The Color Project: White

One of the OCD things about my closet is that I have each item category (sweaters, tops, jackets, pants) sorted by color. When I am looking for a black top, for instance, they are all together so I can see my options. Now that my closet is so lean, I even hung all the t-shirts so they can be included in that grouping.

One day as I was grabbing a favorite white top, I started to wonder if I really wore ALL of the tops that were in each of the color categories. Or was it just a favorite 1-2 that got cycled through and the rest were there as filler?

So I embarked on what I am calling the Color Project. I pulled all the white tops to the front of my closet and purposefully worked as many as I could into my outfit rotation. I did not put a time limit on it -- i.e., wear them all in a week -- because this wasn't some fashion challenge I was forcing on myself; the idea was to see if I really did NEED to have all the ones I had, or if a few could be edited.

Turns out, I wore them all. I didn't love them all, but I did wear them. Since none were obvious edits, I've had to look a little deeper to see which are worth keeping.

1. V-neck ruched Sejour long-sleeve, Nordstrom. Worn with a navy polka-dot scarf from Old Navy, navy Gap modern bootcuts, grey long-sleeved Target Merona cardigan, and grey Franco Sarto Deers. My co-worker told me I looked like the definition of Connecticut preppy, which I consider a compliment. :)
I took these particular Deers to the cobbler and had him replace the heel tips, which just extended the life of these shoes by another 2-3 years for sure.  You know how I love all my versions of these shoes, so I am thrilled.



Verdict: The shirt itself is okay; the v-neck sits a little crooked on me, and I keep thinking that is more versatile than it is. There's a bit of a flare to it at the waist that I don't love. I'm not ready to let it go quite yet, but it was tougher to rotate in than some of my others. 

2. Old Navy collared knit button-down shirt, first under a new cream Old Navy waffle-knit pullover. It was a snowy day, so bundling up was key. The Gap straight-legs were the only option as pants because I had to tuck them into my Dansko snow boots. I thought the blue bubble necklace added the right amount of dressiness to tip the outfit into the business casual/office appropriate look. Not what I would wear if I had been at one of the hospitals, but for just my office it worked.



I wore it again this weekend under my new striped cotton pullover from Gap, Dreamer Old Navy jeans, pewter Privos and the clear acrylic ice cube pendant from Banana Republic. Even Hubby thought this was a cute look.



Verdict: This one is a total keeper. I was avoiding wearing it because it was too wrinkled and I was too lazy to iron it, but I found that it can either go under my new pullover sweaters or a few hard shakes will eliminate the worst of the wrinkles.

3. Lauren Conrad embellished tee, Kohls. I have had this for at least 3 years, but it still works with so many looks. I posted the first outfit below back in January; my plan was to wear all the white shirts over the month and see if anyone noticed, then do a round-up post. Those plans got waylaid when I stopped posting. ;-D



I wore it again this weekend with the mushroom knit cardigan, faded Dreamer jeans, and a color-blocked infinity scarf I got last spring from Old Navy; it is navy, olive green and mint/paleblue, which I am seeing around as a pretty trendy color these days. So I dug my only version of it out. :)






Verdict: this veteran still has plenty of life in her. She's going nowhere.

4. Basic long-sleeved LOFT tee, worn under a Forth & Towne faux-wrap cardigan. I posted about this outfit before too.



Verdict: I completely forgot I wore or even owned this until I found the picture on Flickr. That does not speak well for its longevity or necessity in my closet. I think I only need one long-sleeved white top, so I will probably keep either this or the v-neck.

5. This slub tee from Lane Bryant I actually pulled out of my loungewear drawer and rotated back into regular wear. It has two tiny stain dots on the front that had relegated it to loungewear, but I managed to cover those up and finally understood the power of a great plain white t-shirt.
I wish I had gotten a good front-on shot of this outfit, which was all my co-worker's idea. This was a gorgeous tux-like jacket from Gwynnie Bee with sequined sleeves, and I went for a rocker look with an assortment of long silver necklaces. Really fun look that I will probably repeat with some other dressy jackets I have.



A-ha! I did wear the slub tee again, this time with a fabulous snakeskin print cardigan from Gwynnie Bee. I loved that sweater so much I wore it four times before I sadly returned it. This time I added my Bestey Johnson camera pendant necklace, faded Gap Dreamer jeans, and patent tan-black colorblocked flats from Me Too.





Verdict: the perfect white t-shirt. Will try to find a replacement at Lane Bryant, or will figure out how to get those two stain dots out. (Thanks for the tips in the last post, gals; I will try those with this!)

6. LOFT ruched neck sleeveless tee. Probably my least-favorite of all my white tops, especially now that I have found the perfect one above. This is with my new-ish mushroom Ann Taylor Outlet knit cardigan, new black Gap long-and-lean jeans, and my trusty pewter lasso necklace from Banana Republic (which I bought with Shopping Friend a million years ago). 

I forgot how awful mirror shots were; so glad I got my office corner back for my tripod!



Verdict: it's okay, but the Lane Bryant one is better. Might be hitting the road soon.

7. This LOFT tee has angled distressed stripes, which offer interesting texture to a basic ivory tee. Paired with the Betsey Johnson camera pendant again, my fuschia Gap piped shrunken blazer, grey pinstriped Gap modern bootcuts, and black Clark Artisan boots.



I wore this top again the following weekend, this time pairing with a couple of familiar items, the mushroom knit cardigan from above, and the same faded Dreamer jeans. The jewelry this time was an assortment of long gold necklaces (boy I liked that look with the sparkly jacket), and a pair of faux-suede tan boots from Target.





Verdict: like the cream embellished one in #3, this is going nowhere for a long time.

8. The last top of the White Color Project was a regular button-down, a no-iron three-quarter sleeve Foxcroft version from Nordstrom. I've had this in my closet for at least a year, and I think I wore it one time. It is the reason I actually embarked on this experiment at all -- I didn't think I would like it when I tried to incorporate it into outfits, and then I could finally edit it out without guilt. 



But here's the funny thing: turns out I LOVED IT. The fit is perfect, there is no gapping at the chest, it tucks in without too much extra fabric bulking up under my pants, and the no-iron claim really means no ironing needed. Best of all, I had forgotten how much I like a good collared neckline; one of the most annoying parts about being fat is the enormous scoop neckline that are on nearly every top. Easily 75% of all plus-sized tops are like this, especially the nicer ones from Nordstrom. (Skim this page to see what I mean.) I learned from this round of the Color Project that I really miss a variety of necklines, and having that variety among my current white tops made this rather enjoyable.

Verdict: not only keeping it, but probably buying another in a different color.

++++++

Final thoughts of this Color Project round:
1. A variety of necklines is important to me, which I will keep in mind as I shop in the future. (Note to self: add turtleneck to your list for next winter.)
2. I love the look of a plain tee, funky jacket and a bunch of necklaces for dressy going-out occasions.
3. I had forgotten how much I love a good button-down.
4. Keeping: cream embellished #3, ivory distressed stripes #7, knit collared button-down #2 and no-iron button-down #8, and the perfect plain white t-shirt #5.
5. On the fence: one of the two long-sleeved tees (#1 and #4), the ruched sleeveless tee #6. 
6. While I don't mind repeating outfits, it did get boring for a stretch, I think because I was just tired of white.  But since I usually rotate colors more often than I did here, this was likely a product of the Project itself than an issue with any of the tops.

Next round is red (pinks and purples are included in that section of my closet too). I've already started!




What do you guys think? Any tops I should reconsider keeping?

Work with What You Got

Last summer this was one of my favorite dresses. Because it was a heavier knit, I was able to wear it all year long. I always get compliments when I do; it's a flattering shape.

When Target released more versions of this dress in different colors, I snapped it up. Now I have purple...



and a fabulous, unexpected green (a color I have very little of in my closet; really it's green, not teal).



What I love about this dress is that it does exactly the opposite of most of my other clothes: it doesn't hide my shape, it celebrates it.

I am a pear. I have a big rack, a flat dupa, a high waist, small shoulders, wide hips and thighs, a short torso and long legs. This dress highlights every aspect of that in a positive, flattering way. The dolman dropped shoulders puts extra fabric and width at my small shoulder, making my silhouette more balanced. The fabric on the top and bottom gathers right at the wide belt section, making my waist even more pronounced. The skirt's tulip shape emphasizes the widest part of me, my hips and thighs, making them part of the whole look all the way down instead of an extra body bit marring the sleekness of the silhouette. And the length stops right at the top of my knee, showing off all of my curvy calves (my best body part, imo).

I feel sexy, confident and kickass in this dress.

Is it any wonder I bought three of them? (Man, it comes in yellow. YELLOW!! If only it was in my size, I might have gotten that instead of the purple. Maybe.) Best $27.99 per dress I ever spent. They're only sold online, so if you buy from Target always go through eBates. Target rarely has coupon sales like other clothing stores, but at least with eBates I will get cash back.

Sometimes I forget that even though I am overweight, I don't always have to hide and misdirect attention away from my unflattering bits. Sometimes I can just say, "Yeah, this is me, and I rock."

Do you have any clothes that make you feel that way? What about them works for you?

Ginger Rogers

One of my favorite quotes of all time is, "Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did except backwards, and in high heels." For me, it's not even about men getting the acclaim when often our job is even harder (although I have had that situation with male co-workers in the past), it's about remembering that often the work we do is even more complicated because of where we are standing in the dance, and how we are required to present ourselves. So when we succeed at work despite being hobbled by those restrictions, I think we deserve extra praise.

For example, a waitress required to wear heels ends up often working physically harder than one who is allowed to wear practical shoes, or a female middle manager who does not have staff to help with a project but produces the same results as someone leading a team. I have extra empathy for women in those situations, and I confess I cheer them on harder when they kick ass.

Anyway, this week I have felt like Ginger Rogers; it's been the first week of a new company-wide software, and I have been fighting an uphill battle to get my issues resolved in a sea of issues, and worse, getting people to pay attention when I have found serious issues in the new system. Because I work on a smaller software, my position in the dance is definitely "backwards". But I cajole, and I make jokes and get people to relax, and I have been onsite all week as a presence, going to the Command Center personally to follow up on open problems and talking to people face-to-face. The first couple of days I even brought home-baked cookies. Slowly but surely, I have been succeeding at getting my voice heard and the problems noticed and fixed. Slowly.

I realized last night that I have done all this in high heels.

In fact, by mid-week my high heels became the tool in which I got people to pay attention to my issues and work with me on problems; they helped me in the dance. I would go upstairs and the first thing the other women in the room would do was smile and check out which ones I had on, then with the ice broken and having given them a minute to not think about the frazzled, overwhelming number of things they were dealing with, they could concentrate on the issue we were working on together, and they helped me get my thing fixed. Then we would smile at each other, and they would dive back into the chaos. (Truly, I do not envy them; as hard as I was working, they had it much worse.)

My outfits themselves have been remixes of ones you have already seen or I discussed:

Source: polyvore.com via LowFatDressing on Pinterest

I do have pictures of all the shoes!

Sunday, the olive suede Clark Vermont Vistas (available online still):



Monday, the burgundy Franco Sarto Deers:



Tuesday, the Payless leopard wedges with red bows:



Wednesday, the Nicole Blessed heels with red, purple and brown colorblocking:



I got these last year from a tip from Barking Dog Shoes. Super comfy and strikingly different.



Thursday, the Franco Sarto Deers in grey:



Oh, Thursday's outfit was worth taking the time for photos. It's a new dress I got at the Half-Yearly Sale at Nordstrom. I love it beyond reason.



Get used to seeing it a lot -- it's a fabulous heavy knit material and will layer so well with everything. This time I did my old trick of a long-sleeved layering top underneath and a short-sleeved cardigan on top.

Best of all -- it's not actually lace. It's a lace print on the knit. Flipping gorgeous.



Did I mention it was also on sale??



It's a faux-wrap, but it is actually a teensy bit too big right at the wrap part. I am going to take it into Nordstrom and have them take it in; they did a great job with my other dress, so I trust them with the trickier tailoring. My dry cleaners can do my hems, but this I want to go to someone I trust. Plus, I bought it from them so if they ruin it, hopefully they would replace it. They are Nordstrom, after all!

Today I finally get to work back in my own office, mopping up various problems and catching up with my boss and co-workers on other ongoing projects. To complete the Ginger Rogers metaphor, I get to dance facing forward, in flats, today. I earned it! ;-D

All hail the boyfriend cardigan!

One of the interesting things about batching up a bunch of outfit photos over the course of the week is that seeing the photographs side by side in my photo viewer allows me to see trends or similarities in what I'm wearing, or forces me to compare different styles and determine which is better for my body shape. For example, sweater lengths.



The first one on the left is last Friday's outfit of shorter cardigan, long top and ponte straight legs/skinnies. The sweater actually is asymmetrical so the edges on the side hang longer, but you can't see that well with my hands on my hips. Still, the whole look emphasizes my ice cream cone shape/pear shape. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it is a little disproportionate.

The middle is my easy Saturday outfit. I loved this because it proved to myself that I have built my closet enough that I could pull out the first top in the drawer (a ruched front white LOFT tee), the first cardigan hanging in the closet, grab my favorite necklace, long faded jeans, and for a splash of fun my new Clark suede green booties, and be done. Simple, but effective. That said, the medium-long length of the cardigan stops right at the widest part of me -- but that didn't become apparent to me until I compared the look to the others ablove.

Sunday's look on the right reinforces why long boyfriend cardigans are still the best look for me. I look and feel more proportionate; there's no ice cream cone shape anywhere, but I don't look like I am drowning or hiding in my clothes, either.  And the funny thing is, boyfriend cardigans flatter me the same way whether I am skinny or fat.











Honestly, I don't know why I even bother buying other sweater lengths, when I look at it like this.

It's Deer Season!

Three days of rain, and the transition to fall is just about complete.




We've got a scarf artfully folded, my ruffled long cardigan from WHBM, a Target summer dress layered within an inch of its life, the first wearing of tights, and OMG the shoes. My beloved Franco Sarto Deer booties have come out to play.

You guys, it is Deer Season.

I know I have raved about these shoes in the past, but I didn't label it well so it's buried somewhere. Anyway, I have had these shoes for 3 years now, and they are my total workhorses all fall and winter long. They are perfection: patent oxford heeled booties with fake laces and brogue detailing. I love them so much, I own them in three colors.



They look even better in natural light.



The details on them are perfect, and the heel...I love that it's a pump heel instead of a chunkier one. There's something so sexy about the curve of it, especially contrasted with the more masculine look of the oxford.





The greys are absolutely my favorites, but the burghundys, oh how I love them too. The color is so rich.





The laces and the bow are fake, which means I never have to worry about them coming undone or getting crooked. The shoes are a stretch patent so they just slide right on.

I call the black ones "the spares". I bought them last year after spotting them at Famous Footwear on clearance; I didn't know there were any still around so I scooped them up. They don't get worn much, but just in case anything happens to the heirs, I've still got the spare as backup.





Did I mention yet how comfortable they are? The 3-inch heel is perfect, and the stretch patent means they stay put on my feet; I have run down halls in these with no problems at all. The only downside is that I wear them so often during the long winter I barely need any other shoes for the season. *gasp*

Man alive, I love Deer Season.




Daily Food Tracker: Wednesday
Breakfast: Einstein egg and bacon sandwich on thin bagel
Lunch: Panera Pick2: turkey artichoke panini, broccoli cheese soup
Snack: chocolate chip cookie, pretzel m&ms
Dinner: the last of the lazy lasagna filled in with a lot of squash, tomato sauce, and turkey meatballs
Snacks: WW ice cream bar, toast with Laughing Cow cheese

Boy, I sure did eat a lot of bread. Clearly my body wanted some carbs! I'll work on mixing in a little more fruit and veggies today.