Adelfa, I was behind a guy in the line at Starbucks the other day who was making conversation with an acquaintance about how his tech company had recently been sold and he was in-between projects - meanwhile he's wearing an old t-shirt, flip flops and cargo shorts with holes in them. I mean, I'm not saying he had to be a millionaire, but it'd be a pretty good bet.

Rachylou, poor Tucson I know what you mean, though - my SIL is allergic to wool and she used to get me to buy her sweaters and coats because there'd be a wide selection of non-wool options in the stores here, but none back in Indiana.

I think I'm definitely influenced by weather and environmental norms but less than I used to be - I like to dress a little better than average (which normally just means not yoga pants or holey jeans) most days. As far as shapes and silhouettes I definitely follow the trends, though, mainly because of availability issues.

Ha, ha, ha. Tomorrow, I'm planning to wear my metallic silver oxfords with my polka dot skirt to an (immigration) attorney convention. Out of the 4,000 attending, I'm sure I'll be the only one wearing such shoes and/or skirt. I have a lot of walking to do tomorrow. DD would say, "Mom, you're such a rebel." And yeah, a bit. I figure I can get away with more cuz I'm 60, have gray hair, and don't give a hoot. Except that I probably wouldn't say hoot. And I work for myself.

Yes, totally - even between the city and the suburbs! Depending on where I am (core downtown Seattle; eastside suburbs; downtown Bellevue; young, urban areas in the city) I can feel overdressed, underdressed, frumpy, or too trendy in the same outfit in comparison with the people surrounding me. I wear what makes me feel happy, confident, and comfortable.

You can pretty much get away with anything around here - a beach suburb on the edge of a big city. Although I have noticed since moving nearer to the beach that I am making a conscious effort to dress more casually. It just seems to fit the lifestyle better.