Tall Boots for Wide Calves

Boots are hot this season. Pulled over skinny jeans, matched with wool and denim skirts, paired with gauchos, it seems that a pair of tall boots is a necessity for any woman’s wardrobe. What do you do when your calves aren’t slim? A childhood of playing soccer, a more zaftig figure than most models, a tall woman with proportional appendages, whatever the reason, purchasing boots when you have larger legs can be very frustrating. Most knee-high boots in stores have a 14” or 15” circumference of the widest part of the boot shaft. Before you go shopping, take a tape measure to the widest part of your calf. You can buy boots that are a half-inch smaller than your measurement because leather stretches and many styles have elastic gussets. Many chain brands like Naturalizer, Eddie Bauer, Ann Taylor Loft and J. Crew offer extended-calf variations of their popular styles. Do check the size, for many brands consider larger calves to only be a half to full inch larger. This may be all you need for comfort, or you may require more space. Wide Widths may not be the most elegant name of a website, but the collection on this site is amazing. They explain the sizes of the boots and give you hints when you should go up or down a size. The customer service is excellent – if you have to call for assistance or for exchange/return approval, you will speak to a very knowledgeable and passionate salesperson who will offer alternatives based on your style, lifestyle and size. Wide Calf Boots has a lot of the same styles as Wide Widths, but a few new styles, such as cowboy boots. They separate their boots by style and like Wide Widths, they have a link to wide width shoes too. Torrid is a brand that sells trendy clothing in larger sizes. They have a great selection of reasonably priced boots as well. Though the boots may be faux leather, they are well made, stylish and look more expensive than their ticket price. This is a great site to visit if you are looking for a more funky/trendy style of boot. They do not have extra-large calf sizes, but their standard size is larger than many of the “extended-calf” sizes found at the stores above. Silhouettes is also a company that sells plus-size clothing, and larger-calf boots. They carry a variety of brand names and styles. Be warned – if you order from them you will be inundated with catalogs from them and every other plus size clothing brand in your mailbox for the rest of eternity (or until you call and beg them to be taken off their mailing list) Looking for biker boots, harness boots or riding boots to fit your calf size? Check out Friedson Bros. Their prices aren’t cheap, but the quality is impeccable and they will custom make your boots to fit you perfectly. The price may make you balk, but a well-made boot should last you for decades if you care for them properly. Friedson Bros. offers a measuring chart to fill out to ensure the boot has the correct fit. Once you have a pair of boots that you love and love your calves, how do you know they are a good fit? They should not gape at the top. Legs should not be swimming in the shaft. They should not dig into the leg. There is nothing more unflattering than your knee pouring out of the top of the boot like a split sausage casing. They should not dig into the back of the knee. Sit down in your boots. Do they hit so high that they cut into the back of the knee? If so, return them and find a shorter style. Where on the calf do they hit? Like skirts, if your boot hits at the widest part of the calf, it will make your legs look even bigger. There is no point in investing in tall boots when they do not look good on your figure. And how should you store your boots? Either store them back in their box or standing straight up. Use packing paper to stuff the shafts and maintain good shape Use proper leather cleaners and protectors for your boots. Caring for these boots properly will have them last for years. Invest in non-skid pads for the soles. Tall boots are popular because they can keep your legs warm in the colder months. You won’t be warm if you slip and fall on the ice and snow.

Black Friday Tip - Online Shop & Save!

Before you do any online shopping, use Google (or I prefer Good Search – online search engine that donates a penny to the charity of your choice every time it is used!). Today I made a purchase at Ann Taylor Loft. When I got to the checkout it asked me to add any promotional code. I didn’t have a promotional code, but I searched “Ann Taylor Promotional Code” on Good Search, and the third site I went to had a code that gave me 20% off my order! Last week I ordered a gift for my mom and the site also asked if I had a promotional code. After doing about two minutes on a search engine, I found a site that offered me 15% off AND free shipping! A few minutes on your favorite search engine can save you lots of money on your holiday and personal shopping. Take the time and reap the savings!

Tuesday Tip - Winterizing Your Wardrobe

Unless you live in a perpetually sunny and warm locale, the temperature is dropping, the days are getting shorter, fall is upon us and winter is right around the corner. If you haven’t already done so, now is the time to winterize your wardrobe. Pack away summer bags. Spot clean if necessary. I love the Coach leather cleaner – I get it at the outlet for a lower price, and use it on all my leather goods, Coach and not. Recently was loving my Tide to Go stick to remove a few stains on the lining of my purse. Also works well on microfiber and other cloth bags. Once clean and dry, stuff with plain paper (newspaper ink can rub off on surfaces – next time you go to a discount store like Marshall’s and buy anything breakable they will give you tons of plain paper – store it for times like this and for possible moves, packing, etc.) to maintain the bag’s natural shape, and store in an old pillowcase. A pillowcase will protect the bag from dust, but will let it breathe, leaving it pliable. Store your bag on a closet shelf or in a cardboard box under your bed – do not store bags in the attic or a deep cellar for fear of dampness, extreme heat or cold affecting the fabric. Come spring you may end up with a mildewed bag with all the seams separating. I have a cardboard box I got in a set of three – it’s long, not too tall, slides under my bed and has a pretty toile pattern on it. In there I keep out of season bags and other accessories that need to have ventilation. After Labor Day, you really should pack away any straw bags, cotton purses, bags that are a summer color (white, pastels, brights like apple green and candy pink) or any bag that can be mistaken for a beach tote (raffia, clear plastic parts, woven plastic parts, stripes). This fall is about more subdued and rich colors, nothing screams summer more than a candy pink purse with grosgrain trim. Even if your straw and canvas bag is designer and cost a pretty penny, it is not appropriate for the colder months and should be stored gently so it can get plenty of face time in the spring. Pack those summer shoes too. Flip flops should not be used except for showers at the gym. Ditto to Tevas, Merrills, Crocs, Birkenstoks and any other sort of sandal. A heavy pair of socks with these shoes does not winterize them. Same with shoes that follow the rules of summer bags – straw, canvas, summer colors, white. All those beaded leather thongs this summer need to be packed up too. Strappy heels can transcend seasons if they are of a neutral fabric (crepe, silk, satin, leather) and are worn only for evening. Same with peeptoes and slingbacks. If they are a seasonless fabric (patent leather, leather, suede, pony hair, silk) and color, they can usually carry into fall and winter. For the rest, ensure they are in good shape. Take them to the cobbler to be reheeled and resoled and any buckles repaired. Nothing is worse than starting spring with a new outfit that will go perfectly with your canvas and cork peeptoe pumps to find out last minute that the heel is broken or the sole is pulling away from the shoe body. Fix them now, so you will be ready in a few months. Once your shoes are in working order, polish and remove stains as necessary, and like bags, store them in a well-ventilated container and a climate-controlled environment. Dressy shoes and heels I store in original shoe boxes in my closet. Pumps get tissue paper stuffed in the toe to keep their shape and are stored in a spare closet in one of those over-the-door canvas shoe holders. Boots are stuffed with the same paper mentioned for purses, and are stored in old pillowcases on a closet shelf. Stop wearing those sundresses. So Mischa Barton and Mary Kate Olsen wear a gauzy sundress over a turtleneck, footless tights and ballet flats. That doesn’t mean that the everyday woman can carry this off. As I say often; if you are not a fashionista, do not dress like a fashionista. It is far more flattering and stylish to dress simply and appropriate for the season and the situation. Make sure all of your dresses, shorts, capris, gauzy tops, white pants and skirts are clean and pressed. Take them to the dry cleaners for one last cleaning. When these clothes are clean, take care in storing them. · Pants are best if the legs are creased by hanging seam-to-seam. This will give creases down the front of the leg – very flattering. If you have the room, hang them from the pant hem on clip hangers to keep their crisp lines. If you need to store them in a box, fold carefully. If the fabric is prone to wrinkles you may wish to roll the trousers or place tissue between the folds. If the pants are denim or another stiff fabric, they should be fine for a few months folded naturally. · Clothes returned from the drycleaner should be immediately removed from the plastic and the metal hanger. Several months on a metal hanger will make any dress or top have permanent dents and creases in the shoulder. The plastic inhibits ventilation, causing fabrics to possibly yellow, mildew or have their fibers break down. · Dresses should be kept hanging whenever possible – I have a canvas storage bag in my spare closet. It zips down the front and in there I keep out of season dresses, coats and other items that are best left hanging. The canvas allows the clothing to breathe, but protects them from dust. Do a little spring cleaning in fall. While you are packing up your swin suits, capris, halter tops and sandals, reexamine them. Are they still in good condition? Do they still fit? Are they high enough quality and beautiful enough to deserve year-round real estate in your closet? Now is the time to pare down. If you are storing a pair of shoes that never saw the summer sun, maybe it’s time to donate them and free up some space for a pair of shoes that will be adored and worn often. If those capris are looking a bit haggard, it may be best to donate them now so you are forced come Spring to buy a new pair instead of wearing a threadbare, stained, horrific mess. All too often we pull out the new season’s clothes from our attic or storage box to find clothes that remind us of what we dislike most about our bodies. So you spent $80 on that dress in March, it always slides down the shoulder exposing your bra strap, and it makes your butt look big. If it made you unhappy this season, why store it for another season of unhappiness? A great idea is having a clothing swap. Get together with several of your friends – varying ages and lifestyles makes it all the better. On a Sunday afternoon, have some veggies and crackers and cheese, a couple of bottles of wine and each woman comes with 3-5 items that are still in good condition but not appropriate to her wardrobe any longer (weight change, style change, new job, etc.). For each piece you offer to the group, you are able to take a piece home with you. Anything leftover after the event gets donated to a charity. This is a great way to update your wardrobe, give good pieces a good home, and not spend a dime. Last year my friends and I had one of these parties – my neighbor chose a lime green boatneck dolman-sleeved top I bought on a whim because I had the same in black and loved it. I look terrible in green, and the top not in black was a fashion no-no on my figure. My neighbor wears it often – with jeans and a white tank under it for a trip to the mall, with crisp black trousers and heels for a night out. It looks great on her tall slim frame with her honey blonde hair. It makes me happy to see her look so great in something I myself couldn’t carry off. I in turn wear a candy pink merino v-neck that was too large for a friend who had great success with Weight Watchers and get compliments every time I have it on. Don’t be stuck out in the cold. It’s November. It’s snowing in some parts of the world, in others it is just starting to get colder. Are you prepared? · Do you have a winter coat that looks nice? Not a cast-off from your husband’s company or the navy parka you wear to shovel the driveway. I mean a nice, simple coat that can be worn to the grocery store, to work, to dinner and to your company holiday party. Every woman in a cold climate should have a simple wool coat that hits below the hips. If the coat is between hip and calf length, it usually works with dresses as well as pants, jeans as well as suits. Single breasted is the most flattering on female figures. Black is safe and timeless, but camel, ivory, brown, dark purple and even red can be basics that will work year after year. · How about your winter accessories? Hat, scarves and gloves are worn daily in a cold climate. You can get great sets and individual pieces at discount stores like Marshall’s and Ross, sale pieces in catalogs like Victoria’s Secret for a song, and really cute pieces in big box retailers like Target and Old Navy. When you have accessories that look good, you feel good. Keep the fuzz-balled stretch gloves for shoveling making snowballs, get a nice knit or leather pair for everyday wear. Leather gloves are easier to drive in, and I saw beautiful pairs in stylish colors and styles at my local Target. Every few years I replace my leather pair with a new pair from Ralph Lauren or Coach, found at my local discount store for an insanely low price. I love scarves – they add color to dreary winter days. I have a few pashminas and shawls that double as scarves in the winter, and I always let loved ones know that new scarves are an always-welcome holiday gift. · What’s on your feet? Do you have a pair of boots that can handle the weather? You don’t need puffy nylon snow boots, but a pair of footwear that reaches past your ankles, has good grip on the bottom, are water-resistant and stain-resistant will be your best friend. Each year or two I invest in a pair of pleather city boots. Last year I got a great pair with great style at the Nordstrom Half-Yearly sale. Not too tall of a heel so I can maneuver on black ice, but still a chic shape. They are pleather, look like leather, but water beads up on them. They are Thinsulate lined, but you would never be able to tell from the sleek style and slightly pointed toe of the exterior. I can wipe them clean, and my toes don’t freeze at the bus stop. These are my work-appropriate snow boots. I also have a pair of boots that are waterproof, sturdy, flat and made for walking, shoveling, running errands. Like the fashion boots, these are also attractive. I don’t feel foolish when indoors. Lands End has some wonderful weatherproof shoes and boots for very reasonable prices. · The weather has changed, has your skin regimen? With the cold and the dry recycled indoor air, skin gets dry and tight. Consider switching to a cream-based cleanser. Only cleanse before bed and in the morning splash water or use an alcohol-free toner. This will keep your skin hydrated with it’s natural protective oils. You should still be using sunscreen, but you may wish to upgrade to a heavier moisturizer or add a serum under your daily lotion. Hands and lips get especially dry this time of year. I keep on my nightstand Hemp Hand Protector from The Body Shop – not the best smell, but this intensive moisturizer on hands and feet (with or without socks and gloves) will let you wake with soft, supple skin. I also keep a tin of Bag Balm (found at most drugstores) for elbows and lips. I slather up before retiring and wake looking brand new. Your skin needs extra TLC in the colder months, take care of it. Unlike that designer purse or that fabulous pair of shoes, you are forced to wear your skin season after season, whether you like it or not. It deserves attention and care more so than any other item in your closet.

A Night With Andre Leon Talley

Last night I went to the Corcoran in Washington DC to see Andre Leon Talley give a lecture on his opinions of the Spring 2007 lines and to have a Q&A. For those who have never heard of this man before, Talley is the Editor at Large for Vogue. He has been there since 1983, previously working for Women’s Wear Daily and other fashion powerhouses in New York, and was part of Andy Warhol’s entourage. Andre looked dapper in a black suit, dove gray shirt with white collar, gray silk tie and white pocket scarf. He wore burgundy socks and black flats with pave “Ben Franklin” buckles that were custom made for him by the designer who originally designed the shoes for Jackie Kennedy and her sister Lee Radziwill. He started the lecture with a slide presentation he created of his favorite collections from the Spring 2007 shows in New York, Paris and Milan. It was fascinating to see the clothing as we see it in Vogue, and then see the models backstage and how real the clothing seemed to be on relaxed women chatting and giggling. Suddenly sequined bikini bottoms with a silk blazer seemed wearable, and not just art on the runway. We also learned some inside stories behind the collections and designers. Vera Wang’s father passed away less than 24 hours before her show. Talley told the story of how she received the call from her father’s caretaker and dashed to his bedside in time to say goodbye, then raced back to New York to conduct her show. Miuccia Prada’s collection may have seemed to be full of unrealistically short dresses that no person on earth could carry off. In fact, a few days before her show the skirts for the collection arrived and she didn’t like them. Instead of sullying her collection with incorrect skirts, she just sent the models down the runway in only the tunic tops. Suddenly the strange collection of ultra-minis and skinny leggy models seemed to work – you focused on the gorgeous jewel tones of the silk tops and how they were cinched with an unexpected rough-hewn leather belt. Knowing the back story made the collection all the more beautiful. It was also funny to hear Talley speak of Vera Wang as “Vera.” An elegant name for a simply elegant woman, but when her first name is used alone suddenly I imagine a blonde waitress chomping on gum and screaming, “Kiss my grits!” It really humanized Wang. Talley was discussing Wang’s fame, how she originally was an editor and was getting married and couldn’t find an appropriate gown. She designed her own and ended up getting into the business, now having lines of china, crystal, lingerie, and even clothing at Kohl’s. “What next Vera, Vera Wang coffins?” Talley laughed when speaking of a recent conversation with Wang and her new business ventures. Talley has elegant and sophisticated tastes; the lines he found the best of a “super bad” season were classic standards like Balenciaga, Chanel, Ralph Lauren and Versace. Lots of white, platinum and silver metallic pieces, 1940’s inspiration and great textures. The theme for shoes was as he put it “ugly.” Large clunky sandals with huge platform heels and studs holding the leather to the wood soles. Dancer-inspired flats with lots of elastic straps. Very tall platform wedges with patent leather peep toes. “This Spring it’s all about the ugly shoe. Get yourself an ugly shoe,” Talley told the crowd to gales of laughter. After the slide presentation, Talley took questions from the audience. I was expecting an audience full of well-dressed fashionistas but was surprised to see quite a variety of attendees. College kids in jeans, older women in artistic home-crafted designs, elegant socialites of the city in all ages, and many women who look as though they are interested in and learning about fashion, heading to the Corcoran after a long day at their government job. Women in couture, women in chain store pieces, women in vintage, women in Target. Talley noted some well-dressed women in the audience and asked them to stand. One was in a black and white heavy tweed shift with a foldover collar. She wore it over a lightweight white ¾ sleeve tee and carried it off with black flats. He loved the texture and the simplicity of the outfit. She admitted that she bought the dress at Antrhopologie. The second woman was in an off-white puff sleeved chiffon dress with a full skirt. The dress was covered with black oval polka-dots. She had a very large Fendi-inspired black patent belt around her waist, black tights and black heeled Mary Jane shoes. She admitted that the dress was vintage and the belt from Target. A cheer came up from the crowd when she mentioned Target and Talley smiled and said, “Oh I love Target, I love Tar-jay, I got there all the time!” Another cheer from the crowd. Talley skirted away from the tougher questions, and didn’t really admit much about his personal opinions or thoughts. When asked about the movie The Devil Wears Prada, Talley said he never saw the movie nor read the book so he could not discuss it in any manner. He did admit that Anna Wintour, Editor-in-Chief of Vogue did attend opening night and found the film “entertaining.” Talley would not discuss the thinness of models in the industry today, stating that he feels that designers should be able to use any model they feel shows off their clothes best. He noted that Prada did use unusually thin and leggy models this season, but designers like Jean Paul Gaultier use models of varying heights, weights and bust sizes. When asked about the show Project Runway, he admitted that he has never seen an episode and that he watches little television other than the news. “The McLaughlin Group is the best show on television, I love the McLaughlin Group!” He also admitted loving Hardball with Chris Matthews. The conversation changed to fashion, the current trends of American fashion and more specifically, the lack of care and respect in today’s fashion. This is something that bothers me as much as it did the woman in the fur vest in the front row who asked the question. She was most concerned with the fashion of Americans in places like airports. Talley believes that we live “in a spin-cycle world” and need to accept that. He told a story of him and Diane von Furstenburg visiting the Google headquarters and one of the first rooms he saw at the complex was a Laundromat. He found it brilliant that the employees were able to bring their clothing to work to clean and believes that is the way of America. Talley believes that a woman does not need to spend a fortune to look stylish, that one can update her wardrobe just by changing accessories. He said for Spring a woman should invest in some colorful flat shoes, a beaded necklace and a fabulous bag. He disagreed with an audience member who said that style is all about self-confidence. I agree with Talley, some people have oodles of confidence but terrible style. He was most impressed by simple, classic, basic outfits in the audience and during this conversation noted the outfit of a woman in her 40’s in the back row. She was wearing a basic black suit, but an elaborate necklace of varying lengths of jet beads. The accessory made the outfit. After the Q&A session, the audience adjourned to the hallway where a reception was set up just for us. High-top tables wrapped in orange organza, waiters passing out feta and watermelon skewers, grilled shrimp and chicken . Bars were set up serving sparkling water, club soda, chardonnay and a signature-tini with a ginger/orange flavor and color. DC magazine passed out their latest issue. The crowd was 90% female, everyone checking out one another’s attire and chatting about the lecture. After about 20 minutes Talley came out to the reception, signing autographs and shaking hands. It was a wonderful evening, well put together, and I found Andre Leon Talley to be a funny, passionate and charming man. I am glad I was able to experience it.

The Nordstrom Half Yearly Sale

Nordstrom’s half-Yearly Sale is going on, and I encourage all of you to check it out online! Think your wallet can’t handle a purchase from this shopping Mecca? Think again. When you hit the link on their site for the sale, there are categories for purchases, and one is "Under $30.' Yes, you can find dozens upon dozens of accessories, lingerie, workout clothes, shoes and cute regular, plus and maternity clothes for under $30! I have been good lately. Really good. I have not visited malls, I haven’t even virtually window shopped online. I have decided to survive the winter with the wardrobe I currently own. I am the same size as last winter, and my clothing is basic enough that it doesn’t look dated. However this morning as I was getting ready for work and then an after-work event where I am going to see Andre Leon Talley speak, I realized my wardrobe is a bit… tired. Sweaters with fuzz balls, stretched out sleeves, slightly misshapen from multiple trips through the gentle cycle. Pants with hems resewn several times and often still held together with safety pins or Stitch Witchery. Linings that are torn and hang on my legs like chaps. Buttons missing, fabric snagged, and just over worn and tired. I feel good about my shoes, and I love my new bag for the fall/winter. My makeup is fun, my accessories are good, but the basic clothing is a bit too basic and a bit too boring. Today when I had a slow point in my work day, I decided to check out Nordstrom online. I passed a Nordstrom on my last business trip and saw the signs for the sale. Figured it was as good a time as any to do take part in some retail therapy. Let’s add that through Gold Points I get 15 points for each dollar spent at the site, and if I use my Nordstrom card, I get double points toward gift certificates through the store (if you know you can handle credit cards and pay them off monthly, it’s worth it to invest in these types of cards. I have gotten hundreds of dollars for free at Nordstrom over the decade because of this feature). I have been wanting a motocross-inspired jacket out of a vintage-looking leather. Stand up collar, zip front, crackled leather in either black or dark red. Every jacket I have seen and liked has been way over $250 – way too expensive for my budget. In the Half-Yearly sale I found a great version from Caslon for only $160, and it looks like a piece I have owned for decades. Just what I was looking for! I got some dangle sterling earrings for $24 (originally far more), two tops that are weekend or going-out appropriate (depending on the rest of the outfit) that were both under $35 (and originally over $50), and a really cute dress that is multi-season fabric and less than $40 (originally $75). I know, still a lot of money, but I am being realistic. There is a good chance that many of these pieces will not look good on me once they arrive, I also know that I NEED a jacket, not just want one. I have wanted earrings like this for over a year but can’t stomach the prices I have seen for sterling lately, and well the rest… I have been going out more lately and each time I get ready for an evening with friends I have a minor panic attack because my wardrobe is almost entirely Business Casual and not Fun with Girls Casual. So my hope is these three things will cost less than anti-anxiety pills or trips to the therapist’s couch! So head over to Nordstrom and see if you may be able to find some of your Needs or Wants But Can’t Affords in their Half Yearly Sale. Happy Shopping!

Style Icon - Laura Bennett

I don’t know how many of you watch Project Runway on Bravo, but I highly recommend it. It is not your typical reality show – it follows 16 new and fledgling fashion designers through a competition full of weird challenges that push their creative limits. In the past season, one of the finalists, Laura Bennett caught my attention and the attention of many women. She was the mother of five (and a sixth on the way), an architect, a fashion designer, and an impeccably groomed and turned out woman. Lack of sleep, pregnancy and stress of the show never made her look waver – she always had on lipstick, groomed hair and “amazingly glamorous” clothing. While other designers would head to the studio in sweats and tees, Laura would be wearing a beaded cocktail gown and heels. The Washington Post has a wonderful column called I’m Still Me. It’s geared toward mothers, offering advice on how to survive motherhood and still be hip, stylish, current and a human being, not just a baby-machine. I may not be a mother, but I read this column and have learned much from it. This month Jill Hudson Neal interviewed Laura Bennett. I encourage all of you moms, and women who feel too busy for style to read this article. Ms. Bennett discusses her style "uniform," making it possible for her to be chic and still be a mother of 6, a wife, and a successful career woman. Enjoy!