Forever Chic Style

  Classic Apparel, Manners & Color Warmth "Preppy clothes are built to last, since they certainly will not go out of style." Lisa Birnbach The Official Preppy Handbook, in 1980, edited by Lisa Birnbach, made Bunny and Bif waves across college campuses and became the epicenter of the preppy movement.  (If you have a copy, you are in luck.  It is a difficult book to find.)  Everyone was quoting from this Muffy, Buffy brilliantly sassy "Let's cruise," reference guide, all the while adorning duck shoes for rain puddles and transforming into a preppy student sporting classic and subdued attire.  I remember my book well, which I still have, enjoying the witty writing and humorous declarations as I walked to and from class in my red duck shoes.  The book outlined manners, what to wear, appropriate preppy names and how to behave in public.  The chapters were a satire of sorts which made the book that more entertaining.  A follow up book,   ...

  To Wear or Not too Wear?  That is the Question? "I always love to dress up, but I usually end up in a leather jacket and boots."  Bella Hadid The season for boots has arrived again with a gale force especially in the Pacific Northwest.  Overnight, the autumn weather reverberated with a lion's roar.  Rain, wind and and the coldest day on record for the beginning of October 2021.  October 13th had a high of 50 and a low of 36 degrees.  The last time this happened was 125 years ago.  Yesterday, the sun was out, the trees are red, orange, and yellow and days of rain are around the corner.  Today, the rain is back with a vengeance. We are in for a stormy and wintery landscape with La Nina taking hold in 2021.  Skiers and snow lovers are singing praises in anticipation.     Hopefully, all of us have versatile boots meant for rain, wind, hail and yes, glorious snow.  Snow means skiing, long walks, hot chocolate, fires roar...

  Fall & Winter Reading "Books are the plane, and the train, and the road.  They are the destination, and the journey. They are home."  Anne Quindlen I love actual hard bound books with crisp pages.  I love reading. I am constantly consuming a new book with eagerness.  My brother when we were young, said, "Your nose is always glued to a book."   Fast forward to today, every morning, I come downstairs, with a book in hand.  My husband, teases me, asking if I have enough hands to carry down the stairs, an iPad, my latest book, cups, and glasses from the previous night's reading frenzy? Well, I laughingly, can think of worse habits.  Reading and writing go hand in hand.   Reading expands your mind. You learn about new places, increase your knowledge, gain wisdom, embrace new experiences, feel emotions and become aware of the human condition.   The written word is powerful and memorable.  Renowned and beloved authors know ...

  Greens of Fall  "And all at once, summer collapsed into fall." Oscar Wilde Green is everywhere this autumn in apparel ranging from sweaters, dresses, coats, handbags, and boots.  The soothing hue is symbolic for rebirth, hope, prosperity, progress, and new horizons.  When the air begins to turn crisp, the wind is chilled and the tree leaves are dressed in marvelous shades, one knows fall is here.  And, yes, rains have begun once again to wash away summer.  Perhaps the influx of green in fashion apparel is also beckoning a new chapter in our lives? I hope your summer was productive, fun, and filled with sunshine and light.  Of course, the world remains topsy-turvy with Covid, chaos and other blights that fill the airwaves daily.  If you get caught in the circular web of listening and then worrying, you might have had or are having a heavier heart about life.   Here is a news flash, this is your time on earth.  Your special time....

  Summer Ending "We cannot direct the wind. But we can adjust the sails." Aristotle Summer is winding down as the weather cools, leaves are turning into glorious hues and breathtaking flowers are slowly wilting.  You can feel the shift in the air. Embrace the pending change with anticipation for pumpkins, colors of red, gold and yellow, falling temperatures, spider webs and the end of summertime.  Once again, we long for cozy sweaters, boots, coats, scarves and apparel designated for a fall landscape. Additionally, we are gearing up again for another roller coaster autumn.  Many events, trips, world upsets, work environments and basic daily life is shifting with uncertainty.  Of course, we cannot predict the future, yet Covid remains intact.  Hopefully more will become vaccinated, which in turn, helps end the present and immediate crisis.  The virus will become endemic with perhaps less fear and instead similar to the annual flu vaccines. To put this i...

  Cold Weather Coats "What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold winter to give it sweetness."  John Steinbeck I hope you all are having a beautiful and wonderful summer.  The sunshine is gorgeous though the heat can be a bit too much if you live in the Pacific Northwest.  I am looking forward to a spell of rain after 48 days of extraordinary dry and hot conditions.  Plants have been crispy fried; grass is yellow, and the air is stagnant. We need a rain dance to stamp out the fires east of the mountains, squash the smoke in Lake Chelan and cool off the mountains and our homesteads.   This summer reminds me that I am not a fan of months on end of endless sunshine and heat. Some of my friends adore and bask in glistening rays with blue skies every day.  They soak it up like candy. For me, bouts of rain plus varied seasons make me happy. Nor is my skin a fan of the sunshine and scorching heat.  And par for the course, I have broken out ...

  First Glance Patience & Manners Please It is that time of year once again for the  Nordstrom Anniversary Sale .   Currently, you can preview the upcoming sale online.  This allows you to create a  "Wish List."   If you have a Nordstrom card, you can shop early.  For instance, Icon status begins on Monday, July 12th.  Check online for your start date.  The Nordstrom sale will open fully to everyone on Wednesday, July 28th .    Zen Master "Some people forget that kindness and manners are free."   A couple of comments before we discuss on what will sell out quickly.   Since the country is opening up after a year and half of shutdowns due to Covid 19 pandemic , it is imperative that you access your skills at being patient.  Lately, I have noticed that many are impatient in their cars, public transportation (ferries for me), and in public places where businesses and restaurants are struggling to ser...