Continuing Developments

on edit: commenter Karen was kind enough to let us know that the authors of the 'cake vs frosting' concept are Jesse Garza and Joe Lupo. The book of theirs i read is Life In Color: The Visual Therapy Guide to The Perfect Palette - for Fashion, Beauty, and You!  Thank You Karen!

So, here's the outfit that sparked the one in the last post. Sorry about the lighting! The days around here got real short all of a sudden (any Alaskan readers are viewing me with complete scorn right now). I'll most likely adjust my picture-taking times right around mid-April.....right when the days start getting perceptibly longer!

As i explained in my last post, I eyeballed this outfit in order to use it as inspiration for creating more successful looks along the same vein. The first thing i noticed was the clean lines of the silhouette - the fit is 'classic' (not too tight, not too loose) all through the outfit. No exaggerated blousing or tightness anywhere. The waist of the outfit falls at the natural waist. It's just a jacket and a skirt - no complicated layers or fancy edges peeking out. The top ends at the top of the legs (not cropped or down at the mid thigh or lower). There's not a lot of contrast in the main clothing items (color, light/dark, texture), or between them. Everything's kind of khaki to kind of a light medium brown. Even the scarf blends in, being composed of the same basic tones.

In other words, the clothing provides a calm, non-distracting background for any accessories. No exaggeration in contrast, fit, or cut of the clothing. The only place where there's any real concentration of detail and contrast is in the hat and boots, and so they are highlighted. The eye is drawn to these two accessories because the rest of the outfit is so plain and low-contrast.  There's no danger of losing the 'style quotient' of just one or two accessories because the rest of the outfit is so low-key.  Really, this formula is not that complicated - once you figure it out!

Jacket off & the scarf jumps out

So what does all of this have to do with cake and frosting? A few months ago, while browsing the 'beauty and grooming' section in downtown Walnut Creek's Barnes and Noble bookstore, i ran across an interesting wardrobe concept. The idea is that you look at wardrobe items as either 'cake' or 'frosting'. 'Cake' comprises well-cut jeans and black trousers, the little black dress, the white button down blouse, khaki pencil skirt, white crew neck tee, and so on. These are the 'wardrobe workhorses', pieces that no one is going to fantasize about or drool over, but without which it can be very hard to construct an outfit.

'Frosting' consists of those drool-worthy pieces that you scrimp and save (or go into debt!) to obtain - the sequin flapper type top, the red satin trench coat, the black Tahitian pearl necklace, Cynthia's new boots. 'Frosting' pieces add life, detail, character, and interest to an outfit. 'All cake' outfits are......fine. But they can be boring and lifeless, and give no to little clue about the person in the outfit. 'All frosting' outfits are great for clubbing or getting married. But for a job interview or running down to get a gallon of milk, frosting all the way is too much.

Looked at in this way, i can see that i can expand my 'style spectrum' (as Paula put it in the comments to my last post) by creating outfits with just a touch of frosting on top of mostly cake. I'd been afraid that by doing so my style would not come across, that it would get lost......but through observing my fellow bloggers, and by analyzing my serendipitous outfit, i'm learning how to create the proper 'cake' background to showcase the frosting i want to highlight. I used to worry that if i didn't put across my style strongly in every piece of a look (or at least 75% of the pieces), that the impact would be significantly dulled. I still don't want to start wearing items that i can't relate to at all. But i'm getting a better feel for how to choose and use pieces as appropriate 'background'.

the inspired outfit from last post

The other obstacle for me in expanding my 'command of the style spectrum' has been in finding/designing proper 'cake' pieces. Since my style tends towards the sticky and gooey part of the dessert, it's harder for me to feel comfortable wearing more pared down, less-detailed items. However, by looking at the few 'cake' pieces i have that do work i can find clues of where to go. The pieces i like are all made of fabrics with low-contrast or no pattern, with simple silhouettes and a small amount of detailing in only one area (interesting buttons, a rolled raw edge neckline, overly long sleeves, and so on). My color preferences are well-known, and natural fibers can convey their own special quality in a quiet way.

The authors of the 'cake/frosting' idea recommend a typical wardrobe should consist of 80% cake, 20% frosting.  I'd have to work with this concept a lot longer to be able to give an educated opinion about it, myself. Nevertheless, i'm grateful to them for giving me a very useful tool to use in expanding my range.

I am sorry to tell you that i didn't write down the name of the book or the authors of the 'cake/frosting' idea. It was written by two men. I've looked all over the web but can't for the life of me track them down in order to give them proper credit. Do any of you know who these authors are? I'd be so happy to find out!!

 Hat: Renaissance Faire vendor, trimmed by me
Jacket: Ralph Lauren, old
Skirt: own design, inspired by some girls wander
Scarf, Earrings: own design
Socks: Target
Boots: Bass Lamont

full disclosure: This outfit actually has a ton of layers, but they are all 'hidden'. On top: cotton spandex cami, lonsleeved cotton blend sweater, cashmere long sleeved cardi, wool jacket. On bottom: leggings, silk half slip, knee socks, skirt. Combined with hat, gloves, and scarf, i was nice and toasty!

Have Fun With Your Clothes!

Double outfit post today....actually triple outfit (including the one i posted on Monday).  Recently i've been focusing on my Europa Geisha Blouse,which i made out of cotton Geisha printed fabric using La Fred's Europa Blouse pattern.

my Europa blouse - pattern by La Fred

I've worn three pretty different outfits which each feature this blouse over the last 2-3 weeks, and it got me thinking about what made this blouse so versatile for me.  After all, while it's not completely over the top in pattern, fabric, or styling, it's not a plain black tee shirt or button down blouse.  Flexibility is the key to avoiding boredom with a small wardrobe, so how to pull off this type of manouevre?

First, color.  I've explained before about color in the small wardrobe. My two 'foundation' colors are black and beige, so the parchment/tan of this fabric fits right in. I chose beige as one of my colors precisely because there are so many variations of beige: taupe, khaki, tan, ecru, dark ivory, eggshell, on and one. They all play nicely together and all play just as nicely with black.  Grey could play the same role in a person's wardrobe: charcoal, ash, cobweb, pearl grey.........although for me grey falls under the 'watered-down form of black' category.   Any other colors in my wardrobe have to go well with both beige and black in order to make it in.  As it happens, that's not much of a restriction, so how do i choose?

Secondly, choose only pieces that flatter your particular physical form. We all know the many many items out there that we can't wait to get our hands on - they're so cute, it's the color of the season, vinyl is so fashion forward, i've always wanted to rock a PVC corset ever since i saw one on Sarah Jessica Parker, it looks just gorgeous on my kid's first grade teacher, Tim Gunn says every woman needs a trench coat, if i just belt it and hem it and wear that scarf near my face to 'take care of' the color.......blah blah blah.  You don't want these type of clothes, as fun as they may be.

 Then there's you standing in flourescent light wearing two-sizes-too-big grey sweats, with a 102 degree fever, and you put on the floppy aubergine paisley blouse and all of a sudden you look like a million bucks. It's not in style or out of style, no spectacular 'features' to it. You can ball it up in your hand and it's nothing special there. But when you put it on, you just look fabulous. 

You want those type of clothes.  The 'you look like a million bucks' clothes.

Certain colors, fits, shapes, textures, types of patterns, sizes of patterns, and hem lengths will flatter your form while many others will not.  You can determine these characteristics by actually trying on a bunch of different items and taking pictures or notes, then studying them. Look for clothes that you don't have to 'work with' in order for them to make you look great.  There are plenty of looks you can pull off - with work.  This exercise is about finding the effortless pieces. You don't have to buy anything, especially before you've nailed down what really flatters - it may take time to determine how to work what flatters in with your lifestyle, comfort requirements, etc.

 Even if, to begin with, the really flattering items might seem a little all over the place, with time and observation you will begin to find the common threads. Clothes that truly flatter you will tend to 'go together' because they will have so many commonalities. These commonalities are determined by your own physical aesthetic. The Triumph of Individual Style by Carla Mason Mathis and Helen Villa Connor is an excellent explication of this concept. (Click 'show more formats' to see the really cheap older paperback versions - the information is just as good.) It will instruct you on everything you need to know about color theory, proportion, art history, and how all this relates to dressing your body beautifully. 

 

Thirdly, clothes that have 'built in' flexible styling options will be easier to style in multiple ways.  That's why so many 'top twenty' lists feature the white button-down shirt with collar. White goes with all colors, you can button it all the way up, leave it open, tie it at the waist (buttoned or open), tuck it in, belt it out (buttoned or un)....all with the collar turned up or down.  Not to mention what you can do with the addition of scarves, necklaces, camis, tees...

the geisha ladies on my Europa blouse

A crewneck or turtleneck sweater, for example, is just inherently more limited.   There's no way to change the neckline without scissors. You can try wearing it backwards, but it basically looks the same (except for the stitching holding the tag on). These types of items are great for base pieces in layerings, but they tend to always look pretty similar.  You can't rely on them to provide a variety of looks. 

Pieces with removable collars, fastenings up the front or back, different necklines back and front (so you can wear it backwards for a different look), loose fits in thin fabrics which can be belted in or layered over, pieces with ties which can be tied or bowed in different ways, skirts which can be pulled up to look shorter or pinned up at the hem - pieces with these types of features allow you a lot more room to play.

me having maybe a little too much fun with my clothes

That's why i sliced up the front of this olive drab turtleneck to turn it into a cardigan. I've worn it more in the last month than i ever did in the previous six years i had it. 


So, my dear readers, do you have any tricks of guidelines for getting more 'looks' out of your clothes? Is it possible to have too much fun with your clothing? Tell all!


Europa Geisha Blouse: La Fred Europa Blouse
Plaid Sundress: Liz Claiborne
Olive Drab Turtleneck: Macy's mens store, rapidly becoming vintage
Shoe Boots: MaineWoods
Belt: old


Sage Crochet Sweater: April Cornell
Tee: Merona at Target
Skirt: own design, inspired by some girls wander
Shoes: Bass Lacey Heeled Oxfords
Belt: vintage Coach


Monday's outfit post

Getaway Weekend Tips: Part Two

taming the savage beast

In this second of my getaway tips posts, i'll show you a couple more outfits created out of the capsule wardrobe,  my makeup kit and how i get it so compact, and reveal my secret to attractive yet functional travel knickers (that's 'panties' for you non-Brits). Unfortunately, my camera wigged a bit (i admit, it very likely was me wigging!) so i missed some outfit pictures. But i hope you enjoy these views of Green Gables Inn!

green gables sitting area by the fireplace - original stained glass

 Again, the capsule consists of a skirt, one pair jeggings, two tunics, two tanks, a lace camisole, a cardigan, a jean jacket, and a leather jacket. One pair 'walking compatible' dress shoes, one pair hiking shoes.  I've shown around six outfits in these two posts, but the possibilities are much greater - especially if you take along larger scarves that can 'double' as tops or skirts.  While on my late-nite walk the other evening, i calculated that this capsule could yield around 20-24 different looks (not counting the power of accessories). My calculations included each individual top paired with skirt and jeggings, then adding in all various layering combinations (cardi over tank, tunic over cardi, jean jacket over cardi over tank, and so on).

napping in a window seat with a view of the ocean.....while wearing heels, of course.

Of course, people's tastes and needs in clothing vary widely.  You could take a pair of dress pants (wide legged silk trousers, lined wool pinstripes) instead of the skirt and take jeans or khakis instead of the jeggings.  Skirts are so varied - gabardine pencil, floaty floral, khaki safari, mini denim cargo....it all depends on your taste, your itinerary, and the weather.

cardigan loosely buttoned over black lace cami for breakfast our last day

 If you're a big sweater fiend, switch out one of the tunics for another cardigan that you can wear as a top, buttoned up the back, or the traditional way over the other cardi, a tunic/blouse, or tank.  You can switch out the tanks for tees (short or long sleeved). Just make certain that they are easy to layer in order to increase your possibilities.  And bear in mind the casual/dressy scale. Tossing in a couple of pieces on the other end of the scale from the bulk of your items will definitely increase your flexibility.

another view of green gables sitting and dining area and carousel horse

On to Makeup!

 

The rest of this post focuses on makeup and underwear, so 'fashion-only' readers can stop right here! I pretty much wear makeup every day.  Above you see what i take traveling.  For day to day use i only add in a couple of bigger brushes, for powder and blush.

top compact (start at top left, then go clockwise): cream concealer, eyeshadow, face powder, blush
lower compact (start at top left, then go clockwise):shimmery pinkey-taupe shadow, sheer taupe shadow, ELF Moondust shadow (dark greyish shimmer), darker matte brown shadow

These ELF compacts are my 'big secret'.  I'm not a huge fan of ELF cosmetics (except for their Moondust eyeshadow), but these compacts and pans are a fantastic deal because you can clean out the pans and fill them with any powder or cream product you desire.  (M.A.C. pans fit these compacts - i'm not sure if you have to put a magnet on the bottom). They cost one dollar each, are nice and sturdy, and have a mirror big enough that you don't need to take another mirror along.  ELF also sells pop-in, magnetized pans with eyeshadows, blushes, etc. for one dollar each.  You can use these ELF pans to re-fill with your own cosmetics.Or, as in the top compact, you can take out the insert and put in any size or shape of pan that's not too thick.  The one drawback is that the compacts don't come with a liner to keep the mirror clean. But you can easily make one of an acetate sheet, paper protectors from a binder, parchment paper, etc.

they even have internet access, so i was able to keep up with all of you!

Cream products are pretty straightforward - just use a small knife, spoon, etc. to fill you pan and smooth over the top.  But, what i only found out a year ago, you can also re-press any pressed powder (not loose!) products you want.  The basic process is to crush the powder, pack it into the alcohol-cleansed pan, put in a few drops of rubbing alcohol, and then press it down hard with a quarter wrapped in old tee shirt material soaked in rubbing alcohol.  Let it dry, and you're good to go! Of course i didn't think this up myself - i learned it by watching this video by Kandee Johnson on YouTube. The one thing to remember is that this won't work with loose powders, as they don't contain a binder to hold it all together.

top row left to right: mascara (warm water removal), blush brush (doubles as powder on the road), lid brush, wash/blending brush, crease brush, liner/smudge brush, slant-edge brush (for brows and lining eyes), clear mascara, Prestige eyeliner, HB pencil (for brows).  bottom row: poly-con with liquid foundation, carmex tin with gel primer

 The other idea you can use to streamline your makeup is to focus on multi-use products and brushes. My foundation doubles as concealer and eyeshadow base, and can be mixed with moisturizer for a sheerer look. Sheer, mid-tone eyeshadows can be used as lid, contouring, or all-over shadows.  Dark, matte brown shadows can be used to fill in brows, as contour, or as a sharp or smoky eyeliner (depending on application). Mascara that comes off with warm water or your regular cleanser means no need for makeup remover.

As you can guess, i get a lot more flexibility out of a few neutral shades and multiple brushes for my eyes than a bunch of different colors with only one or two brushes. And since i go light on powder and blush, i can get away with using the same brush for both (i wipe it briskly on a rough washcloth between the two). Take a look at every product in your routine with an eye to double-uses and see where you can pare down your own makeup bag.


The Grand Finale

We've all seen those horrifying 'around the world in one pair of undies' online or, even worse, in travel stores. Can you say bulky, unflattering, sucking all the fun out of being in some gorgeous international location? Talk about taking visible panty lines to a new level - these things are braille-compatible. Yuck!

If you want something cheerful, in a variety of colors and styles, tiny to pack and quick-drying, just look for nylon lace undies.  You can find them at any price point (i've purchased well made ones for $4 each at Target). Just look at the fiber information and check for a cotton crotch. Nylon is soft and very very long-lasting, and nylon lace dries in an hour or two if you roll it in a towel first. I have ones from Victoria's Secret that i've used as everyday undies for around seven years that are in perfect shape.

per innkeeper Honey, once a month a letter arrives from a visitor saying that the profusion of teddy bears creeps them out.   for goodness sakes, teddy bears?

You'll be pleased to hear that that's all i'm going to say about THAT.  I hope you found this useful - please ask any questions and i'll do my best to answer.  Hopefully you'll be able to go on a getaway trip of your own soon!  Maybe Vegas?

Getaway Tips: Clothing Capsules

outfit for breakfast downstairs in the inn on our first morning

In this post and the next i'll show you some pictures of outfits i wore on our recent trip to Pacific Grove's Green Gables Inn.  I'm big on using 'clothing capsules, so i thought i'd show you what i took along and some of my outfits to to give you a better feel for this concept.  In the next post i'll show you some more outfits, plus tell you how i lighten my makeup bag and give you my super secret travel knickers tip!


Before i begin, i recommend the Four Sister's Inns in the Monterey area unconditionally.  Great to amazing old houses, lovingly restored, lots of yummy food, and really really really nice staff. After we'd forgotten our cell phone, Honey and Ivy especially went above and beyond when i needed to contact my mom about a doctor appointment result.  Mom's fine (yay!).  And i suggest you check out the Four Sister's Inns - Gosby House and Green Gables. (No, they didn't pay me.)

out walking and harbor seal watching on an overcast but mild day

 I've talked about clothing capsules before. Here's the best definition i've found of a clothing capsule: "A clothing capsule is a group of 5-12 pieces (jacket, skirt, slacks, etc.) that work in combination with each other in color, style, or mood."  So, when packing for a two or three day trip, if you take one clothing capsule you should be set. What i like about taking clothing capsules, instead of planned outfits, is the flexibility - you have everything you need to create numerous outfits, all depending on your mood, the weather, or changing activities. For a longer trip you can take more than one capsule - two capsules with style or color 'overlap' will increase your options even more.


Here's the top half of the story:

left to right:  straw hat, grey floral scarf, leather bomber jacket, khaki jean jacket, black alpaca cardigan, white ruffle tunic, black lace cami, black ruffle tunic, white lace tank, black lace tank, leather hat.

And here's the bottom half of things:

left to right: leather heels, cotton black and white print skirt, white/ecru petticoat, gray wash jeggings, grey wooly tights, grey over the knee socks, ecru knit over the knee socks, black nylon stockings (i photo'd my brown ones since my black are in the wash!), khaki sneakers.  Missing: Smartwool socks: oatmeal with coral floral pattern.

ready to head out for pizza (with the addition of leather jacket) our second night.
tank, tunic, cardi tied at hi waist, jeggings, heels and smartwool socks.

The color scheme is pretty strict - black, white, khaki and grey. That's one of the tricks to a successful capsule - by limiting your color scheme, you ensure everything 'goes' with everything else with no clashing. And most of the pieces have a very romantic, flowing feel.  But i also threw in some 'tougher' more casual pieces - the leather jacket, the jeggings, the jean jacket - to allow more flexibility. I paired the jeggings with tunic length blouses, since i wear jeggings more as leggings than as jeans.

Packing pieces at different places on the casual/dressy scale increases your options as well. In this example, i can pair a romantic skirt with the lacy, crocheted sweater over a ruffled tunic and heels for a very dressy, festive look.  I can pair the jeggings with a tank and jean jacket and sneakers for a pulled-together yet totally casual ensemble. Mix the items of these two outfits as you please for looks that fall in between all dressed up and just kickin' around. To take advantage of this approach to flexibility, make sure to include a top and a bottom piece that go with your capsule but fall on the opposite end of the casual/dressy scale from the bulk of your travel wardrobe.

I include this last outfit, not because it is fabulous, stylish, or compelling (although it is very warm, which is important on the coast!). I include it because of the comment it generated as i strolled along Monterey's touristy Cannery Row late on our first night away.

the 'cowgirl' wore black stockings, not brown.  this is a dramatic recreation based on actual events.

 I walked past a bench with two ladies sitting on it. One lady was looking at the other, who was looking at me. The latter lady turned away from me to her puzzled-looking friend, and said,'She's a cowgirl.'  I looked out towards the Monterey Bay- seagulls don't care if you're trying not to burst out laughing!

Next up: a little more on creating your own clothing capsules for travel, lightening the makeup load, and a peek into my undies drawer.

How This Outfit Came About

Hi everybody! I hope you all have had a nice week or so. When i got back into town and got a little caught up on my blog reading, i noticed Sal at Already Pretty had posted a suggestion box. Many of the commenters requested information on how to build smaller wardrobes, how to dress in the heat, and how to put together new outfits. It heartened me to realize that some people actually are interested in what i'm talking about here! And it also encouraged me to write more explicitly about my ideas and practices in these areas, since everybody has different ideas and experiences.

I've also noticed that many of my readers and commenters create some stunning outfits on a regular basis themselves. So please 'tell all' in the comments and feel free to post any links to posts you may have written on this topic. I'll copy them to the body of the post so people will be sure to see them. (p.s. if anyone wants to do a guest post please let me know - i will contact you immediately upon regaining consciousness.)


UPDATE: i should've gotten farther on my 'catching up' before posting - here's a great profile of Gitte Lee on Advanced Style. Ms. Lee takes the concept of a template to it's strictest extreme and ends up looking consistently elegant. Some might use the term 'uniform', but that's way too boring to apply!


As a rule, i wear outfits comprising a top, a bottom, and a jacket. It's one of my basic 'templates' for getting dressed. Using the template process will really help you come up with new outfits, find the holes in your wardrobe, and 'shop your closet'. If you haven't already, it's a good exercise to look or think through past successful outfits and find the common structure. Can you develop one or more 'templates' from your successful outfits? Any time you create a great outfit, make a note of the pieces and how you put them together. Does it fit a pre-existing template or can you use it to create a new template?


If you write or sketch out your templates you can use them to help you generate more outfits from your existing wardrobe. Pick a piece of clothing you want to wear and a template you'd like to work with. Identify which part of the template that article will fill, then add more items piece by piece. A little later in this post i walk you through this process using this outfit as an example.

Templates can also help you identify which pieces to acquire in order to create the most new outfits from your existing stock of clothes. For example, in my case (many moons ago), i identified the 'top, bottom, jacket' template. If i go to my wardrobe and notice i have plenty of tops and bottoms, but only two jackets, i know where to focus my efforts. Get more jackets! At the same time, can any of my existing tops 'work' as that jacket layer? Any button-down shirt with a little structure will fit the bill, as will many sweaters.

So. This outfit here. I confess, i don't plan my outfits the week or even the night before, barring some big event or an out of town trip. I wake up, flail about, and get dressed. This morning was a little cold and foggy, so i decided to go with pants. These cargos are the only pair i have light enough for summer, so these cargos were the starting point. I got the bottom. For some unknown reason, i was in the mood for a little sparkle or glitz. This Ann Ferriday tank or shell has metallic details in the lace and metallic beading at the base of the 'vee'. I pulled it on. However. It's pretty low cut, and this was going to be a bopping around the house and a walk kind of day, no nightclubbing or fancy dinners. Using a scarf to 'fill in' a neckline is a centuries old practice. I rifled through my scarves - this one was the right shape, i liked the muted grey-blue next to the berry tones of the top, PLUS it has mild metallic gold stripes.

On to the jacket. This outfit already had enough color for me, and i liked the overall 'fitted' line that was developing (that top is skin-tight). The palm tree jacket is just about the same color as the cargo pants and when belted creates a longer lean type line. I wanted a stronger waist so i wore the Coach belt instead of the tooled one. It's not that cold out, so i rolled up the sleeves and the pant legs. I thought a small head would look better with the overall leaner look. I have two hats that create a smaller head, and the other one is a dark brown leather that would look a little harsh against the light khakis of the rest of the outfit. The dark brown of the belt and of the (again, smaller) shoes add a bit a structure or grounding to the palette without calling too much attention to themselves. The earrings are comfortable and go with everything, so that wrapped it up.

I use this process quite often when getting dressed. I decide on a likely template for the day. Then i choose a piece of clothing i'd like to wear that day, based on the weather and whatever i'll be doing. I plug that piece into the template in my head and start filling in the rest of the template, based on weather, my activities, and the color and style of the first piece. As i add more pieces to the finished look, my choices for the remaining pieces generally become more restricted, which makes the process less overwhelming and more natural than it might appear to be upon description.

What tips, tricks, theories or spells do you find helpful in creating new outfits? Any that are especially helpful when you are stuck or feeling worn out of ideas? Let it out!

Jacket: Issey Miyake for Vogue Patterns, made by me
Top: Ann Ferriday
Pants: Columbia
Belt: vintage Coach
Shoes: old Borns
Hat, Necklace: gifts
Earrings: own design