Open
Night and day…

Met three dear friends for an early dinner that went on until after the sun set. Great food and conversation with some great women!

The dress is @adamlippes and I borrowed it from @renttherunway. The bag is @jcrew and a splurge but I regretted not buying it the last time they offered this bag and this color is SO me. I mean, look how great it is with these many years old suede heeled sandals? Meant to be!

This color combination makes me so happy, and this dress was comfy even after a decadent meal. We all deserve to experience comfort and joy with our wardrobes! 💛🩷

Follow my shop @wardrobe_oxygen on the @shop.LTK app to shop this post and get my exclusive app-only content!
https://liketk.it/4jnDf #ltkplussize #ltkmidsize #ltkover40 #midsizestyle #genxstyle #over40style
Open
If @thechicks are in town you can bet @debbiefaye78 and I will be there! So when we heard they were coming to @merriweatherpp we were so excited. And their concert did not disappoint. As always, a phenomenal show! If The Chicks come to your neck of the woods I highly recommend you go!

Okay I know you want to know about what we’re wearing! 

My sister’s caftan is from @anthropologie (bought this summer so maybe you can find on resale sites).

I’m wearing a @bananarepublic dress also from this summer with the @universalstandard denim chore jacket and a hat I got from a @madewell collab a year or so ago. I glammed it up with some gold chains and gold drop earrings, but kept it comfy for a night of standing and dancing with @birkenstock sandals.

This was my first big outing since my eye surgery, and with a pocketful of eye drops I felt good (and grateful we splurged for good seats!).

Follow my shop @wardrobe_oxygen on the @shop.LTK app to shop this post and get my exclusive app-only content!
https://liketk.it/4jcBL #ltkmidsize #ltkover40 #midsizestyle #genxstyle #usinthewild #concertstyle
Open
For years I’ve trusted @somaintimates for the right bras and the right fit but it had been a while since I visited a Soma boutique to try on all the styles they currently have for a large bust. I must say I was impressed! Knowledgeable staff, extensive collection in larger sizes, and some of the most comfortable and innovative bras in up to H cups! Each body is different but what I loved:

- The Stunning Push-Up: targeted for the DD+ customer gives amazing lift and great shape under fitted knits.

- The Unbelievable Lift Scoop Balconette: sexy, supportive, and so lightweight!

- The Embraceable Wireless: I’ve recommended this wireless bra for large busts for years and was in need for a new one! 

- The Stunning Support Smooth Balconette: this is the perfect t-shirt bra for large busts with padded straps and disappears under knits

- The Stunning Starlet Multi-Way Strapless: recently improved for more support and more comfort, this wireless bra stays put and gives fab shape

I also picked up some of Soma’s iconic Vanishing Edge panties which keep you line-free. The whole Vanishing collection is genius. I loved being able to donate my gently used bras at my local Soma boutique to give to those in need. We all deserve a lift and Soma strives to achieve that. It’s why I’ve been a fan and customer for years and am honored to partner with them. Soma is the perfect fitting bra solution. Visit the link in my bio to shop and to find your local Soma boutique! #SomaPartner #SomaBraFit #SomaStartsWithMe
Open
If I close my eyes you can’t tell one is still bloodshot 😜

Still recovering from my eye surgery but feeling more myself. Getting dolled up helps me feel me. Bright colors and bold jewelry have been signature Alison since I was a kid! 

Sweater: @favorite.daughter 
Earrings: Amazon
Necklace: @_jennybird (old)
Ring: @realmfinejewelry 
Bra: @lovebravissimo 
Lipstick: @glossier 
Pins as “cufflinks”: vintage

Follow my shop @wardrobe_oxygen on the @shop.LTK app to shop this post and get my exclusive app-only content!
https://liketk.it/4j0LM #ltkmidsize #midsizestyle #over40style #ltkover40 #genxstyle
Open
It was so funny and so quick I couldn’t not share! I bought this @hulkenbag a year ago and use it all the time. Carting shoot supplies, groceries, packing for road trips, and carting donations. This weekend @thenewdealcafe in @cityofgreenbelt hosted a community clothing swap so I made sure my family and I went through our summer wardrobes to gather that which we no longer needed or fit.

This wasn’t the first clothing swap and folks in town know my style (and my job) so there were some waiting for my arrival. Look how fast I cleared out this big bag! Speaking of the bag one other swap attendee said she got herself a Hulken after seeing mine in action!

It’s so great to know our old clothes are getting a good life and this bag makes carting them to the cafe so easy! I got my Hulken on Amazon, it comes in other colors and sizes too: https://amzn.to/48iTY4Y yep the bag is as great as all those ads you see on social media, I’m a big fan!
Open
I had to see… I asked my husband how often he thinks about the Roman Empire, and then asked our 14-year-old 😂
Open
#ad Go through my archives on Wardrobe Oxygen and one thing is clear: my family and I are a fan of @bombas socks! From their no-slip no-show socks to their iconic crew socks, Bombas makes great socks for the whole family while having a great heart.

Socks are the #1 requested article of clothing from homeless shelters. For every item purchase from Bombas, one is donated to someone experiencing homelessness. 

Save 20% on your first purchase at Bombas with my exclusive promo code: WARDROBE20

Follow my shop @wardrobe_oxygen on the @shop.LTK app to shop this post and get my exclusive app-only content!
https://liketk.it/4ipHy #bombas
Open
Happy gotcha day, Oscar! Four years ago he came into our life and we are so happy to have in our family!

Oscar was a rescue and came with some… quirks. Over the years we have come to understand him and he has come to trust us. He’s a diva, a snuggler, he could play catch for hours, and he’s my husband’s shadow. 

We’ve never had a small breed dog before and it’s a whole different experience. But we adore Oscar and couldn’t imagine our life without him! Thank you for coming into our life Oskie McGoskie! 🐾❤️
Open
I can see clearly now…

Actually I can’t, but things after my retina surgery are much improved! My next appointment is in a month and I’m cleared to get back into the world (with some restrictions to protect my eye).

With a sclera buckle, it changes your eye shape and now I am nearsighted again (I had lasik a few years ago). Once the eye is stabilized I can get glasses or contacts but until then I’m 20/20 in one eye and right now 20/60 in the other. But the eye is healing beautifully and I feel positive!

And I could see clearly enough to fall for this poppy-colored cotton jumpsuit from @pistoladenim. It comes in a few colors but this one is my favorite. I went with XL (im@a 14, sometimes 16) and likely could have sized down but I enjoy the relaxed fit and the drawstring waistband to create shape. And hello zipper closure making it super easy to get on and off!

My husband took this photo right after my eye appointment, I think it reflects my positive attitude and feeling of hope! 🧡

Follow my shop @wardrobe_oxygen on the @shop.LTK app to shop this post and get my exclusive app-only content!
https://liketk.it/4idXm
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Real-life style for grown-ass women

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The Business of Blogging · September 18, 2023

Wardrobe Oxygen’s 2023 State of the Blog

This article may contain affiliate links; if you click on a shopping link and make a purchase I may receive a commission. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. 

Wardrobe Oxygen's 2023 State of the Blog

My daughter started high school this year. It's back-to-school season, it's the 4th quarter, and it's a time of change. And I'm feeling the need for a bigger change this season than just switching out my linen for denim, my cotton for cashmere. I feel it's time for a bit of a change with Wardrobe Oxygen.

link to wardrobe oxygen's 2023 anonymous audience survey

Don't get me wrong, please know THIS BLOG IS NOT GOING ANYWHERE. I will continue to post here more than anywhere else. I will continue to share what I wear, my thoughts on trends, shopping advice, capsule wardrobes, the occasional beauty and wellness and product reviews and my life, especially relating to perimenopause and midlife. That will not change, nor will the amount of content I write here.

However, over the years, Wardrobe Oxygen has changed with the times, while keeping the important things the same. I created my first Wardrobe Oxygen-branded social media platform in 2010 (Twitter), and since then have dabbled in Facebook pages, and Facebook groups, did a couple of Facebook Live videos. I tried Snapchat and gave that up when Instagram Stories came on the scene. As for Instagram, Stories remains my favorite but I have done scheduled and ad-hoc Lives, created Reels, and still share in-feed traditional photos, usually of what I wore. I've dabbled in YouTube and Google Web Stories, got a bit too into Pinterest, and ended up contracting that work to a virtual assistant.

I played with Threads, deleted it in August for a social media reduction, and haven't added it back to my phone… yet. I secured a Bluesky account but haven't touched it. And remember Google+? Wardrobe Oxygen had a profile over there, too.

The point is, that Wardrobe Oxygen for most of its existence has been more than just this website. As the needs and interests of audiences have changed with new technology, apps, and trends, I try to keep up so I can reach the largest audience where they are most comfortable.

Wardrobe Oxygen's 2023 State of the Blog

Over the past few years, there has been an increase in subscription-based programs for content creators, influencers, and subject matter experts. And I have been vehemently against that for Wardrobe Oxygen. I want to keep my content accessible to all, as I know not everyone can afford the other methods out there to receive style advice or a sense of community from like-minded folk. This is something I believe fiercely in, and it will continue to be a tenet of Wardrobe Oxygen.

However, because these subscription tools have become so popular to share the thoughts of content creators and SMEs, I have been thinking of how to use them to again, reach the largest audience where they are most comfortable. And it has me thinking about newsletters.

See, I don't really have a newsletter, and other than a couple of failed times over the years (some may remember my last attempt last summer), I never have. Sure, there are buttons all over this site encouraging you to subscribe but when you do, all you get is what is called an RSS newsletter. This is an automated program that sends out a newsletter at 9am ET any day there is a new blog post. The “newsletter” has built-in widgets that share my Instagram feed (when the widget isn't broken), and items to shop, that when I remember and plan well, feature items in that day's blog post.

This template for my RSS newsletter was created over five years ago. It's buggy, it's hard to read on some devices, and it has branding for a company that created it but I no longer work with and I can't figure out how to remove it. And I can see from my metrics that I am bleeding subscribers, and most of them are folks who subscribed in the past year. I am not offering what a 2023 audience desires.

In a perfect world where I have a team of folks who get Wardrobe Oxygen, I'd have a whole newsletter program.

I'd have a welcome series. Thank you for subscribing, let me tell you about Wardrobe Oxygen, let me tell you about myself, and let me give you a heads up on what you can expect. Here are some posts from the archives that I think best sum up Wardrobe Oxygen. We're glad to have you here, now enjoy regular content.

I'd also like to have a digest email.

Once a week, here are three blog posts that went live since the last newsletter, and here's a link to the site to see if there is anything additional that was published. Here's a collage of things I recently bought, or are a trend I am digging, or a certain color that is on my mind all week. Here's some stuff from the archives you may have missed, and a bit about what's up with me that you can't glean from the recent posts.

Then, folks can choose when they subscribe, do I want to be notified each time there is a new blog post, or just get the weekly digest? This seems easy enough, but honestly blogging in 2023 is hard AF and I am a business of one and as seen by my non-existent newsletters over the years I just don't have the bandwidth or the tech know-how to craft these new templates, create this digest email, and the welcome series.

I have been interviewing virtual assistants and marketing companies to find someone to create all this for me.

I am being quoted anything from $250/month to over $5,000/month and none of them really comprehend Wardrobe Oxygen. This isn't your typical fashion blog, but this audience is not the kind who wants a text-heavy boring-ass newsletter showing up in their inbox. Y'all are smart, busy, and I think pretty damn cool. You deserve clean but not boring, smart but not complicated, cool but not cliche. You deserve something… something that I would want in my own inbox.

I was discussing this with my husband. He doesn't read blogs, he doesn't “do” social media, but he has a few podcasters he listens to regularly and have subscribed to a few of their newsletters and programs. He mentioned this one guy he follows who has a subscription model, with the most important content free. The second tier is additional content, stuff if you want to dig in further but isn't his core content.

That costs, but if you email him and tell him you can't afford it, no questions asked he signs them up to get it for free. And then the third tier costs a bit more and that's where you can find the message boards, the community discussions, the info on in-person events and ways for this community to rally together over causes or connect to do activities together.

I really liked this idea… having the same content available for free, and giving subscriptions free to anyone who can't afford it, quietly through email, so all can access all, but I can still get paid for creating all this additional community and content. He shared that this guy does all this through Substack.

A year ago, Substack reached out to me and encouraged me to start a newsletter there.

I struggled to find a way to make it work without taking from what I already offer for free. I decided against it, and instead set up Buy Me a Coffee so folks could “tip” me in thanks for content on their terms and their schedule but no one felt obligated and I wasn't gatekeeping content.

During this discussion, my husband suggested using Substack exactly like this podcaster.

  • Each time there's a blog post, create a Substack newsletter and use the concept of how I share my blog posts on Instagram Stories. A little paragraph with the why this post was written. This would also help with those who have complained I keep republishing content, so I can explain how it's not just a simple republish, I actually rewrote most of the piece, spent hours sourcing new items, creating new collages, doing research so they know it may have the same name but is worth reading. I can share what inspired me to write about this topic, or share a bit about my life to put everything in context.
  • I could have a weekly digest Substack newsletter. It could be super simple, and just be ICYMI, here's what I shared on Wardrobe Oxygen. And then I can also share if I was interviewed on a podcast or mentioned in a news article, something I bought that week I like, somewhere I went, etc. and it doesn't have to have beautiful photos and be SEOed to death to help the site.
  • Speaking of which, Weekend Reads could move from my site to Substack. This would help my site's size and its SEO, and those who have said the RSS newsletter gets caught in spam, their job blocks my site, they can't recall which Weekend Reads had that article on X, etc. would have the post in its entirety in their inbox, for free. No need to become familiar with another platform, download another app, or sign into another website (such as Patreon, which I like better but not for the added hoops to jump to access content, which I know current readers won't do).
  • Then, if I end up having the bandwidth in the future to create additional content on top of what I am doing, I can have a paid subscription model, with some way to offer it free to those who need it. And if I never go that route, no harm no foul.

This got me thinking. I think of some folks who went the 100% Substack manner and I stopped following them because they'd keep the interesting stuff for the paid subscribers and the affiliate link shopping stuff for us poor peons who can't or won't pay. That's not the only way to make this work. I can do both, and in fact, this could be less work and cost than the work I envision for a traditional newsletter program and no gatekeeping.

Recently, another influencer I follow went to Substack, and the only way I knew was because their newsletter came from there instead of Mailchimp. They took their email list, imported it to Substack, and started using that platform just like if they switched from Mailchimp to ConvertKit or Flodesk or any of the other programs out there. It didn't change the content or even how it was received in my inbox. The only difference was the lack of a fancy template. It felt like a sign to me to start thinking about this seriously.

But I wanted to get a temperature gauge from you before I did anything.

Each creator's audience is different and those who spew advice are usually generalizing their niche. And when you're a style/fashion/lifestyle blog, that generalization is that the audience is women in the USA between the ages of 22-35 who follow certain influencers, watch certain shows, use certain social media platforms, even all drink from the same brand of water bottle. And I know that y'all aren't those people.

And if I am going to do a change, a trial of a new-ish social media platform for my newsletter, and I want to know your thoughts on that platform, I also figured I should do a State of the Blog and get to know the current Wardrobe Oxygen audience to be sure I truly know you and am creating the right kind of content for you and meeting you where you are on the internet.

complete the wardrobe oxygen survey

So I created this survey. It is anonymous, and every single question is optional (and please, if it doesn't relate to you, don't answer it because when you answer with “other” and that it isn't for you it creates a whole other category and makes the data really confusing). I appreciate your feedback, and the time it takes to complete this.

Wardrobe Oxygen is NOT going anywhere. But this is the start of a new season, a new quarter, and in some ways, a new season in my own life. And I think that Wardrobe Oxygen is deserving of a bit of a glow-up. And it will glow even more brightly with your input. Stay tuned, I will be sure to share the results of the survey in an upcoming post. AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

With MUCH love,
Alison

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In: The Business of Blogging

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Comments

  1. Karin says

    September 19, 2023 at 10:19 pm

    Alison, thanks for your transparency about this. I totally agree with this: “I think of some folks who went the 100% Substack manner and I stopped following them because they’d keep the interesting stuff for the paid subscribers and the affiliate link shopping stuff for us poor peons who can’t or won’t pay.”
    I can’t justify $8 a month to read someone’s blog, no matter how much I love it. With the amount of blogs I read, that adds up fast! I reserve those types of contributions for social causes. (Someone else pointed out that streaming services are $15 or more a month, but that’s something *everyone* in my family uses, not just me.)
    Anyway, I’d be super sad to lose Weekend Reads – I look forward to it every Saturday morning–but I would like you to do what is best for YOU and easier for YOU so that you can continue making money, supporting your family and not losing your sanity in the process! Good luck with whatever you decide and thank you for bringing such great content. (I did fill out the survey, but just wanted to say a bit more here.)

    Reply
  2. Michelle says

    September 19, 2023 at 9:45 pm

    I enjoyed filling out the survey this weekend & look forward to seeing the results! For some reason, I always find things like that so interesting. I must confess, I don’t really understand much about Substack but maybe I can learn.

    Reply
  3. C says

    September 19, 2023 at 11:50 am

    I get lots of newsletters via substack in my email and don’t read any of them. I subscribe to 2 patreons for 2 different podcasts. One has lots of extra stuff for patreons and one is just a waste of my $ and I need to cancel. I’d rather give that $ to you. Should I be using a substack app? I really hate how everything is behind a pay wall in Substack but understand people need to earn $. It’s just subscribing to all those substacks starts to add up. Another question, I’ve found brands I buy from like Colleen Rothschild and Universal Standard through you but now i buy it through emails and not through an affiliate link. That seems not good for you. What is the answer for that?

    Reply
    • Sacha B (she/her) says

      September 23, 2023 at 6:05 pm

      I usually come back to the blog to search the brand/product and click through. It’s not much faff and I like knowing Allie will get a kickback.

      Reply
  4. Sam says

    September 18, 2023 at 9:43 pm

    Filled out the survey, hope it’s helpful. Thanks for making this a topic of discussion with your followers/readers. As i said in my survey response, so many other people I follow have shifted everything to Substack in the past year that it almost feels like a joke. A trendy thing to do. The fact that you’re considering it and discussing it with all of us helps me see that you’re taking this potential shift seriously, not just jumping on the latest bandwagon. I appreciate that. It seems very true to how you run Wardrobe Oxygen in general and is one of the many reasons you and your site (and social media) are one of my favorite places to visit on the web.

    Reply
  5. Rena says

    September 18, 2023 at 5:32 pm

    I completed the survey and I hope you find the responses you get to be helpful as you move forward. You are one of my favorite bloggers!

    Rena
    http://www.finewhateverblog.com

    Reply
    • Carolyn Todd says

      September 18, 2023 at 6:08 pm

      Same!

      Reply
  6. Bette says

    September 18, 2023 at 12:08 pm

    I subscribe to several Substack newsletters and am trying to envision yours and how it would work on that site. The newsletters I read on Substack generally are 90-95% text, with a photo here or there. Your posts contain far more visual information, which seems essential to your content. Perhaps it’s possible and I’m just not seeing it.

    Reply
    • Alison Gary says

      September 18, 2023 at 12:34 pm

      It wouldn’t replace the site. It would at max be a new place for Weekend Reads and otherwise notify of new posts, share some personal content, that sort of thing.

      Reply
      • MaryInMaryland says

        September 18, 2023 at 10:58 pm

        I would be so sad if Weekend Reads were not accessible here. I am unlikely to get involved with substacks because I keep my social media close to the bone, but Weekend Reads is a highlight of my week.

        Reply
  7. Sacha B (she/her) says

    September 18, 2023 at 8:43 am

    Hey, I just want to mention two things:

    1, I don’t refuse to use Substack for moral reasons, and I get some (free) newsletters by people who use them, but AFAIK this is the way in which some folks find it problematic: https://www.techdirt.com/2023/04/14/substack-ceo-chris-best-doesnt-realize-hes-just-become-the-nazi-bar/

    2, I am a paid member of a few Patreon communities and when posts come out, I get them via email. Just naming that because it seemed like you may not know that is an option.

    Reply
    • Alison Gary says

      September 18, 2023 at 9:29 am

      Thank you, you always keeps me informed! I am on a Patreon community and maybe it’s because it’s not posts that I have to log in? Or maybe it changed because I stopped paying this year. I want to be able to always have a free option, so providing more information like this about these community platforms is extremely helpful!

      Reply
      • Sacha B (she/her) says

        September 18, 2023 at 9:42 am

        Happy to be part of the conversation!

        One of the communities I am a part of had a free tier, and that’s where I started, and then she decided to keep that tier for only people who couldn’t pay. Since I am a middle class white woman, that ain’t for me! So I subscribed. Unless Patreon has changed since then, I’m pretty sure a free tier is available…?

        Also, my Patreon communities are mostly podcasts. The posts are really just announcements of new episodes, maybe with some background info, and a link to listen in the app (which I don’t do because I import the subscription into a podcatcher). The only one that is basically a blog subscription is the one I described above.

        Reply
        • Alison Gary says

          September 18, 2023 at 9:43 am

          Sweet, after your comment I went into my email and I hadn’t subscribed to that Patreon since 2021 so yeah, I’m pretty out of the loop with that platform. I do receive a lot of Substacks, and subscribe to a handful, so it is somewhere I am more familiar so far.

          Reply
          • Sacha B (she/her) says

            September 18, 2023 at 10:11 am

            Yeah, yeah! Just sharing info, not trying to persuade. Good luck!

      • Sacha B (she/her) says

        September 23, 2023 at 6:11 pm

        OK, someone whose opinion I trust as much as I trust yours feels very strongly against supporting Substack because of their support of anti-trans assholes. This short thread has more info plus some alternatives: https://bsky.app/profile/anildash.com/post/3ka3gj5b6ak2c

        Reply

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Fall Getaway Capsule Wardrobe: 12 Looks in 1 Carryon Bag

Since 2005, Wardrobe Oxygen has offered real-life style advice for grown-ass women. With years of experience as an apparel visual merchandiser and personal shopper, Alison Gary provides advice on how to achieve personal style no matter your age, size, or budget.

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Sep 23

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Night and day…

Met three dear friends for an early dinner that went on until after the sun set. Great food and conversation with some great women!

The dress is @adamlippes and I borrowed it from @renttherunway. The bag is @jcrew and a splurge but I regretted not buying it the last time they offered this bag and this color is SO me. I mean, look how great it is with these many years old suede heeled sandals? Meant to be!

This color combination makes me so happy, and this dress was comfy even after a decadent meal. We all deserve to experience comfort and joy with our wardrobes! 💛🩷

Follow my shop @wardrobe_oxygen on the @shop.LTK app to shop this post and get my exclusive app-only content!
https://liketk.it/4jnDf #ltkplussize #ltkmidsize #ltkover40 #midsizestyle #genxstyle #over40style

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Sep 21

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If @thechicks are in town you can bet @debbiefaye78 and I will be there! So when we heard they were coming to @merriweatherpp we were so excited. And their concert did not disappoint. As always, a phenomenal show! If The Chicks come to your neck of the woods I highly recommend you go!

Okay I know you want to know about what we’re wearing! 

My sister’s caftan is from @anthropologie (bought this summer so maybe you can find on resale sites).

I’m wearing a @bananarepublic dress also from this summer with the @universalstandard denim chore jacket and a hat I got from a @madewell collab a year or so ago. I glammed it up with some gold chains and gold drop earrings, but kept it comfy for a night of standing and dancing with @birkenstock sandals.

This was my first big outing since my eye surgery, and with a pocketful of eye drops I felt good (and grateful we splurged for good seats!).

Follow my shop @wardrobe_oxygen on the @shop.LTK app to shop this post and get my exclusive app-only content!
https://liketk.it/4jcBL #ltkmidsize #ltkover40 #midsizestyle #genxstyle #usinthewild #concertstyle

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Sep 19

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If I close my eyes you can’t tell one is still bloodshot 😜

Still recovering from my eye surgery but feeling more myself. Getting dolled up helps me feel me. Bright colors and bold jewelry have been signature Alison since I was a kid! 

Sweater: @favorite.daughter 
Earrings: Amazon
Necklace: @_jennybird (old)
Ring: @realmfinejewelry 
Bra: @lovebravissimo 
Lipstick: @glossier 
Pins as “cufflinks”: vintage

Follow my shop @wardrobe_oxygen on the @shop.LTK app to shop this post and get my exclusive app-only content!
https://liketk.it/4j0LM #ltkmidsize #midsizestyle #over40style #ltkover40 #genxstyle

wardrobe_oxygen

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Sep 11

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Happy gotcha day, Oscar! Four years ago he came into our life and we are so happy to have in our family!

Oscar was a rescue and came with some… quirks. Over the years we have come to understand him and he has come to trust us. He’s a diva, a snuggler, he could play catch for hours, and he’s my husband’s shadow. 

We’ve never had a small breed dog before and it’s a whole different experience. But we adore Oscar and couldn’t imagine our life without him! Thank you for coming into our life Oskie McGoskie! 🐾❤️

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Sep 8

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I can see clearly now…

Actually I can’t, but things after my retina surgery are much improved! My next appointment is in a month and I’m cleared to get back into the world (with some restrictions to protect my eye).

With a sclera buckle, it changes your eye shape and now I am nearsighted again (I had lasik a few years ago). Once the eye is stabilized I can get glasses or contacts but until then I’m 20/20 in one eye and right now 20/60 in the other. But the eye is healing beautifully and I feel positive!

And I could see clearly enough to fall for this poppy-colored cotton jumpsuit from @pistoladenim. It comes in a few colors but this one is my favorite. I went with XL (im@a 14, sometimes 16) and likely could have sized down but I enjoy the relaxed fit and the drawstring waistband to create shape. And hello zipper closure making it super easy to get on and off!

My husband took this photo right after my eye appointment, I think it reflects my positive attitude and feeling of hope! 🧡

Follow my shop @wardrobe_oxygen on the @shop.LTK app to shop this post and get my exclusive app-only content!
https://liketk.it/4idXm

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Sep 5

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I’ll be a bit quiet on here and other channels because I had eye (retinal) surgery this past weekend. I was having what I thought were ocular migraines but come to find out I was experiencing lattice degeneration, which is thinning/holes in the retina. I had surgery Saturday for my right eye and later on they’ll work on the left eye, which isn’t as bad and can be remedied by laser, in office.

I share not because I’m Mrs. Frizzle meets Iris Apfel as I recuperate at home, but because this whole thing has been a lesson on trusting my gut. And I want to remind you to do the same.

As we get older our bodies can feel like strangers. Things are constantly changing and it’s easy to just assume your annual physical will catch anything wrong. But if you slow down and listen to your body you’ll know when things are just a sign of aging and life and what seems unusual. That nagging issue may be something more serious.

And if you’re seeing flashing lights, floaters, spiderwebs or other odd eye things get checked out ASAP. It may be nothing but take it from me, it may actually be something. ❤️

Okay, going back to my big sunglasses caftan recuperation life!

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Aug 30

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Ladies who lunch…

While in Savannah, I made sure to get lunch reservations for me and E at @theoldepinkhouse she loves the color pink, historic homes, and ghost stories so it was a perfect choice! 

Built in 1789 on Reynolds Square, there are stories of guests seeing ghosts, cutlery and wine bottles moving along with an elegant and truly delicious dining. 

While we didn’t see any apparitions, we did have a lovely lunch with impeccable service and after toured all floors of the home. I highly recommend a visit if you’re visiting Savannah!

My dress is from @cosstores (no longer available); hat is @furtalk and bag is @talbotsofficial (no longer available).

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Aug 29

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Scenes from a week in Savannah… 

The three of us (and our dog Oscar!) had a warm and humid but wonderful time exploring Savannah, Georgia earlier this month. Our daughter visited this gorgeous city last summer with her @girlscouts troop but wanted to return to experience more. We let her choose our adventures and play your guide and it was awesome. We cannot wait to visit again, though next time it won’t be August 🥵

For more of our trip check the “Savannah” highlight on my profile page!

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Aug 28

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Stripes are always right…

Y’all know I love stripes and when @universalstandard came out with their Breton-stripe dresses and tops I HAD to try them! As expected, the quality is stellar, the fit boosts my confidence, and I appreciate the range of colors (5 different stripes to choose from) and sizes (00-50). For reference, I’m wearing XS but preferred S for the top and I usually wear a 14 or XL in other brands.

The tote is @able and it’s a soft yet durable leather that just looks better with time. This color (cognac) is one that transitions nicely from summer to fall. 

Follow my shop @wardrobe_oxygen on the @shop.LTK app to shop this post and get my exclusive app-only content!
https://liketk.it/4hkEF 

#usinthewild #bretonstripes #midsizestyle #midsizefashion #size14 #over40style

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Aug 27

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The family that wears @printfresh together stays together 🥰

Use code wardrobe_oxygen for 15% off your order of size-inclusive organic cotton sleepwear, dresses, bags & more https://glnk.io/qk04/wardrobe-oxygen

I’ve been raving about my Printfresh pajamas for years, my family also wanted to try them. Thank you Printfresh for gifting these for our annual three generation girls’ getaway to Rehoboth Beach, DE. We had a great time and being all matchy matchy in our pajamas was a fun addition! 🐅🍃🥰

#printfresh #printfreshpajamas #printfreshpartner

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