blazer and berms

 I would like to mention something you know intuitively and maybe would want to remind your followers occasionally…and that is what “putting yourself together in the morning” does for your psyche the rest of the day.

I struggle with mild depression and take daily meds to keep it mild.  To the world and my wonderful family I appear normal, so that’s good but inside I’m not.  Since I’ve found your website I’ve become refreshingly aware of the impact of “how I look” is on my depression.  When I see you all “turned out” in something cute and ready for the day’s events, I realize that’s the first step in “facing” the day.  The next is what you show in your face…”happiness,” “optimism” and how you carry and present yourself…with “confidence” and “panache.”

so why do i bother pulling together a special outfit for date night or any night or day for that matter? because it’s good for the soul. as a young mother many years ago, one lucky day (if you believe in luck), it dawned on me that i would be of no use to anyone, let alone my husband or my children if i didn’t take care of myself. how could i truly love others if i didn’t first love me? and isn’t that the dilemma of a nurturer? putting your needs ahead of others? it’s just so gratifying to see our loved ones feeling joyful and fulfilled. and it’s oh so easy to pencil yourself in at the bottom of the list.

but there’s a valuable lesson to be learned with placing a priority on ourselves. because if there’s no me, there’s no us, and there’s no them. if i’m not whole, and happy, and content with just me, myself, and i how on earth could i possibly make others feel loved, feel complete, feel whole? and that’s my goal while i walk this earth for however many years i’m granted – to love. to give that love freely with no expectations, an abundance of forgiveness, and no regrets. and it begins with me. it begins with you. it starts with taking care of yourself day-in and day-out. with simple things like reading a book, or taking a golf lesson, or maybe a daily walk before the sun rises. maybe it’s learning italian because you’re planning a trip to italy. i love mani’s and pedi’s and facials. go ahead, fill in the blank. because we’re all so different, amazing and unique. and i encourage each of you to nurture not only your soul but your body as well. exercise, nutrition, and skin care are part of my daily regime to help me be the best me i can be.

i know we all live busy lives and it’s ever so easy to lose sight of yourself, or your wardrobe, or the importance of putting your best foot forward each and every day. it takes work to plan an outfit, or schedule date night, but as i mentioned it’s good for the soul. so after all these years of marriage, i’m still going to make the effort to look my very best. and attend a concert or play, go bowling or visit a vineyard or dine at one of our favorite restaurants. because it’s good for me, and it’s good for mr. style, and in the end it’s good for our children and anyone else we come into contact with.

so for today’s date night i chose a pair of bermudas i picked up last week at banana republic. it looks as if the online inventory is low so take a look at this pair or this one. recently, i suggested popping a blazer over the top of a pair of sporty shorts. and that’s just what i did. j.crew is one of my favorite stores to shop for blazers as they typically are well-made with workable button holes and nice finishing details like striped linings or brass buttons.

to keep the color scheme simple and classic i slipped on a sleeveless white shirt from misook but if you like sleeves take at look at this shirt. since the overall outfit errs on the side of sophistication i couldn’t resisit slipping into wedge sandals. this pair is years old so take a look at this pair. or this one. i love how they add a boost of height.

a handbag is a practical accessory as it schleps all of our must-have items like driver’s license and wallet in style. this particular bag is by ralph lauren. here’s one that is similar or this one.

it looks as if another ootn is in the books. and guess what? it’s already wednesday. we’re halfway through the week. happy hump day, ladies! and don’t forget to do something nice for yourself today. you are worth it.

shorts | top | blazer | sandals | handbag | handbag

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