Time To Make a Change

Hi to all my Gal Pals,

The title of this blog not only describes the fashion concept I will be writing about but also what is happening in my life. I had intended to write this blog in June but life got in the way so instead of writing about beachwear at the beginning of the summer I am writing about it at the end of the summer. The reason is simple, I made a major change in my life. I went from a fairly large house on a half acre of gardens located in a forested area to a townhouse in a subdivision that does not have a patio big enough to support patio furniture. I took some pictures before I left to talk about, but I no longer can see the gardens from my window. Change is sometimes hard to accept but necessary.

So, before I packed up my house I gave several articles of clothing to charities (over 200 pieces). Some of the clothes went to an organization that works with providing clothes to the homeless but the majority went to a resale shop that supports women and children who need shelter due to domestic abuse. Having volunteered for the crisis center I can tell you that many of the women in the shelter really need the access they have to these clothes. Many times the women and their children come in to the shelter with only the clothes on their back because their situation doesn’t allow for them to pack up something to wear. For those women who truly realize it is time to make a change in their lives, they need clothes for interviewing when looking for a job. One outfit can make all the difference between getting hired or not getting the job. First impressions are so important. I commend those women who have the strength not to go back to the abusive situation they came from. My only quote during this blog is from Bob Marley who wrote” You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have”. I could have sold some of my clothes and made a nice profit but knowing that I might have helped some woman make a positive change in her life as well as the lives of her children is such a good feeling. Kind of like the feeling you get at Christmas when giving to others.

With that being said, let’s talk fashion. Even though the summer is almost over, I still have the beach on my mind. I just moved within the last two weeks. I closed on the house on a Friday and left for the cottage in Michigan early the next morning because I was too tired to stay home and unpack everything. I spent a glorious week on the beach and just got back to my new home a couple of hours ago. I will be going back for a long weekend on Labor Day when once again I will be spending time at the beach. So with that in mind, this blog is about layering your clothes so you can go to breakfast or lunch at a restaurant and then go swimming at the pool or beach. I am very fortunate that the beach is just down the path from the cottage so food is never far away and I can wear just a simple coverup to and from the beach. However, when I have had to go down an elevator to go to the pool or had to drive to the beach from a hotel, I typically would stop and eat lunch on the way. If you have ever been to the Dells, you know that you might stop at a pancake house before going to Noah’s Ark. I was just recently at Silver Lake Pizza parlor just a few yards from Silver Lake Beach in St. Joseph, Michigan. It gets quite the clientele from the beach but it clearly says on the door that all beach wear must be covered up with clothing. So I am posting some simple outfits that I can wear under those circumstances.

I am putting up a simple picture from my garden just to show you how layering is an important element in landscape design just as it is in creating an outfit that you can change into and out of for swimming.

By adding layers you creat depth to your surroundings. Here I have the flagstone patio as the base, with the next layer made up day lillie’s and ground cover. The next layer is the flower box around the deck with the table and chairs seeming to add another layer. Not exactly as great as the hanging gardens of Babylon but the same principle applies.

So let’s talk fashion and incorporating concepts of layering and quick changes.

I know this picture looks a little risqué but I wanted you to see that there is a bathing suit under this outfit. I always wear a hat at the beach. You will never see me without protection for my face. This hat is one of many I have and it says”Do Not Disturb” in cursive along the brim. You have seen the coverup before in blog #3 where I wore it as a top. This is my favorite bathing suit coverup. I always carry a large beach bag and I can easily put my leggings and knit white top into my bag and I am ready to soak up the sun. I always wear a watch to the beach so I know when to turn over. Both my watch, sunglasses and sandals are navy blue and I am wearing simple studs in my ears because other than a watch the studs are the only jewelry I wear to the beach. To add a little color I am carrying a very colorful tropical looking beach bag.

This is such a wonderful bathing suit coverup! It is so comfortable and lightweight. It looks like a long sundress when I walk down the beach. I just paired it with a little white t-shirt, white sunglasses, white watch and gold sandals. Just remove the white t-shirt and you easily slip this on and off at the shoulders as needed. The pineapples give it that tropical look. I love how it makes me look thin!

A few years back there was a fashion contest TV show called Fashion Star with Jessica Simpson and Nicole Ritchie as mentors to up-and-coming designers. There were buyers who would bid on any designs they thought would interest their customers. One of the buyers was from Carson Pirie Scott and Co. and they had this coverup in their stores the next day. I loved it so much I also was in one of their stores the next day to buy it. The caftan ties just under the bust and falls just above the knee. I paired it with black sunglasses, watch and Jams which is a brand of lightweight pants that have a drawstring at the waist. My black sandals carry on the flower theme and my beach bag draws out the red in my caftan.

Well, that is it for this blog. I lost a few pounds during the packing and moving but gained it back in Michigan. It is blueberry season in Michigan and blueberries taste great in ice cream, scones, donuts, cookies and pie. I guess life is a balance. Till next time, remember God loves you and so do I.