I have received a lot of emails and comments lately asking about me instead of fashion – figured I’d cover a bunch of them in one single post. Enjoy!
Just wondering -are you still doing Weight Watchers? I miss the updates.
Yes, I am still doing
Weight Watchers… sort of. Life has gotten really hectic lately so I am lucky to attend one meeting a month and find myself not sticking to the plan 7 days a week. However I really need to get back on track and you should start seeing
updates again come April!
I think I know but I'll ask. What do you think about males wearing jeans so baggy that the crotch is nearly to their knees? I see this style not only on teenaged boys but also on 'adult' men. At least they're adult age!
I don’t find this trend flattering at all, but then when I was 17, I wore some darn unflattering trends and found “adults” who also rocked this look to be very cool. I don’t know why it has gained popularity
(now it’s with skinny jeans when before it was just with baggy), I find the bum to be a very attractive part on a man’s body and hate when it’s destroyed by an unflattering trouser.
I have been reading you for years, since you worked for [previous employer]. I love you, and I will always love you and your blog but lately I have found your personal style to be a bit crazy, veering on clown-like. Don’t you feel that all these wild colors go against your mantra? Do you really think hot pink cropped jeans are “quality instead of quantity”??
While I do suggest a
list of wardrobe staples that are primarily black, I regularly state that color is important in one’s wardrobe. I also believe in personal style, which means wearing that which feels right to you as an individual and properly expresses you and your personality. My life has changed quite a lot over the past few years, and I believe I am a happier and more confident individual than I was in 2005. My writing style has changed, and my personal style has changed and I think this is a normal occurrence for any individual. While wardrobe staples can remain the same for years – even decades, I believe one’s wardrobe should change as the owner changes with life experiences.
While
hot pink cropped jeans may not be a classic wardrobe choice, they are made by a quality brand, are in a color I have loved for eons, and feel that they will get a lot of wear in the next year and can easily transition in different ways as the trends change. Thank you for being a loyal reader, and reminding me of how much I have grown in the past five years!
I love your blog. I find it really useful and inspiring. Like you I am a 'skirt' and 'dress' person and have enjoyed seeing how you put your outfits together. I was wondering however if you could give some insight on what you wear at the weekend or for casual occasions.
I am slowly working on getting my blog to be easier to navigate; I have recently made a
tag for all weekend ensembles, will continue to update it,
and hope to have links in my sidebar in the near future to better organize my outfit posts. Thanks for the push to get this done sooner rather than later!
Alison, why don’t you wear your hair curly more often? It’s far prettier when curly.
I too love
my hair curly, but being a busy woman, straight hair takes less time and holds up better the second day. To get my hair to look actually curly or wavy requires several steps and about an hour each morning, and having my hair straight can be done in 10 minutes
(and five minutes on Day 2). Don’t be surprised if you see it curly more often come summer – air drying and humidity are kind to my tresses and often make my hair look good with minimal manipulation!
Alison, no offense but what’s up with all the stripes? You must own 50 different striped shirts and they aren’t the most flattering choice for a woman with big breasts.
I love stripes so much, even my daughter wears them!
Stripes are classic, stripes can dress up for work or dress down for weekends, stripes add variety to a wardrobe of primarily solid pieces, and striped tees are a budget-friendly way to wear a popular trend. There are different sizes of stripes, I usually choose ones that have more white than dark, and have wide-spaced stripes. I find this combination is more flattering to curves than evenly-spaced or narrow stripes.
Are you going to Bonnaroo again this year?
Bonnaroo 2011 - Allie sans makeup & in desperate need of a hot shower!
Nope, I will miss
Bonnaroo terribly, but my husband and I are ready for a change. I just can’t do GA again, and VIP tickets are pretty pricey. This year we will be attending the
Forecastle Festival in Louisville, KY. One of our favorite bands is
My Morning Jacket, and this is a festival in a city I haven’t visited since college. Also we’ll be staying in a hotel instead of camping which is REALLY appealing to this 37-year old body!
This might be an odd question...but, how do you find cute at/right above the knee skirts? I know you are in the 5'3ish range, so only a couple of inches taller than me, but unless I buy a mini, knee length skirts are always below the knee on me. Is this from shopping in the petites? Or do you tailor?
99% of my skirts are petite – right now I am a 12 petite, though some 10s fit me better. A few brands work for me in regular sizes, but pencils are so figure-hugging that petite makes the hips and rear area show up in the right place.
A couple of my skirts are purposely not petite – at first thought I think of my a-line minis from Ann Taylor
(beige, orange, leather). Since I am short and these skirts have a straighter line to them, a regular length makes them more work-appropriate without losing proper fit.
I often see you without your wedding ring. Everything okay with Mr. Allie?
Oh yes, things with “Mr. Allie” are better than ever! I got my eyes from my dad… and also his metal allergy. While I have less sensitivity to platinum than I do other metals, when my skin is very dry or I am battling other allergies, even my wedding set causes major irritation. As I have gotten older I have more issues with this allergy – you’ll see I wear earrings less often than I used to, don’t wear any costume rings, and don’t wear necklaces and bracelets for more than 10 hours or so.
What do you think about tattoos?
I have one, I designed it myself and while I don’t think the artist did the best job with it, I love it and am happy I got it.
I am writing to you to thank you for the inspiration and to ask you for tips on blogging. Also, how does one get traffic to come to the blog? Any advice would be appreciated.
I am the worst to ask how to get traffic to a blog – I started this blog as just a place to write down my thoughts and my audience has grown pretty organically. Don’t write for traffic, write first for yourself. Have a consistent voice, write with quality and not quantity. Have a simple looking blog so the content can take center stage. Be part of the blogging community – read other blogs and leave real comments
(no “I love your blog here’s a link to mine” – that’s seen as poor blogging etiquette). Offer your reader multiple ways to access your content – the blog, Facebook, Twitter, StumbleUpon, Reddit, BlogLovin, etc. Blog regularly. Blog as if no one is watching. Be original, and be real.
Who is your style icon?
Me with my mom and sister
My mom. She knows her personal style, and her figure and knows how to dress it. She keeps up with current trends and knows how to infuse those she likes without looking like a fashion victim. She has fun with color and fun with fashion.
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