So this weekend is Labor Day weekend and, while I’m looking forward to having a long holiday weekend, I’m a little sad it’s time to put away my white jeans. I feel like we barely got to know each other and now I have to put them away until next spring. My heart breaks a little.
On the other hand, it’s hard to be sad for long when this weekend marks the official start of the college football season. There are few things in life that bring me more joy than a Saturday spent watching a football game while eating some sort of dip. (Sidenote: Go check out the DipTacular going on at Boomama’s.) The only thing better is if it happens to be the Aggies participating in the aforementioned great game, but I’ll take what I can get.
And while we’re on the subject of college football, I was in Banana Republic yesterday (it’s all in the name of exhaustive research for you, internet) and saw this really cute top. The only problem was it came in burnt orange and I just can’t wear burnt orange this time of year because it would be considered sacrilege. It’s bad enough that I have to endure all the Longhorn love in the press (get a room); I certainly don’t need to contribute to it by wearing their colors, even if it is in the form of a kicky little blouse.
However, I felt like I wanted to pass it on to some of my friends who cheer for the school in Austin because I know the pain that comes with trying to find fashionable items in college colors, says the girl who went to Texas A&M and has conducted massive searches for maroon items that aren’t football jerseys.
(By the way, I was going to post a link to the top but it’s not online. I guess it’s just in the store.)
As I was standing there in Banana Republic pondering the dilemma of whether or not I should help the folks in burnt orange and thinking about how hard it is to find clothes in school colors, I received an email from my friend K telling me about a new website called Team Colors Couture. It’s basically a place where you can find fashionable items in your college team’s colors. Right now it’s only Texas schools, but they’ll be adding new schools over time and obviously there are many schools that share the same colors. It pains me that there is an appallingly low selection of maroon merchandise, but that’s an Aggie’s cross to bear. The fashion world is just generally not a fan of maroon or her slightly more attractive half sister, burgundy.
I’d cry discrimination and start a huge campaign to change things but that would take a lot of work.
My point is Gig’em Aggies. I love you and will always cheer for you even if the fashion world and the sports pages neglect you.
Now for a few questions.
1. Karate Mom asks: “Could you please link to the fabulous scarf video that you did last year? My mom got the most beautiful big scarf faux pashmina thingy for me, but I need to know how to wear it!”
Well, yes, I certainly can even though I cannot watch that video without cringing. However, of all the stupid things I’ve ever done in the name of this blog that one gets the most requests, so here’s the link.
And, by the way, the scarf is still totally in for this season. I plan on wearing all of mine if the temperature ever drops below 100 degrees again.
2. Amanda asks: “Can you suggest any ways to wear leggings for those of us who have not used our Shred DVDs yet?”
Are you trying to imply that I haven’t been using my Shred DVD? Because I have. I TOTALLY HAVE. Maybe.
The key to wearing leggings for those of us who are mere mortals and enjoy the occasional bowl of queso or bag of M&M’s is to think about proportions and the use of color. Clearly, most of us will not be wearing them this way. But if you can pull that off then God bless you and may I suggest you go eat some chicken fingers?
Buy a pair of leggings in a darker color because it will give your legs the illusion of slimness and then pair the leggings with a longer cardigan, jacket or top in a pattern or a lighter color. This will allow you to rejoice in the comfort that is the legging while drawing the eye away from your booty region. Just make sure that your top isn’t too big or loose because you don’t want to look sloppy, which can actually make you look bigger.
Here are a few outfits that show how to make the leggings look work in a tasteful way. I realize most of us aren’t going to throw down the coin these particular outfits cost, but I needed something to use as an example and they were all I could find. Just remember these looks and head to TJ Maxx or wherever you like to bargain shop to replicate them.
3. Kristen asks: ” I finally bought some Frye Harness Boots, (YAY!), but now and trying to figure out how to wear them. I’ve got some good jeans that I can put them with, but what else could I do? I’m a mid thirties average sized girl and I’m willing to take [some] fashion risks.”
See above discussion on leggings.
You know I have long been a fan of the harness boots and the good news is that Target is selling the knock off harness boots in both black and brown this year. You can pair them with jeans or try them with leggings for something different and slightly edgier.
And we all know I’m a fan of edgy because I’ve been known to skip breakfast even though it’s the most important meal of the day.
4. Cody asks: “We’re heading off to a wedding in Puerto Rico in December. My husband’s in the wedding and they’re wearing khaki’s, guayaberas, and leather flip flops. I wasn’t sure what to wear, so I asked the groom and he said business casual. The ceremony will be outdoors. But, when I looked up ‘business casual’ it said no flip-flops. I was thinking a maxi dress and flip flops but maybe not? Help! What is ‘business casual?'”
I’m going to share a basic rule of fashion that applies to virtually any situation and will serve you well for the rest of your life. Never ask a man (even if he’s the groom) what the appropriate attire is for an event. They don’t know. Even if they act like they do, they don’t.
They don’t.
Case in point, a wedding ceremony in Puerto Rico where the groom and his groomsmen are wearing khakis, guayaberas and flip-flops is not business casual, unless you’re in the business of making margaritas at the bar or playing the maracas for local tourists. No self-respecting place of legitimate business is going to let grown men show off their feet.
If the wedding were truly business casual then they would be wearing khakis and nice polo shirt with a “Vandalay Industries” logo embroidered tastefully on it. My point is I think the groom meant to say, but didn’t know such a dress category existed, resort casual.
A maxi dress with a thong sandal (the dressier name for a flip-flop) sounds completely appropriate for the occasion. For a little extra flair, you could wear some statement earrings and maybe a fun cocktail ring.
But I don’t really like to talk about my flair. (Can you name that movie?)
That’s it for today.
Y’all have a great Friday. Stay classy.
And Gig ’em Aggies.
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Oooh! Oooh! Pick me! It’s Office Space! I love that movie.
I love your blog. I’ve been lurking for a long time but a Fashion Friday combined with Aggie football brought me out of the closet. I feel your pain about finding cute maroon tops (Class of ’96, whoop!). I’m currently in Germany and am sad that I won’t be able to stream audio so I can hear Dave South. Thanks for your great writing – I really enjoy it.
Christy
p.s. Something else we have in common – I live in the S.A. area too!
OK, so I so excited that those boots are now “in”, although the clunkier more rounded toe version that I sport here in the sticks/barn is most def. “out”.
My question is this (and forgive me for missing the many times you probably have talked about it…..I am a die hard Big Mama fan Monday thru Thursday, but sometimes skip fashion Friday due to being out of the loop. *said from the gal sitting here in tie dye….
….ok, focus.
question, and other fashionitas please feel free to help a sista out too…
Do you tuck the jeans in and if so, what jeans work best? I, thanks to Melanie, splurged this past year on a few nice Gap jeans in different styles but they seem to have more of a flare at the bottom.
Thanks in advance…..have a great long weekend!
Greetings from Boilermaker country! Being in Indiana, Notre Dame Football and Indiana basketball get all the love from the press even when they stink and we’re on fire. So I totally feel your Aggie pain with the media. Purdue is also an Ag/Tech school so I’ve always felt a kindred spirit with your Aggies! So Boiler up and gig ’em Aggies!!
I’m glad to hear about the couture school colors site and hope they add Tennessee soon. Nothing’s worse that trying to find fashionable things in that hideous caution-cone orange!
so is there a link for that burnt orange (gasp) top?
I’m a Florida State Seminole (feeling your burgundy pain) and Georgia Bulldog (red/black/white – this I can work with) BUT. my son’s football team is the middle school feeder for the local high school, and they are the ______ Longhorns. With the Texas Longhorn emblem. and that color. that God awful color!
there is NOT a worse color for me to wear than burnt orange.
so the fact that there was a cute blouse out there in that color makes me painfully inquisitive….
Saw a girl the other day who follows your philosophy of donning a scarf if the temperature drops below 100°. It was only 99° and she had a gorgeous, long scarf multi-wrapped around her thin little neck. Looked great but I began sweating just looking at her.
Office Space! Always enjoy your Fashion Friday posts…
It is not nice to tease. That it appears to be the Lord’s will that the Longhorns are headed for the national championship game is not an excuse to deprive us of something cute to wear. I’m semi-tempted to hope that your white jeans end up mysteriously dyed burnt orange. 🙂
I know this is dorky, but I look forward so much to your fashion friday posts 🙂 and this one did not disappoint!
Office Space. hee hee
I also feel your maroon pain. My high school’s colors were burgundy and silver. Finding clothes in those colors was next to impossible and I have red hair! I looked awful in burgundy.
I agree with you on the orange top. I’m a UGA fan and there are too many rival teams in the SEC with orange school colors.
Is it wrong to wear the scarf wrapped over your entire face so no one knows it is YOUR booty in the leggings?
Office Space, clearly….love it! I am super excited about the Target knockoffs of the harness boots, b/c although I love the Frye ones, I don’t love the price.
Also, with you on the white jeans….I found the cutest pair last August, wore them twice, put them away for fall, got pregnant, and now they probably wouldn’t fit around ONE of my legs. Sadness.
love your fashion friday posts!
and all i have to say is HOOK ‘EM HORNS!
I am impressed–you worked in college football, Seinfeld, and Office Space all into a Fashion Friday. That takes some talent! 🙂
At least your college/football team hasn’t gone through the identity crisis that our university has. When I started college, our school colors were red and gold (read: bright yellow). People often referred to our football uniforms as ketchup and mustard. Then the athletic marketing got this big idea to introduce navy blue into our color scheme and came up with a snappy new logo/icon. So now you could pair navy blue with all your red and yellow and have the primary colors covered. All is well and good; my hubby and I graduate from the school and collect a multitude of items with new color scheme. Fast-forward 15 years and they decide to change colors/logos AGAIN. Now we are cardinal and gold (read: dark red and yellow). That means that I need to buy all new clothes to go cheer on my school. So be thankful that you can search for maroon year in and year out and not have to worry if it is the right shade of red/cardinal/deep red/bright red/whatever red the team is wearing this year. You can check it out when we come to play at your stadium on Halloween. 🙂
Ha ha ha!!! Gabby’s comment about covering your face with a scarf is hilarious!
I went to Arizona State, so I also suffer the difficulties of wearing maroon. But they pair it with bright yellow, which is clearly an unfortunate color for most of us to wear. I think the only choice for a school color that could have been worse is peach. We’d all look like a bunch of nudies in the bleachers….
And the movie is “Office Space” which, IMHO, is one of the funniest movies ever. The line about “…I have PEOPLE SKILLS!” makes me laugh my head off.
Thanks for the tip about Target’s knock-off harness boots. I am so going to get myself a pair.
Have a great football Saturday!
Adrienne
Office Space. 🙂
I caught another reference to my favorite show of all time. George: “When you answer the phone, say ‘Vandalay Industries.” Jerry: “And you want to be my latex salesman.”
THANK YOU for taking on my leggings question. Sometimes I just need a few ideas to get started, and this was great. 🙂 Now I can go to Target or Old Navy or something and try to recreate some of those looks…except the Skinnie Minnie. Nope. Won’t be wearing that look any time soon. Unless I unwrap my Shred DVD. 😉
Have a great weekend!
You’ll forever be my fashion hero!!! 🙂 🙂
Have a wonderful long weekend!!
Office Space, Office Space!
I love Fashion Fridays.
Maybe in Texas you can wear those skimpy couture dresses to football games, but up North in the stix, you will freeze! Get your jeans and sweatshirt and you are set!(and stocking hat, and mittens, and scarves, and hot chocolate)
Office Space!
I love your “how to” video on scarves. I just love scarves as accessories.
Also, you’re absolutely right about never asking a man what is appropriate dress. 🙂
I enjoy your blog! Thanks for sharing Fashion Fridays.
I love those target boots in brown, but they don’t have my size online, or in any stores in my area 🙁 I’m not going to give up though… I will find something I’m sure. I love fashion Fridays!
I love you for posting those Target boots! Also for the Seinfeld reference =)..
Great advice!
If I’m not mistaken, you just quoted two of my favorite movies (Office Space and Anchorman). Sweet.
Office Space, and I love the Kramer – Vandalay Industires reference. Classic.
I knew the movie – it was the one where Jennifer Aniston worked at a Friday clone restaurant but must be honest and say I had to look up the title to find it was “Office Space”. Of course, dozens of people already beat me to that answer in the comments above. But I didn’t know that when I was busily Googling. Dang.
Oooh, I’m heading to Target to look at those boots! I love the college couture site. How fun! I’m so glad they have my favorite school. I’ll give you a hint…I’ve got my guns up! 🙂 I can’t root for the burnt orange either.
Seinfeld and Office Space in the same post.
GOLD
Now I think I’ll go look up money laundering…
i have loved the denim pencil skirt look this summer (people might think i should wear something else one of these days but it is just too hard). i would love to continue the skirt look into the freezing winter (here in chicago), especially because i am about 8 ft tall and have a hard time finding pants that are long enough. i would like to know, what is the status of tights? are there rules? should i skip the skirt until spring (be still my breaking heart)?
I just want you to know that I love your fashion Friday posts! Last week, I literally wrote down the top ten list to put in my purse. You really help me to weed out the nonsense. Seriously, you should be getting some sort of kickback from What not to Wear.
And the comment about NEVER asking a man what to wear….GOLD. SOLID GOLD.
Office Space!
Glad someone brought up the scarf again. I can’t tell you how your demo video has freed me. I’m a scarf wearer now. I wear scarves. And now that it’s mid-70s at the highest in the WI-MN area, I’ll bet I could whip out my kicky orange scarf for this weekend. The weekend I will spend with my husband’s fantasy football league. The Saturday of Labor Day weekend I will spend in a hotel conference room, acting as auctioneer for their 14th year festivities. Fantasy Football. On Labor Day weekend. EVERY YEAR SINCE I GOT MARRIED 11 YEARS AGO.
I’m done now.
So i never post (but read everyday!) on your blog… I love your fashion fridays! Last week you had a pair of boots that were a little pricey 😉 from arthopidge. I found these @ DSW.com and they are budget friendly.
http://www.dsw.com/dsw_shoes/catalog/product.jsp?index=2&category=dsw12cat500002&prodId=193721&brand=
Girl, I know I’m bad but I love me some Longhorns eventhough I’m an Aggie…class of ’03. Dare I say Whoop after that comment?:) I know it’s tough to find cute things in Maroon and if there is one thing I think adults should steer clear of it’s painted overalls….there, I said it! I have some great options on my blog today and you can order them in any team color!
http://www.whenagirlsgottagab.blogspot.com
Happy football season!!! God bless the Big 12!
Okay, that little number you just pulled with the “I found this great top, it’s so cute, it’s burnt orange, I love it….. but OH I’m not posting it because it’s not online” NOT OKAY. Tease.
That website is great but, sheesh, it’s expensive. I found the $18 maxi dress though and I’m considering that one.
Hook ’em!
I’m so glad to hear that I’m not the only person that hunts madly all summer for cute maroon tops to wear to Aggie games…The maroon tank top can only get you so far before it starts to turn pink!
Gig ’em!
Ha!
a) I feel honored that you answered my question.
b) Yes, yes. I know. Don’t ask a man about dress code for a wedding, but I’ve never even met the bride-to-be and I think she’s a little busy planning…
c) Thanks! I love these Fashion Friday posts.
d) I live in Michigan, so I can find thousands of pairs of boots right now. You should fly up here. It was in the 40’s overnight.
e) On the other hand, Maxi dresses not so much… It’s off to the interents I go!
GO HOGS!!!!!
I think you only have to put away your white jeans because you live in Texas! And as a Native Oklahoman, I totally get that. (The first time I sent my daughter to church on Easter still in her black sunday shoes was such a dilemma, and yes, I went out that week and bought her white sunday shoes! Some things you just can’t change!) However as a current pacific northwesterner, I don’t think people would have a clue as to why you have to put them away! Maybe a post on how fashion is affected geographically? (Gives you the perfect excuse to travel! :o) )
Office Space, of course. I still cherish my red Swingline.
“And you wanna be my latex salesman.”
How I love all the pop culture references!
I think I would enjoy those boots…but I don’t know if I could bring myself to actually buy them knowing I’d wear them with exactly 1 pair of pants that I own.
I just wanted to salute you in both your discipline and loyalty for not purchasing the kicky little blouse in burnt orange.
I am a California girl married to an Aggie, and I have come to learn the cardinal rule of Aggieland– NEVER PURCHASE *ANYTHING* IN BURNT ORANGE, no matter how cute it is.
Gig ’em!
Oh my I have to tell a story about the “thong sandal.” I live in St. Louis, where flip-flops used to be thongs, before thongs became underwear. I was sitting at dinner once with my mom, my sister, her husband, their 7-year-old, and their 6-month-old. My mom decided to regale the family with the story of when the baby put my thong in her mouth. I mean, the shoe is bad/gross enough, but the looks on my sister and her husband’s faces was enough to finally convince my mother to call them flip-flops.
I’m probably 65 kinds of late since it’s 3:30 my time and I know you’re all about the early morning auto-publish. However, the movie is Office Space.
And, I’m pregnant and TOTALLY gonna rock the leggings this fall. I’m pumped.
Office Space. And for us Baylor Bears who never win at the game of football (but rock in all other sports — but no one seems to care in TX where pigskin is king), finding attractive hunter green can be an issue in 2009. But I must say I stopped tailgating long ago. Basketball is another story (sic ’em).
Office Space! I also loved the Vandalay Industries mention. Nicely done. 🙂
Office Space! I don’t really care for that movie, but my husband loves it, and heaven help me, I love him. So there you go! That’s also how I caught your Seinfeld Vandalay Industries reference! My husband’s ff name is Dr. Van Nostrand, but I don’t know that any of his competitors caught the wit!
My husband’s school colors are maroon and black (or GARNET as they call it) and I have to say I am thankful for the lack of support on that color. He always starts clucking like a chicken if I wear those colors!
anyway—I LOVE fashion friday and I am currently trying to figure out a way to make it to Target tomorrow…get the fake boots (tho I am lusting over the real ones) and then get them back into the house UNNOTICED!!!! It is the last part of that statement that has me so worried! 🙂
Now…I noticed an awesome necklace in the pics on facebook of Caroline’s first day of first grade (have I told you that I also have a Caroline and a first grader…tho they are not one and the same?..you don’t care, I know) and it made me wonder if it is from that “sister of a friend who is getting her website up really soon”….because I really am wondering if you were just yanking my chain earlier in the year when I asked about a completely different necklace….pun intended.
OK-have a great weekend!
Paige
I say, wear those jeans anyways, girl! And I cannot believe there was actually an outfit for ONE THOUSAND AMERICAN DOLLARS!!!! I might, perhaps, pay one thousand pesos for it. But not dollars.
As a non-Aggie living in CS…I’m very concerned about this weekend…
ok. so i have a question for you….
i’m wondering what your opinion is about “pantyhose”.. i haven’t worn pantyhose in over 20 years, but it seems like they are back in! i’m fine with wearing opaque tights with boots and a cute trendy dress, but i’m taking more about a dress you would wear to a wedding or even one you would wear to a cocktail party. hose or no hose? opaque hose or sheer? colored or skin colored?
thanks!
I’ll be forever grateful to my fav fashionista for the leggings links. Because no matter how great the current diet is, I’m never gonna have me those skinny minnie thighs. Also, I read an article just thirty minutes ago saying that people with skinny thighs die earlier than the ones with true hips and thighs to match. Just sayin.
And… oh, Office Space, how you are loved.
According to the “they” you don’t have to put your white jeans away just yet. I know in Texas you can NEVER wear white after labor day, but experts say to add some white in this winter. I personally don’t think it is a good idea, but I’m not the fashion expert here!
“Somebody’s got a case of the Monday’s!”
My heart feels sad (and a bit rebellious) about putting away my white capri pants… But, I’m wearing them Sunday for the last time and then I promise to wait till spring.
“I’m gonna burn down the building.”
I have been coveting the Target harness boots, and you just reminded me I might need to pick those up today.
Gig ’em!!! Off to my very first Aggie football game today… AAAAAAAA! Let me know if you ever come down for a game and we can get lunch!
Thank you for brightening a rather angsty day of praying for a prodigal with A. the hilariously entertaining Neiman Marcus prices and B. the assurance that I, even I, can tie a scarf.
Ok Woman. You tease us Longhorns with this great orange shirt and then……what? Was this an aggie practical joke? 🙂
I love your blog, keep up the great work!!! And please give us UT fans the link to that shirt!
Love you, Love our school and had to read this post out loud to my whole family because you are funny and my husband is a longhorn. Gig ‘Em!
If you get a chance, please come check out my blog! Thanks and gig ’em!
I am cracking up that you included your scarf video on this Fashion Friday since I was just experimenting with my new scarves last night. I was trying to remember all of your great tricks–now I can watch and get a great refresher! Thanks! And I also have been waiting for the temperature to dip below 100 so I can pull them out!
Even though online it said my Target was sold out of those boots, I went and looked anyway, and boy am I glad I did. I bought the last pair in my size and am so excited for it to get a little cooler out so I can wear them all the time.