FBFF for May 25th

Today's FBFF Questions are all about summer trends.  Katy Rose of Modly Chic has asked us what we are loving for the upcoming season.

I’m actually loving pretty much the same trends for summer as I was for spring.  Weather-wise there isn’t a huge difference between spring and summer weather in my part of Oregon so my summer wardrobe is essentially my spring wardrobe but with more sandals.

Here are some things I can’t wait to wear this summer with sandals.

Tropical Prints

I’m amused as all heck that tropical prints are back.  I like them because they’re kitschy and I love the kitsch, but I also like them because they’re so easy to thrift.  In fact, I’ve already worn a thrifted, tropical print piece this year:

Printed Pants

I’m sort of obsessed with this trend.  As I mentioned before, I know I probably shouldn’t wear printed pants given the size and militancy of my thighs, but darned if I don’t love them.  I’ve thrifted a couple of pairs, including these that I’ve already worn this spring:

Oh, look, more tropical print.  Well, I warned you...

Tangerine

It’s the Pantone Color of the Year and, in my opinion, for good reason.  It’s just so frickin’ vibrant.  See?:

Coral Belts

Okay, this isn’t a trend, except in my wardrobe, but I love my skinny coral belt.  I’ve worn it multiple times and will definitely be wearing it all summer long:

Neon

It took me a little while to get on board with neon last year, but I’m glad it stuck around for another year.  I have a few pieces in my closet, mostly neon pink, mostly thrifted, and I can’t wait to wear them.  I’d also love a pair of neon shoes, like one of the pairs below.

Heart and Soul “Pasquale”:

Image via Piperlime

Or even a pair with just a little bit of neon, like these:

Lucky Ballerina Flat at Alloy (image via Alloy)

How about you, Reader Friends?  What are you looking forward to wearing this summer?  Maybe something from eShakti?  If so, don't forget to enter my giveaway.  And, Schoolmarm Style is hosting an eShakti giveaway, too, so visit Kathryn for even more chances to win!

Happy Friday, All!  Have a wonderful weekend!!

Gracey

FBFF for April 27th – Outfit Planning (and Outfit Wearing)

Today’s FBFF Questions are all about outfit planning.   Or, as I like to think of it; why I wear what I wear when I wear it.  And given yesterday’s conversation about psychotic weather and today’s outfit, these questions are actually pretty timely for me.  Please to let me explain below.

First, this is what I wore today:

Black leggings (Target) layered under a navy and blue skirt (also Target) with a black micro-ribbed tank (yes, more Target) layered under a coral waterfall cardigan (Nordstrom).  I added cuffed boots (Chinese Laundry), a tassel pendant (Old Navy), vintage bracelet (Lil’ Gypsy) and earrings (Nikki Jacoby Jewelry via 2011 Crafty Wonderland).  Sure that’s a lot of Target for one outfit, but it was comfortable.  And colorful.  That’s a win-win in my opinion.

Now to the questions:

1.      How do you go about picking your outfit for the day? (Do you lay stuff out the night before? Do you plan a whole week's worth of looks Sunday night? Do you wing it every morning?)

It depends.  My outfits are generally a combination of planning and winging it.  In fact, today’s outfit is just one such example of a combination of planning and winging it. The winging it portion comes from the fact that this outfit is a direct result of my not having put my laundry away.  As it turns out, the skirt and cardigan ended up next to each other on my desk chair, I liked the look of them together and went from there.

The planning portion comes from the fact that I ride my bike to work and therefore weather considerations force me to be a least somewhat thoughtful in what I wear. 

Terri asked me yesterday how I stay dry riding to work.  I don’t.  And I don’t even try.  I’m lucky that my ride is only about 10-12 minutes each way.  Yes, if it’s pouring I get soaked, but I’m usually able to get away with only getting a little damp.  And a little dampness is manageable because I make sure I wear clothes that dry quickly.  I am in skirts and tights most of the winter in part because they dry more quickly than jeans.  Leggings also dry fairly quickly – which is another reason for today’s outfit.  It’s supposed to rain off and on and just in case it’s on while I’m on my bike, I chose leggings and a skirt instead of jeans.

I will say though, that I’m trying to be better about planning outfits.  At least to the point of having something in mind if not laid out.  To that end, I keep a list of outfits I’d like to try.  These may be outfit ideas that I get from a blog or in a magazine, or just those that I come up with while staring into my closet.  Of course, many of the outfits on the list are often better in theory and often don’t make it out of the house. 

I have never, ever planned a whole week’s worth of looks on a Sunday.  I can’t even plan a week’s worth of looks to go on vacation.  I just throw a bunch of stuff in a bag and pray I have enough underwear.

2.      Do you try stuff on and then take pics to see how it looks, like Cher in Clueless?

Anybody who has read my blog knows I don’t do this.  No, instead, I like to be surprised by how terrible an outfit photographs right before I post the pictures.  It’s more fun that way.

3.      And are you consistent in your planning or lack thereof, or is your planning limited to special events?

Planning?  What planning?  Seriously, I don’t even always plan for special events.  This outfit, for a girls’ night out and friend’s birthday party?:

Yeah, I came up with that half an hour before I was supposed to be at the bar (which is an hour away).

I did a little better with this one:

But, even for this event, I think I only figured out what I was going to wear the week of the event.  And I was still not that confident in my decision.  At least not until I saw the pictures, so that was a nice change.

4.      Do you have a way of keeping track of which outfits you wore when?

Yes.  I have a blog.  It’s called Fashion for Giants and word on the street is that it’s hugely popular among tall people and/or people who appreciate the sublimely ridiculous.

All kidding aside, I don’t worry too much about when I wore an outfit.  I’m more conscious of when I wore a particular piece, especially if it’s something noticeable.  For example, I am going to try not to wear my hot pink pints every week.  I’m going to limit them to every other week. 

5.      How do you come up with new clothing combinations? (An app? Computer program? Trial and error?)

Wait?  What?  They have an app for that?  Huh.  Technology, it’s amazing.  But, I don’t use it.  The list I mention above is a hand-written list, which I keep in my handbag, of ideas for new clothing combinations. 

Sure, it’s old-fashioned, but when the zombie apocalypse happens, I’ll still have that list of ways to look fashionable while fleeing the living dead and everyone else will just have to wear whatever comes to mind because they lost their fancy app/program.

Want ideas for actually planning outfits?  Visit Katy Rose at Modly Chic for a list of this week’s FBFF participants.  There is bound to be someone who actually plans their outfits.

And have a wonderful weekend, Everyone!

Gracey

FBFF for March 30th: One Time and One Time Only

Today’s FBFF questions deal with the ‘the one-time use phenomenon.”  Apparently, there have been quite a few posts around the blogosphere lately about only wearing something once and how a lot of bloggers are accused of this.  I had no idea this was even a thing, but do find both the phenomenon and the accusations interesting, so I’m pretty excited Katy Rose chose this as our top of discussion this week.  As always, my answers to the questions are below.

Are you a one-time wearer?

The short answer to this question is, sometimes, but never on purpose. 

The long answer is that because I thrift a lot of my clothes, I have a tendency to take chances with items of clothing that I wouldn’t buy if they were more than $5.00.  I try to wear everything I thrift at least once, but there are items I just can’t quite get to work for me that, after wearing once, get recycled to the thrift store or to friends.

Non-thrifted items are expected to work a lot harder in my closet given the fact that I (generally) spend more on them than thrifted items.  That’s not to say that I don’t have some pieces that work more than others.  For example, I wear my riding boots with greater regularity than my animal print wedge booties, but I’ve still worn the booties more than once.

Born Crown "Sosie" Boots

80%20 Animal Print Wedge Booties

Do you feel the need to purchase something new for an evening out or a special event?

Not to sound like a broken record, but the short answer to this question is also sometimes.

I have quite a few party dresses, many of them vintage, but I don’t always feel they’re right for an occasion.  I’d rather not buy something new for special events because those items often end up being ones that are only worn once, but, I like to be comfortable in what I’m wearing.  If I don’t feel like my outfit fits the occasion and the way I want to look that day, then I will look for something new.  I’m usually able to work with what I have though.

Re-mixing is something a lot of bloggers are proud of being able to accomplish - are you a re-mixing pro or do you shy away from posting items frequently? Why?

I’d say I’m semi-pro in terms of remixing.  I’m in the farm leagues, just waiting for the Yankees to take notice of my mad skills.  Really though, I do remix a lot of my clothes but don’t consider myself a pro because all of the outfits I create with an item often have a similar feel.  They’re different outfits, but they are often the same style; which I just realized isn’t necessarily bad because they’re all my style.

I, however, do shy away from wearing, and posting, items re-mixed too close together.  I usually try not to wear the same skirt, or blazer, or blouse in back-to-back weeks, but that doesn't always work out.  For example, I wore this mauve skirt last Wednesday and this Wednesday:

Last Wednesday with butterscotch

This Wednesday with more mauve

Shoes I couldn’t care less about; I’ll wear the same pair of shoes three times a week without any qualms (see Born Crown riding boots above). 

I also try not to wear the exact same outfit as I’ve worn before; I mean with every piece exactly the same.  At least that was true for my first year of blogging.  This year I think I might re-wear some of my favorite outfits, especially those from last year, because I hate to deprive myself of being happy and comfortable in my clothes just because I’ve already worn something once.  Also, sometimes I wake up late and it’d just be easier to recycle an outfit instead of racking my poor, tired brain to come up with something new.

Do you have a clothing budget or are you an impulse buyer?

A little of both.  I don’t have a clothing budget, per se, but I do plan what I’d like to buy for a season.  For every spring/summer and fall/winter, I write a list of what I perceive as holes in my closet.  The list contains anything from trends I’d like to try, like color-blocked pumps, to classics that I just don’t have, like a white dress.  These are items that I surf the web for periodically and specifically look for in brick-and-mortar stores.

That being said, I am also an impulse shopper, especially at thrift stores.  Most of the items that I thrift are not on my lists, but are just items that I think I might be able to do something with.  Or that it might be fun to try doing something with. 

Do you find yourself bored when reading a blog in which clothing items are often remixed and appear frequently?

No, not at all.  But, then again, I’m not sure I’d notice.  I don’t track what anyone else wears that closely.  If I do notice, it’s probably because it’s a piece I love on them and I’m happy to see it again.  At the very least, it’s probably a piece they love on themselves and who wouldn’t be happy to see someone wear what they love?

Want to read more on this topic?  Visit Katy Rose at Modly Chic for links to all the participants.

And have a wonderful weekend!

Gracey

FBFF for February 24

As Katy Rose of Modly Chic followed along with all the NYFW posts and tweets it got her thinking... so much of what we bloggers do is all about the tools that we use. Technology certainly makes what we do easier, even if it is sometimes a major pain.

To that end, this week’s FBFF questions are regarding technology.  Which is interesting to me solely because it’s not at all interesting to me.  I’m not technologically savvy and I don’t really care to be.  I know it might help my blog grow if I used Twitter or Pinterest or Chictopia, but it’s just not me.  If I were to use those tools it wouldn’t be because I have an honest interest in them, and I try not to associate my blog with anything unless I have an honest interest in it.  Should I fake it to make?  Maybe.  Could I?  I don’t think so.

That being said, obviously I understand that technology can be useful, especially to bloggers.  I wouldn’t have a blog without the Internets and computers.  Below are my responses about the technology I do use.

1. What are the tools you use to blog?

A computer and a camera.  The computer is just a regular old desktop.  The camera is a Nikon Coolpix L110.  I also have a tripod but luckily am not often forced to take my own photos.  I’m not even sure a tripod is considered technology nowadays, but it was cutting edge back when cavewomen were cooking stuff over an open fire.

Which is actually one of the things I don’t like about technology; I hate how quickly things become obsolete.  It drives me absolutely crazy.

2. What technology item is on your wish-list?

I should probably get a laptop.  In case I ever want to post while on vacation and stuff.

3. Through the barrage of posts, tweets, pics, poses, messages, etc... how do you avoid becoming a slave to the constant infiltration of information?

Easy, I don’t subscribe to Facebook or Twitter so I’m not constantly receiving tweets, updates, etc.  I’ve opted out of receiving emails when some one comments on my blog.  Really, as is evidenced in my answer to question # 1, I only use the bare minimum of technology that allows me to blog and interact with readers/other bloggers.

For more posts on blogging and technology, head on over to Modly Chic.  And if you want even more, I’d suggest this post at Destrehan’s Daughter; I found it very interesting.

Gracey

FBFF for January 27th – New Trends

With Fashion Week just around the corner, most bloggers are beginning to focus on the upcoming trends for fall.  Luckily for me, Katy at Modly Chic catered to non-Fashion Week attendees this week and asked us about our feelings on current trends.  My fully thought out and not-at-all-slapdash answers to the questions are below.

1. For trends hitting the stores now, what are you coveting?

Tangerine, of course:

Pantone announced Tangerine Tango as the color of the year and I couldn’t be more excited.  It’s been well-documented on here how much I love orange and I think Tangerine Tango is an especially gorgeous shade.  I already have several pieces and have even already started wearing them:

Oddly enough, I'm also excited about printed pants:

From left: Robert Rodriguez, MARC by Marc Jacobs and Elizabeth and James

I say oddly enough because I’m aware that fashion gurus (and maybe even common sense) dictate that people with sizeable thighs shouldn’t draw attention to the size of their thighs with printed pants.  But, here’s the deal; one, I like a challenge and this will be my fashion challenge for this spring and summer.  And two, my thighs like attention; they figure if they can get public sympathy on their side, the UN is more likely to recognize them as an independent nation.

2.   How do your incorporate new trends into your wardrobe?

With as much panache and as little trouble as I can manage.  I’m usually light on the panache part, but I’m also light on the trouble part, so no complaints.  Mostly though, I’m just really careful about what pieces I choose to incorporate a new trend.  For example, with the printed pants, I’m not going to be looking for long, palazzo-style printed pants like the ones shown above.  I don’t think they’d work for my style and I’m not sure what shoes I’d pair with them.  No, I’ll be looking for cropped, printed pants that are still soft and flowy.  Soft dressing is another challenge that I’m looking to master this year so I’m trying to kill two birds with one stone.

3.  What trend are you seeing and not loving?

Mint green:

From left: Vera Wang, Jenny Packham, Vera Wang and Jenny Packham

Mint green just isn’t pretty to me.  I mean the clothes above are very, very pretty but the color itself is not pretty.  I associate it with hospitals and soapy-tasting mint-chocolate chip ice cream.  I don’t know.  Don’t ask.  And even though the models above appear to the average layperson to demonstrate that mint green looks good on everyone, I am convinced that it won’t look good on me.  Convinced, people! 

3.   Do you feel the pressure to constantly update your closet with the latest trends?

Goodness, no.  Which is probably the wrong answer for a blogger to give, but the latest trends don’t always appeal to me.  Or, if they appeal to me, they don’t always work for me.  Or, both.  Like mint green.  Mint green does not appeal to or work for me.

4.  Where do you find inspiration that takes the trend and makes it accessible to you and your personal taste?

My fellow style bloggers are a huge inspiration to me.  Especially those who take new trends and provide practical examples of how to wear them.  One limitation for me regarding new trends is that I can’t always wrap my mind around them.  Like, how would that look on someone who is not model thin and/or doesn’t have a Balenciaga budget?  I often get stuck in a rut of what I can wear or what looks good on me and can’t always see the potential in a new trend – seeing other bloggers wear something can help me see it in a new light.  Except mint green.  I’m not interested in seeing mint green in a new light.

I’m sure you all found this post very enlightening, or at the very least you learned to never, ever give me anything mint green for my birthday.  To see more enlightening posts/gift ideas, visit Modly Chic for a list of this week’s FBFF participants.

And have a wonderful weekend!

Gracey

FBFF: Back in the Saddle

Hello, All!  I’m finally back in the FBFF saddle and happy to be here.  This week, Katy of Modly Chic is asking us to talk about what sort of things we’re drawn to as fashion and beauty bloggers.  My answers are below and, remember, you can always stop by Modly Chic for links to other FBFF participants.

1.      Since you began blogging do you notice a change in the types of things you gravitate towards while shopping?

I think that my taste is always evolving, independent of whether I’ve been blogging or not.  I become attracted to different colors, silhouettes, etc, based on my changing body, what’s available in stores and more, but not so much because I’m blogging now.

For example, I’m on a pleated skirt kick right now, but it’s not because I’m blogging.  They just happen to usually be A-line in shape and A-line skirts work well on me.  And, unlike a lot of A-line skirts, pleated skirts have a lot of movement which I like and which is good for riding bikes.  I think I’d be thrifting the heck out of pleated skirts whether I were blogging or not.

2.      Do you find, as a fashion blogger, that you dress differently from your family and friends? Do they comment on that?

I do dress different than most of my friends and family, but I always have, so I wouldn’t say it has anything to do with my being a fashion blogger.  And, although I have a unique sense of style among my friends and family, I would say that I also have some things in common with them.  My friends Alex and Annie, for example, both also wear a lot of vintage and enjoy thrifting as much as I do.  I have other friends that I don’t think would ever go shopping in a vintage store much less a thrift store.  They, however, share my love of five inch heels even though they’re tall too.

Family-wise, my sister Rosey is definitely puzzled by some of my sartorial choices, but she’s nothing less than supportive at all times, which is lovely.  The only other person in my family who pays attention to what I wear is my mom and she’s actually a big fashion influence for me.  She has an amazingly unique sense of style and an ability to put things together in a way I envy.  She is also extremely supportive of most all of my personal style choices.

Of course, I still get the odd comment at times from friends, family and co-workers, but it doesn’t bother me.  My friend and co-worker Ferge, for example, is extremely vocal both when she likes something and when she doesn’t.  But, I like hearing from people with a different aesthetic than mine – it’s interesting to see what they like and why.

3.      What’s the weirdest fashion that you secretly like, even if you aren’t bold enough to wear it?

I don’t think they're weird, per se, but I love harnesses.  I think they’re super sexy and super badass and every time Already Pretty's Sal or Fashion for Nerds' Audi wears one I wish I were that badass.  Unfortunately we’ve already established that I’m not, but oh, how I wish I were.

4.      Looking at current trends – what would you like to try but need to build up the courage to do?

There’s really nothing that I like that I wouldn’t try.  For example, I’d like to try the white out trend and the only reason I haven’t isn’t lack of courage, it’s that I haven’t found anything I love in white.  I’ve been looking for a white dress for ages and just haven’t found one that works for me.  The same is true for white pants – they’re just so damned see-through.  But, if I found a pair I loved, I’d rock them, no questions asked.

Usually if I don't try something it's because I can't find a way to do it in a way that still feels like me.  I won't wear anything I'm uncomfortable in just because it's trendy. 

5.      Toot someone’s horn – what fashion blogger out there inspires you with her bold fashion choices?

This was a tough one for me, because I admire the personal style of every blogger I follow.  But I’m going to have to say Kiah of From the "Rez" to the "City."  One, she has the hair I aspire to.  And two, she wears some silhouettes and colors that I am completely in awe of.  She loves jungle and tropical prints like I do, but she does them so boldly and beautifully that she makes me want to step up my game.  Also, she’s really super nice and has an amazing face.  So, yeah, I pretty much love her.

Gracey

FBFF for May 20th: Haters Gonna Hate

According to Katy of Modly Chic, this week’s FBFF topic “was inspired by a post by Beautifully Invisible from a couple weeks ago entitled ‘The 10 things that drive me crazy about your blog.’”  To that end, we were challenged with listing five things that drive us crazy about the blogs we visit.

I have to tell you, Dearest Readers, that I struggled with this subject.  A lot.  I even considered not doing an FBFF post at all this week because I actually find this topic to be vaguely offensive; albeit in a way I’m not sure I can articulate.  However, I’ll give it my best shot.

I find writing about how someone’s blog irritates you to be akin to commenting that you don’t like someone’s style or blog or face.  It’s rude.  If you don’t like it, you don’t have to visit and it’s as simple as that.  Saying you won’t visit/follow someone’s blog because they don’t have a Twitter account seems ridiculous to me.  I do understand some of the pet peeves – music playing automatically, for example, can be disruptive.  But other issues people have with someone else’s blog seem to be so very subjective.  Just because you offer 17 different ways to share a post doesn’t mean you can reasonably expect that of another blogger.

If it's your goal to make it easy to share a post, that's wonderful.  But you can't expect that to be a goal of every blogger.  We all blog for different reasons.  Not everyone who blogs is looking to be a BLOGGER.  Some of us just want to be bloggers, meandering along in our own small corner of the blogosphere, not worrying about becoming Modcloth’s Blogger of the Moment.  We don’t all set out to rule the Web and our goals for our blogs may not include thousands of followers or our every post being Tweeted and re-Tweeted across the globe.

My blog is personal.  I started my blog for myself and not for anybody else.  I love my readers and think you all make blogging that much better, but if my sister was my only follower (I think her following is mandatory), I'd still blog.  Therefore, I created my blog in a way that I'm comfortable with and that reflects my personality.  In truth, I’m not especially technologically savvy, I'm a terrible photographer (as you may have noticed)  and I'm not a fan of social media.   I’m comfortable with those truths and I’m comfortable with my blog reflecting those truths. 

I would like people to enjoy visiting my blog not because I make it easy to Tweet about a post, but because what I write or wear is interesting to them.  Or because they like my smile.  Or my sense of humor.  And if it’s not interesting, or funny, or you find my lack of a Twitter name (handle?) irritating, I’m okay if you don’t read it.

I know it seems counterintuitive to say that blogs are personal when everyone and their mom can read them, but I view my blog as something personal that is produced for public consumption.  And even though the public is the consumer I’m not convinced that means the public should have a say.  Like art, you can hate it and you can even say that you hate it but you shouldn't expect that the artist will stop creating or begin creating in a way that is more pleasing to you and your particular sensibilities.  So, why waste your breath hating?

If you, or your mom, would like to read some less rant-y, probably better-written posts about this week's topic, please do stop by Modly Chic for a list of participants.

Gracey

FBFF for May 6: Shoes, Shoes, Shoes

This week for FBFF, Katy of Modly Chic has asked us to talk about shoes.  I'm not a shoe-aholic, but I didn't have to force myself to write this post either.  I really do believe that shoes can make or break an outfit. 

What is your go-to pair of shoes?

In the fall and winter, I wear these Born Crown riding boots almost constantly:

I wear them with skirts, with dresses and over skinny jeans.  They are ridiculously comfortable and they go with everything.  They weren’t inexpensive, but my cost per wear is probably down to pennies now.

It’s a little different in the spring and summer – I have several pairs of sandals, peep-toe flats and wedges that I wear fairly regularly.  Although, I’d have to say my favorite pair is actually this pair of bronze sandals that I got from Target years back:

They were less than $20.00, but I absolutely love them.  Like my Born Crown boots, they are super comfortable and, I’m convinced, go with everything.  I’m actually considering getting these resoled because they are just that comfortable.  It may seem silly to resole a $20.00 shoe, but it seems sillier to buy a new pair that I may not love as much.  I’ll just have to see what the cobbler says.

What goes into your shoe buying decisions?

I consider form, comfort/function and cost when buying shoes.  I will not buy or wear a shoe I consider ugly.  Workout shoes are a bit different because I don’t care what they look like, but for my every day shoes and special occasion shoes, I need to like how they look.  However, if they are beautiful shoes, but supremely uncomfortable, I won't wear them.

The combination of function and comfort are a big consideration for me.  I need to be able to ride my bike and comfortably walk around all day in my everyday shoes.  For special occasion shoes, it depends on what I’m doing.  Am I going to be dancing or just going to dinner?  I have shoes that are comfortable in either situation.

Cost-per-wear may be my number one consideration when buying shoes.  If it’s a shoe that I will wear at least once per week over a couple of seasons, I’m willing spend more money than on a special occasion shoe.  Especially because, in spite of my best efforts, I don’t go to that many special occasions.

The majority of the shoes in your closet are what color?

Black, I think.

When it comes to shoes what are your favorite brands and why?

Most of my shoes are all different brands – I’m not devoted to any particular brand and will usually just wear what I like.  The brand I have the most pairs of are actually BC Shoes – they’re comfortable and inexpensive, both of which I like.  I also own a couple of pairs of Born Crown boots – they make lovely flat and low-heeled boots that work well with my calves.  I would like to get more Corso Como shoes – I’m a big fan of the padded foot bed they offer and like their styles.  Aside from that, though it depends more on shoe than the brand.

If price wasn’t an issue, you’d own which shoe?

Probably these Gucci beauties:



Gucci S/S 09 (Photo from Style.com)



I know they are a couple seasons old, but I just love the combination of the bright orange patent with the wood platform.  They look so fun to me.

FBFF for April 29: Let’s Get Physical

Today’s FBFF questions combine something I love (fashion) with something I am decidedly meh about (fitness).  I mean, I recognize how they’re interrelated, but oh how I wish they weren’t. 

Yes, this is basically what I wear for Jazzercise.

Do you keep some kind of fitness routine? Why?

I do try to keep some sort of fitness routine because I recognize that it does help my clothes fit better.  And, frankly, without some sort of regular exercise, my thighs would have moved into the Balkans and created The People’s Republic of Thighastan.  But, I don’t love exercising.  I’d rather be reading.  Or sleeping.  Or rummaging through a thrift store or two. 

But, thrifting doesn’t keep me fit, so I work out.  Sometimes.  Usually in the form of Jazzercise.  As I’ve said before on here, Jazzercise is hilarious and occasionally embarrassing, but, for me at least, it’s more fun than a trip to the gym.  It combines cardio, weights and stretching so it’s a pretty well rounded workout.  It fits nicely into my schedule (most weeks at least) and, most importantly, no matter how I was feeling before I went to class, I feel fit and trim after I’m done.

I also ride my bike to work everyday, but I don’t do that for the exercise.  It’s only about a 15 minute ride both ways, so I’m probably not getting much from it physically.  But, the morning ride is easily the best 15 minutes of my day.  I love being outside before having to disappear into my office building, even for only 15 minutes.

Has working out, maybe training for a marathon or something of that nature, helped with your own perception of body image?

Oh, goodness, I have to stop laughing at the thought of me training for a marathon.  Seriously, unless I’m being chased, I’m not running anywhere.

My perception of my body image changes a lot, but not always as the result of more or less exercise.  I usually do feel more fit after an exercise class but that’s not the only time my perception of my body image is improved.  For example, I feel thin today.  I am, of course, no more thin than I was yesterday, but today I feel like I am.  It’s just how I am.  I rarely feel really negatively about my body; I’m usually comfortable with it and some days I’m more comfortable than others.

When you are hitting the gym or just going out for a long walk what do you wear? Is it about functionality or fashion?

Functionality, 100%.  I do not understand gym fashion at all.  I sweat.  A lot.  And I don’t see spending a lot of money on something I’m going to sweat in.  I actually get most of my workout clothes from Wal-Mart because they are super-cheap and I don’t feel bad about sweating in them.

Do you feel there is a cultural perception of what you ‘should’ be doing for your own physical fitness?

Maybe a little bit.  Especially on the West Coast, where “healthy living” is extolled, there is some pressure to get out and get moving.  Run, bike, hike, ski, surf, snowboard, you name it, Oregonians do it.  But, I don’t really care what society thinks I should be doing.  The fact of the matter is that I’m comfortable with my level of fitness.  I work out when I want to and I guess I’m pretty lucky in that I want to work out at least a couple of times a week.  And that I want to ride my bike to work and sometimes even to Jazzercise.  I do it because I like doing it, not because society thinks I should be doing it (or more).

Dream big… what would be your ultimate fitness goal.

I don’t have any.  Really, I’m just happy to maintain.  I’d like to get up to three times a week for Jazzercise, so I guess that’s something.  But, I’m mostly just happy with my exercise routine.  No, I’m not training for anything or trying to lose a lot of weight but I think that’s okay.

If you’d like to read more on exercise and fashion, perhaps from people who actually exercise, visit Katy at Modly Chic.  She’s got a whole list of bloggers who participated in today’s FBFF fun.

Gracey

FBFF for April 22: Inspiration

This week Katy of Modly Chic has asked FBFF members about inspiration.  I think it’s an important topic for anyone who gets dressed in the morning – what inspires you to wear what you do.  My answers are below, but if you’d like to see more, Modly Chic has a whole list of participants.

Which celebrity (celebrities) do you look to for fashion inspiration?

This was sort of hard for me because I don’t find a lot of celebrities inspirational.  Many of them don’t even select their own clothes, instead depending on a stylist to dress them.  However, I do have a couple celebrities that I do find pretty inspirational. 

The first is Cate Blanchette.  In my eyes, she can do no wrong.  She is absolutely fearless in what she wears – Givenchy Oscar gown anyone?  I don’t know if they are her choices or her stylists, but either way, I have a great appreciation for her style. 

The second would be Helen Mirren.  She always, always, always looks amazing.  And not amazing-for-a-woman-in-her-60s either; just flat out amazing for a woman of any age.  She seems so classy and poised – when I grow up I’d like to look classy and poised too.

When it comes to your own personal style, what inspires you?

Color, definitely.  I look at the different colors present in art, in nature, in magazines, movies and on other blogs.  I like to see how they’re put together and a lot of times I’m inspired to try combinations that I know I wouldn’t have thought of on my own.

How do you hope to inspire your readers?

Hopefully I inspire my readers to try different things no matter what their size or shape.  There are so many ‘rules’ to fashion that if I listened to them I wouldn’t bother to get out of bed.  And they’re very definitive rules too, telling you to “always” do something or “never” do something else.  Some of the rules are helpful, but I think a lot of them are unnecessarily prohibitive. 

I personally like to try different silhouettes or color combinations or looks even if they’re something that society has maybe dictated I shouldn’t.  And, to be honest, they don’t always work.  But, at least I tried and hopefully I’ll inspire my readers to try something new too.

Outside the realm of fashion who/what inspires you?

I am very inspired by my family – especially all my nieces and nephews, who I adore.  I don’t have kids of my own and at this age am not sure that I will, so I treat them like they are mine.  Spending time with them is the absolute best – I love hearing them talk incessantly about Pokemon and volcanoes and whatever else they have on their minds that day.

And since Idol is ending… Which songs inspire you?

Dog Days Are Over by Florence and the Machine.  That song somehow manages to fill me with joy and melancholy at the same time.  But, the good kind of melancholy.  Really, the whole album (Lungs) is amazing – I listen to it almost constantly.

I’m also completely enamored of Rolling in the Deep by Adele.  She has the most amazing voice and that song is so strong.  I think that’s why I like Florence and the Machine too – they’re good, strong songs.

Happy Friday, Everyone!

Gracey

Friend Friday: Gratitude

Hello, All!

It's Friday, and that means it's time for this week’s FBFF questions.  This week, Katy has asked us some questions about who and what we are grateful for.  My answers are below, and as always, you can visit Modly Chic to see responses from other FBFF participants.

When it comes to be personally – I owe a lot of who I am to:

This is the easiest question for me to answer.  Hands down, I owe so much to my older sister, Rosey.  She is only a year and five months older than me, but she has always taken care of me (except that one time she cut all my hair off, but I still love her).  I am, and always have been, a pretty (okay, very) high strung individual, and Rosey is a much-needed calming force in my life.  And she is incredibly supportive of everything I do.  My sister is amazing.  She is my best friend and one of the best people I know. 

When it comes to be professionally – I owe a lot of who I am to:

This question confused me because I didn’t know if it meant my blogging “profession” or my day job.  Then I remembered that I am not, in fact, a “professional” blogger, I just play one on TV, so I thought to answer the question as it relates to my day job.  But then, I realized that none of you know what my day job is so it wouldn’t mean much to you.  And there is not much of an overlap between my blog and my day job.  Really, they only intersect in the fact that the outfits I post on my blog are worn to my job.  There isn’t even anything I’ve learned in my day job that I apply to my blog.  Except maybe to spell things correctly, but I’m pretty sure I learned that in elementary school, not in my office.  So.  Yeah.  I got nothin’.

When it comes to the art of blogging, I’m grateful to these people for helping me through some rough spots:

I haven’t encountered a lot of rough spots in my four months of blogging.  I think, perhaps, that is an advantage to being a small blog.  But, I have had some doubts about blogging and in those instances, I’ve been grateful to both my readers and my sister (see above).  Anytime I’ve wondered if my complete and utter lack of unique qualities (outside my height and possibly my smile) means I shouldn’t be blogging, I’ve received support from my readers and my sister that encouraged me to keep meandering along.

One blogging challenge I’m grateful happened because it made me stronger was…

Again, my blog is fairly new and I can’t say that I’ve run into any blogging challenges.  Blogging itself is a challenge for me.  Figuring out what to wear each morning is mostly the same process, although I do second guess myself every once in awhile.  But, I second guessed myself before I began blogging too.

However, figuring out what to say everyday?  That’s definitely challenging.  I would like to say it’s getting easier, but that’s not so much true.  Some days are just easier than others.  I would also like to say that I’m getting better at it, but “better” is a subjective term and I don’t want to sound conceited.  I will say that my “voice” is coming out more now.  More sarcasm, more sass and more random thoughts.  Yes, that’s right, random sarcasm and sass are what epitomize my voice.

To my readers, I’d like to say…

Of course I would like to say thank you to my readers.  When I first started blogging, I didn’t expect to have any readers.  I mean, I was hoping for my sisters and my friends, but that was all I dared to hope for.  Needless to say, I was very pleasantly surprised when people began reading and commenting without my resorting to bribes.  I know there are a TON of blogs out there and they all offer something different, so I appreciate that my readers like what I’m offering enough to come back regularly. 

Seriously, you all are the best and blogging would be so much less fun without all of you and your feedback.

Happy Friday, All!

Gracey

Friend Friday: Spring Trends

This week the fabulous Katy of Modly Chic has asked us a very timely question: What are the top 5 Spring trends that you are looking forward to seeing/sporting this season?  Would anyone like to guess my favorite trend?  I'll give you three guesses, and the first two don't count.  Okay, I'll give you a clue:

Hint, hint...

1.      Orange

But you knew that, didn’t you?  I love orange and am excited to see so much of it this season.  When orange is not “in” it can be a difficult color to find outside of hunting vests and prison jumpsuits.  This spring, however, it’s all over the place in so many shades and applications that it’s an orange-lover’s paradise.

2.      Brights

In addition to orange, other brights seem to be very popular this season, which is wonderful news for me.  I prefer bright colors and, once again, I love that they are so readily available.  I also love that the trend is to combine brights in an outfit.  I cannot wait to be able to wear my brights without also having to wear black tights for fear of frostbite.

3.      Longer Skirts

Finally.  It’s not that I don’t think mini-skirts have their place; it’s just that “on a bike” is not one of their places.  Even with tights I would not feel comfortable riding my bike in a mini-skirt and so am very happy that longer skirts are back.  Give me a longer skirt in a bright color, like the one I wore Wednesday, and I’m in heaven.

4.      Fuller Skirts

Again, pencil skirts are great, but they are not easy to ride a bike in.  And it seemed like for years and years and years all you could find were pencil skirts.  If you did find an A-line or full skirt, it was a mini-skirt, which on my giant self was extra mini and that’s never good (see above).

5.      Wedges

Wedges are still in, back in, whatever, right?  I hope so because love a good wedge.  Which is funny, but they are not great for riding a bike in (but not impossible, trust me), and also not always easy to walk in with their stiff soles (ditto for driving).  But they make me so delightfully tall and I do love clomping around in them like Frankenstein.

To find what trends other FBFF bloggers are excited about, visit Modly Chic for a list of participants.  Heck, maybe you even want to become a participant yourself!  Or, you can just tell me: what spring trends are you excited about?  Do any of them involve moving like Frankenstein?

Happy Friday, All!

Gracey