Fashion Flattery

My fashion sense is a conundrum of half-believing I actually have a sense of style, mixed up with copy-catting other people's styles (namely my sisters) and a strong dislike of shopping (especially clothes shopping).

I remember a time in high school when I desperately needed a new pair of tenners, but I did not want to make a trip to the mall to search for them. If you wait long enough sometimes things just work themselves out. My little sister Katie came home with a new pair of tenners, I tried them on, said they felt great and headed out to get the exact same pair.

Now that I live in the same city as my older sister Jamie, I can't tell you the number of times she'll be shopping and find things for me that I've been looking for but never search out. Black pants that will be long enough and machine washable (Limited...although after 3 kids they just don't fit the same as they used to). Cozy long sleeve t-shirt that will be long enough (Gap...we each have about 4 different colors in the shirt she found this winter). Basic black down winter jacket, with sleeves that are, you guessed it, long enough (Eddie Bauer...best $100 ever spent on a machine washable down jacket). Now when I need something, I literally call her and ask her where to find it, what the brand/style is and the size she thinks I'll need. There have been a handful of times that she'll call me and tell me she put some clothes on hold at a store because she thinks they'd be perfect for me!

When I wanted to get outfitted to head back to work a couple months ago, she was my go-to girl. Her excitement to head out on an excursion to the mall trumped my dread. We spent all day shopping (minus the long lunch at Chipotle) and she was able to "redirect" the personal shoppers helping us who missed the mark on how I was trying to describe my taste.

When I explained I wanted to be polished, but casual, I wound up in a silk button down shirt and pencil skirt. Loved the pencil skirt, but from waist up the girl looking back at me in the mirror was not myself. I don't own a silk shirt. I don't think I even own a button down shirt. But I own a whole lot of tshirts (often the same tshirt in a variety of colors).

Jamie was able to help me choose a couple skirts and a couple tshirts...and then mix and match them and provide accessories to freshen them up and make them fun. She really should be running the personal shopping show over at JCrew.

Jamie's talent for putting clothes together - and I mean clothes that are not already merchandised together in a store - is fantastic! I'll see that color blocking or bright colors or bright colors + pastel colors or any other number of styles are "du jour" and I like it, but can't figure out how to do it myself. Jamie sees it and does it. She helped me try new colors and pattern combinations that I wouldn't have thought of or wouldn't have been confident enough to try wearing. Quite frankly, she could have told me to wear any odd combo and I probably would have done it.

To everyone out there who's style I copy-cat, please know that I'm trying to cull a style of my own. And also that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Weak by me, the copier, but flattery non-the-less. I think Jamie has made me stronger in my fashion sense and more confident in how to pull outfits together.

Here are a few examples of what she threw together for me. You'll notice that, as promised above, it's one skirt and one tshirt in a variety of colors. Mixed and matched with a box full of accessories on loan from big sister Jamie.

- Jamie noticed that there is a smidge of lavender in the tank top and suggested I pair it with a lavender cardigan. I ran into this cardi at Target yesterday and will be trying my very 1st "brights + pastel" combo next week.

- Jewel tone green pencil skirt, royal blue and white striped top and lime green necklace

- Ho.Ho.Ho. Green Giant. Oh yes I did. Not on my 1st day back at the office - that would have been TOO MUCH. But my 2nd day back at work, totally fair game. I wore this green on green outfit. The two shades of green clash "just" enough to wear it Jamie said. Add the green and blue belt and Jamie said "I like it." One of my Green Giant marketing managers said "Dressing the part today, huh!"

- The coloring in this picture looks a little too McDonald's, but I think the tank is just chartreuse enough (instead of yellow) to pair with the red. I probably need to wear something over the tank to the office, so I'm taking suggestions on if/how to make this wear-to-work ready.

- A little preppy for me, but I'm definitely going to wear this just to "try it on for size" and see how it makes me feel. Jamie, brilliant as always, suggested getting a Schleich lobster toy, spray painting it red and adding it to a chain to wear as a necklace.

- This outfit is like pajamas to me. Beyond comfortable skirt. White t-shirt. One chunky necklace. It's my "happy place" when I can't wear jeans.

- Trying different colors together. Blue skirt with bright orange stripes (I love stripes. Always have. While a camp counselor in college, I had a kid at summer camp tell me that I must really love stripes. 'Why' I asked. 'Because this is the 4th day in a row that you've worn a striped shirt' he said). I'm waiting to bump into him at the halls of General Mills some day.