fashion fridays

28 Days: Day 21, Fashion Friday, Icons

February 21, 2020 by Gindi Leave a Comment

As I pulled open the door to the ladies room this morning, I saw a stunning woman step out. Tall, slim, dark hair, and a beautiful high collared camel-colored blazer paired with her Friday dark wash trouser jeans and boots.

It made me want to go buy a camel-colored blazer, even though that is far from my best color.

It also got me to thinking about style icons. More specifically, images from movies that shaped what I love most about fashion. As I still have no idea what I’m doing with Fashion Fridays, or if I’m going to even do them anymore, I decided to write about iconic fashions for today’s Fashion Friday.

That woman’s jacket from this morning jump started my first iconic style movie. The Thomas Crown Affair (remake). Every single outfit Rene Russo wore. She even made bathrobes look glamorous. I even tried to recreate her haircut so I could BE her (it did not work out).

Audrey Hepburn in every movie she plays in. Classic. Simple lines. And lots of black. I don’t channel her often, given my draw to color, but she’s matchless.

Julia Roberts, in and out of movies, has long been a style icon of mine, although her fashion out of movies is arguably better than her fashion in movies. However, while I know it is utterly 1990s period, her post-shopping style in Pretty Woman made a pretty big impact on me.

Julia Roberts at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California (Photo by Jim Smeal/WireImage)

And even better, which is saying something, in and out of movies is Cate Blanchett. Seriously, she is magnificent. Movies from The Aviator to Monuments Men create Cate-only styles to make you want to makeover your closet.

There are so many other formative fashion movies – The English Patient, Reality Bites, Pretty in Pink, The Royal Tenenbaums, Sabrina, Clueless – and icons from Grace to Gwyeth.

I love movies and I love fashion. Who are your fashion icons or what’s your most memorable movie fashion moments?

Fashion Friday: Gala Guidance

February 8, 2019 by Gindi Leave a Comment

It’s Fashion Friday, friends!

Thank you for sending in all sorts of fun questions.

Next week we’re going to tackle another “coded” invite attire question.

But today, Fashion Friday is all about Gala Guidance. My post last week elicited texts and emails with questions and conundrums.

If you’re interested about the funny twist my own gala gown took after Friday’s post, stick around to the end.

For now, here’s a few tips based on the kinds of questions I got last weekend:

1. Dress your frame.

I had folks texting me questions about specific gowns. It all boils down to this, consider your frame. If you are petite, then large loud prints or big bold ruffles are going to overwhelm you. If you are tall and slender, it’s easier to pull them off.

Similarly, if you have a big bust, then a dress cut down to there is going to be hard to pull off in the real world. I realize Hollywood does it, but we don’t have tape specialists working in our bathroom to ensure we don’t experience a wardrobe malfunction.

Below are some dresses I discussed with friends. The first had a pattern that would overwhelm my very petite friend but we found more muted patterns (the next two) for her to try.

The final gown is for my slender friend with a smaller bust line. She looks smashing in every shade of blue and would knock the gala socks off in this. All dresses at Dillard’s.

2. Consider stepping outside your comfort zone, by renting.

I had the best conversation with work colleagues about gala gowns this week. One of them said that she would never invest a few hundred dollars on a big bold color in an evening dress. But she likes the ideas of reds and greens and blues. So for several years running, she’s rented her gala gown from Rent The Runway. We’ve talked about RTR before on the blog about subscription services, but this is an entirely different option. If you can normally guess your size (you get two sizes just in case), and you know what style looks good on you, then RTR might be perfect for you to step outside your comfort zone in print, pattern or color. (But leave time for an emergency steam if it comes crumpled!)

3. Pick a focal point.

If you have a daring neckline, you probably don’t need a statement necklace. You are the statement. If you have deep smokey eyes, then you don’t need bold lipstick. If you have a high-low hem with show stopping stillettos, then don’t overwhelm them with large sparkly earrings. Put on your dress. Decide where you want people to look. Work around your focal point. Don’t create too many distractions. Quality not quantity.

Cate Blanchett always gets it right – Smokey eye, nude lips, minimal jewelry, killer statement dress:

4. Feel beautiful.

If you read my post-gala dress saga below, you’ll see one dress I loved. But I felt heavy. I mean, I am heavier right now. But I felt heavy. You should feel beautiful. Don’t wear something you think is a statement dress but you don’t feel smashing in it. Similarly, don’t wear a long black gown because you don’t want to draw attention to yourself because of how you’re feeling about you right now. Feel beautiful. Get a friend to encourage you. Find something that is not only comfortable but also lovely to you. A color. A pattern. Fabric. Shimmer. Whatever.

As for my post-gala gown sequel, as soon as I wrote last week’s post I thought, I don’t want a long plain black dress. Yes it looked pretty but it just wasn’t jazzy enough for me.

So I ran up to Dillards because they were having a big evening gown sale. I tried on TWELVE dresses that were lovely. Yes, I’m on a spending freeze but I thought I might be able to exchange my gown even though I was past 30 days.

The last gown I tried on I found while browsing the dozens of racks. It was the exact same as my black dress but in a deep royal blue (plus they only had one and it was my size!!!). I saved it for last to give the other gowns a try.

Previously, I had tried two blue gowns that I absolutely adored for their color (see above), but I just didn’t feel confident or comfortable in them because of the fit across my abdomen.

When I put the old/new dress on, I loved it. Still it was my favorite gown (a nice confirmation of the first one). AND it solved my problem with it “just being” a black dress.

I pleaded my case to the saleslady (because of the 30 day return policy). She said if I would run home and get my dress, she’d hold this one until I returned. She could give me store credit for my black dress and apply it to the blue one.

So I ran ALL THE WAY HOME (I wasn’t close to my house at the time) and now I’ll be wearing blue tomorrow night. Hoorah for color! (Pictures tomorrow!!!)

See you next week fashion friends.

Fashion Friday: On Reunions

April 13, 2018 by Gindi 2 Comments

Ah, reunions.

They either give you fond memories and joy at the idea of seeing old friends or spark terror in your heart and drive you to your couch cushions.

Here’s the thing. IF you choose to go, and I realize for a lot of you that’s a big IF, you’d like to look good.

You look older. But heck, a lot of us look better. I rocked my 10 year high school reunion way more than I ever rocked high school (think big bangs, shoulder pads and florals).

Now… there’s 10 year high school reunions and then there’s Ahem-year college reunions. Whatever it is, inevitably fashion questions arise.

Because of the crazy disparity in the dress code for your high school, college, or post graduate reunion, there’s no one size fits all solution. However, for Fashion Friday today, we’re going to try and tackle a few rules.

1. Feel comfortable. Okay, okay, I realize you’re thinking “yeah, yeah,” now what do I wear? But seriously. If it’s too tight or too short or so far outside of what you typically wear (think leather pants or sky high heels), you will have your confidence gutted. And you need confidence more than anything (well, maybe YOU don’t, but I certainly would). Don’t think you can be comfortable and stylish, Cindy Crawford would beg to disagree:

(Photo by Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for Sarah Flint)

2. Wear it first. You want to run out and buy something new? Go for it! But wear it somewhere first. You need to know if it has hiccups before you try it out at the big dinner. Test drive the thing.

3. Google the venue. Think about your town or city and then think about the venue. High rise in downtown of a big city. Boy, that outfit is going to look a lot different than a rec center in the suburbs. An Austin music hall versus a Dallas museum – night and day even though they’re only a couple of hours geographically apart. Most reunion invites I’ve seen don’t have a dress code specified, so you have to read the information in context to decide what to wear.

4. Wear your favorite color. I love deep greens, blues and purples. But I don’t usually think about my favorite color when getting dressed for a big event. Yet, they always make me feel more comfortable. Find something in colors you love and feel pretty in. Don’t be afraid to stand out a little – I love bold prints like this interesting green dress or throw some color into your informal daytime reunion events look.

5. Benchmark. Most of the time you have a friend you’ve kept in touch with. Check with her. Find out what she’s wearing. You always feel a little better if someone you know is on the same dress-level. You may be the only two in jeans, but at least there’s two of you. And seriously, classic never goes out of style like this simple outfit. But if the event promises to be chic, then you can’t go wrong doing something fashion forward like this sophisticated jumpsuit Jessica Biel is sporting:

Do you make it to reunions? How do you pack? I always pack a back up outfit because inevitably I change my mind.

Fashion Friday: Easy Spring Hacks

April 14, 2017 by Gindi Leave a Comment

Happy spring friends! I just had my toes painted pink and I’m wearing a sparkling blue dress to church on Sunday (with sandals) which must mean it’s SPRING!

So for today’s Fashion Friday we’re talking about easy spring hacks to freshen up your wardrobe! They mainly involve shopping your closet or picking up an inexpensive easy accessory.

1. Tie your scarf differently. Surely goodness you have scarves? Find one with bright colors and wear it differently. Ignore my total bumming around the house look today and let me illustrate (no make up, hair unwashed, see the sacrifices I make for my community!). I used to just throw a scarf around my neck and knot it. Now, instead, take a long scarf and drape both pieces behind your neck (illustration #1). Then take the two pieces from behind, cross them, and throw them back to the front. I love this look to upgrade a simple dress.

2. Wear yellow! Okay, yellow doesn’t actually look great right up against a lot of people’s faces, including me. But it’s such a happy color! So… there are all sorts of places to add a splash of yellow into your wardrobe – the ultimate springy color! I have a yellow skinny belt which pops on a black sheath dress, yellow kitten heels you can pair with anything for work, or yellow ankle pants which I wear with quilted flats and a black cardigan.

3. Mix colors you don’t typically wear together. I am always creating new outfits. Throw melon on with blue. Wear a red paisley blouse with navy blazer. Grab your favorite green blouse and mix it with a blue and white patterned cardigan. It is so easy to create new outfits if you have a few staples – a denim jacket, neutral trousers, a pair of dark denim, a neutral sheath dress… Then you can throw anything else with it and, voila, a new spring outfit! Last night, I wore a pair of red ankle pants with a black and white print blouse, a denim jacket, a long strand necklace, and wedges. I forgot to take a picture but after all these no make up pictures I can’t bear to take one more 🙂

If you don’t have bright colors in your closet, here’s a few cheap hacks for less than $25 you can pick up this weekend:

Awesome skinny textured yellow belt for $15 –

A bright print long scarf also for $15 –

Casual hoop earrings from Norstrom’s for $22 –

Bright orange flats for $20 at DSW –

Anyone willing to share their fashion Spring Hacks? I’m all ears. Have a Happy Easter!

Fashion Fridays: Memory Series, Sarah’s Italy Spend

August 5, 2016 by Gindi Leave a Comment

Y’all, I can’t believe we are nearly DONE with our Fashion Fridays summer series telling all these wonderful fashion memories.

It has been so nice to have a little break and get fresh ideas while at the same time reading how certain outfits or items are etched into your memory as part of a moment in time. I may share a couple of my own favorites next week, or I may just launch back into random fashion ideas. I was wandering through an Anthropologie this week and was enraptured by the textures and patterns on display (I really can’t wear most anything in there yet I love it so much).

If you missed any of the Memory Series, just search for it in the little box there on the right and relive them all. Today, my friend Sarah is visiting to share a fashion memory from her Italian adventure. I love her even though her picture from 10 years ago and now look exactly the same – I mean seriously, she has NOT aged one ounce! Welcome Sarah to Fashion Friday.

sarah2006 sarah2015

My fashion memory is tied to my favorite, and maybe only, true fashion item: an Italian leather jacket purchased in Florence exactly ten years ago.

The girl who purchased this jacket had no kids and no job, she had yet to attend law school or meet her husband—and even still, this jacket still remains fashionable and special.

The week after graduating from Ole Miss (May 2006), two sorority sisters and I left for 17 glorious days in Europe. Our travels took us to Amsterdam, Paris, Monaco, Nice, Cinque Terra, Florence and Rome. Other than a month long road trip to Canada with my brother and grandparents when I was 9, this was my first trip out of the country. Maybe my first trip without my parents or an adult, as well.

The trip was filled with so many magical experiences: the tulip farm in Amsterdam, mass at Notre Dame, dinner among the cliffs and yachts in Monaco, The Cannes Film Festival, hiking Cinque Terra, The David, the Sistine Chapel, and the ruins in Rome. It is also during this time that I fell in love with red wine, a love that still endures today.

Florence came during the last week of our trip, and by this time we had all but run out of money and energy. We went to the leather market our first day in Florence, and one of the girls on the trip purchased a leather briefcase (she was starting at an accounting firm the following month) and a leather jacket. I debated and debated whether to purchase the same jacket but decided not to for fear I would run out of my allotted money, which evidently happened in Rome. Instead, I purchased a leather journal that first day.

We spent the next day and a half enthralled with the city and all its beauty. On our way to meet our train for Rome, I found the store front of the leather dealer, and after endless internal debates and rationalizations, I came to the conclusion that I would forever regret not purchasing this jacket.

Ten years have passed, and I still love wearing this jacket. It represents a different time in my life, one that I hold dear.

I have always loved fashion—magazines, articles and shows—however, this love very rarely translates into me actually being fashionable. I am much more plain Jane, but when I wear this leather jacket, a part of me feels fashionable. And even a bit younger.