New...and moving South!

ChristineS

Hi all! I am a long-time fan of Angie and the site, but it's taken me a while to sign up. I figured I'd dive right in with my dilemma: next month, we are moving from the Boston area to Houston, TX. Apart from the difference in weather, I am unsure of where to start style-wise. I'm middle-aged and work in tech, and strive for an unfussy yet polished look. I wear too much black even for here, so I probably need to lighten up without going too sweet or girly. Oh, and my husband's best buddy from Texas advised me to "get rid of the Plain Jane hairstyle" before moving (LOL). Anyway, I would LOVE to hear from YLFers from Houston or, really, any good-sized town in the Southern US, with any style advice or do's and don'ts. Thanks!

11 years ago

Dressing

7 replies

Latest reply was from kkards

Anonymous

I have lived in Houston for 23 years but had lived in Boston before. Message me and I can give you some ideas!

11 years ago

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

Welcome to YLF! I've lived in Texas most of my life. Houston has become a very international city - esp. in the city center areas. If you are going to live in the suburbs far north or west, it may be more "rural" or "country" but otherwise, it is probably going to be just a slight variation on the theme of larger city dressing in other areas. The hot, humid weather nearly year round will be the biggest hurdle. I live in the hill country where it's almost desert so the humidity is not as big of an issue, but Austin is not far away and it is much lower in elevation than out here and also very humid - and I lived and worked there in high tech for years. People in Austin are more casual than Houston when it comes to work attire. But overall women tend to dress in light layers, lighter colors, fewer full suits (unless you'll be working in a high rise). Pantyhose are usually skipped. AC is typically on full blast in most buildings so it's mostly the dash from the car to the building in the heat of the day.

There are a lot of posts here on hot weather dressing that may be helpful.

11 years ago

ChristineS

Member

Thanks Pam and texstyle! (Pam, I don't think I can message until I become an active member.) I will scan the hot weather dressing posts. Oh, and I get what you are saying about downtown high-rise international style: some of the women in the Houston office of my husband's company are extremely sharp, eye-wateringly high-end dressers!

As for me, I guess the first step is to figure out how to wean myself off so much black. Sigh!

11 years ago

Beth Ann

Veteran

Check out IK's posts. (Iron Kurtin). She's a former NY in Texas IT -- she just goes for the black and keeps it real. Sarah the White is a TX girl, too, I beleive. Now, a lot of us are lightening up a bit, but for some, black is a signature and, as TX is a BIG place, there should be some room for the darkest shade! I'd say the same for hair. I lived in Tulsa, then New Jersey in the early 90's and kept smooth hair for the duration. There are many ways to adapt to a new environment and signal to the locals that you're "one of them." You get to choose the "elements of assimilation" that make you happy!

You will definitely need to dress for a new climate. Other than this big task, do you have any ideas about how you'd like to develop your current style?

11 years ago

JayS

Veteran

Welcome to Texas. I live in Katy..a western suburb of Houston. Style runs the gamut here...you'll find plenty of designer stuff as well as dressing for comfort. It can be quite challenging to dress in summer. The humidity is a killer. I like natural fabrics that wick the moisture away. Dresses are cooler than pants. Like Texstyle said, the AC is usually on full blast inside. I keep a light knit blazer in the car so that I don't freeze in restaurants.
Most of the ladies in my area stay well groomed...routine haircuts/color and mani/pedis. There are nail salons on nearly every block, just check reviews for cleanliness. A visit to the Galleria on Westheimer will give you a good indication of how people dress here. We are an international city, and the diversity of food and dress is amazing. People watching here is awesome. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
Oh, and don't know what your housing situation will be, but commuting can be a nightmare. Choose where you live carefully. Good luck!

11 years ago

Laura

Active Member

I completely agree with JayS. While Texas is a lot hotter then Massachusetts, at least when you are outdoors, air conditioning plays a very major factor. When I was visiting Dallas & Houston, I would have on a long super thin summer dress to protect me from the sun but once indoors, I sometimes would like to have a cardigan with me so I don't freeze.

11 years ago

kkards

Veteran

welcome. although i don't live there anymore, what got my when i moved from boston to charlotte, wasn't the fashions or the colors it was the mix of my wardrobe. when i moved i probably had 5-6 pairs of boots, and 2 swim suits. well, i no longer needed that many, or the wide variety of boots, but 2 swim suits, quickly became an issue. same with the mix of sweaters vs light tops etc. but i recommned taking it slow; move and get a feel for what the people you see everyday wear.

11 years ago

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