I had a wonderful Christmas and we're still enjoying my husband's vacation time.  I hope your holiday was peaceful and joyful as well. I figured it was time for another post and I tried to kick my brain into a creative gear. 
Nothing happened. I thought, "But I want to post something profound and perfect."  Bupkis. 
Could it be that my 2 year old not sleeping in her travel bed AT ALL during this vacation has sapped me of all my zest for style?  Maybe.  I'm pretty sapped. 
Nothing percolated to the top of my conscience.   
Finally, when I couldn't come up with something "profound and perfect", I was inspired by my mother.  We were going through her closet.  She recently lost some weight and many things no longer fit her so we were clearing those items out and reorganizing her closet.  Pretty much heaven for me.  It's one of my favorite pastimes. 
During the shifting, shuffling, trying on and rehanging, I reminded her several times of the two cardinal criteria she is to apply to any future shopping trips:

Does this item fill a hole in my wardrobe or replace a worn out/ill fitting item? 
If the answer to those questions is no - she doesn't need it right now.  And the topic for this post was born.  Many of us were probably given cash/gift cards for Christmas that we are about to start shopping with.  Maybe for clothes. 
As we did with my mothers closet today, a smart way for you to go about any future shopping is to take a serious inventory of everything you have and make a little list of the holes in your wardrobe you would like to fill.  Take it with you when you shop. 
Just as a grocery list helps you focus your efforts and save money when shopping for food (avoiding those unnecessary impulse buys) a style list helps do the same when you're clothing shopping.  You probably won't need a list to spot the items similar to the ones you love to wear right now.  But if you already have five white t-shirts hanging in your closet... you don't need another one.  If you have one black t-shirt that is faded and pilled... replace it.  And by replace I mean REPLACE.  When you get home, you throw out (or donate) the old item. 
An overstuffed wardrobe does not a great wardrobe make.
I hope this little tip is useful and makes your shopping trips this year more successful, culminating in better style and happier dressing. 
And let's all repeat it again, just for good measure -
1.  Fill A Hole
2.  Replace

This is my favorite version of A Christmas Carol.  George C. Scott is the ultimate Mr. Scrooge.  If you have a few minutes, enjoy this scene from the movie.  It's his transformation after the Spirits of Christmas show him the error of his ways. 
He's a changed man.  Happy, enlightened, giving.  Christ-like. 
It's an excellent reminder to keep Christmas in your heart all year long.

Can you believe it?  One week till Christmas.  I love this time of year. 
The kidlets and I listen to Christmas music all day, rearrange the cloth nativity scene a million times, play in the snow on the deck, get excited for when Mr. Darcy (aka Daddy) gets home and we turn on the lights and bake more Christmas treats. 
It's a glorious time that's always far too fleeting. 
I hope this next week is joyful instead of stressful for you!
Merry Christmas! 

It's interesting how different style issues suddenly catch your attention.  Over the last few weeks I've noticed quite a few skirt slit problems.  Women have either a) tried to stitch them partially or completely closed, b) left in the 'X' stitch from the manufacturer (Ach!), or c) given up and let their slip show through.  Less than stylish options all.
 
1.  Always, ALWAYS remove the little 'X' stitch before you wear something the first time.  You'll find it on jacket/coat, sport coat, and blazer slits as well.  It's meant to be removed.  The manufacturer slips it in there to keep the slit neatly closed during transport and display.
2.  It is almost never possible to completely close a slit without causing the skirt to pull awkwardly, ruining the line and look.  You might be able to get away with it if you have less than an inch that needs to be closed.  But if you're thinking that thigh-high slit on a skirt you really want will look fine as soon as you stitch it closed, you're wrong. 

So what are your options?  If the slit is too high for your comfort, don't buy the skirt.  Find another.  If the slit isn't TOO too high, and you're up for a little fun, try this nifty trick...

Sew in a nice piece of silk lining!

I chose an animal print for my black pencil skirt because I like the unexpected flash when I walk. You can also choose a color to match your skirt but really, this is a perfect place to have a little fun.  How about a gorgeous purple or pink silk lining on a grey skirt?  Or a lovely black and white polka dot on a black skirt?  Red lining with a khaki skirt? Yes!  

Silk scarves that you don't wear anymore are great because you already have them, the edges are already finished, and silk is strong.  This is a high tension area of a skirt.

If you have reasonable sewing skills you can do this yourself or take it to a tailor.  I've only done this once and I'm still refining the best way to do it.  If any of you have tips to suggest, I welcome them.  In essence, what you're doing is as follows:

1. Lay the skirt flat with the slit on top.  Hold the top flap up, forming an 'L' and have someone measure the widest distance when the ends of the slit are pulled apart.
2. Measure a quarter inch from the bottom of the skirt (or where your hem starts if it looks better) to the top of the slit. 
   
3. Using these two measurements, cut a triangle from your scarf.  The tip will go at the top of the slit, the wide end at the bottom.  Get it? Before sewing, iron a fold into the silk with right sides together.  This way, the silk lining will lay folded and flat within the skirt after you've sewn it, as opposed to bunching together.  I found that stitching a small seam at that fold did an even better job. 
   
4. Don't forget, if you don't have a piece of silk with a finished edge, you'll need to do that.  Don't want this fancy little lining to have raw, fraying edges. 
   
5. With neat, tiny stitches in the same color as your skirt, sew the lining to the wrong side of your skirt and voila!
   

I quickly mocked up the insert I'll be putting into one of my denim skirts.  When Christmas and New Year's have quieted down I'll have time to create a detailed tutorial. 

A key point to remember: this works best with slits that overlap.  'V' slits, where the edges don't overlap at all, and may or may not even meet will still work, but the insert will always be seen.

Many women avoid certain skirts because of this problem.  Pencil skirts are ULTRA flattering on any body type.  With this simple solution you no longer have to avoid them or settle for letting your slip show.  This very easy and cheap fix will make the skirt in question infinitely more wearable.  Hope it works for you!

A few things I'm thinkin' today...

• I'm so grateful for an amazing family!  I have the most incredible husband whom I adore. Our 3 little girls fill my days with joy, and thrive despite my many imperfections.  I have wonderful parents, great siblings, and fabulous in-laws!
• In another month I'll have survived my first year of twins!  Yes, I'd like my gold star please!  I'm so excited for the next year.  And the next... and the next...
  
• The last decade was a fantastic and I hope the next one will be even better.  I traveled a lot with my career, took wonderful vacations to Europe, met the man of my dreams, had a dreamy wedding, and then had 3 little miracles.  Who could ask for anything more?
• For this new decade, I hope for more peace.  If for some reason that can't happen, then I pray we always win! And that we do it quickly and our Joe's come home fast and victorious.
• I pray for better style for all!  The way I see it, there's sure nothing wrong with hoping everyone in the world looks better.  It helps you feel better too!  Spread the joy great style can bring.
  
• I pray the spirit of this Christmas will last beyond next January.  That a little spark will come into everyone's lives this season, helping us be more Christ-like all year.  The world would be a happier place.
• I hope we all find joy in the many little things we do.  Our families, careers, hobbies, studies, activities... and blogs!

I've been a SITSta for many months now but seem to find fun new blogs every time I'm here!  These are just a sampling of the ones I've enjoyed, in no particular order -

• Please Try Again
• Tried and True Cooking with Heidi
• I Love My 5 Kids
• I've Changed My Name to Mommy
• Optimistic Cynicism
• Controlling My Chaos
  

There are a few things you learn real quick as a mother.  First, ALWAYS prep and load your wipees.  Babies have lightening fast hands and feet.  There are few things more annoying in the diapering world than reaching for a wipee to clean up the messy diaper only to discover zero wipees sticking out of the dispenser. Since one hand is holding the kicking legs in the air, your other hand must fish for the end of the top wipee.  One of two things will then happen.  You'll either knock the whole dispenser off the changing table and perfectly out of reach or you'll pull on the wipee and it won't disconnect, dragging 50 more wipees out behind it. Prep and load! Pull out one wipee, making sure the second is also tufting out, and set the first wipee on top.

The second thing you learn is that time is not your friend.  Meal times come way too fast.  You rarely get the food prepped before the fussing begins. You never play with them long enough. They never sleep long enough.  There are never enough hours in the day.  And they grow up way too fast.  Most anything you do for yourself must be done extremely quickly and efficiently.  And I'll bet by now you're wondering what this has to do with good style.  Let me explain.  No, too long.  Let me sum up.  (movie?)

Style Assassins can be subtle.  And they can have nothing to do with clothes and accessories.  I'm talking about these.

Ok.  I wanted to scare you straight with that first picture.  Most women aren't this bad.  More like this.

Or this.  Look familiar?

Why bother writing about this particular style assassin during the season you're least likely to wear sandals?  Because now is the perfect time to winterize your feet! 
This is one of those projects when a little time is definitely all you need. 
Not money.  Not tons of fancy products.  Time. 
Time and 2 steps.

Step 1 - File every time you shower
Sometimes you'll have time to do a thorough job, other times you'll only have 5 seconds to run a quick swipe over your heels.  That's ok.  Be gentle.  Don't forget the callouses on the balls of your feet and big toe and don't get discouraged when the cracks don't disappear instantly.  Exfoliating becomes much more efficient after several moisturizing sessions.

This is the foot file hanging in my shower right now.  It's $2.00.  It has a rough and less-rough side, just like a nail file.  I bought it because it's the file nearly every pedicurist ever used on me.  Speaking of which, next time you get a pedicure, ask if you can keep the one they used on you.  Many state laws require the to salon throw the file away after each client. The one you buy at a beauty supply store will most likely be a little thicker than the one you take from the salon.

Step 2 - Moisturize every time you wear socks

I read this little tip in a Shape magazine eons ago and it has meant the world of difference for my feet.  Slather on a good goopy layer before you pull on socks (not nylon stockings).  Don't worry, it won't soak through and ruin your shoes.  Do this whether you're running a quick errand, heading to the gym for a workout or not even leaving the house.  Keep the bottle of moisturizer in your sock drawer so you don't forget.

This is the moisturizer currently in my sock drawer.  My mom introduced it to me.  It's cheap and works great.  And don't wash the extra off your hands!  I don't like to get the bottle and my sock slimy so after slathering one foot, I rub the extra into my knees.  Then I pull my sock on.  After the other foot I rub the extra into my elbows.  While thicker is better, especially if it's formulated to exfoliate, most any moisturizer will do.  Maybe you have some body lotion you didn't really like the scent of.  Use it up on your heels! 

A couple additional tips?  You don't have to buy some of the crazy expensive products out there. 

I've seen special heel creams topping $30. Most women don't need it.  And these Bliss moisturizing socks are $48 dollars!  Whether they're miracle workers or not I have a whole winter ahead of me and many better uses for $48.

I was once given some moisturizing booties and gloves like this.  They're just really stretchy socks that hold in the lotion and are technically meant to be slept in, but that drove me crazy.  If you can sleep in socks, do that.  The uninterrupted moisturizing hours will work wonders on your feet.  I save my socks for those times I'm going out, will be wearing open-heeled shoes, and am taking more time to get ready.  I moisturize and slip them on right after my shower and wear them until I put my shoes on.

Now go forth and conquer those cracked heels!  Your younger looking feet will return the favor.  (Cracked heels age you quickly.) You'll confidently slip on that first pair of sandals in spring and have a much easier time maintaining your smooth soles next summer.