Seven Quick Takes - The 'Fashion' Edition

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1 - I've always prided myself on being a bit of a devil-may-care when it comes to fashion - which means I'm touch and go at a party, let's be honest.  I could show up and look simply smashing, and yet it's equally possible I will arrive in sweatpants.  Okay, maybe not sweatpants.  But I did walk through town yesterday knowingly wearing a shirt with stains down the front of it.  Whatevs.

However - I'm actually really trying to change this.  If you've ever seen my What I Wore Sunday Posts you know I have a theme.  I kinda always look the same.  I also recognize this - I know there's a uniform in my life; knee length A-line skirts, tops from Reitmans, usually with a V-neckline...I get it, I get it.  I did try to sort of break free...once.  And then...I chickened out.  But no more.  I'm determined.  I don't want to get known as a dumpy pastor's wife.  So much so that's I'm using my 'child and husband free' evening and actually going through my closet tonight to make up outfits that stretch me beyond my comfort zone.

2 - Keeping this in mind - my husband took me shopping today.  Like...for clothes.  Not nursing clothes or underwear, which is pretty much all I buy myself these days, but real honest-to-goodness big girl stuff.  Not surprisingly, I had a very difficult time just Picking. Something. Out.  I'm serious; when your personal shopping generally consists of stuff you can bleach plus tube socks, it's remarkably difficult to get beyond that.  Three shirts, two stores, one skirt and a pile of rejects later I emerged with the first real clothing buys in a long time.  It's a start.

3 - Even harder than actually making decisions on what clothes to buy is somehow figuring out how to put things together.  Take this outfit:

www.whatsaybeauty.tumblr.com

I love it.  But honestly, if I had a tea length cream tulle skirt, I would never in a million years think "you know, this would look great with a green wool blazer".  Never.  In a million years.

Or this one:

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Fun, right?  A bit K. Hepburn.  Never would pair these two together.  I'd be the girl thinking "Right, three piece man's suit.  This needs a hat."  Not. A. Big. Scarf.

4 - While this might make me hopeless, I'm still giving it a shot.  And frankly, some of my outfits are likely to be hideous.  I'm going to come right out and say it - likely to be hideous.  But David is usually a pretty good judge and he'll hopefully stop me from walking out the house with two different shoes and a lampshade on my head.

5 - I've always had this Pinterest style board and now I'm actually adding stuff to it.  Tell me what you think.

6 - After actually deciding to try and improve my fashion abilities a bit, I thought long and hard about where I could best spend money to make the biggest impact on my wardrobe.  Decision?  Shoes and belts.  I'm not kidding.

7 - Suggestions?