I'm not sure I've ever been 'in fashion'. Certainly I've struggled and lost my way from time to time (hello spiral perm and braces at the same time!) I haven't always had a strong sense of what my style is. However I've had a few compliments this week (I do love a good compliment!!) that have made me think a lot about how other people perceive the way I dress.
Let's just start by saying that I don't usually dress like the average mummy in my circles - when someone is describing me to someone who doesn't know me but would have seen me around at school/church/other they describe me by the way I dress ....and then the person pretty much always knows who they are referring too.
As an aside I hang out with a lot of very stylish mama's it's just that I seem to have a unique approach to dressing.
This week 2 different people have said to me 'I love that you wear the things you love all the time. And you don't worry about what other people think.' It really stopped me in my tracks -certainly, I'm not always dressed exactly how I want to be - but it made me think are there people who are dressing in ways they don't like or not dressing the way they would like to?
and if they are, are they doing that because of other people???
I get that we have codes for dressing for work and events but are some of us dressing down for life or dressing more conservatively than we'd like because we feel we can't just have fun with our wardrobes??
Are there times you want to wear your red Dorothy shoes but you don't because other people will disapprove or do you look wistfully at them in the shop window but not buy them because you'll never wear them - even if you'd actually rather like to wear them every day?
The thing that constantly surprises me about the days I dress like I really want to is that although I get the 'I could never wear that' kind of comments from time to time usually I get overwhelmingly positive feedback. People seem to love that I see getting dressed as an occasion. When I turned up to school in my black jeans and a t-shirt the other day one of the dad's made a comment to me about it being out of character. Today someone opened the car window to tell me they loved my shoes.
My clothing does not make or define who I am but it says a lot about how I feel about life and that I have decided to try and dress up and celebrate every day. All around us we observe the quickness and complexity of life. So, if not for yourself, then for the others you share the world with and for the ones who had too few days here to dress up for - let's dress up! :o)
I have a quote on my fridge that says, 'Life is too short not to have a little umbrella in your drink' but today I'm changing that to this:
Thanks for joining me on Wardrobe Wednesday, I so enjoy a peek into your closet and your thoughts. If you are on disqus and you haven't received a comment from me - apologies I find it seems to work for me some days and not others but I do promise I came and read and tried to comment xx Miriam xx
What holds you back from dressing however you'd like to??
My outfit:
Shirt - $ 5 Melbourne op shop tour
Chiffon Scarf - $3 Salvation Army Melbourne
Skirt - $50 on sale Catalyst NZ, about 9 years old
Brooch - had since I was a child
Earrings - Homemade
Shoes - No.1 shoe warehouse (I think $30 had them for about 6 years)
Jacket - $3 Matakana op-shop
Tune in tomorrow for my November dress
So what is Wardrobe Wednesday?
- It's a chance to take some time once a week to peel off the polar fleece trackies (I have a pair too!!) and put on something that gives you a chance to have a 'play' in your wardrobe, to make yourself feel pretty/ stylish/ like a woman.
- It's a time to celebrate and hopefully to embrace your body however you find it - post baby, young or old your body is lovely and functional and precious and I want this place to be a place for you to see other women (ordinary, beautiful women) who don't live in designer homes on designer budgets with designer bodies.
How to play?
1. Link in your specific blog post not just your general blog
2. Link to a post about clothes - that's what we're here for
3. Please add a link back here so other people can come over and see people's clothing posts too - the old fashioned way or grab a button
4. Be encouraging and visit people - leave a comment now and again too everyone loves to get encouragement
Here's the button copy and paste away
Here's the button copy and paste away
26 comments:
LOVE the shoes
Love the little scarf around your neck and the brooch !! !! !!
Go you I just LOVE your wardrobe
My body shape (and wallet!) holds me back from wearing what I'd love to! haha :)
Also I'm very aware of dressing in a way that my husband likes, which sounds silly but really I don't want to be walking around and him thinking "ugh" or anything like that.
It's funny you mention the black t-shirt on jeans because that is what you were wearing when I first met you in real life. (I have this really weeeeeiiird memorising skill where I always remember what people wear the first time I meet them, ask meg, still can remember everything she wore from 12 years ago).
Thanks the scarf is a big step for me but The Atlas assures me it is good. :o)
I love that you memorise what people wear. I often remember people by what they were wearing too. I think the black jeans and t-shirt was probably me trying to look 'cool' when I met all you trendy bloggers!! Although it is easy to wear as well. :o)
What a great post Miriam - your observations have really made me think...! My style has definitely become braver since following blogs and starting one of my own - but whereas now I'll mix crazy patterns and think nothing of it (and also not expect any readers to be over shocked in any way), I forget that those who actually see me in real life don't read fashion blogs and are not used to seeing pattern mixing and bright colours from head to toe. Not that it bothers me at all, nor indeed would it make me change the way I dress(!), but what to one set of people is "normal", is "outrageous" to another.
So well done you for dressing up and letting the compliments pour in! Even without the compliments I know we'd all still dress up and feel great anyway, but the nice things people say are the cherry on top, aren't they :))
And I'm LOVING those shoes. Red AND glittery? Too much loveliness!!!!!
Catherine x
http://notdressedaslamb.com
After meeting you, I can say you also have a presence about you as you wear your clothes...I think people are also drawn to that....its beautiful :)
I love that your quote too!
As for me I would love to dress more like I used to...I do dress down to fit in a rural town...but with a change of town I am getting more adventurous again, much to mikes confusion I think!lol.
My mum and nana and I always dressed to go out the door...I think I have just become more relaxed over the years, but I'm ready for a change again :)
Catherine I so agree that blogging and reading fashion blogs certainly has made me more adventurous and bold in my approach and probably a lot of those around me aren't blog readers. And compliments definitely a cherry on the top. Thanks for your lovely comment and joining up again :o)
Laura - thank you so much that is such a beautiful and encouraging thing to say. I feel all full up! :o)
and yeah I think new place gives a new chance to re-think a look.
xx
Dressed to impress as always Miriam :)
Like you, I love that the way I dress characterises me as being me. I think our clothes should express our personalities and I always buy and make clothes with this in mind. At the end of the day, you should wear what you love and what makes you feel great, even if you do sometimes get the odd funny look!
Thanks for such an encouraging post
Holly x
At the moment, I dress for comfort and easy b**b-access :), but what I do wear is what I feel good in. However, I miss my "work" clothes, and sometimes I get more dressed up, just because. I love your quote, and today's gorgeous outfit xx
Thanks so much Holly :o) The great thing about dressing for your personality is that you can change your look whenever the mood takes you
Thanks Ange - I agree were many times for me in those early days when all I fit was my maternity jeans and I longed to dress up but it was so unpractical!
I love that you have such fun with your wardrobe! And what a cute outfit. And those SHOES! <3
Thanks for sharing your story and the pics in those cute shoes. You do a great job of letting your personality shine in everything you wear.
My style is easy, comfortable, classic with a modern twist - just like me. I'm very comfortable in my skin - finally, and I want my style to reflect that.
I work from home, so some days I don't even leave the house really, so it makes dressing however I want really easy since there's no public scrutiny aside from my dog and my boyfriend when he gets home. Days when I do go out, I always dress how I want regardless, but sometimes my focus is different - sometimes I need to be professional, sometimes all I care about is being comfy. It depends on the day.
I do think that women face this kind of wardrobe dilemma (how they want to dress vs. how they think they should dress) to a much stronger degree than men.
Very smart outfit - love it! I'd like to dress differently but although comfortable with myself not confident always to pull it off. If I dont feel like sometime suits me and i feel completely at ease in it... I just cant do it. I'm hoping when I have more time and energy I will be able to happily step up my "game" so to speak :)
It seems to be, that you are in teh wrong time! The 50th/60th are great for you! Cant say how gorgeous you look!
I love the way you dress. I can't get over the fact that you make a lot of what you wear. Just crazy talented. I dress for me but I do care what others think and I hate that.
Yes the shoes are my absolute happy shoes x
I love that 'comfortable in my own skin' and that is the great challenge!!
Yes I think so I think men only get that pressure when their lady tells them what to wear for an occasion!!
I agree if you don't feel the outfit then you spend the whole day feeling uncomfortable and weird - I have that too when I'm not feeling the outfit love.
Thanks so much - I do the love the 50s and early 60s too
I just want to steal every little bit of this outfit! I love every detail, from the curve-hugging pencil skirt, to the pert little scarf, to the darling little collar pin. And that coat? Just stop it. You are toooo fabulous, Miriam!!! ~Sarah
Thanks I love that by making it myself I won't bump into anyone else in the same and that is one of my top priorities! :o)
Sarah you always leave such gorgeous heart stopppingly glowing comments. You are a sexy ray of sunshine! :o)
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