I’m so used to playing up my hourglass figure that when I don’t intentionally do the opposite – when I just wear clothes without planning for a shape – I don’t know what to expect of my own body.

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I adore everything about this outfit: the tights I just got on Ebay; the cardigan I’ve had for years and will never get rid of because you’ll have to pry it out of my cold, dead hands; the brand new dress that bounces fetchingly when I walk…and, of course, the shoes.  Because I always love the shoes.

When I saw this photo, though, I was unnerved.  Where was my well-defined waist?  Where was the eleven-inch difference between my navel and hips?  I wasn’t unhappy with the way my body looked, but I was kind of confused.

That feeling reminded me of the things I hear from older women whenever I talk about body acceptance.  They tell me that middle age is like puberty all over again: that your body begins changing in unexpected ways, and that the person in the mirror isn’t who you expect anymore.  The difference, they tell me, is that no one prepares you for middle age.

I remember my first period, and getting breasts, and leg hair, and full hips.  After twelve years of sameness, it was scary to not know what my body was going to become.  But I was prepared for those changes, by school and family and the media…how lost would I have felt if I hadn’t been?

So when I look at these photos…any photos…I try hard to be less unnerved, and more pleasantly surprised, at the different shapes my body makes depending on what I wear.  Because when I get older, I’m going to be dealing with new shapes underneath my clothes – ones that will continue to shift and sag each year.

I’d like to be proud of those shapes.  I’d like to love them.  So I’ll think of it as a second puberty: with a little trepidation…but also with excitement for change, for something new.

Besides, it’s not like I’ll have to give up cute shoes.  (Maybe just shorten the heels a little.)

I drove into the mountains last weekend.  Waiting for me was a cabin above a waterfall, some horses in need of a trail ride, and fudge.  Who doesn’t love fudge?

I packed my boots, a pair of jeans I didn’t mind trashing, and some basic black t-shirts.  (You can’t go wrong with a basic black t-shirt.)  I wanted to wear something a little more fun on the drive up, though.  Rest stops and diners aren’t synonymous with high fashion, but I felt sassy.

And when I feel sassy…you’re damned right I’ll wear platform wedges over a mountain pass.

Okay, you can’t see the wedges (you will below) but you can see the new shirt I bought off of HauteLook (Joe’s Jeans relaxed raw edge shirt, $39).

I’d like you all to note that this shirt was supposed to be for my boyfriend.

It’s an XL.

As it turns out, it’s an XL unisex.

Ahem.

It’s too big for me, and too small for him, but the colors were too good for me to return it.  (I also may or may not have been idolizing Lindsay’s thievery of her boyfriend’s shirt last month.)  So I grabbed a belt that may actually be a relic of the nineties – so retro - stole a necklace watch from my boyfriend, and avoided makeup altogether.  Menswear…voila!

This is why “dirty trips” (no, not like that – I mean backpacking, or hiking, or otherwise getting muddy and feeling like you got beat with a metal pipe the next day) are my favorite time to try new casual clothes.  You’re expected to look casual while on the road, and it’s not like you’ll see anyone you know anyway…so your clothes become more about you, and less about how other people might react to them.  (You know it affects you.  I’ve been a Demoiselle for a good long while, now, and it still affects me.)

So, it seems that I’m actually warming up to a fall trend – plaid, oversize, what have you – early on.  This is rare – it took me years to buy my first pair of skinnies (and to not call them “tapered pants.”)

What fall trend are you absolutely loving – one you thought you wouldn’t fall for?

Making a grand departure from the ever-confined world of “fitted for your shape” is freeing. There are no strange contour seams that can make you feel obligated to mold yourself correctly, any requirement of being “small” is diminished, and definition of your smaller parts becomes nearly obsolete as there’s little-to-no way of achieving it without extra belts, straps, or cinches.

It’s pretty nice to just wear clothes sometimes.

On top of the sheer joy experienced by thieving a shirt from your closest male friend/love/relative/whatever… There’s pretty much no chance of anything looking the same on you as it would on a dude – your parts will change the entire shape of a pair of pants, a button-down shirt, a ribbed tank… We’ve all stolen those, let’s just be honest.

This is not boyfriend-exclusive, by the way. About a year ago, I shamelessly stole the watch on my left hand from my Dad. I love men’s watches. Particularly with something that’s not particularly masculine – a frilly top, a dress… A 14 lb. gold navigator’s watch. It’s like a symphony.

Combining feminine and masculine aspects is one of my favorite ways to feel “put together.” I know I’m maintaining my visual self-interest if I’m putting contrasting ideas together. Skintight jeans, heels, and menswear makes me feel like a big ol’ saucepot. (That means lots of “saucy” for those who are thinking “…Um, that’s good?”)

Speaking of saucy, there is no question about the limit of sex appeal you can wring out of a man’s shirt.

Masculine, my ass.

Have you stolen a boyfriend’s, brother’s or father’s clothing before? How do you wear it? Moreover, how do you feel in it?

I’ve always loved the idea of focusing on the elements as I plan my outfits, and yesterday, my focus was completely earth-oriented.  Maybe it’s the oil spill (which has been heavy on my mind) or maybe it’s the brightness of the sun and the digging I’ve been doing in my garden, but I just couldn’t resist pairing copper-colored nail polish with a chunky lapis necklace and brass flats.

The idea of digging for minerals, and hammering away to create something beautiful from what the earth has offered up, is (to me) the essence of fashion.  Cotton, stones, kohl eyeliner and mineral makeup…even the inspiration from some of the greatest designers of our time has come from what the earth has to offer.

One of my favorites designers collections, in fact, is McQueen’s S/S 2010 collection, which was inspired by ocean life – specifically, sea slugs.

What inspired your outfit today?

Polish: Penny by Zoya Nail Polish
Necklace: Madras 641
Top: Banana Republic
Pants: Stoosh, available at Nordstrom
Flats: r2 by Report

If you follow Jen’s posts, you see that she is highly logical, calming, and typically right on most counts. This goes for her wardrobe, as well. She always looks refined. It doesn’t matter if she’s going to work, or going to a biker bar (oh, it happens, folks) – she makes sense.

I, on the other hand, pretty much just put clothes on until they look mostly acceptable, and walk outside.

It’s a choice.

My mornings look like this:

Wake up.
Go back to sleep.
Wake up.
Fall on the floor.
Grab closest article of clothing.
Smell.
- If unacceptable, throw towards laundry bin.
- If acceptable, put on.
Find acceptable counterparts as to not be arrested on the street, or regain my nickname, “No Pants Lindsay”.
Add ridiculous shoes.
Leave house.

It’s a pretty intense 15 minutes, let me tell you.

Today, I decided that makeup was a bit too much trouble for me – besides, I’m wearing a rainbow, so who needs extra colors on random areas like eyelids and cheeks? Not me, that’s who!

I just snagged these shoes from 6pm.com. They’re by Jeffrey Campbell, and I got them on sale for $13. Yeah. I’m a new 6pm convert, and you should be, too. The shirt was $7 from the floor of Marshall’s, and the pants were about $10 from Torrid.

The shoes, actually, are quite comfortable to walk in despite their immense height. I ate a gigantic burrito today, so I was really exceptionally pleased with my shirt choice (discovery?) and its looseness. In a few photos, I notice that I look a little like I have an apple figure, though I know I have an hourglass going… I like it. It’s refreshing to not have to cinch your waist every day. Not to mention better for burrito consumption.

What did you wear today?

This outfit came together, oddly enough, because I forgot to do laundry.  It’s cold and dreary in the Pacific Northwest, so I’m wearing a lot of pants, but when all of one’s slacks are balled up in the hamper, one must improvise.

The Outfit: The basics of this outfit are very “Mad Men” - very early sixties - which is an era I’ve always felt comfortable in.  The idea of mid- to high-waisted skirts, classic tops and a pair of pumps just screams “sexy” to me, without being overly raunchy or forcing me to adhere to some trendy standard.  Those classic cuts also allow me to play with accessories, giving the outfit whatever “mood” I want to depending on the day.  Feeling upbeat, I went candy-coated, but imagine if I’d gone for a faux python belt and bangles instead: the outfit would have gone from “cute” to “predatory” in a heartbeat.  (…and now I need a faux python belt.  Damn it.)

The Body: If there’s anything my short, long-legged hourglass figure should be wearing, it’s this.  Mid- to high-waisted skirts allow me to accentuate my waistline, and a high-neck top with detail at the shoulders and neckline is interesting without screaming “Hey, look at my boobs.”  The late fifties and early sixties were a great time to celebrate T&A, and the clothes inspired by that era fit a busty, hippy girl better than almost any other.

The Trends: It may not look like there are a lot of trends going on here, but for me, it’s all in the details: that top has a big, chunky, visible zipper in the back – very industrial without being inappropriate for the office – and the tights have an awesome cheetah-like pattern…but it’s only really noticable if you’re admiring my gams.  (Gentlemen: feel free.)  While I like playing with trends, I also like knowing I can wear a top for years without it going out of style.  With this blouse’s pretty pleats, soft shoulders and classic cotton weave, I can, even after the zipper trend is out of style.

What do you think of the classic skirt-and-tights look?

Top, Skirt, and shoes: Banana Republic (sale section!)
Tights: Steve Madden via Ross
Necklace: Ann Taylor Loft
Belt: Unknown