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Change Isn’t The Only Thing In The Air

07.28.2020 by Catherine Jane //

It’s been 4,233 days since we were free to shop at the slightest whim or at least that is how long it feels since shelter-in-place was first announced. Before the lockdown we could easily distract ourselves with shopping for a new trinket. We could breeze into a salon for a manicure, buy a new blouse, and make an appointment to have our hair styled but that was 4,233 days ago.

We can no longer soothe ourselves by getting a pedicure, slipping on a pair of sandals, and delighting at how great our feet look.  Something else has shifted since the first week of lockdown and that is our need for something new. In the good old days our clothing choices revolved around going places—a cotton dress for the hot days of summer or a pair of kitten heels for an evening cocktail party.  For some, dressing during Covid is a license to dress like a slob. For others, these are confusing times because we are only dressing for a party of one, maybe two, and sometimes three.

The future of fashion is anyone’s guess but if history repeats itself we are in for a rerun of profound change. The Influenza Pandemic of 1918 ushered in the era of the Flapper. Fashion trends dramatically shifted from socially and sartorially uptight to fluid and relaxed, liberating women from their suffocating corsets. It is no accident that the flapper style immediately followed the emancipation of women.

The 60s were no different than the 20s. The standard for style that preceded the 60s reflected a rigidity similar to the 1900s. The hippies of the 60s turned heads and inflamed the establishment with their radical bohemian style, unisex dressing, and free love. This dynamic movement remained strong for decades and was the positive change we needed at the time. We are overdue for another profound change.

No one can foresee fashion’s future with any certainty but here’s my best guess. We will liberate ourselves from the confinement of uniform dressing and, our appetite for newness will be substituted by a craving for uniqueness. We will still purchase new clothing but not nearly as much. Buying recycled clothing will have its moment in the sun. And our favorite sweater will no longer be tossed out, like a day old newspaper, when a hole appears. Instead, we will turn our attention to patching, mending, and repurposing our favorite pieces, creating a new style for a new era.

Get out your needle and thread because patches are going to be the next big trend.

Be well, wash your hands a lot, and stay safe!

Walking Comfortably Low In High Fashion

07.20.2020 by Catherine Jane //

Recently, I have been thinking a lot about shoes. Shoes have always been eye candy for me—eye candy because sometimes they look so decadent. But like eating an entire pint of Ben & Jerry’s Chunky Monkey I know they can be bad for my health. That’s right, high heels I’m talking about you! Truth be told I love them. But not the nose bleeders. The classic pointed toe pump with  3.5” heels is my weakness. My other truth is I haven’t worn high heels since Covid, and I am not sure I miss them. What I do miss are the occasions where I wore them.

Sales for high heels have declined steadily over the past couple of years thanks to the popularity of the sneaker trend. Overnight, sneakers became the “it” shoe for women wearing business suits and summer dresses. The trend of sneakers paired with almost anything have definitely been hallelujah moments for our feet.

Sneakers are by far the most comfortable of all shoes. But there is a problem. No matter how you dress them up, they still look like sneakers. There don’t seem to be a lot of options for women when it comes to elegant flats that are meant to be worn all day long without assaulting our feet. Yes, we have the ubiquitous ballet flat and uber popular slides but these styles usually have zero support and even less athletic ambition.

My best tip for a more comfortable flat is to buy them a half size larger than your normal size and then  add a thick innersole. This is a bit tricky because you need the right innersole. But patience pays off. I have managed to make my flats more comfortable by using gel inserts.

If you are ready to give your sneaks a break have a look at these comfortable shoes with credible claims to both athletic ambition and style!

The Loafer by Margaux $245
Available in 6 colors
The Classic by Margaux Regular $195 On Sale $149
Available in 14 colors
Berlin Derby By Clergerie Regular $595 On Sale $298
Available in 3 colors
You can walk to the moon and back in these without so much as a blister
Claudia by Taryn Rose Regular $340 On Sale $85
Waterproof with cushioned footbed
Grier Loafer by Veronica Beard Regular $350 On Sale $105

Be well, wash your hands a lot, and stay safe!

A special thanks to Heather D for the blog idea!

Dressing During A Disaster

07.06.2020 by Catherine Jane //

Prior to the pandemic, fashion had more clarity. We had places to go and people to see. Our morning rituals included choosing an outfit that defined our style. Whether or not we considered ourselves stylish or fashion forward, we all shared in the experience of wearing clothes. Fashion has always been our most common form of expression and a huge part of our culture. There are several categories of dress that let the world know a little bit about us without so much as a single utterance.  Categories range anywhere from, fashion plate, bohemian chic, authentic yoga devotee, yoga fashion fan (also known as soccer mom), hipster, grunge-ster, gangsta, grandma, and more. Even if you believe you do not engage in fashion you are mistaken because there is a category for that as well. You dress to identify yourself as one who is indifferent to fashion, and that has a formula like all the others. The oversized t-shirt, worn pants that don’t fit any part of the body, and shoes in the late stages of their life cycle inform us you don’t care, and that is fine. The point is we all share in the common practice of expressing ourselves through dress.

Since the outbreak of Covid-19 our lives have drastically changed in almost every way. We are home alone or isolating in a very small bubble.  As a result, the art of dress or even our motivation for dressing at all has been undercut . Everything from work,  to school,  to fine dining is done at home with the exception of shopping for essentials. Consequently, our dressing mojo is diminished. So why make an effort? 

An Argument For Dressing

Making an effort to dress in a style that speaks to you will be heard. Dressing will uplift your spirit and add a bit of normalcy to your life. Because the pandemic will be with us for sometime, allowing it to take us down the rabbit hole of apathy will only make a bad situation worse. 

I found myself going down that rabbit hole a month into shelter-in-place which only added to my anxiety. And I found my way out by taking a walk everyday. But before my walk, I chose an outfit that made me feel like my true self.

A friend recently wrote to me regarding this conundrum and had this to say.

“I agree with you completely about the shift in dressing that will characterize at least the next year after cessation of lock-down. I am already in mourning for my neglected blazers and boots. I continue to dress up every day because of the number of zoom meetings I am attending and I can’t bear to look like a slob unless I am really sick! For me, one of the little joys of every day is figuring what to wear, including the earrings that will go with whatever I have on.”

Just the simple act of taking the time to dress even if it is only for a party of one will make us feel better. And feeling better is the new “must have” of the season.

Be well, wash your hands a lot, and stay safe!

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