Two Sweater Dresses

Like I said, I really love the fall. It always seems like a "get started getting serious" season. I suppose it's ingrained in me because school starts in the fall, and with the cold north west weather, the time spent indoors increases.


While I'm trying to get serious about house work, writing more, reading, and graduate school preparation, I also feel my mind wandering to outfits.

For a long time, I've been a fan of chunky sweaters. I like the thick knit patterns, cables, and the hearty textures of the materials. But, sometimes chunky sweaters make you look and feel just that -- chunky. The sweater dress seems like no exception, only you also forgo a pair of cute bottoms to give you some shape.

Well, I picked up a sweater dress at Goodwill in the middle of the summer. ** SIDE NOTE: Goodwill hint for the day: don't be too reluctant to buy out-of-season clothes, that next season is always just around the corner.** It was a cute green knit with a hint of blue in the yarn. I liked the length and the bell sleeves as well. But, it looked kinda frumpy. Hmmm.

So, I took the dress out for a test drive the other day and worked on some accessories to make the look feel more polished and hip. I wore a couple of bangles, big earrings, a thin scarf, nude-stockings, and my old brown boots. Also, not pictured, I wore my hair in a messy, tussled look. And....



Also, on a day when I'd like to feel more cozy, I thought I'd pair it with a shawl I picked up in Argentina.




So, my idea for how to wear a chunky sweater, is to work on the accessories. Add a cute scarf, some snappy jewelry, and kicky shoes to create a cozy, fall look that does not look frumpy (in my opinion). Also, wearing slightly disheveled and loose hair will make it look more casual, comfortable and trendy. (I notice my camera is inadequate the capture the details in the colors, textures, and patterns...curses to inperfections!!)


Let's break down the price:

1. The dress: $6.99
2. The shawl: I can't remember exactly, so let's say, $12
3. The scarf: I found it on the street during a walk (true story!)
3. The bangles: gifted from my mother, but you can pick up bangles for $1 or $2 at Goodwill.
4. The boots: $20 from a thrift store, and I've kept them for over 2 years.

Plus, all I had to do was buy the dress and then use other things I had collected to complete the look. So, when it's all said and done, the outfit costs about $30, but with so many interchangable pieces, it's worth much more!

For this green dress, I plan to accessorize it with browns, greens, oranges, and possibly blues. Contrasting colors add a lot of pizazz to an outfit.




Now, let's move on to the second sweater dress. This was a really pretty blue one and I found it just a few weeks ago at Ross. I really like the cables and the cute side pockets. I paired it with a silk scarf a friend brought me back from China and some simple blue jewelry and...



Also, for a chilly day, I paired it with a thick scarf a friend of mine made for me and wore a long sleeved shirt under.



So, to break down the pricing of this dress:

1. The dress: about $12 at Ross.
2. The scarf and shawl were both gifts
3. The same boots
4. The brown shirt: $3.99 at Goodwill
5. The jewlery: just knick-knacks and gifts

I plan to accessorize this dress with different shades of blue, orange, red, purple, and brown.




Dresses are such fun, easy and versatile pieces in the closet. Sweater dresses especially are comfortable and not constricting around the waist or legs. Assuming someone else would want to try and duplicate these outfits, here are my suggestions:

After you find a sweater dress, look for a few snappy accessories to pair with it. Look for matching and contrasting colors.

Thin and narrow scarves are nice because they don't add a lot of bulk to the outfit. Pairing a jacket or blazer with it can add some color, texture, and some shape to your outfit.

This doesn't work for me, but putting a thick belt around the waist can also help define your shape.

Adding a pair of classic shoes and a sensible matching purse completes the look. Now that I have a few good sweater dresses and some ideas on how to accessorize them, I can't wait for the cold weather!

Fall fashion

Fashion week and fall are upon us, and the wheels in my head are turning!

But, no, it's not because of exciting things happening in New York. So far the style trends seem terrible! Just look at this or this. It looks like Molly Ringwald's vomit dug up from 1986! Not all advice is ridiculous, this page has some reasonable ideas. I like sweater dresses and layering.

Whenever I feel in a fashion rut, I'll scope out Nordstrom's website to see what they're pushing. I very rarely buy anything from there, but it gives me ideas for what to look for at Ross and Goodwill. Hmmm...

Even though it's a tad frivolous, I love thinking about outfits and accessories. Fall is my favorite season, because I pull out all my colorful scarves and mittens! Adding a scarf to an old outfit makes it feel new again!

I want to re-vamp my wardrobe a little bit. Even though I shop at Goodwill, I can't afford to do a complete re-do. Plus, I don't have that kind of time right now. PLUS, I'm a shameless pack-rat as anyone can tell you, so purging a wardrobe isn't something I'm inclined to do. So, my strategy will be to invest in a few new base outfits and accessories, then I can pair them with some of my old things and voila...more on this to come.

Here is how I've thought about organizing my wardrobe for the past while:

First, I keep a lot of accessories on hand to mix and match with different outfits. I love my collection of scarves in varieties of colors. They are great accessories that can really change an outfit. Also, I very, very rarely throw out a piece of jewelry. My outfit might feel a little boring until I throw on a few bangles and dangling earrings. Neither scarves nor jewelry take up much space, and you might discover that the weird bracelet your mother gave you, that goes with nothing, is completely fabulous and goes with everything! Accessories can also add uniqueness and personality to your outfits. They can be a great conversation starter too: Oh this? My friend brought it back for me from her trip abroad...I picked these earrings up at a flea market in Ballard from this funny, old lady...that sort of thing.

Second, I try to keep an open mind at Goodwill and look for things that I like, things that are different and things that are classic. For example, I like colors, so I always look for colorful clothes. I also like looking for unique things and vintage things. But, it's important to stock your closet with some classic and simple items such as basic tees, an easy a-line skirt, a stunning pencil skirt, good jeans, some blacks, browns and whites, etc. I try not to worry about buying things out of season; some of my best winter clothes were bought in the middle of summer! If I like it, there's a good chance I'll find a use for it, even if I don't use it right away. (Although, maybe that's just pack-rat mentality.)

Third and final, I try to do things my way, even if it's a little different. Sometimes following the fashion experts or the newest trends can be a let down (see above). I would suggest to anyone that instead of trusting the experts, trust yourself. It might sound trite, but confidence is the best accessory.

So, I'm looking forward to the season of back to school clothes, rusty colored leaves, chilly mornings and cozy evenings. I'm also looking forward to settling back into my domestic bliss and attending to some chores and hobbies that fell by the way side in lieu of the wedding.

Wedding Reflections and Advice

It is done. We are married and the whirlwind is calming down as we return to our more normal and relaxed routines. I'm slowly trying to process all the things that have happened now and reflect back on the past weeks that have led to me being a wife.

I'm incredibly happy with the wedding ceremony and reception. Like I've told many people, I was not one of those girls who dreamed of my perfect wedding; in fact, for many years, I was fairly convinced that I would never get married. Despite not having a clear vision of my expectations for the celebration, it was without a doubt one of the happiest and proudest days of my life. I was thrilled to see so many of our friends and family come together and put in their time and energy to make our day very special. They helped to decorate and set up, wore their best clothes, danced and laughed with us, all in order to help make our day special. Remembering the day gives me a feeling of love and gratitude that I will never forget.

Not only did most things go right, but very few things went wrong!

While catastrophes were averted, small annoying snafus snuck in. Mostly these were small forgotten details. For example, I had gotten dove chocolates wrapped in blue and gold foil for the tables that I forgot at home. The programs weren't handed out at the beginning. Oh and we forgot about the guest book which was buried in a box. For the music, my zune's (mp3 player) music didn't sync properly, so I was the improv dj along with a few other guests for the evening. Some people tripped and fell on the stairs outside while leaving the party because it was so dark. The seating got a little mixed up because the place insisted we have a head table. The cake ran out, despite ordering extra servings. I might send a few grumpy emails concerning the last few three things, but otherwise I think we all came together and did a bang up job!

Robert and I had our honeymoon in Jamaica the week following the wedding, and now are spending labor day weekend tidying up things. We have sorted out our gifts and are starting to work on the thank you cards.

So, if someone came to me and asked how they were going to plan their wedding, this is what I would say to them:

Number 1: Make lists

Make a solid to do list at the beginning of planning and try to organize it chronologically. Set some general deadlines to keep yourself on track. You will likely continually add to this list as the wedding gets closer. There are several online tools that can help you manage the list, but I prefer the good old legal pad and pen style. Also, I've noticed that a lot of people like to blog about planning their wedding, so that's another good resource.

Make a day-of-the-wedding to do list and agenda for yourself and all the people helping you that day. This way, the small things won't be so easily forgotten.

2. Don't be afraid to ask for help

I would generally suggest to someone that if something is really important to you, and you have a very specific way you want something done, do it yourself. For anything else, delegate! I would also advise not to have too many things that you have to have done a certain way or you will freak out -- flexibility is the key here.

Also, while I suggest you don't plan it alone, I don't necessarily advocate hiring expensive professionals for everything. Maybe my friends and family would disagree, but I feel that one of the greatest aspects of my wedding was the cooperative effort that made it possible. We asked several friends and family members to help us with things, including but not limited to:

a. My friend who is great at interior decorating was in charge of the decorations.
b. My sister helped me with hair, jewelry, and make up.

c. My husband's sister took the video.

d. My sister's partner was the officiant.

etc, etc...too many to name!

So, we were able to tap into the talents and abilities of our friends and family to make the wedding personal, and also to involve people in the event. These favors require a lot of time and energy of your guests, so make sure to give lots of thanks and find thoughtful ways to show your appreciation before, during, and after the big day.

Also, I think sometimes the burden of a wedding comes down heavily on the bride's shoulders. I think it's important to keep the groom involved in as many decisions as possible. Also, it's nice to let the groom make some decisions on his own. This way the couple shares the responsibilities of making the wedding happen.

3. Keep the guest count as small as possible

Some people may disagree with me here. I imagine big weddings can be a lot of fun; also, with big families, big weddings may be unavoidable. For our wedding, we invited just close friends and family members, which came to about 60 guests. Our ceremony and reception lasted approximately 4 hours. Robert and I were able to spend individual time with our guests and enjoy ourselves. If we had invited many more people though, it would have been more difficult to spend time with and enjoy the company of our guests.

4. Show appreciation and don't focus on the negative

Things will go wrong, so don't sweat it. Just do your best to make sure the big things don't go wrong and keep your wits and sense of humor about you.

5. Be thrifty but willing to splurge on a few things

Weddings are costly affairs, even for the thriftiest people. Pick and choose where you cut corners on costs, but don't be too afraid to splurge. This is a special occasion and (in theory) a once in a life time event. This was a lesson a spend-thrift like me had to learn and re-learn: don't be cheap!

No!

Robert and I splurged heavily on: the location, the photographer, and the honeymoon. We would have splurged more on the food and cake, but we found a great caterer with very reasonable prices. Food is important though -- make sure your guests are going to eat well! We cut back heavily on: the dress, the tux, and the decorations. I bought my dress on craig's list, he rented a basic tux from The Men's Warehouse (although I do not recommend the company because they're pretty lackadaisical) and a bride's maid and I got the center piece flowers at the farmer's market and the vases and candle holders at Goodwill.

Your wedding doesn't have to be grandiose to impress your guests and make them happy. Keeping things friendly, fun, and down to earth is good enough to ensure everyone has a nice time!