Traditional Journals

I started keeping a diary as a young girl and continued intermittently throughout my life. My entries were very inconsistent through different periods particularly when my children were young and there never seemed to be enough time. I regret neglecting my journal during those years especially.

What is even sadder than neglecting to capture reflections from my boys’ early years is that the event that finally lead me to start journaling consistently was the ending of my marriage. After almost 2 decades filled with wonderful shared experiences, I chose to start recording my thoughts when our relationship was falling apart. Four journals are filled with mournful entries from the darkest period of my life. But, in the third one, I left a few blank pages at the end to be filled in later, when I was back to my relatively happy self. Those pages are now filled.

We all have our reasons for keeping a journal – for me it’s largely therapeutic, but now, it’s also a place where I hone my goals and brainstorm on how to achieve them. For the past few years, I’ve combined my private thoughts with notes from work, my peer group and non profit meetings, as well as networking events. My journal is with me always. FUN FACT: a side benefit of keeping a hand written journal has been improving the legibility of my writing which had gotten pretty scary after years of only typing.

The “Gratitude” Journal

What really inspired me from Angela’s video though (other than the trip down memory lane when my boys were babies needing copious amounts of my attention just to keep them alive) was the gratitude journal. Even now when life is pretty good, I find myself focusing on the negative – the problems and the areas of my life where I’m less than satisfied. So much of my life is wonderful, yet those wonderful times don’t seem to be what gets captured. Now you might ask :”If your journal is largely therapeutic, then what difference does it make what you capture?” Well, that’s what the Life Lessons from the Oldest & Wisest book is doing in my featured picture.

My dear friend Dr. Bob Stecker recently gave me a copy of this book in which he is featured (page 38-40) and I’ve found it to be incredibly inspiring. So many amazing lessons, but the relevant one for this post is all about positivity. So many of the elders in this book credit keeping a positive attitude with longevity. What better way to stay positive than to make a daily entry in your “gratitude” journal? A big thank you to both Angela and Dr. Bob for the motivation – it seems certain that going to bed at night with gratitude in my heart can’t help but set the stage for sweet dreams and an inspired start in the morning!

Using a calendar or appointment book as Angela suggests is the perfect way to focus on capturing gratitude. Sometimes, forcing yourself to be succinct is more work than rambling on for several sentences, but well worth the effort. My theory is that when life is getting hectic and stressful, taking the time to be mindful of what you are grateful for can really keep things in perspective. I’m really excited about forming this new habit and testing my theory!

Guided Journal

For Valentine’s Day this year, I purchased 3 books – 2 were gifts for my boyfriend Greg and my mother Jackie and the last was for myself. The books are all guided journals with the first two being meant to enrich my relationship with others and the last with myself. I got a head start on Greg’s journal, but left several sections blank so that we could fill them out together. I left all of my mother’s journal black since my real gift to her was meant to be time spent filling it out together. I haven’t even opened the one for myself yet.

The idea for the my book is to change the way I journal in general. In a recent Instagram post, I quoted a line from the 1995 movie Sabrina: “I came here from Provence alone, uneducated. For 6 months, no, more than that… a year, I sat in a cafe, drank coffee, and wrote nonsense in a journal. Then suddenly, it was not nonsense.” I’m not sure I’ve reached that point yet.

I have a habit of reading my previous journal entry from a year ago on the current date – sometimes I go back two or three years. The idea is to see where I was then versus where I am now and answer these questions: Have I grown? Have I accomplished any goals? Am I happier? Have I added value? Have I learned from both my successes and my mistakes? I’m hoping this guided journal will help me focus my thoughts a little better so that I can answer those questions or at least capture something meaningful as opposed to nonsense.

Do you journal? If so, do you ever go back and read your entries? I’m very curious to know what motivates others to record their thoughts (other than those who intend to write a memoir) and what you have gotten out of the exercise. Please do leave me a comment and let me know.

XOXO,

Misty Ann

Natalie put together five outfits in case I wanted to get in the spirit all week, but as it turned out, only one got worn. Why only one? There were a number of reasons the most compelling of which was that I had a nasty head cold all week. And with colder than expected temperatures, I was feeling more like a thick sweater than a thin tee under a denim jacket. And, although my client office is fairly casual, I just didn’t feel quite right about wearing a denim jacket any day except traditionally casual Friday. Not to worry, now I’ll have Friday outfits to spread out over the rest of rodeo season. And, Natalie gave me enough options that I won’t feel like I’m wearing a “western” uniform every Friday.

I did change up this outfit a bit though. Since last Friday was Go Texan day here in Houston, I really wanted to wear my Lucchese boots. These were my first pair of “real” cowboy boots purchased about nine years ago, but if I’d known how comfortable they are, I would have started wearing them much sooner. The price point on these boots was not low, but given how well they have held up over the years, I’d say they were a great investment. No matter where you live, you can never go wrong with a good solid pair of cowboy boots which manage to become trendy fairly regularly.

I also really wanted to wear my bling belt. I am a lover of bling and rodeo is definitely associated with sparkle – think Rhinestone Cowboy or Rhinestone the movie. I bought this belt at the same time as my boots at a store here in Houston called Pinto Ranch. I probably paid a little more than I should have, but the folks there knew their stuff and once again, these pieces have certainly stood the test of time. If you have a western event to attend soon, their website is worth checking out if only for the ideas, but they do carry some unique and high quality clothing.

I also really wanted to wear this leopard skirt that Natalie paired with a plain brown long sleeve t-shirt and my blue denim jacket. Given that leopard has been in for a while, you are very likely to have some in your closet and it’s definitely a great western look. I would have never thought of that, but it makes perfect sense when you see it on particularly with boots. And of course, nothing says trail ride like denim. What caught me off guard was how much I loved blue denim with the leopard print. Originally Natalie wanted to pair this skirt with a blue denim shirt, but I don’t have one so we went with the jacket instead and I added another item to my “wardrobe holes” list.

With all the bling on my belt, I really didn’t need much in the way of jewelry, but I did add a few fun pieces. These earrings were part of my haul from local Houston boutique It’s All About You (see Wardrobe Planning Hits and Misses Volume 1 – Week 29). The pattern worked great with my leopard print motif and matched this bracelet that I acquired during a trip to Cuero, TX with some old friends last summer. Every time I wear this bracelet, I think of my buddies Anne and Debbie which makes it extra special! The smokey quartz ring was a gift from my sweet mom Jackie.

I’ll post the other outfits as I wear them – I’m super excited to have more than one go to rodeo ensemble for the season! What do you like to wear for rodeo season? I’d love to hear about your favorites! In the meantime, have a fabulous week!

XOXO,

Misty Ann

On Monday Julie was traveling with her daughter Becca who rocked Jamfest (a hip hop dance contest) over the weekend in Louisville, KY! In addition to her work at Texas Children’s Hospital, Julie is a busy wife (to my old college buddy John) and their three children, Rachel, Joseph, and Becca. Becca has been keeping her especially busy with dance competitions over the past few weeks, but I’m thoroughly enjoying all the great pictures on Julie’s Instagram page

Tuesday started off Julie’s work week with a celebration of her 20 years of services to Texas Children’s Hospital first as a registered nurse and then in their Information Technology group. As I mentioned in the video, it has been so fun watching Julie’s career progress – she has done wonderful work at Texas Children’s and as a parent with kids in their system, I am very grateful to dedicated individuals like her. That being said, I wanted Julie to look and feel extra sharp as she was being honored – doesn’t she look like she just belongs on that red carpet?! This Elie Tahari dress is made with blue suede on the front portion and then black on the short sleeves and back. Navy blue and black are actually “a thing” now so I was super excited when she agreed to pair the dress with this slightly edgy cut leather jacket. The pearl necklace and earrings kept the look sophisticated and we finished it off with these cute black lace up shoes from Easy Spirit. Julie reported getting lots of kudos on her outfit which was no surprise to me after seeing her picture!

Wednesday Julie participated on a panel at TMCx so this gray suit from Nine West was moved up in order. This is a nice classic charcoal gray suit which has a conservative look while not being the typical black that most of us resort to for power events and meetings. I wanted Julie to be a standout so not only did we go with gray instead of black, we also made use of some of the beautiful vibrant color hanging in her closet. I was so excited to see bright pops of fuchsia, yellow, and blue hanging on her blouse rack, but when Julie mentioned she usually sticks with the neutral whites and grays on the end, I knew we had to incorporate the brighter end of the rack. One thing I especially like about this blouse in addition to the gorgeous fuchsia color is that it is has a cowl neck line which is particularly flattering for girls blessed with a healthy chest. The same goes for low back dresses and healthy rear in ends by the way – one of my all time favorite formal dresses has a low draping cowl back. Julie’s daughter Becca really wanted her to wear this lovely Kendra Scott pendant that Julie’s sister gave her as a gift and I thought it looked perfect with this blouse. She also has matching earrings and then these burgundy peep toe pumps from Bandolino finished off the look.

I was so excited about finding an outfit to wear with these fabulous booties by Michael Flamingo. We started with the cream colored pants from Kasper and then reached for this wrap blouse to carry over the theme of the shoe pattern. Normally Julie wears this top with black, but I thought it worked really well with the cream and gave her a new pairing for her look book. Originally we had planned on a cream colored camisole to go under the wrap top, but since this outfit got moved to Valentine’s day, Julie swapped it out for a blush colored cami instead. Bright red also would have worked just fine. I wanted bling for the jewelry portion so Julie donned a beautiful Premier Designs cross filled with pretty stones and then we kept it simple with these diamond cut silver stud earrings. Julie reported loving this look – yay

Friday is not casual day at Texas Children’s, but since Julie didn’t have any formal events, we were able to take things down a little with a cardigan instead of a suit top. We started putting together this outfit with this lovely sweater filled with blues and browns – a combination that says stable, trustworthy, and approachable per stylist Natalie Weakly (see Using Style to Project the Right Image video). Julie reported having had this Liz Claiborne sweater for a long time which shows how well quality clothing holds up. We paired the top with a navy blue pencil skirt and this brown cardigan to pull the colors together, but I really loved how these cream colored pumps popped to pull in the lighter palette from the sweater. These pumps were a gift from Julie’s daughters and she was a little worried about how comfortable they would be for a full day at the office. Turns out she made it through end of day, but was very ready for her ballerina flats when she got home – good job, Mom! We finished off this look with a blue beaded necklace from Premier designs which made a subtle statement against the patterned sweater that this picture really doesn’t do justice. Given the busy pattern in the sweater, the subtlety of he necklace was perfect as a finishing touch.

Saturday night was a friends 50th birthday party and let me just say, “You’re welcome, John.” Girlfriend totally rocked these black jeans by Paige with another cowl top and these fabulous leopard booties! I loved the colors in this top which mixed patterns in a way that was fabulous without being too chaotic. One of the patterns actually is leopard so the booties worked great especially against the black pants. We also added a bling belt which just peaked out under the partially tucked top – just enough to add a little drama. With the belt and the vibrant pattern on the blouse, a necklace wasn’t necessary, but I gave Julie two bling options for earrings – husband John got the honor of making the choice and my old pal did me proud with these lovely geometric dangling earrings from Premier Designs. Julie and John reported having a blast celebrating their friend’s big day.

Given the bling belt and even the leopard boots in Julie’s Saturday date night outfit, it was a great precursor for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo kicking off this week. For more rodeo looks, be sure to check out next Sunday’s wardrobe planning video with stylist Natalie King on the Closet Reboot YouTube channel. No rodeo plans in your future? That’s alright because according to Natalie, the western look is going to be very on trend this Spring. And of course I’ll be posting how those outfits worked here on the Closet Reboot blog. In the meantime, have a fabulous week and be sure to let me know if you have any special wardrobe planning topics that you would like for me to cover in future posts.

XOXO,

Misty Ann

For Monday I reached for this adorable jacket with feathering lining the bottom. We paired the jacket with a burgundy top that had a nice jeweled button fastening the key hole at the top. Christiane is big into monotone (especially black) which is such a rich and sophisticated look. But, I wanted to push her a little outside her comfort zone to inject some variety so I was very excited about the pop of color in the blouse. We added a little more dimension with these cute pants that have a funky gray, white and black pattern Christiane reported receiving compliments on her Monday outfit including a co-worker who really liked the feathered jacket. Great way to start out the week!

For Tuesday we started with this beautiful black and cream shawl – so sophisticated and nice and warm too! Christiane has a black top with white trim that she normally wears with this shawl, but I wanted her to break up the black with a cream colored jacket top that she had never worn. I loved this jacket with its gold buttons and gold zipper – super cute! But, it turns out there may be a reason Christiane had not worn it yet. She reported feeling a little uncomfortable with such a light color on top since she feels like that is where she carries a lot of her weight. Having dealt with this issue postpartum, I totally get it! In hind sight, I think we could have put a wide black belt or even a scarf at the waist To break up the color and highlight her hour glass figure. I think there is absolutely no doubt that the outfit looks stunning with the shawl in place though! Note to self: the next time someone states they’ve had a piece for a while and not worn it yet – ask why

How fabulous is my girl’s outfit for Wednesday at work and then an evening networking event? Christiane was kind enough to send me three images for this outfit – and I think she looks terrific in all of them! I’m not alone because this was another outfit for which Christiane reported getting compliments. We started with the lovely long jacket in the far right image and then, because a very cold night was predicted, reached for the equally lovely Louis Vuitton scarf in the middle and right image. Jamie Bisel likes to say that when you can get pattern on pattern right, it’s a very high end look. I loved how these two patterns worked together because the colors were such a great match and both fabrics had a slight sheen. With all that pattern, we went monochrome black underneath including a black mock turtleneck sweater and a leather pencil skirt. We also added a wonderful David Yurman chain with a fabulous custom made pendant – such a rich and sophisticated look! This pendent is so unique and had just a tad of bling to really draw out the sheen in the scarf and the jacket. I thought this was the perfect ensemble for a power women’s networking event!

I love how Thursday turned out! This picture doesn’t quite do the charcoal gray color in these pants and top justice, but you can definitely spot how fabulous Christiane looks in this ensemble! We started with the jacket witch is a cream leather with small pleats throughout – I absolutely fell in love with it on her closet rack! I love how the curve at the bottom of the jacket emphasizes Christiane’s hour glass figure particularly with these slim leggings. The ruching in her gray top also helped continue the slim silhouette while giving Christiane a little room to breath. Per Natalie King, ruching is very flattering for the mid section particularly if you have added a few pounds during the holidays. Of course normally Christiane pairs this jacket with monochrome black so this time we went with monochrome gray. The scarf pulls together the rich feel of cream and charcoal gray which is almost a whole different feel from black and cream. We finished off the look with these beautiful nude Louboutin heels – I just love the plush and sophisticated feel of all these neutrals together! Not everyone can pull these colors off, but I think Christiane is among the lucky few who definitely can!

I was beyond excited to hear that our Friday pick got the stamp of approval from perhaps the most important stakeholder of all – Christiane’s husband Lawrence. Lawrence and I serve on our HOA board together so I was very happy to hear we got his approval! As it turns out, Friday was too hot for the red sweater we paired with these wonderful fitted jeans and fabulous black suede over the knee boots. Christiane still wore the jeans and boots though and was kind enough to model the outfit with the sweater we chose last week. I really love the long necklace we paired with this sweater as well since it draws the eye to her long silhouette. And, Christiane will have this ensemble ready to go in her mental look book for the next cold Houston Friday.

So that was our week! I took this week off from wardrobe planning because of some special plans last weekend, but I’ll blog about those later in the week. In the meantime, I hope you have a fabulous week and will visit again soon!

XOXO,

Misty Ann

Monday was the start of a very busy week and I was set to go! We spent the first three days of the week in a very cold conference room so having a mock turtleneck sweater with another cardigan over it was very comforting! These lined wool pants with coupled with a pair of black tights and my black suede booties were also perfect! Would you believe that I still needed an extra wrap for part of the day. This cardigan had a lot going on so I kept the jewelry minimal with just these pearl and ruby earrings that were a gift several years ago from my mom. As I mentioned in the video, I’ve always missed the gray in this cardigan, but Lauren immediately spotted it and pegged the pants as a good pairing. This, my friends, is the power of having another set of eyes in your closet! Great outfit to start off a very demanding week!

For warmth, this outfit would be tough to beat! The sweater is an old favorite from Anne Klein – I love the shade of green which I had a hard time capturing in my picture, but the texture gives it a really sophisticated feel with a very slight sheen. I originally bought this sweater (about 18 years ago) to go with a lovely skirt that had a black and green pattern which was very flattering. The cut was similar to the one I wore on Tuesday only the pattern was extremely flattering emphasizing the hips, but narrowing in just the right places. I was a bigger girl then coming off of my first pregnancy so that skirt would swallow me now and because of the pattern it really couldn’t be altered. I’ve never found anything I like nearly as well with this sweater until Lauren reached for my new Inoah skirt that I recently purchased from the It’s All About You Boutique (see Wardrobe Planning Volume 1 – Week 29). Lauren was really excited about my over the knee boots from Steve Madden, but the real advantage to these boots was how warm they kept my legs under the skirt. I also loved that Lauren grabbed this crystal necklace my sister-in-law Lena brought back for me from Russia. It wasn’t quite long enough so I used the matching bracelet which is too big for my wrist as an extender – perfect! Even with my toasty sweater, I still needed a shawl and this one was perfect, picking up some of the colors from the skirt

Wednesday was a super long day with a wrap up of my first 3 day planning session and then a kick off dinner for another planning session starting early the next morning. I was glad to have this comfortable black turtleneck paired with another new acquisition from the It’s All About You Boutique – this fun floral blouse from Comfy. This is the first time I’ve worn this blouse and Lauren went a completely different direction than I would have gone. I see light colors when I look at the blouse, but Lauren saw black and I have to say – I love the look! Nothing says winter like monochrome black from turtleneck to black leather booties. But, the light floral top brought some welcome cheer to a winter day! These are my black go-to White House Black Market pencil pants and, after three days of sitting in a conference room eating super yummy food that brought in for us not to mention coming off the decadent holidays, they were feeling a little snug. That wasn’t a bad thing as I sat down to another super yummy meal with my team at Emmaline – a fabulous restaurant near downtown Houston. The snug waist helped keep me honest as I split some fabulous dishes with my client.

Thursday was the subject of my weekly quick tip video (watch below). There are only so many ways to wear a dress – right? Maybe not. I’ve worn black and white turtlenecks under this Michael Kors dress before, but I never thought to pair it with a color until Lauren reached for my purple mock turtleneck that has just a touch of ruching at the neckline. I loved the purple pop of color, but as I discussed in my quick tip video, the pattern on this dress can be a little overwhelming and not totally flattering – particularly when I’m carrying a few extra pounds and wearing a shirt underneath for extra bulk. that’s when I decided to add this Brooks Brother’s sweater suit jacket and with the center hooked, I got just enough coverage to break up the pattern and give me my waist back. That and some much needed extra warmth in yet another cold conference room. My tall black suede boots along with my grandmother Sara Lee’s long faux pearls completed the outfit nicely.

Friday I had planned to finally wear my white and blue cardigan and jeans outfit, but a more formal outfit was needed for an extra meeting that got added to my calendar. Not to worry – that outfit will get used soon enough!

I spent most of this weekend celebrating the life of my fabulous and uncommonly sweet Aunt Dena. She is a pistol and she has created a lovely family to carry on her positive, kind, and giving spirit. I feel honored to have been a part of this weekend with her not to mention to be a part of her family. Love you always, Aunt Dena!

Thank you so much for reading and please check out this week’s wardrobe planning session with my friend, neighbor and fabulous fashionista Christiane Waldron. We had fun styling her for a week of meetings and an evening networking event.

See you next time and in the meantime, have a wonderful week!

XOXO,

Misty Ann

Monday is actually the casual day at Leela’s firm since they often have client meetings on Fridays. Leela kept things laid back with these black athletic leggings, but jazzed things up a bit with this fuchsia colored top that picked up the accent in her athletic shoes. To give the outfit a little more sophisticated look, we added this leopard print cotton scarf. Adding a scarf to an athletic look (leggings, sweat shirts, etc.) or even a casual necklace can really dress it up for a more put together feel. You can also swap out your trainers for a pair of casual boots or booties. Leela also wore this fabulous leather jacket which she has has worn several years, Wearing an old friend like this jacket always makes for a comfortable feel! Leela wasn’t feeling great on Monday morning so she reported that having her outfit ready to go in the morning made all the difference when it came to getting out of the door.

On Tuesday Leela started the morning off with her weekly Business Networking International (BNI) meeting. This is a phenomenal group of business people that meet each week to learn more about each other’s businesses and exchange referrals. It’s also the group indirectly responsible for my introduction to Leela – if you own a small business or sell to them, I highly recommend you look into joining a chapter. Leela also had client meetings on Tuesday and doesn’t she look fabulous in this classic Ralph Lauren blazer with the leopard collar. This blazer originally belonged to her mother, but has stood the test of time – particularly with leopard being extra hot this year! This ended up being fuchsia week for Leela, but each outfit was unique enough that she didn’t look like she was wearing a uniform. I love the elegance of this look and more importantly, so did Leela.

Wednesday was another casual day at the Madan Law firm. As sometimes happens with wardrobe planning when you don’t actually try everything on, the top we picked didn’t quite work with this skirt. The burgundy sweater was a little too long and just didn’t feel right so Leela made a last minute substitution to this millennial pink sweater. I love the change actually and it still worked well with the argyle tights which was the part of the outfit we were most excited about anyway. I also loved the tall boots with the shorter skirt. For a chilly day with only a causal lunch meeting, this outfit was perfect and Leela looks darling! Really, our girl could be 17 and headed to prep school here as young and fresh as she looks, but with her commanding and knowledgeable presence, no one is mistaking her for a school girl! There are benefits to running your own firm!

Thursday it was back to fuchsia with this adorable trench coat! This trench was thin enough for Leela to keep on and wear as her blazer. Leela was interviewing a potential candidate to join her firm so she wanted to look professional and serious. Nothing says serious like a crisp white collared blouse and some pointy toed black pumps! These pumps also sport that spikey embellishment style that really says “I mean business”. Black pencil pants completed the look and Leela reported feeling great in this outfit, but she did say next time she will probably wear a sleeveless blouse with this jacket since the long sleeves on this shirt did not play nicely with the jacket sleeves. Great item to note in her wardrobe journal!

Friday ended up being a different day than Leela was expecting so that outfit will have to wait for another day. But Saturday, girlfriend looked amazing! I was just thrilled to see how our outfit turned out when she walked into baby Sasha’s first birthday party! The whole thing just worked and the fabulous metallic pants carried her nicely into an evening art event where she was coached to wear something a little edgy. The party was amazing and as you can see some past Closet Reboot fabulous fashionista and awesome attorneys were there as well including the girl of honor’s mamma Thais Amaral Tellawi (see Wardrobe Planning Hits and Misses Volume 1 – Week 20) and All Nowowiejski (see Wardrobe Planning Hits and Misses Volume 1 – Week 14).

We had so much fun – I will definitely be back in Leela’s closet this season! For this week, I was back in my closet with my long time friend Lauren Larive. Lauren is and education and marketing goddess who to our very good fortune recently moved back to Houston. I challenged her to find new alternatives to pair with some clothing items I’ve had for quite a while. When you consider I’ve been doing these 32 weeks and some of these items are more than 10 years old, it was quite a challenge! To see how she met the challenge like a champ, check out our YouTube video below

My wish for these videos and posts is that they will inspire you to find new looks for your own wardrobe by inviting a friend or stylist into your closet. In the meantime, please let me know if there are some themes or topics you would like to read about or watch on YouTube. And as always, have a great week!

XOXO,

Misty Ann

Monday was New Year’s Eve. During the day I ventured out first to meet my friend Jackie at Kojak’s Fine Foods near the Heights / Garden Oaks area to catch up over breakfast. Such a cool little place with a mean latte! Its always fun discovering new little places in Houston and Jackie is the master when it comes to that! The morning was chilly so I was really glad to have my new Athleta jacket handy! Next I met mom (also a Jackie) to visit a sick friend of the family. We had a very nice visit and I was super comfortable in my Gen 7 jeans which luckily had plenty of stretch to accommodate my holiday weight gain. I love this plaid flannel shirt from Rails and had almost forgotten about it so glad to have it available. Normally I would have gone with a low key thin short chain necklace with a simple small pendant, but since it was New Years, I went with this more festive Wink necklace from Premier Designs instead. The white turtleneck kept me nice and toasty since it was a little chilly during the day. Next I raced home to meet the delivery man for my new LG dryer and while I was making room for that, took the opportunity to purge and clean my laundry room – thinking I need a post this week about laundry room makeover ideas.

I also got grocery shopping done and cooked a steak dinner for my Mom and my boys. So productive! I had planned to change into a casual party outfit to ring in the new year, but we ended up not having any guests for the evening and quite frankly, I was so pooped that I barely managed to stay awake for midnight!

As mentioned earlier, I spent Tuesday taking down my Christmas decorations so my attire consisted of very casual work out type pieces – not picture worthy stuff. However, what I accomplished in my den (getting all the decorations down), was very picture worthy! It felt like such a great start to the new year to get my den fresh and clean even if it is a little sad taking down all the pretty decorations and lights. I had moved my game table and chairs into my kitchen area to accommodate the tree this year and I liked them so much there that I have decided to keep them where they are. So, that means my den is looking a little bare. I’ve ordered a couple of things to fill in the gap which I will blog about when they arrive later this month.

Wednesday it was back to work at my client site in downtown Houston. Down here most of our kids are were still off for holiday break so very few people made it into the office. Because my client’s dress code is already pretty casual, this week was super relaxed. It was pretty chilly in Houston on Wednesday and very wet – yet more flood warnings made getting out of bed and driving to work a little challenging. However, having my outfits ready to go was a big help as always – great time saver and nice not having to thing too hard in the early morning after I’d gotten a little too used to sleeping in. This purple sweater from Athleta is super dense without being too thick which means warmth without crazy bulk. The pants from Ann Taylor are a soft warm knit that is a little more casual than I usually sport for work, but since my floor was only at about 25% of its normal population, I felt pretty comfortable. This black and white pashmina scarf was the perfect compliment for my outfit since it was super cold in the office and I needed it a few times around my shoulders for extra warmth. My favorite purple Michael Kors booties fished off my casual outfit giving it a little extra sharpness.

Thursday started off as another cold wet day in Houston so I was really glad to have this Liny Xin Women’s Cashmere Knitted Turtleneck Long Sleeve Winter Wool Pullover Long Sweater Dresses Top in ginger that my brother got me for Christmas along with my long black boots to keep my legs warm. I had planned two options for myself – one with no belt and a long gold / netural stone necklace and the other with a black belt at the waist and short black leather necklace I got in Montreal last summer. When the day arrived, I opted to go without the belt so the look on the left was what I wore to the office and to record next week’s wardrobe planning video with attorney Leela Madan (see link at bottom of this post). The waist on this leopard print maxi skirt from Boston Proper was a tad snug, but that was helpful in reminding me to keep my calorie count down so that I can get back to my fighting weight.

Friday the sun came back out and even though it was still a bit chilly, the day was absolutely beautiful! I stayed warm in my Jen7 Skinny Jeans in “authentic light Brooklyn” especially with my new Steve Madden Women’s Gorgeous Boots (over the knee boots) in taupe. This sweater may look familiar if you watched my wardrobe planning video in local Houston boutique It’s All About You because it matches a skirt that I purchased there and wore in wardrobe planning that week. Its super warm and feels just like cashmere. With a navy blue mock turtle neck underneath and my Athleta jacket on top, I stayed nice and toasty! The necklace I’m wearing is also from my It’s All About You boutique haul – I can’t believe how much wear I’ve gotten from it over the past several weeks both as a necklace and a belt. Normally, these boots would feel a little edgy for work, but since I hardly saw another person on my floor all day and I got two very nice compliments from co-workers about them in the elevator and at lunch, I wasn’t too concerned.

This weekend has also been all about the errands and then a lovely massage at the Houstonian Trellis Spa today with my mom and good friend Cindy. We had a little rose champagne and then chased our massages with a pedicure. Great end to the week and now its time to get really serious about the first full week of 2019! Helping bad ass IP attorney Leela Madan, founder and managing partner of Madan Law get styled for the week was a great start! You can watch our video by clicking on the play button in the picture below.

Thank you again for reading and supporting my blog! I’d love to hear about your plans and wardrobe goals for 2019 in a comment. In the meantime, have a fabulous week!

XOXO,

Misty Ann

I wasn’t sure what I would post this week since we didn’t actually style any outfits in our video, but Francine from the YouTube Closet Reboot community offered some great suggestions in her follow up questions to my interview. So here is our Q & A:

Question (Francine): So how does this in home styling work – do thy bring you your style or colors that you request?

Answer (Misty Ann): I will be posting a video in the next week or two with more of my interview with Lori. In the meantime, here are the basics. 

Lori or her partner Luisa will interview their client before the session to learn more about their needs e.g.

• are you a working woman
• is your work environment business casual or more conservative
• do you stay home with small children
• are you retired
• do you attend garden club or charity luncheons, etc. 
•  

Lori also payed attention to my coloring and brought outfits that she thought would work well with my red hair and skin tone – I’m basically a Fall. 

Question (Francine): Do you have to buy all or just want you want?

Answer (Misty Ann): Flora + Mia charges a very small hourly rate to work with clients on closet edits with their existing clothes and I believe a small traveling fee if they are just bringing new outfits for the client.  You are under no obligation to purchase anything.  They want clients to try things on and they want to see how the client looks and more importantly feels in the garments.

Question (Francine): Last but not least what did you end up buying?

Answer (Misty Ann): Nada as in “nothing”. I’m about 5 pounds over my prime weight right now from all this holiday indulgence which means about a dress size so I’m waiting until later in January when I’ve taken those pounds off to purchase anything new. But watch out for my next video with Lori and her partner Luisa because I will definitely do some damage in that one!

Since I hate to leave you with no photos this week, I do have a few from my trip to Georgetown courtesy of my brother Bill Hibbler – note my Christmas haul is well represented here with this awesome District PrimaLoft® Parka from Athleta (seriously, I love this jacket!), my Liny Xin Women’s Cashmere Knitted Turtleneck Long Sleeve Winter Wool Pullover Long Sweater Dresses Top, and the awesome Steve Madden Women’s Gorgeous Boots in Taupe.

The following is a link to my final wardrobe planning video for 2018 which leads to my first week of work in 2019.

Thank you so much for reading and all your support in 2018! Happy New Year and may you have a healthy and prosperous 2019!

XOXO,

Misty Ann

Monday was casual day at the bank with a Christmas pot luck lunch and some back end work to bring in a new client. Laquita went with a comfortable pair of jeans and some Day Heels in black by Everlane, but also added this white blouse with a silver pin stripe for a more festive feel and one of her 17 black blazers for a professional business casual look.

Yes, you read that right – my girl has 17 black blazers! On our 2019 to do list – get Laquita some more color for her professional wardrobe. All those black blazers do still look fabulous though and bankers often do need to opt for a conservative look more so than most of us in today’s business casual environment.

Monday night Laquita had a fundraiser for CSTEM here in Houston so we came up with two alternatives during our planning session. She opted for the snake skin pattern dress and wow, did she look fabulous in it! It’s always great to look amazing at an event where you are asking people for money – Laquita and I actually met while serving together on the CSTEM board and it is a wonderful organization that has helped a lot of kids advance in math and science! These amazing Louboutin’s were the perfect compliment for both these looks and we agreed that her new yellow blouse will be a great addition of color to her wardrobe – it’s staying in her closet for sure! Laquita and I both struggle with adding color to our closet given that we tend to be more conservative dressers (see also Wardrobe Planning Hits and Misses Volume 1 – Week 10), but we’re working on broadening our horizons together!

Tuesday was supposed to be a casual run errands day at home with this super comfy Athleta Solitude Hoodie Sweatshirt Dress in gray heather. I also own a few of the Athleta sweatshirt dresses in varying styles and one thing they all have in common is comfort! But, I also love the cuts of these dresses which are flattering and thoughtful with details like pockets and hoodies. As mentioned earlier, things didn’t work out that way, but maybe she’ll get to wear it this week. We thought the black leggings and booties along with this sweet necklace elevated it a bit for a casual lunch or cup of coffee.

Wednesday was also supposed to be a casual work out / errand day. Laquita recently acquired this versatile and comfy black top from Athleta that we paired with some black athletic leggings and her cute black trainers. But, to add a little fun and pop, we also added a long double strand sparkly necklace which actually picks up the silver in her trainers. Laquita had some fun during our photo shoot in this outfit – so wish my son Zack the sports photographer had been there to do her justice in capturing her action photos!

Thursday night we had so much fun celebrating Laquita’s birthday at La Lucha! Great appetizers, more champagne and wonderful company – these ladies are so fun and so fabulous! The new silver sweater we had originally chosen for her to wear ended up being super scratchy so she subbed in this lovely silky gray blouse and some black coated denim – Girlfriend looked amazing as always!

For Friday we had paired this super soft sweater that was gifted to Laquita by a friend with black pleather pants and these fabulous platform peep toe booties. We kept it simple with a shimmery white tee underneath, but added a sparkly necklace to give it a metallic pop. Once again we had fun with the fashion photo shoot! Laquita’s energy is so awesome – she is truly a beauty from the inside out!

A big thank you to my dear friend Laquita for letting me dress and photograph her – she was such a great sport and we always have fun together! And another big thank you to Lori Inman who joined me for this week’s wardrobe planning video (see link below). We changed things up a little for the holiday week so my next wardrobe planning post will be a little different, but in the meantime please enjoy our video and be sure to give us a like on YouTube and subscribe if you haven’t already.

Thank you so much for reading and for your support this year! I’ll have at least one last post on New Year’s Eve, but in the meantime, Merry Christmas and may your holidays be filled with warmth and light!

XOXO,

Misty Ann

Monday’s outfit was almost completely from It’s All About You with the exception of my purple turtleneck and my Michael Kors booties.  The Snoskins “eye lash” blouse was very comfortable and fit well over my turtleneck which provided just the right amount of warmth for a chilly Houston day.  The Sharon Young Fit Fabulous charcoal gray pants have a little stretch in them which is comfortable, but ended up looking a little baggy by the end of the day.  I need to have the length altered anyway so I may see about having them taken in just a tiny bit.  I loved the way the necklace worked as a belt and I actually think I’m going to enjoy it for its intended purpose as well (see later in the week). 

Tuesday was another chilly day, but I stayed warm in this yummy Inoah skirt which really did feel like cashmere and was actually made in the USA.  My concern is that over time it may start pilling, but we’ll see.  The Boho Chic top was also nice and warm especially with the caramel turtleneck I layered under it, but I had some issues with it sticking to the skirt.  I think the issue was with the two fabrics both having rough edges touching so I’ll probably just stick with smoother fabrics in the future when I wear this brown top.  I did like how the colors worked together and I had made a shawl a while back with colors that perfectly blended with the skirt.  I thought my Harper necklace from Premier Designs also blended well with some simple gold hoop earrings.

Wednesday I wore this cute John Mark top with my White House Black Market pencil pants and my red suede Jessica Simpson pumps.  The red in the pumps really picked up the red in my blouse nicely.  I kept accessories simple with the black leather long necklace I acquired in Montreal last summer and my black shawl which helped take the edge off the cold over air conditioned office. 

Wednesday night was my annual CODE Christmas dinner so I got to pull out one of the holiday party outfits that Natalie King styled for me (see Wardrobe Planning Hits and Misses Volume 1 – Week 26).  In the low 60s outside (Fahrenheit) , I didn’t think it was quite cold enough for my grandmother Sara Lee’s mink stole, but this light sweater worked perfectly to keep off the chill and I loved wearing these J Renee bronze metallic shoes after years of them resting on the shelf. 

I owe you a Thursday outfit image since it was a super busy day and I missed my picture, but on Friday I got to wear the Joseph Ribkoff tunic that Barbara picked out with some faux leather leggings and my purple booties.  The necklace/belt also made another appearance with this fun “Black Seeing Stars Faux Fur” biker jacket by Samantha Sipos I got in my last Rent the Runway Unlimited shipment.  This jacket is adorable, but I’m sorry to report that it had a pretty funky smell when it arrived.  I’m guessing the jacket was exposed to some cigarette smoke which can be pretty tough to remove.  You can see more of this outfit in this week’s weekly wardrobe planning video with Laquita Passmore by clicking on the play button below.

In general it was a great last work week for 2018 and I’m looking forward to relaxing the rest of the year in some comfy Athleta sweater and sweatshirt dresses similar to the one Laquita and I picked for her next week.  What will you be wearing for your vacation days this year?  Let me know and in the meantime, have a great week!

XOXO,

Misty Ann