I admit it, I hopped on the Lana Del Ray bandwagon.  This weekend the hubby and I were having a painting party (sounds like fun doesn’t it) and that’s what we listened to.  After 3 days, I actually like her music and my ceiling and crown molding are a bright pretty white.

This is what I wore to brunch for Mommies Day.  The skirt you might recognize from this post, and the shirt from this one.  Looking at these old posts makes me realize how far my photographs have come…

Wearing in Wonderland – Zara top, J.Crew skirt, Clare Vivier clutch, Miu Miu high heels, Alexander McQueen flower skull ring and Tom Ford ‘Nico’ sunglasses

Blazer, tee, skinnies, heels — Lather, rinse, repeat….

With summer upon us, I must start making changes to my usual attire. I’ll begin by trading out my heavy blazer for ones made out of cotton or linen.  Then maybe instead of skinnies, I’ll add a dress or skirt to the mix.

Here are some of the summer blazers I have my eye on…

From the top and clockwise – Rory Beca ‘Sofia’ linen jacket, Line & Dot peaches and cream blazer, ASOS linen workwear blazer, Gibson Linen One-Button Blazer

I like fashion, therefore, I’m vain.

I am soooo tired of going out and feeling that I stick out like a sore thumb because I’m dressed up.  Am I really dressed up? When did “dressing up” become considered taboo?  Obviously, I do not “dress up” all the time — I have definitely been known to run errands in my flip flops or gym clothes.  All I’m asking is don’t scrunch your nose at me because I’ve decided to attempt to look my best.

I would like to know…

Now I’m not some kind of puritan by ANY means. Yes, we have a casual society but that doesn’t mean we’ve all lost our dignity.

I live in a part of the country that is known more for football than fashion.  We have rabid sports fans here.  Fashion is considered frivolous, which I find hard to believe when I know what fans pay for season tickets!  So do I make fun of it… yeah, a bit.  It’s not my thing but if you love it, good for you!  Fashion makes me happy, it’s my art and I like to collect pieces.

That being said, I feel that fashion suffers major stereotypes:

Fashion stereotype #1 – It’s about elitism.

Dressing well does not make you an elitist.  Dressing well should not be to portray an air of superiority.  Dressing well is a good thing, people!  Style does not come with a price tag; it comes with experience and the feeling that what you purchased is special.  It’s not about elitism — it’s about joie de vivre.

Fashion stereotype #2 - It’s for vain people.

Dressing well can be an opportunity to show respect to those around you.  As a society we are expected to dress well for a host of social gatherings, be it job interview or religious ceremony.  The attire you select allows you to dignify not only the occasion but those in attendance by demonstrating the extra effort you’ve made. The care and time spent can be an outward example of the appreciation you have for others.  In other words, grooming yourself and wearing a freshly ironed shirt does not make you vain!

Fashion stereotype #3 – It’s too expensive.

Not all fashion is expensive.  Yes, absolutely it can be, but some of my favorite finds have been from estate sales or ebay.  Target has been an excellent resources for bringing designer fashion to the masses.  Walmart even had fashion designer Norma Kamali do an inexpensive clothing line for them.  If you can’t afford something you like, why not make it yourself?  I know I have!  DIYs are taking over the internet — just spend 5 minutes on Pinterest and you’ll come across a DIY showing you how to imitate designer duds on a dime.  (Follow my favorite DIY blogs for all kinds of ideas: Honestly…WTF, I spy DYI, PS I made this, and Love Maegan)

A casual outfit denotes a casual attitude.  Obviously one should never judge a book by its cover, but that old saying shouldn’t give us all an incentive to walk around in our pjs.  I’m not going to pretend that fashion is rocket science and that it’s going to change the world.  But I will say that fashion can say a lot about a person and a society.  It reflects times of joy, pain, and poverty, as this quote from Life magazine points out how the war in the 1940s affected clothing production which in turn affected  a women’s appearance.

“Uncle Sam last week assumed the role of fashion designer.  Sweeping restrictions aim to save 15 percent of the yardage now used on women’s and girls’ apparel through such measures as restricting hems and belts to two inches, eliminating cuffs on sleeves.  Exempt categories include bridal gowns, maternity dresses, vestments for religious orders.” - Life Magazine, April 20, 1942

So let’s not pretend that what we wear doesn’t matter.  It does. Let’s take a little stock in how we look.  It will probably not only make you feel better about yourself, but others will respect your efforts.  Dress for Success is one of my FAVORITE charities and provides professional work attire for women in need.  This organization knows that to be successful you have to have the tools to do so, and showing up in daisy dukes isn’t going to cut it.  I’m not expecting every guy to start wearing suits or for women to wear heels and skirts all the time.  I’m just suggesting let’s take some pride in ourselves!  If you want to rock pink hair go for it, but be well groomed.  Here’s a pink hairdo I would love to have!

Photos from Flickr and Peopleofwalmart.com