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Saturday, November 30, 2019

Friday, November 29, 2019

Catch Of The Day - Black Friday '19


I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving and you are now partaking in the after holiday shopping. Here is a sample I found yesterday that falls into my every day "Keep it Simple" approach. 

The Coach Waverly Pump I have been watching all summer season. Coach heels are my favorite for style, construction and fit. The original price was near $200 and for a while, they have been 50% off.  Still a little hard to justify for a "not wear everyday" color. The reason I have been watching these so closely is that I have a Lauren Jersey dress in this exact "Bright Coral" color. There is a "SAVE30" promotion going on that saves an additional 30% and there is free shipping. I ordered these last week and fit it is perfect; dare I say, comfortable.

Venus Sweater
The next catch is the "Venus BUTTON DETAIL SWEATER". Needless to say, the color listed as pink in the phototo be a close match for the shoes.  For a lunch out with the girls or movie night, you will have the "pulled-together" look. Venus states: "Featuring side button closures and ribbed edging at the neck, cuffs, and hem, this is a comfy and flattering choice". On sale for $26.99 and Black Friday provides free shipping. 

The Sperry Crest Vibe Platform Sneaker, I got these this past summer and are also on sale this weekend for $47.96 or 40% off. I love these and are a great casual, everyday look with jeans or shorts.  

My final catch is Macys' Levi Women's Classic Button-Front Straight Jeans.  Originally $59.50 and this weekend $29.50. Straight leg jeans are the season's choice and are seen everywhere. Because these are "Button Fly" the fit is tight and creates an almost "wedgie" rear look.  A great alternatives is the Macys' Style & Co Tummy-Control Straight-Leg Jeans, at $17.99; 63% off.  

What Back Friday deals did you find?  Just in case you do not need any pumps, sweaters, or jeans (like that is going to happen) there is always Best Buy "for Refrigerators and TVs. However, "girl" shopping is so much more fun!!!  


News Flash: Check out Deborah's site "Fabulous After 40" today for BEST BLACK FRIDAY CLOTHING DEALS ON REALLY GOOD STUFF!












Thursday, November 28, 2019

A Thanksgiving Memory and Warning



Growing up my grandmother had my grandfather's whole family, with brothers, sisters, kids, and grand-kids over of a Thanksgiving feast. I don't know how she did it, but everything came together at the same time. I remember the year I went from the kids "Card Table" in the living room to the big table. I had arrived.   

Heed the warning. Cut this out and take it along with the wine. I hope everyone is having a wonderful family holiday.

Happy Thanksgiving '19





Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Robert Redford Speaks Out

President Trump's dictator-like administration is attacking the values America holds dear

Robert Redford

By Robert Redford
November 26, 2019









We’re up against a crisis I never thought I’d see in my lifetime: a dictator-like attack by President Donald Trump on everything this country stands for. As last week’s impeachment hearings made clear, our shared tolerance and respect for the truth, our sacred rule of law, our essential freedom of the press and our precious freedoms of speech — all have been threatened by a single man.


It’s time for Trump to go — along with those in Congress who have chosen party loyalty over their oath to “solemnly affirm” their support for the Constitution of the United States. And it’s up to us to make that happen, through the power of our votes.

When Trump was elected, though he was not my choice, I honestly thought it only fair to give the guy a chance. And like many others, I did. But almost instantly he began to disappoint and then alarm me. I don’t think I’m alone.

Tonight it pains me to watch what is happening to our country. Growing up as a child during World War II, I watched a united America defend itself against the threat of fascism. I watched this again, during the Watergate crisis, when our democracy was threatened. And again, when terrorists turned our world upside down.

During those times of crises, Congress came together, and our leaders came together. Politicians from both sides rose to defend our founding principles and the values that make us a global leader and a philosophical beacon of hope for all those seeking their own freedoms.

What is happening, right now, is so deeply disturbing that instead of the United States of America, we are now defined as the Divided States of America. Leaders on both sides lack the fundamental courage to cross political aisles on behalf of what is good for the American people.

The vast majority of Americans are busy with real life; trying to make ends meet and deeply frustrated by how hard Washington makes it to do just that.

But this is it. There are only 11 months left before the presidential election; 11 months before we get our one real chance to right this ship and change the course of disaster that lies before us.

Let’s rededicate ourselves to voting for truth, character and integrity in our representatives (no matter which side we’re on). Let’s go back to being the leader the world so desperately needs. Let’s return, quickly, to being simply ... Americans.

_____________________


My Note:  This is a well written piece.  I do not think that history is going to look favorably on the leaders that do not stand for the law and continue to support the chaos surrounding the current president. Please read:  We Are Being Erased on Diana's site.     




I Love A Success Story - Gillette Ad


The Best A Man Can Get




Dad helps transgender son shave face for first time in new Gillette ad.

We need a mom helping her son to do her makeup. 


Tuesday, November 26, 2019

"Man! I Feel Like A Woman!"




SHANIA TWAIN – MAN! I FEEL LIKE A WOMAN
Let's Go Girls...

I'm going out tonight-I'm feelin' alright
Gonna let it all hang out
Wanna make some noise-really raise my voice
Yeah, I wanna scream and shout
No inhibitions-make no conditions
Get a little outta line
I ain't gonna act politically correct
I only wanna have a good time

The best thing about being a woman
Is the prerogative to have a little fun

Oh, oh, oh, go totally crazy-forget I'm a lady
Men's shirts-short skirts
Oh, oh, oh, really go wild-yeah, doin' it in style
Oh, oh, oh, get in the action-feel the attraction
Color my hair-do what I dare
Oh, oh, oh, I wanna be free-yeah, to feel the way I feel
Man! I feel like a woman!

The girls need a break-tonight we're gonna take
The chance to get out on the town
We don't need romance-we only wanna dance
We're gonna let our hair hang down

The best thing about being a woman
Is the prerogative to have a little fun

Oh, oh, oh, go totally crazy-forget I'm a lady
Men's shirts-short skirts
Oh, oh, oh, really go wild-yeah, doin' it in style
Oh, oh, oh, get in the action-feel the attraction
Color my hair-do what I dare
Oh, oh, oh, I wanna be free-yeah, to feel the way I feel
Man! I feel like a woman!

The best thing about being a woman
Is the prerogative to have a little fun (fun, fun)

Oh, oh, oh, go totally crazy-forget I'm a lady
Men's shirts-short skirts
Oh, oh, oh, really go wild-yeah, doin' it in style
Oh, oh, oh, get in the action-feel the attraction
Color my hair-do what I dare
Oh, oh, oh, I wanna be free-yeah, to feel the way I feel
Man! I feel like a woman!

I get totally crazy
Can you feel it
Come, come, come on baby
I feel like a woman.



_____________



Shania Twain "Impresses Fans" with an explosive AMA performance Sunday.  Stay with the video to the end. You will be rewarded by one of my "Girl" favorite songs... Plus, I love the dress and watching the chorus on the staircase in heels, is pure art!






Monday, November 25, 2019

Masculine Is Out - Androgynous Is In

Muscular is out! Male fashion models are choosing to be thin, even androgynous



 Updated: Sep 25, 2016 

Muscular, classically chiseled male models are a dying breed as men are ever more chosen for thinness, even androgyny, in a fashion world playing with the notion of gender.

It only takes looking back a decade to male fashion shows -- at Versace, Givenchy, Louis Vuitton or Gucci -- to see the change on the catwalk.

Shoulders have lost their squareness, chests have sunk.

Back then, “male models were a little bit bigger... not so, so skinny,” said Tricia Romani, head of the Canadian branch of the Wilhelmina international modeling agency.

Hedi Slimane, while at Saint Laurent and Dior, was among the designers who transfigured the dominant vision of the masculine look into lank, languorous and unique.

“For high fashion, that’s definitely what they want. Very thin, edgy-looking guys,” Romani said.

“And they’re designing the clothes in that way so if you had a model that was big and muscular, that wouldn’t fit.”

Skinnier, the new ideal male model is also taller, hitting up to six feet two inches (1.90 meters), said Neil Mautone, founder and owner of the agency Red Model Management.

Along with the fading ideal of muscle is the classically beautiful face, formerly in demand for men as well as women.

Today, according to Romani, “a male model can be sort of interesting looking, or edgy or different” and be hired even if he does not fall into “a category of plastic, beautiful models.”

With the growing power of male fashion, seen in the 2015 launch of the first men’s shows in New York Fashion Week, demand for male models has exploded.

Between 10% to 15% of male models find enough work to be employed full-time, combining runway shows, advertising, catalogs and magazines, Romani said.

The top-end models can earn more than $1 million a year, people in the industry say, though the best-paid female models can make about 10 times more.

- Man, woman, who cares?

Responding to the growing market, model agencies and designers are trashing stereotypes and broadening their palettes, an approach that is also boosting ethnic diversity, Romani noted.

The new ideal look, the evolution of men’s fashion and the current focus on gender have blurred the lines between men and women.

That was more evident than ever on the New York catwalks last week.


Several shows were decidedly “gender fluid,” parading out clothes that could be worn by either sex.

The streetwise New York brand Hood By Air, a pioneer of the trend, was joined by Dutch studio Maison the Faux and Baja East, a New York-based company known for relaxed luxury apparel.

Several shows were decidedly “gender fluid,” parading out clothes that could be worn by either sex. For Maison the Faux, undoubtedly the most radical of them all, the men walked the runway wearing bras and girdles.

“Society always puts people in boxes and I think that doesn’t make the world a better place,” said Tessa de Boer, one half of the design team at Maison the Faux.

The Wilhelmina agency has among its models a 26-year-old person who refuses to identify with a gender and goes simply by the name Lex.

The model notably has worked for N-p-Elliott, where Scottish designer Nicholas Elliott conjures up avant-garde, asexual clothes.


“Being so androgynous, to me, is a blessing,” Lex told AFP in an emailed response to questions. “It increases my ability to participate in endless projects without limitation to my gender.”

Friday, November 22, 2019

A Halloween Captioned Images



Captioned images have been a mainstay in our community for many years.  There is no end to all that are available.  Pinterest has a good collection so search to your heart's content.  I thought this one was seasonally appropriate.  

Anyone have this delicious experience?  There is always next year.  

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Catch of The Day - Talbots Dot Midi Skirt



There is no secret how much I like "Polka Dots".  From dresses to skirts, my favorite. I think it goes back to a photo in my family album of my mother wearing a beautiful polka dot dress, circa 1948.  This is likely my first photo.  
My Mother and Grandmother 


Today's "Catch of The Day" is a "Talbots DOTTY PRINT MIDI SKIRT".  It was in final sale last weekend and I had a $20 coupon;  a simple choice at $28.99.


I find Talbots to be stylish and consistent as to size. Talbots in the past have been known as styles of the older woman.  I believe that they have worked hard to dispel this by youthful and very colorful styles. I also find their prices to be reasonable.


I have many items that can be worn with the beautiful skirt and have shown a few.  Enjoy!  







Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Feminine Differential - Not Overthinking


There was a time when getting Rhonda out the door was a three hour process. Choosing the outfit, bubble bath (to set the mood), makeup, getting the hair just so, foundation garments, and finally getting dressed.  Every moment along the process severed to set the mood.  Does any of this resemble your process.

As some would describe the dilemma - "Fish or cut bait"? 

Fast forward to this morning's market shopping.  Being a people-watcher over the years, I have been studying wardrobes utilized in situations in which i would like to  participate. Office/professional was my goal for many years because that is where I pictured myself. Casual later became a destination as my "Escape" world expanded; now the everyday reality.  

This morning I did not give a second though to the decades old henley cotton top, Lee slim jeans, and Skechers D'Lites that I wore. "Do you need any help ma'am".  'Can I reach that for you ma'am.".  "Do you need any help with your cart ma'am".

Yes, there are times when I do question either their sincerity or vision.  However, welcome the recognition that I am blending; deserved or not. It is  appreciated. 

Lesson - there is nothing wrong with a great afternoon of self-indulgence and feminine pampering. As I look at my calendar, I am not getting any younger and time-is-a-wasting.  Plan accordingly and realize that there is not anyone you need to impress, other than yourself. Dress to blend and take advantage of of the time you have. Overthinking only slows the exit. It is not the process but the reality of the escape.   






Monday, November 18, 2019

Tima Marso Loves It When People Don't Realize He's A Guy

Bride groom meet the beer-loving biker making a mint out of modelling WEDDING DRESSES… and it was all his girlfriend’s idea.

















Tima Marso likes soccer and motorbike riding, but after encouragement from his girlfriend he also got into modelling wedding gowns.

"The idea I do the wedding dress shoot was my girlfriend’s idea," the 25-year-old guy said. "In fact she pushed me into modelling women’s clothes because of my high cheek bones and long blonde hair. I love how I can pull off the look of a woman and am proud to be an androgynous model."


He's already well on his way to stardom, having rocked dresses and skirts on high-end catwalks - and raking in thousands in the process.

"I grew up wanting to be a rock star and never thought I’d be making thousands were couture and high street women’s outfits," Tima, from Moscow, Russia, said.

His surprising career began when he started dating his make-up artist girlfriend, who prefers not to be identified.

"My girlfriend would take me to her make up jobs for fashion shows, she’d even practice looks on me because my face has an n angular feminine look and it was her who suggested I try modelling," he said.

In 2013 Tima posed for head shots and started working as a male model. Things went well, but it was his partner who got him his big break.

"She’d seen the success of other androgynous male models who did male and female modelling, or only female modelling, and nagged me until I agreed to try out for women’s wear," he said.




Sunday, November 17, 2019

Friday, November 15, 2019

A Fun BBC Kids Story







A Guy Is Turned Into A Girl for Being a Bad Boyfriend!!
Male to Female Transformation.  

I do not have any of the backstory for the BBC kids series. The kids seem to have some magical powers that can change one's gender along with being able to do other tricks.  

Stick around to the end and see the switch back. Also the great line, "There is nothing wrong with being a girl."  The boy makes a really cute girl and can even walk in heels.  Fun!


Thursday, November 14, 2019

The Style Rules (Suggestions)

Fashion maven Stacy London tells you exactly what to wear.




Never underestimate a great dress. "Throw on a dress and you're instantly pulled together. That's why I always wear one for work. Plus, styles that accent the waist and have an A-line bottom are flattering on every shape and size." Get real with yourself. "The biggest mistake women make is wearing clothes that don't fit because they don't accept the body they have right now. You have to do that in order to figure out what looks good on you. And besides, confidence is the best accessory. It can make or break an outfit."

Have we reached the end of gender stereotypes when it comes to clothes? Read the interesting article "Why can't a man wear a dress to work if he wants?" from the site ExecutiveStyle.


There's an outrageous sexual double standard playing out in society right now, one that's so quietly insidious it's everywhere, so taboo it's almost never discussed and yet strikes at the heart of the rights of almost 50 per cent of the population.
Well I'm not having it any more. I'm calling it right now. I'm standing up – carefully – for my right to wear a dress to work.



Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Nothing You Wear is More Important...



Hello! I am Beuska, a Hungarian amateur illustrator. My drawings are based on everyday situations, showing us the happy, funny sides of life and even the little bit annoying ones too. I try to remind everyone to not forget to smile even in weird situations.

Enjoy more of her fun illustration about life and being a woman.  


Tuesday, November 12, 2019

I Love A Success Story - EJ Johnson


EJ Johnson Is ‘Not Just Some Other Rich Girl’



By Michael Schulman
Sept. 2, 2017

Magic Johnson’s son was outed as gay by TMZ, then became a reality show star. All of 25, he is now embracing his role as a gender-flouting role model.


EJ Johnson
Photo: Molly Matalon for The New York Times
“Today we are talking about breaking boundaries,” EJ Johnson declared from the stage of Beautycon, a two-day cosmetics festival held in August at the Los Angeles Convention Center. The 25-year-old son of Magic Johnson was moderating a panel called “The Gender Revolution,” and he was dressed for the part: black silk pants, crop top, sleeveless duster.

We are talking about people who are not afraid to live their truth,” he continued, in a white armchair flanked by neon palm trees. “That is what beauty is all about, because it is in the eye of the beholder, honey.”

He introduced the panelists: young beauty “influencers” who, like Mr. Johnson, belong to a generation whose vocabulary for gender and sexual identity has stretched to include every conceivable hue. One of them, a gender-fluid 17-year-old YouTube star named Brendan Jordan, said, “I get asked if I’m a boy or a girl a lot. I’m just like, ‘Yes.’”

Monday, November 11, 2019

Thank You For Your Service!



Working 9 to 5

The 1980 Movie '9 To 5' Is Still Depressingly Relevant For Women At Work





Huffpost: On the set of her 1980 film debut “9 To 5,” Dolly Parton wrote a working-class anthem that called out how workers don’t get compensated and recognized fairly for their contributions: “It’s a rich man’s game no matter what they call it / And you spend your life puttin’ money in his wallet.” Before Parton even begins to sing, we hear the clacking of a typewriter, a familiar drumbeat to office work.

But does the film itself hold up? “9 to 5” starred Jane Fonda (Judy), Lily Tomlin (Violet) and Parton (Doralee) as three working women in New York City who have had enough of being disrespected and underpaid by their “sexist egotistical lying hypocritical bigot” boss, played by Dabney Coleman. They team up to take him down, and in the process become the unseen architects of a happier, more productive workplace.


Forty years later, the progressive workplace Judy, Violet and Doralee created is still a utopia, not a reality.

Read the whole article here from Huffpost  



___________________


My Notes: After retirement in early 2000, I became very bored, having worked since I was 9 years old (paperboy). With salary being not the biggest issue, plus seeking a challenge, I applied for numerous "administrative" positions like "Secretary" as Rhonda.  The interview process was only the preview for what it it is like being treated as a female in the workplace. 

I called the process "Going Through The Glass Ceiling - The Opposite Way". After being hired, I worked for over eight years as an "Office Manager" and "Executive Assistant". The positions were two fundraising jobs and one as a museum membership coordinator. 

Wow, did I learn a lot!  Being male one cannot fathom the difference.  Working 9-to-5 was quite enlightening.  Shocking may be the better description.




   

   

     

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Political Cartoons 11-10


One day after the House passed a formal impeachment resolution, The Washington Post reported Friday (11/1) that 49 percent of the electorate thinks Trump should be “impeached and removed from office,” while 47 percent disagreed with that idea, according to a Post-ABC News poll.



Matt Wuerker/POLITICO - Thanks Velma for sending this one.   





Saturday, November 9, 2019

Friday, November 8, 2019

Catch Of The Day - Neutral Tones



According to the Zoe Report, neutrals are a fashion key this fall: "How To Wear Neutrals And Embrace 2019's Monochrome Trend


But, this season, there's a trend that's poised to make getting ready in winter all the easier, and the good news is it's not only easy — it's stylish. Embracing the season's monochromatic trend and nailing how to wear neutrals in a fashion-forward way is the key. Not only does it take next to no effort to throw together shades of cream, ivory, and beige, there's something inherently luxe about these wintry hues.

These are all items in my closet some from several years back.  The only recent addition is the  the Banana Republic Robin Almond-Toe Ballet Flat; the fit is wonderful. The side zip trousers are Lauren from several years ago and the short sleeve sweater as well. The style and combination are wonderfully dressy.  When you have a quality pair of nude pumps you will never run out of opportunities to wear them.  A must - Always chic.  





Thursday, November 7, 2019

Southern Traditions: No White Shoes after Labor Day


By: Jane Jenkins Herlong

The Sunday after Labor Day, Caroline ran down the stairs on her way to church.  I stared at her feet in disbelief.  “Caroline!” I exclaimed.  “Your shoes! ”  The tone in my voice was as dramatic as if a robber had broken into the house. “Oh, Mama!  I forgot.”  She ran upstairs and reappeared wearing a darker, more appropriate color.  To my relief, the child understood the importance of this unspoken rule.   “Oh.” I reflected.  “I have done a wonderful job raising a true Southerner belle.  She did not protest, fuss or whine…..she protected herself from scandal and preserved our family honor. 


It is one of our Southern traditions;  no white shoes after Labor Day.

The day after Labor Day is secretly celebrated as finding out who is one of our kind.  A true Southern woman only has to glance down and have her curiosity and heritage satisfied. It is a private club with no meetings and only one activity.  The dues, however are enormous.


Not 24 hours later, I was in conversation with another Southern sistah answering questions regarding this issue.  The person asking questions was a transplant….a Northerner. My sistah Belle is an Olympic Gold Medallist for Southern accents.  Her explanation was as smooth as molasses. “Why, Honey,” she said to our Northern friend,  “it’s our-uh Southern ways.  You ah here-uh now and this is the how we ah.  I was taught by my Momma and otha kin the golden rule of no-white-shoes after Labor Day when I was fo-wa years old.”

Believe it or not, there is a book written called, A Southern Belle Primer, or Why Princess Margaret Will Never Be A Kappa Kappa Gamma. The author reminds us that every Southern belle learns the white shoe rule from birth. “In the South, where one’s roots are everything, a true belle would never think of breaking the code. She would never wear white shoes after Labor Day, put dark meat in her chicken salad, and never marry a man whose mother owns silver plate, and not real silver.” Frankly, I was impressed by our Northern friend.  She did not say, “Well, it’s a stupid rule.  Up North we wear what we want to when we want to.”  Bless her Yankee heart, she was trying to adapt to the nuances of our Southernisms.


Hi Sugarplum - Great Jeans advice.

What is all this fuss about not wearing white shoes after Labor Day?   Maybe it started at the Twelve Oaks barbeque when our dear Scarlet was “pea green with envy” when her beloved Ashley was taken up with his cousin, Melanie Wilkes.  Maybe it was after Labor Day and Melanie hiked-up her skirt showing her white petticoat and a pair of virgin-white, church pumps. I’ll bet Scarlet was so angry she blurted the words that started the whole trend, “That ol tacky Melanie Wilkes is wearing white shoes after Labor Day.  I thought her kind knew better.”  I read up on the real answer….something about white shoes in the summer being cooler and dark shoes in cooler temperatures being warmer.  I like my story much better.

This “shoe tale” has a rather cute ending.  My Northern friend, in her best attempt at a Southern accent quipped, “Why Suga, I cannot believe you ar-uh actually drivin’ that white car after Labor Day.”



Glam Guide: How to Wear White After Labor Day

"Rules are meant to be broken!" -  Douglas MacArthur