Hi to all my Gal Pals,
I decided to write about how thankful I am for beauty products. Crabby Maxine puts it this way “I have natural beauty but time keeps doing unnatural things to it”. Hear me out before you think I am coming from a place of vanity. By 2025, the annual total for the beauty industry will be $716 billion dollars worldwide. I am thankful for the hair coloring that colors my gray. I have nothing against those of you who like to go au naturel but it is not for me. In fact, my bookclub friends promised me that if I ended up in a nursing home they would make sure my hair would get dyed every two months and I am holding them to it! I am thankful for face cream that keeps my skin supple between the deep wrinkles. I am thankful for the eye coverup that hides the purple bags under my eyes or I could go au naturel and do as Aunty Acid recommends which is to tell people the bags under my eyes are Prada. Now this may sound like vanity but it has more to do with recognition. For over 50 years I have worn makeup almost every day and dyed my hair blond. I continue to do both so others can recognize me. I’m afraid when I start to lose my memory I may not recognize my reflection in the mirror because I am so used to seeing myself as a blond with makeup. I am not sure if I told you the story about my sister who was in her condo hallway getting Christmas decorations out from her storage closet wearing no makeup and she ran into the woman who just moved into the condo across from her place. Later in the day, my sister got a call to go into work so she got ready which included putting on makeup. When she got home from work she ran into the same neighbor who said “I think I ran into your roommate earlier today” (my sister doesn’t have a roommate). So someone wisely said, if your going to be a mess you might as well be a “hot” mess and let’s face it, “Beauty sleep is a lie. Everyone looks like crap when they first wake up” says the expert known as Aunty Acid.
Sometimes all it takes to feel beautiful is to wear something that makes you feel that way. I really hate fall and winter fashions because I love color and last month I walked into some of my favorite boutiques and saw nothing but drab colors. You all know by now that I am a pretty colorful person inside and out so I find those outfits that make me happy which usually includes flowers or bright colors. Just because we are going into cooler seasons doesn’t mean we have to give up on flowery patterns. According to Vogue, fall florals will be this seasons Go-To prints. They state that “These slightly darker, more muted versions will not only complement your existing wardrobe but will make your fashion transition from summer to fall that much easier”. I love to feel good by putting on something that I think makes me look good which means it hides my belly. If someone else thinks I look good it is a bonus. I love this Crabby Maxine quote “When someone is staring at me I assume they’re taking notes on how to be fabulous”.
Well this is where I put my landscape design pictures but I am going to show you pictures of the front of my townhouse and talk about my current plant dilemma.
Here is my dilemma. These pictures are from today and as you can see my little summer garden is still beautiful. Most of my neighbors have had their fall decorations and plants out since September 1st. They started putting up their Halloween decorations on September 15th. I have such beautiful fall decorations but they don’t look good with my summer plants and there is no room for them as long as my summer plants are out. I was hoping Mother Nature would cooperate and send frost my way because I can no more throw out a lovely plant than I can throw out a lovely article of clothing. They say we might get frost tonight but if not there won’t be another chance until sometime at the end of next week. This time of year the weather is so unpredictable. The psychologist in me feels Mother Nature is not only Bipolar but clearly off her meds!
OK, let the Fall flowery fashion show begin.
I love to dress up a pair of jeans! The white ruana is embroidered with the most beautiful shiny silver thread flowers. I love to tell you when I get a good deal. This ruana is from Chico’s and it was on sale from $119 to $59 dollars. With my membership discount and a $20 coupon it cost me $39 with tax included. It was worth every penny! Underneath the ruana I wore a simple short sleeved white top and I paired it with dark silver, 1 inch heeled sandals. You could wear this outfit anywhere. I wore it to a pub to meet with some friends. The ruana is great for a cool Fall evening.
I decided to wear all silver to accentuate the silver threads of the embroidered flowers and the beautiful trim. I layered my necklaces and both go so well with the ruana. What I love about filigree necklace is that I can wear it as a necklace or a brooch since the chain can be unhooked from the back. I also wore pearl earrings and ring to go with the longer necklace. The silver bracelet has a wreath charm and I love that I can change the charms.
This top has flowing long sleeves and I paired it with royal blue corduroy pants. I got it at one of my favorite Saugatuck boutiques and it was a great buy at $40.00. I paired this outfit with a dark cherry pair of shoes that go so well with the cherry red flowers in the top. You have so many options with the color of the pants you wear with this top.
I was never a fan of kiln fused dichroic glass until I saw this necklace at a little shop in Grand Haven. The owner of the shop made this beautiful pendant and she explained how she fused three pieces of glass together one of which was black which I think made the piece interesting. I am going to put a plug in for the shop called Silver Fire Gallery and Gifts. The colors in the glass are the same colors in the top. The orange and yellow stones of the rings go beautifully with the top and I decided that the rest of the accessories should match the gold on the chain of the necklace.
I had Vicki take this picture in a way that you could see the front of the sweater in my reflection while seeing the flowered pattern of the back. What you can’t see in the picture are the beautiful small pleats down the back. The front of the sweater and the sleeves are made of a black wool blend material. I paired it with a black pair of jeans and black flats.
I felt the flowered panel had an oriental flair so I chose jewelry that reflects this style. The design of the necklace makes it look very Asian and the black onyx stones of the earrings go so well with the beads in the necklace. The bangle bracelets also have that Asian flair and I picked them up at a resale shop for $5. I don’t know if you can see it but the shape of the pearl ring is the same shape of the watch. I don’t typically wear fine jewelry but the color of the ruby ring goes so well with the flower pattern of the sweater.
I guess it is time to talk about my weight. On that front there is good news and bad news. The good news is that I lost 5 pounds. The bad news is that my weight loss may be due to the colonoscopy prep I had to endure a few days ago which means it might be temporary. Regardless, for today I am going to revel in the euphoric bliss of my weight loss even though it is not grounded in reality. I enjoy getting my picture taken “butt” this was not a fun photo op. If you have never had to drink the delicious prep solution (said no one ever!) my advice is to just take your pillow and a book in the bathroom with you after you drink it because that is where you will be spending several hours and losing several pounds from your body. I can no longer argue with those who tell me I am full of crap because it is true.
Well, sorry to leave you with my anal malady. I am shooting for November for my next blog. Until then, remember that God loves you and so do I.
A Peek Into Pam’s Closets 