30 for 30 The Wardrobe

OMG this is harder then I thought. My thirty had to include shoes!! What?? Then I can’t buy any clothes for thirty days. Hope this doesn’t end like my no shoe buying did. I got through it and then I fell off the wagon like and eating disorder in a Waffle House. Now surely I’ve gone thirty day with out buying clothes, (I’m not crazy), but the words, ‘you can’t’, don’t hold well with me. Ladies it’s like the word diet, I hungry just thinking about it (maybe I am crazy!).

Here goes nothing my goal is to start January 1^st, 2011 I wanted to add some pieces I don’t think to put on to often also. These would be the highlighted items. Here’s my list:

Shoes – It’s the rainy season here!

1. Blue suede boot
2. Brown buckle boot
3. Shiny Black rain boot
4. Black Boot

Skirts

5. Anthro Skirt With Side Detail
6. Heather Grey Gap Skirt
7. Cream & Brown Anthro Skirt - I added the lace to the bottom
8. Blue Tweed Gap Skirt
9. Black & Green Anthro Skirt

Tops

10. Black Target Graphic Tee
11. Lilac long sleeved Tee
12. Black Large Sleeved Tee
13. White ¾ Sleeve Tee
14. Grey Banana Republic Blouse

Sweaters – Don’t be surprised if it’s 90 this January

  15. Long Green Anthro Sweater
  16. Plain Cream Cardigan
  17. Fancy Gold Nordstrom Cardigan
  18. True Blue Banana Republic Sweater

19. Light Grey Banana Republic Sweater
20. Cropped Argyle Grey Sweater  

Dresses 

21. Black Sweater Dress
22. Royal Blue Cache Dress
23. Brown Wrap Dress

Pants

24. Express Skinny Jean
25. Trouser Jean
26. White Banana Republic Trouser
27. Blue Tweed Banana Republic Trouser
28. Neutral & White Pin Striped  Banana Republic Trouser
29. Black Banana Republic Trouser

Blazer

30. Cream and Black ¾ sleeve blazer

As soon as I learn how I’ll post pictures.

Taking the Challenge

My friend Jenny is doing a Blogger challenge to select 30 articles of clothing from her closet and design her next 30 days of wardrobe using only these 30 pieces. Accessories don’t count and you can’t repeat the same combo. I think I might try it, starting Monday. What a girls got to do her laundry first!! but I think it will be fun. I’ll post my thirty pieces and if I can figure out how to post a picture I’ll show you and you can follow along .

Tap Dancing In Rain Puddles

About eight months ago I put myself on a shoe diet. I jumped off the wagon recently and apparently beat it to death with my Nordstrom’s card. It started with the most comfortable sneakers ever on my Vegas trip and end with a boot shopping spree. Ladies I purchased three pairs of boots last weekend. One snow, one rain, and one fashion with no absolute need for any of them. It’s been eight months and I needed to shoe shop it makes me happy! I don’t even have room for them in my closet and I don’t care. Not buying shoes for me is like holding my breath and last week I inhaled and I don’t care.

All week I’ve been wearing my rain boots my new shiny black hunter rain boots and my older shiny teal Hunter rain boots. People at work have been questioning the fact that I own two pair of Hunter rain boot. I figure I live in Seattle it rains 250 of the 364 days of the year and its grey preparing to rain 60 of the days in the middle. I say don’t hate me because I’m tap dancing in rain puddles.

　

　

Reinvention

They say every seven year your body changes. Your skin type can change your hair changes. Well I don’t know where I am in that cycle but I’m thinking it’s time for a personal change. I’ve done this before some where in my early 20’s I was in the middle of one my dark periods. (I was never a moody teen but I was moody in my twenties. I still am to some extent.) I woke up one day decided I was depressed because I had lived my entire life as a reaction to other peoples mood swings. I just woke up over it! I don’t know what day it was but I made a decision and I changed my life going forward.

Well it’s time again. I use to sketch and draw and design stuff all the time. Somehow I got discouraged and lost my way. I feel it now like the day I decided to live my own life. My creative spirit is roaring back to life I think it’s time to reinvent myself. I think people do see me as creative but there about to realize they had know idea what I’ve been hiding. You can tell from this blog that I love clothes. Did you know I love art too sometimes I think I need it to breathe? Stay tuned the color and texture of my life is about to change I can feel it. A reinvention is on the way. When is the last time you reinvented your self?

Girl in a Box

Well it's that time I changed my hair from straight to curly for the winter. It rains too much here to deal with it straight. I've pulled out my sweaters and I'm wearing them but I'm most excited about my mew jacket. Anyone who knows me will tell you I'm a huge Anthropologie fan. That store is my happy place. If I have a bad day at work I stop by Anthropoligie on my way home. I don't need to buy anything I just like to wonder.

Everyone should find a happy place. That one place where you go to de-stress. I've been debating getting a part time job there but I wonder if the work would ruin my happy place. I don't think so but I wonder if they'd let me get creative. Because that's why I love it.  Being in there makes me want to create and design stuff. I can get that same feeling in a good book or an art museum. I know I'm weird and I've learned to go with it.

I've been going to Anthropolige a lot lately looking for inspiration for my bedroom. It's been a mess lately and I realized I don't like my room. I'm on month three in my new place and I hate my room. I think for me I need to find an inspiration piece and go from there. I'll keep you posted on my quest or if I just lose my mind and decide to move when my lease is up. Every moment spent in my room makes me want out. Help I'm traped in a box!!

A little bit of structure in our lives!

They say children need structre to turn out right. Well so does a good coat! Fall is here so let's cover the basics. Fisrt your coat is statment peice!  It will tell people the most about you at first glance. A good coat is versitile, warm, an screams "Whoo gorgeouss over here!"  To be perfectly honest regardless of what people try and deny it is human nature: we all make a silent judgements of people we see before we speak to them. Starting soon the first thing people will see is your coat. So let's start the judging off with some bonus points. 
TBC

My Fountain of Youth

I have always wanted to be a writer. Bad spelling aside, I think I would be good at it. It's on my 'when I become a mommy list.' In my head I'm a stay at home mom on day and during this time I plan to save the world in my spare time. Besides the economy and the no man thing the other problem with that statement is I have no clue how not to go to work. This is why in order to make this work I have to become a writer now. This way I can work from home.

Anyway  I been waiting to grow up and become a writer.  Well I'm going to be a writer now no more waiting. I  want to write novels. I use to think I need more life experience for this but now I think I just need to start writing. I use to write all the time. I moved recently and I found all my old journals. I sat down and read a bunch of them and there are story plots in there and charters concepts and I just need to stop and develop some of these ideas. Sometimes my random characters and the plots surrounding there lives will keep me up at night. I'm not generally and insomniac because of stress for me it's this stuff. People in my head stories I can't turn off!

I think I just stumbled back in to the passion from my youth the one thing I consistently wanted to be since I was little besides a fashion desiger.  It's like and overwhelming craving I just got to do it. I fill all jazzed up maybe writing is my fountain of youth.

Random thought!

So it was a long weekend! My car got towed and that cost me $89. My puppy escaped and he was impounded and he cost me $122. Think on that for a moment….It cost more to get my dog back then my car. 

Random thought I’ll most likely have to drag puppy of the yard next week. So maybe we should up the penalty for men who fool around outside their home fence. Let’s just keep it fare in the animal kingdom. Cheaters could simply be charged a fine, incarcerated for the weekend and them we neuter them. $20 says this would cut the national debt by billions. Most men will not consider being snipped and clipped. They cringe at the thought. Think about it the humane society is genius! The bill sent to congress should be called The Humane Society Act in honor of Puppy. After all it’s only fair!

The Travel Nazi

Sometimes I travel a lot for work and that should have made me a master packer but I actually attribute my ability to pack a simple bag for travel to a friend. we’ll simply refer to as the Travel Nazi. First let me tell you I come from a family of heinous over packers. In reality we stand in our closets and vacillate but instead of making a decision, we just pack half of ever thing we own. Then add another  bag for shoes (It could snow in Hawaii and I’ll be glad I took my snow boats!).

Well the first time I went camping with friends I was told about the travel Nazi.  I was told I could only bring one bag and I complied. Ok sooo my one bag was the size of the trunk of the car. It was all in one bag I'm doing good. My friend who picked me up laughed at me as she drove me to the Travel Nazis house.  This is where every one was meeting to regroup and hit the road.  (Now it’s been 5 years and the Travel Nazi still gives me a hard time for this moment.) She looked at me, looked at my bag, and went "Are you serious?" I was but I just averted my eyes because hers just about jumped out of there sockets. She walked away and came back with a bag about the size of a brown grocery bag and said. "If it fit’s in here you can take it!" Nothing eles she just left in the foyer to work though a life time of issues and bad home training. Well I got it together and I’m still the butt of a few jokes but I am now a master packer. So here are some tips so you’re never called out in the Travel Nazis foyer:

1. Pick a theme color
2. Jeans- dress them up dress them down and 2 pair will work for 5 days
3. 1 dress that does not wrinkle
4. Shoes 1 pair walking, 1 pair simple cute (good for walking or dancing)
5. 5 tee’s
6. 1 sweater
7. 1 hoodie or jacket
8. The necessary under garment

Your good on clothes pick up some trial sized personal hygiene products and be out. It you forgot something you needed buy it and call it a trip souvenir. Enjoy your self!

The Little Drummer Girl

So they say the military look is in this season. I like it, but can I make a suggestion. Don’t over do it, only allow your self three classic items per super trend. Consider for this look a belt, a boot, and a jacket. Don’t buy a heavy coat in such and obvious trend. Heavy coats should be in classic timeless trends.

Spend wisely. It is never wise to buy cheap shoes unless they are flip flops or Keds. Beach wear and white shoes have a shorter life expectancy. Your trendy jacket should be less then $200 and will more likely cost you less then $100 if you know where to look. I limit this because although you’ll be fabulous this fall and winter you’ll want something new come spring. The shoe and the Jacket are the key pieces. Keep the boot below the knee and make the jacket light weight and versatile. The jacket makes a statement and you’ll want to keep it on in work or play. Visualize them both with pants, skirts and dresses. Make sure the hardware on both goes well together. Notice the little details. They keep you pulled together and fabulous. It is also necessary to keep the color of the boot and the jacket as close as possible. A small detail but a key point they should match! The belt should not. It should the same theme but a stand out color.

As for the jewelry buy options. I love the though of brass jewelry but why not some small or large trinket in Chinese red. Ponder this something yellow done right just might up your game. Always leave them wanting more ladies. My fashion philosophy: Keep it Classy. Simple and Unexpected!!!

Med Carts In The Work Place!!!

I think every company should employee a nurse who comes a round twice a day handing out meds to the employees. This way Bob in account could get the doggie downer he so desperately needs to get off everyones last nerve and maybe Chris in customer service could get and afternoon pick me up before he snaps and curses’ out a customer. And let’s face it every office has that person who could use a Midol IV drip for the general safety of everyone in the building.

Today I would personal skip the meds and beg for a magic wand. I could say "Puff be gone with you!" waive my wand and have the office to my self. I’m just saying, sometime I think there are to many people on my planet or just maybe a nurse could swing by and refill my Midol IV!!

The simple gourmet

Growing up cooking was a major part of my childhood. I can’t remember learning to cook any more then I could remember taking my first steps. It’s possible that I was cooking first. However I have several friends that seem amazed by my culinary abilities. Last night one of my girls called me a fancy eater. She stated that I never cook simple. I think I cook simple I try to eat mostly veggies myself. After watching Oprah and reading the Michael Pollan books I eat meat like a small side. I just get board with the same thing over and over. I love Steak and I avoid chicken it makes me sleepy. I eat a lot duck. I use duck to season things. So I thought I share one of my simple dishes and let you the reader decide.

Steak-

　

Ingrediance :

1 T-bone

2 Tlbs Soy Sauce (I like La Choy)

1/2 teaspoon butter

Fresh sliced Mushrooms

1 Med Onion

Your favorite steak seasoning

Pre heat oven on broil. Using a heavy skillet melt butter and soy sauce add steak, season with your favorite seasonings (I use cayenne, garlic powder, and some sort of for steak mix). Season both side of the meat add the sliced mushrooms (how ever many you’ll eat) and slice the onion bit sized and add to your liking,

Cook till the meat is cooked to your liking .

It turns out really good!!

Me vs The Meds

For the past two months I have been ignoring this pain in my hip. Lately it’s been getting worse now when I sit for any period of time my leg tingles and starts going numb. Well that gave me cause for concern so I dragged my reluctant self to the doctors.

You see I hate going to the doctors the actual word doctor make me have to pee. It’s and involuntary response, like that bell for Pavlov’s dogs, someone say doctor and I am ready to pee in a little plastic cup. TMI I know but it’s true. That’s not why I hate going to the doctors in reality I hate needles and I am assured that doctors are masochist and I’m their favorite subject. This I’m sure stems form growing up poor and being taken to a clinic that 1^st did a finger prick on every child during admission (I don’t know why), and second treated 98% of my childhood illness with an antibiotic shot to my rear. This trauma is the reason I lied to doctors for 13 years about my last tetanus shot. Usually when they say I’m due on my next visit I have change doctors. Really I do! However I got one two years ago it wasn’t so bad and I even got a hepatitis C vaccine too. Guess I’m good for the next 13 years.

So back to my current issue the doctor says my Sciatica is acting up and he gives me a pain killer and a muscle relaxer. Did I ever mention that I was raised sort of organic as a child? Meds and I don’t mix. I took half a muscle relaxer on Friday night I missed Saturday. Heard it was nice out. Saturday evening after I finally woke up I took one pain killer. I woke up on Sunday morning at 7 a.m. but I was spacey the remainder of the day. I took nothing Sunday night and I basically felt like I drove to work drunk this morning. I feel so disconnected it’s amazing. It is afternoon now and I just want to pass out.

I guess there’s not worries that I’ll become a drug user.  I’ll just stick to Advil. cause I’m straight up loopy today!!

Welcome to the big top!

Well here's a little something from my Fashion shoe box. Living in Seattle is like walking around the circus you just never know what you’re going to see but I can guarantee you will see something over the top. Today a straight man started pointing out to me that we had obviously wandered in to the Freak Show or as he put "Do the ladies in Seattle all get dressed using fun house mirrors?" I looked up to see ladies tripping over shoes they could not walk in,  one pair of shoes on a girl that could only be described as animal hoofs for human feet, a few ensembles that where just to sexy to ware in a professional office, some to boring to address, and one tent. After I choked back my need spew tea on him, I tried to defend but there was just no defence for some of there atrocities. So I decided to come up with a few basic pointers to help some ladies move out of the big top.
1. Go buy a full length mirror for your home. It is unacceptable not to own one. It’s like not having a toilet in your home.
2. If you’re over the age of 26 and/or you actually have hips and behind please stop squeezing in to skinny jeans. Especially light colored ones!! It’s not cute and they have not been designed to fit your body style or the respectable personal image you should want to display in life.
3. Unless you’re jogging or power walking or on your way to the gym spandex or yoga pants are not permitted. (Comfort is not a style. If it were it would be a lazy one and you are not lazy!)
4. You should always be in control of your body therefore pick only shoes that fit your foot and you can walk in. You should wear the heels the heels ladies. They should not be wearing you! (Unless you have a medical issue, you should own a reasonable for you high heeled shoe. Ballet flats are ok sometimes but note they do nothing for your rear.)
5. It’s ok to own more then one coat but if you don’t please buy a few sets of accessories for it. Different colors and different styles.
6. I’m afraid to put this one writing in this area but if you can be reasonable not ridiculous think outside the box. Be interesting not crazy but only with one accessory.
7. It is perfectly acceptable to wear a Red Light sweater and a Nordstrom’s scarf. Just plan better and do it well. I love thrift store shopping just stop being so cheap about it. It’s not a deal if it looks like it needs to be given back to Goodwill. Look for cashmere sweaters and look for natural fibers not the flammable plastic ones. Stay away for things with flare. That will come later when you accessorize.
8. Vintage is good with a modern twist. Read fashion magazines cut out looks you like make yourself a little purse sized look book for shopping.
9. Grab a well dressed friend, with a style you admire and take your look book and go window shopping. Plan a day try and stuff on. Don’t be discouraged by the number of the size on the tag or the number of stores you have to go into to find the right items. Go to nice stores don’t buy, unless it’s fabulous and you can afford it. Try to recreate your looks ask your well dressed friend. 1) Does this look work for me, my body, and my personality? 2) If you could change this outfit to make it work better for me what would you do?
10. Don’t be afraid of color try something new and slightly unexpected of your personal style.
I have more style tips but my time has run out for the day. I’ll write more another day. I know this much to be true there are amazing women in Seattle doing astounding things in equally astounding outfits just image the greatness you could achieve if people took you seriously.

Zero degrees is not applicable where curves are involved!

I know this much to be true fall is here! We only had two weeks of summer maybe three weeks but they weren’t all connected. Fall and spring are my favorite seasons fashion wise. I love fashion boots and light scarfs, little jackets and tights. I’m getting excited. Even though I’ve packed on some pounds and may need new skirts and pants but I’m working on it.

I’ve put myself on a diet. I’m trying to eat healthy according to the Michael Pollan book Food rules: An eater’s manual and I am working the weight watcher point plan. To bad I didn’t start sooner. I lack discipline and the situation is serious. I can’t fit in to may favorite fall gear and I think I’m just a few cupcakes shy of a chubby chasers dream girl.

The issue is I just know where to find amazing food in this city. You want cupcakes the Dahlia Bakery on 4^th Ave in Downtown Seattle. Food so amazing you can’t share it because you might actually be tempted to stab a loved one with a fork Paseo in Freemont. Best Mexican Ballard’s La Carta de Oaxaca. If you’re reading my blog and you to are on a diet too I’m sorry I think I’m starting to lead you and myself down a bad path.

Ok back to my real point I know I’ll never be a size zero. Hell who am I kidding I’m 5’4 and I’ll never be a size five. I just want to go back to being a happy size eight. It worked for me!! So I know this much to be true zero is not a size because real women have curves and zero degrees is not applicable where curves are involved.

What I know about life could fit in a shoe box!!

First Jackie isn't my real name. I'm an honest writer but I'm not into being stocked. Second I'm 33 years old and sometimes I forget that. So if I post something crazy just ignore it. I'm not blonde but I have many moments...blonde moments...vary blonde moments! I've traveled all over the US but unless you count Canada which I really don't.. I've never left the US. I consider Canada the US's crazy cousin. You love them but you wish they weren't always drunk at the family reunion. I love Canadians all the ones I know and love are hilarious! Also note I use way to many explanation points when I type. For your sake I'll try to contain myself... Oh and just one more warning I am a horrible speller and a bad typist so don't hate for being dyslexic. This site has a spell check but I don't like it.

Anywhoo this brings me to the point of this blog. Some will be about fashion, some will be about life, some days I'll just be pondering my guilt over my internal debate on am I a bad puppy mommy or just a busy lady with a crazy puppy. Puppy has only mastered one life lesson in his fist 15 week on this planet "We don't eat shoes!!" I sort of threatened to drop him in the good will drop box. Well I hope you get the point you'll need to check in daily everything is open for discussion. You'll just never know but maybe if I write it all down I can fill up my shoe box and some of yours too!!!