It was quite a while ago that I had the Perfect Pin Curls part one for you, then I somehow went ahead and lost the footage to part two! Never mind though, it gave me the perfect excuse to film a little something in the powder room at the White Swan Inn last week for you.
For those trying pin curls for the first few times, this is the stage you reach all full of hope the next morning, only to be a tad miffed when confronted with a huge mop of curls. What to do now? How do you tame these and turn them into those lovely waves or 40’s curls you so envy? It is far simpler than it seems and only takes a very short amount of time. The setting you did the night before was the hard work, now it is time to put the finishing touches on your creation.
San Francisco! What a city this is. I’ve only had the opportunity to drive through here once before and never really got a feel for it. This time has been quite different, including a stay at what has now become one of my favourite hotels in the world, The White Swan Inn.
As we were planning this trip, The White Swan Inn came up as a small boutique hotel in the area of town we wanted to stay. It is listed as San Francisco’s top 5 places to stay, but we weren’t clear why. I was quite partial to the pictures I’d seen in the reviews, all old world charm and chintz, as well as the description that it was more like a bed and breakfast. Still, there was the feeling that perhaps it may have been a little on the fusty side for our tastes.
Arriving to the discrete canopied entrance on Nobb Hill, The White Swan Inn appears as many period buildings with it’s double fronted glass etched doors and carpeted stairways. It is the little touches, that make the White Swan a superior choice. The cleverly executed blend of modern highlights that bring out the charm of the old world, like the clashing geometric prints, the cubist china birds on the mantle and the houndstooth upholstered arm chairs, giving it a new vivacity.
The little touches are what make the White Swan Inn so amazing. A big jar of cookies freshly baked, sitting in the lobby for everyone to take as they please. Hot breakfasts served in the parlour and a relaxing wine hour by the fire in the same parlour. The champagne and personalised greeting card on arrival, the complimentary water and soda in the room daily. The fabulous make up lighting in the dressing room!
I’ve kept my travelling outfits simple and comfortable. Things that I can layer depending on the weather, as travelling up the coast means that each day brings a new surprise. From mist and chilly winds, to sunshine and bird song, you never quite know what you’re going to get. Just before I left I ordered these sailor pants through Modcloth, knowing I’d need something lightweight, wash and wear as well as things that didn’t crush. Their sailor styling with faux button closures and crepe fabric make them just perfect. They also have a small elasticated section at the back; something I wouldn’t usually consider, but since I’ve been indulging in all manner of local cuisine, it was essential!
I’ve put together this little showcase of exact matches or similar pieces for anyone who’d like to recreate this casual look.
This post contains affiliate links to things I’ve used or bought. When you use these links I receive a small amount of compensation that helps keep this show on the road.
Today’s piece is by Imogen of Inside Out Style. An internationally certified image consultant, Imogen created both her image consulting business Bespoke Image and this blog Inside Out Style with a clear mission – to help people look amazing every day without stress and confusion.
Dressing the American Way or Why You Should Only Wear Your Yoga Pants for Doing Yoga (or Working Out)
When Candice asked me to write an American themed blog post the first thing I did was ask my American readers what they thought I should write about and what they all told me is that they are sick and tired of seeing so many badly dressed Americans out and about each day.
For example from Pamela in New Mexico commented: Baseball caps. Sweatpants with words on the seat. People wearing lounge pants/pajama pants to the grocery. Bra straps proudly showing. These are some of the fashion misfires Americans should be ashamed of, but don’t have the sense to be.
Stephanie from California said You do not even want to see how the women in my area dress, it is so bad, ways that nearly make me wish I could not see, yes, that bad, like tights, not leggings, but tights worn as pants with short tops that do not cover their bottoms
And Jane from Michigan said We seem to have an issue with confusing comfort with all out sloppy, or looking like they don’t own a mirror to check the fit, tears, snags, inappropriate messages etc. Perhaps this is everywhere?
Now I know this is not just an American problem as today I spent an hour talking with a corporate client about why they need me to come and speak to all their staff about why presenting themselves well is an important part of the business brand. They mentioned poor grooming, sloppy clothing, bad fit and wearing to work fabrics and styles designed for the beach or a BBQ not the boardroom.
What stuns me, as I travel to the USA most years and do some serious shopping (as I like to help the American economy get back on its feet) is that there is no reason to be badly dressed in America, as it’s so easy to find really stylish, well made clothes at bargain prices if you take the time to look. From fabulous consignment and thrift stores, to the likes of Marshalls and TJ Maxx, Nordstrom Rack and all those other outlet stores, amazing consignments stores, as well as the sales that go on at every shop in the mall. There are plenty of places to shop on a budget, but then it’s also a matter of putting it together. These days you don’t even have to leave your house, you can shop on the internet and have it sent to your door to try on. The options are abundant and you don’t have to look far at all!
So how can you look stylish while still being comfortable but not sloppy? This seems to be the biggest issue.
Firstly, in the words of the great American Writer Fran Lebowitz
“All these clothes that you see people wearing, the yoga clothes—even men wear them!—it’s just another way of being in pajamas. You need more natural beauty to get away with things like that. What’s so great thing about clothes is that they’re artificial—you can lie, you can choose the way you look, which is not true of natural beauty. So if you’re naturally beautiful, wear what you want, but that’s .01% of people. Most people just aren’t good looking enough to wear what they have on. They should change. They should get some slacks and a nice overcoat”
What Fran Lebowitch is saying as far as style goes, is that adding a little structure to your outfit and choosing a better quality fabric will help to smarten your whole outfit up. But structure doesn’t have to be uncomfortable, there are so many great comfortable clothes these days as elastane has been added to many fabrics to allow them to stretch and move with your body, from trousers to shirts and jackets, stretch is available in more garments than just track pants and ill-fitting t-shirts!
Not as many of us need to wear corporate styles to work anymore, as more casual dress codes abounded with the dot.com boom (and bust). We no longer have to put a hat on to leave the house, that went back in the early 60s! Sure it’s a more comfortable existence, but there is no need to take comfort to the level of pajama. You may be die-hard vintage fans, and love to wear vintage clothes and corsets daily, but sadly many don’t bother to take the time or make any effort at all.
The normcore trend is one that suits the very young and beautiful, the rest of us just look dull and sloppy in it sadly.
Secondly, it does take a few more minutes than just pulling on your yoga pants, but I can tell you from my experiences from participants of my Evolve Your Style challenge, it’s well worth it! The boost in self-esteem and confidence when you plan an outfit and then receive a compliment or two is well worth the small amount of time it takes to smarten up your outfits.
To look and feel great your clothes need to:
• Express who you are in an authentic manner as an expression of your personality traits, this makes you feel more confident as the clothes are “you”
• Suit your body shape, proportions and unique variations
• Flatter your colouring
• Fit your amazing body, sometimes this means you need to get an alteration or two!
Plus the last, but not least point of looking stylish is good grooming. Grooming is the first thing that goes when we are sick or tired, we just can’t be bothered. So not taking a few minutes a day for a basic grooming routine will make people think that you aren’t feeling well, don’t care, are sloppy or just plain lazy. Not sure if that’s something you’re keen on expressing to all you meet?
Take a few moments to surf the web and look at all the amazing options for styling outfits if you need some inspiration. I know that you love Candice’s style, which is why you come here. I love that there are so many over 30, over 40, and over 50 bloggers who share their daily style so you are no longer just fed young model images as what to wear from fashion magazines. There are women of all shapes, sizes, colours and ages who put together great outfits that you can discover and use as inspiration for your own wardrobe with a simple google search or two.
If you have fallen into the yoga pant habit, why not challenge yourself to wear something different every day for a week from your wardrobe. Maybe take some inspiration from those amazing style bloggers you find. Try some new combinations as you shop your wardrobe and even rediscover some old favourites. Make sure you accessorise too as a necklace, scarf, bracelet or funky shoe can be the icing on your sartorial cake, and who wants cake without icing?
Sloppy is a habit, and a lazy one at that. If you don’t want people perceiving you as lazy it’s time to get out of that rut. Keep the yoga pants for doing yoga or working out. Dress to impress yourself. Dress to express your creativity (and we are all creative). Dress to let the world know you matter and that you care about yourself. You will be making the world a more beautiful place to be!
Oh my fellow vintage loving friends, do you know just how much I adore SparkleLux? I first came across these delicious designs not long after they launched in 2010. SparkleLux is the original reproduction confetti lucite company, hand making each piece in their Palm Springs studio. Unlike many imitators, SparkleLux pieces are of the highest quality with stunning metallic flake and mirror high sheen. My very first pair (seen here) were the pink “Date Bait” numbers which are in my top 10 accessories and travel everywhere with me.
To celebrate our wonderful American vintage road trip, we’ve teamed up with SparkleLux to give you the chance to WIN your very own pair of custom made gold crescent earrings!
I highly recommend you check out the stunning range of pieces in the SparkleLux store, the home of high quality mid century inspired accessories.
The memories I have of growing up are still crisp and fresh in my mind, thanks in large part to the small mementos and slide nights we’d have as a family. (If you don’t know what “slides” are, Google it!)
With Mother’s Day fast approaching, I’m keenly aware just how those small things play such a large part in shaping who we are. The traditional “Mother’s Day stall” at school was where we’d seek out the perfect gift, a treasured paper note gripped tightly in small hands waiting to find the perfect token of our love.
There is something inherently special about having the perfect gift crafted just for your Mum; something as unique as she is. Adding the personal touch of bringing your memory into that gift is something I really wanted to find for my Mum this year, so I turned to the talented community of sellers.
I’m already an verified addict in supporting my vintage shopping habit, and I’ve had some outstanding success in working with crafts people to custom make pieces for other loved ones. So I sat down to think about just what it was I wanted to capture in my Mother’s Day surprise this year and I remembered something.
My Mum hates dusting, but she loves to create little displays on cabinets and counter tops.
When I was little, maybe 7, I remember trying to help her with her dusting chores. She would turn it into one big activity and take everything off the shelves and onto the table. The family heirloom china, the smiling photos, the knick knacks, everything. I’d always ask her about each piece and where they had come from, so over time I learnt the story and significance behind each piece.
One day I got to dust a little china statue of a yellow bird on a twig, one that had come from my great grandmother. It slipped and fell from my hands, breaking into pieces. I was utterly devastated. It felt like I had somehow broken the memory and that was unforgivable.
Mum was so kind, picking up the pieces and assuring me that it could be fixed. I could see that she was sad, but the fact that I understood the sentimentality and importance behind those little yellow fragments, was even more important.
A little love and glue means that every time I see his slightly crazed, yellow glaze I remember that the value isn’t in the object itself, but the love and memories they hold. Now our story has become a part of the narrative of a little yellow bird.
As I wandered around the virtual art galleries and stores on Etsy’s pages, I came across Senkki. The mid century styling of their designs was the first thing to catch my eye, and as I delved further into the catalogue of their creations, I realized just how perfect they would be to create something special for my Mum.
Made locally in South Australia, these simple and elegant shelves form the perfect combination of my own stylistic love and a piece that will provide the perfect showcase for my Mum’s collections.
The Senkii style is a beautiful collection of Mid Century Modern inspired pieces, giving me the opportunity to select a piece I can add to over time, customizing dimensions to fit my space (or Mum’s), and know that I can continue to support high quality, local makers.
The sheer variety of hand made and vintage goods available on means that you’ll always be able to explore and find the perfect thing for your Mum. The range of pieces at all kinds of price points makes Etsy the perfect choice for everyone. All you need to do is sit down with a hot chocolate, your photo album, put on your thinking cap and let the creative people at Etsy do the rest.
This Mother’s Day Etsy is giving you the chance to win a $500 Etsy Gift Card by sharing your special memory on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram with the hashtag #EverydayMum. Simply upload a photo with your Mum and share a special memory (25 words or less) for your chance to win.
