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

Flannel and Suede Tuesday. . .

W hew! Almost three hours spent reading and providing feedback for 41 self-evaluative reflections submitted by students at the end of last week for one of my two courses this semester/term. A largely thankless task since most will pay no attention to the probing questions asked and suggestions made. There are ten such low risk (two points each) formative assignments between Week Two and Week 13 besides three collaborative projects (due at the end of Week Five, Week 10, and Week 14) and a semester capstone that students complete individually (due at the end of Week 15). The format is similar for all of the courses I teach whether face-to-face, hybrid, or asynchronous online. So, why spend the time providing feedback for the ether? To create a paper trail of sorts. That way, when students come to me with either belligerence or crocodile tears (it rarely varies) and complaints that they won't be able to earn their A+ -- a foregone conclusion out ahead of the invariable medical

Halloween Monday Style. . .

A dark, wet Halloween today, so time to break out the flannel three-piece, which is one of my favorites during the cooler/colder months. My sole concession to the day is the orange necktie which is a Brooks Brothers 'Makers' and, in my view, perfect for the fall season given its colors. The fedora, worn without irony, is a Borsalino 'Noir' model, which works wonderfully well with a trench coat. Hey, everyday is dress-up day in my little corner of the world. Here's a tip. When you dress everyday, and become used to doing so, it ceases to feel like a costume, and you become less self-conscious, eventually forgetting about your clothes all together once they are on your body. Which is what you want. Of course, it helps if you observe older male family members doing so routinely during your formative years, but that's not entirely necessary when you have the right approach. Take a page from Carol Dweck's book and adopt what she has termed a 'g

Fall Break Monday Style. . .

T he Young Master and I had some fun yesterday (Sunday) afternoon while digging out a few exterior seasonal decorations from the furnace room. Enlarge the top photograph to see what Mr. Bones is reading about at my son's suggestion. Personally, I would be happy to skip the Halloween decorations outside beyond a couple of jack-o-lanterns glowing on the front porch for trick-or-treat evening, but The Young Master, who turns 13 this week, still enjoys it, so what are you gonna do? He will be answering the door this year, however, rather than heading out himself. But fear not all you advocates of kids hopped up on sugary treats! His Tae Kwon Do studio has organized a trunk-or-treat for Saturday afternoon, in which our son will indulge following his morning classes toward Black Belt Recommended status (testing in December). Fall Break the first two days of this week, so a bit more work from home since, officially at least, the university is not closed for faculty and staff. J

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