I have been reading dr. wende of The Sky is Bigger There since I first discovered what blogs are. I really have no idea how I found her...maybe she commented on a blog I was reading...but she's wise and funny and nerdy and complicated. All the things I aspire to.
To make her living, she does something magical in the finance "industry" that is beyond my comprehension. I have, however, been able to glean that had she been in control of the economy, we might not be in this horrendous mess. See first paragraph, re: Wise.
Naturally, when one's thoughts turn to the wardrobe, one's first reaction is : Speak to a financial guru.
Am I right? Of course.
Actually, wende periodically runs something she calls "wardrobe therapy," modeled along the lines of someone else's apartment therapy. I don't know whether I should emulate wende's fashion sense, as I haven't seen to many pictures of her. What I do know is that not only is she a terrific organizer, she's a thoughtful one.
Instead of my typical wardrobe culling by simply tossing everything I haven't worn in a year, I am participating in this round of wardrobe therapy so that the clothes I keep and the ones I shed are for the right reasons.
This week's task is to answer the Opening Questionnaire, so here I go...
The NEW (if not Improved) Opening Questionnaire
Thinking primarily (but not necessarily exclusively) about looks, who's your favorite performer of your own gender and species? Why? Jodie Foster. This will make Husband squirm, because she's on my list. I think she is stunningly beautiful, and oh, so smart.
If you could live in any historic era with a really good
clothing budget (as well as soap, toothpaste, and delicing as needed),
when would you choose? I would live with these two women:
The presence of Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones would not be unwelcome, either.
What's your favorite painting or other form of visual art? Why? Picasso's Woman with a Book. Because I am one. And the color palette makes me tingle. I once wrote a paper about this painting. In a math class. Figure that out.
What is your first memory in which clothes are important? Being made, at age 4, to sit on the front lawn for a picture to be taken, because I was wearing a pretty little flower girl dress, after having been in a neighbor's wedding. I was tired, and cranky, as 4-year-old children will be, and I wanted to get out of the dress. It may have been TennLady who made me sit. But I forgive her, because she introduced me to Star Trek a few years later.
What is your favorite garment ever? Why? Really, I have none. I never really thought of garments as something to desire. They have been a necessity, not really anything more.
What is your favorite garment in your wardrobe right now?
A great big, comfy, periwinkle hoodie. It does NOTHING for me, except make me feel comfortable.
What is the worst clothing purchase you can remember making? I couldn't afford a traditional wedding dress, so I bought a lace blouse/mauve skirt combination. It was 1985, people. I never got to wear a floor-length look-at-me-it's-my-day dress. That's okay. The other thing we didn't have money for? A photographer.
What's your most embarrassing clothing-related memory other than a bad purchase? It involves me having to wear a jacket belted around my waist. That's all I'm saying.
What body part (no more than three!) are you proud of and expect compliments on? My hair. I am blessed in that regard, and always have been.
What body part (again, no more than three!) seems to require management, if not coaxing, cajoling, and sometimes outright begging if it's to please you? The girls. They don't fit well into any shirts. I used to love button-down shirts by themselves or for layering. Now, if they are large enough to fit my chest, they look like a tent elsewhere. Also, my eyes are getting to be squinty-er owing top middle-age sag.
If you could dress however you wanted all the time, what might you include? If you could shop at any store (or from any designer), which would you choose? I love the classic looks at Land's End and L.L. Bean. I hate shopping, which can be a problem.
Where do you ordinarily shop now? Target, Kohls, and thrift shops.
What clothing, accessory, or prettifying need (if any) do you enjoy shopping for? Anything sparkly! I LOVE jewelry. I also like to find new lipsticks and have fun choosing what color I want on my toes when I get a pedicure.
Which one do you most loathe shopping for? Bras. They MUST be tried on, and, as I am incapable of fastening behind-my-back, I still do the fasten-in-front-and-slide-it-around method, which takes even longer.
Do you consider yourself low-, medium-, or high-maintenance? Ultra-low. At least when it comes to apparel.
What are the two most frequent occasions that you dress for and how would you describe them? Everyday, around-the-house, and casual social occasions with friends. The latter is usually the former with a slightly dressier top to go with the jeans, plus some coordinated jewelry.
What was your favorite Hallowe'en costume ever? I once wore a pale green sheet, toga-style and carried a foil-wrapped flashlight as the Statue of Liberty.
What do you see as the current problem(s) with your wardrobe and/or look? There is no comprehensive "look" or "style." It's a rather large, extensive mess.
At the end of WT, what lovely compliments do you want onlookers to give you? "Have you lost weight?" or "You always look so put-together!" And I don't really plan to lose weight, but I am hoping to achieve a better fit than I typically have in the past.
