Charm Bracelet

Sorry, folks, but I would be quite happy to never see another Pandora bracelet. They’ve become ubiquitous, they’re no longer unique. They all blend together and look the same. They make gift-buying easy, but a bit dull. I know Pandora has fans, but honestly, can anyone tell how “individual” each bracelet is from a polite distance? Are any of the beads so completely drool-worthy that people will ask you where you found such a beauty? Do you really treasure each and every piece and does each piece have special meaning for you? Or are you just collecting them because you need to fill your bracelet and everyone else is doing it?

Every bracelet is individual, yet somehow the same…

I think traditional charm bracelets will outlive the Pandora-type bracelet simply because they have more scope of size and design. I have a silver charm bracelet, but I really don’t wear it much – I find it a bit jangly and dangly for everyday wear. Nothing wrong with a bit of whimsy, mind, but I can’t abide my whimsy dragging over my keyboard all day.

I like traditional charm bracelets, but they don’t make My One Hundred. Bracelets and cuffs are enough!

Capsule Wardrobe

While we’re in the C’s, I’d like to give a little attention to the “Capsule Wardrobe”. This isn’t part of The One Hundred, and I know this is a bit out of order, but it’s worth a bit of a detour here as there seem to be lots of assumptions out there about Capsule Wardrobes, their “essential” nature, their success and even their consistuent items.

A capsule wardrobe doesn’t consist of a spacesuit, overalls and adult nappies, but of supposedly classic, interchangeable, foundation pieces of a wardrobe. The theory is that once you have these pieces, you can then accessorise your way into and out of trends, and dress up the basics with more elaborate pieces.

Fascinatingly, a lovely young lass called Sheena Matheiken appears to be implementing a capsule wardrobe of a single black button-up dress. Needless to say, she seems to get away with this by accessorising like crazy and often relegating her dress to work as an extra piece such as a coat, rather than the foundation of the outfit. It is an admirable, intriguing, eye-opening exercise in styling, sustainability and the generosity of others.

I’m obviously not as creative as Sheena, because I’ve not had much luck with making capsule pieces work, for the following reasons:

« If I rely too heavily on too few pieces, the buggers just wear out. Wear something 3 days a week for 3 months and see how it looks after all that. Not good, regardless of the quality. Even army uniforms fade after that little use. What chance has a couple of white cotton t-shirts?

« I get bored with wearing the same thing day in and day out. It’s not supposed to be a uniform. Maybe I’m more prone to being depressed by such limitations due to having very few clothes as a child (but that’s a whole other story). Putting a scarf or a brooch on it does not make it a different outfit, it makes it the same outfit with a scarf or brooch.

Net-a-Porter’s Essentials pages kind of give us a capsule-y menu of items for consideration, but definitely a drool-worthy one. If you like your foundation pieces to be perfectly cut and luxurious, this is where to go.

Many, if not all, of Nina’s One Hundred are included in a typical capsule wardrobe list. However, there are many different versions of the capsule wardrobe, and each person can have their own different 10-20 essential items which form the foundation for key outfits. Go ahead, google “capsule wardrobe essentials” and see how many different ideas there are on what is “essential”. See now many stylists and fashion-types are now creating capsule wardrobe “must-haves” for each season. Is a clutch of key seasonal items really a capsule wardrobe?

The typical foundation pieces of a capsule wardrobe are usually along the lines of:

« Little black dress

« Suit jacket

« Suit skirt

« Suit trousers

« White shirt

« White tee-shirt

« Black pumps

« Flats

« Boots

« Trench coat

« Casual jacket

« Jeans

« Day dress

And these are all very well and good, but the devil is in the detail. We all probably have most these items in our wardrobes, and wear these things frequently, but are these pieces all they should be? Does that casual jacket actually go with that day dress? Or does it only go with the jeans? If each piece doesn’t work at least several other pieces, then it’s not working hard enough. We have to choose really carefully, and be really, really fussy. It can be exhausting being such a nit-picking fusspot, but it’s worth it.

I must have become what the fashion industry diplomatically terms, “the more discerning older woman” (read: difficult). It pays to be particular, however. I’m finding that the fussier I get, the more use I’m getting out of each item I buy, because I’m less likely to buy something that has limited scope. With the basics, I try not to compromise at all from what I really want. For instance, if the jacket is great except I’m not convinced about the pin-stripes but what-the-hell it’s on sale and it fits – I don’t buy it. I’ll end up buying something that I’m not completely into and the rest of my wardrobe won’t work with it.

Be firm. Try to be ruthless. Be cranky, fussy and uncompromising. Buy only what you want, not what the magazines and shop assistants and department stores tell you that you want.

So, how do we know what we want? How do we decide amongst all that ever-changing stuff out there? There’s so much stuff! One way is to build your own personal “lookbook” to provide an at-a-glance summary of what you like from all different sources, and how they may or may not work together. It can become a fun wishlist and a practical filter all at the same time, before you spend a cent. I’ll talk about this later, a little after “Kaftan”, believe it or not.

Cashmere Sweater

We (almost) agree on something again!

Before I bought my first piece of cashmere, I was sternly warned that it was a slippery slope and that I would not be able to go back to lambswool or merino. I would forever be a slave to the soft siren call of cashmere, deaf to all else, and broke besides.

While this hasn’t been 100% true, it’s been pretty close.

If you haven’t any bit of cashmere, then at least go and try something on somewhere. Cashmere is unbelievably light. It’s weightless warmth is ideal for a temperate winter, and it keeps its shape and finish incredibly well. It blends well with silk for lighter summer wear.

I don’t own a cashmere sweater, but I do own a couple of cashmere and cashmere-silk blend cardigans. Again, cardigans are my thing, not sweaters/jumpers.

Even goats like cashmere. Here is one looking especially fetching in a 100% cashmere winter number.
(Yes. This is a joke. But I do really, really like cashmere!)

Cape

Cape?

0_o

HELL NO.

Not without wearing a mask and my undies on the outside.

Camel Coat

The colour “camel” and variations of, all look crap on me. They do not suit me at all. I have a black cashmere/wool blend coat I wear in winter.

The item “Camel Coat” is replaced in My One Hundred by “warm wool coat”. It can be any colour you like: red, white, blue, green, check, print, whatever. You don’t need to look like a 40s icon or a Lady Who Lunches. You don’t need to play dress-ups. You need to be warm. You need something that fits over other clothes. You need something long enough to protect your legs a bit from those winter winds. You need it in a classic style which suits you and where you need to go. You need it in an easy-care fabric that falls beautifully and doesn’t pill.

On the other hand, if you live in the tropics, you don’t need a thick coat at all. A colleague of mine who lives in the tropics was to do a stint in Canberra, in the middle of winter. He was quite confident in what he’d packed, “I’m OK. I’ve packed my jumper.” He thought his sole piece of winter wear was going to be sufficient, bless his little light cotton socks.

Yes, he froze his nuts off before buying a proper coat, but he’s probably not used it since.

Caftan

See Kaftan, later. There’s enough stuff in “C” already, and I spell it with a “K”, anyway!

Cable-Knit Sweater

Nina loves the preppy look, and I suppose the cable-knit is part of that. I’m not much of a fan of “preppy”. Maybe it’s a class thing. I think it can look incredibly pretentious unless it’s truly “owned” by the wearer, and I don’t own “preppy”. Again, I try to dress, I try not to dress up. Sure, dressing up is fun, but I’m not going to build my day-to-day wardrobe around a character or stereotype.

Also, as per the Boyfriend Cardigan item, I’m just not a chunky knit person. I’ve had cable knits in the past, and I didn’t wear them much. They overwhelm and stifle me. I’ll also grab a cardigan before a jumper.

Nina contends that:

“The cable-knit sweater sends that message of casual indifference (“Oh, just something I threw on”). And yet it also sends a message of supreme style (“…but I knew what I was doing”). And one must always send a message.”

I can’t say I agree with this, but maybe I just haven’t seen the right knitwear. The message it sends to me is either, “I’m freezing”, or “My gran knits”.

Nina also recommends a white cable-knit as a travel staple. WHITE?! She and I must travel very differently, because no way is white travel-friendly, and cable-knit can also be terribly heavy and bulky. My travel knits are fine-denier and are black, grey or navy. For what they lose in glamour, they gain in practicality.

Again, the cardigan makes my 100. The cable knit sweater doesn’t even get a look-in.

Brooch

I love brooches, because I love pretty things. However, while I have a few both new and vintage, I don’t find myself wearing them much. I think it’s because once I’ve donned a pair of earrings and a bracelet or two, I think that’s enough embellishment, and I’m never without earrings.

Maybe it’s because some brooches tend to stand out on their own, calling attention to themselves rather than their wearer. Or worse, calling attention to the wearer’s chest. I’m completely over having tedious “Hello, how are they?” conversations with idiot blokes, so the positioning of a brooch has to be strategic, even if it’s not really going to increase anyone’s IQ. The idea of pinning brooches to a hat or bag or scarf, or to the shoulders or hip of a gown is much more appealing than the usual place around the chest somewhere.

I recently had to use a brooch to gather in a tunic dress that was a little too big around the hips. I thanked Nina sincerely that I had included a single brooch in my jewellery bag, and I cursed myself that I hadn’t taken a few more brooches along!

Do brooches make my list of 100 essentials? All in all, probably not, although they certainly get an honourable mention.

Boyfriend Cardigan

Now, I haven’t had many boyfriends who’ve had cardigans. And I’m a little too petite for big, chunky woollen things which are in reality way too big for me. My One Hundred simply includes “Cardigan”. If it’s a “boyfriend” cardigan, that’s fine. If it’s a cropped black cashmere one, that’s perfect. If it’s a grey, fine merino crew neck, terrific!

I love cardigans! I have about 10, and they are indispensible. They are comfortable, warm, hand-wash, trans-seasonal, wear-with-anything staples that I grab if I’m not grabbing a jacket. But my cardigans are fine knits which can be layered, and they fit me, not my boyfriend.

Blazer

If you don’t have a blazer or some sort of basic semi-structured jacket in your wardrobe, then I would love to know how you get away with it! A jacket can be thrown over just about anything and you’re good to go. Jeans + tee + jacket or skirt + blouse + jacket or capris + tank + jacket or dress + boots + jacket … in each case, the jacket completes the outfit, adding balance and finish.

I have all sorts of jackets. A blazer-style jacket, suit jackets, light unstructured and unlined jackets, cropped jackets, denim jackets, zipped jackets and …. In each instance, the jacket has been bought because it fits and it fills a purpose.

For instance, my go-to summer jacket is not a blazer, but Morrison’s Isabel jacket – light, unlined, hip length, ¾ sleeve.

(From the Morrison Lookbook '07)

I tend to love my jackets to death. Once the lining and edges of the sleeves have holes worn in them, that’s my final cue to send them to Jacket Heaven. It’s a sad and emotional time, and some of my past jackets have left gaps in my wardrobe that I’m yet to satisfactorily fill. Finding THE jacket is not easy.

Fit is the #1 thing with jackets. A jacket should have a waist where you have your waist; the sleeves should not be too long; the length should be exactly what you want, whether long or short; the shoulders should be broad enough to allow you to move and layer more clothes underneath; the collar should sit properly; it should button up at the front. Fortunately, jackets are relatively easy things to have altered, but it’s always better not to have to.

Blazers and jackets also almost always have pockets, of which I’m a huge fan. I’ve put things back on the rack simply because they don’t have pockets. I know that pockets can interfere with the line of a piece of clothing, and also add to the cost of clothing. However, the absence of pockets can interfere with my life and good humour. Having nowhere handy to put anything aside from a bag drives me nuts. Keys, lipbalms, handkerchiefs, ticket stubs, small change, etc, all belong in pockets, as far as I’m concerned. A jacket supplies pockets!

Black Opaque Tights

Hello! I’ve returned, in one piece despite the best efforts of plagues of gastro and torrential downpours. The cruise was a bit of a mess, to be honest, but we managed to have some fun, anyway. I saw some wonderful cossies on the cruise, too, all colours and all styles, from skirted one-pieces to not-really-there stringy bikinis. I’m happy to report very few horrors! Black mark goes to the lovely young woman wearing the trite Oz flag bikini, though. So much potential… Anyway, to continue…

Black opaque tights are miracle-workers. They lengthen legs, smooth out bumps, move seamlessly from day to night, cover formal to casual, are snag-resistant, cover hair and stubble, and can actually keep you warm, too. They are unbeatable with suede or microsuede shoes and boots.

Nina loves Wolford tights, and so do I, but they’re difficult to source where I am. Wolford are seriously expensive but seriously, seriously good, and they out-class and outlast any other brand. They are also truly opaque. If you’ve never tried them, treat yourself one day! Aside from Wolford, Levante do some good 70 and 80 denier opaques. I haven’t had too much success with supermarket brands like Kolotex. They might wear well the first couple of times, but after that they start to shrink or stretch or pill or lose their stretch, no matter how carefully I wash them. I buy them, but I don’t keep them for long.

It might sound odd, but I wear skirts and dresses more in the colder months than in summer. It’s primarily due to my love of opaque tights, and my dislike of bare legs in the office and my dislike of sheer hose. (I also don’t have legs for days. Mine only go for a couple of incredibly brief seconds. I swear they’re only just long enough to accommodate my knees and ankles. Black opaque tights make my stumpy little pegs look more in proportion!)

Blackberry

Mobile phone? Yes. Blackberry? No. iPhone? No.

These things are all wonderful devices, but they should be slaves to us, not we to them. We’re not designed to be plugged in 24 hours a day. Being offline occasionally is good for the mind and body. Speaking of which, I’m off on holiday for a few weeks (my first cruise!), and even if I did have a Blackberry, I wouldn’t be updating this blog.

So, Happy New Year and all that, stay safe, have fun, and I hope to see you back in 2010 :o)

Bikini

Ah, heeeere we go.

No, no, NO! Swimwear is for everyone! Bikinis are not! Regardless of your “size”*, there is a cossie out there for you. It may or may not be a bikini. It’s not important. For what it’s worth, I’ve seen bikinis look fantastic on people both tiny and large, and in each case I think the common feature of their figures was reasonably defined waist. Not slim hips or a flat stomach or small boobs or long legs or defined shoulders. If, like me, your waist is not so well-defined, it may be that a bikini will make you look shaped less like Ursula Andress and more like an overstuffed Christmas bonbon. This look consistutes a Fail, because it’s impractical, looks uncomfortable and IS uncomfortable. The only way I look good in a bikini is if I’m wearing a wetsuit over it.

But, look, even if you don’t have a well-defined waist and you still look good in a bikini and you love it - go for it, and more power to you. Rock that two-piece and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

Me, I wear tankinis and one-pieces. I like one-piece togs because they don’t fall off or slip or bubble out and they resist moving about when I swim or peel off my wetsuit (although, friends of mine don’t seem to have the same problem!). Yes, I actually swim in swimwear. It’s not all lounging by the pool sipping cocktails (although I do think there should be much, much more of that). It’s more about diving into in-coming waves to avoid a dumping, swimming out past the break, peeling off the rashie or wetsuit, splashing out to waterfalls in national parks. Swimwear that’s a bit like undies doesn’t work for me. I like tankinis because they are generally very comfortable, forgiving and functional.

If I ever lose a good 6kg and a good 15cm off my waist, I might try a bikini.

Then again, I might not.

* Pffftt… “size”. Just what is a “size”? Labelled sizes are a nonsense. In my wardrobe, I have everything from a US2 to an Aussie “Large”. And in every case it’s complete and utter bollocks. Meaningless. We all know the mind-games labels like to play with their sizing (yes, Country Road, I’m talking about YOU). The tape measure may not always flatter, but it doesn’t bloody lie, either. From now on I resolve to use the term “measurements”. Harrumph.