My Little Black Closet

Must Haves Must Haves

2012-03-01T10:04:00.000-08:00

OK So everyone keeps commenting on My belt addiction. I don't know why but I tend to be in flow with what goes on in magazines. And low and behold when you open the mags. this season belts everywhere. From small thin belts, which I have on today and can be found for $2.50 at forever 21, too big thick leather ones for the western hippie vibe. But its belts belts belts. And there are some great new ways to wear them...How many of us love our big cozy sweaters in the winter. But I hate the way it adds bulk to our bodies and we sometimes feel frumpy , well add a great chunky belt to YOUR SWEATER and BAM , waist defined. It's so perfect. I have seen it with the sweater that don't close as well. you know the ones that kind of just hang. Some cotton version of these are great in the spring but again they just hang , well wrap an adorable thin shiny belt to it and your more polished and put together. So yes I love my belts. I also love the retro 50-60's pin up look right now and A thin belt is a must have. Black and white or red and white polka dots and you are good to go. Very mad men. So loving this look right now, which leads me to my next must have....Under those fantastic dresses of the 50's and 60's were A LOT of other garments according to my Mother. I never thought I'd succumb to the oppressive UNDERGARMENT but alas I have. I got a gift card to a store that no longer carried my size ( I was too small who in a million years thought that would happen) so i found the only thing I could use and that was ....UNDERGARMENTS. ..NOW I thought spanx only came in pants and I had some sort of version of those and they were good in the summer but a bit hot ...and then I saw Skirt ones and thought what the heck ? when do you use those instead of the pants ....well what a fool am I. If you know me you know I love my Dresses and skirts. That's what I'm always in , and this is the perfect way to smooth my rear and thighs out with out sweating my rear off....I put it over my leggings under dresses and skirts and They are just amazing. Am I cheating ? I guess a little but I would be, in that case, if I had plastics too right ? so much better to just be wrapped up like a sausage ...Just kidding but I have to say It does stop me from over eating ..there's not much room for that in these here garments.
So there you have it ....my two Must haves this year so far ....If I was a cartoonist I'd draw a picture of someone trying to pull my belts and skirt girdle away from me , and I'd have fangs ready to bite ...LOL...

A New year a New You ...

2012-01-12T10:40:00.000-08:00

Holy Smokes did this year go by fast. I was a bad bad blogger. Yes I stepped away from the computer in October and found it very hard to get back too. We were so busy with the holidays. But I will say with every party or event we went to I had a fashion arsenal at my finger tips. All the Planning ahead paid off. Shopping in July for wool skirts at Goodwill seemed insane to most people but when the holidays came around and I was getting compliments on my fashionably festive outfits, it was well worth it. I think the most daring outfit was my New Years eve dress. I had found this incredible teal sequin dress calling me from across a second hand store of sorts. It had a very low cut back, a wrap around collar and was really really short but I knew by the sparkle on this dress it would be worn even if it was with jeans. So By the time NYE came , I admittedly gained a few pounds and was not in the mood to feel sexy or fresh, but when my younger sister in laws surprised me last minute by going to a huge NYE party at Mohegan Sun casino here in Ct, I had to show these girls that a NEWLY 36 year old could still rock it. LOL. Honestly both my sister in laws are skinny and beautiful and I was honored just that they came to celebrate my birthday with me. Yes it is also NYE.
Well I put this dress on and felt Naked. I added black stockings that had horizontal stripes, which ladies for girls like me who carry all your weight in the legs, these were awesome, and an amazing pair of high heels that had rhinestone bows on them. Another $5 find at salvation army. Well my husband nearly fainted when I showed him what I was wearing. He kept telling me how great I looked and I kept telling him I felt naked.
All in All it was an amazing night I had the greatest time and girls kept asking me about either my shoes or dress to which I proudly replied " VINTAGE". I love that I had that dress ( which I added this amazing jacket with a high Victorian neck ,I got at a consignment store ) and no one else did. when you were vintage you can feel the weight the quality of the clothing and it makes me feel even luckier to have found the piece. My shoes still said $4.99 on the bottom and i proudly showed it to my sister in law who couldn't believe that's all i paid for these new beautiful shoes.
My holidays were filled with moments just like this and although we baked cookies wrapped gifts and Santa came to visit and although I had put on a few pounds ( and proudly as of today they are all off) each time I put on one of those outfits, it made me excited to dress the way I always wanted to and kept my calorie count in check.

A Walk or a Fall down the runway ??

2011-10-04T12:51:00.000-07:00

Ok . So you would think a girl who loves fashion as much as I do is soooo excitied about her first fashion show. I mean the first one I'm going to BE IN...!!!OMG...I am excitied but totally unaware of what is going to go down ...I have three out fit changes ...Changes! ..I'm not stripping clothes down in front of ANYONE...oh no ...I'll be running to the ladies room in the Jimmy Choos is all i'm saying. Yes, very pretty nuetral Jimmy's ...oh how sweet, only to be paired with my DIANE VON FURSTENBERG Dress ....(I say Mine because yes Im buying it ...IT is so ME I HAVE TO HAVE IT) .... Then there's an awesome Alligator Skirt ALSO MINE ....lol...Ummm it's $5 ...not like the $300 Jimmys' ....I figure, if I go down in the evening dress because #1- it's a bit big ...I'm a 2, its a 6, I'll just think of Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and the City and get up and dance my ass down the run way ...lol..Kinda glad Hubby won't be there to witness my wipeout . Well fingers crossed , Thursday is the big Day. Pictures to follow....

Addicted to fashion or a fashion addiction

2011-09-30T18:34:00.000-07:00

Blog entry

A shopping addiction ??? I sometimes scare my loved ones into thinking that I may have a slight shopping addiction. I giggle and wonder, does a painter who buys new paints have a paint addiction? Of course not. Clothes make me happy. I know, it sounds so strange right.? Or sad but so true. What new creation I'm going to put together each morning , gets me out of bed filled with a positive exhilarated outlook. Some people get this thrill from music they love or seeing a movie they were looking forward to seeing. For me it's getting dressed each day. I truly believe clothes should excite you, weather it's a plain black sweater ( As if black could be plain) or a sequin gold halter top ( note to self: find gold sequin halter top ) fashion should be the whip cream of your morning (low fat no calories).

Then you have to add the fact that I don't just go to the mall to pay top dollar for the latest trend. Nope not me. Fashionista and part treasure hunter. Every wendsday I wake up extra early drop off the kids and head out to my mining fields also known As Salvation Army, Goodwill, Savers and my upscale dream of all dream consignment stores, Uptown Consignments. I have a budget I almost stick too, and I shop till I drop.

You may wonder does it end there. Nope. Fashion for me is a hobby. I have huge piles of fashion magazines that I peruse at night , ripping out the fashions I like so mentally I know what I like and what I might like to put together ( ok yes geek award goes to the girl who then puts them in clear sleeves in a binder). It's like my treasure map of sorts.

So there you have it. I grew up being told by my mother
1- Always over dress never underdress
2- dress As though you'll be seen on tv or meet your worst enemy because when you don't that's when it will happen.

My mother was a beautiful wife of the 50-60's era ,that time when you went to have your hair done and wore a dress all the time. If she wore pants it only showcased that she had the most beautiful figure. She is by far my fashion roll model. I will forever have a sepia photograph imprinted in my mind of my mom and dad dressed up like they did in those days, at a Saturday night party with a table of their friends. Men in their "cool" suits and the ladies in their party dresses with gloves and blusher hats. It influences my style to this day.

Third Generation Diva

2011-09-17T07:22:00.000-07:00

What's with the name??

2011-09-16T19:59:00.000-07:00

My love for fashion has been with me since I was a child. While other little girls carried baby dolls, I carried a handbag. It had always been a driving force in my everyday life. It gets me excited and Enthused about facing the hum drums of everyday life. After lossing 150 lbs, clothes and fashion are even more fun. What makes MY shopping different is I almost ONLY shop second hand. From salvation army to upscale consignment stores, I know how to find a great deal. Authentic Prada bag for $1.00. That's right $1.00. I have international friends I shop for, fashion magazines are my bibles, and a trip to salvation army is a religious experience.

My little Black Closet .... Because I literally have a closet with two bars full of only black clothes. Everything from Ann Taylor to Target. I think my favorites are those small independent labels that make super awesome one of a kind pieces. People take for granted sometimes how hard it is too wear black. There are lots of shades of black and let's not forget the fade factor. That's a whole other post.

My plan for this blog is too share my weekly finds. On wendsday I head out the door to my selected locations with Starbucks in hand and excited about the possibilities of what is waiting for me. I want to share them with you and inspire you to be brave and buy something "outside of your closet".

I hope to do more videos then photography. I've been
A vlogger for a few years so I think it will be exciting to share those with you.