Classic Style Advice for the Ladies. . .

For a change, a charming illustration with a few stylishly attired ladies, in a 1920s or early 1930s sense.

Way, way back in 2012, or '13, when Classic Style was a young, brash blog that managed to irritate, offend, and alienate quite a few people with its rather forthright observations, one visitor of the female persuasion, from Austria of all places if memory serves me correctly, inquired whether I knew of any good websites presenting style advice for women.

At the time I replied that I did not. Ever since, however, I have kept my eyes on the horizon for information about the subject of women's style. While there are many such founts of knowledge out there, I have stumbled recently onto a few such blogs, websites, and YouTube channels that help women to fight the frump through an examination and reevaluation of their personal style and advice on how to improve it.

After all, there is a lot more to looking good than boxy, stretchy, shapeless, pilled and oversized items in Oatmeal/Taupe/Stone/Eggshell/Ecru/Buff/Cream/Fawn/Wheat/Mocha -- with way too much scarf looped around one's neck as a haphazard afterthought -- before stumbling out the door to the car.

These various online sources below also manage to examine "Style" in an interesting, understated way that leans in the direction of classic (for women) without coming across as fusty, trendy, trashy, or just stupid. In the interest of being well-rounded, I routinely visit these blogs/sites/channels to see what the ladies behind them have to say about the broad subject of personal style. Here they are:

A Woman of a Certain Age

Audrey a la Mode

Iconically Rare

Justine Leconte

Marie-Anne Lecoeur

Privilege

Saltwater New England

The Rachel Review

Dearly Bethany

Some of these sources are wide ranging and look at much more than clothing and appearance, while others are rather more focused. Several seem geared to women over the age of 30, or even 50. One is more niche oriented but still highly interesting and informative in its perspective.   However, the style advice and actual thought behind it that all of the above mentioned present will serve anyone well regardless of age, sex, or gender identity when it comes to how we might approach life, and ourselves, from a more tasteful and cultivated perspective. And that ain't a bad thing ladies and gentlemen. Enjoy!

-- Heinz-Ulrich

Comments

J. Press Goodness. . .

F resh out of the UPS box, three examples of J. Press goodness on a Friday morning. These shirts are replacements for three recently worn-through, more than 20-year old OCBDs from Land's End (two) and L.L. Bean (one). They were purchased shortly after I took my first teaching position at a now defunct local college outside of Minneapolis, immediately following graduate school, as the fall semester kicked off in September 2003. While some professional gear hung in my closet already, a few additional items were needed at that point to round out the weekly rotation. Said shirts all finally fell prey to small rips showing up in the now very thin, but incredibly comfortable, fabric within six weeks of each other this winter and early spring. So, time for a few replacements. The old friends will find new life as summertime lawncare shirts. Of the three new items above, my favorite shirt is on the right, but one cannot go wrong with a light blue OCBD either, so we're in good

Time for the Ol' Switcheroo?

W ell, here we are approaching mid-April. And it might just be about time to swap the cool and cold weather attire for warmer weather gear this coming weekend. Mid-70s Fahrenheit yesterday, and low 70s today. Cooler after that later in the week, but I can probably stow the heavier wool items and cords in the cedar closet and safely bring out the warm weather suits, odd jackets, and pants until the fall. Still time of one last hurrah today however. Cooler enough this morning for a tan pair of cords paired with that recently arrived J. Press jacket. The latter is light enough, although it is wool, that I might just keep it handy since we can certainly have chilly days in May and June. While classes end on the April 19th this year, I'll still be on campus occasionally into June, so it's not exactly time for khaki shorts, Madras, seersucker and short-sleeved polo shirts just yet. There's also conference coming up in New Orleans at the start of June, so still some oppor

Job Talk #3. . .

C andidate #3 is, for my money, the person for the job. Considerable experience, broad perspective, well-connected throughout the college and university due to an array of collaborative pursuits of one kind or another, coherent and detailed vision laid out for the next three years and beyond. Yes. I am not on the committee that makes the recommendation to the dean, who will make the final decision and send the letter, but, were it up to yours truly, this is the guy. And he wore an actual suit (mid-gray), dress shoes, white shirt, and necktie as an added plus. 20 years or so my junior, but someone gets it. -- Heinz-Ulrich

Classic Style

Search This Blog