Simplify your Fashion

       For the last couple years of my life, I've been on a mission to simplify.  I have five children and a husband.  We accumulate things exponentially.  There were days when I would walk through my door and feel instantly suffocated.  Clutter is life sucking, uncomfortable, and deters the visibility of what is beautiful.  It can also give an impression of a lack of focus.  And so it is in fashion.
       Have you ever seen someone wearing so much stuff that it looked as if they were wearing their entire wardrobe?  Or how about persons wearing multiple chains, necklaces, rings, bracelets etc.  It almost like they are fearful of loss or leaving anything behind so they wear it all at once.  Make up is the same way.  Some one wearing too much makeup often gets a stigma we associate with drag-queens.  I believe that too much of the same thing is overkill.
       Fashion is not about how much we can pile on but what we do with what we have.  Better yet, it's like a puzzle in that we try to find the pieces that fit together.  These articles of clothing and accessories don't just have to fit with each other, but also with our body type, skin tone, and hair style.  So overdoing it in one area can pull the focus from the very element that you want to shine the most.
       Try this concept:
                            1) start with a basic plain dress/shirt  (i.e.cream/off white)
                            2) couple it with a contrasting color of stocking/legging/pant (i.e.grey/blue)
                            3) Find a colored belt for the wow factor and pair it with a hair flower,  hat, necklace, or
                                scarf in the same color (i.e. yellow/pink/red)
                            4) Make sure your shoes don't take away from the wow factor.
                                  (in some cases, shoes can BE the wow factor. )
                            5) Don't forget the power of a SMILE.  A smile not only brightens your eyes, but it lifts                        
                                 your over- all demeanor.  And best of all, IT'S FREE!

       Obviously there are no set rules to fashion.  But if you find yourself in a fashion rut, start here.  One more thing, ALWAYS DRESS COMFORTABLE.  There is nothing more disturbing than a person who is constantly pulling and tugging on their clothing, making adjustments, and fidgeting.  If it doesn't fit, It doesn't fit.

Simple things are beautiful
photo by Jeff Masters 2012