I have been reading about how corduroy pants are back in style. Well, they are a classic and have never gone out of style. I was at J.C. Penney the other day and found these high-waisted corduroy pants that I fell in love with and was completely “wrecked.” I have been searching for high-waisted pants and wasn’t expecting to see these beautiful pair of cords staring at me saying “try me on.” The color is called “bronze wave” and they are a.n.a. brand, wide leg corduroys. What do you think of them with the navy checkered shirt? Personally, I think it’s the best combination.I am wearing these cords with a cream-colored blouse. I really think these pants can be worn with many different colors including sage green, brown, black and navy. This is a short post as I have to get back to my homemade chicken noodle soup. My husband has a cold and he said “it’s just what the doctor ordered.” My mom told me there’s something about chicken noodle soup that is “healing.” We need a lot of healing on these cold winter nights.There is a little black dress arriving for me soon for my upcoming weekend getaway and I cannot wait to share it with you. In the meantime, stay warm and enjoy your week.

In Search of the Perfect Little Black Dress

The dress above looks dark brown but it’s actually black in my pencil sketch. The woman in this drawing looks frustrated and forlorn in her search for the “perfect black dress.” But I love what she is wearing as we see a subtle glimpse of her silhouette in a bodycon-style dress. A bodycon dress gently traces feminine curves and does not fit snug like a glove. It’s a well-tailored garment that looks classy and elegant regardless of age and body shape. According to this article, how to wear a bodycon dress for over 40s, “anyone of any age can rock a bodycon dress if they want to.” This article shares tips on how to pull off this chic style with confidence.

The little black dress (LBD) is defined as an evening or cocktail dress and is typically short (not maxi length) with a simple cut.

Did you know that the origins of the LBD can be traced back to the 1920s designs of Coco Chanel and Jean Patou. French fashion is timeless and versatile, and holds appeal to the widest market due to its neutral colors. As you know, I did a post on this very subject in The French Dressed Woman.

This link delves into the history of the LBD and its global allure wardrobeshop.com history of the little black dress. “More than just a dress, the concept of the ‘Little Black Dress’ inspires confidence in women everywhere and will surely live on for centuries to come.”

Since I do not currently have a lot of little black dresses in my wardrobe, I am re-posting some black dresses I have previously worn here:

And here:

“Femme Fatales” frequently wore black dresses to symbolize their “mysterious allure.”

Here are some ideas for the perfect little black dress that caught my eye:

Weargirls.com black off-the-shoulder sasha fishtail wiggle dress:

Uniqistic.com elegant v-neck little black dress:

Unique-vintage.com black keyhole mesh detail wiggle dress:

Unique-vintage.com 1960s style black wiggle dress:

Macys.com Karen Kane three quarter sleeve faux wrap dress:

This is the dress I was going to wear to a wedding a few months ago, but it was a little snug (okay, tight). It seems to fit a little better now and the shawl adds an elegant cover for my shoulders. I will try to show you the dress in better lighting in a future post with my Canon camera. The brand is Betsey Johnson and can be seen here in navy. While I love this dress, I am in search of a long-sleeve or three-quarter sleeve black dress similar to the faux wrap dress above.

I hope everyone has a good week and stay tuned for more on the little black dress…Mabel’s first snowstorm.

The Seagull (by Sarah Connor)

Floating, searching, yearning cries,

Flapping in the waves at sea.

The seagull whispers tales and lies,

Its icy arms grab hold of me,

To draw me under and seal lips tight,

My breath submerged below the light.

When all is gone, the bird takes flight,

Its world untouched, unharmed and free.

Its secrets die beneath the sea.

A normal day…so seemingly

This was my bird on Thanksgiving Day. This is a brief intermission to my fashion post and I hope everyone enjoys their weekend.

As you may have noticed from my posts, I am frequently wearing hosiery either in the form of pantyhose or tights. Personally, even if hosiery were no longer in style, I strive to be my own woman and to not be a slave of what’s currently trending. I wear what I think is attractive, comfortable and stylish regardless of what’s in vogue. However, with that said, I decided to do some research on this subject.

According to Dina Scherer of Modnitsa Styling, she states the following: “Stockings never truly go out of style, they are a classic staple in any elegant woman’s wardrobe; many workplaces require you to cover your legs for proprietary reasons, and nude stockings do the trick nicely. I think every year we see new players on the market, reinventing this essential wardrobe accessory.” (viennemilano stockings-still-in-style)

Here is an example of nude stockings. This is a picture from this post earlier this summer.

I am wearing gray ribbed tights that have 13% spandex and 87% nylon–they are so comfortable, warm and are librarian approved. Not sure about the red pumps though (ha!).

According to Hipstik (do-women-still-wear-pantyhose), “when it comes to pantyhose, it’s your choice to wear or not to wear. No rules.” Hipstik is a line of pantyhose designed to fit women of all shapes without rolling or squeezing and have a unique silicone stik strip that enables them to stay put all day. 

I previously did a post here on flapper women and how they defied society’s expectations which is clearly evident in the photo above which was considered risqué for that time period. According to this article on the history of hosiery (viennemilano/pantyhose and tights), Dupont invented nylon in 1939 which “revolutionized the world of fashion and hosiery. Nylon stockings were all the craze and became an essential for every woman’s wardrobe.”

However, World War II increased the demand for nylon resulting in women having to “ration and donate their hosiery for the war effort, as the material was used to create tools such as parachutes, airplane chords, and tents. When the product was taken off the market completely, women had to come up with creative alternatives. Women began to paint seams on the back of their legs or use self-tanners and ‘liquid stockings’ to create the illusion that they were wearing hosiery.”

This idea of painting a line down the backs of my legs gives me an idea for next summer on hot, humid days…

I am wearing ultra sheer “black mist” pantyhose by L’eggs. They are run resistant and contain 33% spandex and 67% nylon.

My favorite pantyhose color is off white or ivory which looks clean and crisp.

Fishnet stocking provide a bold, chic and feminine look.

Do you wear hosiery? If so, what is your favorite kind? Mabel says she likes all of them. She actually chewed up a pair of mine recently but I eventually forgave her. I cannot expect my pantyhose to be both run resistant and dog proof, too!

“Hip to Be Square” is a song by Huey Lewis and the News that was made popular in 1986 and was number three on the Billboard Hot 100. I loved that song and you can listen to it here:  Huey Lewis and the News Hip to Be Square.

According to Wikipedia, “Square is slang for a person who is conventional and old-fashioned.” But “hip” means “up to date and with it.” So that’s why I think librarians are both square and hip as they are conventional in style but they are also up to date with the latest information and totally rock according to this blog post:  Eleven-reasons-why-librarians-rock. 

I am continuing my librarian chic theme as mentioned in my previous video and will continue to do so throughout the dark winter months ahead.

Look at the small stack of Ruth Rendell books on the dresser which is just some of my collection of her works. The book in my hands is called No More Dying Then and is the sixth title in her Inspector Wexford series first published in 1971. She can spin a tale like few others and it’s hard to put her books down.Speaking of books, these are the opening lines in my brother’s family history journal, Volume I, by Daniel Dagenais.

“My story begins during the second year of Franklin Roosevelt’s first term in the college town of Lewiston, Maine. Lewiston, the home of Bates College, and the site of the infamous second fight between Muhammad Ali and Sonny Liston in 1964, had a large population of French Canadians in the 1930’s.”

His words are matter of fact and lure you in immediately which attests to the power of the opening lines. I plan to go into more detail about my brother’s family volumes in future posts, so stay tuned.

What I am wearing:

Sweater, Marled by Reunited Clothing (has 3% spandex; seen here The Indispensable Utility Jacket)

Skirt,  Dressbarn Tweed Wool Blend Pencil Skirt

Shoes, Born Wing Tip Leather Oxford Shoes

Black tights, Secret Treasures (contains 10% spandex which caused a sheen in photos that looked like a run, but they are run resistant)

Have a great week everyone.

Hi Everyone,

I hope you enjoy my video. I am looking forward to exploring the librarian chic concept more with upcoming blog posts. Thank you for watching my video and I hope you had a great weekend!

Shhh–I am reading The Tommyknockers by Stephen King. I am just getting to the good part when the alien spaceship is discovered and people are starting to act strange… This is a perfect time of year to read something scary.  But this post is actually about how I have come to the conclusion that my wardrobe is librarian friendly. Not that there is anything wrong in looking like a librarian; in fact, I rather like looking like one. However, I think that shoes can bring the image up a notch.

The shoes I am wearing are Rockport’s Total Motion Kalila suede t-strap pumps. They have a two-inch heel with padding in the foot bed for extra comfort. I absolutely love them.This old bedroom is a work in progress and has become my new girl cave. It used to be my older son’s bedroom and I want to upgrade the mattress and bedding. But the cat loves it just the way it is.Do you like my glasses? These are actually an old pair that my husband told me look most “librarianish” which is a compliment, right? If you like British murder mysteries, I highly recommend 13 Steps Down by Ruth Rendell. It is a brilliant psychological thriller in typical amazing Rendell style. She is the superb master in getting into the mind of the killer and written from their perspective. Ruth Rendell died in 2015 at the age of 85. The shoes I am wearing, by the way, are by Salvatore Ferragamo and have a sophisticated, conservative look and perfect for librarians. I am wearing them in this post The French Dressed Woman. 

Have a great weekend everyone.

“Now, Love is red, and Wisdom pale, But human hearts are faint and frail; Till Love meets Love, and bids it hail. I see the chasm, yawning dread; I see the flaming arch o’erhead: I stake my life upon the red.” (Julia Ward Howe)

I have been in search of the “perfect” red pump for quite a while now. My personal definition of the perfect red pump is one that is comfortable, stylish, the right shade of red, and has a manageable heel height. A couple of weeks ago, I was at Macy’s and saw these gorgeous red pumps but they were $79.50 which was not in my budget at that time. I am so glad I waited as these very same pumps were recently on sale for 50% off for $39.75! These shoes are by Giani Bernini and have a memory foam insole with extra cushion at the heel and arch support for added comfort. They have a soft suede and patent gloss which makes them look sway chic. The footbed feels extra “squishy,” and the color is called “true red.” They are versatile in the sense that you can wear them to work or for a night out. Now I want to test them for both scenarios.  It is such a FUN shoe! I have a passion for red as seen in this post The Color Red.The long gray sweater coat is by Adrienne Vittadini and is so warm, cozy and stretchy. I cannot wait to wear this on a cold, winter day with skinny jeans and black leather boots. My pencil skirt is by Talbots and is fully lined. It is a classic look with a black and white houndstooth check pattern. It was $13.50 thrifted.I just love my new red pumps. What do you think of them? Mabel smiles in approval…maybe she’s secretly thinking of running off with them when I’m not looking.

This is the perfect time of year to wear the utility jacket–it has a lightweight warmth and is a great closet staple that goes well with denim. And not only denim, but just about everything from shorts, skinny pants, dresses and even a…shag skirt.

I had to do a double take on the above skirt as I had never thought of pairing this creative combo which comes from this site 21 Practical Ways to Wear a Utility Jacket.

The utility jacket is a classic transitional piece that every woman needs in her wardrobe.The jacket I am wearing is by Cabelas, classic fit, and is made from 100% pure comfortable cotton. Another aspect I like about this jacket is that it’s machine washable so any doggie slobber on my sleeves can be easily rectified which makes it dog proof. And my navy blue button-down shirt is from L.L. Bean and is “wrinkle free.”

I wanted to share with you a recent visit to T. J. Maxx and bring you into my dressing room. The colors that are trending right now are true autumnal shades such as earthy brown, butterscotch gold, and chili pepper red.  Since my seasonal color analysis is “fall,” I gravitate towards these colors like dog hair to velvet. And animal print not only continues to be popular but is one of the biggest fall fashion trends according to this site: Animal Print Fall Trend 2019.

Well, I loved all of the items and was forced to narrow down my choices.  I will have to surprise you with future blog posts as to which ones I decided on and Mabel’s not telling.