My low expectations weren’t low enough
Saturday, May 3rd, 2008I recently attended an awards ceremony at the community college here. The invite said that “cocktail attire” was suggested, so I dressed accordingly in my little black dress, eggplant heels, and sparkly clutch. Despite the wording of the invite, I was fully prepared to be the only one there dressed up.
Fortunately, […]
Some people just get on my nerves
Monday, April 28th, 2008I think of myself as pretty easy-going and likeable. I try to understand people, see the good in everyone, and give people the benefit of the doubt. It’s not always easy, but for me it’s a lot easier than the alternative. Still, there are certain people that really ruffle my feathers. […]
The cost of clutter
Saturday, April 26th, 2008The cost of clutter has never been felt in our household as much as it has this week. The other night, my husband and I have been looking for my iPod. We finally found a buyer for it, but now we can’t find it because for one reason or another, it’s not where […]
Here’s why you can afford to be green
Friday, April 25th, 2008First off, I’d like to thank Green Me for featuring my post introducing FruWiki, The Frugal Wiki, in the Green It! carnival. My husband and I have both been trying to be more frugal and more green. Fortunately, we’ve found that many of the things we’ve started doing are both frugal and green. […]
Pondering the green bag hype
Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008Recently, I was walking the mall with a friend when I spied a display for “green” handbags. They weren’t even that great looking and the tone of some of those displays and ads make me chuckle because they made it seem like by merely buying one of the bags you’d be saving the planet […]
The Fabulous! Festival for April ‘08
Monday, April 7th, 2008Welcome to the April edition of The Fabulous! Festival, a blog carnival dedicated to looking and feeling fa-bu-lous. I had a great time reading all the submissions, which is why I am confident that you’ll enjoy reading my ten favorites:
Beauty
First off, Tina Su reminds us that beauty isn’t just about makeup, presenting 8 keys […]
My favorite discount store
Wednesday, April 2nd, 2008No, this isn’t a paid advertisement.
I’ve read a lot lately about how people have started shopping in cheaper stores because of all the economic problems we’re having here in the U.S. People who would never set foot in a discount stores are taking a second look at them, even as some still worry about […]
“Personality Not Included” Book Launch Interview
Tuesday, April 1st, 2008Perhaps the best thing about attending the SXSW Interactive Media Festival was that I got to meet a lot of really interesting and knowledgeable people. One of them was Rohit Bhargava the senior vice president of Digital Strategy & Marketing at Ogilvy Public Relations and writer of Influential Marketing Blog, which I’ve […]
Dating for the frugal
Monday, March 31st, 2008Dating is hard work, but it can be even trickier if you’re trying to save money. For the most part, people still tend to equate having money with being successful — and spending money is seen as the principal sign that someone has it. Of course, that’s far from how things really work. […]
Re: Rock the party: How to be friendly and approachable
Friday, March 28th, 2008Last week I wrote Food for thought: What is your face saying as just a little reminder to be conscious of your facial expressions, especially if you’re like me and tend to make funny faces without thinking. Turns out, I wasn’t the only one who had body language on the brain last week. […]
Food for thought: What is your face saying?
Friday, March 21st, 2008Earlier today, I wrote a post at Sax Appeal, another blog of mine, about how facial expressions are a very important part of stage presence that musicians often don’t think about. All too often, great players reveal mistakes that would have gone unnoticed by the audience had they not gotten a terrible look on […]
15 Random thoughts from SXSW
Friday, March 14th, 2008I just got back from SXSW Interactive. O.k., I got back Tuesday — Wednesday if you count that I stepped through the door after midnight. Since then, I’ve been been using the last few days of spring break to recoup from a combination of jet lag, daylight savings, and a whole lot of […]
A library just for looks?
Thursday, March 6th, 2008I came across Books by the foot through this post on The Consumerist. The idea is simple, you pay Strand Bookstore so much money per foot of books suitable for use as decoration (up to $400 for a foot of “antique leather” books). My first reaction was, “Wow, that’s such a rip-off! […]
Re: Investing in yourself: Personal appearance and hygiene.
Tuesday, March 4th, 2008Yeah, what he said.
Tags: Beauty, Etiquette, Fashion, Grooming, Hair, Impressions, Links, Makeup, Modesty, Skincare, Style, Work
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Your best accessory (1)
You’re never too old to reveal too much (6)
Yes, appearance does matter (7)
Yards (0)
Work wardrobe advice from Adam Glassman on Oprah (2)
Getting geeky in Austin
Monday, March 3rd, 2008The rumors are true, I really am a nerd — and proud of it.
Friday, I’ll be headed to the South by Southwest Interactive festival and conference in Austin, Texas. I’ll be in town until the 11th, along with The Bargain Queen herself, Sara.
I plan on having lots of fun, learning […]
Celebrating friendship
Monday, March 3rd, 2008I wanted to write this post earlier, but the words just didn’t come. You see, one of the reasons that my friend Katy and I planned some retail therapy yesterday was that a year ago, our best friend Danielle was in a fatal car crash on her way to work. She was living […]
A blogger by any other name?
Tuesday, February 12th, 2008What if I told you that my name wasn’t Meg? What if I told you that it was a pseudonym and that my real name was Christine? Or how about Juanita? What about Mary? Or Leticia? Would it change your impression of me? What if you didn’t know have […]
Re: When poor folks have better crap than you
Monday, February 11th, 2008I was just re-reading When poor folks have better crap than you at Wise Bread. It still makes me laugh because it reminds me of couple years ago when I was interning at a local middle school not exactly in the richest part of town. I admit, I was a bit jealous that […]
Re: Our high, high standard of living
Friday, February 8th, 2008Last year, Philip Brewer wrote a really interesting article on Wise Bread called Our high, high standard of living. I want to share it with you because I’m still thinking about it months later.
Here’s the first paragraph:
In the 1950s and 1960s, a working man could support a family at a middle-class standard of […]
Why do people still read buy fashion magazines?
Thursday, February 7th, 2008
I’ve never really been into fashion magazines. Then again, I wasn’t really into fashion until this year. So, I recently decided to start looking at some well known fashion magazines and see what they were all about.
Fortunately, I didn’t have to spend money on them. I can read them free […]
Trying to be frugal: The series
Wednesday, February 6th, 2008My husband and I have been trying to cut down our costs, so I’ve been reading a lot of frugal blogs and particularly lists of frugal ideas. What surprises me, though, is how many things we already do. It’s easy to feel smug, but a quick look at the numbers shows that we […]
Loosing weight isn’t all about appearances — or willpower
Friday, February 1st, 2008Long, sappy story alert. Don’t read if you’re wearing mascara that isn’t water-proof.
I haven’t talked much here about loosing weight. Obviously, weight is definitely an issue when it comes to appearance, not just in terms of beauty but also when it comes to how people see you. I don’t want to repeat […]
The comfort of being underdressed
Friday, January 25th, 2008Whether you’re going to a concert or a job interview, I usually recommend dressing up a bit nicer than everyone else. I’m a firm believer that it’s better to be overdressed than underdressed.
Looking around, though, I seem to be in the minority. A very small minority.
You see, I live […]
Re: The rise of the non-label & quiet luxury
Thursday, January 24th, 2008In light of the recent discussion on signalling wealth, I found this post at Fashion Tribes particularly interesting. One of the major trends predicted is “luxury that whispers”, clothing and accessories that are still luxurious in their quality and details, but that don’t scream “made of money” quite so much in these tough economic […]
Re: Signalling wealth
Tuesday, January 22nd, 2008Recently, I read Signalling wealth at My Wealth Builder.
Here’s an excerpt:
Because it’s impolite to broadly share what one earns, people find other ways to signal wealth and elevate status within their community. Nicer cars, nicer houses, nicer clothing etc. are just some of the ways one can signal wealth to one’s peers. […]
Re: How does one get the polished look?
Tuesday, January 1st, 2008Allie at Wardrobe Oxygen recently wrote a response to the oft-asked question How does one get the polished look?.
She’s got some great advice, so do check it out. I particularly liked this bit:
Stop purchasing prints. A few prints tossed in every so often are great, but polished women are those decked out […]
When going green is classy
Sunday, December 30th, 2007I may be image conscious, but I still like saving money and the environment. Therefore, I love it when I can do both and not sacrifice my style. That’s why I loved today’s post at Wise Bread, When Going Green is Classy. There you’ll find some easy to adopt tips that […]
Introducing the Smiths
Sunday, December 30th, 2007There’s a really good post over at There But For The Grace of God called Introducing the Smiths.
The post is rather long, but it’s definitely worth reading, especially if you’ve ever looked down on others for their spending habits — and haven’t we all? It’s another great reminder that appearances can be deceiving, […]
A new focus for the New Year
Monday, December 24th, 2007In case you haven’t noticed, there’s been a small change on the blog. Under the title there is a new tagline: “High class, low cost”. It’s just a sign of things to come, though.
When I started this blog, I knew that I didn’t want it to be just another fashion or beauty […]
Christmas decorations done and overdone
Monday, December 24th, 2007My husband and I have both been super busy this month, but last night my husband finally got our tree out of the attic and set it up. Tonight we hope to decorate it with our purple ball ornaments and pastel butterflies. We’ve got a few other things up now, some lights around […]
Scrooge or generous enough? My thoughts on tipping
Saturday, December 22nd, 2007I don’t know who decided it was “news”, but recently CNN has been running bits on holiday tipping with so-called authorities saying that, among other things, we should tip our hair stylists the full price of a hair cut, give the nanny a week’s pay extra, and make sure to give our postal service worker […]
Cheap gifts don’t have to feel cheap
Tuesday, December 18th, 2007We give Christmas gifts out of the goodness of our hearts, right? Somehow, though, I get the sense every holiday season that it’s just one more way of showing off and keeping up with the Joneses. I loving giving gifts, and I’m not saying not give them, but I look at the prices […]
Enjoying luxuries, chasing Luxury, and the problem with fakes
Tuesday, November 27th, 2007“Keeping up with the Joneses” and generally outdoing one’s neighbors has existed, well, longer than humankind itself. Competition is part of nature, and it’s part of being human. However, add to the mix a world of luxury items, credit cards, and industries whose goal is to tell you why you absolutely must have […]
How to survive the holidays with style
Monday, November 19th, 2007Recently Angie, from You Look Fab, asked if holidy knitwear like appliqué reindeer sweaters were an American tradition. I’m happy to find out that this isn’t a worldwide phenomenon, but sadly, I must say that it is a tradition here in the U.S. I’m not saying that it’s bad to get into the […]
An indispensable accessory for holiday cooks
Saturday, November 17th, 2007The holiday season is upon us, a time to gather with our loved ones — and impress them with our hot holiday looks, fantastic ability to find the perfect gifts, and even our culinary skills. But in the mad dash to get out the Thanksgiving feast or Christmas dinner, it can be hard to […]
What to wear to a funeral
Saturday, November 3rd, 2007There’s one event that I wish I didn’t have to dress up for, but that’s because I wish that I didn’t have to go to so many of them. Just a couple weeks ago I had to attend the funeral of my aunt. Earlier this year, I attended the funeral of my room […]
Fashion criticism from a guy
Saturday, November 3rd, 2007Briana over at College Fashion has posted a list of fashion links that you might enjoy. My favorite was Fashion tips for women from a guy who knows dick about fashion. As Briana said, read it for laughs and take it with a grain of salt. The guy does make some good […]
Ah, put your shirt on!
Wednesday, October 17th, 2007When people talk about dressing modestly, discussion usually revolves around us women. Well, men, I’m talking to you. Put your shirts back on! (And please pull up your pants while you’re at it.)
I don’t get it. We women are expected to wear shirts, and bras, but some men seem […]
Trinny and Susannah Take on America
Friday, September 28th, 2007Trinny and Susannah are the authors of one of my favorite style books, What Not to Wear, so I was eager to have a look at their other books. I was especially intrigued by the title of this one - Trinny and Susannah Take on America: What Your Clothes Say About You. […]
Political fashion
Thursday, September 27th, 2007Here in the U.S., we’re lucky that we can express different political beliefs without being punished by the government. However, that doesn’t mean that it’s always in your best interest to openly declare your beliefs. It’s sad, but true, that some people will go out of their way to punish other who don’t […]
What NOT to wear to school
Wednesday, September 26th, 2007Briana over at College Fashion implores Don’t Wear Pajamas to Class! If only that was the only college fashion crime.
Tags: Fashion, Impressions, School
Related Posts:
You’re never too old to reveal too much (6)
Yes, appearance does matter (7)
Yards (0)
Work appropriate fabrics (8)
Why should you care about what’s “in” this season? (0)
Too much revealed
Thursday, September 13th, 2007I’m only in my mid-20’s so I don’t consider myself “old” by any means, but I have noticed that my tastes are changing as I mature a bit and I’m starting to understand the advice of “the older and wiser.” I used to think that older people were prudes or just too conservative when […]
Not traveling in style
Friday, September 7th, 2007A 23 year-old woman traveling on Southwest airlines should have read my series on traveling in style. The airlines told her to adjust her skirt before she could fly, because she showed up in a mini-skirt that was too short. You can see her outfit for yourself on this CNN video. Frankly, […]
Auditions
Tuesday, August 28th, 2007First impressions aren’t always about what you wear. Yesterday afternoon, I was on campus when my friend and I crossed paths with the college’s jazz band director. Well, she practically volunteered me for the band while I was saying, “Oh no! I have hardly played since 2001! I’m so rusty!”. […]
Back to school
Friday, August 24th, 2007It’s back to school time again for kids and college students. Whatever age you might be, make sure you make a good impression with your teachers and classmates by dressing appropriately. If you’ve already gone back to school, it’s not too late to adjust your style. Even after your first impression, there’s […]
Ask Meg: Casual catastrophe?
Tuesday, August 14th, 2007The following question has been edited with the author’s permission for length and privacy reasons. If you would like to submit a question to Ask Meg, please use the contact form on the Ask Meg page.
Dear Meg:
Last week my husband was invited to have lunch with an individual at a highly professional […]
Forwards and the BCC line
Monday, August 6th, 2007What do email forwards have to do with appearance? Well, when you break the rules of ‘netiquette’ you risk looking like a newbie or worse, inconsiderate. Until this past couple of weeks, one of my email addresses was spam free - for years. Now it is being inundated with spam, which […]
Did I just get a pity drink?
Thursday, July 26th, 2007I confess, I went to the doctor’s office today in a baggy, wrinkled t-shirt, a pair of gym shorts, flip flops, and a hoodie. I didn’t wear makeup - not even lip gloss. I didn’t even think to put my lip gloss in my bag to put on later.
Tags: Fashion, Impressions, Men
Related Posts:
You’re […]
Glad I turned back
Wednesday, July 25th, 2007So this week I’m still getting over my trip to London, the jet lag, and the tail end of the cold I picked up while there. Most of my clothes have still yet to be washed. In short, it takes a bit more effort to look polished right now.
Yesterday morning I […]
Me, a good influence?
Monday, July 9th, 2007One of my duties next week in London will be to chaperone several high school girls (well, actually one has graduated). I’m actually looking forward to it because they seem really nice. Hopefully, they won’t prove me wrong. It wasn’t too long ago that I was in high school and I remember […]
The perils of online communication
Wednesday, June 27th, 2007The internet is a powerful vehicle for the dissemination of words and ideas. However, many people - especially those new to the internet - forget how powerful it truly is. It is all too easy to write something and hit the “submit” button (or “publish” or “send email”). What isn’t easy, and […]
Traveling in style: Part I, Why comfort shouldn’t be the only consideration
Monday, June 11th, 2007Other posts in the Traveling in Style series:
Part II, Shoes up
Part III, The traveler’s wardrobe
Part IV, Accessories
Part V, Makeup and grooming
Part VI, Packing it all
I’m back from my weekend trip, safe and sound. The year is just about half over and I’ve already made over half a dozen trips to visit family where I […]
Dressing for job interviews at casual companies
Thursday, May 31st, 2007When people think about what to wear for a job interview, most think of suits - or at least that’s the impression I got when I did a quick search on the topic. At About.com: Job Searching in an article on How to Dress for an Interview, Alison says:
The first impression you make […]
Pre-party cleaning
Wednesday, May 30th, 2007Last Saturday my husband and I had a get together at our house with our friends. Anyone who knows us very well knows that our house-keeping skills are somewhat lacking. Neither of us would ever pass for Martha Stewart and that my husband and I seem to run out of time and energy […]
Yes, appearance does matter
Friday, May 25th, 2007Today I went and bought another stick of concealer to cover up my dark under-eye circles. I was spending time with a good friend and we started talking a little about makeup. Fortunately, she is blessed with a great complexion and goes au naturelle as a habit. I’m fairly happy with my […]
Great metaphor: Your clothes as the book jacket
Wednesday, May 23rd, 2007The saying goes that you can’t judge a book by its cover. While that may true to some degree, I bet a lot of thought goes into designing book covers. What does that have to do with clothes? Well, here’s a great quote from What Every Woman Needs in Her Wardrobe’s post […]
Yards
Monday, May 21st, 2007Riding my bike around the neighborhood the other day I took time to look at our neighbors’ yards. Some are packed full of well-maintained flowerbeds, others have well-manicured lawns, some are a bit sandy, some have overgrown weeds, and one neighbor has planted local drought-resistant plants with wood chips in between. Unfortunately, […]
Does it matter what your college major is?
Sunday, May 20th, 2007This blog is not intended to just be about clothes and makeup, but rather about many different aspects of appearance. Often the very first impression you make when looking for a job is through the information on your résumé. There are many great sites out there that give advice on how to word […]
Judgements
Tuesday, May 15th, 2007While we are all told not to judge others based on their appearances, the truth is that we do. For example, we form different impressions of people based on whether they show up to a job interview wearing a nice suit or a tank top. The trick is, of course, to take time to realize […]
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