Dressing My Characters

 Two days ago, I finished the first stage of the full revision of my latest novel. There is still polishing to do, but I'm inching closer and closer to getting ready to send it out, getting to know my characters better and better at each stage of the process.

For the most part, I don't launch into lengthy descriptions of my characters' outfits and wardrobes in my books. But that doesn't mean I don't have an idea of what they will and won't wear. In the past, I've done Pinterest boards with ideas for my characters' clothing, along with the occasional (okay, rare) post here. 

For this book, I took the process offline, pasting outfits to large pieces of paper to create a visual that inspired me to consider my characters from the outside in. It was a lot of fun.

The creative process is rarely linear, and is often influenced by a wide variety of factors. Some of these are surprising, and can even seem silly. But, as long as they spark new ideas or inspire a deeper understanding of something I'm working on, I have no intention of abandoning them.

Keep Your Plaids, I Want My Polka Dots

 When my daughter described my clothing style as "brights and patterns," I didn't immediately agree. I imagined a wardrobe full of florals and paisleys and plaids, none of which are my go-tos. I have some florals but, as someone who's short but not necessarily petite, I avoid large prints of any kind because I feel as though they overpower me. 

She wasn't wrong about the brights, though. I do like my pops of color. And, upon further reflection, I realized that I use prints in the same way. My favorite?

Polka dots. And what has more contrast than white dots against a black background?

My first Kate Spade purchase was a black-and-white polka dotted purse. It was great for jazzing up an outfit full of solids, particularly when black and white are the most well-represented solids in my closet. A red top and black pants became an outfit as soon as I picked up that purse and added a few accessories.

A few years later, I found my prized planner, which is also black and white polka dotted (and also Kate Spade). My school bag (which came with a white and black polka dotted wristlet) and various accessories soon followed. I don't own the whole collection because I couldn't justify spending money on things I wouldn't use, but that doesn't stop me from putting them on my wish list. 

For several summers, my go-to outfit was a black and white pin dot skort -- the comfort of shorts with the finish of a skirt. I could dress it up or down and it went with practically everything in my closet. 

Then, I lost weight (on purpose) and it no longer fit. A few weeks ago, I saw a very similar item in a catalog and immediately ordered it and wore it to work almost immediately after it arrived.

How about you? Are you a fan of checks, stripes, plaids, or paisleys? Animal prints? Polka dots? Do you have a signature print? What's your favorite way to show it off?

Finding My Style

 I've been writing about style for close to two decades, but that style (STYLE) had more to do with organizing and less to do with decor and fashion. My recent reading choices -- books on style and decorating -- have led me to think about my own style (Style?) in broader terms.  

As I pondered, I did what I often do -- I asked my family for their thoughts. 

"What's my style?" I asked my daughter, who almost immediately replied, "Brights. And patterns."

Hmm. That would not have been my first answer,

Over dinner, I asked my husband, whose pained expression made it clear that he thought it was a loaded question and he'd better tread carefully. After batting some things back and forth, we (he, my daughter and I) translated his answer into contemporary and coordinated.

None of this brought me close to the pithy phrase I was seeking.

Then, last week, I got my latest Stitch Fix box. I never review these ahead of time or read the info about their contents that comes inside the box. I prefer to tackle them like I tackle Christmas presents -- opening them up with the sense of excitement that comes from not knowing exactly what's inside. 

Everything in the box suited my tastes in one way or another. Color. Fabric. Cut. I'd nearly decided to keep a practical, silky black tee when I uncovered the box's crowning glory, tucked neatly into the middle of the pile. 

A jacket. A statement piece that might just as well have declared that everything else in the box should just step aside. The star of the show had arrived.

Blazers have been my thing over the past year or so, and I've been gravitating to choices that are soft and/or unstructured (a far cry from the ones I wore in the 80s). And solids. Pretty, versatile pieces that turned a top and pants into an outfit.

This blazer was most certainly not solid. But it definitely fit into both my closet and my style.

Suddenly, instead of chiding myself because so much of my closet is black and white, I got it. These neutrals are the building blocks, and everything else -- the brights, the prints, the plaids -- they're the statement pieces. 

Solid base + statement piece = finished. That's me.

This is hardly unique -- in fact, it's a basic fashion rule -- but it applies. My statement piece can be a jacket, a top, a piece of jewelry or a pair of shoes but, whatever it is, it's the thing that turns the clothing combo into an ensemble. 

I'm ridiculously excited to have figured this out. Like "having my colors done" in the 80s, this both narrows my options and broadens my horizons, helping me to decide what I should and shouldn't add to my wardrobe.

To which my credit cards say, "Thank you."

My at-home wardrobe? Well, that's another post entirely. And, despite the fact that it's not what you'd call stylish, it factors into my overall style.

Stay tuned.

Style Friday: What's in Your Closet?

  It all started with Kate Spade, as it so often does for me. I splurged on a really pretty book that I savored and, from then on, I found myself drawn to more of the same, launching my current reading obsession: pretty, perusable books.

I jokingly told my daughter that I'm reading the equivalent of adult picture books: books about style and fashion and home decorating. 

And I'm loving them. 

One of my current reads is Classic Style by Kate Shelter. It's making me think about what my classics are, and I thought it might be fun to focus on them here. Today's focus?

Fashion.

I always tried to vary my wardrobe and avoid repeating outfits -- at least within a short span of time. Lately, though, I've begun to worry less about variety across the board, and think more about building on basics. Maybe it's because my wardrobe consists largely of black, white, brights, and prints. 

Here are a few of my wardrobe "classics" -- the ones that will remain in my closet, no matter the current trend.

• black pants and black leggings
• unstructured cardigans
• soft blazers that bring a pop of color (new to the mix) 
• baggy sweatshirts imprinted with the names of colleges and things that reflect my interests (e.g. my "Friends" sweatshirt that's older than my daughter and my "Luke's Diner" sweatshirt, an homage to Gilmore Girls)
• flats, particularly those that bring a pop of color to an outfit - they'd all be Rothy's if my budget allowed for it
• hoop earrings.

How about you? What are your classics?