WT: Tops

It's Top Half of the body time for WT. See the original post here.

Agenda

Breath. PILE your tops.
See below.

Also, take a look at your foundation garments and make sure they're still doing their job. (Most of us don't have 7 piles of those... we have the good, the bad, and the ugly. Here's the inevitable obsessive instructions on bra-fitting link.)

I have a few well fitting bras. I have been fitted several times and agree that having a trained fitter help you find a good bra is a very good thing. A well trained bra fitter has seen it all before so don't feel self conscious.

If you like to sleep in a bra I recommend the nursing sleep bras at Motherhood Maternity. You don't have to be a nursing mother to wear a bra to bed.

Heart. Identify which of your Joyous Colors you want to add to your tops. It may help you -- or amuse you -- or provoke you beyond reason -- to read these two historic posts:

• The Joyous Colors post
• The What Is the Purpose of Your Tops post

I headed over to the Donna Fujii Institute site and took the color self analysis survey.


Your Color Category is High Contrast Summer.

She has a cool, light skin tone. She often has a pink undertone but in some cases she can have a slight yellowish cast on the surface which with yellow-based colors can make her appear sallow. Her hair color ranges from a medium ash brown to a rose brown. Her best colors are cool-based, with deep saturated jewel-tones, and some lukewarm colors.


This is a sampling of the best wardrobe colors for my color category.

Continued discussion on the color pallet.

YOUR COLOR PALETTE

Here is a sample of your color palette in six of your best colors, one Neutral, one Romantic Red, one Red, one Dramatic, and one Understated and one Metal. Please read on to learn the difference between these six different categories, and how to best use these color groups in your palette.

Neutrals: The Neutrals are colors which go with almost everything and form the foundation for building a wardrobe. The traditional Neutrals are black, navy, grays, browns, camel, taupe, beige, ivory, white and olive green. A contemporary list of neutrals would include copper, mauve, eggplant, mustard, forest green and burgundy. Neutrals are used for jackets, coats, hats, shoes, and other items that must have the versatility of going with several different colors.

Romantic Reds: The Romantic Reds are the softer reds, such as pink, rose, and coral, which project a more friendly and romantic mood. For best effect, your Romantic Reds should coordinate well with the coolness or warmth in your skin tone. This is because your Romantic Reds are closely related to your skin tone colors and any disharmony would be obvious.

Reds: Like the Dramatics, the bright and deep Reds also tend to attract attention to you. They are great for parties, speeches, or just to attract attention. Like the Romantic Reds, your Reds must closely match your skin color in terms of coolness or warmth, because they will flatter or undermine your skin tone.

Dramatics: The Dramatics include the blues, periwinkle blue, blue green, turquoise, teal, green and aquamarine. Dramatics are complementary to the reds of most skin tones in that they lie on the opposite side of the color wheel from the reds. For that reason, they create a certain tension that translates into a high-energy and eye-catching look. So if you plan to wear Dramatic colors, get ready to be the center of attention.

Understateds: Understateds have less color energy than the Dramatics, but more energy than the Neutrals. These colors are restrained and subtle, and project refinement and elegance. Understated colors play a supportive role to your natural coloring. Wear understated colors when you wish to create a more subdued and conservative impression. Examples of Understateds include the soft yellows, blues, greens, and lavender.

Metals: The gold, silver, pewter, copper or bronze found in your metal accessories such as wristband, eyeglass frames, bracelets, etc. are your metals or metallic. Wearing your best metal for your natural coloring and wardrobe can enhance your beauty. Matching your metal accessories will create a more harmonious look. Metals: The gold, silver, pewter, copper or bronze found in your metal accessories such as wristband, eyeglass frames, bracelets, etc. are your metals or metallics. Wearing your best metal for your natural coloring and wardrobe can enhance your beauty. Matching your metal accessories will create a more harmonious look.



Bones
Fix the Velveteen Rabbits that would be Superstars or Stalwart Staples if they just had all their buttons on, the zipper sewn in properly, the hem rehemmed, or other repairs. If this is not a DIY project for you, it's time to find someone who's handy with a needle. Your neighborhood dry-cleaner is a plausible place to start: most can do minor repairs.

This is not a top item but I did fix my ripped pocket jeans for last weekend's school reunion. I had no excuses. I have sewing skills and all of the necessary tools and materials. So I have a pair of non ripped, torn jeans.

Replace foundation garments that have floundered. I went through foundation garments. It's time to get one or two new bras.

Head
Start securing your supply lines. In going through the Piles, we're going to take a stab at identifying which brands of clothing tend to work well for you. Then the next step is to figure out which stores carry these brands and get yourself on their lists to be notified of sales, new collections, when they finally get the navy blue blouse in your size, or whatever most concerns you. Being "in the loop" is a huge help in keeping control of your budget.

Anne In Reno suggested in comments that I check out Gap to see if they still carry the ripped jeans that I'm mourning. We have several good sized Gap stores nearby.

For me it's a matter of just getting out of the house by myself. I can not shop for myself with the kids in tow. It is not productive or fun for anyone.

The Piles

Torture Devices

I have two sweaters that are a bit snug, see below.

Velveteen Rabbits

My pink Talbot's button down. There are two little blue ink spots on one cuff and the hem. They are not obvious but I know they are there. It's in the wash today so no picture. I would love to get the ink out but I don't think that's going to happen. Yes I've tried hairspray.

Stalwart Staples


Talbots zippered sweater. Talbots crepe button down and vest, and faux fur vest. The vest is new from last winter. I like the fuzzy.


For winter everyday wear I love my turtlenecks. I was a bit shocked at the lack of turtleneck love expressed in the WT Tops post and comments. I like being warm. I feel comfortable in my turtlenecks. The top row are Talbot's, fairly fitted and heavy knit. The bottom row are Old Navy, more fitted and thinner knit. I wear turtlenecks alone and layered with sweaters, and contrasting tshirts. I've been slowly replacing my old baggy turtlenecks, which were fab while I was pregnant, with more fitted turtlenecks.


Yes this is winter WT but here are some of my t-shirts on the left and some long sleeve knit shirts on the right. When it gets colder I wear them layered for casual everyday wear.


My favorite t-shirts. All are fitted. My most favorite is the black one on the right of the picture. It has a scoop neck button placket and two inset lace like, princess seams and extended arm bands. That sounds awful but I like the lines and how it fits.


Two v neck sweaters. The blue sweater was a Christmas gift. I'm not crazy about the color. The black sweater is a fitted ribbed v neck.


Turtleneck sweaters. The black and purple ones are a big snug, I usually layer them under something else when looking for additional warmth. I suppose I should technically put the black and purple sweaters under torture devices. Granted I have not tried either on yet this season.



Admittedly the most comfortable, yet least flattering tops I own. They are fleece turtlenecks from Old Navy. They are not fitted, but are warm and comfortable. While not fitted they are not HUGE on me either.



I've been thinking about the local uniform question from the interview. Love it or hate it Ohio State emblazoned garb is EVERYWHERE in Central Ohio, especially this time of year during college football season. Saturday morning out and about at the grocery store, the mall, the park, all over town you will see a sea of Scarlet and Grey. I have two OSU sweatshirts from when I was a grad student at OSU. Dave and I share them between the two of us. I also have a Baldwin-Wallace sweatshirt, where I went for undergrad, that I wear when I don't want to blend in as much.


Superstars


If I have one superstar it's my brown cashmere sweater, on the right. It's form fitting but not tight with a moderately daring scoop neck. On the left is a Talbot's sweater I bought many years ago. It's a bit bulky but not huge. It's warm and cosy. This picture also illustrates the trend I've been working on for a number of years now, to get more fitted clothing. I wore the brown cashmere sweater, along with my newly repaired jeans and a pair of brown heels to the school reunion last weekend. I felt confident, appropriately dressed for the occasion and put together.


Same Time, Next Year

I have no idea.

Sentimental Journeys



As previously mentioned I have two bags of undergrad era sweatshirts and a plastic tote of t-shirts that I am reluctant to get rid of. I made my sister a t-shirt quilt, that she actually uses and enjoys, a few years ago. I keep telling myself I'm going to make a second quilt out of my bag of t-shirts.

The Baldwin-Wallace Mom sweatshirt and Ohio State Mom t-shirt were Mom's. Mom loved wearing them.



I'm a knitter. I love to knit and I love knitted items. I have several sweaters that I knit early on in my return to knitting that are not really that great. But I still love them and can't seem to part with them.

I have two beautifully knitted short sleeved sweaters, left and center of the above picture, that a friend gave my MIL, they did not work for MIL so she gave them to me. Someone put quite a bit of time into said sweaters but they don't really work for me. I can not just throw them away. I'm thinking about offering them up on Ravelrly or to my new Knit Night buddies.

The sleeveless sweater on the right is an example of early knitting project gone astray. It's a great pattern but it's cheap as free yarn. This would be nice in a solid color cotton.


My geek tshirts. 'I love my Geek' from Think Geek, it's a snug little baby doll. Dave loves this shirt. Well I do Love my Geek. The Darth Tater t-shirt is huge. Tracy, best girlfriend from High School, gave me Darth Tater before she passed last summer. I have not had the heart to wear it yet. Darth Tater makes me smile. Space Girl from Cape Canaveral is from Dave. Dave LOVES seeing me in this shirt. I have a dark blue turtleneck (not pictured beacuase I'm wearing it today) that matches the cap sleeves that I sometimes wear under it.

Mysteries of the Lost Shopping Trip

Priorities

I like to be warm. It's time to get at least one or two new foundation garments. A well fitted bra can do wonders for your silhouette.

I feel compelled to talk about my personal body image. I consider myself medium sized. I'm usually somewhere in the middle. I've been in social situations where I'm the largest woman in the room and everyone around me was super thin and tiny. On the flip side I've been called to my face the 'skinny bitch' when out with others.

For me my size is relative. There will always be someone bigger or smaller then me, someone with fancier or shabbier clothes, more or less money for clothing. I'm grateful for what I have no matter how much I complain about my ripped jeans.

I had an idea of what tops I own going into this post. Actually grouping everything and taking pictures and then discussing them helped me see shapes, colors, trends, and an absence of pattern in my tops.

I'm not looking for a whole new look, or a new me. I'm quite happy with me and my body as she is right now. I'm ok with my current clothes. My evolving goal for WT is to take a good look at what I have and then make purposeful additions to my wardrobe so it best serves me.