The Next Set of Summer Essentials

Day 138
The Next Set of Summer Essentials


Back to InStyle magazine's 15 Summer Outfit Essentials


#10: Polka-dot Bikini
Hmmmm ... possibly. 1/2 point


#9: Peasant Dress
Calling anything "peasant" is not conducive to me coveting it. Call it a casual summer dress and I'm all in. 1/2 point because InStyle should know better than "peasant".


#8: Mens-wear Hat
I can see that this could be a trendy fashion moment, but an essential? No way. No points.


#7: White Jeans
I agree that white jeans are about as summer-y as it gets. Problem is, they can be less than flattering if you are less than svelte. And for coffee-spilling me, likely won't make it through the day sparkling clean. Great idea so a point is scored.


#6: Polo Shirt
I guess that a sleeveless polo has a throw-back Palm Springs vibe but again--essential? I think not. No point.


Here's where we stand on Summer Essentials as dictated by my (former?) favorite magazine, InStyle:
5 out of 10 points thus far. I'm feeling a little disappointed but we'll continue tomorrow.

15 Summer Wardrobe Essentials

Day 137
15 Summer Wardrobe Essentials


This is the worst time of the year to be in a No Buy Zone. Spring and summer fashions are my absolute favorite. I swear, I walk past a rack or see a picture in a magazine and they call to me. "You would look so pretty in me! I am perfect for you. C'mon, no one would know, it can be our fashionable little secret." I stick fingers firmly in ears and march on.


That's why this InStyle magazine headline caught my eye: 15 Summer Outfit Essentials. What's on your closet already? Perfect, right? Well, sort of. I am starting to realize (hellooooo...) that InStyle magazine really only wants me to buy things from the fine companies that purchase their advertising space. The headline should really read: 15 Categories of Overpriced Outfit Essentials.  I however, am not a giver-upper, so I examined their picks closely.

#15: Embroidered Tunic




  The one in the magazine looked similar to this. Danger: This can easily look like an impulsive Mexican Riviera vacation purchase! I say go for mostly white or at least try for embroidery that is very close to the fabric color for a more subtle look. I give them 1/2 point for this one.                                           


#14: Striped Tank
I actually got one of these last summer and I totally agree. Striped tank gets a point.


#13: White One Piece Swimsuit                                                        
Seriously? Nice thought but I think this applied to teens and models only. And, no way for the beach, poolside only. No points.


#12: Crochet Dress
I'm all for a great summer dress but perhaps a gauzy dress is more "essential". 1/2 point


#11: Oversize Sunglasses
Yes. Point.


So far, InStyle is 3 out of  5.


Check your closet, more tomorrow!

Things I Learned From My Mother

Day 132
Things I Learned From My Mother


I've already confessed that I am a bargain-junkie. I can't pass up a clearance sale and I have bought things I do not need time and time again because they were cheap. These are behaviors passed on to me from my mother. Perhaps they were passed on to her by my grandmother. I come from a long line of bargain-hunters. That in itself isn't so bad, but other things I learned from my mother are:

• You can always fit one more thing in the closet.
• You may not need it now but someday might.
• Kids can never have too many toys or clothes.
• If it's from resale or a garage sale, it doesn't count.
• If one is good, five are better.

Many of these are behaviors I am battling this year. Thanks a lot, mom.

    But there's another side to my mother, the bigger, better side. My mother is the most generous person I know. She would, literally, give someone the shirt off her back if they wanted it. She has made dozens of scarves and blankets using sale-priced fabrics to gift senior citizens, mostly anonymously. She uses coupons to buy toiletries to help stock a homeless shelter. She showers the grandkids with so much, our Christmases used to resemble a toy factory explosion. More accurately, she is generous to a fault, buying for everyone when she really couldn't afford to. 

     I've learned from my mother that family is the MOST important thing in the world and you sacrifice anything for them. If any of us need anything, she is there, and more importantly, is happy to be there and do whatever we need. I'm sure my sisters and I have taken advantage from time to time but she doesn't complain. 

     Because of my mother, I feel like I can accomplish anything, because she truly believes I can accomplish anything. All of us, my sisters, our kids and grandkids. My mom bursts with pride in us. 

     And, my mom has taught us to embrace the adventures in life. She travels as much as she can and is always up for a road-trip. I remember the Sunday afternoons when we would pile into the car with a full cooler and no plan. The times she packed up the kids to spend the night in a hotel with a pool. The shopping trips she still takes with her good friends, even hours away. 

So, yes. I have learned my bad shopping habits from my mother. But that's a small price to pay for all the wonderful things she passed on to my sisters and me. I look at my own daughter and hope that I've stopped this shopping madness in time for her. But mostly I am thrilled to see that we have passed on all those good things on to her, too. So, really, Thanks a Lot, Mom!

Grocery Store Dress Code: Don't be a People of Walmart!

Day 130
Grocery Store Dress Code: Don't be a People of Walmart!

Are you one of those people that have to look put-together whenever you go out? Next time you go out for dinner, look around. Most people look like some effort was made into their appearance. I make the effort, for sure. Hair, makeup, nice shoes. It's funny because we are mostly sitting and the bottom half will be largely ignored.
How about when you go to the mall? Do you look different when you shop at the "fancy mall" as opposed to the outlet mall? Subconsciously, I think I do dress different for the fancy mall. Not sure why, I suppose I at least want to "look" like I buy everything there (when I surely do not!). Comfort is generally more a factor at the mall than a restaurant, but the mall is a place where we could potentially run into someone we know. There is nothing worse than a chance meeting with an old friend or acquaintance and wanting to scream: "I usually look better than this! It's really not that bad!" So I try to look a little nice at the mall.
And then there's the grocery store. We have a Kroger about a half mile away. I do not know why, but for some reason it seems acceptable to shop at Kroger in dirty gardening clothes, stinky exercise wear or even pajamas. Seriously- pajamas. We still see people, just like we see people at a restaurant or mall. Is it because we are likely to see only our neighbors? No reason to try to impress them, after all. If you run into a neighbor at Kroger, even if you stink to high heaven, there's no judgment. Neighbors are like family. It's a good thing there is not (to my knowledge) a People of Kroger website.
I'm talking about People of Walmart, that funny website where grocery store fashionistas flaunt their stuff. Need a laugh?, Check it out: http://www.peopleofwalmart.com/
See if it doesn't make you think twice about your grocery store attire!

New at Target: The Webster Miami

Day 128
Target: Webster Miami

Did you happen to shop at Target this weekend? I stopped in to get cat food and saw one of my Great Challenge Fears come true. I was worried that during this No-Buy year, Target would introduce a guest designer perfectly suited to me. The guest designers of the past were intriguing, sure, but none really suited me. Although technically not a designer, The Webster Miami Collection is part of a new "boutique experience" at Target. I am not sold on this "boutique" thing- but oh my! I really like this Webster collection!

A little more "upscale" than a typical Target garment, these pieces are colorful, breezy, a just a bit preppy. It was painful to examine them too closely but the fabrics seem nice and the styles very wearable. The long dress is $44.99 and that lovely blouse $29.99, again, a little high for Target but still very affordable.

Now that I have had to scrutinize my previous purchases, I have learned a great deal about what is worth buying and what is not. Sure, the colors and patterns in this collection are great, but I have to learn to see past the look and get great fit and fabric. This is an exercise in restraint, for sure.

If you, on the other hand, are looking for a couple of cool things to brighten up your spring/summer wardrobe at a great price, I would suggest stopping by Target. Warning: try stuff on and be critical. Take it from me. Each day, I face a closet that is half full of "misses" and not nearly enough "hits".The stuff you pick should be more than a pretty face!

Accessorize Your Garden

Day 127
Accessorize Your Garden


Spring fashion abounds! The stores are bursting with colorful, stylish outfits and my closet is looking positively boring. Since updating my wardrobe with new pieces is not an option this year, I've stepped out-- to the backyard that is. 


A few weeks ago I shared that my husband and I decided to make a real, honest-to-goodness effort to grow a successful vegetable garden. The soil in our area is very sandy so we built the garden area up about 8", filled with a combination of garden-y soils (us at Home Depot: "Let's get a couple of those yellow bags of dirt, a red bag and a load of those blue bags"), and fenced it in so as to avoid the Lake Orion location of the Old Country Bunny Buffet. Then, I accessorized!

I smile every time I look in the backyard! I only hope the plants actually grow!

Mothers and Daughters

Day 125
Mothers and Daughters


When I set out to take a year off buying clothes, my intention was for myself only. I quickly realized I got the same thrill buying clothes for anyone, so I extended the challenge to include all clothes, shoes and accessories. My family is beginning to realize that it was me who chose and purchased most of their clothes. I loved to buy clothes for my husband. He would come home to an assortment laid out on our bed and I'd chant, "Fashion show! Fashion show!" My son's drawers were perpetually full and refreshed. And all my daughter had to say was, "I could use some more yoga pants" and whoosh- I was out the door on the hunt. It's been good for them to realize that clothes don't magically appear.


It was a bit painful, though, when my daughter got her first "real job". Landing a position in a fancy hair salon, she would now have to dress like a stylist instead of a student. A year ago, I would have been scouring the stores for cute work outfits, comfortable shoes and accessories that would tastefully match her new salon surroundings. Just as I had sent her off to preschool in a new dress, kindergarten with a new backpack and middle school in new boots, I wanted to send her into the working world in style. 


I was really pleased when she stopped by last weekend with bags full of her own stylish purchases. I admit, I held my breath a little as she changed into the first outfit. But yay! She looked great! She made careful purchases at good prices of styles both flattering and salon-ready. My daughter picked outfits that I would have chosen (maybe better!). She's growing up. I'm letting go. And I have the bonus of feeling like she learned a little something from me on the way.