Under the Weather and Over the Moon

Illness has been reigning in our house recently - sinus issues, allergies, colds, the whole lot. It's thrown our routine out the window & we've been more than a little shlumpy lately. Forget exercising and the dishes, let's get take out and just try to survive. Applesauce, chicken noodle soup, saltines, cereal, bananas, and Oreos :) have made an appearance in our little home. And lots of nasal rinses - shout out to the neti pot!

In the midst of one or both of us being sick, I've managed to watch all two seasons of the hit TV show "This is Us." When heard it described "as a show about emotions" and one in which "you'll need Kleenex nearby", I was almost certain I'd be sold. Turns out, it was even better than I anticipated. I enjoyed the characters and the weaving nature of the story line, and yes, the familial bonds and heartwarming monologues. With any period piece, I'm always drawn to the fashions and have been re-inspired by these relaxed bohemian looks sported by Mandy Moore's character.

So while sickness will always be a sour reality, we try to keep our spirits up and still make each other laugh. It always surprises me how Mr. Fleece can be a walking zombie physically but still make me chuckle with his witty ways. 

Gargling salt water,

SJW

Chapter 5 | Clothes Upon Clothes

That same summer, I also landed a job with Buffalo Exchange, a buy, sell, trade retail store. I still have the layout of the Austin store etched in my mind and can recall quite a few fashion scores during my brief tenure. I worked the floor - rotating between a greeter, dressing room attendant, and runner putting back clothes/helping people browse. Overall, a few things stand out to me:

1) Working with all sorts of people...with all sorts of styles! I was still fairly shy and reserved at this point in my life (still am), so working with a bunch of people who had been working with each other for a long time wasn't super easy to walk into, but people on their own were friendly & kind. I just perceived them as all being very cool & edgy. 

2) We had displays around the store that individuals would style and arrange. One key rule was "no lifesaver displays." Lifesavers as in the candy - meaning no grouping clothes together based on color. Cut, fabric, print - yes. Colors - no. 

3) People love/hate the buyers because they judge all your clothes and people would leave ticked off when none of their wardrobe was purchased. The fun thing was - staff members would get first pick and could reserve anything that came through the store before it went out on the shelves. Coworkers of mine scored some pretty unique dresses, shoes, vests, etc. 

4) One of my favorite things about Buffalo Exchange is the education piece. Once a month managers would hold an all-staff meeting and talk about fashion, give presentations on current trends (like old school approach - poster collages with magazine cutouts), and explain different labels and what stores they originated from. They also talked through pricing so that they were more consistent and would pull examples from the current inventory to show 'errors' and talk through why a sale piece didn't sell and probably should have been priced at a lower point or not taken at all. 

5) It was incredibly fun getting to wear whatever I wanted to work. I had a funky/vintage flair to my style at this point in my life. At times I want to revive this girl & bring her back into action. 

If I was giving a presentation in fall 2017, here's what'd you see on my poster:

Velvet

Choker style tops

Turtlenecks

Jumpsuits

Knit sweaters

Clothes are my love language,

Kicking myself for not buying this dress.

SJW

In With Fash | Gingham

I love me some gingham! In 7th & 8th grade I was on a dance team called "The Gingham Girls" so maybe the attachment just stuck. Whether it's a preppy top, modest dress, or statement making capris, it'd be fun to snag a gingham something in the coming year!

 

 
Rah rah sis-boom-bah,

SJW

In With Fash | LuLaRoe

LuLaRoe is taking the internet by storm. I'm drawn to their fun colors & unique inventory approach. There's a limited number of styles/sizes per fabric option - so you could find a one of a kind : )
The super soft fabric and flattering styles are other key components that people rave about.
Read more about the craze here.

The designs are colorful & fun with lots of personality. 

Each style has a different name & I laughed when I saw they have a "Sarah." 

The mix & match flavors are visually delicious. This is one brand I can get behind. 

Prices for most items are above $40 so I was pretty giddy when I snagged this LuLaRoe dress from Goodwill for just $8 bringing my collection up to three items. The pile may grow when I host a pop-up party for my friend Sarah in a couple of weeks. It will be a fun morning of trying on fun things you might not normally try on. For me that's neutrals : ) 

Like wearing pajamas,

-SJW

In With Fash | Yves Saint Laurent

If you're looking for a fun outing, I'd recommend the Yves Saint Laurent exhibit at The Seattle Art Museum. The museum has curated over 100 pieces to capture the essence of this designer's unique and pushing-the-edge collection. Sketches, sequins, stripes, and shift dresses combine to entice the eye and highlight his stunning 44-year career in the fashion industry.I loved looking at the original sketches.

His colorful mod dresses inspired by Andy Warhol and other artists were my favorite. 

A room full of costume jewelry.

So many designs!

I'm interested in watching either this or this film to learn more about the eccentric man himself. 

I feel like dressing up,

-SJW

In with Fash | Duchess of Cambridge

Kate Middleton has an iconic style dripping with class & elegance. She knows what suits her and wears it well! I'd love to copy her in the following ways:

1. Wear tailored clothing that flatters. 

2. Try bold solid colored statement pieces. 

3. Find unique dresses that are fun but not too wild. The turquoise & green is my favorite.

Though I think I'll opt for more comfortable footwear,

-SJW