Failure in the Fitting Room

Well my darling fashionistas, I just returned from one of THE most miserable shopping trips of my life. My company dinner is coming up in a week and I thought I'd go out and pick up a new dress. Maybe something with some sparkle and flare, or perhaps something classy and timeless. I didn't have a look in mind, I just wanted something fun. Well, the shopping gods had another plan for me today and apparently it was to see how far they could push me before I had a full on adult temper tantrum in the middle of the Nordstrom dress section.

I mean when I telll you I tried on dress after dress, I'm not lying. It could have qualified as a shoppers workout. The lovely Nordstrom associate even brought some dresses in to try but nothing was workin' it...well, there was one but it was $250, of course, and I just wasn't looking to spend that on a Christmas party dress. Look, I'll be honest, I've put on a few, we'll call them 'holiday', pounds but it was unreal how bad these dresses looked. Many of the styles that are popular right now are a straight fit which if you know me, is not exactly tailored for my shape. Yeah, I have some tush and I'm not about to walk around in a dress that looks like sausage casing. Yikes!

However ladies, I have to say that in a dark, torturous time like this it's very important not to fall off the deep end and drown yourself in ice cream or whatever your treat of choice might be. Just go home, take a few days off, and give yourself some time to get ramped up for another shopping extravaganza. We all have these days where nothing fits or if it does, you look like death. It just happens and there is no freakin' explanation for it. You have to remember it shall pass and you'll have shopping luck again, usually when you least expect it. I usually have mine when I'm shopping for someone else or my bank account is a little light:-(

I'll be honest. I was upset, came home, and went straight to the sink to take out my frustration on the dishes. "Yeah, dirty dishes, take that!" My sister came home and asked how it went and I immediately responded with a curt "TERRIBLE! I'M FAT! NOTHING FITS!" Not the most rational of responses but those dresses and fitting room mirrors hurt my feelings. Hmph!

So, here I am blogging about my experience to get it off my chest and let it go. I just have to accept this tragic day and try again. That's all you can do. Shopping success is both unpredictable and precious. When you are on a streak you almost want to keep riding the wave because who knows when it's going to end! Just remember those times of success when you are about to have a meltdown from a self-esteem crushing trip. Find comfort in knowing you're not the only one and, it's just a shopping trip. Worse things can happen. Just think of people in the 80s when they had to sift through tiered skirts and puffy sleeves hoping to find something that offset their big hair and sky-high bangs. Eeesh. 

Ladies, I hope this helps in some small way. I love to shop and I love the hunt but even I have my craptastic days where I just want to throw in the towel and write off shopping forever, but then I take a nap and snap back to reality. Some advice for those cursed days, hit the shoe section. You'll always find a little 'happy' in that department;-)

Love and shoes,
Kim  

Scarf it up!

A friend of mine shared this video with me and I'm in love! Now that we are approaching windy weathers with brisk temps (hopefully soon!) we need to be fully armed with the most current of fall fashion trends!

Have you ever whipped out your scarf and thought to yourself "how many ways CAN you wrap a scarf?" Well, wonder no more. I have the answers, ladies, and it's 25!!!

Watch the video below and get ready to have your mind blown...when it comes to scarves:-)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=d0Ugkc05l24

My faves are The Bunny Ear, The Magic Trick, and The Braid. What are yours?

Love and shoes,
Kim

Two is better than one

Sad news day in the shoe world for me. I think ('think' only because it's too hard for me to fully commit to tossing them in the trash) I have come to the end of the road with my favorite pair of black pumps. I know! You're saying "what? why? I can't believe this news. How are you going to cope!" 

I actually went through two pairs of this shoe, one in black patent and one in black leather. I had to part with the black patent ones about two years ago and now, the time has come for the leather pair. *TEAR* I have had them resoled and reheeled in order to squeeze as much life out of these kicks. I LOVE this shoe and everything about it. It is simple, comfortable, and went with everything. I've been on the hunt for a replacement pair for a while know b/c I could foresee what was on the horizon, but I haven't had any luck finding a pair that can compare. 

This goes to show, ladies, if/when you find the perfect black pump, buy two pair (or possibly three!). I wish I had snagged another pair but alas, they don't make the style anymore...and believe me, I've checked on amazon, ebay, nextag, etc. I even did one more search this morning. It was a total bust.

Hear me now, a great pair of black pumps is a crucial 'must-have' and I am just devestated that mine are kaput! But have no fear. I'll go on. After I get through the mourning stage of these stems, I'll regain the strength and focus to get out there again and look for my next fab black pump. However, none of them will be able to replace the Nine West Luceros. UNLESS, someone wants to donate to the Christian Louboutin dream shoe fund;-)

Ah well, a girl can dream. *sigh*

I thank you for humoring me on this melodramatic post. I realize it's not late, breaking, national news, but if there was ever a place to rant and rave about your favorite pair of shoes, this is the spot, and I welcome it!

Love and (the perfect pair of black) shoes,
Kim

Hats off to those with flair...and my best friend, Meg

Well, we are at the foyer of fall and it's time to get your wardrobes ramped up for the 2 months of cold weather we will experience here in HTX.

I've never really been a fan of fall/winter clothing. I'm much more of a sundress/sandals kind of gal, but I'm starting to form a better appreciation for this season and it's fashion as well. Aside from the typical sweaters, coats, and jeans we all arm ourselves with, my faves, of course, are the accessories. I love me a scarf/hat combo with some cute gloves to top it all off, now I just need the weather for them!

Other than fall, the Royal Wedding kicked off a hat/fascinator frenzie, and my best friend, Meg, turned to me for advice on etiquette regarding these toppers.

First things is first, if you are wearing a fascinator, it stays on. You don't need to remove it when indoors or even inside a Church. Just think of it as an extension of your hairstyle!

Now hats are another story. Women don't necessarily follow the same rules as men, however, being the sophisticated ladies we are, there are a few standards we need to uphold. Lucky for us, the rules have relaxed a bit since the 20th century!

In general, you should remove your hat if you are going to work, if your hat is blocking someone's view, or if you are in a place of worship. If you are shopping, catching some lunch with friends, or going out to a bar, these are more casual events thus it being acceptable to leave the hat on.

My advice to anyone is if you feel inappropriate, chances are, you should remove your topper. Just be considerate to your surroundings, the event, and to other people.

This blog post is dedicated to and inspired by my beautiful friend and birthday girl, Meagan, who took a step in the fashion forward direction recently and not only bought herself a hat, but donned it to work one day. She snapped a photo of her new fabulous accessory. Doesn't she look radiant and Parisian?!

Happy Birthday, Best Friend! I hope you have a fabulous birthday filled with style, love, and plenty of delicious cake.

My hats off to you today and forever!

Love and shoes,

Kim