The Outfit Post that Wasn't..

I had an outfit post ready for today and I scrapped it.  Friends..I am having a crisis of style.  Growing pains, if you will.

Here's the situation.  I love whimsy, eccentricity, color.  The posts you see here are generally of me "toning myself down" a bit (believe it or not) because I work in an office environment.  I'm actually quite good with numbers.  I'm organized (in my own unique fashion), efficient and I am well suited to this kind of work...if you could lobotomize me and remove my personality.

My creative side balks at having to be restrained.  Professional suits make my skin crawl.  I do not own a pair of "practical" shoes.  THIS is my idea of conservative.

Timeless Vixen Vintage

In the past, I've taken a sort of "it is what it is" approach.  I take my style down a few notches during the week and express myself on the weekends, but as I enter my "late 30's", I feel like it's time for my style to grow up a bit (you know..so strangers stop referring to me as "sweetheart" and people actually take me a bit seriously).  The problem is, I'm not entirely sure how to do that.

There is such a lack of style inspiration for creative women once they pass 35.  It's like you fall off the map until you turn 70 and then you can start to be as eccentric as you please again.  In my opinion, many women appear to be either trying to look 20, trying to blend in with the men, or they simply stop caring and give up altogether.  There are a few exceptions.  I do love Cate Blanchett.  I think she does an amazing job of blending creativity and class.  She's slightly edgy, but always feminine.

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And Ginnifer Goodwin (though not quite 35 yet) has a great sense of style.  (And I WISH I could pull off that haircut.  It's so fun!)

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I think, perhaps, what these two women have in common is that they edit their style to one or two amazing statements per outfit.  A neat collar detail, a great accessory, really beautiful garment structure or a breathtaking color or print.  Perhaps that's the lesson I need to learn going forward.  Not that I need a total outfit overhaul, but maybe with a little editing, the "special" parts of my outfits can still stand out and be appreciated without looking too young or over the top eccentric.

I'm a work in progress friends.  I'm going to continue researching, finding out what feels right and when I feel I've struck upon the right combinations and feel comfortable in my skin again, the outfit posts shall return.

How about you?  Do you have any style inspiration suggestions for me?  Have you passed into "no mans land", and if so, how did you change your style (or not)?  I'd love to hear from you!

Hugs and Smooches,
D