Tuesday, September 20, 2016

Dressmaker Details in Clothing

"Dressmaker as an adjective denotes clothing made in the style of a dressmaker, frequently in the term dressmaker details which includes ruffles, frills, ribbon or braid trim. Dressmaker in this sense is contrasted to tailored and has fallen out of use since the rise of casual wear in the mid-twentieth century."

These pictures from Pinterest illustrate modern clothing that have "Dressmaker Details" as part of the design. Look for these added elements when you shop to add some flair to your wardrobe.
 
 
 




 

Monday, September 5, 2016

Wearing White After Labor Day

"In the early 1900s, the rule about only wearing white between Memorial Day and Labor Day was started according to the vacationing schedule of the elite, when there "was a dress code for practically every occasion." Those who could afford it would leave their homes behind and spend months at the sea or in the mountains, where they had a completely different type of wardrobe, including the light, bright white pieces often most associated with the summer months. When those fun-loving summer days were over, the white clothes were packed away and the people went back to their regular lives, having escaped the oppressive heat between the end of May and early September. Those white clothes that they loved during the summer months had no place in their "real life" wardrobes, so the cutoff for white clothing became Labor Day."

The elite created this rule to distinguish themselves from the "new rich" who were becoming more and more prosperous in large cities like New York. When they saw these women still dressed in white they knew that they were not part of the elite class and naturally made fun of them. This is why it became so VERY important to never be caught wearing white after Labor day. 

My fashion advice has always been as follows:
1. Dress for the weather
2. Dress for the occasion.
3. Dress for comfort.
4. Dress for style.

White clothing should be chosen by the type of fabric. Denim is heavy so white jeans can be worn all year unless the weather is bad. It's difficult to get stains out of the hems of white pants so save them for sunny days. White linen is a warm weather fabric because it "breathes."  It is usually thin so it doesn't work well in cold weather. White dinner jackets always look elegant and can be worn by men and women for semi-formal occasions. White shirts and blouses can be worn all year. White shoes don't work well in rain and or snow due to staining so save them for warm, dry months. I think white shoes make a woman's foot look larger. The exception is bridal shoes. I prefer "body match" shoes worn with all shades of white instead of trying to match white shoes to a garment. White hats are great for the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby because they don't absorb heat like black and other dark colored hats. White handbags are fine but they show dirt and pen marks very easily. White evening bags in satin, silk, beading or crystals are very pretty and should be stored in a protective bag.

Sunday, August 21, 2016

10 Things Europeans Say About You Behind Your Back

Europeans are among the world's most gracious travel hosts, rolling out a red carpet of good manners, fabulous food, and the ultimate in culture and history. But do you ever wonder what they think of YOU? Here's what we've heard…

By Robert Firpo-Cappiello                                                                       
"You sound like an idiot when you imitate our accents!"
Ouch. Turns out that posh James Bond imitation you think you've mastered sounds like the squeak of chalk on a blackboard to a Brit. And chances are, even as you read this, you believe you are the exception to this rule—that your Daniel Craig could fool a native? No. Stop. Please.

"Why are you smiling? You don't even know us!"

Boy, those French are unfriendly, huh? Guess again. They're just more physically reserved than you are, and that goes for facial expressions, too. A Parisian, especially when addressing a stranger, will rarely smile, and this is often misinterpreted by American as that legendary (and largely mythical) French rudeness. We, on the other hand, have been taught to approach new people, even total strangers, with our pearly whites bared. Down, Sparky. It just weirds them out.

"You eat too fast."

From way up in Scandinavia all the way down to Sicily, Europeans seem to be united in the opinion that Americans don't know how to enjoy a meal. Yep. Shocking as it may seem, the country that invented "fast food" and the "power lunch" puzzles its neighbors across the pond when it comes to table manners. Apparently, we start eating before it's considered polite, we don't stop to talk enough, and we perhaps miss the entire point of chowing down in the presence of other human beings. Wherever you may be visiting (but especially southern Europe), if you sit down to eat with locals, we suggest that you just quietly tell yourself, "Slow down."

"You drink too much."

Ok, in fairness to my American brethren, it's true that in some corners of Europe it is common to outdrink Americans at a truly magnificent pace. But overall, the European approach to beer, wine, and spirits is similar to their approach to a nice meal: What's the rush? It's perfectly acceptable to savor a two-hour lunch that includes a few goblets of wine. But binge-drinking is considered a weakness, especially in wine-producing regions, where the vino is regarded as much a food as a beverage.

"You work too hard."

Except in a few major economic centers, London in particular, the locals aren't going to be terribly interested in hearing your workplace war stories, how much money you're spending on your vacation, or how much your house back in the States cost. The country you are visiting may even have strict rules or customs about the length of a work week. But more importantly, Europeans just know how to pursue a work/life balance more healthfully than Americans: Take time to sit down for coffee and a croissant in the morning, consider an afternoon nap (if you're staying with your Italian cousins, they may insist on it!), and if you head out to dinner in, say, Barcelona, expect the tapas to go around the table well into the wee hours. Relax!

"You are a prude."

Whoa. Really? But isn't American culture awash in cutting-edge body parts and potty mouth? Yes, and that's actually a sign of our priggish problem. In many European cultures, the human body is considered simply, well, the human body. Our fascination with certain anatomical features is not shared by Europeans. That's why in some regions of Europe you'll see nude bathing and hear jokes that would make your mother blush. Next time you see a photo of the inscrutable Catalan Christmas pooper, just say to yourself, "Don't judge. Remember, you are a prude."

"Seriously? We speak three or four languages and you can't be bothered to learn to say 'Do you speak English?' in ours?"

Rosetta Stone, people. Rosetta Stone.

"You don't know the difference between 'Baltic' and 'Balkan' or, for that matter, what The Hague is."

Be honest. Did you even know that "Sochi" was a thing before the Russian city hosted the Winter Games? Is Trieste in Switzerland, Croatia, or France? We're not suggesting that you prepare for a geography bee before boarding your Paris-bound plane. But, gosh, get some arrondissements into your short-term memory, remember that Marseille is France's second-largest city, and understand that "Omaha Beach" is not what the French call that stretch of Normandy coast. (Answer key: The Baltic Sea is in northern Europe; "Balkan" refers to the peninsula shared by Serbia, Greece, and other nations; The Hague is the third-largest city in the Netherlands; and Trieste is in Italy.)

"You dress like a slob."

This applies to American men more than women, and it's difficult to argue. On any given street of any given European town on any given day, I will not be able to compete with the stylish dress of the gents who pass my way. While a few decades ago this may not have been the case (I can imagine Don Draper holding his own against an onslaught of silk-suited Florentines), my generation has admittedly opted to dress like overgrown boys, and our T-shirts, baggy jeans, and five o'clock shadows scream "Yank."

"We know your history better than you do."

I say kudos to Europe's schools for instilling in their citizenry the ability to understand the difference between Bill Clinton and George Clinton. Unfortunately, Americans' grasp of European history is often as sketchy as their grasp of geography. So just know that when you drop a name like Churchill or Garibaldi overseas, you are inviting a conversation in which you may eventually be called upon to remember who sold President Thomas Jefferson the 800,000+ square miles that now comprises all or parts of Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Minnesota, North and South Dakota, New Mexico, Texas, Colorado, Montana, Wyoming, and, of course, Louisiana.
(Psst! It was France.)

Friday, August 5, 2016

Preparing for Special Events


Here are some tips for preparing for special events that you can share with the younger Ladies in your family.

Please don't wait until the day of the event to put together an outfit. Start a week or more in advance and design/build/create an outfit that is a true reflection of who you are as a person. Try on EVERYTHING to make sure it all works together including shoes and jewelry. Make sure your clothes are clean and pressed. Check your shoes for dirt or scuff marks. Choose a smaller handbag with a shoulder strap or chain instead of lugging your large "my whole life is in this bag" handbag.  Pack a few things from your large handbag in a tote bag to stash in your trunk.  If you plan to wear a dress or skirt and you don't want to wear hose, start using a self tanning product made just for legs at least a week in advance.  Follow the instructions to the letter and wash your hands afterward.  Tuck a tissue under each arm to catch deodorant residue that often rubs off on your clothes. Google the location of the event and check out their website. If it's outdoors don't wear stiletto heels that will sink into the ground. If it's indoors take a wrap for the air conditioning.  Get your hair colored and cut a week before the event.  Do your mani/pedi in advance too.  Try out new make up a few days in advance to make sure you aren't allergic and to insure that the colors are right for you. Give yourself twice as much time to get ready as you normally do. That extra time is precious if you have to edit or change something about your outfit. Try not to run yourself ragged the day of the event.  If the day turns out to be hectic at least your outfit and accessories will be put together.   Relax, smile and have a great time!
 

Saturday, May 14, 2016

10 Tips for Using Pinterest

Pinterest is so addictive! I love it and enjoy spending time on my Kentucky Fashion by Pamela Owen account. Here is a link if you're interested in viewing my boards.
https://www.pinterest.com/KentuckyFashion/

Below are 10 tips for increasing your Following and traffic on Pinterest:

1. Name your boards as accurately and uniquely as you can.  For instance, don't fill a board with pins that don't relate to each other because that makes it difficult to name it. Food boards are probably the hardest to name because of the wide variety. If you like French foods then name your board "French Meals" and not "French Dishes." The Pinterest search engine will put your board in with other types of dishware and China, not foods. If you have a shoe or boot board then name it "Shoes I Love," "Boots" or "High Heels" so the search engine will put them in the proper category.

2. Clothing boards are tricky too. If you create a board to pin outfits then name it "Casual Outfits" instead of "Outfits I Like."  The Pinterest search engine will put it in with anything that involves "outfits" and some of those are not clothing boards. The search engine recognizes "Fashion" and "Style" or especially "Street Style." Those are photos of people taken outside instead of being posed by a photographer in a studio or department store.

3. Always use the "Edit" option for every caption on your pins.  You need to say something about the pin and why you liked it instead of just leaving someone else's info on the pin.

4. Once you have several boards filled you might want to rearrange them on your page.  This is easier to do if you are using a computer.  Click on your Settings and follow the instructions for rearranging your boards to give your page better visual "flow." Put boards of similar interest together or group together the boards that you want Pinners to see immediately.

5. The cover pin on each one of your boards is important.  You should keep in mind the subject matter of each board and use the option to change the cover.  As you click through the pins on the board your eye should tell you which pin will make a great cover showing an example of what your board contains.  Always center your cover pin to make it visually appealing.

6.The fastest way to get other Pinners to Follow you is to follow anyone back who pins one of your pins to their board.  If you are Pinning from an app on a mobile device you can adjust your settings so Pinterest will send you the names and pins of people who are pinning from your boards.  That's how I built my "Respect Yourself" Teen Girls board. I want my board to be filled with pins from teen girls. Their taste and style is different from mine at age 63 so I needed their help to make my board interesting.

7. Pinterest is a great social media tool for businesses, especially those that use a lot of pictures of their products and services.  Uploading photos of merchandise can help you sell it faster.  You can add other Pinners to your boards to form a "Group" board. This is helpful when you have several people who work for you and will want to add pins to the company boards. They will have to have their own private Pinterest account to be added to a Group board.

8. Pinterest is a great way to expand your hobbies.  There are plenty of "DIY" pins to post and share with other people who enjoy the same ones.  Collectors can use Pinterest to find other Pinners who may be selling their collections or looking for resources.

9. Planning special events like weddings, showers and birthday parties is easier because of the massive amount of pins on Pinterest with just about every theme you can imagine.  You can create private boards for planning surprise parties and only you and a few others will be able to see your pins instead of them going into the Pinterest public news feed.

10. Use the Pinterest search engine and find out what other Pinners are naming their boards.  Then you can add those words to name your boards and your pins will be shared more often. 

Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Dress Codes for Churchill Downs

While there is no dress code for guests purchasing general admission tickets to Churchill Downs, management reserves the right to deny admission to anyone whose attire they consider to be inappropriate.
Aristides Room • Stakes Room
Business Casual: Jackets preferred, blazers, vests, shirts with collars, sweaters, dresses, pantsuits, and slacks are appropriate. Jeans, shorts, tennis shoes, and denim are considered inappropriate attire, and are not permitted within these areas.
Finish Line Suites
Business Casual: Jackets, blazers, vests, shirts with collars, sweaters, dresses pantsuits, and slacks are appropriate. For regular racing, jeans are considered inappropriate. Children under the age of 12 are permitted to wear shorts. For Downs After Dark, jeans are permitted; however, tennis shoes and shorts are still not permitted within this area.
Jockey Club Suites
Business Casual: Jackets, blazers, vests, shirts with collars, sweaters, dresses, pantsuits, jeans and slacks are appropriate. For regular racing, shorts are considered inappropriate. Children under the age of 12 are permitted to wear shorts. For Downs After Dark, shorts are permitted; however, tennis shoes are still not permitted within this area.
Turf Suites • First Turf Suites • Section 110
Business Casual: Jackets preferred, blazers, vests, shirts with collars, sweaters, dresses, skirts, blouses, pantsuits, dress shoes/loafers and slacks are appropriate. Jeans, shorts, t-shirts, halter-tops, tennis shoes, and denim are considered inappropriate attire, and are not permitted within this area.
Matt Winn Dining Room
Shirts with collars, sweaters, dresses, pantsuits, and slacks are preferred and jackets are optional. Blazers, vest, golf shorts, dress shorts, dress jeans, and capris are appropriate. Frayed or torn denim is considered inappropriate attire.
Millionaires Row 4 • Millionaires Row 6
Shirts with collars, sweaters, dresses, pantsuits, and slacks are preferred and jackets are optional. Blazers, vest, golf shorts, dress shorts, dress jeans, and capris are appropriate. Worn or torn garments, tank tops, or midriff tops are not allowed in any of the above areas.
Skye Terrace
Shirts with collars, sweaters, dresses, pantsuits, and slacks are preferred and jackets are optional. Blazers, vest, golf shorts, dress shorts, dress jeans, and capris are appropriate. Frayed or torn denim is considered inappropriate attire.
Trophy Room
Business Casual: Jackets, blazers, vests, shirts with collars, sweaters, dresses, pantsuits, and slacks are appropriate. Jeans, shorts, tennis shoes, and denim are considered inappropriate attire, and are not permitted within these areas.
Turf Club
Business Casual: Jackets preferred, blazers, vests, shirts with collars, sweaters, dresses, pantsuits, and slacks are appropriate. Jeans, shorts, tennis shoes, and denim are considered inappropriate attire, and are not permitted within this area.
Twin Spires Gold Room
Shirts with collars, sweaters, dresses, pantsuits, and slacks are preferred and jackets are optional. Blazers, vest, golf shorts, dress shorts, dress jeans, and capris are appropriate. Frayed or torn denim is considered inappropriate attire.
#DerbyAttire #DerbyFashion #ChurchillDowns #KyOaks #KyDerby #Horseracing #DerbyHats #Runfortheroses

Wednesday, March 9, 2016

Vintage Resale is Booming

From The Business of Fashion:
http://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/n
ews-analysis/inside-the-booming-vintage-luxury-fashion-market?utm_source=Subscribers&utm_campaign=7a6e561b3c-&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_d2191372b3-7a6e561b3c-418261685?utm_source=Subscribers&utm_campaign=7a6e561b3c-&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_d2191372b3-7a6e561b3c-418261685

Saturday, February 6, 2016

10 Tips for Women Bloggers

When women first started blogging it was usually about their personal experiences with motherhood, caregiving, relationships, cooking, organizing, fashion, etc.  They were sharing their way of coping with their lives in the hope that they could help someone else.  "I know how you feel...I've been there myself" could have been the Mission Statement for their blogs.  The blogs were interesting and helpful then something changed.  Some bloggers realized that they could get more traffic by writing about controversial subjects or acting as if they were being attacked by readers. Listed below are my tips for bloggers:

1. NEVER use profanity. It shows a lack of class and education.  It's also vulgar and meaningless.  Profanity turns off a lot of readers and they won't return to your blog if they know that every paragraph is going to be filled with it.

2. Don't post a lot of photos of yourself.  If it's a fashion blog then two or three completely different photos will convey what you are blogging about.  People tire very easily when a blog is filled with "Selfies" so limit those to one.

3. If you are promoting your business you can't depend on the internet to be your only source of advertising.  Word of mouth is a clear indication of your success in the real world.  If you blog constantly but no one is contacting you for your services then maybe you are in the wrong business and need to go back to the real world. 

4. Remember that photos stay on the internet FOREVER!  Posting nude or partially nude photos on your blog means that you lose all control of your "intellectual property."  Maybe you have a hot "smokin'" body now but it won't stay that way as you age.  Someday you may want to run for public office or someone goes after you for some reason.  Do you want nearly nude or totally nude photos available for anyone to download and use against you?

5. Never pass yourself off as something you're not.  I know a blogger who claims to have had a very rough life, including being homeless.  She has never written about her experiences using dates so she makes it appear that she was homeless not long ago but suddenly she is a big success and shows off her new home.  Truth be told, her homelessness was the result of a divorce a long time ago and she had to move out because their house was sold.  Tell the truth bloggers...your readers aren't stupid!

6. There are bloggers who get their readers "riled up" in order to improve their stats and traffic. Anyone who has blogged for a period of time knows what their readers get upset over.  To create fictional stories about something that upsets people is just plain wrong.  If you do it too often then your readers will get wise and stop reading your blog. 

7. If you are lucky enough to have a lot of people following you then do them a favor and write about things that many of them can relate to.  Find interesting articles written by experts to share on your blog and be sure to give the authors credit.

8. Use your blog to help a movement gain momentum.  Choose something that is close to your heart.  You can help charities raise money by posting about their work.  Include a link to their website and social media sites.

9. Never criticize anyone or a company on your blog.  It will be on the internet forever and could get you in trouble if they decide to sue you.

10. Have fun with your blog.  When your content is upbeat and exciting it makes your readers happy that they took time out of their busy day to read your post.  Posts don't need to be long.  Keep them short and to the point.  The better readers feel the more likely they are to share your blog with their friends.

Monday, January 25, 2016

Simplicity Vintage Patterns in Today's Sizes


Simplicity Patterns paid attention to what women were wanting to wear and reissued some of their most popular patterns in sizes that will fit the modern woman. 










Sunday, January 10, 2016

Lily Pulitzer