Category: bulletwardrobe

Bullet List: Rome Style Decoded

Crop wide pant, crossbody bag
Put together with black leather jacket
Mom looking put together

 

What makes women in a particular city, say Paris, look so Parisian? Likewise, what makes women in Rome, look so Italian?! Here are some decoding bullets:

  • Jewelry (big, bold, and lots of it!)
  • Scarves
  • Trendy or beautiful shoes
  • Loose locks of hair
  • One really big statement piece
  • Clear style statements of confidence
  • Hosiery
  • Mani/pedis are a must
  • Fully styled professionals
  • Luxury denim is styled upscale
  • Lips and Mascara

Here are some other style helpers:

  • Umbrella
  • Helmet that coordinates with scooter
  • Leather (Italian) handbag
  • Leather (Italian) jacket

Here’s what I don’t see on the streets of Rome worn by Romans:

  • Pajamas
  • Flip flops
  • Wrinkled clothes
  • Bottom cleavage/muffin tops

So let me describe a few of the beautiful Italian women I have seen so far, but haven’t gotten photos of:

Woman #1: 60s/70s — Black hair — skinny skinny

  • Hosiery with large criss-cross design, flat black suede shoes
  • Black sheath dress trimmed with short fringe
  • Black leather jacket
  • Giant pearl and gold necklace, earrings, multiple rings

Woman #2: 40s/50s — brown hair — average build

  • Wide-legged, over-dyed, oversized denim cropped jeans in a melon color
  • Matching oversized straight cut car length jacket in same melon denim
  • Extra-long print scarf down to her knees in a print of melon/neon green/red
  • Ankle boots, mid-height heel, trendy in light tan (Italian leather, I would bet)

Woman #3: 60s — salt and pepper hair — athletic build

  • Cropped gabardine pants in dark green
  • Open-toed suede shoe in cognac with a chunky stacked heel (Italian leather)
  • Silk print blouse — three shades of green with some purple for good luck
  • Leather jacket in cognac (Italian leather)
  • Cream-colored helmet & matching cream and black scooter
  • Silk chiffon scarf in pale green
  • Leather brief portfolio in cognac (Matchy-matchy I love it!)

Each of these women had a certain striking air of confidence, and of assertiveness. I got the sense that they didn’t put too much focus on matters that didn’t directly involve them. I also sensed that they weren’t looking for style approval, but rather that style was their medium, under their control.

 

Travel: Broken Foot Edition

Ace bandage helps!
Waiting on picnic bench while Hubby tours the mine.

One of the annoying little things that can happen on any given expedition out of your front door is an accident. There are all kinds of accidents that happen every day, you get stung by a wasp–swelling up, you eat something that makes you sick, or you step one wrong way, causing some weird injury that impacts your ability to do what you want to do.

This happens while traveling, although usually not to me.

You see I am a bit of a “being safe” nut — full of helpful anxiety about germs, street food, and neighborhoods that are off the beaten track. I walk tall, don’t drink much alcohol (if at all), and am inside of my hotel room at a reasonable hour. I avoid public demonstrations, threatening people (both them threatening me and me threatening them LOL!), and going out without a scarf, a sweater, and a cross-body bag. I pack bandaids, acetaminophen, diarrhea medicine, vitamin C, and sunscreen. All of this so that when I travel I can walk all over the city fearlessly and fun-loving!

But accidents do happen. And one happened to me on Monday of Week 3 of my 5-week vacation. I was at a wild animal park/sanctuary, and I stepped down from a tall step onto some cardboard that had been placed, I had imagined at the time, over a former mud puddle. The dirt was dry, there was no mud, I didn’t even stop to think about taking this large step. My weight landed on my right foot, which then slid over the hidden large rock, and proceeded to hyper-extend, popping as I landed with a thump. My phone flew out of my hand; I managed to land on my knee, then my well padded hind end; shaken up, to say the least. I am not in the habit of falling, tripping, nor stumbling. I think of myself as being quite spry, although not at all athletic.

As you can see below, this did not stop me from petting the baby cheetahs!

3 Cheetah kittens sunning at Rhino and Lion Safari Park, South Africa
Sweet kitty kitty cheetah cheetahs.

I am so grateful that I didn’t know at the time that I had broken a bone in my foot since I have extreme anxiety about visiting hospitals, especially hospitals in Africa. Now, I say this since the local hospital that was pointed out to me in Zimbabwe was built from cinder blocks back in the 1950s–I would guess. (Realize that I do believe in contributing to any and all aid organizations that help third-world countries get medical supplies and other assistance.) We have resistant strains of bacteria and viruses in the U.S. and I am certain that it is no different over here in Africa.

So, grateful. No trip to the doctor [until 6 weeks later when it became apparent that it was more than a bad bruise]. But….with swelling, bruising, and pain that continues every step that I make a full two weeks later, I now have a new understanding of making the most of a trip. [And now, 9 months later, I realize how important it is to avoid injury!]

—–

It is now a full month later and I still have pain in my foot and rely heavily on my hiking shoes — no other shoe feels comfortable. I have a bruise on the bottom of my foot, another one on the side, and the worst bruising on the top of my foot. You know what this means…Dr. Podiatrist here I come!

Broken bone in foot

Also another P.S. regarding healthcare and Africa: Thank you to my nurse practitioner J.S. for not only prescribing  medicine to prevent malaria, but also having the foresight to prescribe a Z-Pack — as it happened, the morning of my 10-hour flight from Johannesburg to Frankfurt, I woke up with a sore throat, coughing, –some sort of bronchial sinus cold that I am prone to–the meds are saving my butt. I am in Frankfurt, showered, napped, and on day 2 of the Z-pack and can function. Even if the flight was rough, thank you Halls Extra strength by the way. I will cover being sick in a foreign city in a hotel layover room in a future post!

 

 

Socks: I love you

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Smart Wool socks

I really love good socks. I L-O-V-E socks. Everyone gets socks from me in their Christmas stockings, I look at socks online, in stores, and at booths, and I talk about socks all of the time. I really love quality socks. I know that a lot of people like funky designs on their socks and I like that too, but a well-engineered sock gets me excited!

A well-engineered sock has features–features that solve problems. After all, socks were invented to solve problems, right? Socks were invented to keep your foot from blistering in your shoes, as well as keeping your shoes from dying a pitiful, uncleanly death from foot perspiration.

A poorly-engineered sock is truly irritating, both literally and figuratively. Poorly-engineered socks have caused many toddler meltdowns from my oldest son who is now 34 years old, and I am still suffering PTSD over one of those episodes. They also twist on your feet while you are walking, or they slip down under your heel. They also make your foot uncomfortable because they are too small, or too large. The yarn that they are woven with might suddenly break, creating holes. The type of yarn might not provide breatheability, or warmth. The weight of the yarn as well as the pattern of the sock might be too thin, or too thick.

You can see that we don’t give sock designer-engineers enough thanks. A perfectly engineered sock should come in sizes — Germany does that particularly well. I can get a sock that is just right for my foot, for my husband’s foot, and my giant-of-a-middle son’s foot. I can’t easily do that in the U.S.

The U.S. does have an excellent wool sport sock that is washable and durable. I do absolutely love this brand of socks, and I in no way have been compensated to feature this brand. I love this brand because of how well it is engineered. After I sat on the plane next to a designer for this brand, I really started believing in this brand. It is a pricey sock for the average person, however, these socks are durable, comfortable, and convenient to use. All of those factors reduce the overall cost of this sock. The brand is local to Coloradoans, it is sold at Nordstrom as well as from their own boutiques and online. It is Smart Wool — the perfect name for this product.

I hurt my foot over a week ago here in South Africa, where it is winter, and chilly, and uncomfortable. Part of healing my foot is wearing my comforting Smart Wool socks. They provide support, warmth, and since I purchased them in happy colors and designs, they lift my spirits a little. Also, these socks aren’t the thick wool socks that won’t fit into your shoes. These socks fit, stretch, and launder. I have many other socks that I love, and maybe I will write about them — especially my cotton athletic socks from Germany. But right now, I am grateful for my comfy wool socks.

 

P.S. I will debrief my 5-week packing for this trip when I get home. Lessons learned and successes to celebrate!

 

Travel: One Suitcase – 5 Weeks, Pt. 2

Goal: two cities, five weeks, one suitcase (must weigh less than 50 lbs to win)

So, added to last week’s styles are sturdy clothes for winter in Johannesburg, with excursions to see lions, leopards, Victoria Falls (on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe), and I hope to see some elephants, rhinos, giraffes, and zebras as well as all manner of springbok and other deer. I will still be working and trying to find some great candid photos of some of the life in South Africa.

Fully Packed

It all fits! And I weighed the bag on my digital scale — 24 lbs! Of course, that is before beauty products. This exercise is helping me with my packing anxiety. At least for the short term.

So, for my trip to Frankfurt, and then the next four weeks in Joburg, I have added layers. Here’s the bullet list:

  • Cargo pants, heavy weight and ready to be destroyed
  • Camouflage print pants
  • African wax print skirt
  • Vintage yellow polo sweater
  • Yellow cardigan
  • Olive lightweight wool sweater
  • White T-shirt
  • White thin cotton turtleneck
  • Black T-shirt
  • Mauve T-shirt
  • Metallic tank sweater
  • White rain shell
  • Hiking boots
  • Birkenstocks
  • Black flip flops
  • Olive drab jacket with “flair”
  • Three scarves, one cotton gingham, one rayon, one polyester (all white background, with black and a hint of accent color)

I think that I might be doing at least one more adjustment…

Travel: One Suitcase-5 Weeks, pt. 1

White 'IT' Suitcase
This is the suitcase — not too big, but definitely a checked bag.

Goal: 1 suitcase for two cities, 5 weeks

Week 1 Frankfurt, Germany: Build around Brooks, Ltd. LoDo Shirt

This is the second blog planning my packing list for travel to Frankfurt, then on to Johannesburg, South Africa. I am using my inspiration shirt, named after Denver’s Lower Downtown, hence the ‘LoDo’ part of the shirt description. LoDo is where Brooks, Ltd. atelier is located and is also the part of town you see college students, out-of-towners, and business folks mingling together at restaurants and venues.

I might have mentioned that I have “packing anxiety” and that has driven me to plan this trip well in advance. So, I am testing out my one-suitcase bullet wardrobe plan, beginning with five ways to wear the LoDo shirt while working, drinking kaffee, and shopping in Frankfurt, Germany. Oh, and I should tell you, I am going to be eating like a German foodie.

Here’s the bullet list for 5 choices for the first week of five weeks on the road:

  • Lilac cotton zip-front LoDo shirt, that doubles as a lightweight jacket
  • Navy slim-legged pants (J. Crew)
  • Black leggings
  • Jeans
  • Silk floral shell — vintage from the 80s
  • White lightweight cotton turtleneck (think of the movie ‘Something’s Gotta Give’)
  • Black vintage Chanel Logo T-shirt (best all around T-shirt ever)
  • Black ballet neck tea-length dress
  • Black waterproof loafers (Hunter)
  • Black logo tennis shoes (Coach)
  • Silk print scarf
  • Black scarf
  • Rhinestone necklace (J. Crew)

These five choices easily fit into the suitcase with plenty of room for next week’s challenge– 4 weeks in Johannesburg!

LoDoShirt Week 1_04172018

Travel: Frankfurt to Johannesburg

Frankfurt to Johannesburg.1
African Print skirt inspiration!

Managing time apart from my husband, partner, best-friend is work. Emotional work. Slogging through the day, remembering to build in those activities and behaviors that feed into a positive aloneness takes effort. I have to think about how I am taking care of myself. Hence the hashtag #hyggetaughtme, see Instagram for my attempts at self-hygge.

However, once the airline ticket is purchased, the emotional work seems to lighten! It’s easier, knowing that travel adventures are just around the corner! My best friend and hubby-boy is absolutely the best travel companion–he was a History major–and loves to do research. As we visit each place, he talks about historical events and figures, as well as cultural interests while I scout out local food, art, and museums. So, now to the style factor and…Let the packing anxiety/excitement begin! (Breathe in, breathe out!)

Let’s start with a list of activities in Frankfurt, Germany:

  • Walking on cobblestones
  • Having kaffee und kuchen with friends (everyday)
  • Shopping
  • Walking through the park, riding the U-bahn
  • Eating out in the evening
  • Palmengarten
  • Museum (Natural History, Modern Art)
  • Walking by the river

List activities in Johannesburg, South Africa:

  • Visit wild animal parks
  • Pet animals
  • Go to markets
  • Photograph everything
  • Find reasonably safe food to eat and still feel like we belong on the Food Network

Next list the weather:

Frankfurt in June = Seattle in June

  • Mild 74/54

Johannesburg in June/July

  • 63/37

Now how to pack one suitcase for two cities for over one month…Hmmmm….first attempt. Here’s the bullet list:

  • African wax print skirt (authentic African Wax Print produced in Holland)
  • Yellow vintage polo
  • Yellow cardigan
  • Yellow/Gray/White/Black print knit skirt
  • Camouflage pants (doesn’t really camouflage hips like I hoped)
  • Cargo pocket pants (for animals to destroy)
  • Jeans
  • White cotton men’s s/s shirt
  • White rain shell
  • Charcoal wool sweater
  • Heather gray cotton v-neck sweater
  • Aviator jacket
  • Green felt hat
  • Rain coat, leopard print
  • Fishing vest
  • 3 T-shirts
  • Chambray tunic/dress
  • Linen Blazer, cream, black trim
  • Cotton shawl
  • Lace scarf
  • Purple/Mauve/Pink Ikat Print (not authentic, I can assure you)
  • Animal print scarf
  • Olive drab work shirt
  • Hiking boots
  • Birkenstocks
  • Canvas Coach tennis shoes
  • Missing: leggings, socks, nightshirt, beauty, Rx, technology

Bullet Wardrobe: Pyeongchang (As if…)

Pyeongchange style

If I were traveling to the Olympics or just to see Korea, this is what I would pack based on the weather I have been seeing on the news and based on today, St. Valentine’s Day, because I would definitely be wearing my beloved’s gift of white hiking boots! And we would be trying out as much of the street food as we could eat!

So, at the risk of looking like a Canadian sympathizer…Here’s my bullet packing list!

  • White silk warm layer
  • White cotton turtleneck
  • Off-white cashmere turtleneck
  • White down vest
  • Really warm hat
  • Cashmere knit hat
  • Two really warm scarves
  • Best wool socks, one pair from Deutschland and one pair from here in Colorado!
  • New White Hiking Boots!!!
  • American Blue Jeans
  • Wellensteyn Schneezauber (snow wizard) coat

SchneeZauber.jpg

Travel: Trip to Phoenix, AZ

_DSC0065.jpgThe American Southwest is a beautiful place reminiscent of western movies and alien desert landscapes. It is also a backdrop for other photo shoots and international travelers. I am lucky enough to have family in Phoenix, Arizona, so here is the bullet list for a short weekend trip in the “winter”–this trip was to put on Thanksgiving dinner for my dear mama.

Short plane ride from Denver to Phoenix:

  • Nice black leggings
  • Kenzo Paris Sweatshirt
  • Yak yarn sweater
  • Silk Scarf
  • Black and white running shoes

In my favorite carry-on suitcase:

  • Laboratory grade gravy separator
  • Travel sized cleanser, moisturizer
  • Less than 3 oz. CC+ cream with SPF 50
  • Gift with purchase mascara
  • Lipstick, lip gloss, and lip balm (all with SPF)
  • Eyebrow pencil
  • Brush
  • 3 pairs of socks
  • 3 pairs of skivvs
  • Knit Pjs
  • Skinny Jeans
  • Cotton dress shirt
  • Apron
  • T-shirt
  • Belt
  • Meds
  • Thanksgiving Recipe Binder
  • Rosemary

Tote

  • Nikon Camera
  • Tripod
  • HD Video Camera (forgot that there was video built-in to Nikon)
  • Wallet
  • e-Reader

So the trip was beautiful and our gift of cooking Thanksgiving for the family was gratefully received. Here are some of our restaurant reviews:

Lindy’s on 4th (whaa, whaa, whaa, whaa)

First of all, I can’t blame Lindy’s for this review. Believe me, there are several things that set us up for a disastrous experience. 1) this is not the burger bar I thought it was, 2) one person in our party, always orders THE WORST ITEM ON THE MENU, from the time he was 16 and in Paris, he couldn’t catch a break–if there is one item on the menu that shouldn’t be there, he will order it, and it will be lackluster at best, hideous at worst, 3) same person was in great pain, 4) other person was feeling ill, like he had the flu. So, sorry Lindy’s, even with the darling waitperson, it just wasn’t good for us. I had the “special” a burger with the philly cheesesteak on top, with horseradish sauce. It was okay, and only okay due to the actual burger patty texture, kind of processed and spongy.

Person ordered the Philly cheesesteak (we are in Arizona at a burger bar for crying out loud) on a cheese roll. Other person split that with him. All I can say was the roll was cold and somewhat stale tasting, the meat somewhat dry. I can only have Philly Cheesesteak from a few places and those place are indeed in Philly! Yes, I am spoiled, and now I miss you Philadelphia!

Bella Luna (Bellisimo!)

This family-owned Italian restaurant charmed our socks off! The elderly man with the distinctly Italian accent made us overlook the location slightly dirty water glasses (who needs to drink tap water anyway?) The pasta we ordered, to a dish, was perfection. We thought that there must be someone making the pasta from scratch back in the kitchen. The sauces were authentic and were perfection. I have never had a better plate of butternut squash ravioli, and the person who always orders poorly? He ordered the alfredo, and we all agreed that it was superb! In fact, I want to eat some of that Pasta Alfredo everyday for the rest of my life!

Joe’s Farm Grill (I’m Proud to be an American!)

I had only been to Joe’s Farm Grill for dinner, and due to horrible traffic, we weren’t able to make it for dinner after our long drive down to San Xavier and back. So, we went for breakfast. It was the kind of breakfast that makes you feel proud to be an American. Proud to be a farmer, or descended from farmers, and reminds you of goodness in the world.

I had the waffles and ribs, which were fall off the bone perfection, even though this was the morning after Thanksgiving, and one person had the sausage and egg tacos, breaking his record of ordering poorly, (you can’t count Bella Luna, since I don’t believe that they have one bad item on the menu), and the other person decided on a waffle with a fresh strawberry shake. Heaven!!!

Oh, and for a some quirky fun, trust me on this, use the restroom. Just saying.

This was the perfect send off before we went to Sky Harbor airport to return to Denver via Los Angeles.

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These photos were taken just south of Tuscon, AZ at the Mission at San Xavier.

 

Travel: Road Trip to Munich, Neuschwanstein, & Zugspitze

Bullet wardrobe for road trip and light hiking
Travel: Munich, Neuschwanstein, & Zugspitze

Sometimes you want to take a whirlwind trip–it’s just time to hit several priority spots and you don’t have time to leisurely explore. That’s okay! You can accomplish the list below in three days–drive Friday from Frankfurt to Munich, walk around, eat dinner at the Hofbrau Haus. Go back to the hotel and enjoy the hot shower! Saturday, drive to Neuschwanstein and hike up to the castle! Eat lunch while enjoying an incredible view and pick up some souvenirs. Hop back into the car and drive to Garmisch. Drive through a 15 minute section of road that is in Austria, and pop back into Germany. Breathe in the incredible beauty of the alps and the alpine air. Check into the hotel and eat dinner out! Next morning, go up to Zugspitze, the highest peak in Germany, and wear your hiking shoes! Buy a pretzel, cross over into Austria again, feed the birds, hike some more, and buy souvenirs. Get a stamp (in your passport if you have it with you) of Zugspitze! End the active morning with a lunch at Berggasthof Almhutte with a comforting potato soup with vegetables and then have the Kirschbeutel (which you have to wait for–they don’t serve sweets until after 2:00 p.m. on Sunday). Oh, and the four cups of whipped cream are not sweetened.

The priority spots for us were:

  • Altstadt Munich
  • Hofbrau Haus
  • Neuschwanstein
  • Zugspitze
  • Almhutte at the Berggasthof

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Here’s the bullet wardrobe list that plans for temps from 58 – 80 degrees F. with sun, clouds, rain, wind:

  • Hiking shoes
  • Black cushy walking tennis shoes
  • Birkenstocks to wear in the car
  • Stretchy comfortable easy-to-hike-in jeans
  • Three scarves–black, cotton print, Edelweiss print neckerchief (must look touristy)
  • Rain layer — very lightweight, leopard print to up my game in Munich
  • Wear linen dress/tunic over knee covering leggings
  • Sweatshirt or sweater
  • White button down shirt
  • Off white peasant shirt

And that fits in a small suitcase with beauty and Rx necessities.

Travel: Beauty & Rx

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What to pack for a long weekend: Beauty & Rx

Being over 50 has some new guidelines for what is necessary to take on a long weekend for beauty & Rx medicine categories. Here is a bullet wardrobe reminder of what I “need” to be comfortable on a long weekend–that still comfortably fits into my one small suitcase. I rely on travel sized items, beauty samples, and premiums–those nice little extras that come with a cosmetic purchase. I also rely on my favorite brands and their special travel-sized, age/skin-type related items–I usually purchase some as I see the kits available, as well as ask for some as a gift idea every year! My go to is Clinique–the comfort of knowing how it smells (or doesn’t smell) as well as how my skin feels when I use it makes it part of my travel routine. You will see that I use many other brands for other “must-have” items, but I always come back to Clinique for the foundation of my skin care routine.

Here’s the bullet wardrobe reminder list:

  • Cleanser
  • Eye makeup remover
  • Toner
  • Serum (only the small format bottle, the larger serum stays at home)
  • Eye cream
  • Moisturizer
  • Moisturizer with Sunscreen for daytime
  • Sunscreen, sensitive skin
  • Eye primer (Urban Decay)
  • Concealer
  • Eye shadow set (usually just one, but sometimes two–I will use any brand with the right combination)
  • Eye liner
  • Eyebrow pencil (found a great version for salt and pepper haircolor–Bobby Brown!)
  • Urban Decay 24 hour makeup setting spray (only brand I use and it is a lifesaver, since I use layers of moisturizer around my eyes)
  • Mascara
  • Blush, cream stick in perfect neutral for me
  • Zambeezi lip Balm (favorite brand)
  • Lip color, gloss, stick in my wear everywear neutral (find your perfect neutral–don’t use someone else’s–because then it’s not perfect on You!)
  • Brushes, cotton balls, cotton swabs (Q-tips, because I wouldn’t know what a cotton swab was)
  • Extra washcloth or two (I can’t tell you how many times I wanted an extra washcloth and couldn’t seem to get one from housekeeping at midnight, or in a pensione sometimes they are really rough)
  • Hairspray (I only like Dove right now)
  • Small travel size shampoo & conditioner (just in case they provide a pump of all-in-one gel in the shower)
  • Spare bobby pins, hair comb (just in case need to put hair up and look a little more “evening”)
  • Brush
  • Toothbrush, paste, floss, picks
  • Eye drops–for allergies, dry eyes
  • Extra contacts, in case glasses get lost/broken
  • Shaving gear (I know, at my age?!!)
  • Medicine: allergies, chronic conditions, aging stuff (we’ll talk later), migraine, muscle relaxers, ibuprofen
  • Aloe Vera gel, with lidocaine (good for more than the occasional sunburn!)
  • Disposable wipes for whatever needs wiping (door knobs, toilet seats, hands) or many times, if I don’t need the antiseptic element, I use wet paper towels in a zip lock bag–better for the environment, your health, etc.
  • Black Electrical Tape– This is my best secret essential! For people with light sensitivity–inevitably, I am kept awake by the blinking smoke detector light positioned right over “my side” of the bed, or other LED lights that unfortunately, cause migraines

It all fits nice and neat in the usual bags. This is not for carry on bags! We have been traveling by train and car to our destinations, and I have had to check my bag when I fly, due to the small size of the airplanes. So there has been little to no need to do the extra work of a carry-on plan here in Europe. I will do a break down and show a carry-on Beauty & Rx in a later blog post.

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It all fits easily!