Preparing for a Different Normal

Notice to those receiving email notices from this blog: In July 2021, Blogger is discontinuing this service. I have been trying to work this "feed" service thing out but have not yet been successful. Presently I can't even access who is on my email service list so I can't contact you directly. You will have to either bookmark this blog address or simply visit me periodically to see what I have written lately. I'll be working on it but I can't make any promises. Thanks for your patience and understanding. And now to my post, something I have a relative amount of control over . . .

no thanks to pandemics

noteworthy that we are moving toward a new normal

need for more people to be vaccinated

nice that we are on the road again 

2020-21 has been an unsettling year. We have been given the opportunity to experience and live through a truly global event. The pandemic affected everyone on this planet. Through science and compliance with vaccination protocol, we will overcome this hurdle. Those who are choosing not to vaccinate are hindering humankind's general well-being. Think of polio and if you are too young to have remembered standing in line in elementary school for the polio vaccine, do some research. Trust science. I am alive today because insulin was invented.  OK, enough of that rant, this is a blog about clothing after all.

That being said, Covid-19 has affected what we consider "normal". It's time to prepare for a different normal. I don't believe we can resume "back to normal" or what was once practised as "normal". We are or at least should be much more aware of the correlation between basic hygiene and health, and hopefully, be more conscious of spreading a virus. How many of us didn't hesitate going to work, sniffling, sneezing and coughing with "just a cold" or "the beginnings of the more common flu" in the past? Continuing to wear masks, particularly if suffering from the common cold or flu, makes perfect sense.

As we move toward the normalcy we all want, my husband and I hope to be spending time in France this year. When we go, it will only be for three months since we do not want to deal with the onerous process of getting a long-stay visa. Yes, Canadians need a visa if they are staying longer than three months. Many think, both in Canada and in France, that because of Canada's historic relationship with France we don't. We do. And the fines imposed, if you are detected staying longer than you should, are significant. 

But back to preparing for my trip. I still cannot travel with only a carry-on because of all the non-clothing items I take. Here are some of the things I need to take or have taken when staying away for the long haul.

Protein Powder and Supplements: All the protein powders in France (or so I have found) contain sucralose and I have chosen not to use any products using this artificial sweetener. Most of the ones you buy in Canada do not contain this product anymore. I guess Canadian rats show different results in scientific analysis than French ones. So if you use protein powders in smoothies, it's preferable to bring it from home. I also find their prices for protein powders anywhere from twice to three times as expensive.

Many companies offer a single-use packet, which is convenient for short-term travel. Also, check to see if the country you are visiting allows you to bring in this product or supplements generally. Several years ago, a friend had all hers confiscated when entering Australia. Actually, any food item is suspect and you are lucky if they simply take it away and don't fine you. An apple or an orange is not worth $300.00.

Medication: I'm a diabetic and have gotten into the habit of taking all my medication and supplies for the time I will be away. Yes, of course, I can buy any of the above in France, but my Canadian health insurance will not cover it, nor will medical travel insurance because my diabetes is a pre-existing condition. It makes economic sense to take what I need.

My supplies for 4 to 6 months take a fair amount of space. As well the Freestyle Libre monitor calculates blood sugar levels in different calibrations depending on which country you live in. I have purchased one in France but I'm not accustomed to reading 3 digit numbers since I'm used to average readings in single digits.

I try not to take many clothes because I have a summer wardrobe in France, which is probably better than what I have in Canada.

I have already written about a more extensive list of clothing to take on a trip to Europe in the fall (underwear excluded) — August to October Trip to France.

This year I'll be wearing the following on the aeroplane:

• a mask

• a pair of skinny leg Buffalo blue jeans — I don't wear white jeans when I know I have to wear the same clothing for 24 hours. 
• my seersucker Smythe plaid blazer that goes great with jeans. I got this photo from lyst.com a while back but it's no longer in their inventory.

• a blue merino long sleeve lightweight wool top (planes are often cold)

• my white Keds

In my carry-on:

• my three-month supply of diabetic supplies and medication. Medications should always be with you and not packed in your checked luggage owing to temperature fluctuations and most importantly, the possibility of loss.
• over-the-counter decongestant tablets or nasal spray for take-off and landing (if you have trouble with your ears in these situations) and eye drops for dry eyes.
• my journal and two pens
• my laptop and European plug-in converter
• packaged snack foods (in case my blood sugars start dropping and I need something quickly)
• my 100% moderate weight cotton beige & white shawl (a recent acquisition) or my camel-coloured cashmere shawl (I always need more than the little blanket you get on overnight trips when flying Economy)
• an oversized t-shirt and lightweight cotton pants or shorts (respectable substitute for pyjamas) to change into when taking an overnight flight
• basic toiletries including moisturizer, lip balm, hand-sanitizer wipes, toothpaste, and toothbrush. I have taken more in the past but never seem to use it.
• an extra pair of glasses

This year, I might be packing the following favourites in my checked luggage:

• my LBD (little black dress). I've carried it back and forth over the pond for years. Maybe it's time to get a second one.
• my favourite scarves and signature necklaces. Scarves don't weigh much so I can rationalize taking a few but as for the necklaces, I can always make another one or two or three while I'm there.
• my Burberry white tailored shirt
• dressy black flats
• beige heels

As well as . . .  two items I will take and leave there — a white denim skirt and white flip flops

Everything else in our check-in luggage will be items for the pantry and the house along with favourite toiletries that can stay there. 

I always take photographs of the contents of our check-in bags along with an itemized list. This is important, particularly if you are a designer type of guy or gal. You never know, your bag could be the lost one and this way, any insurance claim you make can be substantiated.

With this plan, there will be plenty of room on our return trip for wine and the clothing and shoes I buy there.

The Breton Stripe

I always associate the Breton stripe with the French company Armor Lux and with being a French invention. I was wrong. Its origin is actually English and apparently, it was Queen Victoria who started the trend when she dressed her son in sailor stripes. 

Nice: 

I have one black and white striped Armor Lux here in Canada and another three back in France, one of which is a beige and white stripe, a white with black stripe, along with a turquoise and white long-sleeved one. I like the heavier cotton and the perfect crew neck collars. I limit my stripes to tops. My preference is the subtlety of the beige and white stripe.

Need:

For Spring 2021 Judith and Charles have embraced the Breton Stripe in more choices than just summertime tops. I don't yet have a blazer. "Need" may be too strong a word to use because I have enough clothing and really do not "need" another blazer. "Wouldn't it be nice if . . ." is a better phrase to use in this case. 

No Thanks:

I do not own any striped pants because I have never seen a pair that looks good. They run from looking garish to clownish on me. Good for you if you are tall enough to manage them. the closest I ever got to a striped pant was back a few years ago when I bought a trendy pair with a single strip that ran vertically down the side. I did like those pants (the ones here in the photo to the left).

Another "no thanks" is when two or more people in one group are all wearing black and white stripes. That happened to me once. In fact, one of our friend's husbands made a comment about not knowing he was coming to a Marcel Marceau convention when he saw the three of us. We laughed. What else could we do?

Noteworthy:

Striped accessories, shoes, bags, scarves, and even jewelry say "summer" to me and can be fun to add if you do not like wearing stripes. This Michael Kors bag is several years old now but pretty much a summer classic.

A Pulled Together Look in Your Closet

The blog post, about "vote" fashion, inspired more thought about what we choose to wear or in some cases, what we are forced to wear. 

I was in a "box store" the other day and asked a badge-wearing employee where I could find the bundles of copy paper. As she turned toward me, her t-shirt said, "Tell someone who cares." She grunted and pointed me in the right direction. Before I left the store, I stopped at customer service and described the t-shirt. I couldn't help myself. I finished by saying, "It may just be me and I know it's just a t-shirt, but for someone who is representing the company, it sent me the wrong message." Of course, customer service thanked me but I don't know if the employee will "get it". If a command is given from above, with no explanation of why then this young person will not have learned anything. Rightly or wrongly so — what we wear tells the world who we are and what we think. "It's just a t-shirt," is the defense one uses when rationalizing for wearing something objectionable to parents, bosses, and teachers. 

There are many sayings or symbols on clothing that are meant to shock. Fine, do it on your own time. If I had seen the same t-shirt on the street, I wouldn't have given it a second thought. Worn on an employee in the service industry, it sent the wrong message.

Being forced to wear something for your job that you find objectionable is quite another story. The classic is what some refer to as the "monkey suit". It originates with the monkey on old-time movies who was dressed in a vest, bow tie, and hat and performed tricks to make money for the man playing the tune on a crank-turned organ grinder machine. The monkey was obliged to wear the suit to collect money in a tin cup and so any "uniform" required for work became a "monkey suit". 

"Monkey suits" vary from the classic suit requirement to standardized uniforms to skimpy outfits for waiters and waitresses. I suppose one doesn't have to apply at that place of business. But in some desperate situations that won't be an option.

Most of us are left to make our own choices. For the past 40 years, clothing for work has been evolving to easy understated sportswear-styles. Even though you can dress casually, you should still look pulled together.

The following guidelines can help you create that "pulled together" look:

1) 3 Base Colours - Have at least one base colour - we'll use navy for an example. Navy is a good summer and winter colour. For winter add grey and beige. In the summer add white and another bright colour. Build your accessories around at least one of the base neutral colours. In summer I follow the colour scheme of sea, sand and sky — blue, beige and white. My winter colours are black, beige and grey. I add colour with fashion jewellery, scarves and shoes.

2) Update your wardrobe each season with accessories or one or two new pieces that fits or ties your base colours together. This year it was a plaid blue, white and black Smythe blazer for me. (Mind you, I'd never wear the dress the model is wearing with it.)

Spend more on classic pieces so that you don't feel obligated to keep wearing an outdated article. When your favorite pair of shoes starts to look shabby, look for a similar or identifcal pair. Don't settle. If you know what you like and were pleased with it, search until you find it. You will feel most satisfied if you are able to add to and build a solid base. As well, you will spend half as much as you did when you bought every new fashion fad or settled on less.

3) Stay away from colours that drain you or that make you feel uncomfortable. I have never been happy in orange. Some reds, definitely not those that are orangey, I enjoy wearing. I will always temper red with accessories. Brown, olives or anything muddy will never be base colours for me. I just don't feel comfortable in them. Yet I love camel, but again with an accessory combining the neutrals with other colours.

4) Perfect Fit. A tight fit will always accentuate therefore a tight t-shirt with tight pants will accentuate all of the body parts you don't want to accentuate. My rule is to never buy pants in clingy fabrics. The pants I buy have to be narrow through the thighs and knees without any pleats or gathers at the waistline. Set up your criteria for the best fit and follow it. Buy the best you can because quality clothes keep their shape and will look better longer. When you find the perfect fitting t-shirt, buy them in multiples.

5) Choose a signature accessory whether jewellery, scarves or ballet flats. For me it's stacked bangles and bracelets. 

What you feel you look best in will also be what you will be most comfortable in. For most of us, that means separates. I'm short and I like my legs, so in the summer skirts are easier to buy than pants, which have to be hemmed, adding yet more cost to the item. Separates may take more time to organize, but once you have your colour combinations in sync, you don't have to think about what to wear. There will always be a comfortable pulled together look available in your closet.

😃Spring 2021 Update: Does dis-order in your life overwhelm you? Changing Spaces by Design has recently published a guided journal with inspiring affirmations, suggested daily strategies to create clutter-free spaces, time management recommendations, and charts to record your project. Shirley B says, "I embarked on the process and am pleased to say that it really does work. I put my stuff in order, found stuff I had forgotten I owned, and got rid of stuff I no longer need (that is somebody else’s stuff now). The result – I know what I have, and where to find it. Amazing!"

You can check out their launch page at 30 Day Journal to Triumph Over Clutter.

A Few of My Favourite Things

Travelling to and from France every six months has got me to thinking about going back and forth with just a carry-on. The problem is my favourite things take up more space than a carry-on allows and having two of everything might be economically challenging.

NICE: Here goes an analysis of what I should actually be doing with those favourite things.

Cobalt Smythe "Duchess" blazer
Photo Source: ShopSmythe

Cobalt Blue Smythe Duchess Blazer: Having two is economically prohibitive at this time. I wear it as my travel outfit. Problem: it looks best with jeans and I like a more comfortable pair of pants, which necessitate my black blazer. This in itself is ironic because I have more than one black blazer but my lightweight single-button Sandro blazer (purchased in 2016) travels best. So now I'm taking back two blazers.

LBD Photo by JoyD.

Little Black Dress: I cannot tell you when I bought this because it is so long ago now, I have forgotten but it still is my favourite LBD. I have purchased others but they have not stood the test of the fickle time of fashion. This one has. And I still fit into it. It still gets me through the most basic luncheon to a gala event. I can't leave home without it.

Little Navy Dress: I should leave one of these two dresses behind. Last year I didn't bring my navy one back to Canada and I did go looking for it a few times before recalling that it was in France. It's a MaxMara dress I bought ages ago in a consignment store in Calgary. Perhaps this year I should take it back and leave the LBD in France. It's a thought.

Dark Blue Denim Jeans: Like my LBD, my dark blue denim jeans take me everywhere and look great with my Duchess cobalt blazer. They come back and forth between France and Canada and accompany me on every vacation, whether a weekend or two weeks. The pants I'm wearing are more flexible, black and white check, stretch that travels well.

Linen matching top and trousers: My latest purchase when I visited Arcachon at the end of September was a linen matching top and trousers. Funny . . .  the label says Orto Botanico Italia yet I have not found the clothing company online. Perhaps I have not tweaked in on the word/tag that needs to be used to get me to their site. I see this outfit as a "lounging" or "hostess" outfit as my mother called them - simply comfortable clothing that looks elegant yet casual.

What do I leave in France? It would seem from my analysis that the little navy dress or the LBD should stay behind. The linen top and trousers are a possibility as well since I will be in Canada for the winter and a linen outfit in the winter seems incompatible.

NO THANKS: Well, after having written all of that, I have decided to leave the little navy dress in France.

One more thing to add: I need my denim jacket!

Photo by JoyD.

Yet another thing to add: A white Burberry shirt. Two or three years ago I tried to return a Burberry shirt because the metal appliqués were falling off. I called the location in London and the person I spoke with told me to send the shirt to their address in London with an explanation of what I wanted done. I did that. The package was returned to France - return to sender - without ever being opened. I was annoyed but not enough to pursue it and so I am taking my Burberry shirt back to Canada to see if I can get the collar replaced by a wonderful seamstress I discovered a couple of years back. The story is too long and I only get frustrated when retelling it and so here is a photo of the collar I need replaced. I probably would never have tried to return it if it was a cheaper shirt but it was a Burberry shirt and well, I don't need to relate the price because it is after all a Burberry shirt. I'm not so fond of Burberry anymore.

Photo Source: Lyst (Retrieved Oct. 31/17)

I will be taking my Harris Wilson camel coat back to Canada with me. I left it in France last year when I bought it because I had a coat to wear and did not want to take two. As it turned out the weather was wonderful during October in France this year and I never did wear it this year. I will have better use of it in Canada.

NOTE-WORTHY: And then there are four scarves and my pyjamas. 

I'm good to go!

Fall to Winter Transition

Cool Choices

October extinguished itself in a rush of howling winds and driving rain and November arrived, cold as frozen iron, with hard frosts every morning and icy drafts that bit at exposed hands and faces. 

― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

A Closet Content Analysis: Fall to Winter Wardrobe

NEED

Here on the Canadian prairies, now that it is the end of November, it seems too late to write a post about fall to winter transition. It is winter and has been for the past month; however my closet still does not have all the elements necessary for a winter wardrobe.

The trans-seasonal Pieces (always in the closet):

Wool Blazers/Cardigans for cool summer nights and cold winter days depends on what you wear underneath. 
Jeans
Cotton shirts

“When Josey woke up and saw the feathery frost on her windowpane, she smiled. Finally, it was cold enough to wear long coats and tights. It was cold enough for scarves and shirts worn in layers, like camouflage. It was cold enough for her lucky red cardigan, which she swore had a power of its own. She loved this time of year. Summer was tedious with the light dresses she pretended to be comfortable in while secretly sure she looked like a loaf of white bread wearing a belt. The cold was such a relief.” 

― Sarah Addison Allen, The Sugar Queen

Winter closet additions:

Wool dress pants
Cashmere, wool and blend sweaters
Heavy knit sweaters
Tights
Scarves and Jewellery to bring colour and sparkle to the black, grey, navy and browns of a winter wardrobe
A party dress or two for the Christmas and New Year's celebrations

New: Red heavy knit snood


Need:

• lightweight merino wool tops
• something more fashionable to wear on my head; something that won't plaster my hair to my scalp and then when I take it off won't lift segments of my hair up and out with static electricity
• a lightweight hooded jacket aka parka that I will be warm in but does not weigh me down like my sheepskin jacket does

Stay happy and be grateful even when the wind is blowing and the temperatures fall.

People don't notice whether it is winter or summer when they are happy.

―  Anton Chekhov 

Summer Work Style: Casual Choices

Closet Content Analysis: 

Casual Separates for Easy-Going Office Wear

NICE:

"Informal but pulled together" or "casual elegant" are probably the best style profiles one can choose for the summer. A t-shirt under a jacket or blazer with a skirt, pants or knee-length shorts can be the outfit of choice for any office job.

NO THANKS: 

Especially in the summer, many will dress too informally and then be caught embarrassingly underdressed when an unplanned meeting with an important client arises. I do know of some young execs who wear jeans and a tank top to the office during the summer and dress up if they have a meeting. In fact one young corporate type claims to keep a "suit" at the office specifically for such occasions. Comme vous voulez (as you want).

NOTE-WORTHY: 

If you work in a professional office you need to be well-groomed and well put together. Designer head to toe is not recommended unless you are in the fashion industry. Bank employees, depending on who their clients are, need to be particularly mindful. If you are serving a couple worried about mortgage payments, you will dress differently than if your clients are corporate entities with nose-bleed high assets.

Anne Fontaine Levana shirt
Photo Source: Anne Fontaine

NEED: 

Everyone needs a relatively simple blouse/shirt. In the summer, the tailored shirt can be replaced with a good quality dense cotton t-shirt. The fabric weight is important since you do not want a see-through gauzy fabric unless of course, you wear a simple camisole under it. But that just adds to the bulk, so go for an opaque finish and you will feel cooler. You can finish dressing in record time and you look more professional in a tailored shirt or blouse and pants, skirts or knee-length walking shorts. Even if it is casual Fridays, you need to look professional and a pencil skirt instead of pants or walking shorts accomplishes that.

Striped Smythe Blazer. Photo Source: Lyst

NECESSARY: 

A blazer is necessary. Everyone has a simple blouse/shirt and skirt, pants or walking shorts. You can finish the look and crossover to professional with the simple addition of a blazer. This Smythe blue-striped Duchess blazer would be perfect for the summer. It's on my wish list.

Check out what I have written before on the topic of "casual clothing":
Comfortable Casual or Business Attire
Summer Office Wear - What is Too Casual?
What is "Comfortable Casual"?
Knee-Length Shorts at Work and Play
Defining Casual Clothing
What Kind of Comfortable?

The Economics of Dressing Well: 5 Rules to Consider when Shopping

How many designer handbags does someone need?

How many pairs of shoes will you wear in the next 3 years?

How many bracelets, pairs of earrings, dresses, blue jeans, t-shirts . . .you fill in the blank . . . will be enough?

When it comes to creating a useful wardrobe most of us take a down-to-earth attitude. It really does not matter what your price point entry happens to be. There are those who will spend $10,000.00 on a new spring wardrobe and those who will spend less than $200.00 to round out what they might already own. To be well dressed requires detailed planning, culling and replacing with thought. You do not have to spend a huge amount, you just have to spend wisely.

5 Shopping Rules for Dressing Well:

Cobalt Smythe "Duchess" blazer
Photo Source: ShopSmythe

1. Select new clothing that will have a long shelf life. Imagine yourself wearing your chosen item in 5 years. Will you be able to do it? The last piece of clothing I purchased was a Smythe blazer in cobalt. I like shades of blue, I love blazers and Smythe is a great brand. Will I be wearing it in five years? As long as I don't gain 20 pounds I believe I will.

2. Judiciously splurge! Smart choices are not the cheapest choices. A "Duchess" Smythe blazer will cost you $600.00 (Cdn) at full price retail. If you wear it three times a month for the next 5 years, it will have cost you $3.33 per wear. When you first buy it, you will be wearing it more often and the older it gets, the less you will wear it so three times a month is an estimated average over five years. 

3. Watch for sales and be prepared to buy the classics. I bought my "Duchess" Smythe blazer on sale and with taxes it cost me $320.00. Essentially my cost per wear just went down to about $1.76 per wear at 3 times a month for the next 5 years. A designer dress that seems to be a "steal" for $200.00 is not a bargain if you only wear it once over the next five years.

"Flirt" Lancel Handbag purchased June, 2011
Photo by JoyD.

4. Set limits. Be a wardrobe strategist and set limits on your buying. You know what you can afford. Spend the most you can afford on the best in that price range. When I am in Europe, I have a 250 Euro limit on handbags. The last time I paid full price for a designer Lancel bag was when I bought my Lancel flirt and that was in 2011. Over the past six years that bag has cost me 16.60 Euro per month. Now I have two more Lancel bags that I intersperse with the "flirt" but they both were purchased at the Lancel outlet store in Romans-sur-Isere, France on sale to lessen even the original discounted price, The cost per wear index is considerably better now that I have set a limit to how much I spend and I am still carrying Lancel bags.

Blue Lancel Handbag purchased Summer 2016.
Photo by JoyD.

5. Know your style and what role an item of clothing will play in your lifestyle. Knowing your style is the key to smart clothing economics. If you have a clear sense of what works for you and you know that you will wear an item often, you will make savvy clothing investments.

And remember what Vivienne Westwood said, "Buy less, choose well."

The Blazer: Winter to Spring Transition

Spring allows you to get the last bit of wear out of winter pieces when you match them up with last year's summer wear or splurge on a new trend.

Although cardigans are supposed to be a 2017 spring trend, I still prefer blazers.

A lightweight fine-weave wool blazer that you wore in winter can continue through the spring worn with walking shorts, jeans, a pencil skirt or a sheath dress, depending on your needs.

A blazer will:

bump up casual to business casual with whatever you choose to wear to work 

keep you warm in the evening over a lightweight dress. That look can take you through summer evenings as well.  

add an element of sophistication to jeans and a t-shirt

A cardigan just doesn't do it in the same way.

The Smythe Duchess Blazer. Photo Source: KateMiddletonStyle

When it comes to blazers, Smythe is the way to go. A friend in Calgary  introduced them to me and both of us find the tailoring impeccable. The brand is definitely an investment purchase. And, just to let you know, if you buy yourself a Smythe Les Vestes blazer now, you will be wearing it for as long as Kate Middleton has worn hers, probably longer. 

Middleton has been wearing Smythe blazers for the past six years at least. She has worn both the navy and green one-button blazer in 2011 in Canada, and the navy in 2012 in London and 2014 in Glasgow. If Middleton can do that, so can you.

Buy it in a basic colour such as black, cobalt, chambray, navy, army or camel and it will never go out of style. They renamed the one button blazer, the "duchess blazer" after Middleton wore the Toronto brand during her trip to Canada in 2011. 

NICE for Smythe, Middleton and anyone who owns one!

End of Sale Month in France

Closet Content Analysis: Sale Shopping

NEW Choices: A bag, blazer, iron and linens

NICE          NOTE-WORTHY           NO THANKS

The two months the French anticipate for sales - soldes - are July and January and I fortunately have been and will be here for both this year. Presently,with July done, storefronts entice us with further and final reductions. Last week, Marques Avenue in Romans-sur-Isere was a sale destination for me and "up to 70% off" in the name brand shops inspired me to replace basics at "grocery store" prices. 

Red linen Caroll blazer. Photo by JoyD.

Note-Worthy: One still has to be diligent even when it comes to sale prices. I bought a red linen blazer in the Caroll store at Marques Avenue while in Roman-sur-Isere. It was 70% off the last markdown, which happened to be 110.00 Euro. I paid 30.30 Euro. Great - I was happy. Then, while shopping in Valence, I went into the Caroll store. The advertisements announced further reductions based on the colour coded percentages. I found the blazer I had purchased in Romans. The final markdown was to be 40% off the last markdown which was 150.00 Euro (note: 40 Euro more than the marked down price in Romans). 70% off 110. or 40% off 150.? OMG, my previous purchase was my deal of the decade. Roman is only 17 km. away from Valence. Of course I understand local loyalty but Marques Avenue must be very tempting for consumers in Valence. There must be a difference you say . . . well . . . yes . . . selection is limited in outlet stores but in my case the colour choice was the only difference. The linen blazer at the Marques Avenue location was red and the blazer in the regular retail outlet in Valence was a hot pink. I guess red was not the "tendance" this year. However red is a basic colour that I needed in my blazer collection and it was a better choice than the hot pink for me.

Purple Wrap Dress. Photo by JoyD.

No Thanks: I also broke one of my No Thanks rules while in Bourg de Péage. The price was that good! 19 Euros could buy me a three course lunch but instead I bought a dress that was marked down several times; albeit a dress that was 2 kg too tight on me. I did go for lunch anyway. The way I figure it, I will hang it on my fridge, inspiring me to lose weight and remind me about the choices I need to make when opening the fridge. It might be a tad big as a fridge magnet but I believe it will serve a functional purpose as well as a conversation piece.

Nice & Note-Worthy: For my linen closet, I decided to buy some Anne de Solene linens. I have been a Yves Delorme advocate for years but this year the outlet store in Marques Avenue was rather . . . unwelcoming . . . it was hot and there were no lights or air conditioning on in the store - there was a fan and lights on in the back room . . . there were several things that were "not done" by the sales associate that I took slight offence to and so I never bought. I may regret it in the big picture but at the time, I was miffed enough that I chose not to buy. The woman at the Anne de Solene store was amiable, knowledgeable and accommodating. In this case, service was as important as the quality of the item; although I am starting to regret my choice of not buying a particular flat sheet at Yves Delorme. My weakness is that the name, the brand, is what keeps me loyal to Yves Delorme.

Note-Worthy: To keep my clothes in perfect form, I found a Rowenta iron, made in France, that was a bargain. The regular outlet price was around 180. Euro and was on sale for 114. A friend informed me that he had purchased a Rowenta iron of the same calibre for 150. Euro almost 10 years ago now. This purchase was a "no-brainer".

The Best Nice: I bought a Lancel bag to add to my collection - at 40% off the outlet price. If I factor in the tax rebate for foreigners, I bought a great bag for 250. Euros that will carry me into the winter. I'm happy! There's a post here so I'll take some photos and let you analyze the purse later.

I've written about sale shopping before:
July and August Summer Sales
Summer Sales Welcome Return to France
End of July/August Summer Sales
Clothing & Accessories to Buy on Sale
Sale Shopping for Clothing
Shopping in Factory Outlet Stores

The Quasi-Academic Debate: Comfortable Casual or Business Attire at Work

Closet Content Analysis: Casual or Business

NOTE-WORTHY

The summer inspires us to be more casual in all that we do and most transparently in what we choose to wear. This can create conflict for employees and employers especially when the business calls for a certain degree of formality. I think of banking, insurance, government agencies, medicine/pharmacy and any corporate enterprise that deals with either my well-being or my financial situation. In other words if you are selling me health insurance, you had better not be in flip flops and shorts, even on "casual Friday". I could say, "but that's just me"; however, if I am saying it, there must be others who feel the same way.

In debate protocol, we must start with defining or at least having a basic understanding of what it is we are debating - that is comfortable casual vrs. business attire.

Business is easier to define and so I shall start there. Business for men and women suggests the "suit" although a broader perspective includes blazers and trousers or skirts. Ties for men might be optional but then that crosses the line to "business casual" in the same way as a t-shirt with a blazer rather than a button down shirt would be considered "business casual" but still there remains, the blazer or jacket. Shoes then range from Oxfords to loafers for men and a variety of heel-heights for women. Flats for women are always considered more casual but one's height and activity at work usually determine a woman's choice of footwear.

Comfortable casual is less than business casual. In some cases very much less. It is all relative. In fact an anthropological term, cultural relativism might fit this analysis. In this case, basically what you wear is determined by the values of the culture in which you are wearing it. Therefore if it is normally worn and accepted within a particular culture then it is what it is and should not be considered good or bad by those outside of the particular culture. Sigh. This can get complicated because we are not talking about a particular ethnic or national group but rather sub-cultures/sub-groups within a "business" culture that transcends nationality. 

We need a different analytical term. What comes to mind immediately is appropriateness so therefore "cultural appropriateness" sounds like it might work in analysis. How about, "sub-cultural dress appropriateness in an economic setting"? This then indicates that we are concerned about the acceptability, that which will not offend either administration, co-workers or clients, of clothing worn by members of a particular sub-culture; and sub-culture indicates the group within a larger culture that is specifically economically driven. Another sigh.

Now that the term covers what we want to study, we can get back to debating what is appropriate. "Appropriate" is defined by Merriam-Webster as "right or suited for some purpose or situation". Now, what is "right" and there is where "cultural relativism" comes to bite us again. If it is considered "right" within the group, it may not be considered "right" by those outside the group. So if bank employees all vote, thereby considering it "right" within the group, to wear short shorts, flip flops and bikini tops or muscle shirts on Wednesdays, then our opinion as clients doesn't matter. Ah, but this is where economics comes in. If I choose not to bank at that particular institution then it does affect the economic drive of the company. It is a conundrum but there are social scientists and anthropologists out there who have spent more time studying such things. 

From this blogger's point of view, the best strategy is to look at what the administration is wearing and follow "suit". As an employee you can probably tone it down to more casual attire if the head person is wearing formal business wear; but only a tad. So now, I should define "tad" - never mind. This advice means nothing if the boss comes in blue jeans and a t-shirt but because his or her employees are on the front line, he/she expects more business attire from the staff.

Follow your heart and if all else fails, just ask your boss what the summer standard for sub-cultural dress appropriateness in your particular economic setting is. That'll do it!

Check out what I have written before on this topic:
Summer Office Wear - What is Too Casual?
What is "Comfortable Casual"?
Knee-Length Shorts at Work and Play
Defining Casual Clothing
What Kind of Comfortable?