I Can See Clearly Now

I've always loved glasses. When my sister got glasses, I cried because I wanted a pair as well. In school, I was attracted to boys with glasses. I perceived boys who wore glasses as being smart. When I grew up, I liked men in glasses but now I think men look sexy as well as smart in a cool frame.

Well, I've been wearing glasses for a while now. I don't know if they make me look smart or sexy, but I do enjoy being able to see clearly. And what I now see is that I should have gone into designing eye wear. Frames can be expensive and a major investment but I've discovered there are inexpensive options available online.

It's important for me to get the right pair that I want to wear every day. In addition to seeing better, they must be stylish. In the last few days I've tried on numerous frames - Prada, Channel, Ray-Ban, Dolce and Gabbana, Tiffany & Company. Frames now have temples with an array of designs, rhinestones and logos. So many choices but the upside is there are many frame styles to choose from than when I was a kid.

Pick a frame to match your personality or pick several to match your mood or outfit. It's just another way to express your individual style.

All the Pretty Dresses

I like change, and separates have been my staple for years. Mix this top with this jacket, mix this skirt with this blouse, you get the idea. I've recently added dresses to my wardrobe and now whenever I'm out, I'm on the hunt for a new one.

Some days I love the ease of slipping into a dress without having to think if something will work or not.

Banana Republic, Nordstrom Rack, I love scoring a nice dress for a great price Recently, I found a Lilly Pulitzer dress at TJMaxx for under $60 retailed price $268!

Happy hunting!

Sunday Morning and Afternoon with J.Crew

I like to spend Sunday afternoons browsing in stores. But yesterday, before I hit the street and while having my morning cup of coffee, I saw an interesting story on CBS Sunday Morning about Mickey Drexler, the CEO of J.Crew. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/07/12/sunday/main5153538.shtml#comments

That news story prompted me to stop in J.Crew at the Mall of Georgia. Sales are abound there but also check out the J. Crew Outlet in Commerce, Georgia for great deals, if you're in the area. Sales can also be found online at www.jcrew.com.

I recently rediscovered J. Crew thanks to Mrs. Obama and I'm glad I've taken a second look.

Izod, Aigner and other early influences

I'm the youngest of five girls and the only one who seems to follow fashion. I always wondered why I was different. I think by the time I came along, my mom was tired of sewing clothes so I got the benefit of shopping in department stores.

In elementary school looked at catalogs and fashion magazines. I watched people and imagined having a classic and conservative style. I grew up wearing Izod before I knew what Izod was (see photo to the left). I had an Aigner rain coat with a matching hat in college that I still can't seem to let go. And sadly, I wore bowling shoes and used safety pins for earrings; it was a short-lived fad.

After college, I worked in banking and mortgage lending. I wore the Brooks Brothers suits and as my jobs have changed so has my style.

My hair has been long, short, red, black, blonde, straight and now natural. I have more red shoes than anyone person should probably have but then I may have more clothes than any one person needs. It does allow me the opportunity to create a multitude of combinations and rarely repeat the same outfit. I guess I like change.

I enjoy looking for unique items to incorporate with what I already have and would much rather purchase jewelry or clothing when I travel to remember the trip. I think's it's better than having a t-shirt to chronicle my journey.

As I'm out and about, I'll share some of my favorite places, cool finds and fashionable things I find.