I’ve been busy…

It’s been a very busy spring and my commitment to blogging has gone by the wayside this last month.  Almost embarrassing but not quite.

When things are busy, I think that’s good.  Stores in general seem to be full of people and they seem to be shopping.  Say what you will about that, but it seems like good news given the past year.

I was at Nordstrom the other day and you just can’t get enough of the beautiful spring dresses.  Tons of color and texture.  Beautiful corals, aquas and greens.  It’s so great to see after the winter even though at least here in the Pacific Northwest it’s been quite beautiful.

While I work on blogging more and keeping my commitment to myself, I challenge you to take this weather and this season and start wearing some color.   Add a little pizazz to your usual black, gray or brown this time of year.  I could almost go as far as to guarantee that it will motivate you to do whatever it is you’ve been putting off.  Trying something new does that for me.

Opal at South Lake Union

I drive by Whole Foods in the South Lake Union neighborhood at least 4 times a week.  Generally I do my shopping at other locations but branching out one evening I wandered into the parking lot and “discovered” Opal (2121 Terry Ave, suite 100).  This boutique is great fun and full of color for spring.  The staff who identified herself as the manager was super friendly and there were 10 things I put my hands on that I really loved.  They have jeans of course, J Brand and True Religion to name  a few, but what I really loved were all the great t shirts and dresses that just made me smile.  It felt like a comfortable boutique to shop in with clothes for real people.

Back to the Basics

I’ve been looking (again) for the perfect pair of jeans. This time what I really want are comfortable, everyday jeans that aren’t too low, aren’t too high waisted, are long enough and have some style. Pretty much what I want every time.   I’m also on a budget but believe in spending good money on something you love so I’ve taken that into consideration as well.

Entering back into the picture after being out of my closet for years… Levi’s.   I’ve found straight leg, dark wash levi’s for everyday and also black jeans for more of a cropped, European flair.  And at $79 that’s a bargain these days for jeans.   Check out the Levi’s store next time you wander by or look at retailers like Fred Meyer for sales and bargains on their Levi’s selection.

Get a Sports Bra Fitting

I always recommend having a bra fitting for regular bras but I’ve never had one (until this week) when purchasing a sports bra.  I went to Title IX and thought I’d just walk in and grab one and leave.  I walked in and headed to the sport bra section when one of the sales associates offered to send over Karen (who I believe is the manager) for a fitting.  She proceeded to talk to me about fit, chafing and the look I wanted to achieve.  I’m training for a half marathon so all of these things are important to me and she knew her line of sports bras front to back. If you need a new sports bra or have never had a fitting for one, I recommend you make a trip to Title IX by Greenlake for a professional fit.

American Idol: Your look Matters

I’m sitting here watching American Idol and if I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a million times:  how you present yourself does matter.  In general, contestants who have their look pulled together tend to get better reviews from the panel.  Now, of course you have to have some talent but having the “package” doesn’t hurt.  For the life of me, I don’t know why you would show up to be on tv without putting your best foot forward on all levels.  We’ll see what happens when the show continues…

The perfect workout coat

Right before Christmas I started searching for the perfect outdoor jacket that I could workout in and still look good.  The jacket that would be long enough in the body and the sleeve but would work on a variety of people.   Look no further than Eddie Bauer and the Serrano jacket from the First Ascent line.  It is amazing!  Thumb holes in the sleeves, filled with Prima loft.  NOT bulky and “sausage like”.  It’s compact enough to pack for a trip (and by the way you could wear it while shopping for the day, it looks that good!) but also keeps you warm even when it’s wet.  I LOVE this coat.  For $169 you can’t beat it!

Vemayca Bags at Ella Mon

Thursday, December 17  from 6-9 pm  there is an evening event at Ella Mon in Ballard.  It’s a Men’s Night event, but the exciting thing in my book is that Veronica Mayo will be there with her new Vemayca bags.   Veronica’s bags can be used for a variety of things.  I use mine for  cosmetics but also for what I call “bag transferring” which is when I change bags but want to make sure all of my stuff follows me to the new bag.  Make sure you stop by to meet Veronica in person and enjoy the beautiful holiday event at Ella Mon

Exercising and Looking Good

I have been on the hunt lately for the perfect outdoor workout clothes.  I much prefer to exercise outdoors even when it’s rainy or cold.  For me, it’s just better to be outdoors as much as possible.

I believe  that you should look good (which means having great fitting workout wear) when you exercise.  After all, we are exercising for a reason, either mental or physical health or both.  And when you look good, you feel good so quality workout wear matters.

Some of the sites I enjoy are Lululemon for great yoga, running and relaxing gear.  Lucy for the same ( it seems to fit some better than Lululemon) and is often slightly less expensive.  I love Brooks for Women for high quality running gear that will wick away from you skin and keep you dry and warm.  Athleta has great looks that work well for working out and lounging.  I love looks that do double duty!  REI always has a great selection as well.  Never rule out Fred Meyer, TJ Maxx or Marshall’s for last season’s looks that are still current but maybe just a different color or a slightly different style.

When you are working out you should look good doing it.  And if you aren’t keeping warm and dry, that’s a problem.  Get yourself some great work out wear and then get out there and get some of this beautiful and rare Autumn Seattle sun!

Looking within

I was working in a couple of different closets last week.  One was quite full, the other had just the bare bones, if that.  Both people longed for “something more” in their wardrobe.  Two women with completely different styles both wanting a look that they felt comfortable in.

One would think that the “full closet” would be  the one with the most choices.  Think again.  Often times there is so much in your closet that you really have to look within and figure out why you have been:  A.  spending with so much abandon or B.  what it is you were looking for when you bought all of that stuff.

It brought me to a thought, which was, “Just because you have a full closet doesn’t mean you have a great wardrobe.”  In fact, it CAN mean you have a useless wardrobe.  Useless in the sense that having a packed closet full of stuff that makes no sense is almost worse than having hardly any clothes.  The guilt that comes with having a full closet of stuff you don’t love is a total drag.

There is something you can do about that though, and that is to start today, from this point forward, only buying clothes you love.  And I mean LOVE.   Clothes that speak to you about who you are and how you want to present yourself.

It takes time and effort and it’s not always easy.  But in the end, I think you’ll find it’s worth it.

My week

Well, I had a busy weekend (yoga retreat)  and a busy week.

I’ve been in several closets this week and I am here to report that people are really ready for a change.

A new look, less black (or blue or brown) and some fun.  Let’s face it, with this weather… three storms in one week, it’s hard to think about dressing in color (at least it is for me).

If you do one thing this weekend, try to find some color in your wardrobe.  It doesn’t have to be a transformation, it could just be a scarf or some special jewelry.  Believe me, every little bit helps and some color (and change) could do you some good.