Let's talk about fashion. Part 2.

I find a lot of my self worth in how I perceive I look. I know that sounds petty but it's true and I know I'm not the only person out there who feels that way. Without getting into the whys and the morality of it all, a lot of women, I think, have been taught that being pretty is of the utmost importance. Because I'm a decently well rounded person I don't find all my self worth in how I look, but it plays a big part in my self esteem. I like to feel attractive and I like to be told I look nice. As a woman I know that we make a lot of snap judgments based on someone's appearance whether we mean to or not and as much as there is so much more to a person than what they wear or how they look, I still want to start with my best foot forward. Make sense?

A lot of what I wear depends on how I'm feeling. One day something will make me feel attractive and the next it won't do it for me. It's a complicated clothing relationship that my husband will never understand. Good thing I'm usually still in my pajamas when he leaves for work.

I have a really strong desire, right now, to make more of my wardrobe. If you've ever seen my closet you're probably wondering how that's even possible since it's kind of exploding all over our itty bitty bedroom. Well, that might have a little to do with my clothes hoarding tendencies (books and clothes are the only ones; I swear I have no more hoarding tendencies) and my desire to hold onto a good deal once I have it. How many times have I gotten rid of something only to lament its loss a year later?

When I was in school it was easy to re-wear something during the week because I didn't have the same classes with the same people everyday. Now I have the same work day with the same people five days a week. Sure they're all guys but I still don't want them to think my hygiene is as bad as theirs. Just kidding, I don't pay any attention to what they wear most of the time and I'm sure they're clean people.

I've struggled in the past a little bit with figuring out how fashion can apply to someone like me. I don't have the big money and I certainly don't have the size 0 frame that looks good in every new style out there. So what do I do? How do I make a wardrobe that makes me feel attractive, trendy enough to get by, and comfortable? What is it, exactly, that I'm looking for?

Well, like I said before, I want to feel good in my own skin. I want to feel like I'm bringing my game face (or game wardrobe) daily to the workplace and the rest of my life. That doesn't mean that I'll be dressed up to the max, it just means that I'll be in my comfort zone, happy with what I'm in. If it's jeans, Toms, and a boring shirt, then so be it. I just want to have a wardrobe that says I know what I'm doing and not feel confused and uncomfortable with what I'm wearing. Shoulder pads and all.

One of the ways I'm going to accomplish that, I've decided, is to go to Value Village and try to amp up my cardigan and jean selection. It may or may not work. I'm also going to try to rock the sales racks as back to school shopping is in full force and score some good deals. I am nothing if not a deal finding fiend.

It's funny, last week I decided that I was no longer going to fear fashion blogs. Extreme workplace boredom was the main reason, but finding more realistic places to look on the internet was another. Blogging is not limited to the itty bitty and rich. Clearly. The internet is a big place and there are lots of people in the world willing to talk about their style. 

I was using StumbleUpon a lot last week and somehow ended up on a bunch of different fashion websites. The internet is a grand, weird place. I found The State Street Edit and Still Being Molly. I haven't spent a lot of time looking at them yet, but I was impressed by the fact that they were both normal people showing off their own personal style and that was what made fashion. When I say normal I mean normal in the non-rich person sense.

Hold. The. Phone. It's that easy? Dang. That's what really inspired me to amp it up a bit. That and I also emailed The State Street Edit writer Jessica because I was so curious as to how the fashionable people afford to be so designer brand and fashionable. Her answer was pretty much what I was expecting; she spends a bit more on the big items but is a fiend for a sale just like me. Clearly us attractive girls think alike.

Okay, does all this sound silly? It doesn't matter, because Watching Douglas Street is about whatever pops into my head and however I manage to quasi-coherently get it out there onto the magical internet. I feel no shame.

I don't want to lose your interest, though, if it's starting to wane so I'm going to make this post a three parter. In rapid succession. It kind of makes sense. Visually you might feel like you're more in charge because you can read part 1, stop, take a nap, and then read part 2, stop, have some lunch, and then maybe read part 3. You'll probably need to take another nap after that.

Read on for more exciting goals...