I know I managed to talk about this (at great length) before–the problem I've had with the Duro-dress shape is that it somehow demands new shoes for the new proportion. I had found summer shoes, but, if you hadn't noticed, summer has slipped away. It has already *snowed* here in Chicago!
The new shoes I found are the ones at left, which satisfy my stringent shoe requirements (not too high a heel, ankle strap, round toe) and have the added benefit of making a lovely resonant clomping sound if you really stomp. (I swear, I'm perpetually six years old.) Plus the platform wedge makes you a lot taller without the concomitant foot pain of "real" heels.
I also managed to track them down in brown. I was tempted by the red ones — who isn't tempted by red ones? — but I haven't managed to successfully wear red shoes since eighth grade. Buy them, yes. Manage to leave the house in them? No.
I have these perpetual dreams of becoming (at this late stage) one of those elegant minimalists; somebody who buys two of everything, one black and one brown (or red, or cream) and eases through life effortlessly coordinated, slippery as an eel. This, as you might imagine, remains only a dream. Every time I work towards this ideal (which in my head is occasionally called the "live like a stereotypical architect project"), perhaps by making five identical skirts in dull colors, I am distracted by something shiny and whoops, I'm off again in some wild print, leaving the poor dark-brown skirt moping in the closet.
The closest I ever get to that blissful minimalist state is by managing to sew a series of wild prints in a similar color family, so at least I can get by with a few pairs of monochrome tights and a couple of cardigans. And two pairs of shoes, one black, and one brown. If I'm lucky, and I don't get distracted by patterned tights and sweaters, this mostly works.
Does anyone here have the expert-recommended two- or three-color closet? How do you do it?
A Dress A Day 
Hi – new reader here.Some years ago I lost a bunch of weight and had to re-wardrobe, so I decided to go the few-colors route and go with the following colors: black, navy blue, and red. Everything went together. Everything had a purpose. I didn’t need as many items, so each could be of higher quality.I was bored out of my skull.I’m much more colorful now, and got some of that weight back too. 🙂
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I agree that getting your colors done is the way to go. I wear jeans almost every day, but I have pants, skirts, and jackets in brown, gray, and blue (no black for me!) that go with any shirt in my closet, which is where all my favorite colors come in. I can be in a mood for pink, purple, green, brown, blue, red, and just wear it without worry! I can wear any dress, (they coordinate with my jackets, b/c of the color thing again) as long as I have the right style of shoe to match. Shoes – I have every favorite style in black and brown, a few white sandals thrown in for summer and some red boots for winter.So I think I get the colors, but I am not a put together person. I can’t master the handbag. I can’t wear nylons. I scuff my shoes on the first wearing. Last night, after spending an hour getting dressed up and made up, I get in the car and notice part of my hem had come down, and since I had switched purses (attempting the impossible!) I didn’t have my sewing kit. D’oh! Well, I tried.
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Anonymous new reader (3:33 PM): I love your entry.
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alison said I spent a year not long ago collecting indigo and off-white drapey fabrics in different patterns and textures intending to start some sort of vaguely Japanese-influenced layered ensemble, but realised that long loose layers were not the best way to flatter a large-busted figure. I need a waist. So I sort of stopped there.Those fabrics sound like they would make delicious outfits. Too bad to see them abandoned.Have you worn dresses with a fitted empire waist and long flared skirt? I have seen them look gorgeous on ladies with an ample figure the secret is the flare in the skirt. And I think that that cut could work well for a layered ensemble; a long open vest is one of my favorite pieces. The jacket needs to be flared too, or even that short form they’re calling a shrug this time around.This is the year to try on dresses like this, since they’re around (although usually not flared enough), and to look for patterns.
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I don’t have just a few colors, but they are the same tone. Lots of gray- gray-purple, gray-green, gray-blue, you get the idea. The neutrality of all my clothing and the simple style and cut that I favour make it so much easier to dress myself. Well okay neutrals and bright orange. But really, what doesn’t go with bright orange?
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Christina Nice to hear from someone else besides me who likes the greyed tones. Not being dramatically colored myself means that the more muted colors work better for me. I just expanded on my comments above about combining colors at Color CompostionsLong ago, when I met the first other person who had my name, she turned out to be the most eccentric old lady one could ever wish to live up to. And she believed that as one got older, our colors should get brighter. Very much brighter.
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I’m drawn to every colour under the sun bar the metallics -even PEACH, which looks just hidjus on me[I keep trying to buy it, but have nearly got it out of my system ;-))) ]Re the red shoes….with much prompting from others on PR, I finally bought what I thought was my first ever pair of red shoes about 6 weeks ago(have yet to actually WEAR them!), only to realise,after another comment here, that I had bought my first pair of Crocs last February…in red!!! When I wear them to the post office/local shop, I feel VERY conspicuous……but I don’t care! I lovvvvve red!
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I’m so happy I’m a winter because I absolutely love jewel tones! I have lots of black separates (Jones New York, mostly) which I bring to life with colors like fuschia, turquoise, and purple.The colors really come out when I wear dresses. I sew most of them because usually the “in” colors don’t flatter me. The dress I made for my second wedding ceremony was fuschia lace, and I can’t tell you how many compliments I got on it because the color was so *me*! During a recent closet purge, I cut down the shoe inventory to 54 pairs of shoes, nine of them black (but all different heels), and 8 pairs of boots included. I had to finally throw out my red Mary Janes because they were so worn out. I may replace them with red ballet flats because they are easier to find this season. I’m older now (just turned 60), so I’ve started to factor comfort in, along with age-appropriateness. So, out went the platforms. But I will never outgrow my love for putting just the perfect shoe with an outfit.
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