Monday, July 30, 2012

Pure Natural v. Classic Modern


This past week Shari and I both spent time away from our home states!  We enjoyed reading responses from you in  regards to the latest newsletter and spent much of the week enjoying friends and family.  We missed you and we are back and chatty as ever!


Pure Natural v. Classic Modern

Last week I was on Pelican Lake in Northern Wisconsin with my husband’s family.  It was a boating, fishing, playing with doggies type of relaxing week.  My clothing choices were mostly fashion no-no’s according to Shari’s teachings.  Showing bra/swimsuit straps, wearing skirts that just cover bathing suit bottoms, and oh the color combinations!

I have been sun tan sprayed, bug sprayed and wet dog sprayed.  It was a relaxing, refreshing, and fun week. My wardrobe was mainly easy to wear outfits made of tank tops, shorts and flip flops, bare feet or tennis shoes.  There were no accessories except my wedding rings and sunglasses, pretty sure the baseball cap doesn’t quite count.  It was a VERY casual week.

So does this mean I’m a “Pure Natural” for my vacation week?  Short answer.  No.

To call myself a Pure Natural would be unfair to the Pure Natural gals.  I am simply not trying.  The word “Casual” has so many meanings that I have to be careful not to include my barefoot, “scruffy” look with a fashion style personality where women try SO hard to look stylish in their comfy, un-accessorized look.

Long answer:  I had just left my “Classic Modern” style at home, over 10 hours away.  I was simply wearing the most casual parts of my wardrobe.  I think that a Style Fashionista and Creative Original would be wearing much of the same attire.  It’s vacation time!

Even my regular work attire is relatively casual.  My weekly work outfit is typically a pair of Dickies pants and a cute button up collared shirt.  It makes my job easier as an engineer who has gotten dirty more than once or twice at work.  I try to wear cute necklaces that won’t get in the way.  These business casual outfits are what I wear most of the time, but it is simply because it is what is most practical for my field of work.  My work “uniform” isn’t reflective of my fashion style much like scrubs wouldn’t be representative of many medical professionals fashion style. 



My make up and hair options started very minimally too.  I grew up with a mom who didn’t wear makeup, she grew up with 5 brothers and her own mom didn’t wear much makeup either.  I wore hand me down clothes from my older girl cousin and my older boy cousins.  I went to engineering college with 85% guys and where t-shirt and jeans were the most common part of my wardrobe.

So after all of this how do I know that I’m a “Classic Modern” instead of a “Pure Natural”?  Well I don’t have problems wearing skirts… as long as I can still run around (aka not be 100% ladylike).  I like wearing jewelry that matches my style and my budget.  My work tops are very classic cuts and so are my “trendy” pieces… the pieces I choose keep to the most classic silhouettes with stylish color choices.  I even like wearing heels, they just have to have a thicker heel and be comfortable for more than 5 seconds.  I am a Classic Modern with a practical perspective.

Does that mean I still get L-A-Z-Y?  Like jumping into my PJ’s after a long day?  Or wearing mis-matched outfits until the laundry is done? Or wearing 5 layers of warm sweats and blankets when winter comes?  Or wearing short shorts and tanks when it is hotter than blazes around my house?  Does it mean I pull out the baseball cap to run errands along with those old t-shirts and jeans?  

I don't lose my "Classic Modern" personality when I'm having a "casual" day.  

Pure Naturals are ladies who are most comfortable being casual and where dressing up is SO hard for them.  It makes them feel SO out of place to think about heels, jewelry or makeup not because they didn’t grow up with it, like me, but because it is simply not their style.


I am a "Classic Modern” who likes to combine comfort with style.

So are you really a “Classic Modern” or a “Pure Natural”? 

Ladies – what are your favorite “guilty pleasures” that don’t officially match your Fashion Personality? 


I hope you have a blessed week!  

Laura

P.S.  Next time I take a picture I will make sure to wave to you!  

If you have a picture to share of your work attire, your fashion personality or any other "I look great" pictures you have.... PLEASE send them along!  We would love to feature more "REAL" women on this blog.  

Laura@FashionMeetsFaith.com

3 comments:

~Brenda said...

Laura, sounds like you had a fun and relaxing vacation! I'm definitely a Classic Modern and my 'guilty pleasure' is when I'm staying home for the day, this time of year, I wear short shorts and t-shirts. This is something I would not wear when I’m out and about. :)

BTW, I have e-mailed you my fashion personality photo.

Shari Braendel said...

Okay, okay, I'll confess my guilty pleasure for around the house....most days you'll find this Style Fashionista in leggings or yoga pants and always with an exercise top or tee of some kind. Would I wear this in public? NO WAY...but that's just me! And I always wear either tennis shoes or this crazy pair of aqua slip on shoes with a place for my toes because I have tile floors and my feet hurt REALLY bad if I walk bare foot! So there it is! Oh, and I usually don't have a shower till about 2pm each day. Gracious.
Shari

nwcgina said...

Guilty pleasure?? I'm a classic modern (thanks, Shari, for your info at HAH to help me realize that! Now I don't have multiple fashion personalities). But my downfall is t-shirts...as in the cheap, cotton, screen printed athletic t's. I even cleared out my drawer in the frumpy to fabulous challenge...yet some how those pesky things find their way back in (new ones, the old ones were donated) and I wear them on days home.

Laura-like you I have a job that requires some attire outside of my fashion personality...khaki's with tennis shoes and polo, but I try to keep some of my classic modern style with my accessories and the style of my khaki's.