Sorting out likes and dislikes from "Cats Say Meow"

Mes chers readers:

Je suis desolais for the lack of recent posts. Je vou promets que the daily challenges from the 21 day challenges are taking place and that the reformation project is in place. However, by the time I leave home in the morning there is little sunlight, and by the time I arrive, there is also no sunlight. Oui, plenty of work. The outfits will be recreated exactly as they were photographed in the poor light with mon bad camera.

Here is a list of likes and dislikes inspired by Cats Say Meow's post. This might help to clarify what will be added to the 30-item list these 30 days.



Items That I Like and Wear

1. Cashmere Sweaters.
As soon as the temperatures drop for the low 70°Fs into the upper 60°Fs, I will be donning them. Accordingly, there is an appropriately sized collection as well as silk shells and blouses to wear underneath and prolong the time between hand-washing. this brings me to the next line:

2. Silk Dresses.
J'aime les dresses in general. They are comfortable and they are easy. Nice silk and silk jersey dresses let me feel like myself. They are comfortable to travel in, especially the black dresses.

3. Skirts.
These are sort of a continuation of the dresses section. Pencil lines suit me perfectly. So do body-skimming shapes in general. Pencil lines in a knit work for me. They suit my shape and are very comfortable and portable fall/winter for traveling.
Woven A-lines are much more comfortable in the heat.
Cuts either above the knees or around the ankles get worn. They look fine with flats. That's why. So, everything else must be hemmed. Not that anything has actually been hemmed yet. A-lines permit flats especially well too. I should stick to those. Oui, the next item is:

4. Flats.
They are great for travel on the feet and in the bag. Also, there is no need at all to try concealing my height. Other than for power meetings (black 4" Frye pumps), why would one want to look taller? Also, some days I walk a lot. In the city or the boonies.
My high-heel selection is limited to about five pairs that I really love and that are super, super, super comfortable. Even those have not been getting regular wear.
The lesson is that I should really not buy many heels. Luckily, I don't. Except for wedge sandals. Fine, I could not stop buying those early this summer, for some reason. Now I have enough wedge sandals to last me, literally, a lifetime. This is so, especially provided that I work in the city; I would not walk on the dirty city pavement wearing sandals. The two or three of us out here who don't wear shoes in our personal space understand my disgust with city feet. No more sandals shopping.

5. Boots.
I live in them fall, winter, and early spring. Low heels, Wedges, and flat boots get the most wear. Really, one only needs 4 pairs. Black, Brown, Casual, Dressy. One of each in both colors and for both occasions. I have more than that, but they will all get worn often.

6. Un-Tight Pants.
Especially menswear cuts. I bought one fantastic quality, Italian made pair in the menswear  department on super sale for a price that was above my budget at the time. But they go so well with everything, are so travel-perfect (layerable, moveable, generally liveable).
The same goes for two pairs that cost me less than 50 cents each. That's right. One is vintage, navy blue, pleated, man-style with a made-to-measure fit. It is not lines, so it is perfect for summer and for layering. The second is also vintage but timeless in navy blue this one is lined. Prepare for blasphemy: They are synthetic fabrics and I love that. I can throw then in the delicate wash cycle, hang them, and wear them... all in the same day.
Again: Perfect.

7. Knit Pants.
I only have two pairs. OK, I have four. But one gets worn on the weekdays and one on the weekends. The weekenders, you've seen on this blog a few times. Knit pants travel well and are comfortable to live in, travel in, even sleep in. The weekdays one also happens to look structured and be nicely office friendly.

8. Silk Shells, Blouses, and Tops.
The perfect travel, work, play pieces. Enough said.

9. Buttoned Shirts.
In cotton, silk, and linen. I'm actually proud of that collection. Each garment is well constructed. Each is irreplaceable within the group. And, importantly, each fits in a way that satisfies me. The collection is lovely, at the risk of not being humble. Also, this is important because I wax my 'pits. So, when there is some hair that is not long enough to wax, I wear sleeves. No, I don't care what the boys think. Once all is waxed, all the shells from item 7 on the list come out. Now you know. It is practical.

10. Cardigans.
Especially thin ones with V-necks. They make many an outfit work appropriate. They make many a transitional outfit. They travel well. They can be re-shaped. They can be worn backwards as a deceivingly sensual top revealing some back. It is super demure for work with a blazer on top. And, again, they travel well.

11. Blazers.
I have them in every cut and shape. Fit is everything to a blazer. When they fit appropriately, they are a versatile alternative to jackets. They travel well and can make the most slept-on, drooled-on dress seem work-appropriate.
There is also the reality that I don't actually wear "jackety" jackets. I'm quite far from sporty. Even when bicycling or hiking, my outerwear is blazer-like.

12. Big Bags.
Preferably ranging on the overnight-bag size range. They travel. Also, I need my laptop and my food. This is why I own no Chanel bags. I only like the classic iconic but would never ever wear that. It needs to fit one's actual life, not just the dream one.

Items That I Seldom Wear

1. Poorly Made Shoes.
Especially Heels. Alright, I don't wear shoes that are not walkable by me, no matter how cute. They stay as decor or, more realistically, as dust-gatherers. A girl or woman does not look classy, or fabulous, or smart, or confident, or anything I want to be, for that matter, when she's walking down the street in a foot-struggle. Yes, she might be all those things. But that would be like a chef, wearing a police uniform. Presentation matters. And the honest truth is that I find myself taking some pity on those poor girls, wishing to comfort them and feed them comfort food. There is the truth! I said it and will not take it back.
And I, sure as taxes, am not that chef in police uniform.

2. Very Tight Jeans.
The truth is that I don't really wear them. Well, jeans in general. Je sais, blasphemy II. Send the Santo Oficio my way.
Frankly, I have three pairs of jeans that fit perfectly. Two are dark-wash high-street and one is vintage light Levy's. For some reason, the vintage levy's seem to bring the boys to the yard. Haha. Well.. enough of bad jokes.
Jeans do not really fit my actual life. They don't travel, being heavy in the bag and too casual/not sleep-able on the train/plane/bus/car/ferry/flying-saucer/UFO. But really, then there is a heaping pile of pairs that I don't wear and do not intend to wear anytime soon. Many in the pile are beautiful, designer jeans, from vintage-wash Citizens of Humanity to  black dressy 7 for all mankind.

3. Sporty Sneakers.
Like I said, this is not la sporty girl. My sneakers are from senior year of high school and they are still like new.  I run to my trusty little Timberland flat shoes for bicycling, hiking, and any time being spent in "the wilderness". There is also a pair of Chuck Taylors, and of Pumas that barely see the light of day.

4. Crew Neck Tees.
It is not my neckline of choice. Even if it's not obvious, modestly curvaceous package comes with DDs. V-necks are better but even V-neck tees don't get much wear.

5. Small bags.
I have a vintage coin purse hand-beaded in Europe. It's for fancy occasions. you know those when I dare leave my laptop, change of clothes/underwear, toothbrush, toothpaste, and wool scarf. Again, this is why I do not own the gorgeous iconic Chanel that I admire on everyone else.


Items That I Can't Stop Buying Nonetheless

1. Blazers.
Yes, I love them. But I've also made tons of failing purchases. I mean, serious failures.

2. Dresses.
In spite of going to a store for an unrelated Item, I end up shopping the dresses section. Yes, I wear them, but I've only got one body ...and one lifetime, and one income, and only one bedroom in this country.

3. Button-down shirts.
I used to wear them almost exclusively in my previous job. Now my environment is much more pretty-silk-blouse friendly. I like pretty little silk blouses and also I like my job. It works well.

Bisous,

La Copine