The older we get, the more important it is to accessorize. Or is that exercise? Either way, you probably know someone who needs a little of one or the other. Or both.
This public service blog post is brought to you in the spirit of well-dressed 44 year olds everywhere.
Today was “Oh No You Didn’t” Day at my daughter’s junior high school, where kids were encouraged to wear outfits that would send their classmates and affable teachers into fits of laughter saying “Oh No You Didn’t!” It’s the 4th in a week of crazy clothing days, a great idea for the middle of a snowy, cold winter near Chicago.
But my 12 year old’s crazy outfit that included striped legwarmers, multiple mismatched shirts and Mardi Gras beads got me thinking about something I’d heard on Oprah or What Not to Wear or one of the other shows I don’t watch obsessively.
Take One Thing Off.
If you’re of the accessorizing breed, and not all women are, when you look in the mirror in the morning, what do you see? Earrings? Watch? Bracelet? Necklace? Scarf? Headband? Rings?
Rule of thumb for me, for the past few months has been to tow the line and Take One Thing Off. And like with so many other things in life. Less is more. No more do I feel the need to wear my watch and a bracelet. And if I do, I take off a ring. Earrings and a necklace? Sure. But little earrings, or little else.
I have nice jewelry. Real and costume. But that doesn’t mean I have to wear it all at the same time. One day a great necklace — my big super hoops the next. I think that the fewer accessories you have on, the less you look like you’re trying to prove. It’s true that you can’t buy class — but you can fake it and this is a good start.
Unless of course it’s “Oh No You Didn’t” Day in your town — and unless you’re 12, I’m just not buying it.
February 28th, 2008I once saw some show that said you should not wear more than five things as accesories, which includes hair accessories, eyeglasses, wedding bands and watch. I think it’s a pretty good rule of thumbe and I tend to go pretty simple too.
I used to feel that if I wore a watch (which I don’t do much anymore because I have a thing with stuff around my wrists and I always have my cell phone with me to tell time) I had to wear a bracelet on the other wrist to balance it out.
But now I don’t worry about that so much. I just wear a few simple but fairly good quality pieces and I’m happy.
February 29th, 2008I would not dream of leaving the house without earrings and in the summer without having polish on my toe nails - I think that is a southern thing. Beyond that it’s my wedding ring and watch and that is it, oh and a great handbag. I love and appreciate jewelry and accessories on other people, but I’m at a point in my life where I just don’t want to mess with it.
March 2nd, 2008Very cute story and great advice, too
March 4th, 2008Crap, I think I’m tacky…I have two rings, one on each hand…bracelets on one hand that my husband gave me on my wedding day as part of our Hindu ceremony, a bangle watch that I purchased at eBay, smallish hoop earrings, and most days I wear my favorite necklace, a little gold flower that I got on my vacation to Hawaii a few years ago. With the exception of the watch, they all have special meaning to me….but suddenly I’m wondering, do I look like a woman out of “I married the mob” or something? Ack!