STYLE TALK
Marta85
POSTED: Mon, 09/27/2010 - 6:14am
Qality vs. Quantity..
Hello, I'm new here, well actually I've been reading the forum for a while now but haven't posted anything myself (so far ;) ). I've read Mireille's books and I'm huge fan of her philosophy, but the one thing I haven't figured out is the French wardrobe for life! I just graduated from university and started working at this fancy gallery... I suddenly found myself buying all those smart (but not most expensive) clothes that my students' wardrobe didn't include. And it's driving me crazy that those clothes from h&m, zara, etc. look terrible after only six months. I have a limited budget, spending most of it on my apartament and need to answer one crucial question: should I buy one really good quality item a month or several cheap..? I also wouldn't want to end up with nothing to wear :( Please advise, M.MIREILLE'S CALENDAR
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coco1960
POSTED: Fri, 05/18/2012 - 5:15am
Jean
The dino is great for for great bbq ! Let me know if you come down in the fall...it would be great to meet you in person ! xo MjVintage1944
POSTED: Fri, 05/18/2012 - 8:39am
Absolutely
I will do that.Have a fine day.oxococo1960
POSTED: Thu, 05/17/2012 - 5:58pm
Jean and Kathy
I would love to go shopping with you. Jean Syracuse is going to be the shopping mecca of Central NY when Destiny is finished..Canada is not that far away ! And I know I could show you some great shops off the beaten track ! Loving Lands End Cardi I ordered the Wild Cherry and the Salt Washed Pink and just waiting for them to arrive ! Kathy..love both of those stores but I can't fit into their clothing...a little too curvy ! But the handbags and jewelry....I found a Loft purse last weekend at a thrift store for $3.00. A light straw clutch , black wooden handle with silver studs on the handle...it says Key West with a lady like attitude !Vintage1944
POSTED: Thu, 05/17/2012 - 10:23pm
Yes
Syracuse is already a shopping Mecca for Canadians.I have been there before.I didn't know you then or we would have met.We ate at Dinosaurs.What a trip!!Think I shall plan a fall jaunt to Syracuse and we could have some fun.oxoKATHYH
POSTED: Thu, 05/17/2012 - 7:41pm
Perfect purse description MJ
I can see it in my minds eye. Isnt it fun hunting down treasures.coco1960
POSTED: Thu, 05/17/2012 - 5:57am
Quality always
Good Morning...I thought I would check out some older threads..trying to find a system to keep me up to date ..for me I try to work on getting the best for my hard earned money.I find that buying a woman's magazine every month or every other month helps to keep me current and aware of the labels. I like to get out of my comfort zone by buying Essence , Allure , and what ever strikes me at the store. I can get into a rut with Cosmo , Oprah , and Better Homes and Gardens. Then the trip to the mall for lessons on how to spot quality and then to the thrift stores to find the deals and steals ! Also picking some great basics from Lands End ( love their colors ) each season ( cardis are my big thing now ).Just some thoughts to share. Enjoy your day dear sisters.Vintage1944
POSTED: Thu, 05/17/2012 - 9:44am
Mj!!!
I would love to go shopping with you.Brilliant ideas.I love cardis too.I want cashmere ,as it looks beautiful,the colours are gorgeous BUT I itch when I wear wool.I am a Land'End fan too.Quality on classic pieces at a good price.Have a fine day.oxoKATHYH
POSTED: Thu, 05/17/2012 - 6:42am
Coco
I am also having a "Cari thing" right now. I bought one at Anne Taylor and my 33 yr old son imediatlely spotted it and reminded me when you buy quality the color speaks of it. I recently purchased one at Banana Republic, nice again but Anne beats this one.Vintage1944
POSTED: Thu, 05/17/2012 - 9:47am
Kathy
Quality always speaks best.What colour did you get?What fabric?Wouldn't it be fun to go shopping with MJ?oxoKATHYH
POSTED: Thu, 05/17/2012 - 6:05pm
Colors....Jean
One Cardigan was the color of lemon curd...and the other the color of grapefruit. One is cotton and silk and I cannot find the other right now. :) and yes I would love to shop with her, you can feel her passion.Vintage1944
POSTED: Thu, 05/17/2012 - 10:24pm
Yummy colours
You must look gorgeous in them.oxoChristineE
POSTED: Mon, 06/20/2011 - 11:37am
Just chiming in
As hard as it has been and as much time as it's taken, my advice is to buy fewer items of better quality. I've taken my daughter to shop at h&m, as well as other store of the like, and the quality just is not there. For a teen that is no problem. It is only meant to last a season, or until a girlfriend borrows it (and never returns it!). But for myself, I wait and wait. It has taken years to put together the wardrobe I have, but it was worth it! Ralph Lauren lined wool trousers gotten for 15., but I had to be patient. Those pants are well into their 8th year and look fantastic! We purchased a clothing steamer last winter and, let me tell you, I can't live without it! Many times you'll wear something and it'll get wrinkled, but it's not soiled. I used to have to take the trousers to the dry cleaners only because of wrinkles. No more. I run the steam wand over the pants and they look fantastic. That device paid for itself in the first week! If you don't have one, run and buy one immediately! Back to to clothes. If you can afford one good item a month, you are doing well. I only bought a few items a year. Everything has to pass this test: put it on. Do you love it? I mean love it? Do you feel beautiful? Want to wear it home from the store? Planning to wear it tomorrow? That kind of love. If not, put it back! It's hard at first. The price may be good, but you will thank me in the long run. There will be other sales. Prices will be that good again, trust me. I only have things I adore. Ask yourself, if you've got those mediocre items in your closet; do you pass them by time and time again? Don't you reach for the items you love and the items that love you? Good luck and happy shopping!Jeanette
POSTED: Mon, 10/04/2010 - 8:07pm
I purchase almost all of my
I purchase almost all of my clothes at stores such as the ones you listed, but I am able to make mine look nice for years. What I do is ALWAYS wash them on the most gentle cycle that my washing machine has. I use a super gentle detergent (such as Woolite). A lot of the items I hang up to dry (if you are going to do that, don't forget to use a fabric softener in the wash). On the items that I do dry, again, I put the dryer on the most gently (coolest) setting possible. Takes about 20 minutes extra to dry my clothes, but they are still looking nice! Hope that helps because I sure know what it's like to want to look stylish but be on a super-tight budget. :-)Nya_Nya
POSTED: Thu, 10/07/2010 - 5:45am
Good advice, indeed!
You are absolutely right, of course - taking proper care of clothes is the most important part of looking good in them. It's best never to use the dryer at all, if you can manage it (I don't even own one) and to hand wash more delicate items, like blouses, underwear, sometimes even shirts. Takes a bit longer, but then your clothes last longer, too, and you would have to go shopping for new ones if you took less time to wash them, anyway, so in the long run it's the same.You also save money - if you buy something a bit more pricey and take good care of it, it will last for a very very long time. But even cheaper clothes can last when taken good care of. I usually steer clear of H&M because I've always been disappointed with their products, but Zara is a different matter. They usually carry some items of really good quality (surprisingly good, considering the price!), but also a lot of poor quality stuff. Bargains to be had there - so I take my time there, and try to find items that are worth much more than they actually cost. Do any of you have similar experiences with Zara?
P.S.: Welcome back, Jeanette. We've missed you!
Jeanette
POSTED: Thu, 10/07/2010 - 8:54pm
Thanks Nya_Nya! It's good to
Thanks Nya_Nya! It's good to be back. I had forgotten how much I needed and missed the few moments that I steal away to talk with you all. :-)Vintage1944
POSTED: Thu, 10/07/2010 - 9:48am
No Zara here
but have seen them in NYC.Probably too "young" for me.Must avoid the mutton dressed as lamb look.I am washing more items by hand,especially my expensive undies.Except for towels and sheets,I don't use the dryer.Dryers are so hard on fabrics.Living in a highrise building,we pay for our laundry,any savings is good.Big news here...after 5 months of waiting,being told all kinds of "fantastic"tales,they are installing new sliding doors on my clothes closet.You can imagine in a studio apartment that having a messy closet always on view is nasty.I had to lose my temper to get any action.Very tiring way to have to deal with people.Big sigh.
Nya_Nya
POSTED: Fri, 10/08/2010 - 6:30am
Big sigh here, too!
I feel your pain - I hate open shelves because for some reason stuff always accumulates there and looks messy then. Sliding doors are the best - I'd remodel all my furniture to have sliding doors if I could. It might be a bit difficult to do in the kitchen, though :)And I understand what you mean about Zara. You can find 'non-young' clothes there, but why put yourself in temptation's way, right? I find it works best to shop in stores that carry my style, so I don't stray and buy something that doesn't go with what I already own, or with my life-style. Whenever I shop in stores that are a bit more sporty, or funky than my general style my wardrobe suddenly seems boring and I want a complete overhaul. It usually ends badly :D
Vintage1944
POSTED: Fri, 10/08/2010 - 8:48am
LOL
But I do understand about shopping outside one's comfort zone.All of My "end badly"items have recently been sent to the donation cupboard at work.It gives me a bit of a turn to see some item that once was mine go past on someone else. I zoom back to being 14 or 15 and seeing one of my sisters leave the house in what I planned to wear that day!!It is funny now.BTW,the sliding doors are great.Even better would be pocket doors.If I were ever to have the opportunity to do my own kitchen,there would not be any cupboards.I would have drawers for my pots and pans,a pantry in which all the shelves were suitable to my height,with space for everything else.No clutter and miles of counter space.Dream,dream,dream.Big sigh,again.Jeanette
POSTED: Thu, 10/07/2010 - 8:55pm
Yay! There's nothing like a
Yay! There's nothing like a gorgeous new face-lift on a closet! :-)Marilyn
POSTED: Tue, 10/05/2010 - 9:36am
Goos advice
And great to see you back. Don't be away so long next time. All we need now is for Frenchy to reappear et voila!!Vintage1944
POSTED: Tue, 10/05/2010 - 10:14am
It is great
to have Jeanette back.Frenchy is up to her neck in school work.She barely has time to breathe,I think.Marilyn
POSTED: Tue, 10/05/2010 - 9:37am
Spelling
Meant 'Good'. We should have an edit or delete facility!!Vintage1944
POSTED: Mon, 10/04/2010 - 11:52pm
It REALLY is you!!
Wow.so glad you are back.smart idea for keeping clothes looking good.OXOJeanette
POSTED: Tue, 10/05/2010 - 11:23pm
Hehehe. Yup! I'm back!
Hehehe. Yup! I'm back! Been busy with work but found myself desperately needing my French girlfriends! :-)Vintage1944
POSTED: Wed, 10/06/2010 - 10:20am
Let me say..
your French girlfriends desperately needed you:-)))Marta85
POSTED: Wed, 09/29/2010 - 5:53am
Girls, thank you for all the
Girls, thank you for all the wonderful advice and links! I will defintely take advantage of it as soon as I have the time. As for the job... I know it sounds great and that's how it looks like - on the outside anyway. I've been at it for about 6 months but the truth is this isn't what I want to do. I find it extremely stressful which leads to... you know, overeating, not being able to put your outfit together, and in my case, unfortunately over-smoking (v.ashamed of it). The thing I realized in the last months is that I would really love to be a full-time translator. I've been doing it for about 4 years while at university, to get some extra money. I'm still doing it, currently translating a catalog for fashion week in Poland where I live. I feel that this is what I really love and have a passion for... But I wouldn't even know how to start. I don't have a professional education, I had an English boyfriend for a couple of years and afterwards studied in Denmark and that is how I learned the language. So recently I've been feeling stuck, not being able to fulfill my potential, that's probably also why I turned to this community. Forgive me my gloomy mood, might be the weather... :)Elizabeth G
POSTED: Wed, 09/29/2010 - 12:09pm
Hi Marta
I'm sorry your job isn't your dream job; I've certainly paid my dues with crappy jobs. It's hard in the moment to believe it's only temporary, but truly it's not forever. Have faith in yourself! My husband's family (father's side) is Polish. After my mother-in-law passed away we inherited her entire geneaology project, which included several trips to Poland. I was amazed by the photo albums - what a beautiful country! I've always told my husband that I want to go to Paris, and he would say, "And Poland too" and I secretly thought, "Hmmm, yeah right." Until I saw the photos!Good luck on your career wishes. Hopefully can build a portfolio of projects, starting with the translated catalog. I encourage you to ask! Ask for a referral, ask for more work, ask to be kept in mind for future projects.
vickie2
POSTED: Wed, 09/29/2010 - 11:58am
Hi Marta
I think it is so fantastic that you have figured out what you love to do! So many people never find their passion career-wise. I wish you the best of luck in becoming a full-time translator because it sounds like this profession makes you very happy and good about yourself. Personally, I find that I get into bad eating habits (too much snacking, eating standing up, etc.) when I am not feeling that good about myself, but when I feel good and happy, everything seems to fall into place.Vintage1944
POSTED: Wed, 09/29/2010 - 9:25am
Marta Hello
Follow your passion,please.What you really want to do is fascinating.Bless the Internet for providing information.It is clear that you are good at it and getting the papers required will enhance your skill.We will be behind you here,all the way.How exciting that you have joined us from Poland.Tell us more about your life there.There is a strong Polish Comunity here in Ottawa Canada and I work with some terrific Polish gentleman.
Gloomy weather never helps one's mood.But following your dreams will make it all more tolerable.There is a lot of life ahead for you.You can and will become unstuck.
As for smoking,as a Nurse I can only encourage you to try to stop.There has been much research being done on how to stop and it is a many pronged attack.We recognize how addictive it is and requires several attempts for most.When you are ready,go for it.And don't feel shamed,you are not alone.Be well.Jean
snorklee
POSTED: Wed, 09/29/2010 - 10:09am
Hi Marta
I wanted to tell you, that we have a student from Poland staying with us right now. He is an amazing boy. Actually, he stayed with us last year as a student, and this year he is working and traveling in the U.S. and stopped by to see us again. He has graduated from college and will continue on to Greece to study for his masters degree. His parents must be so proud of him. He is part of our family now and like one of my children. :)