August 29, 2012
-
{a dress up contest}
remember those paper dolls you bought..
the ones you had to cut out with scissors.
then, they started making the kind you punched out-
which totally sounds funny, but you know what i mean.
i used to hate that kind. one extra hard push and their arm tore off, or face.
there was nothing worse than a paper doll with scotch tape on it. just completely ruined it.
and then there were all the little outfits, with the tabs that folded over their bodies.
it seemed they never made enough tabs and the clothes were always falling off.
still. i loved all the careful precision in trying to create just the right outfit for my paper dolls..
which is exactly how i felt last night, sitting on polyvore..
carefully “cutting” outfits and seeing how this and that worked together~
it’s pretty fun. and motivating too.
made me realize i had things in my closet right now to create some of the looks.i don’t think outside the box much when it comes to fashion.
i’m pretty basic and like classic styles.but. also feel with age comes a bit of evaluation and change.
i want to dress like the almost 40 year old {okay, in a year and a half, but still!} mom that i am…
skinny jeans in bright orange no matter how cute, just don’t work on hips and thighs that have delivered 4 babies!as fun as clothes are, it can still be such a challenge, no matter your age, tastes, or convictions.
and yes.. the lights in dressing rooms DO add 10 pounds!!
still. i think in embracing who we are. wide hips and almost 40 and all, that’s about the smartest fashion choice we could make.
nothing says pretty like, haPpy!!!
i got to thinking after putting these outfits together last night that we should have a contest for the best outfit that YOU put together.{what else do you do while your husband’s gone for an entire week but think of ways to send prizes to all your friends!!}
and i’d love to see what everyone comes up with!there will be no names attached, so don’t feel shy about that..
just a number for your outfit and if your number gets the most votes, you win!
couldn’t be any easier than that.
so, if you’d like to participate. simply go to this site. create an account –
it’s free and virtually painless, promise.
then. email me the link for your outfit where i can enter it on our contest post in.. oh, a few weeks or so.
i don’t like to fence myself in with deadlines. ha! actually, if you’d like to participate, maybe say so in the comments -
that way when you forget, which you will if you’re like me, i can come andhoundremind you!!!
the prize will be something fantastical.
not sure exactly what {i’m making this up as i go, if you couldn’t already tell}
but let’s say it will be something that will help add to your wardrobe, how’s that!!
and just to talk about something fun on this midweek morning, because who wants to be folding towels…
what would you say is your favorite thing to wear right now?
{besides sweat pants. we all know those rank first}
mine would be this cotton navy blue skirt i bought at target back in the summer.
it falls right above my knee, the perfect length, and is so super comfortable i could sleep in it.
wait. i think i have. )
looking {just a tiny bit} forward to adding some layers with fall coming in~
i like it for about 2 weeks actually. then i’m ready for tank tops and sundresses again!!
although at christmas the cool weather is okay.
that’s the only time of year i’m glad i don’t live further south.
happy creating!! don’t get lost there if you decide to do it..
the choices are endless!!and let’s say you can have up to two entries.
see. still making it up… happy wednesday!
·´¸.·¨) ¸.·¨)
(¸.·´ (¸.·´ (¸.·¨¯`♥ amber
Comments (40)
If I had a second life, it would be as a fashion designer. My wife is sure a lover of clothes and seems to have endless combinations as you showed here.
Your things look very nice.
frank
What a fun contest. I can’t say for sure if I will participate. We’ll see if I end up getting a couple moments to go and look. If I do, I’ll come let you know!
I’m terrible at fashion. haha
I cannot wait to partiticpate!!!
This made me laugh, because all my dresses (different fabrics, of course) are cut from the same pattern ~ I just grab one, top with a sweater or jacket if needed ~ and I’m off and running ~ so quick and I love the freedom from all those decisions. Today, I am cutting out two new dresses from fall fabrics ~ that is my challenge ~ finding the fabrics. And I kind of DO have a weakness for cute shoes ~
Im in!! You might have to remind me tho.;) such a fun sight; im excited to check it out more too! My fav thing to wear right now? A long, cream coloredlace skirt i found on clearance at TJMaxx. Love that place! And because its cream n not white ill wear it more year round! Awesome post, fun contest! Cant wait to see what comes up!!
I love this idea Amber! I’m totally in! I have a feeling that this create your own outfit website might get a little addicting
I think this year’s fashions have been challenging for me. So many of the popular styles involve very tight bright jeans, and loose baggy “sack” shirts… not hippy-girl friendly 
I have a long cotton knit maxi skirt that gets worn every time it’s clean. So comfy and cute.
This sounds like fun! I totally want to participate…it’s the making time and remembering part I might have trouble with. ; ) Hound me.
@foreveranoatneygirl_n2Hisown - that skirt sounds lovely. maybe you’ll be sick of it by feb. {hint hint}
) it seems i re discovered skirts this summer. it’s all i want to wear now. just got back from giant tiger, that a huge discount store, and snagged a long maxi dress for 8 bucks! yay me. 
)
@inanorchard - oh, i know.. why can’t we do baggy pants and tight shirts instead!
even emma wants “colored jeans,” which reminds me of collared greens and i know they’re not even remotely related. 
i was just saying to rachel above, skirts are my new love. the longer the better.. they’re so comfy!
@fwren - i wish i had your talent for sewing~ i’ve never noticed all your dresses were the same pattern. i’m sure the different fabrics give them a totally new look. i do think it’s fun perusing the fabric store.. oh, the possibilities! and we share a shoe fetish then.
I love to peruse catalogs and pick an outfit out for that day. I figure I save tons of money by playing. I also enjoyed seeing the outfits and the humor on the site you posted before. I will try to participate, though as I just turned 55 I am a bit older in style
I think the colored jeans are so cute, but being that I have large legs and hips, even when I used to be skinny, they definitely cannot be for me. Favorite item right now is a dressy tank. It has the lace at the bottom edge, and a swirly blue, black, and white pattern. It is so much more dressy in this hot weather. I can wear it with capri’s or dress it up with a skirt. I wear it with a denim tencel skirt a lot.
I don’t have a xanga account so I couldn’t figure out how to email you. Does commenting with the link count?
Below are the two outfit links:
http://www.polyvore.com/casual_cute/set?id=56401789#stream_box
http://www.polyvore.com/picture_perfect_fashion_autumn_on/set?id=56912294#stream_box
Thanks so much! What a fun idea!
So cool! And I love the outfits you put together!
@Christina - sure, that’ll work! so glad you entered.. a few others have sent theirs already too. this is going to be FUN!!
I am horrid with style! I am not adventurous at all! I miss my kids. They used to “dress me.”
I mostly live in jeans and sweaters/ T tops. I dress up on Sunday a bit. I must admit that having lost 40 pounds this past year has given me more of an interest in clothes, but being 60 allows me to care more about comfort than style. I think I look “nice” in what I wear, but I doubt it is stylish!
I have to admit the newest style I don’t have quite down. I can do classic any day but the non-matching stuff that they throw together I’m not understanding yet. Although I’ve seen lots of stuff from polyvore and pinned stuff from my friends I’ve never actually done it myself
I’m up for a prize though 
I’m going to be busy the rest of the week and weekend but if I get time next week I’ll see if I can come up with something 
I like classic style too.
Okay, how did I get sucked into this?
count me in if I can now figure out how to save my clothes design.
I don’t know much about fashion, but I’ll have fun with all the entries you get, Amber.
you should’ve been a fashion designer. love what you throw together. if i can figure out the website, count me in. my fav thing right now is my long brown maxi skirt… in my head it makes me feel skinny.
i love to look at your outfits….. i meant to tell you that i wear your one skirt (from feb
) aLOT this summer. It was the rusty orange with the brown embroidery around the bottom. I wear only skirts to the store and its every day……. i have gotten more compliments on that skirt then anything else i wear, i always smile and say this re-Ally cool friend of mine GAVE it to me 
. they all want a friend like you! ha ha my all time favorite is a short black with teeny white dots skirt made of sort of tshirt material…… i feel cute, hot and just nice in it. i usually top it with a mustard yellow shirt. easy-peasy and just feels good.
this is so totally fun amber! i like seeing what you put together, clothes. accessories. even the kids you helped make.
you just have a knack with clever creativity. i love fashion but can feel a little lost with it. i’m gonna try to get to polyvore and participate but i’ve been having problems with my computer so if i disappear online—you know why. 
fav thing besides sweat pants? hmmmmm. 
probably the dress i bought at target this summer. or…a simple pair of shorts with a comfy navy striped t. been wearing that alot too.
happy thursday!!! <3
love those outfits! So fun!
I love fashion but never seem to be able to get it “right” when dressing myself.
You always look fabulous, stylish and pulled together in all your pics!
Skinny jeans on others I think look great…but I’ve tried and they just look bad on me.
I would say this summer my fav has been light weight knee high summer dresses.
Looks cute without being uncomfortable or hugging my love handles
I loved looking at the outfits you put together. And I totally remember playing paper doll when I was a kid! I would like to participate in this, but I guess I need your e-mail address. Can you send it to me in a FB message?? And yeah, loved how you kind of made up the rules of the competition as you went!!
It will be so fun to look through all of the entries!
Oh goodness, I LOVE your combinations!! I can’t wait to see what everyone comes up with! I haven’t heard of polyvore before, but I’ll have to check it out.
And I know what you mean about wanting to dress fun and stylish and yet age-appropriately. When does one know those sorts of things?? I love Forever 21 and H&M and stores like that… and yikes, will there ever be a time when I *should* be wearing Christopher & Banks instead?? [no offense to anyone who likes that, please!!]
And shoot, I wanted to buy that lace skirt on the last picture. Pinterest? Bummer.
@DanishDoll - you sound like my mom.. she always says the same thing, about me “dressing her.” i experienced that for the first time this past year once when kate looked at me and was like, “are you wearing that, mom?” oh? she then went and found me a better top. haha!!
i guess it’s inevitable at some point when you have daughters!
@chambray7 - yay!! and if didn’t figure out the site yet mess. me and i’ll help ya walk through it…
) took me awhile too.
@singingrachel - haha. yes. i have “skinny skirts” like that too.
) and if you can’t figure the site let me know – i’ll help ya!
@willeywonderings - makes me smile thinking of you in my skirt.. i bet it looks way better on you than it ever did me. i like the idea of the yellow shirt with it. awesome!
@appalolly - you can just send the entries to my message box too.
@lifeisadance - oh man.. you made me laugh at your christopher and banks comment. yes, YES!! i’ve often wondered the same. and as you said.. no offense to those who shop there. my mom being one of them.
i do think we can shop at the “younger stores” just maybe our choices are different than the 14-17 year old’s walking around in there. i know one thing for me that struck me this past year.. i used to wear way more t’s with brands on them. american eagle, hollister, whatever.. i have tried to cut back on those. since, when shayne’s folding the laundry he’s holding up the shirts asking, “is this yours or kate’s?” oh. :/ forever21 and h&m though seem to be a little more all age appropriate though.. just was in h&m today! 
)
too bad on the lace skirt. it looks like you!
I LOVE the outfits you chose. I think I would wear each and every one!!!
What a fun, fun contest. I want in too. I feel so out of the loop with everybody!
I’m commenting so late. Anyway, Amber, you always look so pretty and have the best clothes/outfits!
I should be sleeping right now, so I’ll be back at the end of the weekend to see what’s going on….and I’ll finish my comment!
Happy Weekend. =)
* I REALLY like that last London outfit. So cute.
the email i have for you dont work, here are my outfits
http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/set?id=57727530
http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/set?id=57622410
okay, wow, that site is WAY too awesome. where have i been that i didn’t know about it! i’ll be there shopping from here on out!!
and yeah, about the age-appropriate clothing…. i know some 50 year olds who have trouble reconciling their ages with themselves, and so they dress like teeny-boppers. It looks ridiculous and terrible. But for real, when is that switch?! because i sure hope it ain’t soon.
or else i’ll be defying age too!
Count me in, if I get it figured out. And I love my white and navy flower print dress. It’s super comfy and falls just below the knee. It makes me feel skinny, too, and that’s always a plus.;)
Oh, and can you message me your email address?
@lwstutz - you can just send the links to my message box actually.. and, if you can’t quite figure out the site i’ll help.
) happy weekend and so glad you’re joining. i’m going to have a slew of folks to hound… 
)
@lifeisadance - oh, i know. i feel the same about the 50 year olds, then think… yikes! is that me at almost 40??
)
for what it’s worth.. i think your taste in clothes is timeless!! no doubt you’ll be wearing your wardrobe for a long time to come. classy and feminine NEVER go out of style!!
This was such a great idea, Amber! Love each of the outfits you put together on Polyvore, and in real life! My girls and I had such a fun time over at Polyvore putting together these outfits.
http://www.polyvore.com/casual_weekend/set?id=58127845
http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/set?id=58127987
I don’t have a Xanga either…so here are my outfits.
http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/set?id=58273641
http://www.polyvore.com/untitled/set?id=58272930