the chic thing

on

THE CHIC THING

2020 preparation


 
Carlos (Santana) vegan bags: tote with cut-out design, plus two shoulder handbags: black; and a white one. Christmas gifts (lucky moi!) 

What is it about a new year? We start off with such great hopes and plans. And I do too. But the big difference this year is that I have been following up on my plans. Because a new decade, for me, especially this one, for no known reason, signals a new beginning.

Is this new beginning more hopeful in that I thought, sifted, and planned for what and how it could be be for moi? I think so. I am full of optimism.

how to make sustainable changes

Which leads me to, le slightly different New Look. I am a great believer in making small changes in all areas, the 5% method. Which is to make just a small change. I don't measure it in any way, I just make change which is 
  • small
  • relevant
  • totally doable
  • and totally maintainable

 And I have done this with my appearance. I started with  a pedicure which was a Christmas gift (thank you daughter). This is not something that I would normally do, so it was a lovely treat.

le coiffure

I've now got a shorter haircut, which suits me more. But I still prefer long hair. And I went to a very subtly lighter colour, which I do myself.

le make-up


I've ever so slightly updated my make-up, of which I absolutely always use very little. But I do use it, nearly every day. I haven't bought any more,  just made it all a bit more subtle.

Last year, my favourite make-up lady, from the local chemist actually, told me:
  • use brown eyeliner
  • I could skip blusher
  • have one foundation and one lipstick
As it's summer, I'm mixing my sunblock (spf 50) with my foundation. Which makes me look even less made-up. When I was quite young I used to dilute my foundation with witch hazel to make it less noticeable.

le wardrobe

I ruthlessly went through my summer clothes.

Sigh.

But I still am reigning in on spending, so no fantastic new wardrobe. Just some biffing. However, I did have a voucher from my birthday (thank you other daughter), so I got some summer tights and a top. At a sale! It was truly My Day.

And, this could be a bit OTT, but. To stop Dressing Dithering, of what I am very good at, in fact I excel at it, I matched up a top and a bottom (I have five of each for summer) on coat hangers. I couldn't believe that I was being so ridiculous doing it, but I am so glad that I have. And in doing so, I have introduced more colour into what I wear just by switching clothes around.

I am never going to be one of those glamorous "this is what I'm wearing" bloggers. It just isn't me. Also, I just don't think anyone can be glamorous when they are very short. But I do like to look nice each day. It makes me feel good. And it was my beloved Nanna who encouraged me to do it when I was a young teen. 

Lucky me. Does, or did, anyone else have a clothes mentor?






Comments

  1. At Home In New Zealand24 January 2020 at 14:07

    My paternal grandmother always loved to dress well. She introduced me to hat-wearing when I was about ten years old. I still love hats, although I don't own many of them (too hard to store! LOL).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ratnamurti Saraswati25 January 2020 at 20:06

      Grandmothers can make all the difference to a girl. I hope that I have to mine.

      Delete
  2. Bless24 January 2020 at 21:41

    A pedicure does sound like a lovely treat! Especially at the start of your summer, when you might be wearing more sandals than closed shoes.

    I like long hair. I am still growing mine out from when I lost all of it due to chemo. It is shoulder length now. I might trim it, just a bit at the ends, but, I won't cut it. Nor do I color it. :) As for make up, unless I am going out to a party, I just use moisturizer and lipstick (yes, I, too have just one lipstick). If I am going to a party, I might add eye shadow and eye liner. That's all. No foundation.

    As for clothes, I probably have too much! At the beginning of last year, my daughter helped me go through my closet and we decluttered a bunch of items to donate. It might be time to do so, again.

    I really enjoyed this post. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ratnamurti Saraswati25 January 2020 at 20:05

      I'm so glad you enjoyed it. I have just cut my hair. I had decided to grow it long again but it's summer and it was just too hot on my head!

      Delete
  3. Shelbee on the Edge31 January 2020 at 09:28

    Aw, this was a fun post to read and see what changes you are gradually implementing to live your best life. I have recently switched from black eyeliner to brown (or other lighter colors). I think it is less harsh. But I very occasionally will still break out the black eyeliner. I love that your Nanna was your style mentor. I did not really have anyone for that when I was growing up and I always dressed so differently from everyone else around me. It was how I expressed myself and was often teased for it. But here I am all these years later still wearing whatever the heck I want and making a career out of it. Haha. Thanks for linking up with me!

    Shelbee
    www.shelbeeontheedge.com

    ReplyDelete
  4. Ratnamurti Saraswati31 January 2020 at 13:13

    Am chuckling as I read this Shelbee. Sometimes I do want to "break out" and dress more creatively. I like looking at what you wear, it's creative, expressive.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment