Fixed!

Pretty soon I'm going to be out of excuses for showing up places in scrubby t-shirts and jeans.

I just got my first Stitch Fix and took pictures today. Wahoo! 

Turns out, when your photographer is five years old, you have to wait until the sun and shadows are in the right places in the yard AND until she feels like helping you out. 

It is a miracle these clothes aren't smeared with ketchup, because I had to wear them through breakfast AND lunch before my photographer was ready.

Stitch Fix: in a nutshell

An online styling service that sends you five items of clothes and accessories, based on your measurements and preferences you provide them in your account. They send the box, and there's a $20 styling fee. If you decide to buy something in the box, the $20 goes toward your purchase. If you decide to buy EVERYTHING, there's a 25% discount. If you decide to send things back, they provide a prepaid pre-addressed mailing bag-- which is a big selling point to me. Also, you sign up for a "fix" whenever you want. Every couple weeks or once in a blue moon. Up to you!

But anyway... on to the fix!

Item 1: Shirt

(Am I supposed to say blouse or top? Because I just call them shirts.)

Pixley: Tracy Dot Print Cross Back Knit Top

Ooooh! Fun X in the back. Hence the name, "Cross Back"

This shirt makes me smile. The back is fun and interesting without being scandalous. It's comfortable like a t-shirt, but it drapes nicely because it's rayon-- which I love. And it's blue! It's about time the blue-shirt section of my closet tried to keep up with my green-shirt section.

I pinned this exact shirt on my Pinterest board from someone else's Stitch Fix review.


Item 2: Pants

Mavi: Freida Skinny Jean

You know when you try on a pair of pants and they feel like they're yours? I was sure Stitch Fix wouldn't be able to do that the first time around, but turns out they did! I am amazed! Especially since I just made up my waist measurement on my profile... They're fitted but not too tight, so I don't wind up in the hospital with nerve damage. (You can't make this stuff up!)

Item 3: Necklace

Marlyn Schiff: Lia Pave Bead Necklace

My styling card says that this necklace is "great for summer and goes with everything." It's beautiful and stylish, I'll give them that. But after I took these pictures, I was exhausted from trying to look nice, so I changed into my oversized yellow summer camp T-shirt and scrubby jeans.

I have it on good authority that "everything" is an overstatement. 

I'm 50-50 on this one. 

I'd wear it with this teal shirt, but it doesn't go with the silver earrings I like to wear with it. And unfortunately, most of my wardrobe is more camp t-shirt than stylish top, so I'm not sure what else I could wear it with. Do I keep it and hope to find things to wear it with in the future? 

Decisions, decisions.

Item 4: Tank top

Crescent: Murrey Embroidered Hem Top

Beautiful crocheted lace details

I love the coral and navy embroidery!

But I don't wear tank tops. Actually, I tried it on, and even if I did wear tank tops or decided to wear it under something, it's just the wrong length and shape for me.

Gorgeous, but sending it back.

Item 5: Dress

41Hawthorn: Rocco Faux Wrap Tank Dress

Pretend that I'm twirling in this one

Again, I don't wear tank tops, and the waistline on this one didn't do anything for MY waistline. It looked pretty awkward on me.
Sending it back.

I am happy with this. I haven't decided if I'll keep two or three of the items, but as far as a first try goes, this went pretty well! There are a few things that I need to change on my Stitch Fix profile. I tried to write things in a positive way, like "I always wear short sleeves" in the summer. But I guess that could be interpreted as "not long sleeves" or "the shorter the better," instead of what I actually meant, which was, "I always wear short sleeves, not tank tops or long sleeves." I know what I mean in my head, and it's not always clear from what I write.
Also, I'm not sure I'll ask for jewelry in the future. I'd like to have clothes to wear before accessories to fancy them up with.

So... until next time, Stitch Fix! Maybe I'll be brave and start wearing my nice clothes out in public!

And here is my unabashed referral link. If Stitch Fix sounds like something you're interested in, please sign up through this link. It gives me credit, which makes me a happy, chique lady.

Five tips for better photos-- even without a selfie stick!

Once upon a time before I had kids and when free time grew on trees, I spent too many hours of mine watching reality TV's low point: "Paris Hilton's My New BFF." You got to know Paris Hilton as a person who shops, models, and makes Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. She frown-smiled and occasionally pretty-cried when her "besties" were kicked off the show. And she judged them on everything vital in a friendship: how they posed on the catwalk, in a photo shoot, and even on the red carpet.

It was almost as good as it sounds. 

So when I was searching the internet on how to pose for photographs, I was so excited to see Paris Hilton as one of the examples of how you should pose! I was like, "Yes!! I can finally try to be her new bestie!!"

Or something like that.

Some of the websites teaching you how to pose are pretty good. They say, "Put your arms or hands like this," and then you see how it improves their photos. Other websites leave you wondering where the "after" pictures are. 

So last week's post was my "before." 

And these next pictures aren't "after" pictures. They're a step in the right direction and proof that I would never make it as Paris Hilton's BFF. But for my blog's sake, I'm going to keep trying.

Tip #1: Look up at the camera. Don't let someone take a picture from below you.

In that case, I need to fire my photographer. Or give her a raise! 

We tried with the photographer standing on a chair this time.

Tip #2: When you put your hands down by your sides, your arms squish to their very widest, giving proof the illusion of arm flab.

My right arm is doing its thing, but my left arm should be off to the side instead of behind me. 
I'm not sure that popping one knee is doing me any favors in a maxi skirt.

Tip #3: If you're not sure what to do with your hands, you can always carry a handbag or a clutch.

Or in my case...

Wow, I look skinny carrying my handbag!

Tip #4: I didn't read this on any website, but props are fun.

Pizza! Pizza!

Tip #5: Don't forget your middle child.

She's not my photographer or my handbag, but she's a sweetheart.

Nerdy blog business

<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/14232601/?claim=4chv7xxqmmd">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>

Pay no attention to the gobbledygook at the top of this page. I'm just trying to attach my blog to my account at www.bloglovin.com. I used to use google reader, but they cancelled that quite a while ago. Since then I've been using bloglovin, and I like it.

Also, since we're talking computers and blogs and technicalities, I'd just like to point out that I changed my blog domain name! All by myself*!! It was hard and kind of confusing. I bought the domain name, then tried once to change the website address through blogger.... but it didn't work. I gave up, asked my brother for help, and then stomped around my house for a while. He ignored my message and kept "working" or whatever it is he does at work, and I was left to my own devices. Thankfully, a quick search of the FAQs gave me a tutorial showing me exactly what to do. And I did it. And I feel awesome!


*While this blog is a record of my attempt to become cool, I'll settle for just looking cool and dressing well. Because I can't tell you how proud I was of my nerdiest achievement ever!

Not quite ready for my modeling career

Before I post anything let's just remember this:

And now I'd like to introduce you to my new favorite outfit:

View A: My new favorite outfit

You wouldn't know from this picture, but in real life I don't look so frumpy-dumpy. I actually look really good in this dress!! This is my new favorite outfit, and yes, I realize that it's essentially a really long t-shirt. I haven't branched out THAT much.


Most outfits I love on the internet have all these cute layers and details. Well, now that we're in the frigid depths of Brazilian winter, it got down to 65 degrees and I put on a cardigan.


View B: With cardigan

I thought I'd love it more, but I love it less-- much less.
Is the belt too wide? Is it the ruffles on the cardigan? Is it secret option C?
I don't know.
Maybe it's a good thing there's no such thing as winter in Brazil.



Delivered!!

In America they have this phenomenon called "two day shipping". Apparently your stuff magically appears at your house two days after you order it.
And if I were living in America, I would have my Stitch Fix by now. Actually, I would have had it by last Friday when it was delivered to the mail facility.
That would have been fun.
But all that came in the mail today in Brazil was my husband's Boba Fett costume. Because we're cool in our family.
But no clothes for me.
There IS a way to peek into your order and see what they've sent you. You just go and hit "check-out" and there's the list! Then with the magic of google, you just search for photos of each item, and voila! there's your order!
HOWEVER. This is being written by the world's biggest fan of surprises. Kevin bought my Christmas present last October, and it sat in MY closet for months just staring down at me. And I didn't open it! Not once!
(I actually knew it was a watch. But I didn't know what KIND.)
So I'm still waiting for my clothes.
I think I jumped the gun, telling people I'm going to dress so chique now. Speaking of surprises, I should have just waited for my Stitch Fix and then just showed up at a birthday party looking all amazing and then being all, "What? This old thing?"
Anyway.
This shipment better not get accidentally misdirected and wind up in New Delhi like that one last January. (You can't make this stuff up.)

Happy Father's Day!

I grew up hearing my dad tell me how it was lucky I had naturally dark eyelashes and didn't need makeup to make them visible. I always knew I was beautiful to him just the way I was.

William Lowell with Grandpa Lowell

If everyone in the world had a dad like mine, maybe we wouldn't need any fashion blogs.
Happy Father's Day!

Baby steps

It's easy to write about how I haven't put thought into my clothes for years (29 if you're wondering), but to actually post about my attempts at improvement? Kind of mortifying.


I'd like to write a post that says, "Hey, now that I'm trying, I'm awesome! In fact, I'm pretty much stylin' ALL THE TIME!" But the truth is, it's a journey. And this is just the beginning.


In fact, the beginning is where I've started noticing what people are wearing, and then noticing that-- not only do I not wear the same things-- I don't even own anything cool!


This isn't news, but it IS on my mind these days.


But in the spirit of no shame, here are some pictures of an outfit attempt from this week:

A t-shirt, yes, but it's new, lacy, and not scrubby! Yay!
And the revolutionary part: matching accessories! These are some earrings I bought at Taos Pueblo when my student-teaching class went for a field trip in 2010. I've never worn them since, so it was fun to find something to match.

And the rest of it:

Hmmm.... isn't that the same pair of pants I wear every. single. day?!
But the shoes! They're not flip-flops! They're not boring!
Nor do they really improve the ensemble....

Oh well. A step forward.

And I'll keep stepping!

Deflated numbers

Yeah! My Stitch Fix is "in progress!" I know this because, while I haven't been logging in every day, sometimes I go in and tweak a few things on my profile. Often. Like a few times a week since I signed up.
Okay, it's almost every day.
I'm kind of excited. Can you tell?
In your profile you can write a note to your stylist, letting her know things like, "Well, I would love some new things for my upcoming cruise in the Bahamas." Or, "I need something I can wear to work in the summer when the crank up the AC in my office." You know, so they know what kind of first-world problems they're dealing with.
My first world problem goes something like this: "I have no idea what to wear-- ever-- and the last time I wore jeans that fit right was when I was 9 months pregnant!"
I like to leave options wide open for them.

So I would go in and tweak my Stitch Fix profile. They give you like 6 styles of clothes to go through. Some are flowery and frilly, some are colorful, some look like a British prep school uniform. You can like them, hate them, really like them, really hate them, or something like that. So before my Fix was "in progress," I would go in and reevaluate my preferences. I mean, I like the flowers and lace and ruffles. But would I ever wear anything like that? Kate Middleton looks amazing in blazers and stripes, but would blazers and stripes make ME look like Kate Middleton? I think I know the answer to that one!
Some seriously, seriously deep contemplation.

Then they sent me a last-call email. "Go in and make your final changes to your note, your preferences, all that." (I'm not sure that sentence deserves quotation marks. But it's my blog.)

That was when I decided that lying about my weight probably wasn't the best idea when someone is sending me clothes sight unseen.

Traditional Dress of My Native People

I meet a lot of new people, moving around as much as I do, and I can't count the number of times someone has said, "Oh, I've never met anyone from New Mexico." This isn't because I'm bad at math. I'm actually fairly competent (more on this later), but New Mexico is just pretty sparse.

So New Mexico is not known for people, and it's not really known for high fashion, either. In fact, I can't think of a single New Mexican occasion where it would be inappropriate to wear jeans. Graduation? All the time. Fancy restaurant? Of course. Church? Occasionally. Wedding? Well, you'd iron your nice jeans, but still yes.

And we have styles, of course. 

Turquoise and silver jewelry never go out of style. This is an antique Zuni piece from 1940 (link from this page). It might be 75 years old (math!), but it is still fantastic. It makes any outfit more beautiful.

See? New Mexicans have great visual taste-- and incredible artistry!

And unfortunately, this little video represents New Mexico's actual fashion, too:

Keeping it classy in the 505...

Then there's my home.

High in the mountains outside Santa Fe lies an enclave of the extremely intelligent, the extremely well educated, and the extremely fashion-challenged. Just think of The Big Bang Theory, but minus all the coordinated apartment decor, minus the wardrobe variety (Where is the Math Counts t-shirt from 8th grade?), and times about 9,000 laboratory employees. (See? I told you I was good with math!)

What kind of physicists have an area rug and coordinating throw pillows?!

Picture from here

I recently talked to a friend who has moved to another state and gotten married. Now her mother-in-law buys her outfits to wear outside the house, because apparently I'm not the only fashion-challenged export of Los Alamos, New Mexico.

Honestly, I love Los Alamos. I loved growing up in a place where some of my friends were fashionable, cute, and trendy, some of us wore over-sized t-shirts through high school graduation, and it was never the focus of our friendships. It was more about doing things, going places, and learning new ideas and skills. 

So really, I'm learning how to dress myself just so I can have another skill and more knowledge. So..... still nerdy!

Starting point

Yesterday I hosted the international community's playgroup at our house. Usually, I make some (amazing) food, clean the house, and call it good. But this time I dressed up. (Eventually I won't have to tell you when I've dressed up.)

 I really love this skirt. It's from Boston Harbor or Boston Market or something like that. It has pictures of Italian villas all over it, it drapes nicely, and it's stretchy at the waist. I got it at a thrift shop in Virginia.
I know I'm just wearing a black t-shirt with it, but this is after trying on my usual aqua-colored shirt and realizing it's worn scandalously thin and isn't actually the right color anyway. And there's black in the skirt, so it matches, right?

There, this is much more chique. And I'm highlighting my uber-fashionable accessories: my watch inherited from my husband's grandmother (Inherited is cool, right? I actually just like it because it self-winds) and my 天使蛋 "Angel Egg" earrings I bought in China in 2004. They look like golden snitches, except silver and egg-shaped.
And shoes... I didn't wear any-- which was probably a more chique choice than my usual flip-flops.

Smoulder and duck lips-- because it's 2015, baby!

So there's my starting point. While I don't think I look awful, and I am certainly comfortable in my wardrobe, it's nothing to write home about. Which is ironic....

I'm not so chique

One of my favorite Portuguese words is chique (rhymes with sneaky). Fashionable, fancy, cool, stylish. This is not me.
I live in Brazil, and Brazilians are chique. They wear 6" heels to church or a birthday party at the bowling alley. They rock their fashionable maxi dresses, mini dresses, and everything in between.

I, on the other hand, usually dress like this:

At the park

In a crystal shop in Crystalina

At the Jaguar Sanctuary





At William's birthday party

No, I don't usually dress like that. I ALWAYS dress like that.

It's easy to notice several things from these pictures:

A) I accessorize by carrying my son. Who needs handbags? I have children!

B) I really rock those t-shirts.

C) I'm wearing the same pair of capris in three of the four pictures. 

D) In the last one, I'm wearing a pair of cargo capris. How did they make it to this side of 1999?

I love what I wear. I love being comfortable, and when I feel comfortable I am happy. 

But sometimes, now that I'm a grown up, I get invited to brunches. Or my husband brings me to a work shindig. Or I host a playgroup for the children of expat diplomats and company executives. And then suddenly there's no right way to answer, "Well, what t-shirt would go best?"

But here's my problem: I hate shopping. Always have. I don't know what to buy. I can think of a million better ways to spend my time than traipsing through the mall trying on clothes. I can think of a few things I've bought online and been happy with, but I can also think of the rest of the things I've received that hadn't fit, hadn't looked good, or hadn't been the quality I was hoping for. But unfortunately, we're still expected to wear clothes.

So I read about Stitch Fix on my friend's blog. It's an online shopping service. She wrote about it last year, and it piqued my interest, but not enough to do anything about it. Then she wrote about it just last week, and I couldn't stop thinking about it.

What is Stitch Fix? It's a (genius) company where you have a personal stylist who chooses 5 things (clothes and accessories) for you to try, based on your sizing and preferences you provide for them. It costs $20 for the "styling fee," and if you decide to keep any of the items, that $20 goes towards the cost of the item(s). If you decide to return anything, you put it in the postage pre-paid bag provided for you and ship it right back. If you decide to keep nothing, you pay the $20 styling fee and move on with your life.

You can sign up for every two weeks, month, two months, or just schedule a "fix" one at a time. It's not like one of those CD companies that used to send you a bunch of CDs you didn't like and then make you buy more every month until you finally begged them to stop. Stitch Fix can be as often or as seldom as you want. I like that.

I love that you have someone choosing clothes for you. It's not totally random, either. They use computers and algorithms to help you get things that you like, based on your preferences and body type. One of the people working at Stitch Fix headquarters worked for Netflix to develop their preference selection system. Netflix's recommendations have been pretty good in my experience, and they have hardly any data to work from. Stitch Fix uses the data of what you buy or return, PLUS all the data of what you tell them in their rather extensive profile questionnaire.

With each item your stylist sends you, they include a card with a couple of outfit ideas for how to wear the item. This is gold. I'm very interested in those. I don't know how to accessorize. I don't know how to pair a shirt with jeans and then dress it up with a skirt. I don't know any of this stuff, so these will be like textbooks for me! (And like shopping lists, if the card ideas include anything but t-shirts and ill-fitting capris.)

I've been reading about Stitch Fix online, both positive and negative reviews. And to be fair, it IS pretty expensive, especially to me. I'm one of those people that hates spending more than $5 on a shirt. I shop at thrift stores and the sales at Target. But I'm trying to take my clothes up a notch, and I'm thinking of this as a good investment. I'd rather have a few nice items that I know I like, I know fit well, and that have someone else's approval that they are muito chique. And to have someone else do all the legwork? Well, you can't put a price tag on that.

So, I've scheduled my first "fix." It should be coming later this month. But since I live overseas and will have to wait for the mail to arrive, it might be more like July. I can hardly wait!

Stitch Fix isn't like scriptures or vaccines. I don't recommend it for everyone. But I've decided to try it out, and I invite you to join me and watch as I attempt a journey to chique.
And should you decide to try Stitch Fix for yourself, here is my shameless request that you use my referral link. Because then I get credit-- which is apparently a good thing.