One unintended side-effect of the Six-Items Challenge was that I grew very tired of publishing photos of myself! A variation of this "Chanel" look appeared earlier this month on Jill's Everything Just So blog. I found the jacket for $1 in a thrift, pairing it with a contrasting shell, and a vivid blue skirt. The shoes are a dark blue suede with patent toes. Somehow I doubt that Coco would approve of the blue and perhaps she would recoil in horror at the phenomenon of thrift stores, though in her early days she was quite a scrapper.
Often when I take a blog break, I return bursting with creativity and new ideas. And while I do have a few new ideas up my sleeve this time, the health situation of two dear family friends has given me pause in recent weeks. Clothes have come to seem like a way to disguise our basic human vulnerability. I've given much thought to the phenomenon of style blogging, feeling like I'm caught between the airiness of pixels and the "meat" of physically styling clothing
I've cleaned my closet yet again and I fear that it is now down to its essential "Frenchness," where it basically was before I began to blog. During the first week of my break, I read--things like Inez de Fressange' book (finally); Susan Sommer's French Chic, Alison Houette's Alligators, Old Mink and New Money, and eBay for Dummies. The problem with Frenchness is that the "chic" of it is often revealed up close and personal...and if one makes that their aesthetic, there's not much to publish pretty pictures about.
Mostly I've been rummaging. The inventory for my store has increased by leaps and bounds. I've devised a system to repair, launder, iron, steam, photograph, and sort the items I've amassed into a workable system. I'm still serving my apprenticeship of sorts on eBay and won't reveal my identity there until I'm over the worst of my mistakes.
I have lurked in the blogosphere noting the passing of Anna Piagi and Helen Gurley Brown. I've followed the intensity of the dust-up at Independent Fashion Bloggers. I was pleased with the attention the Huffington Post gave to Sacramento, Judith, Deja Pseu, Joni, Kim France, and Patti! And I've made a note of the arrival of Nora Bird's little one.
Now, if Coco Chanel were alive today, what do you think she would make of the upcoming fashion week, the advent of fast fashion, and the phenomenon of style blogging?
I love the blue skirt with the tweedy jacket. It's very classic and modern at the same time.
ReplyDeleteI imagine if Coco were here today, she'd be appalled by the machine that is the fashion industry these days, but I imagine she'd live up to what she always was - an innovator. What was she, but a budding DIY-er using unconventional materials to make truly convenient, fashionable clothing.
MeganMae--Yes, Coco might agree with the innovation, but I suspect she was pretty exacting in her standards.
DeleteTerri, I'm so glad to see you. I thought the six-capsule challenge might have wearied you of a public style journey altogether!
ReplyDeleteYou look very beautiful in your Chanel-inspired ensemble.
Sometimes I mull over my life - and my closet - and wonder if documenting what I'm wearing is trivial, or if my energies could be focused elsewhere. I wonder if I'm working too hard to get dressed, or to document it.
But many of us reveal ourselves through our style - and maybe use it on a daily basis to feed creative needs and social outlets - and what you and many of our blogging friends are doing - celebrating beautiful women who aren't in a very youthful or magazine-fodder group is pretty cool. And the friendships are priceless.
I hope you reveal your identity before all the good stuff gets gone ;P
Lynne--Given the health scare at your household, I'm surprised you're commenting! Hope things are improving.
DeleteI don't think documenting is trivial, but when Rags began very few photos of myself as a mature woman existed. I think I'm over the initial daringness of it. Like you I value the sense of community the MOST!
Don't worry, I began with relatively unimportant merchandise. Once I hit 30 feedbacks, I WILL share my identity on eBay.
You look very sharp in your Chanel-inspired outfit. Finding that balance in life between style and fun and the serious stuff...not always easy. Your blue skirt is very on-trend! Thanks for the mention; I was so very honored to be included in that group!
ReplyDeleteDejaPseu--thank you. The serious stuff has a way of dominating one's thoughts at times. You totally deserved the recognition!
DeleteTerri,
ReplyDeleteFirst I want to say that I really like the post above, by Lynne DeVenny. I too wonder about the triviality of posting my outfits and but then I enjoy it and I enjoy the true sisterhood and community feel of real life bloggers.
I appreciate her thoughts about celebrating beautiful women who don't fit the perceived mold of perfection created by some style entities (including bloggers and blog advertisers.
I like your Chanel inspired outfit.....the unexpected pop of blue is so fun.
Lisa--There are times that it seems to me that we are playing "dress up." I like doing that actually! And I'm always in favor of breaking out of the mold.
DeleteI've traded in my bright red skirt (busted zipper), for this equally bright one.
That jacket was only $1? Wow, GREAT find! I love how you've paired it with bright blue here.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry to hear about your friends, and I totally understand the feeling that maybe outfits and certainly style blogging isn't all that important when there's big things happening in your real life (if that's what you were getting at?). But at the same time, it's kind of a nice escape.
Anne--Not only was the jacket $1, but there was something in the pocket that I received $30 for! It paid for itself many times over.
DeleteDH and I are at an age where I suspect that we'll need to come to better terms with mortality, but I'm not certain that one ever quite gets used to the idea that we won't always be here.
I agree that Chanel would in all probability heartily approve of op-shopping, since in an early collection she made women's dresses from a very cheap stretch knit fabric that up until her innovative use of it, had previously been considered suitable only for men's underwear!
ReplyDeleteWhat is the dust-up over at Independent Fashion Bloggers? I'm out of that loop... please do tell...
Carolyn--I remember that bit about her using inexpensive knit fabric. Perhaps we have her to thank for the ubiquitous t-shirts today. The dust-up had to do with the suggestion that bloggers who are not "top tier" (many thousands of hits a month) may not be trying hard enough. I'll leave it at that.
DeleteOh sorry, I hit publish before I meant to add on the end that I like your outfit! I have a bright blue skirt too that is proving surprising fantastic to mix in with all manner of other colours. I love yours with the charcoal Chanel style jacket, very chic :)
ReplyDeleteC.--the blue skirt replaces last season's bright red one, but I've only begun to style it. We'll see what else I come up with.
DeleteStyle is trivial perhaps, but then again, it's not. It's a way of connecting with our tribe. Especially for older women, including myself, it's a way of reclaiming our voice, our visibility as Patti would say, in a culture that would negate us and relegate us to the background. As we mourn for the people transitioning (my husband went to a funeral this week) we should share our "glad rags" to celebrate life and community.
ReplyDeleteI don't gravitate to to Chanel's style, but I'm deeply aware of the innovations she brought to women's fashion. We wouldn't be blogging today I really believe, if she hadn't rebelled and added her voice, changing the course of history, fashion and otherwise. I don't have a Chanel-esque outfit, but I love yours. You look perfect, in my opinion.
Jean--I don't think style is trivial at all. I like your notion of the "tribe", although on the exterior you and I might not seem to belong to the same tribe...and yet, we do. I like the notion of "glad rags" lifting our spirits. I know today, in spite of worry about these two dear friends, I received many compliments on my professional presentation.
DeleteI think you're right that she did indeed give many women courage.
Is there a link to the Huffington Post's thoughts that mentions the blogs you linked? I'd love to read it! I hope your friends get well soon!
ReplyDeleteI can't believe I didn't include the link! Here it is:
Deletehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/10/fashion-over-50_n_1764273.html
I totally agree with Jean. Couldn't have said it better myself. I sat back for months watching style blogs and thinking they were a bit self indulgent. But after trying it for myself I was so pleasantly surprised at the power they have to teach us nurturing towards each other, celebrating our individuality, and having courage to trying new things. Not to mention the confidence we gain from the wonderful compliments we receive. With all this I now watch myself acting differently in public places. I talk to women more, and with confidence too.
ReplyDeleteI've always loved the classic style of a Chanel suit but I've never owned anything that looks like one. I think because most of my life I've lived pretty casually.
Joni--It took me several months of watching before I jumped on board. It was the gift of a camera that pushed me into this top of blog originally. I too now carry myself differently. For example, today I attended a day of pre-semester meetings. I was aware as I arrived that other women were looking to see what I wore...and compliments ensued. That never used to happen on a regular basis.
DeleteI lived fairly casually too for many years...though nowadays, a skirt or dress feels as natural as a pair of jeans once did.
I think Chanel would have approved.
ReplyDeleteFirstly of your outfit - you look divinely chic here Terri! I love this outfit and $1 for that jacket??? What a bargain!
Secondly of women blogging - Chanel was about women finding a style that they could be comfortable in and she was a rebel against the establishment in insisting on wearing clothes the way she wanted to. I think there are many bloggers out there doing what they are doing because they are essentially saying "I am not someone who conforms to what fashion dictates is fashionable, either in body shape, age, budget or lifestyle, but I still like dressing and want to be stylish in a way that is relevant to my life" I think Coco would have got that.
Veshoevius--Coco might have understood the impulse, although I can sort of hear her snarking a bit too.
DeleteYou look very elegant and smart in your Chanel-inspired outfit. Her trademark look isn't one I tend to gravitate to but I can appreciate it for its historical significance and its elegance.
ReplyDeleteI have moments of wondering about style blogging too, but I really like and agree with all the comments above as to why such activity is not all about self-indulgence. I always think of Judith when the accusation of triviality or superficiality raises its head. She used her style explorations to help her through the worst of times, in a way that was inspiring and anything but superficial, and through her blog, made connections and friendships which hopefully offered support and love.
Good luck with Ebay. And I will have to check out the Huffington Post's mention of the bloggers you listed.
Nice to have you back, Terri! xxxxxx
Curtise--thank you! Her style definitely changed after WW2...and I have to admire her ability to reinvent herself and to keep going as an older woman. I included a link to the HuffingtonPost article in a reply to a comment above. And, yes, I'll be glad to have my "gang of girls" when the end comes for these dear friends.
DeleteGosh, what a rich post. The last two sentences of your second paragraph struck me as poetic and profound. I've no insight into the politics at IFB, though I do recognise some of the names you listed. I have worried that you would disappear from blogland after your trials with (and awakening from) the six-items challenge. I wasn't a reader in your early days so didn't realise you weren't always a massive collector. You are such a tease regarding your eBay site! I've been looking for you there, not that I'm likely to buy and ship internationally, but just to see what you post for sale and to learn from your journey. I really am going to have to either make massive hauls to the charity shops or get busy on eBay. I visited a warehouse yesterday that was for selling (indoors in winter is always best here in Britain), but they don't have much traffic so the £10/day fee seems a bit naff. May try it out anyhow, just for the experience. As to Chanel, I think she would be filled with scorn at the stupid shoes in fashion and with horror at the sloppiness of most clothing manufacture; otherwise my guess is that she'd be among the best at promoting the haute-ness of her couture, which would probably be little changed. She had her style and she stuck to it. I do so hope you don't disappear from blogging and please do share your eBay site!
ReplyDeleteShelley--I'm not ready to dissolve into the ether, but I don't think I'm fully equipped to write the kind of thinky fashion blog I sometimes admire (Autumn at The Beheld is a great example of this).
DeleteActually, I had an inquiry to sell an item in Australia and declined in part because I'm still learning the ins and outs of domestic shipping!
Do I understand that you have to pay 10 pounds to enter this shopping place? Do you get anything in return for that?
You're right that Coco would not understand the stilleto heels and the mis-shapen items.
£10/day is what they charge for renting space to sell your items; 50pence is the admission for potential buyers and buys a cup of coffee/tea.
DeleteInspired by you I plan to do a wardrobe inventory during my last two days off work before term starts again.
ReplyDeleteI love the jacket. I saw an article the other day about a fashion journalist who wore a Chanel jacket every day for a month. I love challenges but I think that was a challenge too far.
Jane--I hope you share the results of your inventory. I am naturally curious to see how the size of my wardrobe compares. It is smaller than the list I published in July, but still on the large side. Hm, I'm wondering if I could style this jacket daily for a month...does this person have a blog?
DeleteHi Terri, thank you for yet another thoughtful post, and to the other commenters as well for expanding discussion. I'm a Johnny-come-lately to fashion blogging but have been lurking a while, really appreciating your tours of the local methods of shopping, your thoughts and perspectives, and your 6-items journey.
ReplyDeleteI send good thoughts to the health of your loved ones. I admire your stance and the set of your shoulders in this gorgeous outfit!
Amber--I have been pondering abandoning the Window Shopping Project, but now that you've said you enjoy it--perhaps I'll persist. And thank you for the good thoughts; they need them.
DeleteWhat a great classic look. I am not a fashion blogger but I enjoy reading fashion blogs and find challenges particularly interesting. Certainly reading fashion blogs makes me more aware of what I have, what I should get rid of and what I may or may not purchase in the future.
ReplyDeleteDarla
Darla--You might be interested to know that prior to style blogging, I was quite engrossed in paper crafting for several years. Oddly, I never quite thought to blog about that...and yet, I always enjoy yours!
DeleteYou always (always!) post provocative comments when I am just running past without time to reflect! Now stop that! ;-)
ReplyDeleteLove the look.
I think Coco would have rolled with the times. She was that kind of woman.
April--Ah, this thinky stuff will pass and soon enough, I'll be back to posting photos...And yes, Coco was nothing if not a "survivor."
DeleteGlad you are back. It's so hard to know what Chanel would think. The world has changed so profoundly since her day. But it'd be interesting to find out. Kind of like wondering if Babe Ruth would be a star in 2012, right?
ReplyDeleteLisa--Hm, Babe Ruth--steroids? I want to give Chanel credit as a couturier and suspect that "fast fashion" might appall her. I like thought problems like this...
DeleteI've never been much of a fan of Chanel's style and to tell you the truth know very little about her apart from the oft-quoted tips which never fail to annoy me. You, on the other hand, look fabulous in that smart jacket, I'd love to see you rock it with distressed jeans and your cool cowboy hat.
ReplyDeleteI loved Alison Houlte's book, it was one of the last things my Mum ever bought me.
Nice to have you back, Terri. xxx
Vix--Ha, I could NOT picture you in a sedate jacket, shoes, and with a quilted purse! Your style is definitely distinctive! I love the styling idea...and who knows, I may appear in it sooner than not. I loved the Houtte book; it made eBay seems doable. And, it's nice to be back.
DeleteCoco would say that blogging IS fashion, as it is in the air, it has to do with ideas! I have been finding some terrific quotes from her, far more thought-provoking than the usual ones bandied about. I hope to do a post on them sometime. Thank you for the mention and thank you for posting on Chanel's birthday! You look terrific, btw. XO, Jill
ReplyDeleteJill--I so agree that fashion IS ideas! And I look forward to some fresh quotes! And BTW, YOU are the one who put the birthday on my radar.
DeleteClassy & elegant, Terri!
ReplyDeleteI absolutely adore this look! :)
Jeannie--thank you! It was the blue that pressed the boundaries for me.
DeletePretty outfit. I love the vibrancy of the blue in the skirt.
ReplyDeleteThere's lots happening socially and in fashion. Learning about Coco led me to discover some unpleasant facts about her; I'm not sure her perspective on the present is the prism I'd want to look through.
Shybiker--I agree that there IS some unpleasantness about her or at the very least "murky history." And thank you for liking the blue.
DeleteYou look fabulous, classy and the epitome of French chic!!
ReplyDeleteGlad your back!!
Tamera--thank you. I probably could have added a French roll in my hair...and a little quilted bag...and pearls.
DeleteI very much like the jacket you are wearing and the blouse under it.
ReplyDeleteI am not a Chanel fan, in fact, I am surprised by all the fuss still going so strong about her and Paris.
Italy is more to my liking. Did Anna Piagi pass away? I never knew..
Just shows how aware I am of the celebs.
So great to read about your decluttering-operation. How much did you save for yourself?
Yep, summer ( which never actually ever arrived ) is passing away over here too. So little left of it. Sigh.
Mette--I think we have to admire Chanel for insisting upon clothing that allowed women to move for one thing.
DeletePiagi's death was presented as something unexpected. She died at home in early August. I don't think she appeared at the shows last year.
Alas, I think I have simply moved the clutter from one room to another...while I sell it off on eBay!
I think it's great that you're full of creativity and ideas after your break--that's what a break is for! I love this "French" look, I've been looking for a jacket with that "Chanel" vibe. As far as the French aesthetic, would giving more detail shots help capture the feel? I don't know, I'm just wondering. I'm trying to do more detail shots myself, but it's not something I'm great at remembering to do!
ReplyDeleteShea--I began to realize that I needed a break in mid-July. I found myself using the word "fabulous" in a lot of the comments I was leaving on other blogs. Fabulous is a word I never use in daily life...and I knew I needed to get back to HONESTLY thinking about the blog at hand.
DeleteDetail shots are a good idea...
I am sorry to hear about your friends. I struggle too, with loving clothes and knowing that focusing on my clothes is a coping mechanism for me. It's a way to distract myself from the more important things in life - the things that are just too heavy to carry all the time.
ReplyDeleteKitty--I like the idea of clothing as a coping mechanism. I know it got me through the first day of the semester without letting on about the concern I felt about our friends. Before you know, you'll have grandbabies...and a diaper over your shoulder!
Deleteterri, your post makes me pondering, thank you for that. i am well aware that fashion is a nice minor matter but it enhances my days it makes me changing, becoming more open and more attentive in real life. i fully agree with jonis comment. nevertheless friends and family are more important naturally.
ReplyDeleteif coco were alive today, i think she would be a fashion blogger in her off time. you look so pretty in french chic!
Sabine--Of course, style blogging has taught me to have a finer eye for reading people in my daily life! I suppose there is NO other activity than can truly take the edge off of our human mortality.
DeleteDear Terri, you look lovely in your Chanel inspired outfit. As for balancing style and life, one blogger who continues to inspire me is Judith of Style Crone. As for Chanel, I think it was difficult to figure out what she was thinking in her own time, let alone ours. She was kind of an enigma.
ReplyDeleteSusan--thank you. Several have mentioned Judith as a shining example of using style to cope with the vicissitudes of life. And, yes, she was an enigma...
DeleteThe blue is great. I think CC would have not been adverse to thrifting at all. Fascinated by the French titles, do you think if I sought them out I would be inspired to have a clearout? Good luck on Ebay, my major tip is never ever forget to get proof of postage - we've all heard about unscrupulous sellers but there are also a few unscrupulous buyers out there too! x
ReplyDeleteComtesse--It wasn't exactly the French titles that inspired the clear-out. It was the 6-Item challenge, although the French titles guided me in my honing. I'm taking your tip! Have yet to begin to ship internationally.
DeleteI have no idea what Coco might've thought; I read a biography of her about 20 years ago, and much of it's long since escaped my memory. Perhaps time to revisit Mademoiselle. (That part I do remember.) Anyway, *I* definitely like it.
ReplyDeleteI am doing so much thinking about my clothes and where I want to go with them that I hardly have time to think of new outfits. *Something* is up with me and my own rags, but I'm still working out what it is.
Ana--It's been a while since I've read anything about her (Justine Picardie's book was the last one I read). I'll be curious to see where your Rags are taking you.
DeleteI think Chanel would be appalled by the state of "fashion" today. She was very opinionated; she hated the mini skirt for instance. I think she would love style bloggers that channel her own view of style, but would hate all the others. I can just imagine what she would say about some of the shoes!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Sabine; she would just start her own blog to tell all the women of the world how they should dress.
Lizzie--I'm not sure Mademoiselle would have appreciated any competition or knock-offs. According to Jill at Everything Just So, she and Schiap locked horns in their life-time. I think she may deserve some credit for freeing up our mid-sections.
DeleteI'd love it if someone started a Coco's Ghost blog. I'd be an avid reader.
I knew she wrote poetry and diet books, but "French Chic"? Have you seen the stuff she designed for HSN? Not French, not Chic, but lots of fun.
ReplyDeleteI like you jacket. Wish we had a closer look at the shoes- they sound great.
Beryl--It is NOT the Susan Sommers you are thinking of! This books would have been published in 1988. And I do need to start including more detail shots.
DeleteHmm, I certainly think French chic is the antithesis of style blogging, since it seems to revolve around about five different outfits. I appreciate the simplicity, and would like to introduce some of it on my own terms. I like the outfit, and while I'm not sure what she would think of the blue, I sometimes wonder what she would think of Chanel the brand's endless rehashing of her ideas without much creativity or nodding to the passing of time...
ReplyDeleteEmily--I would have to agree about lagerfeld's rehashing! And we will have to see how long my "simplicity" phase lasts. I'm learning now to think of clothing as a commodity, which is certainly a new way to think about it.
DeleteI think Coco might be horrified of fast fashion. After being trained on sewing machines in the convent, she decided to make her designs by hand (saw this in her bio movie). Euro chic is "less is more", so style blogging might seem odd to Coco. Then again, she was so innovative... she might like it because she wanted to make women comfortable and happy and style blogging makes us happy. :-)
ReplyDeleteStyle Higher--I think Coco would be horrified by fast fashion and especially by the working conditions. I seem to recall that she put Russian royalty to work in her studio for a time.
DeleteI have watched a little bit of media on coco chanel and it seems like she was a very strong personality!
ReplyDeleteMeri--she was indeed a strong personality.
DeleteHappy to have you back! Your look today is very polished and your post filled with rich expression. I'm sorry to hear that you're concerned for the health of friends. For me, creating outfits is healing and sometimes it feels like body armor.
ReplyDeleteI'm eager to hear more about your eBay adventure. I need to downsize, so your experiences will peak my interest.
Thank you so much for the mention, Terri.
Judith--I needed to hear your words about the "healing" in fashion. There is not much else we can actually DO about the situation at hand.
DeleteBy the end of the month, I will have had 10+ sales, although not everything has sold.
It is always so good to come here to visit- you look like a proper lady- but I live Vixs vision of you pairing it with distressed jeans and a cowboy hat! Thoughtful as ever I think French" style may come naturally after a clothing experiment. I can't wait to hear more about your eBay endeavors- wishing you lots of success!
ReplyDeleteBella--I'm actually planning to do a take on Vix' idea because I like it too. And thank you for the good wishes.
DeleteI remember "trying" French-style for years and it frustrated me endlessly. Clearly I wasn't doing it "right"! White button-up shirts make me feel old. A pair of "perfect" jeans make me feel like a drone. A pair of plain black heeled court shoes make me feel like I need to just end it all now. Chanel would have probably disapproved of me immensely, but then, maybe not. I used to have such respect for her, for creating a style that was her own and free-ing woman from their stays and corsets (hooray!!). But after WWII, her clothes seemed all so very "samey".Now I've read more about her political allegiances and nicking off with married men, I don't see a lot to celebrate. Perhaps the war broke her spirit more than we realise, a shame as she started out with so much talent. I just know this comment will make me unpopular with many, but to me, style is about moving on, not stagnating.
ReplyDeleteDesiree--I agree that WW2 changed CoCo--she found a formula that worked and stuck with it. I would agree that style is about moving on and that is why the reverence for all things French troubles me at times. Until I retire, I feel like my own style experiments are in a bit of a holding pattern. And yes, I know I'm a bit staid, but my hair is not short and curled up tight in blue curls either.
Deletelove your skirt!
ReplyDeletehttp://forallthatjas.blogspot.com/
Jas--Welcome to Rags and thank you!
Delete