All things EARTH...

[Sailor_Sally]

Thanks everybody my SO is doing fabulous . Much better than expected .

Margaret , My mom is 98 and like a toddler sometimes . Taking care of aging parents especially at a distance is frustrating . I am so glad my Mom is now in a safe independent living facility and the drama has decreased .

Laurie , So sorry your ear is still a problem . Your outfits for the cruise are great . November is really the best month in Florida .

I have decided to ban buying clothes until I clean out my closet . It is overflowing with clothes & I really need to organize it and see what I have .

[Anita Latte]

Margaret, Laurie...I picked Mom and Dad up last Tuesday. They flew from Paris to Atlanta that day. They left for home Saturday. It was a short visit...and unfortunately, I was ill for most of it. :(

 

I didn't get to see all their pictures, just a few that they shared, because they took over 2K pictures between the two of them.

 

Margaret...I can tell you that Mom took several with you specifically in mind.

 

I don't want to share any of her news...so I'm sharing nothing...all I can say is that Mom is somewhat shy in talking about her trips, mostly because she doesn't know what she can share that is of real interest to everyone...

 

So if you have a specific question about the Oasis, Laurie, that would help A LOT for giving Mom a starting place on talking about the ship...

 

Meanwhile, I did see some a few Pictodiary shots as they scrolled through all their photos on their cameras...so there should be a report eventually...Mom shared some general thoughts on how successful her wardrobe strategy was with me...and I have urged her to document the successful/not so successful aspects of her wardrobe for her to review in the future, because I have found it to be so helpful...

 

I could talk more about current conversation, but...I am still recovering. DH brought home a bug from his business trip to Canada and it hit me hard in the sinuses. I THINK that we managed to stop the buck here though...I think we managed to not pass it along to Mom or Dad...and I know DS escaped. Thank God.

[Anita Latte]

OH...I did want to say. Sally...I hope your OP is well along on his recovery. One of my Brit lady friends ended up having stints or something as a result of some testing. A kind of preventative surgery...and we are all so thankful that it happened as it did, when she was basically healthy otherwise and will now, hopefully, escape the future trauma that would have likely resulted had she not had the surgery.

[aoknkentucky]

Hope you feel better soon, Anita. Bummer that you couldn't fully enjoy your parent's visit.

 

Sally, glad your SO is improving.

 

Laurie, I love the visuals. You inspire me to do a better job with my jewelry options.

 

Ladies, I've mentioned it before, but I really enjoy listening on your EARTH conversation. It helps me focus on my FIRE colors.

Edited October 6, 2014 by aoknkentucky

[mousey]

Margaret,

So sorry about the drama with your parents. Mine are in the 80s...dad will be 89 on the 13th and sadly...I noticed a real decline in his behavior while I was home last week. He's sometimes very unpleasant to be around. I love him dearly but sometimes I just want to smack him up the side of the head (don't worry...never have and never will...just say'n) because he can be so mean sometimes. He never was like this and it's so sad to me. Well, he has been like this for awhile but not as bad as he is now. He just wants to argue about everything and will start an argument where there isn't one. My mom is a total saint! My dad can still drive and he gets around town a lot but mom is more physically challenged in that her legs just don't keep her up for too long a period of time. The SIL and I will take her shopping but she'll only last about 30-40 min. at the most. Yep, aging parents are a real challenge. Thank goodness my family...brother, nephews, and cousins are all good about going to see them and cheer them up with their visits.

 

Anita,

Hope you get over your "bug" soon.

 

Lauire,

Sorry to hear that your ear hasn't healed yet and I too hope it gets better before your cruise. I'm keeping my fingers and toes crossed for you.

 

I love, love, love the outfits you have put together for your cruise and what can I say about the jewelry but "AWESOME." You are going to look so fabulous on your cruise and will hands down be the best dressed on the ship.

 

I too am excited to hear from Pam about Paris and how her clothing choices worked for her.

 

For all you ladies who have gained 5 lbs...don't sweat it as you can lose it just as easy as you gained it if you really want to. I know it's hard work...but I have confidence in all my girls on this board and I know you gals can do it. I'm here to cheer you all on if you need it.;)

Edited October 6, 2014 by mousey

[MJC]

I just have to say, I love how supportive everyone on this board is. It's a lovely place to visit at the end of a long day. You guys are great.

 

Since someone mentioned outerwear, I thought I'd share these fun colors from LLBean....

 

Check out this vest in Dark Cayenne: http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/85040?feat=fitness vest-SR0&page=fleece-lined-fitness-vest

 

This boiled wool jacket in Dark Amber, Dusk Blue, and Leaf Green: http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/70411?feat=boiled wool jacket-SR0&page=bean-s-boiled-wool-jacket

 

I think the green might not be EARTH, though.

 

Anita, I thought of you when I saw the color Forest Moss for this jacket: http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/70410?feat=forest moss-SR0&page=winter-warmer-jacket

 

 

Oh, look! My favorite color in a blazer! I would seriously consider buying this if I was at my target weight, but at $200 it would be a splurge right now. The camel is nice too: http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/70385?feat=wool cashmere jacket-SR0&page=wool-cashmere-jacket-boucl

 

Another green jacket, which also comes in a nice brown plaid: http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/75798?feat=donegal tweed blazer-SR0&page=donegal-tweed-blazer-plaid

 

I used to have a favorite pair of pants in this plaid, and I'm seriously considering this skirt in camel: http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/84885?feat=weekend skirt-SR0&page=weekend-faux-wrap-skirt-prince-of-wales

 

 

So, these are the fruits of my breakfast catalog browsing this morning!

[Member123]

So.....

 

I just had one of those infamous frozen screens, power shut downs, and lost all my thoughts on my posting. Drat it, I was talking to Margaret at the time. Not to be deterred, I simply won't take what happened as any kind of sign and will just continue on with my thoughts. So, here goes... even though I feel a bit frazzled this morning.

 

We left Paris at 4pm and arrived in Atlanta at 8pm; we traveled forward 6 hours on an almost 10 hour flight. We weren't feeling too bad; the excitement of seeing Anita and family actually kept us awake a few more hours, even though our body clocks thought it was 2am when we landed!

 

Traveling forward again, after visiting in Atlanta, we moved ahead another 3 hours; so effectively, we've moved forward 9 hours in the last few days! Not feeling too bad, though. We do have a bit of oddness in our sleep patterns, but we're adjusting and getting into our familiar routine(s).

 

So much to do when you leave your house after an extended vacation. I brought home 11 ounces of receipts! Yes! I weighed them! Our luggage gained weight, so I thought I'd isolate the culprits. Well, I have a habit of squirreling away those fabulous body lotions and shower gels from the hotels; that was about a pound and a half. LOL. Speaking of weight gain, I have a little over 2 lbs that have appeared on the body; no worries... I know that returning to old patterns will adjust the scale downward.

 

Which brings me back to the place I was when the screen froze, speaking to Margaret. Just commenting about weight gain, and particularly false weight gain. Margaret, it's a well-documented fact that stress will put weight on the body. At this time, with what you're experiencing, I truly believe that you should consider the importance of doing activities that are stress-reducers; things like yoga, gentle stretch, listening to mood enhancing music (whatever that would be for you), taking salt baths, massage. The thing that happens when we have stress is that we start to breathe shallowly; I know that your Zumba marathon probably made you gulp air! But, it would be so beneficial to embrace some gentle, loving, deep breathing moments into your schedule. Your situation reminds me of the line in Wordsworth's poem: the Child is Father to the Man. Whatever this phrase means to anyone, to me it is the return to child-like ways that we seem to do as we gain advanced age. I know that that return is stressful to the ones around who pick up the slack for us, but I truly believe that it's a natural progression that we experience. Now, if my screen freezes again, I will absolutely take it as a sign that I should keep these thoughts to myself, but..... so far so good! I just wanted you to know that I'm thinking of you.

 

And, Laurie! Probiotics? There has to be something that can help with that lingering infection. I had high speed internet in my hotels so I was able to keep up with your outfits! It was kind of wonderful to just relax in the room and scan everyone's posts; it made me feel connected as I was so far away, a stranger in a strange land. No, that's not how I felt at all. I had a wonderful, wonderful trip and I'm just going to get my thoughts sorted and start talking with everyone about all my activities, thoughts, and general observations. I can say, with certainty... Laurie, you would love the Oasis of the Seas!

 

I have a bit of activity to deal with before I get started posting. For one thing, I can barely get my car out of the garage because a tree has grown so darn much that the limbs are blocking my exit! When you get 5 inches of rain in a desert, it's an amazing growth that ensues. So, needless to say.... stuff to do. But, I'll be talking with everyone soon.

 

It's good to be back! Anita, two things: we escaped the bug I'm pretty all sure. And, that green from OPI, Green on the Runway, (from the Coca Cola collection) is the green version of Incognito in Sausalito. It's so dark that it just barely flashes green. I think it'd look fabulous on you! That's on my toes and Butter London's green Dosh on my nails, which is a beautiful golden green (FIRE!). So, I have EARTH on my bottoms and FIRE on my tops (nails, that is). But, oh so appropriate for Fall weather, which I have absolutely none of! :rolleyes:

 

Talk with everyone soon.

[Anita Latte]

I agree Margaret! It's like a daily dose to come on here and read what is happening with everyone! It's a happy place. :D

 

I am recovering, but my taste buds are shot...it's all sinus/nose related...and I'm clearing up nicely but still feel not so wonderful. I can't really taste anything and so I'm not enthused to eat and so my energy is low for that and just general recovery... I'm very tired.

 

Laurie...I can't believe this thing is hanging around for so long! I hope your ear will heal before your vacation! I love your outfits. Most especially, I love your dresses. I discovered that I really appreciated the simplicity of wearing a dress. It's like that one thing...bam...done. And generally, comfortable to wear. Something about having a waistband...IDK...just seems not as comfortable. I've been thinking that I want to plan on wearing dresses every night for our next cruise.

 

Something about that rose necklace is really nice. I don't know if it mimics the feel of the lace? I really like that one. I think it would be nice on you.

 

I don't relate to the aging parents yet...at all. LOL. But I can in some ways because my MIL is a speech therapist. She specializes in geriatrics, usually working with stroke recovery. She generally goes into assisted living places. I get to hear from her about the challenges of growing older and more specifically, the challenges when growing older involves illness. It's something I hope to avoid, both as the child and as the aging parent. I deeply sympathize with everyone that deals with this...

 

Nice catch on the moss jacket. Jackets in general aren't something that I have gotten into much in my life. Not since 2004, when we moved south to Texas. We are approaching that weather though. It's so strange, but I don't have this thought process of having "outerwear" on a normal basis. Hiking. Skiing. Camping. Backpacking. But not running errands. I have typically been able to dress for the weather with normal clothes...and haven't needed too much outerwear. I did need it this past winter though...it is something that I should address. I remember meeting the ladies for coffee and they all had their coats and scarves, maybe hats, maybe gloves...and I didn't...and it struck me...I could really use a coat!

 

I wish I could wear boots...but my calves are just too big. I could find big calf boots...with a greater circumference...but I don't care for that look at all. I like that look with slim legs. My legs have always been pretty muscular, even when I am at a more ideal weight...my calves were still almost 15 inches around.

 

I could find western boots more easily...but I've been around rural areas where they wear boots, not for fashion, but for work and as a general good all purpose shoe...and I've rarely seen them wear the boots on the outside. Hence the necessary boot cut pants/jeans. Only with skirts can you see the outside of the boots. It was always very city to tuck your pants in...or indicative of getting into some serious muck...LOL. I do like that thought though...I had a pair of lovely brown suede western boots...but they were about a half size too small...I made an error in my sock selection when I bought them (in college) and so I never wore them much...

 

Anyway...I can't do the tunic/legging/boot thing...but I do like that look on other people. I can't even do it with ballet flats because I think flats look ridiculous on my body...again, the big calf thing...you get this slim shoe and a normal ankle with this large calf over it and I think it looks very odd. I think my shoes need more substance to add visual weight down there. LOL. I have to be careful with tunics too...if they hang too low...my behind looks gynormous...

 

New nail colors...toes are metallic orange..."Deustch You Want Me Baby" by OPI. Nails are red...I thought it would be more brick like, but this is like the richest, most lovely red...I seriously think any season would wear it. OPI's "First Date at the Golden Gate" from the SFO collection. I feel very vamp-ish and like I should have some big red lips to go with my nails.

 

I've never done this makeup look though. I'm an eye girl. I like a serious dramatic eye when I do makeup. Not so much the lip. I like outlined eyes...with big lashes...I even like to darken my eyebrows. I like to shadow my eyes and even put a bit of shadow on the inner corner and lately, even under toward the outside...very magazine advertisement. Don't love blush...I might try to add just a bit of color and shading, but just a bit. And lips...I generally match my natural lip color with my dramatic eye.

 

And, of course, nails must be done. I think I've inherited this from Mom. And finally, I look at my hands and I can see her nails on them. AT LAST!! I can grow a decent looking nail! (Mom can look like a dragon lady, her nails can get so long, she has to trim them...)

 

So which are you? When you put on your party face...are you a dramatic eye? A dramatic lip? Do you love blush?

 

Hey Mom...so glad you escaped the bug. Seriously. It seems to go away but linger a bit.

[mousey]

Member 123

 

Can't wait to hear your stories and observations! :D

 

Anita,

 

I used to be very big on dramatic eye makeup but lately as I've gotten into my 60s I've gotten into a less is best frame of mind. I've rarely ever worn foundation as I am naturally a light tan (thank you to my Cuban ancestors LOL!). I usually wear a brown eyeliner under by bottom lashes, some eye shadow, mascara, and brown color. I also brush my cheeks with a very light touch of bronze cheek powder and I love lip gloss in various shades of light brown/bronze colors. My base consists of Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizer, which I've worn since I was 30 and a face primer by Loreal (Sp.?) which leaves my skin feeling baby soft. I've been blessed with my mom's skin so I've always had a clear complexion (until I started getting this skin thing that I inherited from my dad...Yuck. It looks like a pencil eraser-sized, flat mole on my right cheek. I've learned to deal with it because it's not cancerous and won't turn to cancer. It just is there! The DH says he doesn't even notice it. How sweet is that? I, unfortunately, notice it a lot...like my eyes zero in on it whenever I look in the mirror. But hey...I'm lucky it's not something cancerous so I just deal!)

 

Oh, by the way, I had lunch with my cousin today at the Topanga Mall and we did a little shopping. I picked up a long (down to the knees) beige cardigan with pockets (no buttons)...just plain and simple at H&M on sale for a mere $10! Yea! I think I'll take it to AZ this weekend and wear it with a beige, brown, pumpkin-print, silk blouse, skinny jeans, and my beige, faux-suede booties. I also bought a great brown (finally NO BLACK), leather satchel-style bag by London Fog that I'll carry. The DS's fraternity has a wine and cheese party on Friday night and I'll wear this outfit to that event as it's very casual and held at the frat house. I'm actually going to wear GOLD jewelry and not silver! Now that's a big change for me! See, I'm getting into the Earth groove! LOL!:D Except for the jeans...those are Earth colors aren't they Anita?

 

And I too love this thread and all of you lovely women on it. You're all very wonderful in your own way and I really enjoy having such great cyber friends.

Edited October 8, 2014 by mousey

[MJC]

Makeup! I love makeup, always have. I used to play with it a lot more, but since I started teaching I have a more streamlined look that takes about 5 minutes to do each morning. Even so, I still wear more makeup than 90% of the people I work with, since most of them don't wear any at all, but I don't care. With my students it's about 50/50.

 

Back in the 80's I was very into eyes, that whole Dynasty/Dallas era with lots of eyeshadow and mascara. Between that and dealing with stage makeup, which is very exaggerated, you can get used to seeing all that on your face and then feel very naked without it. I did go more natural in the 90s, but that is about when I started coloring my hair so I got my drama that way. :) Now with the rosacea to deal with I have to be much more careful about what I put on my face so it's basically mineral powder to even out the redness, a bit of blush for contour, eyeliner (blue or brown), mascara, lipstick. My favorite eyeliners are a Stila color called Moss -- Anita, you should check that one out, it would look great on you -- and Prestige has a coppery gold one. But my all time go-to is a Clinique denim blue that they've discontinued, so I've been on the hunt for a replacement. The trouble with most blues is that they are too bright, or if muted, too gray.

 

I stopped wearing any powder eyeshadow because it makes my eyes itch (the rosacea again). I still sometimes wear it for a special occasion, though I have to take it off as soon as I'm home. Then I'll go for a coppery brown by L'Oreal Infallible called Amber Rush, or if I'm doing a smoky eye it's with a dark blue/turquoise from Elizabeth Arden called Shimmering Emerald. It's luscious. For our goth friends, Laura Mercier has an awesome black called Black Karat that has some gold in it. I really liked it in the store but it overpowers my eyes and I only wore it once or twice, I think, and then lost interest.

 

Some of the best eyeshadow I ever bought was from Paris, a brand called Bourgois. It's a mid-brand there, and they used to sell it at Sephora, but not any more. I meant to look for it in London when we were there last year but totally forgot. They make great nail polish too, mostly because the brush is so nice.

 

My nails are finally growing out, but currently even my toes are naked of polish.

 

Further to my outerwear post, I used to have a jacket like this, though mine was black. I liked it because it was one of those things you could wear with everything from jeans to a dress. I LOVE this purple, and it even has brass hardware!

 

http://www.jjill.com/jjillonline/product/itempage.aspx?BID=518967629&item=XD029A&h=M&sk=M&ac=search

 

JJill has some lovely EARTH scarves right now, too.

 

Pam, welcome home! You are so sweet to be thinking of me. Your comment about being the parent to the parent really hit home. I feel like I'm finally becoming a mother in my 50's. It is very weird. :D

[Anita Latte]

Margaret...I thought your eyes were done up so lovely when we met. I remember vividly because you have gorgeous eyes! I will check out that liner. I have two that I have been using...one is teal and one is khaki. They are just Ulta brand, purchased on a significant sale for experimentation purposes. They aren't very smooth...I feel like I have to push a bit harder than I really care to do to apply the color. I'm so happy that you posted such details, Margaret!

 

I like that JJill jacket, but I might like the other green down jacket better (It was a related item). I'd have to try them on...the other jacket doesn't have a collar...so I wonder if that would be weird or wonderful? It seems that would be more scarf friendly? And I do like that idea a lot of wearing a fun scarf with a jacket. I like that quilted style...seems very cozy. I wonder where JJill is here?

 

Ladies...I swear by this stuff Mom found. It's cuticle care. My cuticles grow like mad...it's one reason why I have taken to doing my nails weekly. So the product is by Deborah Lippmann. Mom, is this it, it looks like a different package?:

 

http://www.deborahlippmann.com/cuticle-remover

 

Anyway. You brush this on, let it set for just a bit and whatever cuticle that is growing on your nails will magically scrape away with a good tool. And you can push back the main cuticle and make it look so nice at your nail bed. I swear that the use of this stuff is what is contributing to the growth of healthy nails.

 

And somehow...keeping polish on my nails is helping them too. You just have to get started. The polish seems to help protect the nails from simple, but daily damage...the polish may chip eventually but the nail is untouched (if you keep that polish up.)

 

Wanted to share...check your local Ulta stores...mine has a sale this month on OPI. Buy 2 get 1 free. Priced at $9.50 each and there is a $3.50 off coupon out there. So that's 3 OPI polishes for $15.50, which is an excellent price for OPI. Base and top coats are included in the sale.

[Sailor_Sally]

I wear make up everyday . I wear a light foundation Estee Lauder lucidity cool beige. I found I need to wear something with a sunblock every day living in Florida . I also wear mascara & lipstick daily . When we do a date night I add eyeliner . I love pedicures and since I spend most of the year in sandals I get them regularly . My nails are usually natural except when we travel then I opt for a red polish .

I already broke my ban on buying clothes since this sweater went on sale at J.Jill. http://www.jjill.com/jjillonline/product/itempage.aspx?BID=518721821&rPFID=203&item=OJ017E&h=M&sk=M

I have tons of things I can wear with it and it's lightweight enough for Florida .As for coats even though we never wear them in Florida I should invest in one in case I have to fly north in the winter . I have a few wimpy jackets which are fine for traveling but not made for real winter weather.

[Anita Latte]

Found a current promo code for JJill. It'll give you 30% a non-sale item.

 

PONTE1

[Anita Latte]

Nice cardigan Sally! That black detail is really nice on it. Florida and south Texas have very similar weather...that would've been perfect in Houston.

 

I think a sweater like that makes a nice bridge for wearing black shoes. I don't own any black shoes, but when I have gone looking for certain functionality, it seems that black is the best option. The brown isn't right...too light, too dark, too red, too ashy...IDK brown shoes can be a real challenge...but an item like them can help make the black shoes really work. I could see a variety of lovely EARTHY shirts layered under that cardigan and black shoes working.

[ChollaChick]

Welcome back, Pam! Your trip sounds amazing and I would love to hear anything you can tell us about Paris (and anywhere else you went) and about Oasis. We've done all but one of our cruises on Royal Caribbean but our upcoming cruise next year will be the first time we've gone on anything larger than the Voyager class ships. I'm excited to see the differences between the two classes but would love to someday experience Oasis. The problem I have with the typical eastern/western caribbean itineraries that Oasis and Allure do is that they are very port intensive and, in my opinion, those massive ships look like they would be a lot of fun on sea days. So I can't ever justify the extra cost for the new ship with the standard itineraries (which never really excite me all that much). But your trip sounds fabulous.

 

Makeup -- I love makeup. I have very dry skin so a good foundation is essential for me otherwise my skin literally drinks every bit of makeup color until about 30 minutes after I've applied it it looks like I am bare skinned. So I am currently wearing Nars foundation. I also wear a Bare Minerals primer that helps to even out the color in my skin (I have some reddish tones sometimes so the primer is kind of yellow... I look a bit jaundiced when I first put that on). I'm definitely more eye focused in my makeup than anything else. I love eyeshadows. But these days I wear them less than I used to. For evening stuff I will do a smoky eye with plum and this navy/black with gold flecks. It's very pretty and I always get compliments about my eyes. But for a standard day or a night when I head into work I usually wear eyeliner (I have a dark green eyeliner that is really soft and goes on really nicely and a smoky plum that I like that isn't quite as nice but still a pretty color or a very dark brown (black) liquid liner that I use a lot), mascara (my eyelashes have gotten very light over the last several years so I really need mascara or else my eyes seem to vanish into my face), a bit of blush (usually a pale pink/peach color -- without it I am so fair that I look kind of dead) and lipstick or lipgloss. I've tried a variety of colors of lipsticks over the years and found that I don't like myself in any type of peachy/orangey/brownish lipsticks. My mom wore those her entire life and I just look clownish in them. So I tend to wear dusty rose or pinkish colors on my lips. It works for me and I feel like myself in them. And I can pull off the foundation/primer/eyeliner/mascara/blush/lips thing in about 7 minutes or less. That's important because I hate getting ready for work. LOL

 

Nails -- my nails pretty much suck. They are a good shape but are pretty weak and peel. I do find that if I put polish on them that they are stronger so I've been trying to keep up on that. Currently I am wearing a black (sorry) polish with little gold flecks in it. It was cheap (bought it on a whim at the grocery store) but it doesn't chip. It's a Sally Hansen polish and I am impressed with it's staying power. I hate it when my polish chips.

 

Margaret -- I really like that boiled wool jacket. Especially in the deep wine heather color. Or the green. Not sure if that green is the right green, but I still really like it. As my husband says, I am drawn to the "ugliest shades of green in the universe". LOL.

[ChollaChick]

I was looking at the Dress Barn website this morning and found a couple of dresses/outfits I kind of like:

 

http://www.dressbarn.com/detail/snake-print-sweater-dress/101971146/198?intpromo=dp:c:product:dress:09022014

 

I wish this was in our colors: http://www.dressbarn.com/detail/belted-colorblock-sweater-dress/101925888/166

 

Really like this -- does the gold/tan color make up for the fact that it's black? http://www.dressbarn.com/detail/scroll-sweater-dress/101959101/956

 

I love this blouse -- would look great with black slacks or a black straight skirt (I know... I know... black) for dinner on a cruise. http://www.dressbarn.com/detail/beaded-chiffon-v-neck-top/101961436/302

[Anita Latte]

Really like this -- does the gold/tan color make up for the fact that it's black? http://www.dressbarn.com/detail/scroll-sweater-dress/101959101/956

 

Maybe. If you zoom in on that dress, it almost looks super sheer (check out the back view) and I think this is because that gold color is woven throughout the dress and so is a subtle undertone. This maybe enough for it to be a "better black" so to speak.

 

You know how all blacks aren't created equal? DH has a muted, matte black suit with gold pinstriping that looks very good on him. He can wear a warm shirt and coordinating tie and look very sharp.

 

The only way to know if this is truly flattering is to take a photo.

 

Have you ever done that whole exercise? It really is amazing to see the proof of the effect of color when you do a series of photographs in the same environment and watch how color alone changes the way that your skin appears.

 

I love this blouse -- would look great with black slacks or a black straight skirt (I know... I know... black) for dinner on a cruise. http://www.dressbarn.com/detail/beaded-chiffon-v-neck-top/101961436/302

 

There's nothing necessarily WRONG with wearing black bottoms. Especially with deep EARTHy colors. I think the idea of trying to wean off black is more for the idea of streamlining a wardrobe. The idea is that if you are closer to wearing colors in the same color family, then you can get away with fewer shoes and accessories, and clothing in general...because everything generally goes with everything. When you get into some of our EARTH colors...the warm muted yellows for instance and any of the corals and warm aquas (hard to find)...then black usually isn't the most wonderful combination. So the thought is that if you want to truly end up with a mix and match wardrobe all around...then you go for neutrals that are more friendly with ALL of your colors.

 

Few colors look great with all other colors. Yes, many EARTH greens are pretty hideous in and of themselves...and yet they look amazing on us! And sometimes, what makes one green shine can really muck up another green. So the ocassional black bottom is as effective in your wardrobe as any neutral may be with some colors. KWIM?

 

But if you ever go for column dressing...then black isn't the best bottom because you wouldn't put black closer to your face (if you were trying to dress in your BEST colors).

 

There's a lot of back and forth action on this. As in everything, I think thoughtful and purposeful wardrobe decisions can include strategic black clothing. The idea is to know the general rules so that when you break them (in this case, wear/own black), you know the ramifications of doing so and can mitigate the consequences.

[awhfy]

Try Urban Decay for eyeliner. Their navy (Ink) is true navy, my favorite is Demolition (bronzy brown). It's also a 24hour eyeliner & doesn't move without eye makeup remover, but is very soft & easy to apply. Melody

 

 

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[smitty34877]

Hi everyone. I continue to procrastinate about picture posting but had to respond to the make up discussion. Mousey, my DH is also a sweet man and says he does not see the 3 large moles on the right side of my face that suddenly showed up! I spend a lot of time trying to cover them but it is not possible. Anyway, they are not problematic so I will learn to be grateful! I use the Bare Minerals line with a little bit of bronzer. I had tried many blush colors but they never looked right with my pale freckly skin. One of my patients( I used to work with geriatric patients in a Nursing Home) told me to use bronzer so that I would look better. I could always count on people to tell it to me straight!! The results were very good-she was right, of course. I wear glasses and usually use brown eye shadow and liner from the Bobbi Brown line. My eyes are blue or green and very small so I found I needed something. Lip colors are also in the brown range. Oh my. A theme...

Margaret , I can relate to your difficulties with your parents. It is so hard,especially at a distance. My in laws were in FLA(we are in NY) and we did finally have to become guardians for them. It has been a long time since they passed but a very painful time for everyone. My parents have been gone a long time now. My brother and I looked at each other last year at the holidays and said"We are the old folk now".

I will get to those pesky pics. I am having drama in my life as well-don't we all!

[laurspag]

Wow, the flurry of activity on this thread the past few days! I have so many things I want to comment on, so I will probably be making a bunch of posts with random thoughts.

 

Tomorrow is my weekly specialist visit for the ear. She did tell me during the last visit that if you have a minor infection and it isn't going away then you ignore it, this will happen. And that is what I did. She understands how frequently I get minor outer ear infections, but the minute it started to move inward, I should have taken action and I did not. To make a long story short, infections such as these can be long winded. But it will go away. I had my hearing aid in for two hours today! Yay! This will sound silly, but after not being able to wear it for two weeks, everything seemed so loud, lol.

 

But I'm ready to be over this. I had a bit of a cold last week to boot as well, which didn't help matters.

 

Anita, I hope you feel better! You mentioned your sinuses. If it keeps up, it could be turning into a sinus infection. It's not in your chest, is it? That is when you really, really have to be careful. Take care of yourself.

 

I'm a daily yogurt eater (that's my lunch - Greek yogurt, so I get the benefit of protein as well as calcium and so forth.) I should do some research. Do all yogurts contain probiotics?

 

I too love that rose/flower type necklace. It's simple, but at the same time has some detail to it. I sometimes take these really up close pictures, but most of my necklaces are not huge statement necklaces. I kind of don't like the statement necklace terminology you see these days. I don't think a necklace needs to be oversized to make a statement. I'm just not a dainty pendant person, overall. I do think that necklace will work well with that particular dress.

 

When I get a moment, I will take a picture of a dress I have for all of you to give me some feedback on. I'm having a debate about it for my last night on my cruise. I mentioned it previously, in that it is a warm ivory with beige and brown, and some black. I think I may have a pair of sandals that will work well with it. My gold sandals might be okay...gosh, they go with just about anything, you know?

 

I love to wear dresses for so many reasons. For dinner on a cruise, it just fits the feel of the beautiful dining rooms, for one thing. It also makes dinner feel special, like my husband and I are going on a date. Silly, I know. But I too love the simplicity. The majority of what I wear tends to be really comfortable. The maxi dress and the green dress for formal night will be great. The purple dress fits much better than it used to, so that should be comfortable as well. Just about everything I'm considering for the last night is a jersey knit.

 

Pam, please tell me about Oasis. I look forward to hearing about it! Did it feel crowded? How were the activities and shows? Did you use the main dining room for dinner?

[laurspag]

Sally, I'm so glad your SO is on the mend. Surgery is so much less invasive these days, and healing time is greatly reduced. It's amazing.

 

Margaret, I loved the items you posted from LLBean. We have lots of use for those things around here, in this climate! I just love that vest. What a wonderful brick red type of color it is. I have a few that I love for this time of the year. As a matter of fact, they are options for the May cruise, but I haven't taken pictures of them yet.

 

How are you with wearing wool? With me, it depends. If I wear it over something, it's not so itchy. Sometimes I can wear it though without too much of an issue. I have this nice scarf made of lambs wool that I wear in the winter. After I have it on a while, I get a bit red in the neck area. It doesn't last, so I don't mind wearing it but it really is an outdoor kind of scarf to keep my neck warm in winter.

 

I really loved that shade of teal for that blazer. That would be a great addition for my work wardrobe, but I'm hesitant about the cost and the wool. It's a perfect color, and this is the type of item that you can really get your money's worth out of over time. Don't blazers seem to last forever? It's a great classic style too.

 

Anita, it seems like I have all sorts of outerwear. We really get 4 full seasons here. Even if I'm making a quick trip, because of the snowy roads, I know there is always the possibility of being stranded somewhere, so I dress warmly and even keep a small blanket in the car at all times.

 

Makeup! I wear a lightweight foundation that evens out the skin tone, but doesn't really add any color. I use Loreal W3. Right now, I'm using the same brand and type (Colormatch) in blush, but I'm not certain it is quite right. I have been thinking I need to look at bronzer instead. I wear basic mascara, and that is usually it.

 

I want to toy with eyeshadow a bit. My daughter is going to help me, because she is great with that sort of thing. She helped me pick some colors, and she is going to show me different techniques so I can figure out what looks good on me. I don't like to spend a lot on makeup, especially until I see if I have the colors right. I'm using some Avon eyeshadow for the experimenting.

 

I'm not sure if it is Covergirl or Maybelline, but I get an awful bumpy looking reaction to their eyeshadow.

 

I have dark circles under my eyes - what do you suggest for eyeshadow colors? The colors I've selected are all earthy. There is a trio that is quite dramatic, with a frosty beige, light brown and olive green. Then the other set has typical neutral tones.

 

when I'm on a cruise, I will often wear lipstick to dinner. I found a great shade of rusty red that looks so nice on formal night. I think you can see it a few pages back in our formal night pictures.

[laurspag]

By the way, does anyone know of a brad of mascara that is brown? I used to get brown for years, long before I knew my colors. I thought that black looked odd on me. Right now I'm using Loreal brown/black, but I would like something that is definitely more brown.

 

Any suggestions for an eyeliner color for me? Margaret, you mentioned one earlier that sounded like it might brighten up my eyes a bit. I don't want to exaggerate the dark circles.

 

I'm no the lookout for a nice nail color for this next cruise. I may or may not go with Jamberry wraps. I do like them, but most of what they offer are prints. I think the purple would look nice, but I'm not sold. I really like the glossy dressed up look of a gel manicure. Those are really rough on your nails though.

[Anita Latte]

Everyone is talking about their day to day makeup! That is very helpful and I'm loving all the brands and specifics being thrown out but I am really curious as to what, if anything, everyone does differently when they put on their PARTY face. :D

 

Laurie...Mom gave me a mascara that I think is awesome. It's a brown color, but it's called Khaki Bronze. It's fabulous. I love it!

 

http://www.chanel.com/en_US/fragrance-beauty/Makeup-Mascara-LE-VOLUME-DE-CHANEL-128279/sku/137077

 

Why I like it. Great color. It's definitely brown, but it isn't trying for that black brown...it's just a great brown! The brush is decent. I can get this on without it clumping up on me. I'm not super skilled with makeup? With other brands, I have had to try to comb through my lashes to break up the clumps...because I don't like that look (some do)...but with this one, I can actually get it to go on without making my lashes all stick together. AND...I haven't had any problems with it flaking.

 

In fact, this is good stuff. It's pretty waterproof...it's one of the reasons why I was bummed that I forgot to pack makeup remover...because it was rather difficult to get off without it. LOL!

[Anita Latte]

Laurie...Mom and I love to watch Lisa Eldridge videos! She is so awesome!! I would look on her site for info about the dark circles...

[Anita Latte]

The owner/manager of the Curves I teach at loved my nails today! I commented on how I vamp-y I felt and that I should have big red lips to go with...but she said the most interesting thing. She said that there was enough brown in that red...she said that it didn't look slutty at all! LOL!

 

So, Ladies...If you want a great red...see if you can get that OPI First Date at the Golden Gate anywhere. I did happen to take some photos earlier:

 

 

I have a really long nail bed...look how short my nails really are!

 

 

Oh...and I was folding laundry this afternoon. I noticed that this red looked fabulous with my plum colored tank. I started to lay it over all these different clothes (DH, DS, mine) and I need to retract my earlier statement. This is a warm red only. Not suitable for all seasons at all. I think a great red for EARTH and FIRE.