Tough Love

Phew... self-evaluation is exhausting! Over the course of the last two days I have spent, oh, probably about 5 hours or more nitpicking through every garment I own--and I'll probably need at least a couple more hours for hosiery and accessories.

I am being really hard-core about this, no holds barred, and it's really, really hard. It is mentally and emotionally exhausting to try to see oneself through others' eyes, and physically--well, OK, it's not like I ran a marathon or anything, but you try putting on and taking off almost a hundred outfits, one after another, and then tell me it doesn't take its toll.

To be thorough, I tried everything on. At this point, I didn't fuss over creating complete outfits with shoes and accessories; I tried on every item at least once--every top with a bottom I might reasonably choose to wear with it in real life (and vice versa), every jacket or cardigan with a neutral, unobtrusive top--and I noted how it felt physically (does it fit? does it scratch? pinch? rub?) and otherwise (do I feel attractive? confident? sexy? does it make me feel like me?), then looked in the mirror...

The thing is, you can't really trust mirrors. At least, you can't trust just one mirror. Or maybe it's that you can't trust yourself to look objectively when you look into a mirror. Whatever. You know in the movie Clueless, our heroine Cher has a friend take Polaroids of her before she'll hit the streets in an outfit? It sounds ridiculous, but photos are really helpful in seeing big picture design features like line, silhouette, and balance (I don't trust them for colour, though). I set my digital camera to take three consecutive shots on a timer, and then I stood against my bedroom wall and did front, profile and back views in every outfit. There were quite a few garments I chucked in the discard pile right away, before even looking at the photos: anything stained, torn, frayed, or pilled beyond repair; anything that just didn't fit; and things that just didn't feel like they worked for the look I want. Everything else went into the "maybe" pile, pending viewing of the photos.

I was pleasantly surprised by a few of the photos--there were even a couple of things in the discard pile that I pulled out after seeing them in a new light--and surprisingly disappointed in a few other "sure fire" items. And, out of all the many, many clothes I tried on, only two garments really made me feel, instantly, like a babe: a shrunken one-button blazer in creamsicle orange, and a teal jersey dress. Everything else was just... OK.

My goal is for everything I put on to give me the orange blazer/teal dress "wow" moment. I want to feel like the real me, always. Two items isn't really much to go on, but it's a start.

Trendwatch

So, here's what is jumping off the glossy pages at me for fall:

• The Modern Flapper -- mod tunic dresses over billowy blouses, paired with woolly black tights and chunky shoes
• Patent Leather -- on shoes, bags, belts, coats...
• Tulip Skirts -- I couldn't tell you why, but this strange, pleated cousin of the pencil skirt cropped up a few times in the course of my research
• Flat Boots -- more or less equestrian in style, they're a slimmer, sleeker update on the cowboy boots that have been hanging around in recent seasons
  

Of course, there the fall staples were there, too: tweed, leather, muted colours... Interestingly, although the editors are touting smooth coifs as the look to match, I spotted a few examples of real, honest-to-goodness curls in the ads. Think early Friends Phoebe; think Harriet from So I Married an Axe Murderer (a terrifically funny, if cheesy, Mike Myers movie). I'll keep an eye on that to see if it's really going somewhere.

In other news, I made the first step towards entrepreneurship the other day. I am now the proud owner of a shiny new expanding file folder. AND--I even have something to put in it. To kick off my own self-consultation, I designed a pre-consultation client questionnaire and filled out a copy for myself. Later this week, I plan to start the closet purge.

I'm back!

Wow, time flies when you're... um, dealing with the crazy stuff life throws at you. But don't worry: I haven't been writing, but I have been thinking. And watching lots of What Not To Wear. I am, in fact, watching it right now (shut up, it's called multitasking).

I'm the kind of person who can't really accomplish any task unless it's been written down, so here's my To Do list, style-related edition:

• check out some fashion mags to get a handle on this season's trends--I've drifted further and further out of touch since leaving school, since I no longer have to do market research for marks; the good news is, I've already picked up some magazines, so I'm one step ahead
• do a thorough evaluation and pruning of my current wardrobe
• decide what I need to buy and/or make in order to complete my wardrobe and meet my styling goals--and then make the time to find/design/sew those items
• and, last but not least, document my progress here, of course!

Check back soon for updates and maybe even (!) photos.

Back to Fall

I think my three favourite times of year--weather-related--are, in no particular order:

• the first time I go outside and it smells like winter, making me want to go home and blast holiday tunes while I craft up a pile of gifts for my family and friends;
• those few, precious summer days when the balance of heat and humidity is just perfect for a long ramble through the park, or for lying on the beach with a good book and a cold drink; and...

...autumn. Just after school starts up again, when it is just barely jacket weather during the day, before all the leaves are down--the weather is crisp and wonderful and full of possibility. I think many of us, even long after we finish our formal education, still think of this time as "Back to School" time. What this really means, of course, is "Make a New Start" time. Even more than the New Year, this is the time to resolve to get organised, to always look your best, to become a brand new version of yourself.

Fall triggers in me a profound craving for sweaters. And tweed. And leather boots. In my opinion, it is the season with the best fashion potential: it is not so hot that you're choosing items solely for ventilation purposes, not so cold that you have to look like the Michelin Man to be comfortable, not so mucky and wet that you can't afford to wear your nice shoes. It is Sexy Librarian season, a time to look ladylike and sophisticated and polished.

I know that by the time the snow falls, many of my resolutions will have fallen by the wayside. It happens every year. But for now, it's Back to Red Lipstick time.

Panty Pact

I, the undersigned, do solemnly swear, from this day forward, to respect and uphold the laws of correct undergarment maintenance, as set forth in the Care Instructions; to reassess the condition and fit of such garments at regular intervals, initiating immediate corrective measures when necessary; and, to exercise prudent discretion in assigning undergarments to wardrobe units ("outfits"), ensuring that the undercover nature of the garment(s) remains uncompromised; so help me God/other [choose one].

Mission Statement: Part Two

So, if I want to do this image consulting thing, I will need (among other, lesser, things):

a) practice; and,
b) to look the part.

With this in mind, I have decided to ruthlessly make myself over. I will be documenting the stages of this process here. Keep your eyes peeled. There may even be photos involved.

Truth be told, I think I am more than a little in need of a taste of my own medicine anyway. It's not that I don't know what looks good, or that I never make any effort--I polish up quite well, in fact; the problem is that it's so easy to get stuck in a rut, to make do with things that don't really fit right or suit me or that need fixing up. I have a really hard time justifying clothes purchases to myself, and so my wardrobe is mainly made up of very functional, very boring, very cheap garments, often picked up in multiples to take advantage of a sale: you know, x for $25. I am very petite, so it can be difficult to find clothes that fit well; many times I have been too lazy or too busy to get around to hemming a new pair of jeans, so they just get cuffed and scuffed and never look the way they're intended to.

The main thing I am starting to realize is that, right now, I do not look my age. OK, granted, since we've moved to Nova Scotia from Ontario, I've been essentially joined at the hip with my mother, because it's just the two of us for now. And, yes, I am short and I have a bit of a baby face. But, seriously, I keep getting asked what grade I'll be going into, and a number of people have recently told me they thought I was 12 or 13. I am 24 years old, with my fair share of accomplishments under my belt, and I should be kicking ass. If I want people to treat me like an intelligent, creative, serious woman, I need to (first of all) believe that that's what I really am, and start actually looking like one. A disheveled ponytail, an Old Navy basic tank with a fallen hem, a denim mini and worn-out flip-flops do not a successful artiste make. Plus, I just don't feel like me, I don't feel good about myself--is that cause or effect of my lack of effort, do you think? Could be a little of both.

I don't pretend that this will be easy. For one thing, my current small town life doesn't exactly scream for a sophisticated wardrobe, and it's hard not to feel a bit silly and self-conscious when deciding what to wear. Not to mention that I have virtually no money to spend on updating my closet, so I'll be DIYing and doing a lot of things on the cheap. But, hey--anyone can spend a load of cash to look like they spent a load of cash... it takes someone with real pizazz to do it on a budget.

Wish me luck!

Whirlwind

Good news, people! I've made a new industry contact (she works with leather) and she's going to point me to the fabric stores--I am free, FREE of the tyranny of WalMart's crafts aisle!

Very busy day, so much I want to share, but it's past time I got some sleep. I'll be back with part two of my world domination plan tomorrow.