Comments on My Journey to Fit: A Forty-Something's Weight Loss Journey: Friday Mishmash - Fashion Friday Frump Edition

Talk about being WAY late... but I was just thrill...

2010-08-08T16:36:34.457-05:00

Talk about being WAY late... but I was just thrilled to see Talbots solve your frump challenge! The most recent catalog is all about taking 1 item and wearing it 2 different ways. Take a look...

http://www.talbots.com/online/ecatalog/catalog.jsp?sku=024AugBook&catheader=August+Book

OK, I know I am late to this party, but...the top ...

2010-07-23T16:11:46.066-05:00

OK, I know I am late to this party, but...the top is slightly too large, but the big negative is the large brown spotch across your hipline - that shirt would be much more workable without them. You are right. The cream jacket works best, but most prints that I buy are slightly more uniform - that top has a mix of medium prints and extremely large prints that I don't think work very well. But, since you've outshrunk it, toss it in the bag and try again!

I think going funky is just a thing that you hav t...

2010-07-13T12:45:28.341-05:00

I think going funky is just a thing that you hav to get used to. You are doing a great job!

You are too cute and I love the last picture with ...

2010-07-11T23:24:36.084-05:00

You are too cute and I love the last picture with the jacket. It's very slimming and draws your eyes down to your rockin' legs!! Gosh, you are my hero and you should be so proud of yourself for working so hard on eating right and mostly for GETTING OUT there and working your bod!!
Have an awesome week!

Try the top (which is too big as the others noted)...

2010-07-11T19:23:48.647-05:00

Try the top (which is too big as the others noted) with a white bottom or skinnies or leggings; the pants are dark and a little baggy so the volume of the top is increased.

Love it with the jacket! The structure of the shape takes away the frump of the outfits. Works like a charm every time!

Hi Shelley! First time at your blog. Wow, I love y...

2010-07-10T21:21:01.114-05:00

Hi Shelley! First time at your blog. Wow, I love your May 08 09 & 10 pics, the June ones with the bike too. Awesome transformation!

I love the jacket, but I would have worn it with t...

2010-07-10T10:57:02.858-05:00

I love the jacket, but I would have worn it with the lime green too. I liked it, but that's just me. The jacket makes you look longer.

I really struggle with what is age appropriate. Like one of your commenters. I don't want to look frumpy, but alas, I do alot of the time. Still time to get it right, right??

I love the Oikos greek yogurt with chocolate, I re...

2010-07-09T22:59:31.732-05:00

I love the Oikos greek yogurt with chocolate, I recently tried the caramel too...yummy!
I like the outfit when you have on the canvas jacket, very cute!

Yes, the white jacket is the best. I thought the b...

2010-07-09T22:38:07.279-05:00

Yes, the white jacket is the best. I thought the brown around your stomach hip area on just the shirt make you look bigger than you really are. I wouldn't say it's frump, just a bit too busy. With the jacket, it totally worked!!

Love the orzo recipe! I would love to be able to channel my inner Biz more often!

Oh it's my favorite shirt. I think it looks go...

2010-07-09T19:36:23.548-05:00

Oh it's my favorite shirt. I think it looks good on you. My favorite is with the canvas jacket.

You nailed it with the canvas jacket, woman. Look...

2010-07-09T19:33:52.317-05:00

You nailed it with the canvas jacket, woman. Looks great, as does the rest of you!

I love Oikos but have never seen chocolate!! Oh Lord, that will be the object of a stalking expedition tomorrow at the grocery store.

BTW, I finally got around to looking at your fashion Friday with the purse last week...excellent! Thanks for the publicity!! You have a knack for pulling together some great looking outfits.

Frump happens killed me! I like the colors of the ...

2010-07-09T16:24:27.784-05:00

Frump happens killed me!
I like the colors of the shirt and think it would look good on someone else. I think the blotches of color are too big for your teeny body. And it might be that the shirt would look better with those legging jeans in some other color. or some leggings or whatever they're called now that you don't wear in TX in the summer. Like a Fall shirt with leggings. in chocolate brown.
I give up.

chocolate yogurt is good. How much sugar grams?

I look forward to the Friday fashion shows. It is ...

2010-07-09T16:04:40.293-05:00

I look forward to the Friday fashion shows. It is good to know I'm on the same page as someone else in regards to the frump feeling. The bedroom usually looks like a tornado of epic proportion has hit by the time I leave. It doesn't help that I am just starting on my weight loss journey so nothing looks right. I am encouraged by your posts and look forward to more.

I looove Greek yogurt but haven't tried the ch...

2010-07-09T13:34:26.996-05:00

I looove Greek yogurt but haven't tried the chocolate yet, thanks for the review! :)

Mmmmm.... the yogurt looks divine! Just started ea...

2010-07-09T12:43:30.651-05:00

Mmmmm.... the yogurt looks divine! Just started eating greek yogurt recently (favoring Chobani), and really like its texture. Chocolate anything is good, so this one will be in my cart soon enough! Thanks, friend, for adding to my daily calorie count. LOL (not that i couldn't get there on my own!)

Oh, and I was all set to send you a copy of the recipe from CL, when I got to the end of your post and read that you found it. We tried that one, too. Rick and I both loved it. Shocking.

HUGS from Orlando!

Your fashion Fridays are such fun, and you are so ...

2010-07-09T09:53:19.576-05:00

Your fashion Fridays are such fun, and you are so cute and funny the way you present them!

OK, don't be mad at me, but I'm not feeling that top, although it looks its best with the white jacket. It's not frumpy, but I don't like the big patches of brown, especially the one at the waist. I personally like prints a lot, but not when they are random and so busy. Forces my eyes to look at the confusing print, not at how pulled together the wearer is. Again, sorry about that; strictly my opinion, and not based on any scientific evidence. I just think that you can look great in many tops, but this one by-passes greatness.

White jacket very cute! You can wear that with tons of stuff! Have a good weekend.

Tighter fitting shirt! You've got the body to...

2010-07-09T09:42:06.294-05:00

Tighter fitting shirt! You've got the body to pull it off.

You Americans have such selection..that yogurt may need a cross border shop!

The shirt looks great with the jacket. I agree tha...

2010-07-09T09:19:22.135-05:00

The shirt looks great with the jacket. I agree that it's a bit too big for you, a smaller size would have been better.

Interesting idea about the veggies, there are days I don't eat the serves I should, but if I can make it up the next day there's no problem :)

I totally agree with you. I do love the jacket ove...

2010-07-09T09:12:36.095-05:00

I totally agree with you. I do love the jacket over it, but I can't say I'm loving the top without anything. Your jeans looks really nice.

I agree. The shirt is too big for you. Belt might ...

2010-07-09T09:08:25.346-05:00

I agree. The shirt is too big for you. Belt might help. And I actually would go for some brighter shoes? White funky somethings.

Ha - love that you found your inner Biz to make th...

2010-07-09T09:04:12.887-05:00

Ha - love that you found your inner Biz to make that recipe - thanks for the shout out!

I love the white jacket! And I think the sweaters are definitely too big - but then again, I have no fashion sense whatsoever! :D

Happy Friday!

As has already been said, I think that the top is ...

2010-07-09T08:57:56.581-05:00

As has already been said, I think that the top is one size too big for you, so it's baggy in the middle. I find that bagginess in the middle when a shirt fits my hips, creats the illusion that I am a solid square block under the bagginess. A smaller size can help with that. And layering (like you did) can help with that. The sweaters could have worked if they had been smaller or retained a little more shape. That's why the jacket worked - it's structured more, so it's creating shape where you want it.

Buttoning the cardis in the middle (one or two bottons) but leaving the rest open can help create an hourglass shape. And buttoning the cardi at the top few buttons can create more of a loose, swing shape. Hourglass works best for me, but you'd have to try things out in front of a mirror to see what works for you. Another suggestion would be to try to wear a cardi with a belt over it at your natural waist (like you did before to give you a smaller waist). I think you would look smoking like that!

Anyway, I really like all the combos that you tried. It's a fun top and you obviously know what to pull out to try on with it. Plus, the colors look great with your skin and hair color! You are looking fabulous!

I wonder how many of us scrolled back up to see if...

2010-07-09T08:46:30.026-05:00

I wonder how many of us scrolled back up to see if it was too big, like Carla did?
I LOVE it with the white jacket. I also think with such a bright top, the bright sweaters were too much.
Funny story about orzo. I was obsessed with it at one point. Then, I was pregnant with my second son (he is now 12 1/2) and I was making it, but really nauseas due to the pregnancy. I haven't eaten it since...go figure.

I think the frump and matronly are a danger of mid...

2010-07-09T07:30:30.110-05:00

I think the frump and matronly are a danger of midlife. Not that you're there quite yet but I've found myself fighting it since around the age of 45. I find it very hard to be stylish without looking too young or too old and frumpy! When you're fighting your closest, think of me and smile because I'm probably doing the same thing.

I like the top with the jacket too. And I also agr...

2010-07-09T07:16:14.915-05:00

I like the top with the jacket too. And I also agree that the top looks a little big right now.

The orzo and asparagus sounds great. I'll have to see if I can find any ww orzo in my area.