Seasonal Color Analysis: True Summer (a correction to my first post)

If you read my first seasonal color analysis post, I would like to apologize because it was inaccurate. After researching, I am here to announce that I am NOT a dark winter as I previously stated. In fact, I am a cool (or true) summer. I have the high contrast between my skin and my eyes, however, I am not suited for the deep colors.

To see what I mean, click HERE to see examples of True Summers. Even though summers are typically thought of as blondes with fair skin. However, this is not so. You will see examples of so many women who do not fit within that stereotype.

The color palette of a True Summer is cool and muted. Here are two examples:



This is a more detailed palette including more of the colors.




Discovering that I was a True Summer has been a very exciting experience. I can also see where I was confused on my season. Winter shades are very similar to the shades above, but have a greater depth to them. I often felt smothered with some of the colors from the Dark Winter palette, but with the Summer shades, I feel more natural.

Here are some shots of me (old and new) in True Summer colors. Note that the background colors in the last two images are also from the palette.

Some of my most worn colors from this palette are navy, dusty lavender, turquoise, and cool red.

Makeup for True Summers are seen on this chart, although cool red can be added for lips.

The most prominent colors here are taupe, beige, raspberry, and dusty blue. These colors compliment your skin's coolness.

I am very pleased with finding my true colors and I encourage you to do the same. Finding what colors suit you best is the key to looking and feeling your best.

Georgia in the Fall

Today is Friday... and super cold for this time of year. I woke up to 45 degrees, which is unheard of in Georgia for fall. Luckily, I live in a mobile home with such good insulation I don't have to worry about ANY air escaping. Unfortunately, this includes cold air. I told my parents last night that I know it is fall when I dread leaving the room that the heater is running in.

With this new development in weather, I also have to accommodate my wardrobe to such. In other words, layer! Mornings and evenings are quite chilly, while the afternoon is too warm for a hoodie, but not warm enough for anything that involves showing skin.

This is a perfect example of Georgia in the fall. Jeans, a button up or long sleeve shirt, and a thick knit cardigan. Bonus points for the hat, but it isn't really necessary during the day.

Yesterday I have discovered that some of my readers are not from the USA, and for that I am elated! Those of you who have not been to Georgia, I would like to show you what a typical Georgia fall looks like:

The colors are not a beautiful as the rest of the country, especially to the far north. Another thing that is typical with a Georgia fall is rain. Lots and lots of rain. Summers are normally dry, but this year has been the wettest summer we have had in ages. So far, it hasn't rained like normal, but we aren't safe yet.

The best tip I can give someone who is visiting Georgia in the fall is to bring clothes for every weather condition. It could be hot one minute and cold the next. Whatever the weather is in the morning, it will be completely different by that afternoon.

I love fall, I really do. It is full of traditions and gatherings, food, and festivities. The South is known for it's hospitality. I believe that is enhanced during the fall. No matter what city's fall festival you are in, you will feel like you belong. I encourage you to come visit my beautiful state and see what Georgia has to offer.

Revival

After posting about how I am growing apathetic to fashion, I believe someone prayed that I would get my spunk back. Well, after surfing Pinterest and visiting my "Inspiration" board, I have got my pep back!

Today, I am going to show three looks for curvy ladies that earn major brownie points!



While this look is modest, I just love it! The print, the color, it is all fabulous! Great for the office or classroom, this look is timeless.

This look is perfect for fall:



Boots, tights, a warm oversized cardigan, AND a mini dress? Wow! This girl has got it going on!


This next look is more for spring, but the colors can be changed to suit whatever season you are in.



I just LOVE it! Pairing a denim jacket with a dress makes the outfit suitable for more casual occasions, or for date night when paired with cute heels.

While I have been in a fashion rut, I am trying to revive my closet. With my fashion taste changing, I have gotten rid of a great deal of my clothes. Consequently, this has left me with the things I could not bear to part with, and the few options I have left are, quite frankly, bland. Being married and having to share income AND debt has left me with very little room for shopping. Hopefully soon, I will be able to fill my closet with beautiful clothes again. *sigh*

Growing Apathetic

As I am searching for who I am, there are things I am finding that have lost my interest.

Heaven forbid that a fashionista like myself ever lose interest in clothing... but I have. The last time I went shopping, I was disappointed in the selection of clothing the stores had to offer. Call it a sign of maturity, but I have all but given up on looking like I just stepped out of a magazine. Clothing nowadays is so short, tight, and geared towards Twiggy looking kids that I have no use for it anymore. When I was a size 8, fashion seemed to come naturally... and that was just two years ago! I could walk in to any store and grab my size and look good in it. If I were to do that now, I would end up buying maybe one thing: a pair of shoes or jewelry. My size may be larger, but my body shape is the same (if that makes any sense).

Here I am at a size 8 and unwed. Still curvy through the hips and no thigh gap. A juicy pear shape.

This is what I want to be like again.

Talking to my husband about my weight, I asked him what his ideal body type was for women. He said confidence and I immediately thought "oh you liar."

Is anyone else having this battle? Wanting to please their husband, but he gives you answers like mine did?

Ugh.

With my growing apathy towards fashion, I realize that even if I wasn't a size 12, I would have less of a desire to dress like I used to. I don't want to impress anyone and I certainly don't want attention from any male other than my husband. With this, I am choosing clothes that are modest, mature, and professional. I am still in blue jeans every single day, but I am not casual like my sister who wears tennis shoes and tee shirts. I couldn't be that casual.

Anyone with advice or that can encourage the one who is supposed to be the encourager, please comment or message me. I could really use it.

Facts About the South: How to Dress

Since I haven't posted about clothing lately, I thought today would be a great chance.

In Georgia, fall does not always mean cool days, beautiful leaves, and bonfires. If you were to have a bonfire in October, you would have to wear bug spray. In the south, we have different seasons: almost summer, summer, still summer, and Christmas. We consider winter as December to February because it is normally the only time the temperature is actually below or right at 45 degrees.

Due to this season when the leaves are still on the trees and it is cool enough to wear something other than a tank top, our fall fashion is different than the rest of the nation. Typical ensembles you would see are:

               

    

Clothes in the South don't just say a lot about you, they also tell your history. If you dress like these girls in the last picture, people will say you are a "Yank" (slang for Yankee, generally meaning someone not from the South) or you live in the city. Southerners from the city are NOT your typical Southerner.

          

 If you were from a well-to-do family, your style will be more polished, but not high fashion. The rest of the pictures show a laid back style, which is common. We don't make a habit of dressing up, unless your job requires it. Jeans are THE staple piece! Tights and shorts aren't too trendy unless you live in the city.

Shirts are the broadest range of style in the South. They range from old tee shirts, to tank tops, to blouses, depending on your upbringing. Mostly, we wear boots of some type, flats, or tennis shoes with either boot-cut or slim fit jeans. Flip flops signify that you are either in college, or it is summer. Skinny jeans are not as flattering on true Southern women because we tend to be curvy. The woman in the yellow cardigan standing on the street is the most common body type among Southern women.

Our accessories are a matter of preference, but tend to be towards one extreme or the other - either you wear them and they are big and flashy, or you don't. Hair and makeup are a completely different animal all together. Either your hair is perfectly in place and always looks great, or you just let it do it's thing. Makeup is a take it or leave it kind of thing. Again, this is a sign of how you were brought up. 

The absolute biggest thing to prepare for when you come to the South is pride in your team. Football is everything to everyone... except me. I am unclaimed territory when it comes to sports. If you come to Northeast Georgia in the fall, be prepared for a sea of red and black in support of the Georgia Bulldogs. Me on the other hand, I will be in the corner clinging to my guns and religion in hopes that football season will be over with soon.

Dress to Impress!

When it comes to fashion, I have a very intriguing past. I was never a beauty queen or an ugly Betty. I was just me. I dressed how I felt and that was good enough. When I was in college, I began caring how I dressed. I no longer wanted to be a wallflower. With a size 5 bod, I could wear whatever I wanted and it looked good. That all changed after I got married (as stated in my first post).

Dressing myself no w is much different than when I was in college. I have more curves and I desire to look more like an adult instead of a teenager. It was difficult for me to accept this because I thought adult clothing would be boring. How wrong I was!

Here are some of my rules to rock your body and still look mature.

Rule 1: Learn your body type!

Knowing what body type you have will help you learn how to flatter your figure. Here is a link to a fabulous website that will get you started:
http://www.channel4.com/4beauty/style-me/bodyshapefinder

Rule 2: Skinny jeans are acceptable. Period.

When I wear skinny jeans, I always wear something fuller on top to balance my curves. Also, do not buy skinny jeans from teen stores. They are not cut for fuller legs and are uncomfortable. My favorite skinnies are from Gap Outlet. That is the store I get almost all of my jeans from! Their style is cut more for grown up bods than teens. However, do not limit yourself to stores like that. Aeropostale surprises me with some of their pants. I do not buy denim from their but I found a pair of red trouser skinnies that I could live in!

This is a perfect example of having balance. The top is loose around the belly so it will not cling to our less flattering parts. The boots in the picture are great for fall and winter, but can be switched to cute sandals in the spring and summer or pumps to dress up the look.

Another kind of shirt that goes great with skinny jeans is the peplum style shirts. It nips your waste and covers your hips. They also have skirts and dresses in this style. All of them are wonderful for curves and gives slender figures a bit of a curvy allure. 

Rule 3: Never be afraid of color.

typically when women are fuller figured, they use dark colors to make them look slimmer. While this has an appealing effect, no woman's wardrobe should lack color. If you like darker colors on you, try using bright accents to liven up your look. A colored scarf or beaded necklace can brighten up any outfit!

The bright pop of the yellow shirt makes this outfit a wonderful example! Even though the jacket and pants are darker, the shirt gives it a little something extra. The scarf and bag add in more color.

Rule 4: When wearing short dresses or skirts, tights/leggings are your best friends

You know that dress you didn't buy because it came above you knees? Well, you still could have rocked it! Most people categorize tights in with their itchy cousins, pantyhose. NO! Tights, when bought in the correct size and material, are a basic no female should live without! Tights come in various length, colors, and opacity. I like to buy leggings, the slightly heavier cotton blend cousin of tights.

Because of the length of this dress I would have passed it by in a store. Now that I see it paired with tights I want to find it and make it mine!

Rule 5: LAYER, LAYER, LAYER!!!

One of my obsessions is cardigans. I own a cardigan in almost every color. Why? Because they hide my arms and slim me. Plus it is a fun way to add color to my outfits.

My story: I got married... and I got fat.

Marriage was the single greatest thing (other than salvation) that has ever happened to me. I had found the one person that God created just for me, and I for him. All my life I had dreamed of this milestone. The only problem: I had one more semester of college left.

This semester was going to be the hardest one of my college career. I would be an unpaid student teacher working at a school that will remain nameless under a teacher who will also remain nameless. This teacher was by far the most abusive (verbally and psychologically) person I have ever encountered. I sunk into a depression that lasted well past my time at this dreadful school and I began to put on the pounds. Because of her, I had to repeat student teaching, resulting in another semester of being unpaid.

Over Christmas break I was a ball of anxiety because of bills, an unknown school, and my increasing weight. My new school was heaven on earth! I was working with a teacher that I will forever admire and at a school I wish every child could attend. Before this school I had a terrible flavor in my mouth for public education, but when I left I knew that not all public schools were bad.

During all of this I gained 4 dress sizes and for the first time in my life I was in double digit sizes. this took a huge toll on my self-esteem. I became self-loathing and contributed to my depression. Also, my husband and I were eating a terribly unhealthy diet and were always on the go. I wanted to change. I wanted to fight my genetics and be skinny, but no amount of wishing could change the fact that I was a size 12.

One day while searching Pinterest, I was looking at how frail the girls were in the fashion pins. Thigh gaps, no curves, and sunken faces were in every picture. I was once that thin. I once looked good in everything I put on. I once could eat anything I wanted and not gain an ounce. My mother warned me of this day.

Then I began asking myself why. Why was this the standard of beauty? Why am I supposed to desire to be those thin little girls? Why can't my size be acceptable in the fashion world without being labeled "plus size"? Enough was enough! I snapped out of my self-loathing and started an inspiration board full of pin-up girls and quotes about loving your body. I AM beautiful, no matter what designers say!

This blog is dedicated to all of those (like me) who are accepting of their body, no matter what size they are. Women today are too self conscious about their bodies and need to be happy with the way God created them. This blog is meant to build up women and not tell them to gain/lose weight. I do encourage my readers to make sure they are healthy in their weight and lifestyle. Health is more important than being skinny or curvy.

In this blog, I will be sharing fashion, food, healthy living tips, as well as my own progress to live a healthier lifestyle. I am an advocate for curvy women so the fashion will be more focused on how to dress your curves appropriately, as well as trends and my fashion outlook. I will also be sharing some of my artistic talents and teaching tips. I hope you enjoy this blog.

~*Beth*~