Oct 13th, All About Me!

I feel a little silly dedicating a post to talking about me- but throughout the past year I have received lots of emails from readers asking personal questions.  So, I figured that it was time to answer them.

1. How tall are you?

I am 5’5″- so I am very average! Believe it or not, I’m also curvy (my hips are bigger than my waist). I share this because for years I would look at magazine articles talking about body types and could never figure out which one I was. I mistakingly thought that because I was thin I couldn’t be curvy. Not so- even thin girls can have curves!

2. What time do you get up in the morning?

Well, it depends- but usually I am up at 6:00 so that I can shower and get dressed before my kids get up. My son gets up at 6:25- (his bus picks him up at 7:00 for school- UGH!) Sometimes I don’t get showered and dressed until after both kids are off to school.

3. How do you pick out your outfits?

I spend a lot of time on the weekends going through my closet and putting together looks. I then photograph them so that later I can remember what works and what doesn’t. It’s amazing how looking at a picture of yourself (instead of the mirror) gives me a totally different perspective. I also am always watching other people- and when I see an outfit that looks fabulous on someone else, I make a note of it- then try to re-create that look.

4. What shoes do you wear in the winter to keep warm?

I love my boots and knee socks- my feet are always cold, so I tend to wear my black boots almost everyday. For a little variety, I have added my new desert booties and my short cowboy boots to the mix. I also love my Hunter rain boots (I do live in Seattle after all) and my Sorel snow boots for those really slushy days.

5. What is your favorite item in your closet?

This is a hard one- I love a great pair of skinny jeans, love my black turtleneck, love my denim shirt, my navy blazer- and love a good comfy sweater.

6. Why do you call your style American Classic?

Well, I have a great style book that I love called The Lucky Guide to Mastering any Style, in this book they break down different styles- and show examples of outfits from each one. They even include a list of ‘must have’ pieces for each style.  The different styles are:

Euro Chic

California Casual

Rock and Roll

Posh Ecletic

Mod

American Classic

Bombshell

Arty Slick

Bohemian

Gamine

Mix and Match

I relate most to American Classic- meaning I like traditional, classic clothing. I’m inspired by Jackie O, Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy and Ralph Lauren- I love blazers, white shirts, turtleneck sweaters… all in earthy tones.  I am trying to add a little of my own personality by incorporating a few (mild) trendy pieces in- and I’ve definitely tried to add more color!

7. What is your favorite store to buy clothes?

Well, if you are a regular reader you will know I love Nordstroms! I know lots of people avoid departments stores because they are so overwhelming, see my post here to help !

I also love Target because they have trendy and usually well made pieces at really reasonable prices! I always walk through the clothing section when I’m at Target- they are constantly getting new stuff in- so it’s always fun to see what they have!

I also love J Crew- but it’s funny, when I get their catalog I actually don’t like much of what I see- I think sometimes they try too hard to be edgy or combine crazy colors. That being said- J Crew is a classic store with well made pieces at somewhat reasonable prices.

I am a pretty careful shopper- meaning when I am clothes shopping I have a list of exactly what I am looking for- this helps me stay focused and avoid making impulse purchases! Just because something is on the sale rack does not mean I have to own it!

8. Why are you headless in your photos? It’s weird!

I know it takes a little getting used to- but I really prefer to not have my face in the pictures for several reasons. One- I am very un-photogenic. I look really goofy in pictures- and to get a good one I’d have to take about 100. Since you can’t see my face I can snap 3 quick pics of my outfit and I’m done. The second reason is so that I don’t have to do my hair or makeup for the pictures! I also like being anonymous! Lastly, I really want this blog to be about clothes- and not about me.

9. What inspired you to start this blog?

I started this blog because one day I was on the internet and stumbled across the blog What I Wore. I had never seen a style blog before and I was immediately hooked! I started to look at more and more blogs- looking for women who were wearing clothes like what I wore- and I couldn’t really find any (although I’m sure they are out there- I just hadn’t found them yet!). I decided that maybe I should start my own blog- using the format of before and after pictures- because that’s what always interests me when reading makeover stories in magazines. Also, I really wanted a creative outlet- and this is a great chance for me to have a little hobby and follow my passion for clothes.

10. Does anyone send you clothes to wear?

I wish! No, all of the clothes you see me in are clothes that I have purchased over the years- which is why sometimes I show pieces that are several years old. This is my real closet- so there are things in there I bought 10 years ago! (which is why being an American Classic is perfect- classic pieces never go out of style!).

The lighting is so bad in my bathroom that you can’t see the true color of this top- please click here to go to the CABi site to see the top in better lighting.

Pants: Gap, Top: CABI, Necklace: Lia Sophia, Boots: Nordstrom