Forum member Gretchen recently posted about a misfire that turned workhorse. She bought a super cute Boden pullover last Fall, and wore it once in the Autumn and Winter. But when Spring came around in March, the pullover unexpectedly saw lots of action because the weight, colours and pattern were more suited to Spring. Gretchen was awfully pleased that she held onto the pullover, which became a wardrobe MVP (Most Valuable Player).

I can relate to this with a few items from my own wardrobe. Although I bought the four items in the collection below to wear in the Autumn, I hardly did. But as soon as the mild and less wet weather came through for Spring, I wore them a lot more frequently.

• The first pair of Boden low-tops are warm, but I tend to stick to more insulating hi-tops in cold and wet weather. Instead they work beautifully for Spring, and the stripes look more Spring-y too.
• The white ECCO hi-tops are cut low at the back, which gives me bare back ankles. Although I wear warm knee-highs, this type of breezier hi-top silhouette is better suited to a sunnier Spring.
• The chevron dress is too thin to wear for most of Autumn, but it’s perfect for Spring and cool Seattle Summer days. It’s great layered with a short topper too.
• The short navy puffer was bought to replace a worn-out wardrobe essential, but again, it’s not warm enough for Autumn. Yet it’s perfect for Spring, or a cool and windy Pacific North West Summer day at the beach. That means I’ll need to find a warmer version of the puffer jacket for Autumn and Winter.

Have you bought things for Fall, barely worn them, only to find out that they are great for Spring? Or maybe you’ve bought things for Spring that have worked out better for Fall?

I’m generally a happy, satisfied, confident and positive person, but I also have sad, vulnerable moments, and times when feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt come to the forefront. When I catch myself feeling negative, I make a point of practising self-acceptance. This creates positive energy that affects what I do, how I think, and how I interact with those around me.

I remind myself to let go of things that I cannot change, and focus on the things I can change. I try to reframe negative situations to see the opportunities they represent. I set goals to solve problems or seize opportunities, and work towards them in some big or small way each day. As I make progress towards reaching my goals, I’m rewarded with a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction.

I identify my strengths, realistically appraise my capabilities, embrace what makes me unique and eccentric, and give myself a big pat on the back for what I am doing right.

I identify my limitations and weaknesses, forgive myself for past mistakes, and embrace the fact that with each new day I can improve my behaviour and make better choices that positively affect others and me. I fully accept that I can’t please everyone, can’t be popular with everyone, and that imperfections are okay.

I compare, but do not despair. We all have our challenges, big and small, even when we don’t speak about them openly and publicly. There will always be someone who is doing better than you by some measure, and that’s not a bad thing. I try to view others as inspiration, not competition. I’ve found this liberating, and believe it has made me more accepting and tolerant of others.

I embrace an attitude of gratitude.

As far as I can, I try to remove the negative influences of my life, and surround myself with supportive loved ones — human and canine — who are wise, soothing, kind, affectionate, funny, and make me feel like what I say and do matters.

I give myself permission to dream, because that’s the first step to making a so-called impossibility a reality. Taking steps to actualize my dreams — no matter how small those steps are — is very fulfilling.

And last, I make fun and relaxation a priority.

For me, self-acceptance is therapeutic, calming, strengthening, and sets me up for constructive improvement. It creates positive body image, helps me identify and prioritize what is important in life, builds my self-esteem, protects me from harsh criticism, and makes for a much more fun and relaxed style journey.

I’ve noticed how fabulous white outfit components look on people with grey hair, and my clients generally feel the same way. By white, I mean shades of white, which can range from cool-toned optical white, off-white and bone, to warmer off-whites, ivory, cream, and a very light tan. By grey hair I mean any shade of salt and pepper and darker grey, to all sorts of silver, light grey, and white. 

Here are some examples.

The pairing of a white outfit component with grey hair is especially fab to my eye when the whites and greys match in tone. For example, matching cool whites with cool grey hair, and warmer whites with warmer grey hair.

The white components of the outfit can range from subtle to bold. A solid white top or topper that is closely positioned to grey hair, thereby strengthening the colour match and repetition, is a bold approach. A more bookended approach of white bottoms and footwear can be equally effective, but less bold. There’s the more subtle approach of wearing white components in patterns and textures that pick up the white bits in grey hair. And there’s the subtle accessory in a shade of white, like pearls, handbags, belts, eyewear, and jewellery, that reinforces the aesthetically pleasing colour match.

1. Cool Tones

Here the wearer has cool-toned white hair that works beautifully with the cool-toned optical white topper, and white soles of the shoes. Beautiful.

2. Dark and Light

The wearer here has darker cool-toned grey hair that is combined with cool-toned white bottoms and a pattern with a cool-toned greyish white embroidery. Smashing matching.

3. Warm Tones

The wearer has warmer grey hair making the warmer, off-white bottoms a super match. The bookended white footwear is cracked with gold, which softens and warms the starkness of cold white. The necklace with white stones and gold metal are a fabulously warm and matching finishing touch. Gorgeous.

Over to those who have greying or grey hair. Do you enjoy incorporating shades of white in your outfits because of the delightful colour match? If so, do you do so in a bold or subtle way?

Plans for the Met Gala, a certain sandal making a comeback, a new suit rental service, and other news from the style trenches this month.

• For the first time in its history, jeweller Tiffany & Co. has launched engagement rings for men.
• PopSugar reports that soda sandals — defined by their thick platform base, strappy thong attachment, and uberhigh arch — are making a comeback.
• StyleCaster on the other hand, announces that flared leggings are officially back.
• Valentino is joining its high-end luxury peers, and is launching a make-up line.
• Have a peek at the Erdem for Universal Standard capsule collection that focusses primarily on denim.
• Sales of Crocs soared in the first three months of the year, as the rubber shoe brand celebrated record demand from shoppers seeking comfortable footwear during the pandemic.
• Prabal Gurung is branching out into bridal wear.
• Kate Spade and Dr. Scholl’s have teamed up again for a capsule collection consisting of two pairs of playful sandals.
• H&M is launching a suit rental service, ONE/SECOND/SUIT, that allows men to borrow a suit, free of charge for 24 hours, for that all important first impression during job interviews.
• Fashion designer Alber Elbaz has died at age 59 of Covid-19.
• According to a recent announcement from the Travel Security Administration (TSA), airplane passengers can now travel with full-sized bottles of sunscreen in their carry-on bags.
• Following last year’s cancellation due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Met Gala is returning with a two-part celebration of American fashion.
• Girlfriend Collective is bringing out an eco-friendly swimwear collection in sizes XXS through 6XL.

Fun Fashion Quote

I’m still thinking about this quote on aging from Suzanne Moore I read in The Guardian a while ago:

“A lot of rubbish is talked about getting older. Nora Ephron is the go-to person for women with crepey necks. Me? I prefer Ursula K Le Guin: ‘I am not ‘in’ this body. I am this body. Waist or no waist.’ That is a life lesson I would like every girl to learn. Le Guin also said: ‘Erase my age, you erase my life — me.'”