Closet Fashionista

(Our hostess for this week's Fun Monday is Alison's 13 year old daughter ,Cassie, over at RDH Mom . Cassie wants to see the inside of our closets. She needs to know if adult closets are as messy as hers. Well Cassie, this is a timely topic because over the past few weeks I have been thinking about what's in my closet. As you can see from the photo below, my closet is not messy, but it is very bor-rr-ing! Let me tell you why.)

Look at this sad wardrobe. Just a lineup of black, brown, and grey slacks and sweaters. On the floor there's an equally boring pile of sensible black and brown shoes. This is what I buy and wear. Over the past couple of week I've decided that I definitely need a fashion makeover. Tim Gunn, can you help, please!

I've miss you all for the past couple of Fun Mondays because I've been on vacation in Europe. That's where I began thinking that my wardrobe was the pits. Before leaving on the trip, I bought new black and brown slacks and sweaters and sensible Hush Puppies walking shoes from Land's End catalog, my normal fashion shop. No sooner had I arrived in London than I began to start comparing my non-wardrobe to the high fashions of European women. My hotel in London was within walking distance of Oxford Street, one of the city's busiest fashion spots. And, the London Fashion Week was in full swing. Look at these store windows with their fantasy designs in the colors of the rainbow. The only designer I recognized was Stella McCartney, Sir Paul's daughter.
And then the first day of touring I snapped this early photo out the bus window of young designers lined up with their latte skims waiting to get in the show area to set up for the Fashion Week runway activities.

From London we travelled on through The Netherlands, Germany, and Switzerland. No fashion insecurities there. Everyone seemed to dress as sensible as the tourists. Then we

stopped over in Venice. Oh my, were we not pitiful in our functional travel pants and athletic shoes! Take a look at these Italian women, turned out perfectly to stroll through the streets for morning bread.

Even injured puppies made a fashion statement.

We shopped for exquisite handmade lace blouses and skirts on the small island of Burano near Venice one afternoon. I didn't buy because the largest size appeared to be zero. . .

However, back in Venice I took the fashion plunge and bought a beautiful Italian shawl to
wear with my black/brown wardrobe. Willie reluctantly agreed to model it because he's not afraid to nonchalantly throw one end over his shoulder. I'm hoping to get up enough fashion attitude to do the same soon. . .

Most of the women on the tour couldn't resist these beautiful fashion accessories. They wore them during the day to escape the chill on the water or as a coverup for an on the bus nap. Everyone broke out their newest shawl purchase for evenings out to dinner when a little dressing up was called for. I wore this one on our final evening in Paris when we saw an authentic caberet/can can show. More about that later!

After leaving Italy the next fashion stop was in Paris. Everything about the Parisian women spelled elegance, no matter what they were doing. The photos below were shot from the bus early one morning as we drove down Paris' famous Champs-Elysee. Can you believe these women were going to work? Note the heel heights, suits, and handbags. Anything for fashion!

Parisian women even look good riding their bikes to work!

So, Cassie, what are you learning from your peeks in our closets? From mine I'm sure you've learned some big fashion "nots"! As a 13 year old girl, I'm sure you're interested in fashion. Hope you and all the other Fun Monday participants enjoyed my European fashion tips. Now I'm off to check out some closets!

(Click on the photos to embiggen. Best way to get the details of fashions captured in motion.)