The clothes make the woman?

For years I was always a bit of a snappy dresser. I remember in University always getting compliments about my clothes and my friends tell me that they thought I was always so well dressed for a student. Then work life came and I embraced getting dressed in office wear and killer heels, in fact, I loved it. Things changed a bit when I moved to London, not only because the budget was a bit tighter than before (or rather, my mom didn't contribute to my wardrobe anymore), the cobblestone streets messed up  my killer heels and taking the London Underground to work and back really took its toll on my clothes. You are probably wondering how the tube can affect your clothes, but really, it does, you sit on dirty seats, the same seat on which some yob stuck their gum to, or the guy who still smelled like last night clubbing leaves his putrid odor on and lets not forget that the trains are not perfect havens of peace and temperature control...in fact, its overcrowded, and usually too hot, so you feel slightly icky lots of times when you travel during peak times. (don't get me wrong, I love the convenience of the Tube - but my clothes didn't like it much)

Now, for the past almost 4 years, I've been living in Colorado. Its a great state with lots of natural beauty and fantastic things to do for active people, but since I'm not the hiking, mountain biking, fishing-type girl, there isn't much for me here. I also feel like this is kind-of, the place (not the epicenter, but somewhere in the most outer perimeter) where fashion came to die. I'm not saying that all Coloradoans lack taste and style and have bad wardrobes, because that is definitely not the case, I'm merely saying that my type of fashiony, high-heeled, fabulously dressed and coiffed style is hard to find - not in stores, but on the streets, and in restaurants. The first time I got all dressed up and went to a middle-of-the-line restaurant with my husband, I could not believe my eyes: the woman at the table next to us was wearing old jeans, sneakers and a t-shirt. A few tables down, another woman was wearing a tracksuit and the other was wearing jeans and a hoodie - and they were not the only ones. I felt completely over-dressed, but I didn't start to dress down until a bit later. It happened so slowly, that I didn't even notice it myself, until it was too late.

I sometimes walk in Nordstom or Saks Fifth Avenue, and look at some of the woman around me, because while this woman is shopping in this fabulous store, dropping $2-3 grand on spectacular designer pieces, she's wearing yoga pants and a t-shirt, and I'm wondering to myself..."when do these woman wear these things...cause I sure as hell don't see them in it - except in very fancy restaurants" 

Now I finally come to the point of this post. Do the clothes make the woman? I most certainly hope not, in fact, I know not. Since moving here, I've started dressing down a lot, but I'm still me, just a less glamorous me. I very rarely wear heels and flashy outfits, because I got tired of always looking over-dressed and in the process, I feel like I'm loosing a little bit of ME. Not the person that I am, but my hobby, one of my favourite ways of expressing myself. I can't paint, draw, sew, or write very beautifully, but for me fashion is art, and wearing it is a way to express myself. With this blog and my 365 challenge, I'm going to get me back. I'm going to slowly get into the habit of wearing what I want to and not caring what anyone thinks. So what if I'm overdressed, I'm over-dressed for me, and I love it! (well, hopefully I'll get there slowly but surely - I have a whole year to try). Dressing up or dressing down...I'm still just me...albeit a less fashionable me...

Day 4 - Outfit 4

 

Exhibit A of a less fashionable me: Casual Friday (not that the rest of the week is not casual, but what the hey!). Shocking pink Calvin Klein Zip-up sweater, black scarf, jeans and my mermaid Ed Hardy's.