Sunday Snippet–The Wardrobe Edition

My readings in Simple Abundance the past few days have all been about self–becoming more confident and seeing myself in a new way. Clothes were part of the topic–wearing them, buying them, choosing them…knowing what best suits me. Sarah Ban Breathnach talks about finding clothes that fit my lifestyle.

That assumes I have a lifestyle, which I’m not entirely sure I really do. I’m a writer. I pretty much live in comfort clothes–yoga pants, T-shirts with a sweater tugged over the top of them or a sweatshirt if it’s really cold outside. Slippers or socks and I’m good to go for the day. There are even days, I confess, where I’ll add a bra to whatever pjs I woke up in, toss a sweater on, and I’m at my desk… so… finding my style feels almost laughable.

I grew up in the blue jeans era–we wore jeans everywhere, all the time. Pair them with a sweatshirt or a T-shirt and you’ve got that casual look. Put them with strappy sandals and a pretty top or a white T-shirt and a blazer and you are good to go anywhere for a night out. Dresses? What’s a dress? And frankly, from what I’ve seen online in the way of dresses for 2021, I’m not impressed. We did the prairie look when I was in high school and I hated it then. Not about to go down that path again.

So… my style? I wear a lot of black, but I look good in black–the whole blonde hair thing. However, this spring, I’m going to try for more color. I just need to figure out how. My main motivation when I shop for clothes is covering up round old Nan, but I’ve lost weight during the pandemic and even though I’m still round, I’m not as round, so maybe I’ll try some more colorful fitted tops.

I realized as I was writing this that I don’t write much about clothes in my stories. Oh there are scenes where clothes are the topic. In The Baby Contract, the girlfriends all go to a bridal shop to pick up their bridesmaids’ dresses for Holly’s wedding and Tierney, the heroine, worries that her dress will make her look like a fire plug in chiffon. It was one of the few scenes I’ve written where fashion was the topic and believe it or not, it took about forty minutes worth of looking at bride websites to figure out how I should dress the women. I’m not very creative when it comes to fashion. One might almost say I am fashion-challenged.

Tierney couldn’t help chuckling as she, Fran, Megan, and Sam stood together in front of the long wall of mirrors, all of them in chiffon gowns of the palest lilac, although Karyn said the color was called wisteria. Each dress was a different style, suited to each woman’s shape—Fran’s empire-waist with the wide crisscross straps in the back showed off the tan she’d gotten in Florida a week earlier. Sam’s one-shoulder sheath design with pleating at the bodice and waist emphasized her willowy height, while Megan’s A-line with flirty cap sleeves flattered her generous curves.

As for her own dress… well, at five feet four inches of solid muscle, she’d been worried the design would make her look like a squat little fireplug. She was floored and delighted at how the strapless sweetheart neckline accentuated her strong shoulders and arms while the slit A-line skirt made her seem almost… sexy.

See what research will do for you? It almost sounds as though I know what I’m talking about. So…clothes…talk to me. Are you a fashionista? Do you dress trendy? Classic? Comfortable? And writers, talk to me about writing fashion in your stories. Do you do it? How much are trendy clothes a part of your characters’ personas?

Stay well, stay safe, and most of all, mes amies, stay grateful!