Black Dress: Take Four

If you've been with us all week, you are tired of my intro (or as my five year old would say... the Prologue). So, skip the next paragraph. If you're tuning in for the first time this week then... where have you been? And, read on.

Cheryl, Heather, Katie, and I decided to see what our creative muscles are really made of. We put ourselves to the ultimate fashion test. Four women, four black dresses, each seeking two outfits. Each of us visited Charming Charlie's in Grapevine, Texas committed to finding a Day Look and a Night Look suitable for all the December festivities to which we were sure we would be invited. My outfits debuted on Monday, Cheryl's on Tuesday, Heather's on Wednesday, and today - last, but definitely not least, comes Katie's.

Katie entered Charming Charlie's with two criterion: First, her outfits must be practical for the busy (and poor) life of a graduate student. Second, no belts.

We obliged one, but not the other. Take a look.

A belt! The sales woman paired a black jacket with Katie's dress and then immediately belted it. Maybe, at first, Katie was stressed at the idea of it, but then... pure success! Look at how fabulous Katie looks with her belted dress, her casual fun shoes, and the bag big enough to hold a notebook for class. I can't imagine her day shoes won't be a huge hit among our shoe lovers.
As a graduate student, if Katie is going attend a holiday celebration, after a full day of classes, assistantship, internship, studying, and working on class projects, then she's probably got no more than seven minutes to transform herself from Day Look into Night Look.

Lucky for her, Katie is young and beautiful and in a way better position to pull it off than someone like me who would prefer to spend the day primping in a spa. All Katie's sales clerk did to transform Katie from Day to Night was make a quick switch of necklace, bracelet, earrings, and shoes (all things that could be whipped right out of her glove compartment).

So there it is. Four dresses, four days, and eight looks. It was fun and, though I can't speak for the other three women, I'd have to say the real beauty of this experience was getting to dabble in new looks and to experiment with the possibilities of what could be. I've spent a life time creating all kinds of rules about what I can and can't wear based on my "body type" and the image I have of myself. Hats aren't me; no leggings; no skinny jeans; big scarves make me look clumsy; I can pull off classic, but sexy would be laughable; chic is for tall and skinny women, not me; pointy shoes will make my legs look longer...

Where the heck did I get this stuff? And you too for that matter.

Tell me. What won't you wear because of a fashion hang up you have? And, don't leave me hanging by not making any comments. Otherwise I'll really think I'm a whacko.

If you think the fashion fun is over. It's not. Tune in tomorrow when we pull one more thing out of our high fashion sleeve.

Signing off until then.