Saturday, January 23, 2010

What Not to Wear I Wore It


This is a whole new theme. I am going to either shame myself into a real makeover, or resign myself to embracing my "inner" beauty. I am not so shallow as to propose that nice clothes and a hair brush are above kindness and good deeds, but something tells me I could do better.

My intentions are to:

1. Learn how to use my Christmas tripod.
2. Amuse myself.
3. Confess. We are talking full disclosure.
4. Challenge myself to graduate to a mature-sophisticated-aware state of being.

Issues:

1. I have not located/unpacked my earrings.
I know this is a minor factor in the overall problem subject, but wearing earrings is a small yet effective means of caring about one's appearance, I think.

2. I am not a morning person. I should quantify that... I am not a person that cooperatively and enthusiastically rises and agrees to submit to the timetables and rigors of school schedules.

3. Morning is my time and my time is never-ever-ever dedicated to:
a. ironing, unless for sewing
b. brushing my hair
c. being uncomfortable
d. applying make-up

4. All of the above would go a very long way to making me look less... Sasquatch.


I know.
I could do better.
I should do better.

It's an issue.


The hat. Well, the hat is cute. I made it. But it is, of course, hiding the hair that went unwashed... I could blame the septic system this week, but honestly, most mornings my shower comes late.

I do wear sunscreen, but obviously I have not located/unpacked my make-up. No mascara or foundation or concealer or lipstick or airbrushed shellac.

The brows. Well, yes, I shouldn't leave home without tweezers and a fine toothed comb. Enough said.


Sure, I can let iMac run the airbrush over my picture, but family and neighbors don't get this glossed over version, so it doesn't really count.

Step this way, if you will...

These shoes looked good. They looked good last June. Without socks. I think wearing my heavy wool socks with these summer shoes may have stretched them too much, because my feet are coming way forward and frankly, I don't think they look any better without socks. (Last pedicure: May 1998.)


The pants work for one wearing. One. I must not treat them like my farm-girl jeans that I won't wash until they can stand freely. These pants get wonky and wrinkled after a day and slipping them on for speed and ease is fashionably criminal. Even I can see that. Also, the big red stain on the hip... it's fading, sure, but it is there. Note to self: Lose these pants.


First of all, I want to congratulate myself for putting on a bra. Small measure, huge difference. The T-shirt is another matter. For one thing it is not my T-shirt, and that means one or two things: I am raiding Geoff's side of the closet because my diet is fail, and I have not kept up with laundry. So, as much as I loved SIGGRAPH, I am not wearing this ginormous T-shirt as a geek statement.

I like the coat. The coat is thrift shop vintage... White Stag, Portland, Oregon... in case that means something to real fashionistas.

I like my tripod. Thank you Geoff.


So. This is what I wore today when I dropped Alex, then Max off at school. I came home and, technically, I had time to make certain improvements before taking the next shift, but I did not. This is what I wore when I dropped off William, and I actually walked Maria in to her classroom wearing exactly this outfit. If I hustle, I can shower and change before I pick Maria up. We'll see.

Did I mention... ? I find this amusing. I see what can be done, but there are so many other ways to pass the time, that my personal style will only improve with significant effort. "Significant effort" may not be too big a deterrent, because studying these images I can see that I am closer to Crazy Chicken Lady than Uniquely Herself. I think my goal should be a Uniquely Me look.

16 comments:

TCavanaugh said...

I love the look! It is sooo much better than my pj's or stinky farm clothes that I usually take my kids to school in. I say...be you! :)

nikkipolani said...

There is only ONE Natalie VV -- what can we say? She is unique.

helen said...

what not to wear....hmmmmm....is that a hint that someone should nominate you? look out for Clinton and Stacy....and that hidden camera.

mtnchild said...

Oh, you are unique all right. A very caring, funny and unique person.

Hugs
Yvette

tara said...

Love that last photo. Make sure you print it out. Red coat, red hat. Awesome. Socks with sandals. Rock on.
I can tell 2010 is the year of keeping it real.

Sara said...

I love this post....you are too funny!! I have to say that your shoes and socks remind me so much of my own footwear at times....when I came to that photo I couldn't help chuckling.

The hat and the coat are fabulous. I like the chicken too!

judy in ky said...

Please don't change too much, Natalie. Whatever you do, keep the hat and keep wearing red.

Anna Banana said...

I have been there. Minus the chicken. I have been at work an hour or two only to discover in the bathroom mirror that I never brushed my hair, that I have on mis-matched earrings, or I have raccoon eyes. Non-brushed teeth as well. But no chicken.

Julie said...

Perhaps it's the chicken that added that little extra accessory necessary to pull the look all together and actually make it WORK for you. Perhaps it's your sweet and youthful expression....I think it's probably both---and the charm of your willingness to be so transparent with all of us!

You're fun!

Tiglizzyclone said...

You look fine!... and very, very young!

Katie said...

I love how real and authentic you are Natalie. I've discovered if you sell your faults to others, they begin to believe them too. I made myself a promise at the beginning of my divorce that I wouldn't sell myself short anymore - no excuses. And to my surprise and delight, I feel MORE authentic and alive than ever! I missed my identity.

You are the cutest! Keep on keepin' on.

warren said...

I LOLed about a lot of things...too funny! I honestly just don't know what to say!!

Jennifer said...

You certainly got me thinking.

I believe the point is knowing what your own standards are, and why, and then deciding how you feel about the job you are doing living up to your own standards.

The only make-up I ever wear is some powdered blush, and only because without any color in my checks I think I look dead. Or tired. Or dead tired. Rather than having people ask me all day if I feel all right, and rather than catching a glimpse of myself in a mirror and thinking I look dead, I go "brush, brush" with the blush and that's it. I prefer to wear my hair pulled back but the way I do it leaves it all sticking out crazy at the back of my head and I leave it like that, every day, even when I go to work. I cannot stand to waste time getting ready in the morning, so my hair looks exactly how spending 42 seconds on it makes it look (I tried to take some back-of-the-head self portraits and I'll try to send or post you the hilarious results).

I wear sneakers. Every day, even to work, with crew socks. OK -- sandals in the summer but still. Nuthin' fancy. Never know when I'll have to run as fast as I can to stop a runaway train or a speeding bullet or a dog who slipped his leash. Plus I'm just a plain, sensible footwear girl from way back.

This time of year I either wear khakis (to work) or jeans (every where else). That's it. Sometimes I do realize too late that the jeans should have gone to the wash but then I decide that it's not going to bother me.

Any number of people could look at me and think that I don't put enough effort into my appearance -- and they probably do, every day -- and I don't care. I feel perfectly, entirely comfortable (physically and mentally) with my approach.

I do love that red coat.

Anyway, I think the deal is that if you yourself truly aren't happy with the you that you're walking out the door with, then think about what you really want to do to change that. But if you really are okay with the package, then there's no need to change to suit someone else's image.

(Did a teeny tiny package ever make to you, by the way, from me?)

Tracy said...

LOVE that last photo the best, Natalie--now that is you! Just be you, and we love you for being you! This post is fun though, for I often thing the same--I could do more to look, well more... more is more, right?! LOL! I work from home, but I do wear earrings everyday--me loves the jewelry, you know. ;o) Makeup, though, I don't really like wearing it, so don't too often. They up it that my sister has been training to become and esthetician and makeup artist, so I've gotten lost of good time, oh and great facials too! But I'm bit of a geek and just a casual-wear gal, always will be. LOVE that red coat and hat. And with the geek-statement shirt. Don't be shy to go geek. Work it, honey! ((HUGS))

lusks said...

Whenever I have a day like this, I would get unexpected visitors LOL. Never when I am looking my best!!!!!

You look so like your daughter in the close up, it is uncanny.

Mama Spark said...

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA, this is your funniest post EVER!!! You do have a unique style and that is a good thing. I think it is all good except for the sox with sandals thing. Fashion police have been known to stalk folks dressed like that, at least where I live. In Ann Arbor there are MANY people that believe this is acceptable dress code. Wear what makes you happy!! Life is too short to worry about the fashion police. If you are happy then leave it alone, if you are unhappy make some changes until you are. As you know, I finally hit that spot recently and have been adjusting to get back to happy. You can do it!!