I'll have what they're having

photo by Annie Leibovitz for Vogue

Everyone has to have a mental image when working it in the exercise department. This is mine. Once you get rolling into whatever exercise method you choose, you end up doing it because it just darn feels so good and productive. Something nice we have done for ourselves, mentally and physically. But getting to that point is hard, and being the frivolous gal that I am I use fashion images to get me motivated. I keep fashion photos of things I know I can wear better when I trim down and then I keep some gowns that I know I will never get to wear in this lifetime but would like to be ready if Oscar de la Renta or Vera Wang showed up at my door with a few frocks. For the most part, road cycling is a summer sport in our climate so each spring I must get super-motivated and the older I get the harder it is  come by and I have had a late start this year. But, recently I have been visiting my Dad in a nursing home while he does a 8 week rehab for a fractured leg and I never come out of that facility without telling myself " You silly girl, you get on that bike without complaining even if it is snowing outside". I realized I tend to think of cycling as a way to trim those hips and pounds (and it does, believe me), a novel and pleasant weight loss program and not what it should be.............a way to hopefully keep my old age happy and healthy. Right now that image is working better than a Vera Wang dress. You should see me cycle now.










Photo of Johnathan Horton and Karlie Kloss here

Soft Landing in 2012

I prefer soft landings in the New Year. Give me a few weeks to ease into thinking too hard about resolutions, to-do lists, and goals. I sort of putter about, doing a few tasks that make me feel a bit productive but nothing too challenging. One of the things I try to do is clean up my photo files which I did yesterday. To make it fun I always try to find a favorite photo. And this is it............my soft landing in 2012. Dreamy, soft, layered with colour and movement. Much of what I wish in 2012 for you and me. 








Photo via my Tumblr

By Invitation...................all sparkly and bright

If a group of woman bloggers were actually able to get together for a big holiday party, what would we wear? That was the fashionable question this month for the international group of bloggers who are participating today in the By Invitation Only series. Last month had me dreaming of seeing the world from up above, this month I am dressed to the nines, being all silly and full of bubbly. And since it's all in good festive fun, I put some feathers and ribbon in my hair. It's a holiday party after all......................all Sparkly and Bright.

And what would I bring as a Hostess Gift? 

I am a really good guest after all. Really good. 

Black gloss gift wrap, damask embossed wide ribbon, one feather hair scrunchie, one crystal stretch bracelet perfect for small and special gift boxes, a bit of satin ribbon binding.

My hostess gift................wrapped all sparkly and bright.

See what the other festive party girls are wearing here. 

Photos from Tumblr/Bottom photo by Sande Chase

Something really funny..........and some girls really do have all the fun

Some girls have all the fun. 

 This girl is having fun with the most shoes ever, go see here.
To say nothing about the nail polish collection.

And this creative lady with the most fun bracelet and bangle collection ever.....

Now back to those killer shoes that are "possibly orgasmic". We were just talking about Killer Shoes in this post here. Who would have thought? Click here for the most far-fetched laugh-out-loud claim of the day actually said out loud by Mr. Louboutin himself (sent to me by a friend). I do like to bring you a little chuckle now and again.

Photos from here

Killer Heels..................and my simple blog template is back

I feel like I am forced to say goodbye to a really good friend...........forever. Last you heard from me I was playing dress up for a wedding which was lovely, lovely, and putting on a pair of sky-high booties and layering a neck party. But back to the brand-new sky-high booties. I just don't think I can wear a sexy high shoe or boot ever again and that strikes me as downright sad. By 8:30 I thought it was quite possible I had a foot fracture, by 9:30 I hobbled out to the parking lot and put on a pair of flat boots which made me feel really silly and old.............like my 57 yr-old body just couldn't suck it up for the sake of looking taller and leaner. But then I noticed a few younger girls were also heading to their cars or changing to the flip-flops that the hosts thoughtfully provided. Then it hit me, none of us can but we do it anyways. We love our higher heels, how they make us feel and how they make us look. 

This is a gorgeous pair of heels. I love high heels, everything about them. Trouble is this Louis Vuitton model was wearing high heels all day long during a grueling fashion month and I can't imagine the pain she must still be feeling. Models help sell fashion but I bet you are as surprised as I was to see what they must do to earn those big modeling bucks. You can read about this disturbing part of fashion here. I am not quite wiling to say goodbye to higher heels quite yet, it would mean disregarding most of the pairs I have and the outfits that go with them. I just need to be smarter about it. Perhaps I just need more practise? I admit to becoming overly-dependant on the comfort of stylish flats in the past year so let's be fair to my feet. I was asking too much of them and my leg muscles that night. So here is the big question..........how do you keep wearing high heels? Or have you given them up completely? 

But if all practise attempts fail.................I can always wear them to stylishly ride my bike. I just can't say goodbye to my lovely heels.

Whew...........thought I was on another planet while trying out the new Dynamic Blogger template for the past few weeks. As you can see I am back on a simple template and changes to my other pages will be ongoing. Let me know if any of the changes are affecting your reading or viewing pleasure as this new template is wider. Thank you for staying with me while I experimented. I did enjoy visiting Mars but it was a bit lonely out there so I am back for now, or at least until blogger adds some more features. 

 Object of Desire here

Photo 1/photo 2 and 3 

A few favorite posts this week.............on the graceful age

~ Beatrix Ost via Advanced Style ~

Every time I see this photo of this gorgeous woman I want to get up and cheer. And I want to direct you to two blogs, A Femme d'Un Certain Age  and Cashon & Co., that both focused their posting on aging this week, as in graceful aging, stylish aging, vibrant aging, the best kind. I prefer to gracefully side step the subject of plastic surgery, every woman to her own but if you do indulge and people start looking at you with a bit of puzzlement, obvious face scanning, and asking you to repeat your conversation, consider you may be over-indulging. Enough said. But fashion? That is a whole other story............I have nothing but admiration for inspiring women over 50 who knock-it-out-of-the-park when it comes to exploring tasteful, creative, and personable fashion. Now for some that might be a more conservative, classic approach, others a creative re-invention, both require a decision from any woman over 50. How am I going to fashionably enter this next era of my life? I know what it means for me.............and I know I wish I could wear a turban. Maybe I can?






My most sincere thank you to readers who offered input and support in the past week as I explored our new blogger template options. We are working hard to see how I can make this dynamic format work without giving up a blog header and my list of lovely bloggers. Today I have set the default view to Classic but remember you can click on the title and view this blog in any of the other views such as Magazine, Flipcard, Mosaic, etc. If you do experiment on your own blog, please make sure you back-up your original template. Enough said. 








photo from Advanced Style

the details.................Burberry Prorsum

Late night fashion browsing..............these Burberry Prorsum Spring 2012 details caught my eye. Aren't these bags divine? Especially the top one. And that jaunty hat style........what do you think of it? 

All photos from here.

Random things I loved this past week......but mostly fashion

Such a sweet presentation. Lovely moulds used for petite gifts, just adore this idea. One of my favorite ribbons too. I go through this ribbon stock quite fast.

Speaking of details, this shimmery dress from the Marchesa RTW Spring 2012 Collection took my breath away..........however it is attached to that finest of fabric look closely at the neckline.Wouldn't you like to watch how this was done?

Speaking of watching how it is done, I watched Annie Leibovitz-Life Through the Lens back-to-back with Bill Cunningham ~ New York and marveled at the differences in their iconic talents. One snaps away quickly, the other sets up for hours, even days but both have a quiet, unassuming nature that is remarkable in it's contrast to the fashionable subject matter they both photograph. Both the DVD and digital versions were released last week. I meant to tell you on Friday so you could watch these documentaries on the weekend but all my computers went down............technology and I have had our differences this past week. Really big differences.

Photo of Bill Cunningham snapping away at NY Fashion Week 2012 by Jamie Beck. 

A stunning portrait of Michelle Williams inspired by Marilyn Monroe taken by Annie Leibovitz for the October issue of Vogue available on new stands September 20th. Talk about a bucket list.............a portrait by Annie Leibovitz for sure. 

Speaking of glamour. You didn't think I would not show you the whole dress did you? 

You know how I just adore the photos by Jamie Beck. This one especially and the one below. She had me looking at fashion last week in a whole new way and I just don't know when that girl sleeps. That fashion world is fast and furious even to watch exhausting in a good way when you are young and talented. I know I am repeating myself on this, but I do think she is the it girl right now. 

Oscar de la Renta wowed everyone, especially for me because he used Chartreuse so beautifully and social media I might add.  Another one for the bucket list..........one of these gowns. Any of them. Actually I would be happy just to touch one. 

Bows at Tory Burch. On Shoes!

~ Photo by Jamie Beck ~

On to stylish footwear. I couldn't help but notice the ribbon detail on the shoes shown at Tory Burch's first runway show last week.  You know how I love side bows. She just gave me permission to play with all my ribbon in a most fashionable way. She also has the boots I want here.

Though I am just about fashioned-out after watching the activity from New York last week just for fun, 

this just in from Coveteur at the London Fashion Week. Though you can't see them, these gorgeous shoes were designed by footwear designer Nicholas Kirkwood for the runway show of Peter Pilotto shoes have a coloured lucite fluro Perspex heel . Wouldn't these just make the outfit? Any outfit? 

Have a most stylish week.

Love Love Chartreuse..............again

Of all the brights that are being paraded before us this fashion season, this flirty feathery number from Oscar de la Renta Spring 2012 RTW caught my eye. And I fell in love. My love affair with the colour Chartreuse goes way back to this informative background post here even if I do say so myself......... to me it is, always was, and always will always be my favorite colour. As soon as my camera is back up and running, I promise to do some chartreuse gift wrapping as I am inspired. Right now all I can do is think about is how I wish I was 30 years younger so I really could wear those chartreuse socks with that gorgeous pair of ODLR "virtual" booties. And maybe the dress too. 

Two after-post additions.

Photos by Marcio Madiera for Vogue here
Photos from tumblr here and here

Fashionista Bootie................with Coral

Even if you aren't playing along with me and cutting out Manolo Blahnik fashion images for gift wrapping, I should mention that the use of triple bows will always present a more visual gift package. Especially if they are moved over to the edge where they are least expected. That's the thing with gift wrapping......unexpected colour combinations, crazy patterns, more bows, odd embellishments, think outside the box so to speak and move things around a bit. Experiment. It makes the gift wrapping task more creative and fun for you and certainly for the recipient. You might not immediately think of bold coral ribbon with a pastel green paper but it works it is indeed a variation of the complementary colour scheme. The principle of more is better still works even if you use a narrow ribbon and even if you don't use the fabulous bootie drawings from the September Issue of Vogue. But I would cut it out just in case.........you might just need a a bit of more one gift wrapping day. Tell me, are you wrapping up anything special this week?










Photos by Sande Chase ~ A Gift Wrapped Life

NY Fashion Week Gift Wrapping.............with Manolo Blahnik

It was probably our cold spell, but maybe the hefty September issue of Vogue that finally got me off the screened veranda "office" and back to my real office, the one where I actually gift wrap. There was a lovely surprise in the last few pages of Vogue that got me motivated to play around with a a pair of scissors, tape, gift wrap, and ribbon and I must thank the talented Manolo Blahnik for getting me out of my summer slouch and back where I should be once the calender turned to September. It isn't the first time that these talented drawings have inspired me, go here to see what became my first Fashionista gift wrapping, something fun and frivolous for my fashionable friends. See........  having fun with gift wrapping can be as simple as buying Vogue. This Peep Toe Slouched Wedge Bootie the real one here inspired a few gift wrapping colour directions and I will post them as NY Fashion Week 2011 unfolds...............I am bound to be inspired in more ways than one because I really do need more than a stylish pair of slouchy boots. 












Photos by Sande Chase ~ A Gift Wrapped Life

Fashion Bow......................all shimmery

Quite simply the most stunning bow.

Photo via Pinterest/ Marchesa Gown- no photo source found.

Summer White and Linen..............and a style intervention

I don't have to see the whole outfit to know I would buy this outfit in 5 seconds flat. I can tell by the  distinctive sheen that this is white cotton at its most luxurious. It reminds me of my bed sheets, so perfect and white that every night when I get into bed I say to my husband "I love my bed, do you love our bed?" I will spare you his response which quickly veers from the subject of sheet quality to a more adolescent male response and we have the chuckle that qualifies a very long marriage. For me, there is a sense as I slide between our cotton sheets yes, we iron them that the day is ending blissfully, I am cocooned between crisp layers of white cotton and soft layers of goose feathers. Not a bad way to end the day. In other words, I want to wear what will make me feel the way I do each night when I tuck myself into my wonderful bed. Not a bad way to dress. 

All this white and ivory got me to thinking how I love white, ivory and shades of taupe or greige, especially during the hot summer months. But you wouldn't know this by looking in my purged closet which I am finding dreadfully boring at the moment perhaps I over-purged. I look at my clothes and think to myself "these clothes are not me at all". It can be interesting how long it takes to see your personal style emerge. It is only recently that I have gained a sense of what I am most comfortable wearing. And that is the distinction right there..........what suits me. My body, my life, my taste. As it is now. 

My style is much simpler than I would have guessed even a few short years ago. Over the years as I shopped and filled my closet,  I don't think it was with any particular style or thought in mind. Always rushed, always impressed by the latest find on the rack, I was more focused on the item, the fashionable whim of the moment than how it would fit into my undefined personal style. So what has changed? Why at 57 years. old am I thinking about personal style for heavens sake? 

Because I have changed. Because I recognize that my eye rests on simplicity and fabric structure in fashion more often than it does on bling and boastful fashion. Because I wear the same items in my closet over and over again ruled by comfort. Not necessarily the comfort that comes with loose fit and easy maintenance but the comfort that comes with giving way towards what feels right, looks right, without giving up style that effortless look. Realizing that I am far simpler in my style taste than I thought. More willing to edit my purchases. Spend time to think it through. Looking to be smarter about how I spend my fashion dollars. Funny how that happens.

So, my question is this. Is it too late to change a personal style and re-invent yourself later in life? 

Do you know your personal style?

Photos via Pinterest