It was a warm February day in Arizona when vintage super maven, Suzanne Carillo, and I got ready to go meet up with newfound blogger friends at a restaurant. She put on a dress, while I chose jeans and a forgettable top. In the last seconds before walking out the door, I mentioned how nice …
Sampling Casual Elegance
In the United States, going out in public dressed for comfort has become a national pastime. It’s not uncommon to see a herd of teenagers wandering the sidewalks in happy-colored pajama bottoms. Just recently a couple of girls who were flying on a “Buddy Pass” were denied access to a flight because they were wearing yoga pants. …
The Charm and Simplicity of 1950s Parisian Fashion
What is it about Paris fashion that charms us so? Especially that of old movies and photographs. So iconic. So inspiring. The photo below shows a model wearing one of Christian Dior’s dresses from 1951. She is the picture of that 1950s Parisian look I have in my mind. Her look is polished and in many ways …
Mixing It Up: Gunne Sax-Style Jacket with Denim, Boots, and Sneaks
My sister, Jessica, and I stay in touch mostly through text messages. She lives in New Mexico and I live in Seattle so we only get to see each other once or twice a year. Our sporadic texts throughout each day keep us posted on the little things and some of the big. Phone calls are …
More Seattle Style from Sassafras Boutique
The last few weeks in downtown Seattle have been unseasonably sunny, but they’ve also been unseasonably cold! Personally, I love it. I don’t have to worry about the rain and it gives me an excuse to layer. Yesterday I introduced you to this Lysle Style dress from Sassafras by pairing it with knee-high boots and …
Fab Collab Celebrates Christmas at 40 Plus
It’s that time again when the ladies from JTouchofStyle join me in a Fab Collab. Over the coming week we’ll be celebrating Christmas together by sharing holiday memories and clothing we wore for the occasion. My story kickstarts the celebration, but I hope you’ll come back to see Jodie’s, Nancy’s, and Charlotte’s stories too. As many of you …
Going Grunge with the Fab 40s
The year Kurt Cobain died I quit my job in advertising and became a nanny. His death had nothing to do with my leaving advertising for nannying. They just happened to occur in the same year. It may come as no surprise to regular readers, but the King of Grunge didn’t impact my life much back then. It feels …
Extending Summer Into Fall with a Twiggy Dress
Now that we’ve turned the clocks back, the sun sets around 4:30 in Seattle. From where I sit, the bottom of the sky is pink, the water and overhead sky are steel, and the hill rising up from the Alki Peninsula sparkles with lights of people living past dark. Here in Seattle, early darkness generally means chilly evenings. To …
Time Travel in a Plaid Skirt
It all started with this skirt…. And then there was the Fab Collab on plaid that I did with Jodie and the ladies of JTouchofStyle.com. I got plaid fever, I tell you! But seriously, the skirt spoke to me from a place I visit often when I’m looking for thrifted inspiration. You may have heard …
Starlet Bling for Dainty Wrists
The starlets of the 1930s loved their jewelry. Pictured above, 1930s actress Myrna Loy appears to be dressed casually but her bracelets are the stuff of red carpets today. When it came to jewels and accessories, the rich and famous in the 1930s believed in the old adage that “more is more.” Even as the rest of the world struggled …