This article came up on my Newsfeed on Facebook. Wonder what you all think?
Alex Zivatar
Yes, I should be in my Art Studio painting, but for the last several weeks I have been redoing my closet. I admit it is a big closet, but I have collected stuff for years and years. In this home the closet had a few quick shelves and lots of baskets. Since I really could not afford a California Closet at close to $20,000 (That would be about three or four vacations), so I did a Closet Maid Wire closet and I am happy with the result. It is my personal sanctuary. I have photos of my sons when they were little and a few other things I love that are just not appropriate in the rest of the house.
So in-between my jewelry collection are photos of my three sons when they were two. It makes me smile knowing they are happy and successful young men now.
My hat boxes were repaired and added to with labels on each box, so hats and gloves and stuff can easily be found. It was fun to see what all I had when I had to dismantle and put back together the closet. I found treasures and I found not so much treasures that went Goodwill.
My “Angels Fly Because They Take Themselves Lightly” art piece is over one of my doors. A good friend of my late husband said that about him at his funeral and it always make me smile, knowing he is somehow watching over me and my wonderful sons.
Purses and scarves found a new and organized home, right next to old family portraits. 
My shoes are happy and I can see them all at last. Yes, I do love converse tennis shoes and wear them a lot in Spring and Fall. They are just happy shoes!
Years of collecting what I call Junk Jewelry can easily be found and used! The mirror will be painted white as soon as I get around to it.
Lots of great hanging space to short and long and way too many belts for a waist that was always much smaller than it is now. One of the joys of growing older and loving to cook and eat.
A lot of these ideas can be incorporated into a smaller closet. I have lots of extra room now and really don’t buy many new clothes. If you see the mirror on the right, it is on a sort of secret door that goes into a shelved 5 x 5 room with floor to ceiling shelves for Christmas Decor, luggage and other “stuff”.
What else can I say, but now my closet makes me smile in the morning. Too bad I don’t have to get dressed up that much anymore. Where do I wear all this stuff? I am not ready to get rid of everything, so I just go in my closet and smile and know I can wear fun stuff!
This article came on my newsfeed this morning and I thought it was very interesting. While I agree with most, I do not agree with all. There are as many opinions about design as there are people with opinions.
In hopes of preventing these situations, we asked readers for design advice on things you should never, ever do during a remodel. Their suggestions are quite revealing, and worth considering. But remember, the thing about advice is that you don’t have to take it. After all, the main takeaway message here should be that no matter what, it’s your home. And you should do whatever you want. Just don’t say we didn’t warn you.
lisknits: “Never have a red, orange or harsh yellow bedroom. No matter how much you like it, those colors are too energizing/irritating to foster rest.”
nnigrt: “Never paint a bedroom before buying the bedding.”
tatts: “Never paint test swatches directly on your walls. The color and or change in finish will telegraph through the finished paint job unless you spend extra time and money to sand and prime. Paint big swatches on poster board so you can move them around to different areas and in different lighting.” I have done this for years and find an extra coat of paint where you sampled the colors works just fine.
decoenthusiaste: “Never buy a ‘set’ from the big-box furniture stores, especially if it includes a love seat.” I have seen way to many homes where this is done. It never looks very good. It looks like you put no thought into buying furniture.
bellburgmaggie: “Never buy that big ugly leather sofa sectional for an itty-bitty tract home and then wonder why it doesn’t look right.” Proportion is everything. Smaller house should equal smaller furniture.
Quirkymimaw (Clarissa): “Don’t let yourself get talked into something if it’s not right for you or the way you and your family live and function.” Here is a great reason to work with a professional designer. They are not just a salesman.
ckp88: “Rethink front-loader washers, side-by-side fridges and double sinks.” Love my front load washers, as it is so easy to transfer to my front load dryer. Mine are both counter height, so I have a countertop that goes on top of them. One big sink is so much easier to wash big pans and a freezer at the bottom (French Style) is so much easier.
laurie0714: “Never put the kitchen sink in a corner.” Totally agree!
Sun Lions LLC: “I recently learned the hard way to never, never buy furniture unless you can first take home a cushion or fabric sample. I ended up with a pink couch and side chair when I thought I was buying cream. Now if I can’t get a sample to see how the color will really look in my own home, I go somewhere else.” Duh!
Sylvia Carlson: “Never buy furniture until you have measured your apartment building’s elevator and all the doors the item will have to pass through.” When I worked at Macy’s years ago, a lot of furniture had to be returned because it did not fit through doors or up stairs.
Royal Carpet Galleries: “Never attempt to buy an area rug before you are sure you have the proper measurements.” Another Duh!
robin701: “Never buy artwork or accessories just to fill a space. Buy what you love and find a space for it.” And buy original art. Go to college shows where you can buy from up and coming artists.
auntthelma: “Never have white floors. Trust me, I’ve done it more than once. I’m a slow learner.” I do love my light gray floor.
tedbixby: “Never (ever) carpet your kitchen, laundry room, well, every room in your house, especially with peach plush carpet. Where was Houzz when I needed you guys to tell me, ‘No way. You can pull up that cheap white vinyl flooring. No need to cover it with carpeting’? Oh, the 1980s were such a learning experience.” Never, never, never!
lobelia: “Never install very dark wood or laminate floors. They will only look good for about five minutes after you clean them. And you have to clean every square inch or the undone areas will be very noticeable. Trust me. I made this mistake. We kept the floors for about a year and then had them replaced.” I still remember when black wood floors were the in thing. What a nightmare for maintenance.
Contracts and Construction
Jillian – Interior design student: “Never ever sign a contract/agreement without reading it. Read the whole agreement — each and every clause. Understand what you are reading/signing. If you don’t, ask someone. Make sure everything you were promised verbally appears in writing.”
tdee56: “Never ever let someone start a job in your home or for you without a written contract. Smiles and handshakes are for the easily duped.” Smiles and handshakes have not worked since the 1950’s.
cambier: “Never leave subcontractors alone on a renovation. Try to be there 24/7.” Pick subcontractors that have been recommended by people you trust, and this won’t be necessary.
Julia Barulina: “Never hire relatives to help you renovate. When something doesn’t go your way or if you don’t like their ideas, it can be a disaster. Hire someone who can guarantee their work.” Don’t hire relatives for anything. Remember they do not need to impress you.
Metropolitan Design Concepts: “Never take the lowest bid to save money. Go with your gut. It always knows what is right for you.”
labincurlers: “When you buy a house, especially a resale, don’t change every single thing you don’t like before you live in it a little while. You find some things are a certain way for a good reason and you are glad you didn’t ‘fix’ it.” Hire a designer.
tedbixby: “Never ever do something because it is a trend. Do it because you love it.” Classic style is always in style.
nnigrt: “And the corollary to tedbixby’s: Never don’t do something you like because it is a trend.”
tedbixby: “Never ever drink wine while operating power tools. The dust will spoil it.”
Amy Wolff Interiors: “Never design by committee. Your friends, relatives, neighbors etc. aren’t paying for it. You are. Get what you love.
nnigrt: “Never renovate aspirationally. If your family isn’t crowded around the kitchen table now playing games, they won’t suddenly do it (more than once) in a new game room. If you don’t have company now in your ‘humble home,’ odds are you won’t suddenly have friends who want to visit your fancier one. You will be just as much of a slob in a nice space as in your current one. Renovations change little that is wrong with us or our relationships.”
Sylvia Carlson: “Never tell your teenager he or she can decorate his or her own room unless you are prepared to live with black paint, plastic skulls and a coffin-shaped bed.” Remember paint is cheap, when they off to college.
mcolabucci: “Never, ever, ever buy your wife brand-new kitchen appliances for Christmas. ‘They are not gifts! They are machines for doing work.’ So I am told.” Maybe it is old world, but never buy a gift with a cord attached.
teamaltese: “One poster’s ‘never’ is another poster’s ‘always.’ Never assume what’s right for you, your taste, your budget, your situation, is right for everyone.” Duh! How many homes have you visited that you just loved everything in the house?
Your turn: What are your design “nevers”? Tell us in the Comments.
When I was young and thought I was quite fashion forward, I collected hats to wear with every outfit I had in my closet. We often attended the track at Del Mar, where we were members of the rather “elite” Turf Club. It was my late husbands favorite way to entertain and it was my favorite excuse for a new outfit with a matching hat. Even though I no longer have any of the dresses that go with the hats, I still have the hats.
I have loaned the hats out for several fashion shows over the years, as they have now become almost vintage, just like me.
I will never forget a few years ago, I dressed up as Marilyn Monroe for a Halloween Party, with the chiffon dress, gold heels and a beautiful mink coat my late husband bought for me when were going to move the Pacific North West.
Arriving at the party, someone asked me: “Where did you find that gorgeous vintage coat?”
I looked back at her and said: “Oh Shit, I am old!”
We all laughed, but that is a little how I feel about my hat collection. Thirty-five years ago, I most likely paid well over $200 for each hat and at the time I had about forty of them. I still have about twenty and the boxes were starting to fade and fall apart. I started looking on Amazon and Ebay, only to see that the price of Hat Boxes, like most other things had gone up.
The two hat boxes in the worst repair could use a new look. Straight edge, cutter, great glue, some nice wrapping paper and ribbon could save the day or at least two of the hat boxes.
A little time and energy and they look like new. I found some of sewing supplies worked easily to make this happen. The straight edge used mostly by quilters, made it easy to cut a straight line and rolling scissors made it easy to cut a circle using the hat box as the pattern. On the polka dot one, I just repainted the edges with a magic marker, but on the striped one I had to add ribbon, as the edge was totally worn out. I think it worked well.
One of the boxes still had the price tag on the bottom and even that many years ago it was $25. They are far from perfect, but sure look a lot prettier in my closet than they did.
The closet is a work in progress, but I think the repaired and new (found at TJMaxx) are a nice addition to closet. I will post a few more photos of my closet and you will begin to see that I am a avid collector. I love not only hats, but belts and shoes and what I call junk jewelry. It will all have an organized place in my new aqua closet. I will share as it is completed. Right now everything is in my bedroom. Oh my! 
I figure a light aqua blue/green is a happy color and that is what I want to feel when I go in my closet. Hope I might inspire you to reorganize and see what you can do to make your closet a happier part of your house.
The Today Show was on in the background as had a cup of coffee. The topic was what to wear on a Girls Night Out. I haven’t been on a Girls Night Out in about twenty years, but I do love fashion and after watching the “fashion” shown the other day on another news station I was curious to see their version.
I do have to say if I had to any of these I would most likely just stay home in my stylish sweats.
Their first outfit was not bad, but if were to go out with friends and drinks were going to be involved I would not be wearing a jumpsuit. I did that when I younger and part of the top fell in the toilet bowl. I did not stay out late that night and quite honestly never wore a jumpsuit again. I do occassionally wear a lovely paint smeared pair of overalls when creating big canvases, but not to go out and use public restrooms.
Seen shot, so not the best photo. I don’t even know what to say about this combo. I love converse tennis shoes and own about ten pair, but never wear out or out to dinner. I think you should wear clothes that compliment your body type, not cut you half as this one does. Don’t people wear belts anymore. Dang, I must have about 50, now “out of style” belts. Of course my waist is no longer my best asset anymore either.
If nothing else with this outfit, people will see you coming a mile away. Love the colors separately, but together this one gives me a headache. Love the shoes, but my feet would not like them very long.
Actually thought this would be pretty (on someone about 20), but is simple and elegant and looks great on the model. My arms need to be covered, so would not show up in my closet.
Here is their version of LBD or in the real world, the “Little Black Dress” that we should all have in our closets. I do own a few, but mine fit a tiny bit loser and I think she is a beautiful woman, but a little loser would look better on her too. Clothes should flow softly with your body, not totally cling to it.
The Today show overall was better the Fashion Trends I wrote about the other day. The trend they were showing was how you could dress for not much money and look great. I think either buy less and pay more or shop at vintage shops.
This morning watching the news, their stylist shared the newest fashion trends on the show. The first one is the Maximalist. They say: “It’s officially time to forget about the saying that less is more. This fall it’s all about having fun by mixing and matching textures and prints.”
This is where I admit that I must be old, because I think the only nice part of “outfits” is the jacket, but with the green and pink dress? I could see it with a crisp white shirt and jeans, but silver stilettos? Talk about the clothes wearing the person, the young woman on the left looks over-whelmed by the fur and hat. This looks like a winter outfit, so why the bright white patent leather shoes.
The next trend according to The Today Show is “Suiting”. “Menswear inspired looks continue to hold strong into fall. However, this season it’s all about wide leg pants and oversized jackets, which instantly add a modern and fresh take on the trend. If you’re look to give your outfit a feminine touch have some fun with color or girly accents like pearls and shimmer.”
I guess if you like to walk on your pants and not in them, this is perfect. I personally think this look is not so attractive on either or their models.
Their third trend is Disco Fever. “The ’70s are back in the best way possible. Fashion is getting a taste of all things disco with shimmer and glitter. Get ready to shine and do a little dance this fall!”
Where are the white “go go boots”? I had to laugh at this one, as I was in my twenties in the 1970’s and I did wear my skirts as short as the one on the right. I don’t remember anyone wearing one the length on the left. That is more the length I have to wear now. There were more hip-huggers and bell-bottoms than mini skirts.
If you can go in for a close-up or saw the show please look at the young woman presenting these trends. Note the flowery oversized dress and kind of straggly looking hair. This is not someone whose opinion I might listen.
I laughed as I watched the “Trends” and did see them in a couple of fashion magazines, but their interpretation just did not make it in my old eyes. Can’t wait to see you dressed like this at the grocery store.
Perhaps this is why they are called “Trends” and are not classics?
Ciao
People have their own style. Mine is simple and quite plain. If you take a meander through my closet, you will see a lot of black, beige, gray, navy and white. There is not a lot of color in my personal wardrobe. I am not a “fashionista”, but I do like clothes that are made well and fit comfortably and I love to follow current fashion from a distance.
In the summer I wear mostly plain white and beige. I love the look of white for summer and collect pieces every year. I know t-shirts are good for one summer so never spend a lot on each one. Bleach is my good friend as with it white clothing is easier to maintain stainless in the long run.
For winter I wear mostly black, with an occasional navy or gray mixed in. The grayer my hair becomes, the more I like gray. I am short, so a monochromatic look works better than a lot of different patterns or colors.
That being said, I have collected belts, necklaces, bracelets and scarves for years and they do the work of making each outfit have a little different look.
I love simple style, so if you look in my closet you will see little pattern. It may be there, as I collect clothes, but I seldom wear them. This is my take on fashion over sixty.
Helen Mirren is my icon for fashion. She wears her clothes well: they do not wear her. I think that is the most important thing about finding your personal style. Hope to have other people see you first and what you are wearing first.
So from my blog yesterday we learned we should not wear pants that hit below the waist once you are over 30. Here is my question: Where do you find jeans that fit comfortably to the waist, have a good cut and look a little in style? I honestly do not know.
Here is the other question, why is it okay for under thirty year-olds to wear these and just let their bulges hang out?
I buy the jeans I can find that fit and luckily enough I am short so they do come higher up on my torso. To find jeans that look good and come to the waist seems a lost cause.
Wearing mini skirts or short shorts at any age is somewhat questionable. I wonder if many young women look in a rear view mirror when putting on short shorts or mini skirts. I see way too much free floating cellulite on any given day in summer in the Pacific Northwest. It is not a very flattering look.
“Sexy Grandma” t-shirts just are not sexy. As I did my shopping earlier today, one of the things I did notice is that woman of all ages and sizes love t-shirts with writing on them. I did not see even one that looked at all good. I wear them for gardening and cleaning house. I used to think it was kind of fun, but looking around I think it is kind of not.
Plunging necklines or waist high splits work from about twenty-five to thirty-five. Younger than twenty-five just looks like you attempting to be a slut, and over about thirty or so who needs to see your wrinkly skin; it is just not sexy.
I never got the “see-through” look. Why do you have to try and show off everything, even it looks fantastic. Imagination is a wonderful thing.
In the last view years it seems you can get out of bed and go shopping in your pajamas. I guess that is where the wrinkly look is popular. I think it is great for someone under five and going directly on an airplane, but adults in jammies is like going to a black tie dinner in jeans. It is done, but it is not appropriate.
Okay, so I like my gold hoops, when I am not wearing my diamonds. So many earrings are so foo foo they take away from what you are wearing. KISS or Keep It Simple Stupid. I know it is really meant to be Keep It Super Simple, but I like the first interpretation.
And finally, if I could bear the pain of walking in heels, I would wear them with everything. I do wonder at what height they could become more of a weapon than a look.
As we mature, looser is better, unless you live at the gym. Calmer is better look. This morning I saw a very blonde, my age woman wearing the brightness yellow pants and sweater I have seen in a long time. It did catch my attention, but I am not so sure in what way.
As I said before dress how you feel best, but look in the mirror from all angles before you go out. That toliet paper hanging off the back of your skirt could have been saved.
Yesterday on one of the social media that I skim every day, there was a link to an article about what you should and should not wear if you are over the age of fifty. With my birthday coming up and growing closer to seventy I read the article. It basically said wear what ever you damn well please, as you are old enough not to care what other people think.
I disagree with the premise of the article, as I think you should wear whatever pleases you ALL your life. Work may give you some restrictions, but when you are not in your work environment, dress to make your heart sing. I have always dressed how I wanted, not how I should. I am short and told not to wear long flowing clothes or big jewelry. I have done both all my adult life. Aging I find I want more comfortably stylish clothes and I find some fitted items, just don’t look quite as good, now that I no longer have that twenty-two inch waist.
The other thing I found very humorous was an article on what to wear in summer if you are over fifty and not one of the models featured in this article was over twenty. Like a fifty year-old is going to look the same after the estrogen has gone and middle has widened a little.
Below, the first photos show a series of women wearing exactly what they want. I am certainly not saying I would wear most of these, but they are comfortable in their own skin. I do like that!
What I did find after looking a while were photos of women looking fabulous over fifty and an inspiration of guidelines to follow. Dress simply and elegantly. This has always been my attempt at fashion. If you look in my closet, I don’t have a lot of color and I have mostly non-patterned clothing.
I think the following women look fashionably fabulous.
Having shared that, I think you can find what not to wear at anywhere the best at Walmart. The things I think should be taken out of your closet at any time is anything that you do not feel good in or look wonderful in.
In my case the short shorts and mini skirts left a couple of decades ago, but can look bad at any age as you might notice in this lovely photo?
Showing off your mid-section unless you are in perfect shape should not be an option.
See-through clothing just doesn’t look good on most people. Showing everything is really showing nothing.
Short shorts do not look good on 90% of our population. Please look in the mirror before you embarrass yourself by going out.
The most important thing to remember is that other people do not see you as you see yourself. I once had a hairdresser say to me: “We look in the mirror and we see ourselves as we looked when we were twenty.” Personally that twenty year-old is a fond memory. Every gray hair was earned and every line on my face is from smiling at what life has to offer.
There are a few things I think don’t work on an aging body:
What I do think is good, is anything that looks good on your body and feels comfortable enough to wear for several hours. Know a good seamstress and alter your clothes so they actually fit. Remember loser always looks better than tighter, at any age.
Let’s get dressed and hit the town.
Saw this article on women wearing beautiful hats to church.
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It brought back wonderful memories of days at The Del Mar Turf Club in the 80’s when we would go and wear the most beautiful hats we could find. We wore those hats to church and to luncheons and felt very glamorous.
I wonder where that glamor has gone. In Washington, the closest thing you see to a hat is a knitted hat to keep your head warm in the winter. Some atrosious thing that smashes down your hair with a puff on top. Not so elegant any more.
I found a couple of “very old” photos of me in a hat in the 1980’s:
I still have several of the hats from this era and have shared them with a friend for use in a Vintage Fashion Show. Don’t think either of these still grace my closet. I do wish they would become fashionable once again, as I love the idea of a new hat to go with a new Easter Outfit every year.
