&ranMID=13816&ranEAID=tv2R4u9rImY&ranSiteID=tv2R4u9rImY-7QLGGe76zVvF3vVx70jVMA&site_refer=AFF001&mid=13816&siteID=tv2R4u9rImY-7QLGGe76zVvF3vVx70jVMA&LSoid=894953&LSlinkid=10&LScreativeid=1" href="https://www.saksfifthavenue.com/product/proenza-schouler-midweight-rib-collared-cardigan-0400013565173.html?dwvar_0400013565173_color=OFF%20WHITE&ranMID=13816&ranEAID=tv2R4u9rImY&ranSiteID=tv2R4u9rImY-7QLGGe76zVvF3vVx70jVMA&site_refer=AFF001&mid=13816&siteID=tv2R4u9rImY-7QLGGe76zVvF3vVx70jVMA&LSoid=894953&LSlinkid=10&LScreativeid=1" shape="rect" target="_blank">this cute one</a> I found while looking for images for this post!</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhnasZdY9K_kf_XO5hhmHYS4_DLq-KbzRy_EvPZz-WA4vnC7NMmblc8dzbuOzT8AYmInbYgdeEn2wQG6NVT1tiFBZwKRu7FKjlYMFvbVUxKnnQBcI4rky8GDdd2Fys590y3CzcQQ0sIX_lMnFmI1Tbk-fbi_9Lyg--LzqI07RW_QA1HR1XLFsIyKzqE=s1088" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="573" data-original-width="1088" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhnasZdY9K_kf_XO5hhmHYS4_DLq-KbzRy_EvPZz-WA4vnC7NMmblc8dzbuOzT8AYmInbYgdeEn2wQG6NVT1tiFBZwKRu7FKjlYMFvbVUxKnnQBcI4rky8GDdd2Fys590y3CzcQQ0sIX_lMnFmI1Tbk-fbi_9Lyg--LzqI07RW_QA1HR1XLFsIyKzqE=w640-h338" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I even featured a few split-hem and stirrup styles, which were additional pants trends that made an appearance last year.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><h2 id="jeans" style="text-align: left;">Non-skinny Jeans</h2></div><p>Early in 2021, supposedly some TikTok-ers of Gen Z
decided to trash-talk Millennials for wearing skinny jeans even though
they're out of fashion, and Millennials took offense. (Hey friends,
welcome to the age when everything you do is uncool!) I wouldn't know,
because I had to get all my information about this hullabaloo through
old-people media like the <a href="https://nypost.com/2021/04/09/tiktoks-teens-reaffirm-that-skinny-jeans-are-over/">New York Post</a> and <a href="https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/shopping-all/skinny-jeans-are-out-according-to-tiktok-9-mom-jeans-to-wear-instead/ar-BB1eElp8">MSN</a>. But nonetheless, the
last holdouts still feeling trendy for rocking skinnies like it's 2009
can no longer pretend not to notice. It's official: skinny jeans are
out. Here are some other denim styles that have a little more edge
(although admittedly are not nearly as useful for showcasing a pair of statement
boots).</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-suABOirFpeU/YdoXtPq4PAI/AAAAAAAAoyM/n-I4oL880xE6oMmmGgSXULNIqRJ8o4t9QCNcBGAsYHQ/2021jeans.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="510" data-original-width="1246" height="262" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-suABOirFpeU/YdoXtPq4PAI/AAAAAAAAoyM/n-I4oL880xE6oMmmGgSXULNIqRJ8o4t9QCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h262/2021jeans.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mom jeans took a backseat to other styles like slouchy straight-legs, wide-legs, and flares.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><div><h2 id="heels" style="text-align: left;">Flared heels</h2></div>Besides jeans, another thing that got flared last year was the heels on shoes. Whether
the flare was subtle or dramatic, angular or curvy, short and squat or
elongated, heels that got bigger at the bottom were all the rage.<p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-5OMImOERZUc/YdoYH0CgmRI/AAAAAAAAoyU/9Ut0G29iCf4dTD5Mvd3Hre50vS_MPk-cACNcBGAsYHQ/2021heels.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="673" data-original-width="1366" height="316" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-5OMImOERZUc/YdoYH0CgmRI/AAAAAAAAoyU/9Ut0G29iCf4dTD5Mvd3Hre50vS_MPk-cACNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h316/2021heels.jpg" width="640" /></a> </p><div><h2 id="platforms" style="text-align: left;">Gargantuan platforms</h2></div><p>If big pyramids at the base of your stilettos didn't provide enough stability for you, you had another option: chunky platforms. These aren't the sleek, slim, lady-platforms that were trendy back when I <a data-mce-href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2011/12/they-say-im-shoe-nuts.html" href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2011/12/they-say-im-shoe-nuts.html" shape="rect" target="_blank">first became shoe-nuts</a>—no,
I'm talking massive, splayed-out Spice Girls platforms so big they get
their own Zip code (PS. Everything
turn-of-the-millennium — or as it is more popularly called, Y2K—is all
cool again, but big shoes were my favorite back then and probably will stay that way the second time around).</p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-axFdfct84gg/YdoZvfu-WuI/AAAAAAAAoyc/RH8IQ9NR1HQEch3V5trpd7Ovw17YQpUCgCNcBGAsYHQ/2021platform.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="518" data-original-width="1123" height="296" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-axFdfct84gg/YdoZvfu-WuI/AAAAAAAAoyc/RH8IQ9NR1HQEch3V5trpd7Ovw17YQpUCgCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h296/2021platform.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p> </p><div><h2 id="other" style="text-align: left;">Other trends worth a passing mention</h2></div><div>Tie dye was forecast to make a splash as early as 2019 (and I proudly claim to have been <a data-mce-href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2019/07/tie-dye-trial.html" href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2019/07/tie-dye-trial.html" shape="rect" target="_blank">riding the crest of the wave!</a>). But I never saw enough of it in the real world to give it a nod in <a data-mce-href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2020/01/trends-of-teens.html" href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2020/01/trends-of-teens.html" shape="rect" target="_blank">my trend report</a>. The following year, it apparently blew up during quarantine and the summer following, but I somehow didn't notice. Do I blame <a data-mce-href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2020/12/2020-hindsight.html" href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2020/12/2020-hindsight.html" shape="rect" target="_blank">my debarkation from the fashion bandwagon</a>?
Most definitely. In 2021, though, tie dye was on its downswing but
still unmistakably popular, possibly even peaking for late adopters this
year (my employer had us tie-dye T-shirts at an early fall social
event). Better late than never, the Unfashionista always says! Tie dye
happened. I talked about it.</div><div><br clear="none" /></div><div>Sometimes,
a trend is so ubiquitous and pervasive, it's hard to nail down a single
thing that defines it. Such is the case with the "official teen
uniform" that changes subtly every year, but is always homogeneous among
its adherents, because it is still social suicide to stand out too
much. This year, that uniform was a pair of high-waisted shorts and a
plain white camisole. Every girl on campus was wearing it this summer.</div><div> </div><div><h2 id="predict" style="text-align: left;">A look forward</h2></div><div>About
those shorts: they're growing longer inseams! Micro-shorts have been
the go-to for most younger women as long as I can remember, but this
year, I noticed fashion publications pushing Bermuda shorts, and even
regular stores selling mid-length shorts to the masses. I couldn't find a
lot of photographic evidence of this trend, but I think it might be
gaining momentum in the upcoming year. <br clear="none" /></div><div><br clear="none" />Another
thing I'm excited about this year is the return of yoga pants (or as
they're now being called, flared leggings. I always loved a good flare
in my pants, and now I can finally be stylish for wearing them!<br clear="none" /></div><p></p><p></p>Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18314065360393630188noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2811583350566524209.post-72533288543209884692022-01-01T20:19:00.003-05:002022-01-01T20:19:28.681-05:00Very Peri<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEirerBQkyq8GjXX8t0qaDehbLuaY948oDXPS0WtQCJcEnT7xNTyeTaaoQwg1gZWWKQjNVGAawyzG7pILKZOOOAfSM48_ZJYni7o02vybLpMbT0Hrd6ugQuH7Xxsv9-4JPuT-no_W1WBgfPO8ZdfBOAWoBpfgKCTFZVOkBOTyV1-HixXC49amOE_H-Ac=s1084" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1084" data-original-width="609" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEirerBQkyq8GjXX8t0qaDehbLuaY948oDXPS0WtQCJcEnT7xNTyeTaaoQwg1gZWWKQjNVGAawyzG7pILKZOOOAfSM48_ZJYni7o02vybLpMbT0Hrd6ugQuH7Xxsv9-4JPuT-no_W1WBgfPO8ZdfBOAWoBpfgKCTFZVOkBOTyV1-HixXC49amOE_H-Ac=w360-h640" width="360" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>You might have noticed I've been gone for a while. I pumped the brakes on fashion blogging because, honestly, who's reading? However, I just can't give up my tradition of the <a href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2021/01/ultimate-gray-and-illuminating.html">New Year's Day Pantone-Color-of-the-Year-themed outfit</a>!<br /></p><p><a href="https://www.pantone.com/color-of-the-year-2022-tools-for-designers">The Color of the Year for 2022</a> is a newly invented color just for the occasion: Very Peri — or, as the less lyrical among us like to say, just plain periwinkle. </p><p>Pantone calls it a "blue hue," but it veers dangerously close to lavender. The only thing in my wardrobe that walks that fine line between purple and blue is a pair of sweatpants—convenient, since my only plan for New Year's Day was to not leave the house. Periwinkle sweatpants were just the ticket for a day of lounging, loafing, and laundry.</p><p>I really had no idea what I'd wear with these pants, but at the last moment, I peeked into my workout clothing drawer and found a pastel purple tank top that coordinated beautifully with the sweats.</p><p>The sporty tank top was sufficiently warm for doing chores, but I got chilly when I set about the proscribed loafing, so I topped off the outfit with a white zippered hoodie. And then I bottomed it with white sneakers.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhGfuyA6fvmce2InM3rzNFr_3IwE1aaeGNkpiqZhKuebR6rncMneLY1aU0kIirR4FMHa2s9B1qgMGxtCe1d67cq-u2i_gs2zhgfwQrkeO17J27IQ5M868I0B1tyV6OTfUoeOTwSdItqKC1fditigGv2P0DzipRVVP5ectRuAWSMBaQDZT4fknYnmL_Z=s1630" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1630" data-original-width="917" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhGfuyA6fvmce2InM3rzNFr_3IwE1aaeGNkpiqZhKuebR6rncMneLY1aU0kIirR4FMHa2s9B1qgMGxtCe1d67cq-u2i_gs2zhgfwQrkeO17J27IQ5M868I0B1tyV6OTfUoeOTwSdItqKC1fditigGv2P0DzipRVVP5ectRuAWSMBaQDZT4fknYnmL_Z=w360-h640" width="360" /></a></div><p></p><p>A simple ensemble, hardly worth blogging about, but tradition is tradition!</p>Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18314065360393630188noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2811583350566524209.post-23386822885847930102021-08-09T20:32:00.000-04:002021-08-09T20:32:01.073-04:00Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Birthday<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-azgGP79IYFs/YRHHXlftapI/AAAAAAAAng4/ne3jhDvTRGM7V63FvHHvqjxWbz_eQV2BACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/S0066874%2B%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-azgGP79IYFs/YRHHXlftapI/AAAAAAAAng4/ne3jhDvTRGM7V63FvHHvqjxWbz_eQV2BACLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/S0066874%2B%25282%2529.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />All I wanted was some black and white striped pants. I can't say why I wanted them, but I'd been on the hunt for some for months. My requirements were very strict. All the stripes had to be the same width—none of that pinstripe nonsense for me—and I strongly preferred a dramatic, wide leg cut. <p></p><p>I finally found what I was looking for on ThredUP, an online thrift store that I don't frequent often because their prices are rather steep (but if you want to give them a whirl, here's a referral code for 10 dollars off: <a href="https://www.thredup.com/r/Y4HCK2">https://www.thredup.com/r/Y4HCK2</a>). However, desperation calls for desperate measures. I spent 15 dollars on these pants! They didn't even fit! </p><p>I had to take two inches off the waistline before I could wear these trousers, but that was all for the better, because when you size down a pair of pants, the leg openings are proportionally wider. And that means an even more dramatic effect!</p><p>I figured I'd be saving these pants for a crisp fall day, but as luck would have it, the weather turned a little cool on the day of my (joint with a friend's!) birthday party, so the tropical getup I'd had planned for the occasion was going to have to wait.</p><p>I paired the eyecatching pants with a purple crop top and black platform sandals, and my party ensemble was made! A connection was made, too: apparently thought of Beetlejuice when they saw these pants. I guess I'd prefer if my lovely outfit did not remind people of a half-rotted corpse, but pop culture references always garner more views, so I'm gonna run with it!</p><p>Oh, and I'm also gonna drop a dog photo in here, and my shameless attempt at boosting my online popularity will be complete!<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--6IExvJSzs4/YRHIRI0GWpI/AAAAAAAAnhA/xGfA64aEf1U4JoZs36Y5dIxfs04ceb8DwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/S0036859%2B%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--6IExvJSzs4/YRHIRI0GWpI/AAAAAAAAnhA/xGfA64aEf1U4JoZs36Y5dIxfs04ceb8DwCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/S0036859%2B%25282%2529.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18314065360393630188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2811583350566524209.post-997801969550137042021-06-26T18:04:00.001-04:002021-06-26T18:04:26.312-04:00I went to a concert!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NYD649Dd8vM/YNekLo8HDTI/AAAAAAAAnVY/LQz7zGZ6kOElfut8kldjt8l8FKys2GHVQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/S0036745%2B%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NYD649Dd8vM/YNekLo8HDTI/AAAAAAAAnVY/LQz7zGZ6kOElfut8kldjt8l8FKys2GHVQCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/S0036745%2B%25282%2529.JPG" width="480" /></a> <br /></div><p></p><p>Finally, finally, the moment arrived when I could cast off my COVID caution, put on my colorful clothes, and go out dancing with few hundred of my closest friends!</p><p>I was going to see Vini Vici, and I thought the colorful embroidery on the pants was a good choice to evoke the kind of music they often play. Everything else was just black, so as not to clash! Easy peasy! And that's good, because I barely had time to snap a picture in my huge rush out the door. I didn't plan for bits of my hair to be standing out like that—really.</p><p>The outfit isn't really one of my best, if you ask me, but the point is, I got to dress myself up for a show for the first time in 2 years!</p><p>I also promptly caught a cold, but it was worth it.<br /></p>Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18314065360393630188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2811583350566524209.post-77712833943860140452021-06-14T19:29:00.000-04:002021-06-14T19:29:38.520-04:00I got dressed up!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-X8MiIx41MqY/YMflsDFxtbI/AAAAAAAAnHw/9PvljFakgqYerr_Sc2BcTU4QC7Bs72-ZgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/S0046722%2B%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1506" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-X8MiIx41MqY/YMflsDFxtbI/AAAAAAAAnHw/9PvljFakgqYerr_Sc2BcTU4QC7Bs72-ZgCLcBGAsYHQ/w470-h640/S0046722%2B%25282%2529.JPG" width="470" /></a></div><p></p><div>A
momentous occasion occurred this weekend: I wore a dress for a public
occasion for the first time since before COVID! It's not like I never
wore a dress during the pandemic—I occasionally put one on just to <a data-mce-href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2020/05/week-8-farewell-to-arm-coverage.html" href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2020/05/week-8-farewell-to-arm-coverage.html" shape="rect" target="_blank">work from home</a>
or for special occasions with my boyfriend, but this was the first time
that I got all gussied up and stepped out beyond my front door! And so,
I went for the cutesiest, most festive dress I could find! <br clear="none" /></div><div><br clear="none" /></div><div>The
occasion was a friend's birthday party, so a party dress, complete with
tulle petticoat, was in order! But because I was in the mood for
something truly one-of-a-kind and avant-garde, if you will, I decided
against the traditional and safe sandals, and went with calf-high white
boots!<br clear="none" /></div><div><br clear="none" /></div>On top,
some dogwood flower earrings in a matching aqua hue finished off the
look. I was pretty pleased with this one. The party host told me I
looked beautiful, and I even matched the balloons!Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18314065360393630188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2811583350566524209.post-63001040189545808342021-06-01T23:20:00.000-04:002021-06-01T23:20:08.835-04:00Pearls before Wine<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-od8gpFuzHp8/YLb36p-Tl0I/AAAAAAAAnEI/_caILLvPshYR0UeZXMf24gkJhVFvltxIgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1753/IMG_0983%2B%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1753" data-original-width="1314" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-od8gpFuzHp8/YLb36p-Tl0I/AAAAAAAAnEI/_caILLvPshYR0UeZXMf24gkJhVFvltxIgCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/IMG_0983%2B%25282%2529.jpg" width="480" /></a></div> </div><div>A
lot has happened since I made my last Unfashion post: In March, I had
an upsetting breakup which triggered insomnia which just never resolved,
so I haven't had much energy for blogging. Other things that happened,
though, were that most COVID closings and restrictions started getting rolled back, and I began dating again, which means I've had lots of
opportunities to go out and get dressed up. So it's not for lack of
outfits that my blog has been a desolate wasteland—just lack of
motivation!<br clear="none" /></div><div><br clear="none" /></div><div>I
have been taking a lot of outfit photos and then feeling too tired to
share them. I probably wouldn't have posted this one either, but for one
reason that I'm going to withhold for a few more paragraphs.<br clear="none" /></div><div><br clear="none" /></div><div>The
focal point of this outfit is the shirt, a pearl-studded affair with a
choker-like strip across the neckline. Pearl-studded everything, along
with <a data-mce-href="http://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2018/01/the-unfashionistas-official-2017-trend.html#chokers" href="http://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2018/01/the-unfashionistas-official-2017-trend.html#chokers" shape="rect" target="_blank">this style of shirt</a>,
both had their heyday around 2017, so it's appropriate that the
ever-late Unfashonista finally got to try both of them four years past
their prime. I was almost too embarrassed to wear such an obvious
throwback, but I needed some fresh new tops for all the dates I've been
going on, and I figured most men aren't aware enough of fashion to
notice.</div><div><br clear="none" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eGdShCK8I8c/YLb4PrJX8bI/AAAAAAAAnEQ/v-MgOPH7e7wkkYbwuo0Dhqe8934M55QdgCLcBGAsYHQ/s3630/IMG_0995%2B%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3630" data-original-width="2723" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eGdShCK8I8c/YLb4PrJX8bI/AAAAAAAAnEQ/v-MgOPH7e7wkkYbwuo0Dhqe8934M55QdgCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/IMG_0995%2B%25282%2529.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br clear="none" /></div><div>I ended
up not wearing the shirt for a date at all, but for a winery visit with
some friends—and the sole reason for this choice was so I could use the
phrase "Pearls before Wine" as a title on a blog post. The shirt is even
wine-colored, so it works on many levels!<br clear="none" /></div><p>Phew!
I'm glad I achieved that goal and somehow managed to hammer out this
narrative! Now back to my regularly scheduled sleep-deprived daze!</p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CH7rAT6ZZcU/YLb4PyW2L0I/AAAAAAAAnEU/tlwAfAD7KlQ1dmdre5dQCgqO1pPBthpBwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2846/IMG_1006%2B%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2846" data-original-width="2845" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CH7rAT6ZZcU/YLb4PyW2L0I/AAAAAAAAnEU/tlwAfAD7KlQ1dmdre5dQCgqO1pPBthpBwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h400/IMG_1006%2B%25282%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Naturally I had to wear pearl earrings!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table></p>Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18314065360393630188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2811583350566524209.post-67506678290410567632021-02-23T21:26:00.000-05:002021-02-23T21:26:21.398-05:00"The R3fashion"<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TRBbbX2nSTQ/YDW18ADZxOI/AAAAAAAAmgc/vYCyeeF407872w0YWGUJeM1l4fMzqndTwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1200/R3fashion.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="628" data-original-width="1200" height="334" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TRBbbX2nSTQ/YDW18ADZxOI/AAAAAAAAmgc/vYCyeeF407872w0YWGUJeM1l4fMzqndTwCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h334/R3fashion.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>From a useless pair of leggings to a scarf, some boot toppers, and a headband, this 3-way refashion was a great way to get into the DIY groove after a long absence!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A3Mfh_NPOxI/YDW1EFRR_NI/AAAAAAAAmgU/q7YRs_clOMoKrVJQvNY_qwL5GZnnxWY3ACLcBGAsYHQ/s1536/DSCF6405.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A3Mfh_NPOxI/YDW1EFRR_NI/AAAAAAAAmgU/q7YRs_clOMoKrVJQvNY_qwL5GZnnxWY3ACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/DSCF6405.JPG" /></a></div><p></p><p>The feedstock was a pair of metallic printed leggings that I got from Swap.com.</p><p>Even though they were nonreturnable, and even though they cost $3.20 (more than I normally pay for a nonreturnable item), I took a chance on them because I figured leggings are stretchy, so they'd almost certainly fit! I was wrong. These leggings were so tight, I knew I'd never be able to sit comfortably in them.<br /></p><p>As with most of my failed purchases, I chucked these into a donation box...and couldn't stop thinking about them! Such shimmer! What a pattern! I couldn't just let them disappear from my life like that!</p><p>These days, when faced with a fabric item that looks gorgeous but isn't quite usable as-is, my first thought is, "<a href="http://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2020/05/facemask-but-make-it-fashion.html">Can I turn it into a face mask?</a>" In the case of these leggings, while there was more than enough material for several masks, the non-printed parts were too sheer to provide adequate filtration, and the printed areas weren't breathable at all!</p><p>Another option was just to use it as a loose-fitting mask cover, purely for decoration. I've been experimenting with scarf-style masks, and I thought the long legs of the leggings would serve that purpose admirably!</p><p>So into the fitting room (that's also my office, closet, and crafting room,) I went! The goal was to find a shape that would hang off my nose without immediately falling down from the weight of so much fabric.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qbSkxxlXTJ4/YDW2Z_QpngI/AAAAAAAAmgk/ZdTvwbmHzsw6tRCQ0KvoQTIWOFj2n_eKACLcBGAsYHQ/s1536/DSCF6407.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qbSkxxlXTJ4/YDW2Z_QpngI/AAAAAAAAmgk/ZdTvwbmHzsw6tRCQ0KvoQTIWOFj2n_eKACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/DSCF6407.JPG" /></a></div>I folded the leggings in half and marked a spot on the front seam, then stitched a line. <p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4Gxjb4HU0FY/YDW2hlAjr3I/AAAAAAAAmgo/Fk0esNpTCS4bBwn8ljRag3qxc3HG-GNgwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1536/DSCF6413.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4Gxjb4HU0FY/YDW2hlAjr3I/AAAAAAAAmgo/Fk0esNpTCS4bBwn8ljRag3qxc3HG-GNgwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/DSCF6413.JPG" /></a></div>It took three tries to find the right fit, but once I did, I could fold them in half the other way, and have a nice face cover with a center seam! Is it weird that I'm using the crotch of a pair of pants to cover my face? Maybe, but they'd never been worn, and no one else needs to know, right?<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FhuwRdNDWlA/YDW2nyMLk-I/AAAAAAAAmgs/mGYS8OjXuGgJ1fYqwJOj1y5UAzoj5FmUQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1536/DSCF6416.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FhuwRdNDWlA/YDW2nyMLk-I/AAAAAAAAmgs/mGYS8OjXuGgJ1fYqwJOj1y5UAzoj5FmUQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/DSCF6416.JPG" /></a></div>From there, I cut off the excess from the top part of the leggings, reversed the nose seam so that the stitches were all on the inside, and turned the pair of pants into one long tube with the ankle holes at either end. <p></p><p>I swear I took more pictures of this process, but they don't seem to be
anywhere in my camera. I think either the camera or the XD card is
beginning to die, because this isn't the first time I've lost photos in a
mysterious way. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pC5ekt4fWrk/YDW29hB5WCI/AAAAAAAAmg4/4rVHgoS6wm0GTK2rLGSlWwSGxgyRe2brgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1536/DSCF6419.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pC5ekt4fWrk/YDW29hB5WCI/AAAAAAAAmg4/4rVHgoS6wm0GTK2rLGSlWwSGxgyRe2brgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/DSCF6419.JPG" /></a></div>In any case, once I had created a scarf-like object, I attached some ear loops to it so it would stay on my face. <p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rJfni2wyyjI/YDW3EuyuA8I/AAAAAAAAmg8/rB3tRaQuid4StDlB9aYPvWkPouxI17YOwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1536/DSCF6417.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rJfni2wyyjI/YDW3EuyuA8I/AAAAAAAAmg8/rB3tRaQuid4StDlB9aYPvWkPouxI17YOwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/DSCF6417.JPG" /></a></div>For the finishing touch, I hand-stitched over the nose seam, to hold the two layers of fabric together.<p></p><p>A shiny scarf mask sounds fun, but when I tried it on with clothes, I realized I wanted a little something more to make it outfit-worthy. So, with the remains of the top portion of the leggings, I set out to make some accessories: boot toppers and headband.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e2TPpibxCMs/YDW3OO3jQxI/AAAAAAAAmhE/9QiD7dj7sS4J2xlr3t-MpOsyGxo4eZrQgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1536/DSCF6420.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e2TPpibxCMs/YDW3OO3jQxI/AAAAAAAAmhE/9QiD7dj7sS4J2xlr3t-MpOsyGxo4eZrQgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/DSCF6420.JPG" /></a></div>I was able to use two strips of the original waistband on my legs, held in place by the original elastic. They look pretty silly as I'm modeling them here, but I think they tied the outfit together nicely when I tucked them into my boots.<br /><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8OBEV6yYhYg/YDW3ZrnsaSI/AAAAAAAAmhM/11rZUO6VqQMf1wDyRHU0-UZLZqBY6l_rwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1536/DSCF6432.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8OBEV6yYhYg/YDW3ZrnsaSI/AAAAAAAAmhM/11rZUO6VqQMf1wDyRHU0-UZLZqBY6l_rwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/DSCF6432.JPG" /></a></div>With the remaining strip of fabric, I made a headband. I remembered my lesson from <a href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2019/04/the-perennial-shoes.html">the first headband I ever sewed from scraps</a>, and gave it tapered ends with elastic at the bottom. The number of times I had to turn this tiny tube inside out and back again while trying to construct it, I'd rather not remember, but it was worth the effort.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dyam6v7Tm90/YDW3hcOBm6I/AAAAAAAAmhU/_MghrZD4KjQPV_bdWtqwyDL05cgC7GkhwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1536/DSCF6434.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dyam6v7Tm90/YDW3hcOBm6I/AAAAAAAAmhU/_MghrZD4KjQPV_bdWtqwyDL05cgC7GkhwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/DSCF6434.JPG" /></a></div>It's a perfect fit! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I wore the scarf mask and boot toppers this weekend on a date with my boyfriend (who said I looked like I was trying to be a ninja, and not in a good way. Sigh—we can't please everyone!). We were planning to go ice skating, but my best-laid plans,
like my photos, went all asunder! I think the boot toppers would have looked
adorable with ice skates, but I guess we'll never know!</p><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qoFi83ONJg8/YDW4JJ5FwQI/AAAAAAAAmhg/vQUSr7-5tVkrMPgAJy0Q1hkHS5Y2bC__QCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/DSCF6425%2B%25282%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qoFi83ONJg8/YDW4JJ5FwQI/AAAAAAAAmhg/vQUSr7-5tVkrMPgAJy0Q1hkHS5Y2bC__QCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/DSCF6425%2B%25282%2529.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18314065360393630188noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2811583350566524209.post-14471608296715868972021-02-13T15:54:00.002-05:002021-02-13T15:54:50.259-05:0010 years going on 11<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LcFdkVfY0k8/YCg7fGWk8uI/AAAAAAAAmME/80nw2OTBT2I6oaNokdUv6cCihmeyYCITQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/ThenNow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LcFdkVfY0k8/YCg7fGWk8uI/AAAAAAAAmME/80nw2OTBT2I6oaNokdUv6cCihmeyYCITQCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h360/ThenNow.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> </div><div>I started this blog in 2010, which means I've been an Unfashion blogger for over 10 years (and a few months)!<br clear="none" /></div><div><br clear="none" /></div><div>I
wish I'd noticed that auspicious anniversary before it passed, but
let's face it: I've basically been living in my own little world since
COVID, and my blog's birthday wasn't at the top of my mind. But eleven is my
favorite number, so why not make a big deal out of that, and treat my
eleventh year with as much pomp as is usually devoted to Year 10?</div><div><br clear="none" /></div><div>Since
I haven't had, don't have, and probably won't have for a while, many
blogworthy outfits to post, this seems like a great year to get all
retrospective and talk about those sappy things people like to bring up when marking significant moments in the passage of time.<br clear="none" /></div><div><br clear="none" /></div><div>Things
like, what's changed? How have I grown? What lessons have I learned?
What funny embarrassments have I racked up along the way?</div><div><br clear="none" /></div><div>Well, I certainly <em>haven't</em>
grown my blog from a rinky-dink affair on a free website to a media
juggernaut with millions in yearly revenue, and I still can count my
followers on one hand with a couple missing fingers, so in that sense, I
haven't changed at all.<br clear="none" /></div><div><br clear="none" /></div><div>I
did grow my salary some, and with it, my clothes-storage capability. I
now have a house with 2 rooms to call my own, and I keep garments in 4
closets instead of just 2...so that has been a boon for my blog, I'm
sure.<br clear="none" /></div><div><br clear="none" /></div><div>If I've
learned any lessons, well, it's that people don't come to a fashion blog
to read my purple prose; they do it for the pictures! But nevertheless,
I persist. In fact, I persist so hard, I'm going to turn this
sentimental anniversary article into a the kind of literary juggernaut I
only wish my blogging career could be—post upon wordy post, chock full
of musings, anecdotes, navel-gazing, and maybe even a token attempt or
two at putting in some pictures!<br clear="none" /></div><div><br clear="none" /></div><div>One
of my goals for this anniversary celebration is to take a closer look
at how things have evolved over the past decade+, so I'm going way deep
into the archives! That's where I need your help—that's right, you! For
this segment (which I'm tentatively calling "Would I Wear It?"), I need
my dearest readers (if I still have any) to help me choose a few past
outfits to critique and cringe at.</div><div><br clear="none" /></div><div>So if you want to play, just peruse my previous posts (here's a neat way to view <a data-mce-href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/view/flipcard" href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/view/flipcard" shape="rect" target="_blank">just the main pictures</a>)
and comment here with the link to any outfit that you'd like me to
revisit. Since oldies are goodies, we're going to focus on the first 5
years of this blog. That would be 2010 to 2014, but since 2010 was
pretty sparse and we seem to be doing a baker's-dozen kind of thing with
numbers in this story, I'll throw in 2015 as well! The object is to
observe how my personal style has changed along with the world I live
in, but the bonus is that I'm sure there will be plenty of answers to
the final sappy question above. Funny embarrassments, here we come!<br clear="none" /></div>Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18314065360393630188noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2811583350566524209.post-90507587319849587012021-01-20T20:35:00.000-05:002021-01-20T20:35:03.053-05:00Telework trifecta <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3dCadkPa05Q/YAjZzfP-A7I/AAAAAAAAmKg/RhuznkKwkvIFkFvRjB1mOF03kuiI_nHBACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/S0016199_cr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3dCadkPa05Q/YAjZzfP-A7I/AAAAAAAAmKg/RhuznkKwkvIFkFvRjB1mOF03kuiI_nHBACLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/S0016199_cr.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p></p><div>Working
from home has enabled me to experiment with fashion in a way that I
never would either at the office or in a more social setting.<br clear="none" /></div><div><br clear="none" /></div><div>When
I know no one's around to judge me, I feel free to push the limits,
whether they're about weird silhouettes, color/pattern pairings, or
level of formality. Or preferably all three, as in yesterday's outfit!<br clear="none" /></div><div><br clear="none" /></div><div>I
started with this pair of floral printed leggings, which I had very
nearly given up as a lost cause. I got them from Swap.com for $1.80,
extra-cheap because they were non-returnable, and oh, how I wished I
could return them! I suspect they might have been kids' leggings
miscategorized in the adults section, but they had no tags, so I have no
way of knowing. The length hovers awkwardly somewhere in between a
capri and above-the-ankle—a strange cut that works nowhere, and
certainly not in the middle of January. Cropped pants – even oddly
cropped ones – can be cute in warm weather, but these ones are lined
with terrycloth, which makes them too warm for warm weather! I was ready
to just send them straight to the thrift store, but I couldn't bring
myself to do it. I've been so desperate for printed pants, there had to
be a way to make them work!<br clear="none" /></div><div><br clear="none" /></div><div>As
you can see, the way I made them work was to put knee-high socks
underneath. Thus, my legs are completely protected from the cold, even
though the effect is a little unconventional—weird silhouettes, here I
come!<br clear="none" /></div><div><br clear="none" /></div><div>Next
decision was what to wear on top. My first choice was a modest brown
tunic, but that violated the cardinal rule of never cutting yourself in
half by wearing long tops with short bottoms. Instead of breaking that
rule, I broke another—the now-more-broken-than-kept rule of no leggings
as pants!<br clear="none" /></div><div><br clear="none" /></div><div>Away
with the dowdy tunic, and in its place, a beige long-sleeve tee!
Leggings and T-shirt together would be too informal at the office
(though I would wear each separately), so this work-from-home look takes
full advantage of my lack of a dress code.<br clear="none" /></div><div><br clear="none" /></div><div>However,
since I was still on the clock, I did decide to notch up the formality
by adding something I rarely bother with when lounging at home: an
accessory! The T-shirt by itself is quite plain and thin, so I decided
to draw attention elsewhere with a strategically positioned scarf.<br clear="none" /></div><div><br clear="none" /></div><div>Or,
to be more accurate, napkin. Yes, the thing around my neck is
technically a napkin that I got for Christmas in a lunchbox set, but I
figured it would get much more use if I kept it with my clothing, and I
was correct. It jumped out at me when I was searching for a coordinating
scarf for today's outfit. The colors and the print were different from
those on the pants, but in an <em>adjacent</em> sort of way. </div><div> </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0ltvx2vFRBE/YAjaDCqKv7I/AAAAAAAAmKk/PSKzurrn06QJSgFVCyzHTNKrjxaRgV3YQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/S0186268_cr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0ltvx2vFRBE/YAjaDCqKv7I/AAAAAAAAmKk/PSKzurrn06QJSgFVCyzHTNKrjxaRgV3YQCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/S0186268_cr.jpg" width="300" /></a></div> <br /></div><div>I felt
the combination. almost matching but not quite, was perfect for work
from home, because I might never be brave enough to try it in the real
world!<br clear="none" /></div><div><br clear="none" /></div><div>In total,
today's outfit may have been too skimpy, too mismatched, and too
experimental for the office, but I thoroughly enjoyed wearing it for a
cozy day of teleworking!<br clear="none" /></div>Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18314065360393630188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2811583350566524209.post-44683985391614371292021-01-02T11:23:00.002-05:002021-01-02T11:23:00.310-05:002020 Hindsight<div>At the <a data-mce-href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2020/01/trends-of-teens.html" href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2020/01/trends-of-teens.html">beginning of every year</a>,
I reflect back on the previous one and the sartorial styling that gave
it flavor. Last year gave me more time than ever for reflection, but
fewer actual resultant observations.<br clear="none" /></div><div><br clear="none" /></div><div>During
the Great Quarantine of 2020, while the wheels of fashion still kept
turning (as evidenced by the continued existence of fashion publications
and the #OOTD hashtag), I hopped off the ride. I paid only passing
attention to the articles telling me what to stock up on for next
season; I certainly didn't get to observe any other fashionistas in real
life!<br clear="none" /></div><div><br clear="none" /></div><div>So the
pickings are slim, but I'll do what I can to report on a trend or two
before returning to my cozy and carefree existence where leggings really
are pants.</div><div><br clear="none" /></div><div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Sweatpants</h2></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cgMkag_2TrI/X-ypsxnanUI/AAAAAAAAmGU/lFEoIOK2wy815XpKEQsVRPD38DMVz-rMQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1000/sweats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="580" data-original-width="1000" height="372" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cgMkag_2TrI/X-ypsxnanUI/AAAAAAAAmGU/lFEoIOK2wy815XpKEQsVRPD38DMVz-rMQCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h372/sweats.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div>Speaking
of pants, let's start this post off with something you all knew was
coming—sweatpants! The darling of athleisure that translated all too
easily into stay-at-home everything, sweatpants were the topic of every
Zoom joke that wasn't about putting wine in your coffee mug. For me (and
presumably for many others), these cozy pants were not just a trend but
a necessity, as a COVID winter loomed. I went all-in on sweatpants in
the fall, buying as many bargain pairs as I could get my thrifty hands
on (it ended up being 3), and even making a token effort at staying
relevant by <a data-mce-href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2020/11/sweatpants-diy.html" href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2020/11/sweatpants-diy.html" shape="rect" target="_blank">converting a straight-leg pair</a> into the slouchy cuffed type.<br clear="none" /></div><div><br clear="none" /></div><div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Ultra-cropped tops</h2></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-euTOw5IbVBQ/X-yp1yWw2PI/AAAAAAAAmGY/w6fV7I5m-_Iyz3FVIajcnr-Ch2VEM0B2gCLcBGAsYHQ/s1000/crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="433" data-original-width="1000" height="278" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-euTOw5IbVBQ/X-yp1yWw2PI/AAAAAAAAmGY/w6fV7I5m-_Iyz3FVIajcnr-Ch2VEM0B2gCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h278/crop.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>The
other trend I noted in my sweatpants post was this specific type of
very short, very baggy shirt. It seems impractical to me in a
thermoregulatory sense, but it seemed almost mandatory to pair little
cropped sweatshirts with your big baggy sweatpants, as long as you were
young and/or in possession of abs of steel. I am neither (and rather committed to <a href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2020/11/sweatpants-diy.html">keeping my midriff warm</a>!) so I am happily letting this
trend pass me by.</div><div><br clear="none" /></div><div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Cardigans</h2></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rDMQjJg5Q-M/X-yqL7Gh-7I/AAAAAAAAmGk/PuxZ_Ux9oUYvDGMOH1Srei6zZUUkGIXKACLcBGAsYHQ/s1000/cardigan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="536" data-original-width="1000" height="344" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rDMQjJg5Q-M/X-yqL7Gh-7I/AAAAAAAAmGk/PuxZ_Ux9oUYvDGMOH1Srei6zZUUkGIXKACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h344/cardigan.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>I
suppose in a year where everyone seeks out the comfy and cozy, a topper
that reminds you of your grandmother makes perfect sense! To be honest,
though, the short, large-button cardigan is the first trend I noticed
this year, way before coronavirus was even a gleam in the CDC's eye. It
has popped up pretty consistently in my halfhearted fashion scrolling,
and cardigans are one of the specific items that my local consignment
shop was requesting this winter. If I were ever to seek a sign to let me
know what's trendy, it would be whatever the professional buyers are
trying to obtain. Cardigans it is!<br clear="none" /></div><div><br clear="none" /></div><div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Boots with lug soles (and knee high shafts)</h2></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7JILW41AiJY/X-yqRaBlPNI/AAAAAAAAmGo/rm5eI76vNEk5YxgfZL4-XPimcgVgVtq8QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1000/boots.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="1000" height="384" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7JILW41AiJY/X-yqRaBlPNI/AAAAAAAAmGo/rm5eI76vNEk5YxgfZL4-XPimcgVgVtq8QCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h384/boots.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div></div><div>I
always put a shoe trend on my list, but to be honest, I've hardly paid
attention to shoes at all this year, since the only ones I can wear are
soft flat ones for walking quietly on my hardwood floors and biking to
the grocery store. I've totally let practicality supersede trendiness in
my recent shoe shopping. But there's one thing I couldn't help but
notice every time I read a missive from my Internet fashion advisors.
It's the lug-sole boot. Although my sample pictures are exclusively of
the above-the-ankle variety, I've been told that knee-high boots are
coming back. After years of learning to loathe thigh-high boots (they
always slide down!) and reluctant adoption of ankle boots, I'm excited
for the return of knee-highs—my first boot love. Of course, time will
tell if it really becomes a trend, but here's hoping anyway!</div><div> </div><div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Predictions</h2></div><div>Speaking of hoping, it's time to talk predictions. My forecasting game was way off <a data-mce-href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2020/01/trends-of-teens.html" href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2020/01/trends-of-teens.html">last year</a>
– I haven't seen even a hint of lace gloves! Seeing as I was such a
poor guesser for 2020, I hesitate to imagine what 2021 will bring, but
yes, I'm going to make the attempt anyway.</div><div><br data-mce-bogus="1" /></div>Assuming
we beat the coronavirus and can start strutting our stuff before the
year's too far gone, I'm banking on a flood of maximalism. After a year
of being confined to our homes, choosing comfort over fashion, and few
opportunities for dressing to impress even if we were so inclined, I
think we're all going to want to cut loose! Bring on the sequins! The
sparkle! Every impractical but oh-so-interesting statement garment we've
stuffed into the backs of our closets and are now going to wear all at
once! If this vision comes true, I can't wait to see what it looks like!Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18314065360393630188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2811583350566524209.post-24562138347834053292021-01-01T19:36:00.003-05:002021-01-04T10:14:44.661-05:00Ultimate Gray and Illuminating<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oKVw3zs3QzA/X---9IriP3I/AAAAAAAAmHE/ezJ3bqTeawM6OG9NPIblcyHqlLIm74jNACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Ultimate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oKVw3zs3QzA/X---9IriP3I/AAAAAAAAmHE/ezJ3bqTeawM6OG9NPIblcyHqlLIm74jNACLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Ultimate.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p></p>Since I started my tradition of wearing the <a data-mce-href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2020/01/classic-blue.html" href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2020/01/classic-blue.html" shape="rect" target="_blank">Pantone Color of the Year on New Year's Day</a>
(or the day after!), this will be the first year that there have been
two colors for the price of one! Every once in a while, Pantone chooses a
two-tone combination to be its "color" of the year. Is it cheating?
Perhaps, but it's not my place to critique their color selections—it's
my place to wear them.<br clear="none" /><div><br clear="none" />I was initially unenthused by this year's choice of "<a data-mce-href="https://www.pantone.com/color-of-the-year-2021" href="https://www.pantone.com/color-of-the-year-2021" shape="rect" target="_blank">Ultimate Gray and Illuminating</a>"—after all, I unwittingly wore Ultimate Gray for my <a data-mce-href="http://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2018/01/ultra-violet.html" href="http://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2018/01/ultra-violet.html" shape="rect" target="_blank">Pantone outfit in 2018</a>,
and would never find it an interesting color even if it hadn't been
done before. The other half – "Illuminating" – variously described as a
"bright," "vibrant," "cheerful," "warming" yellow, sounded a lot more
fun, except for the fact that I don't really have anything yellow in my
wardrobe.<br clear="none" /></div><div><br clear="none" /></div><div>Well, anything, really, except that <a data-mce-href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2016/11/g-is-for-gold.html" href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2016/11/g-is-for-gold.html" shape="rect" target="_blank">one sweater</a> I've been wearing and rewearing since <em>at least</em>
2016. The thought of my best option being a tired-out old shirt with a
boring pair of gray slacks sent me into a funk...until I realized this
was the perfect excuse to shop for something new! I am forever trying to
get more warm colors into my collection. Though lately my sights have
been set on <a data-mce-href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2020/02/a-mustard-manifesto.html" href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2020/02/a-mustard-manifesto.html" shape="rect" target="_blank">goldenrod</a>, 2021 seemed as good a time as any to shift to an even more sunshiney shade!<br clear="none" /></div><div><br clear="none" /></div><div>As
soon as I saw this yellow zippered hoodie on Swap.com, instantly my
spirits soared and my imagination went into overdrive, calculating all
the fashiony fun that could be had with such a lively layering piece
(you know I'm in a good mood when I start piling on the alliteration and
inventing new words!).<br clear="none" /></div><div><br clear="none" /></div>Most
importantly, it was a velour hoodie! I missed the velour tracksuit
trend the first time around. Though I had a coworker at the grocery
store who wore her Juicy Couture almost every day (and was, although she
never knew it, the one who gave me the courage to trade in my jeans for
yoga pants and start donning knitwear for work), I myself never got to
jump on the tracksuit bandwagon.<br clear="none" /><div><br clear="none" /></div>But better late than never, as the Unfashionista always says (<a data-mce-href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2020/12/tie-dye-time.html" href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2020/12/tie-dye-time.html" shape="rect" target="_blank">since last month</a>!), and I've been hearing from reliable sources that <a data-mce-href="https://www.popsugar.com/fashion/best-velour-tracksuits-47822029" href="https://www.popsugar.com/fashion/best-velour-tracksuits-47822029" shape="rect" target="_blank">velour is cool again</a>! So yes, I had to buy the hoodie. At 9 dollars, it was <a data-mce-href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2013/01/shop-like-unfashionista.html" href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2013/01/shop-like-unfashionista.html" shape="rect" target="_blank">more than I pay for a shirt</a>,
but within my price range for a jacket (maximum 10), so I felt I'd be
excused for overspending, especially for such a worthy occasion.<div><br clear="none" /></div><div>I
paired the hoodie with a grey camisole and some Ultimate Gray workout
leggings that I recently retired from actually working out. Poorly
designed for athletics, they are neither very flexible nor very
breathable. About the only thing they're good for is anchoring an
athleisure outfit while just happening to be the Pantone Color of the
Year.</div><div><br clear="none" /></div><div>The icing on the bottom was a brand new pair of light grey sneakers with metallic racing stripes, which were neither Ultimate Gray nor Illuminating, but complemented the colors in a way that I liked.<br clear="none" /></div><p>In this
very loungey ensemble, I am at perhaps my finest representation of
Quarantine Chic. Now that I've hit the pinnacle, there's nowhere to go
but down. You hear that, COVID? Time to get lost. 2021 (and its promise
of real pants) awaits! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VMAHXv9vI8U/X--_R8-Fw7I/AAAAAAAAmHU/R0NV8EYLDdgBAgLQXXuZxBq3-HrsMTn6gCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Illum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VMAHXv9vI8U/X--_R8-Fw7I/AAAAAAAAmHU/R0NV8EYLDdgBAgLQXXuZxBq3-HrsMTn6gCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Illum.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p></p>Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18314065360393630188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2811583350566524209.post-41170925232736575902020-12-01T18:20:00.002-05:002020-12-01T18:20:40.719-05:00Tie Dye Time!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rhbgVLsuVcM/X8bNwDeNHjI/AAAAAAAAmAM/qcjrTnsv0YwHdUInHmM1bh8B9-2eNigfwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/S0066025_cr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rhbgVLsuVcM/X8bNwDeNHjI/AAAAAAAAmAM/qcjrTnsv0YwHdUInHmM1bh8B9-2eNigfwCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/S0066025_cr.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p></p><div>If the Unfashionista were to have a personal motto (other than "<a data-mce-href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2019/05/fun-with-colors.html" href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2019/05/fun-with-colors.html" shape="rect" target="_blank">Fun with Colors</a>"), it would have to be "Never Say Never."<br clear="none" /></div><div><br clear="none" /></div><div>Though <a data-mce-href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2019/07/tie-dye-trial.html" href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2019/07/tie-dye-trial.html" shape="rect" target="_blank">I claimed last year</a>
that one dip in the tie dye bath would be enough for me, I was wrong.
Tie dye continued to flourish in the world of fashion and even home
furnishings, and it was said to have experienced a huge wave of
popularity during the spring and summer. I didn't observe this
personally because I pretty much took a break from fashion in favor of
social distancing, but that's what they say. I did feel personally that
it was one of the most trendy things I own, so my single tie-dye shirt
became pretty much my go-to tee over the past year, whenever I wanted to
seem a little bit more with the times. (Self-congratulation alert: I
even got a compliment on its bright and happy colors during a hike
despite our <a data-mce-href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2020/05/facemask-but-make-it-fashion.html" href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2020/05/facemask-but-make-it-fashion.html" shape="rect" target="_blank">noticeably less friendly times!</a>)<br clear="none" /></div><div><br clear="none" /></div><div>But this post isn't about my tie-dye tee, it's about my tie-dye blouse!<br clear="none" /></div><div><br clear="none" /></div><div>Once
I had gotten over my initial aversion to the idea of tie dye, I
continued to see examples of "tasteful tie dye" in my news feeds and
shopping haunts, and decided I wouldn't mind having more of a good
thing. Late this summer, I bought two tie-dye tops at Swap.com for a
total of 5 dollars, one of them being this one!</div><div><br clear="none" /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-XWY04YjlKqc/X8bO-eoFsYI/AAAAAAAAmAY/fiDo2wnp_h4Ddi9EvdRmQQTbgql5KBNywCLcBGAsYHQ/DSCF5857.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-XWY04YjlKqc/X8bO-eoFsYI/AAAAAAAAmAY/fiDo2wnp_h4Ddi9EvdRmQQTbgql5KBNywCLcBGAsYHQ/w320-h320/DSCF5857.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> </div><div>This
one took a little work to get into a wearable condition. It was very
short and very wide and very unflattering on my frame. </div><div><br clear="none" /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8KswSDlNj2E/X8bPLnmlFWI/AAAAAAAAmAc/FfkR3F_bRFYQMRaOOo8oMhoBPMZuNRFPwCLcBGAsYHQ/DSCF5875.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8KswSDlNj2E/X8bPLnmlFWI/AAAAAAAAmAc/FfkR3F_bRFYQMRaOOo8oMhoBPMZuNRFPwCLcBGAsYHQ/w320-h320/DSCF5875.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> </div><div>I reduced the size of the sleeve openings and took in the sides, then added waist ties to give it a more body-conforming shape.<br clear="none" /></div><div><br clear="none" /></div><div>It's
still shorter than I prefer a loose shirt to be—I thought about
extending the length with the offcuts from the sides and sleeves, but
decided that wouldn't work. So it's finished!<br clear="none" /></div><div><br clear="none" /></div><div>I
had the opportunity to wear it out into the big wide world today
because I had a dentist appointment. If you ever want to feel better
about having two teeth drilled, just wear a new fashionable top for the
procedure!</div><div><br clear="none" /></div>"Fashionable" is
relative, of course—the same sources who informed me of the tie-dye wave
this summer also tell me it's on the wane. But if the Unfashionista
were to have a third personal motto, it would have to be "Better late
than never!"Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18314065360393630188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2811583350566524209.post-38771911418755253432020-11-22T16:52:00.001-05:002020-11-22T16:52:37.728-05:00Sweatpants: a DIY<p>Once it became clear, in late summer, that I was going to be confined mostly to home for the foreseeable future, I invested heavily in comfy pants. Tunics and leggings had their moment last spring, but I wanted, once in a while, to be able to wear a shirt of a normal length while lounging around the house. So a shopping spree ensued. I ended up with 5 secondhand pairs of sweat/lounge pants, which, being secondhand, were mostly of a somewhat dated straight-leg cut. Something had to be done.<br /></p><p>It seems like it was only yesterday that I <a href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2016/12/the-making-of-jogger-pants.html">converted my first pair of straight-leg sweatpants</a> into what was, at that time, a trendy pair of joggers.</p><p>These days, it only takes a quick perusal of Tik Tok or Instagram to show that joggers are no longer trendy. If you're going to be wearing sweats, they had better be the baggy kind with elastic cuffs—the very kind I loathed as a youngster and hoped never to wear again.</p><p>Alas, even an Unfashionista cannot resist the siren song of cultural relevance, so I had to bite the bullet and commit to the trendiest ugly silhouette of 2020.</p><p>And thus, I began the conversion of my too-short straight-leg pink pair of sweats into the bottom-cuff kind.<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-HLXaevQ2xQI/X7rauzIACoI/AAAAAAAAl-I/a6knnyxlohMuyl1sgod_aqboPhKQgYmXwCLcBGAsYHQ/DSCF5876.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-HLXaevQ2xQI/X7rauzIACoI/AAAAAAAAl-I/a6knnyxlohMuyl1sgod_aqboPhKQgYmXwCLcBGAsYHQ/w320-h320/DSCF5876.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I checked to see whether I'd like the alteration by safety-pinning one leg in an approximation of the altered effect. It was a go!<br /><p></p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-a9YVTX7odJo/X7ra35_LvlI/AAAAAAAAl-M/qbnqKTcT8EYcc7cMh-g8PDJMuWBTkyeowCLcBGAsYHQ/DSCF5917.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-a9YVTX7odJo/X7ra35_LvlI/AAAAAAAAl-M/qbnqKTcT8EYcc7cMh-g8PDJMuWBTkyeowCLcBGAsYHQ/w320-h320/DSCF5917.JPG" width="320" /></a>Then I opened up a hole in the side seam at the bottom hem, threaded in a strip of elastic about the circumference of the bottom of my calf, and sewed it all back up! </div><p></p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-hqYCR66pBYE/X7rbBsENx2I/AAAAAAAAl-U/aznNLb8m_YEB9zKKhK1KNkWj0FyU_pVfgCLcBGAsYHQ/DSCF5918.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-hqYCR66pBYE/X7rbBsENx2I/AAAAAAAAl-U/aznNLb8m_YEB9zKKhK1KNkWj0FyU_pVfgCLcBGAsYHQ/w320-h320/DSCF5918.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Instant modernity!<p></p><p style="clear: both;">A second perusal of Instagram or Tik Tok quickly reveals that the preferred pairings with this type of sweatpants are either a matching sweatshirt or an ultra-cropped top of almost any sort. I made a valiant effort to follow the trend, wearing my new sweats for the first time with a cute crop top that I've had for almost 2 years and never worn.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WTOKlpN4KhE/X7rbeAxMT-I/AAAAAAAAl-g/gHPcuA0QlhYnkh14D1E76ITF_nOB667mwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Blur.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WTOKlpN4KhE/X7rbeAxMT-I/AAAAAAAAl-g/gHPcuA0QlhYnkh14D1E76ITF_nOB667mwCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/Blur.jpg" width="300" /></a> <br /></div><p></p><p>The reason for the delay, of course, is that whenever it's cold enough to wear long sleeves, it's too cold to be showing one's midriff! I'll sacrifice my taste in the name of fashion, but never my body heat! I'd originally thought I might be able to wear the top to some event where crowds of humans would render the air warm enough that I'd be able to get away with uncovering my most thermally critical body part. But as crowds are out of the question for at least the remainder of this winter, I finally decided to give up on the impractical top.</p><p>After the hurried photo shoot (the brrr explains the blur!), I relegated it to the to-sell pile and traded it in for a less fashionable but more comfortable long-sleeved tee that completely covered me in blessed warmth.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bAkziQGlsSw/X7rb0PBrGEI/AAAAAAAAl-o/UgS6w6vuscg1xQ8S-Vxq8BCum_5JK2ZCQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bAkziQGlsSw/X7rb0PBrGEI/AAAAAAAAl-o/UgS6w6vuscg1xQ8S-Vxq8BCum_5JK2ZCQCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/2.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18314065360393630188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2811583350566524209.post-6959882128520352842020-11-13T21:57:00.001-05:002020-11-13T21:57:38.926-05:00Flashback Friday<p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WTexf7NsNvo/X69G6qp8ZfI/AAAAAAAAl9w/GkxN0u2FVUwzHzz63Hqe5EVHFdrpgin_ACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/S0135887_cr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WTexf7NsNvo/X69G6qp8ZfI/AAAAAAAAl9w/GkxN0u2FVUwzHzz63Hqe5EVHFdrpgin_ACLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/S0135887_cr.jpg" width="480" /></a></p><div>Every day is casual day when you're working from home, but I'm
still trying to give my workday outfits a more professional spin...from
the shoulders up! That means collared shirts and nice sweaters when the
weather's cold. But I still reserve my more fun outfits for Fridays, and
that means this jacket! I don't think I'd wear this jacket to a normal
physical office any day—mainly because it's got a casual vibe and it's
so festive that I'd want to reserve it for a more special occasion. In
fact, I'm almost sure I did wear it for at least three special
occasions, but I never got a photo. In fact, I think of it as my bad
luck karaoke shirt because two of the occasions involved karaoke that
never happened. So by this time, it has diminished in novelty enough
that wearing it for work seemed more reasonable...especially when "work"
means "home," and the only thing people would see of it was the top 3
inches or so.<br data-mce-bogus="1" /></div><div><br data-mce-bogus="1" /></div><div>I
was all set to wear it with a pair of pink sweatpants when I realized
the pants would be much improved with a little alteration (stay tuned
for a future post on this change and on all things sweatpants-related!).
I found a decent pair of backup pants in my closet, and planned to sew
the sweatpants during a webinar in the morning, so I'd have the outfit
ready to wear through most of the afternoon.<br data-mce-bogus="1" /></div><div><br data-mce-bogus="1" /></div><div>Then
I looked at myself in the mirror. In my vintage cargo pants and
midriff-baring jacket, I was the spitting image of a
turn-of-the-millennium fashionista! It just so happens that 90's bang
tendrils have made a resurgence, and it just so happens that my
growing-out fringe is the perfect length to pull them off! So I decided
to go full-on retro.<br data-mce-bogus="1" /></div><div><br data-mce-bogus="1" /></div><div>A
throwback look is probably not as cool if you're old enough to have
actually rocked those styles the first time around...and bang tendrils
not as cool when you have such wispy hair as mine, but I still had fun
with it.<br data-mce-bogus="1" /></div><p></p>Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18314065360393630188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2811583350566524209.post-89655393147348779192020-09-23T21:34:00.000-04:002020-09-23T21:34:15.160-04:00A ponytail and a postponey tale<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5rPp31U8zT8/X2v3HSCtYvI/AAAAAAAAl3k/0AIayiKKsccuP0DRQCVriCsvnCMOg4tYwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1349/postponey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1349" data-original-width="1012" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5rPp31U8zT8/X2v3HSCtYvI/AAAAAAAAl3k/0AIayiKKsccuP0DRQCVriCsvnCMOg4tYwCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/postponey.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div>Sometime
last spring, I hatched the idea for this outfit—a (newly re-hemmed!)
colorful maxi skirt, a rust-orange top, and finally and most
importantly, the <a data-mce-href="http://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2020/01/maximum-skirt-minimum-work.html" href="http://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2020/01/maximum-skirt-minimum-work.html" shape="rect" target="_blank">sash made from the bottom of the skirt</a>, to be tied around my ponytail!</div><div> <div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Zi8Mj1DocoU/X2v3HQr2KmI/AAAAAAAAl3o/wUGPqTRK9pEVPxY53woBCasiDD57KPfZQCLcBGAsYHQ/s614/pony.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="614" data-original-width="614" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Zi8Mj1DocoU/X2v3HQr2KmI/AAAAAAAAl3o/wUGPqTRK9pEVPxY53woBCasiDD57KPfZQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h400/pony.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></div></div><div><br clear="none" /></div><div>This
outfit was so cute that I couldn't bear to wear it to work from home; I
had to save it for when it could be seen in person! Thus, it stayed in
reserve all spring, got consigned to storage all summer, and finally
resurfaced for consideration during a cold snap in September. Its colors
make it a much better fall outfit anyway, but there's one problem: I'm
still working from home and no one was going to see it in person!</div><div><br clear="none" /></div><div>However, I'd already delayed this outfit some 7 months, and as with all clothes I grow impatient of <a data-mce-href="http://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2019/11/the-embroidered-velvet-slip-dress.html" href="http://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2019/11/the-embroidered-velvet-slip-dress.html" shape="rect" target="_blank">waiting for the right occasion to wear</a>, I finally decided to just go for it! An outfit well done is its own reward, right?</div><div><br clear="none" /></div><div>Although
it didn't factor into my decision to wear this ensemble yesterday, some
contractors were visiting the house to make some adjustments to <a data-mce-href="http://valsgalore.blogspot.com/2020/08/a-solar-system-for-planet.html" href="http://valsgalore.blogspot.com/2020/08/a-solar-system-for-planet.html" shape="rect" target="_blank">my solar array</a>,
so at least they got to admire my artwork! And a virtual meeting popped
up at the last minute, so my beribboned ponytail was on hi-def display
for a grand audience of four! Rarely can I say that I am grateful for a
last-minute meeting, but I can say that about this one...maybe. Maybe
not.</div><div><br clear="none" /></div><div>Anyway, for an outfit that I
initially thought would go completely unseen, it actually got a sizeable
amount of exposure. Whether or not anyone <em>noticed</em> it is another question entirely. But that's why I'm posting it in my blog! Visit counts, here I come!<br clear="none" /></div>Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18314065360393630188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2811583350566524209.post-34951617479240416262020-09-06T21:31:00.000-04:002020-09-06T21:31:16.298-04:00Rompers and Roses<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-abTNbNMIrZE/X1WMzpweUOI/AAAAAAAAl14/O6-VcmQP4xEjCdO8uJl2xAPkBrXTgz4rQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20200828_184536_cr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-abTNbNMIrZE/X1WMzpweUOI/AAAAAAAAl14/O6-VcmQP4xEjCdO8uJl2xAPkBrXTgz4rQCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/20200828_184536_cr.jpg" width="480" /></a></div> <p></p><p>Social distancing has certainly put a damper on dressing up. A <a href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2020/08/a-belated-birthday-blog.html">birthday grocery run</a> is about the biggest occasion I've had to show my face in public since the pandemic began.</p><p>That is, until last Friday, when I took the opportunity to meet a friend for an afternoon of wining and dining in the great outdoor venues of downtown Silver Spring. And that meant I had to have an outfit that would compensate – in one blowout of a day – for all the months I've been putzing around in a frumpy parade of house clothes.</p><p>Now I am admittedly a pretty aspirational shopper, tending to buy clothes first and look for an occasion to wear them later, but I've shown remarkable restraint during the pandemic and haven't purchased a single impractical item...which meant that when my day to shine finally arrived, I had nothing new to wear!</p><p>Nothing new except shoes, which I always have in steady supply. I stockpiled a fair amount of dressy sandals last fall, never imagining that my feet wouldn't see anything fancier all summer than a pair of Tevas. Although I had a much more colorful selection to choose from, I had to go with the fairly uninteresting pair of white low-heeled sandals. </p><p>Simple shoes were a necessity because my choice of clothing was gaudy as can be—a romper covered in multicolor roses! I'd tricked this particular garment out with removable straps two years ago, wore it once, and then let it rest for a season. It was now ripe for one last hurrah before being sold.</p><p>Of course, in this day and age, it's no hurrah until there's a coordinating face mask to go with it, so I very quickly customized a plain cream mask with a glued-on embroidery flower—actually the same flower that once graced my now-retired <a href="http://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2019/11/the-embroidered-velvet-slip-dress.html">velvet slip dress</a>.</p><p>After my afternoon of romping, I removed the flower from the mask. Maybe in another 2 months, a new social occasion will present itself, and both the mask and the appliqué will be ready for decoration!<br /></p>Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18314065360393630188noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2811583350566524209.post-5819728119163585042020-08-23T16:07:00.003-04:002020-08-23T16:07:55.223-04:00 Gloom and Zoom<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_lg14lPn8e0/X0LMOiTQyxI/AAAAAAAAlzU/2xvHiFKVqnIoIWjHQULGEtw0W41yHWwegCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/zOOM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_lg14lPn8e0/X0LMOiTQyxI/AAAAAAAAlzU/2xvHiFKVqnIoIWjHQULGEtw0W41yHWwegCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/zOOM.jpg" /></a></div><div> </div><div>Shortly after my <a data-mce-href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2020/07/some-day-my-prints-will-come.html" href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2020/07/some-day-my-prints-will-come.html">shipment of sleeveless printed tops</a>
arrived, I realized my folly: on video calls, not only is your lower
half invisible, but most of your upper half is, too! When I'm in a call,
the only thing people could see of my outfit is, maybe, the top inch of
my shoulders. Sometimes even only my face! So a lot of the shirts that I
thought would be interesting on camera actually were just...not.<br data-mce-bogus="1" /></div><div><br data-mce-bogus="1" /></div><div>So
I was feeling pretty low about my prospects for ever getting a
compliment on my fashion sense again. Was there any point in getting
dressed at all? Was there even any point in living? Call me vain, but
the only thing that keeps me from retreating entirely from the world and
adopting 17 cats is the occasional favorable unsolicited opinion on my
outfit, and with out that boost, my strength to go on is severely
depleted.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yb7BqskILoo/X0LMJ9RHK0I/AAAAAAAAlzM/-lgJBvorcBoHCWfFB7krdBuTB2omEyj6ACLcBGAsYHQ/s1536/DSCF5804.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yb7BqskILoo/X0LMJ9RHK0I/AAAAAAAAlzM/-lgJBvorcBoHCWfFB7krdBuTB2omEyj6ACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h400/DSCF5804.JPG" width="400" /></a></div></div><div><br data-mce-bogus="1" /></div><div>Fortunately,
one of the shirts I ordered – just one – was able to lift me out of my
funk, having all of its most interesting details at its highest point.
Just check out the lacy yellow yoke (in my <a data-mce-href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2020/02/a-mustard-manifesto.html" href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2020/02/a-mustard-manifesto.html">current favorite clothing color</a>!), and...are those...<em>stars</em> on the collar? Yes, they are!
The fun details continue just out of webcam range with more metallic
accents and a pleasingly hued series of vertical stripes. It is a loose
stretchy knit in a tailored fit, perfect for work-from-home comfort! Of
all the shirts in my shipment, this is the one I was most excited about
receiving, and it definitely stood up to expectations. <br data-mce-bogus="1" /></div><div><br data-mce-bogus="1" /></div><div>Even
if just a smidgen of this shirt shows up on camera, it should give
viewers an eyeful! Surely in this shirt, I would receive at least one
unsolicited compliment!<br data-mce-bogus="1" /></div><div><br data-mce-bogus="1" /></div><div>I
wore it to my weekly staff meeting last Friday and...nothing happened.
Alas. At least I enjoyed wearing the shirt. At least I can blog about
it. Who needs external validation, anyway?</div>Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18314065360393630188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2811583350566524209.post-16270245478992831252020-08-19T19:18:00.000-04:002020-08-19T19:18:08.397-04:00A belated birthday blog<div></div><div>If
there's ever a day of the year for dressing to impress, it's on your
birthday. But this year, with gatherings verboten, and my birthday
falling on the most ordinary of work-from-home Wednesdays (without even a
Zoom call!), getting gussied up sounded like exactly the sort of thing
only an Unfashionista would do.<br clear="none" /></div><div><br clear="none" /></div><div>On
the momentous anniversary of my birth, I wore not one, but three special outfits: a cheeky first for
errands, an artsy second for work, and a sophisticated third for stay-at-home
date night with the boyfriend. And then what did I do? I forgot to take a
picture of the last (and best, of course!) outfit! I was so upset with
myself that I nixed the whole idea of blogging my outfits for that day,
and resigned myself to letting my 37th birthday suits disappear into the
sands of time. But the thing about time? It heals all wounds, and now
that I've had 2 weeks to get over it, I am able to admit that two out of
three ain't bad!<br clear="none" /></div><div><br data-mce-bogus="1" /></div><div>So here they are—the first and second fashionable ensembles of the most boring birthday ever!<br data-mce-bogus="1" /></div><div><br clear="none" /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PQbDatSlzOw/Xz2yjSvm4yI/AAAAAAAAlyk/88jLLHbkH6UwkNidRRMMJU-8tW80g0bGACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PQbDatSlzOw/Xz2yjSvm4yI/AAAAAAAAlyk/88jLLHbkH6UwkNidRRMMJU-8tW80g0bGACLcBGAsYHQ/s640/B1.jpg" /></a> <br /></div></div><div> </div><div>First
thing in the morning of the 5th, I scuttled into my clothes and hightailed it to the supermarket. These days, I try to do my shopping before work, when the
store is less crowded. That day, with a tropical storm just behind us,
it was fairly chilly out at 7 AM, so that meant pants and a shirt with
sleeves. The shirt I chose was an over-the-top graphic print with
rainbows and unicorns. This kind of shirt was already passé when I
bought it at the thrift store sometime last year, but it cost next to
nothing, so I decided to get it anyway. It was the perfect tee for a
birthday grocery run—festive but not fancy. I wore it with rainbow
platform sandals and pink pants, to take it from just a silly shirt, to a
whole <em>look</em>.</div><div><br clear="none" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UdCgpyjkcDk/Xz2y12m5wpI/AAAAAAAAlys/c-U9MvFQPYYo2zbDF1RSdEGxVOrXrnK0QCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UdCgpyjkcDk/Xz2y12m5wpI/AAAAAAAAlys/c-U9MvFQPYYo2zbDF1RSdEGxVOrXrnK0QCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/B2.jpg" /></a></div><div><br clear="none" /></div><div>Once
the shopping was done, it was time to get down to business—from the
home office. I've been wearing shorts at work so much this summer that
they've ceased to be a novelty, so to add the interest factor worthy of a
birthday, I wore shorts with sequins! A sleeveless sweater with a
blinged-out neckline rounded out the look. I haven't been wearing shoes
at home since June started, but as it was still kind of cool in the
house and I wanted to go the extra mile for my birthday, I also wore my
furry black sandals. The mullet-outfit (business on top, party on the
bottom) would have been work-appropriate in case of a last-minute video
call, but none occurred, so the only person to notice my sparkling style
was my roommate. At least she liked it.<br clear="none" /></div><div><br clear="none" /></div>After
work, the aforementioned forgotten fancy outfit made its appearance. It
consisted of a slinky tropical dress and matching green heeled sandals.
I really pulled out all the stops, having to dig the shoes out of
storage since I haven't been wearing heels during the pandemic, but if
there aren't photographs, did it really even happen? I guess only my
boyfriend and I will ever know for sure!Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18314065360393630188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2811583350566524209.post-46136474494302172122020-07-18T21:31:00.000-04:002020-07-18T21:31:03.694-04:00Some day my prints will come<div data-mce-style="text-align: left;" style="text-align: left;">
It's
been almost two months since I wrote last, but I'm still working from
home, and still trying to keep a semblance of sartorial standards. By
that, I mean at least I try not to scandalize my coworkers on the days I
have a video call, but still my daily attire certainly has reached new
heights of casual.</div>
<div data-mce-style="text-align: left;" style="text-align: left;">
<br clear="none" /></div>
<div data-mce-style="text-align: left;" style="text-align: left;">
The
temperature routinely rises to 84 degrees in my house by the end of the
workday, so I'm committed to wearing the minimal amount of clothing
possible. I've completely given up on shoes, and have been sticking to
simple jewelry if I wear it at all. Wearing shorts to work has gone from
<a data-mce-href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2019/08/the-wild-frontier.html" href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2019/08/the-wild-frontier.html" shape="rect" target="_blank">a novelty</a> to an everyday occurrence, but most importantly, I've been shunning anything with sleeves.</div>
<div data-mce-style="text-align: left;" style="text-align: left;">
<br clear="none" /></div>
<div data-mce-style="text-align: left;" style="text-align: left;">
Although I've made an effort over the last few years to <a data-mce-href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2018/09/the-cure-for-september-sadness.html" href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2018/09/the-cure-for-september-sadness.html" shape="rect" target="_blank">get more short-sleeved graphic tops</a>,
sleeveless tops haven't been subjected to the same type of push. That
wasn't much of a problem last summer, when I had my whole body to be my
canvas, but now that I'm dressing down daily and the only part of my
outfit that people can see is the shoulders, I pretty quickly ran out of
video-worthy clothes that excite me. It was becoming clear: I needed a
new collection of cute "Zoom tops." Yes, that's apparently what they're
calling the work-appropriate shirts you'd wear to wow your colleagues
during video chats, and I only have <a data-mce-href="http://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2018/07/once-more-with-felines.html" href="http://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2018/07/once-more-with-felines.html" shape="rect" target="_blank">one</a>.</div>
<div>
<br clear="none" /></div>
<div data-mce-style="text-align: left;" style="text-align: left;">
As
soon as I realized this was a problem, I set about solving it with some
diligent online shopping—before realizing everything I needed was
already right under my nose. With boxes upon bins of clothes I'd been
planning to donate or sell, this was a prime opportunity to give new
life to some of the old stuff I'd given up on. Before long, I had dug up
two animal-printed gems—a T-shirt with grey elephants, and the <a data-mce-href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2018/07/even-freer-shoulders.html" href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2018/07/even-freer-shoulders.html" shape="rect" target="_blank">already-much-refashioned bird dress</a>.</div>
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<br clear="none" /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-F-igaYqVvns/XxOg9VcEraI/AAAAAAAAluU/iuordt47jpgIzSKwJHuz8SrZ7nHyUg2lwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/DSCF5587.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-F-igaYqVvns/XxOg9VcEraI/AAAAAAAAluU/iuordt47jpgIzSKwJHuz8SrZ7nHyUg2lwCK4BGAYYCw/s320/DSCF5587.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div data-mce-style="text-align: left;" style="text-align: left;">
I
had retired the elephant shirt because I'd recently gotten another
elephant-themed tee in a similar color, and I don't need an infinite
selection of T-shirts with elephants! I didn't like this one much,
because I didn't find its rounded hem, loose fit, or saggy-baggy breast
pocket to be a good look on me. To freshen it up, I removed the pocket
and <a data-mce-href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2012/08/save-your-shirt-shave-your-shirt.html" href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2012/08/save-your-shirt-shave-your-shirt.html" shape="rect" target="_blank">shaved the pills off the fabric</a>
to the best of my ability. I cut off the sleeves and hemmed the
openings, leaving just a little raw-edged cap at the top. Normally I
don't do cap sleeves, but removing the sleeves entirely would have left
me with something resembling a muscle tee, which I don't think is
work-appropriate, even with my new lower standards. The problem of the
rounded hem was easily solved by tucking the shirt in. I personally
think tucked-in shirts make me look dumpy, but I'm trying to expand my
horizons. A roomier fit on top is probably a good foil to the skimpy
short-shorts I favor.</div>
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<br clear="none" /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Fzr5hp-vRQ0/XxOhKhIV6RI/AAAAAAAAluY/bxQq47tJ8jkHDYxac42hqOgp7SanYbSHQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Elephants.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Fzr5hp-vRQ0/XxOhKhIV6RI/AAAAAAAAluY/bxQq47tJ8jkHDYxac42hqOgp7SanYbSHQCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/Elephants.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div data-mce-style="text-align: left;" style="text-align: left;">
<br clear="none" /></div>
<div data-mce-style="text-align: left;" style="text-align: left;">
But
I only have so much room in my heart for roominess; the other shirt to
come out of this mission is my usual close-fitting standard! This one,
<a href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2018/07/even-freer-shoulders.html">the parrot dress</a>, suffered from static cling even on the most humid July
day, and I was never fond of the sack-like fit or the dangerously short
length. But the bird print was A-one, and I was super-excited to revive
it in shirt form! I simply cut off and hemmed the bottom, added
princess seaming in the back, and attached the sash (now in 2 pieces!)
at the waistline, so it could be tied in the back for a fitted shape.</div>
<div data-mce-style="text-align: left;" style="text-align: left;">
<br clear="none" /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-As7vMHNntGI/XxOhV54F4SI/AAAAAAAAluo/r49acWvgd-EAtCpO9tG97Gg__kmGTQUhQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/DSCF5618.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-As7vMHNntGI/XxOhV54F4SI/AAAAAAAAluo/r49acWvgd-EAtCpO9tG97Gg__kmGTQUhQCK4BGAYYCw/s320/DSCF5618.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fWULvZd0Izo/XxOhbh5iAqI/AAAAAAAAlu0/a0oxcTvjXfsP12Hr7j4Xd84xTuj5-Ks8gCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Woozles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fWULvZd0Izo/XxOhbh5iAqI/AAAAAAAAlu0/a0oxcTvjXfsP12Hr7j4Xd84xTuj5-Ks8gCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/Woozles.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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With
these two old-to-new shirts in my arsenal, I am feeling much more
optimistic about my tops options. Of course, that wasn't enough to stop
my shopping spree entirely—I've got 9 new blouses <em>en route</em> to
me as I write this! Here's hoping that'll be enough to tide me over
through the summer, until I discover another sartorial need to fill for
the fall!Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18314065360393630188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2811583350566524209.post-31327838721865407442020-05-26T21:48:00.000-04:002020-05-26T21:48:32.122-04:00A work-from-home exclusive<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aSEBYyC9cAE/Xs3GkUKIR6I/AAAAAAAAlUc/fVDnfhRBusEMy1uU2zQfwDUgUHI7vNzGgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/S0065486.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aSEBYyC9cAE/Xs3GkUKIR6I/AAAAAAAAlUc/fVDnfhRBusEMy1uU2zQfwDUgUHI7vNzGgCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/S0065486.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<div>
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<div>
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<div>
There
aren't many outfits that I'd wear to work from home that I wouldn't
also wear to work from the office, or lounge around the home, or go out
in.</div>
<div>
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<div>
This, however, is one.</div>
<div>
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<div>
The
long pink T-shirt is a cherished part of my wardrobe. I've worn it to
the office on plenty of occasions, but never worn it around the house or
out and about. I think of it exclusively as a "work shirt." </div>
<div>
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<div>
Conversely,
the leggings are something I'd never ever wear at the office. Even
though I occasionally go to work with leggings under a tunic, or as a
substitute for tights with a dress, the capri length really limits their
usability. The proportions would be awkward if I paired them with a
dress of any appreciable length (remember <a data-mce-href="http://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2012/03/monday-pink-shoes-on-deck-since-i-spent.html" href="http://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2012/03/monday-pink-shoes-on-deck-since-i-spent.html" shape="rect" target="_blank">that one time I tried that back in 2012</a>?), but a barely-long-enough top <em>and</em> skin-tight leggings are an office no-no.</div>
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<div>
Fortunately
the home office has a looser dress code, so I combined the top and the
leggings, added a matching pair of ivory ballet flats, and wore the
whole getup with pride!</div>
<div>
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Honestly,
capri leggings are far from the height of fashion these days (another
reason I'd never wear this outfit anywhere but at home), but I must say
that to my own eyes, it's a great look overall.Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18314065360393630188noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2811583350566524209.post-3149103481686657692020-05-15T21:19:00.001-04:002020-05-15T21:30:42.211-04:00Week 8: A Farewell to Arm Coverage<div></div><div>I haven't been posting my <a href="http://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2020/04/three-more-for-week-four.html">work-from-home outfits</a> as the novelty factor wore off and they basically became variations on a tired theme, but this week I'm back! There are exciting developments afoot! This week, as the weather finally, hesitantly, approached something resembling warm, I got to wear short sleeves!<br />
</div><div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z9ec_iNpBF4/Xr8-on_C1RI/AAAAAAAAlJ0/jGuJ-dCCWb8jHregCNzks8KeQWKDZFEOQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/S0065263_cr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z9ec_iNpBF4/Xr8-on_C1RI/AAAAAAAAlJ0/jGuJ-dCCWb8jHregCNzks8KeQWKDZFEOQCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/S0065263_cr.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div id="8wed">On Wednesday, it was a pink and red floral number, topped off with my still-new-and-exciting <a data-mce-href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2020/04/three-more-for-week-four.html" href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2020/04/three-more-for-week-four.html" shape="rect" target="_blank">dusty pink duster</a>! The color coordination came as a pleasant surprise even to me, the person who put it together!</div><div><br clear="none" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IXQ8I4ypF6o/Xr8-o9Zk2xI/AAAAAAAAlJ8/0i4EHSLs84gVQqTbqZwSIZGKDBLVtF03QCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/S0075370_cr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IXQ8I4ypF6o/Xr8-o9Zk2xI/AAAAAAAAlJ8/0i4EHSLs84gVQqTbqZwSIZGKDBLVtF03QCPcBGAYYCw/s400/S0075370_cr.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div id="8thurs">On Thursday, my <a data-mce-href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2020/02/gold-rush.html" href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2020/02/gold-rush.html" shape="rect" target="_blank">gold cardigan</a> made its second appearance, over an off-white T-shirt and my still-new-and-exciting <a data-mce-href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2020/04/bring-me-higher-waist.html" href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2020/04/bring-me-higher-waist.html" shape="rect" target="_blank">refashioned gold pants</a> for another day of monochromatic dressing.</div><div><br clear="none" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x3rWGaYNKhM/Xr8-okMNtuI/AAAAAAAAlJ4/JGPu-aJAJDA8VGnwvWaI5CJe1spqBnGmQCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/S0175417_cr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x3rWGaYNKhM/Xr8-okMNtuI/AAAAAAAAlJ4/JGPu-aJAJDA8VGnwvWaI5CJe1spqBnGmQCPcBGAYYCw/s400/S0175417_cr.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div id="8fri">Both those days, the afternoon got warm enough that I was able to discard the cardigans for a few hours and enjoy freely flailing my limbs! But Friday was truly special. The forecast predicted 86 degrees, and I marked the occasion with my first dress since <a data-mce-href="http://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2020/04/yay-more-teleworking-outfits.html" href="http://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2020/04/yay-more-teleworking-outfits.html" shape="rect" target="_blank">the first week of April</a>! I didn't even need a cardigan in the morning!</div><div><br clear="none" /></div><div><div style="clear: both;">Usually, by this time of year, I've already had my <a data-mce-href="http://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2016/05/the-seasonal-switch.html" href="http://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2016/05/the-seasonal-switch.html" shape="rect" target="_blank">spring wardrobe out</a> for several weeks and sometimes (as <a data-mce-href="http://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2018/05/thunderstorm.html" href="http://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2018/05/thunderstorm.html" shape="rect" target="_blank">in 2018</a>) even already begun wearing my summer clothes.</div><div><br clear="none" /></div><div>This year has been the cold and miserable exception. My usual cutoff for the Spring Switch, seven consecutive days of high temps above 59, has <i>still</i> not actually occurred—meaning that if I were following the rules, I'd still be decked out in my winter wardrobe of cable knits and furs. </div><div><br clear="none" /></div><div>But I haven't been following the rules. I went ahead and unpacked my spring clothes sometime in mid-April, as we'd had enough days in the high 60's and low 70's that I'd started re-wearing T-shirts. I'd also run out of interesting outfits for <i>any</i> weather condition, since wearing nothing but house clothes has effectively reduced my wardrobe to less than a third its usual size. So out came the transitional clothing, even though plenty of chilly days awaited!</div><div><br clear="none" /></div>There's no reason I shouldn't be able to fashionably enjoy whatever warm weather we have, whenever we have it! Following a set of arbitrary rules is needlessly restrictive and prevents me from living my life to the fullest! Rules are for the repressed! Plus, it's pretty clear that climate change is the new normal and I can no longer count on consistent weather patterns to guide me in my clothing selections.</div><div><br clear="none" /></div><div>So I think I've given up on <a data-mce-href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2016/05/the-seasonal-switch.html" href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2016/05/the-seasonal-switch.html" shape="rect" target="_blank">the rules</a> entirely. I <a data-mce-href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2017/06/rules-are-made-to-be-remade.html" href="https://the-unfashionista.blogspot.com/2017/06/rules-are-made-to-be-remade.html" shape="rect" target="_blank">revise them</a> and make exceptions so often; I may as well just abolish them. From now on, I'll use my own good judgment as to when it's appropriate to rotate my collection. Rules? They're more like <i>guidelines.</i></div>Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18314065360393630188noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2811583350566524209.post-32422302887791482772020-05-10T21:29:00.000-04:002020-05-10T21:29:19.620-04:00Facemask, but make it fashion<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7lrG26QE8nE/XripxzDo4QI/AAAAAAAAlDs/BTZbtT7YiYUEkvb6_UtqTfDYYSSvc-_AACK4BGAsYHg/fashionmask.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1982" data-original-width="1982" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7lrG26QE8nE/XripxzDo4QI/AAAAAAAAlDs/BTZbtT7YiYUEkvb6_UtqTfDYYSSvc-_AACK4BGAsYHg/w400-h400/fashionmask.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Never
in my wildest dreams did I think a surgical-inspired facemask would
become part of my daily attire, but here we are. In the state of
Maryland, it is now required by law (or is it executive order? Facemask,
Fahcemask, I guess) to wear a face covering any time you will be
interacting with people in public, and it looks like that's going to be
the norm for quite some time.</div><div><br clear="none" /></div><div>So,
since I'll probably be wearing facemasks pretty regularly for the
foreseeable future, and since all my usual avenues for creative
sartorial expression have been cut off, it should surprise no one that
"Make fancy facemask" became a must-do project for me.<br clear="none" /></div><div><br clear="none" /></div><div>In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, back when it felt like the sky was falling and there was a shortage of <i>everything</i>,
I learned that some home sewists were starting to make fabric facemasks
to help out people on the front lines. I jumped on the opportunity to
join them and soon found a local group that was sewing and collecting
masks for distribution in the area. So I've been sewing masks for months
now and have actually learned to do it tolerably well (much different
from my usual haphazard DIYs!). I am by no means fast (I usually manage
about 6 finished masks per week!) but I now feel quite confident in my
ability to sew a face mask from scratch!<br clear="none" /></div><div><br clear="none" /></div><div>I
kept several of my early prototypes and "mistakes", so I have a
decent-sized collection, but they don't make me feel good when I wear
them. And in these depressing days, you have to do whatever you can to
feel good. If that means wearing a festive facemask to the grocery
store, then so be it! I debated long and hard about how I wanted to make
my own personal facemask fun—rhinestones? glitter? graphics? trims? The
answer came to me in the form of a ruined pillow.</div><div><br /></div><div>Back when <a href="https://valsgalore.blogspot.com/2020/01/balder-is-better.html" shape="rect" target="_blank">my dog had fleas</a>
last fall, I packed up most of the soft objects in my house and put
them in the shed so I wouldn't have to flea-spray them every week. My
shed doesn't leak, so I'm not quite sure how it happened, but when I
finally brought them back inside last month, I found that several items
had mold and water damage—including a pretty cool quilt that folds into a
pillow. The stains didn't wash out, but fortunately, only the exterior
pocket (the piece that helps it become a pillow) was ruined. I was able
to remove that and salvage the quilt. </div><div><br /></div><div class="tutstep"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6u0q8gyRYi0/XrijpTXslRI/AAAAAAAAlAA/nPPuZxOgqToAvj_i4lePq-GboFMrTbRPACK4BGAsYHg/DSCF5064.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6u0q8gyRYi0/XrijpTXslRI/AAAAAAAAlAA/nPPuZxOgqToAvj_i4lePq-GboFMrTbRPACK4BGAsYHg/s320/DSCF5064.JPG" /></a> The fabric is lots of fun,
featuring line-drawn forest creatures peeking out from an array of
graphic flowers. It's just the kind of whimsical thing that I want on my
face! Here's a picture of the front of the pillow pocket after I'd
already taken it apart and cannibalized some of the fabric. The larger
piece was just big enough to make a double-layer facemask!<br clear="none" /></div><div><br clear="none" /></div><div class="tutstep"><a href="https://www.craftpassion.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/face-mask-template-rev3.png" shape="rect" target="_blank"><img alt="https://www.craftpassion.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/face-mask-template-rev3.png" height="320" src="https://www.craftpassion.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/face-mask-template-rev3.png" width="320" /></a> This
isn't a mask-sewing tutorial (there are plenty out there now!) so I
won't be going into the details of how I constructed my mask, but it was
based on the <a href="https://www.craftpassion.com/face-mask-sewing-pattern/#face-mask-pattern" shape="rect" target="_blank">"Type A - Normal Face Mask" pattern from Craft Passion</a>.
I've tried several face mask patterns, but this one is my favorite
based on fit and ease of sewing (especially if you don't bother with
making casing for the elastic and just attach it directly!). It also has
variations, so you can find one that best suits your sewing and wearing
style. My one warning for this mask pattern, is it does seem to run
small. I'm a woman with a fairly small head, and I wear the "man"-sized
mask. For larger adults, this pattern might not actually be big enough,
but I'm sure the front curve could just be extended if necessary.</div><div><div class="tutstep"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S-MiT3qrlWM/XrikT9_WIAI/AAAAAAAAlBY/hTRkfT8qUNEC4ar1qk1GQIFYAcGI75VjgCK4BGAsYHg/rabbit.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="1365" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S-MiT3qrlWM/XrikT9_WIAI/AAAAAAAAlBY/hTRkfT8qUNEC4ar1qk1GQIFYAcGI75VjgCK4BGAsYHg/s320/rabbit.jpg" /></a> With
my newly salvaged fabric, I was able to make a mask with one side
prominently featuring an owl, and the other side featuring a rabbit! It
was reversible! [Pro Tip: Don't reverse your medical facemask without
washing it first!] <br /></div></div><div class="tutstep"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_ki4UXh7ArE/Xrij_mS0LcI/AAAAAAAAlAc/P204GbvQj_MtCWuInhyOnGcS1BeXuGzSgCK4BGAsYHg/DSCF5138.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_ki4UXh7ArE/Xrij_mS0LcI/AAAAAAAAlAc/P204GbvQj_MtCWuInhyOnGcS1BeXuGzSgCK4BGAsYHg/s320/DSCF5138.JPG" /></a> But there was a problem—it was also prominently
featuring the same stains that had marred it when it was a pillow.
Embellishments to the rescue! Not only would they be able to hide the
ugly parts, they'd also do that little something extra to make the mask a
work of art!<br clear="none" /></div><div><br clear="none" /></div><div><div class="tutstep"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m4jOEwq2H0I/XrikEaEBWeI/AAAAAAAAlAw/-39qm9_FGDoFezbob_dr85-l6EzgYgBUgCK4BGAsYHg/DSCF5139.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m4jOEwq2H0I/XrikEaEBWeI/AAAAAAAAlAw/-39qm9_FGDoFezbob_dr85-l6EzgYgBUgCK4BGAsYHg/s320/DSCF5139.JPG" /></a> From
the remaining scraps, I cut out a few of the printed flowers. I didn't
want them to fray, so I put permanent fabric glue around their outside
edges on the back. You can just barely see it as a glossy sheen in the
photo.<br clear="none" /></div></div><div><br clear="none" /></div><div><div class="tutstep"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k51wmegA_lo/XrikKfNH0sI/AAAAAAAAlA8/6Q1SUTX4pUQOq8CEF-KsShMRZwcTNPuJQCK4BGAsYHg/S0135171.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k51wmegA_lo/XrikKfNH0sI/AAAAAAAAlA8/6Q1SUTX4pUQOq8CEF-KsShMRZwcTNPuJQCK4BGAsYHg/s320/S0135171.JPG" /></a> I wanted
the flowers to really pop, so I hand-stitched around their centers and
gathered the thread, causing the cloth to pucker.<br clear="none" /></div></div><div><br clear="none" /></div><div><div class="tutstep"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S5myNH_Pv2o/XrikP3P41mI/AAAAAAAAlBM/p7PqQf-d8mMWXTVhZ69BuBnP9CiLtCj8ACK4BGAsYHg/flowers.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S5myNH_Pv2o/XrikP3P41mI/AAAAAAAAlBM/p7PqQf-d8mMWXTVhZ69BuBnP9CiLtCj8ACK4BGAsYHg/s320/flowers.png" /></a> Then,
I opened up the bottom seam of the mask (if I'd been thinking in
advance, I wouldn't have sewn the bottom to begin with, but we improvise
here!) and sewed the flowers to the owl layer directly on top of the
worst stains. I put more flowers on the rabbit layer in different
positions, purely for show.<br clear="none" /></div></div><div><br clear="none" /></div><div>Then I repaired the bottom seam and was good to go!</div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V0oJ0ERanQw/Xrin_ZTQYaI/AAAAAAAAlDE/I_VWLUD2KwwNkNVEl8-bAznhGQ_sr5DiQCK4BGAsYHg/sideowl2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2183" data-original-width="1455" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V0oJ0ERanQw/Xrin_ZTQYaI/AAAAAAAAlDE/I_VWLUD2KwwNkNVEl8-bAznhGQ_sr5DiQCK4BGAsYHg/s320/sideowl2.jpg" /></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HnSH-5T9oCo/XrinVkj_JNI/AAAAAAAAlCo/bpD7fHJkaxwgq1uCscQVgQ0TNx_uVkWtACK4BGAsYHg/siderabbit.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2412" data-original-width="1608" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HnSH-5T9oCo/XrinVkj_JNI/AAAAAAAAlCo/bpD7fHJkaxwgq1uCscQVgQ0TNx_uVkWtACK4BGAsYHg/s320/siderabbit.jpg" /></a></div><br /><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BhHtCjRsZvA/XrinVCF15sI/AAAAAAAAlCk/92FO9fXEJmUxbVjkIUaDQxh87y4IHsU4ACK4BGAsYHg/sideowl.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Owl Side Rabbit Side<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div>On
the first day I wore the new "fashion" mask in public, I really pulled
out all the stops! I put on eye makeup for the occasion and boots with
actual heels! I don't think I've worn anything but flats since March, so
it was indeed a thrill! I rocked the mask at Home Depot <i>and</i>
the Post Office, but sadly did not get any comments. People are so much
less friendly when we're all wearing masks. Oh well...maybe I'll try
again the next time I venture out of my house in another 2 weeks!<br clear="none" /></div><div><br clear="none" /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WB8cGTFpX6w/XrinU8H5nrI/AAAAAAAAlCg/8sSqG98joH8vuOM95qNZRf9G8xrAmKTdgCK4BGAsYHg/pose.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3371" data-original-width="2528" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WB8cGTFpX6w/XrinU8H5nrI/AAAAAAAAlCg/8sSqG98joH8vuOM95qNZRf9G8xrAmKTdgCK4BGAsYHg/w480-h640/pose.jpg" width="480" /></a></div></div><div><br clear="none" /></div><div><br clear="none" /></div>Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18314065360393630188noreply@blogger.com2