No Style For The Sheepish

   Recently I constructed this entire ensemble around an accessory I don't own.  I guess it's kind of odd when one thinks about it.  However I’d like to justify it by stating I'm really pleased with this look.  Not only did I feel extremely well-coordinated the day I wore it, I had several individuals I didn't know tell me they really liked my outfit.  I’m always very pleased to hear someone say the words, “I like your outfit.”  I interpret this statement as a compliment of my ability to creatively put together a cohesive look.  In contrast, when someone compliments only your shoes it simply means, “Wow, you’re lucky to have those!”  Not that I don’t eat up any compliment I can get.  I mean let’s be honest here, why else does a person have a style blog?

   Speaking of compliments, I received a very nice one from my special man friend just the other night.  We were walking out of a restaurant when a waitress stopped me to say…yep, you got it… “I really love your shoes.”  Despite the fact that I had absolutely no involvement in the conception, design, or manufacturing of my footwear I was pleased that she approved my selection.  Actually I was more surprised than pleased, considering I was wearing some rather matronly vintage clogs and the server who commented on them looked way too, "cute," to care.  While I was riding the high of, “Hey, I’m still one of the cool kids,” I received a rather unexpected comment from my companion.  He stated, “You know, I’ve never been with anyone who gets so many comments from strangers about their clothing.”  I don’t think he realized it, but for this wannabe fashion guru it was the greatest thing I’d ever heard.  “Oh my God,” I thought, “I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and doggone it, people like me!”

   It’s odd how things have a habit of happening at just the right time.  Lately, I’ve been feeling rather silly about my blog.  I look at the hundreds of pictures I’ve taken of myself and think, “What is the point?!”  I reason, “I’m way too old to be spending so much time on something so frivolous.   I should be doing something that grown-ups do…something like…something like…crap, I don’t know…something like…vacuuming?"  I hear people do things like that.  However, for the life of me I can’t understand why.  In fact, my insecurities regarding my obsession with fashion has been on my mind so much I recently decided to do another major closet cleanse.  I figure it’s the perfect substitution for cleaning floors.  This way I still get to indulge in looking through my clothes while partaking in some semi-productive cleaning. 

   Of course, the entire time I’m, “downsizing,” my wardrobe I find myself obsessively planning on what I can get to replace these items.  In fact, I’ll admit that my disturbingly OCD brain has decided to start buying clothing in a collection type format.  To explain, I aim to construct an overall wardrobe theme each season and buy select pieces in order to execute this, “character.”  I hope that by doing this I will have less random crap to deliver to Goodwill in the future.  In addition, I just like the idea of theme shopping.  It’s kind of like my obsession with clubs.  One can’t feel guilty about partaking in something that has structure and rules. 

   What it comes down to is, as immature as it seems, I love fashion.  I love planning outfits in my head, taking pictures of them, and using these images as an excuse to blather on about stuff I would never say out loud when face to face with others.  For example, “I really like the outfit I wore for this post.”  I know it’s rather conceited to say something like this, but hey, I didn’t…I wrote it.  Furthermore, I’ll write I’m impressed I designed this look around an accessory I’ve been admiring, but don’t yet own.  One beautiful piece of jewelry designed this entire ensemble.  Perhaps in the future I can construct an entire style theme around this piece.  What better way to justify spending too much money on something I don’t need?  And I thought I should be concentrating on cleaning my house… “pffff.”

-r.

Jacket:  Levi’s

Skirt:  Vintage  (Pendleton)

Boots:  Ruff Hewn

Scarf:  Echo

Belt:  Thrifted

Mittens:  Handmade

Sunglasses:  Burberry