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Dresses

First, I have to thank my wonderful husband Dave. In last week’s edition of Girl Talk I wrote about how I’d love to try this:

Fleurs Se Cerisier Cherry Blossom Shower Gel from L’Occitane.

Tuesday, FedEx arrived at my door with a beautiful L’Occitane gift box containing that very thing.

Now, most of the products and items I write about in Girl Talk are usually priced way beyond our monthly budget. They’re things I would buy if I had an unlimited, expendable income, something I’m still working on acquiring. LOL A Girl can dream, can’t she? Anyway, it was a very unexpected surprise and a very sweet thing for him to do, so thank you dear!

O.K., on to this week’s Girl Talk.

This is a sore subject. My thighs. It’s summer. I like to wear dresses in the summer. There’s only one problem, the chaffing.

Surely I am not the only woman to ever experience this. Unless you’re one of those freaks of nature genetically blessed individuals who’s thighs are so thin and lovely that your inner thighs do not touch, you probably know what I’m talking about. Granted I could stand to loose and an inch or two or ten in that area, but I know plenty of girls skinnier than me who’s thighs do not part way when they walk.

Dresses aren’t a problem in the winter because panty hose form a nice barrier. But who wants to wear those in the summer? I don’t spend all that time slathering myself with Jergens Natural Glow only to cover up my fake tan with suntan shaded nylons. So, I went on-line looking for some relief.

One message board comment suggested wearing a long-leg body shaper, or as they called it in your grandmother’s day, a girdle.

Now while they do wonders for your figure, I can go down a whole pants size crammed into one, they really aren’t summer wear. First, have you ever squeezed yourself into one of those polyester and spandex straight jackets? Oh, my goodness. It’s like stuffing sausage. It takes herculean strength to pull one of those things up and get it positioned correctly. God help you if you accidentally twist it while tugging it on.

You’d work up such a sweat just getting into a body shaper in the summer that you’d have to take it right off and shower again. Or shower with it on.

Hmm, maybe it would shrink as it dried and firm up everything even more… No, bad idea.

And since they are heavy duty and made of unnatural fabrics that do not exist in nature, they don’t breath. You’d be as hot and sticky as a Cinnabon from the mall.

I kept searching and found something else from Grandma’s trunk, well, probably great-grandma’s. Look at these beautiful underwear from The Vermont Country Store. They’re called Snuggies.

One hundred percent cotton, comfy elastic waistband. Cool I’m sure. Prevents chaffing? Definitely. But do I really want to wear that under my flirty summer dresses? They say wearing sexy underwear makes you feel pretty and confident even if no one else knows you’re wearing it. Well, how do you think these would make you feel? Like Ma Kettle?

Things only got worse from there. I found a place that sells actual bloomers.

Then there were suggestions of using different kinds of powder to adsorb moisture and limit friction. That’s all I need. A white cloud of dust swirling around the bottom of my skirt as I walk. And you know it would get on everything. Like deodorant on a black shirt. I always end up with streaks, even when I use the clear no-streaking kind.

I searched the lingerie sections of every known department store with in 50 miles of my home to no avail. Everything was either made of fabric that was too hot and uncomfortable, or was just plain ugly. I had a glimmer of hope when I found a pair of bike shorts made of some kind of light-weight space-age moisture wicking material, but, alas, the elastic waistband was too thick to wear undetected beneath a dress.

I did come up with a solution however.

Men’s underwear.

White, micro fiber, boxer briefs to be exact. (I was going to insert a picture here, but I couldn’t find any photos of men’s boxer briefs on-line that didn’t make me blush.) The fabric is light and breathable. A comfy combination of 95 percent cotton, 5 percent spandex. They’re white, with a thin waistband and the legs are just long enough to prevent chafing. And the boxer briefs are way cuter than anything in the women’s department. Very inexpensive as well.

So yes, I, on occasion, wear men’s underwear. There’s my shocking confession for the day. Now when I wear dresses my inner thighs don’t feel like Rome burning, and no one knows my secret. Well, except for you — and you — and you — and — well– let’s just keep this between us girls, O.K.?

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O.K., Ok. So I love the style of the 1940′s and 50′s, and the romantic images of simpler times it reminds me of. I suppose it comes from watching all those old movies; Bringing Up Baby, An Affair to Remember, Stage Door Canteen, Adam’s Rib, Casablanca, It’s a Wonderful Life.

I especially like the fashions from those decades. Men were dapper in their suits and Fedoras, women elegant with hats and gloves. And your appearance was important when you went out. No schlepping to the grocery store in sweats, or going to church in jeans and a t-shirt. I admit, I’m glad I don’t have to dress up every time I need to buy milk, and thank goodness I don ‘t have to spend all day straightening the seams in my stockings. But it is fun to get all dressed up once in a while.

My favorite fashions from the 1940′s and 50′s are the dresses. Designed before so-skinny-we-can-see-your-spine was in, they were feminine and cut to flatter women’s curves. The dress has made a comeback in women’s closets in the last couple of years, and a few companies have offered up new dresses that are throw-backs to those eras. Summer is the perfect time to pick up one of these flirty retro styles.

Imagine boarding First Class for a trans-Atlantic flight in the Metroliner from Red Dress Shoppe. Red Dress has many more retro dresses, tops and bottoms to choose from.

Pin-Up Girl Clothing offers, dresses, shoes, swim wear, accessories and lingerie from several designers. This Pin-Up Couture Dorothy Dress is a classic. Put on some pearls, start vacuuming and you’ll feel just like Donna Reed.

This 1950′s vintage inspired Shirley bathing suit from Popina may have you donning a swim cap and re-enacting scenes from Esther Williams movies.

Needs some retro accessories? Stocking Showcase has seamed stockings and all the hardware to hold them up.

Even if these clothes aren’t your style, it’s fun to look.

Want to join in on some Girl Talk? Post about anything girlie on your blog, let’s keep it PG-13 at least, and link back to this post. Don’t forget to sign the Mr. Linky form below and enter your post permalink. Feel free to grab the Girl Talk button and use it on your blog. I post this once a week on Thursdays, usually in the afternoon when my son is sleeping. You can link up any time between now and next Wednesday.

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So I have two things for Girl Talk this week. First I’m going to do a little show and tell and talk shamelessly about myself.

Honey Can you Turn that Down? The House is on Fire!

This is what I look like when I have my contacts in.

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But I rarely wear my contacts now. There was a time I wouldn’t be seen in public with my glasses on. I still had silly adolescent insecurities about being a four-eyes. Motherhood changed that.

All sorts of strange things happen to you after giving birth. All you moms out there know what I’m talking about. And it’s more than just your feet growing a whole shoe size. I wore contacts all most every day for 15 years with out any problems before my son was born. But now they get so uncomfortable after an hour or two that I only wear them for special occasions. How being pregnant caused that I can not explain. But it did.

Well, I got new glasses last week, because my old ones had been pulverized by my son so many times that the lenses wouldn’t stay in anymore no matter how tight the screws were.

These are my old glasses.

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These are my new glasses.

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When I came home from the eye doctor Saturday my husband and son were watching an NCAA playoff game. I was pretty excited about my stylish new glasses, hoping they made me look intelligent, hip and interesting rather than old and boring. I personally think there’s quite a bit of difference between the old and new frames.  However neither my husband or son noticed! I was all ready for compliments. All I got was, “What’s there to eat?” When the game ended I asked, “Notice anything different?” I just got blank stares. When I finally pointed them out my husband said, “Oh, yeah.” And my son asked, “Can I play with them?”

The next morning I went to the Women’s Bible Study at my church. I barely got in the door before five different women who I see once, maybe twice a week mentioned my glasses and complimented me on them.

This a great illustration of one of the differences between men and women. If the game’s on, most men wouldn’t notice the glasses let alone that the house was burning down around them. On the other hand, women would notice the new glasses even if their their team was down by one point and in possession of the ball with 13 seconds left on the clock and the house was burning down around them. Am I right ladies? Guys, especially my dear husband and son, I’m not bashing you. We’re just different, that’s all. It’s O.K. to be different.

Shabby Apple

I came across the Shabby Apple on line recently. I love their pretty, feminine dresses. And they’re as easy to wear as they are cute.

Owners Emily and CK started Shabby Apple when they couldn’t find stylish dresses that were still modest and comfortable to wear. And they were tired of having to wear tank tops underneath everything for extra coverage. While the word modest might make you think frumpy, their designs are anything but.

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I love Buttoned-Up with pin tucking detail on the bodice.

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How about Duck Beach with the flirty bow? Perfect for a spring stroll in the park.

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Wow them at night in Sabrina. Black satin with a tulle slip peeking out below. In the back Satin-covered buttons unbutton all the way down to the waist.

I like Shabby Applebecause their dresses are classic and subtle, but still stylish and sexy. At 32 with a toddler in tow, I’d look ridiculous dressed like Lindsey Lohan. But I don’t want to dress like my grandmother either. It seems like it’s difficult to find anything in between these days.

I’m definitely adding Shabby Apple to my shopping list this spring!

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