Fall Fashionista Shopping!
No! I am not a "fashionista." I just don't have the budget to be one but I learned long ago where there is a will there is a way.
During my married years, I stashed as much small time cash as I could. It was difficult because my wife and I didn't have much spendable income to start with for the longest time and she was a book-keeper by trade and knew how to keep track of spending. I felt real guilty!
As I have written here in Cyrsti's Condo, I learned and made do with thrift store and deep seasonal discount purchases. Not much has changed today except my wife passed and I semi retired into the infamous never never land of "fixed income." So when I made a major investment in two pairs of boots this weekend, it was big!
In the picture to the right you see the two new pairs and a hold over boot in the middle from last year.
Of course, the more you transition into your girl self, your fashion dynamic will change too. All of the sudden, your wardrobe needs go from one or two days a week to five, six or 24/7. Over a space of time, I changed my focus to finding cost conscious styles which had the potential of lasting longer, fitting better and matching my overall style.
We can use the boots above as an example. The shorter tan boot will certainly not be a flattering fashion find for my feet in that they will have the tendency to make my feet look bigger and they do not have a smooth fit up my leg. On the other hand, they will be very functional in snowy/icy weather and I will still be able to tuck my jeans into them for a trip to the grocery store or where ever.AND they will be warm with a pair of thick snuggly socks! As I have told you all several times, HRT has ruined my thermostat and I'm not making up some sissy/girly excuse when I tell you I get colder now. I do!
The black boot in the middle is essentially a bit more of a winter fashion upgrade from the shorter tan boots. These boots are really fun to wear with leggings, a big baggy sweater and just the right scarf.
The gray "slouch" boot on the left qualifies as the fashion choice of the three. It provides a slimming line up the leg and can again be worn with leggings, tights and even hose. Lot's of potential for me to dress them up or down.
Interestingly, all of these boots are sized different. The tans are regular 12's, the black suede regular 11's and the gray slouch boots are 12 wide. I have a difficult time finding a boor which will slide over the top of my foot without a side zipper. Another consideration I have with boots is finding a pair which will fit my wider calf. All are reason's I have a tough time shopping on line.
The cost? Under 100 dollars spread over two years. Believe me, I would have recoiled over such an expenditure as recently as a couple years ago. Now, winter footwear is a needed expense.
One other feature you may have noticed is all of these boots styles have very low heels. I have four reasons:
1.- safety. I'm very uncoordinated and want to keep all the decidedly unfeminine falls to a minimum!
2.- height (I prefer to stay under the 5'11" mark)
3.- comfort. Let's just say my old bones and joints have seen their better days.
4.-blending. These three styles give me the flexibility to match my style with what the majority of the other women in my area are wearing.
Hope all these little hints help you girls!
During my married years, I stashed as much small time cash as I could. It was difficult because my wife and I didn't have much spendable income to start with for the longest time and she was a book-keeper by trade and knew how to keep track of spending. I felt real guilty!
As I have written here in Cyrsti's Condo, I learned and made do with thrift store and deep seasonal discount purchases. Not much has changed today except my wife passed and I semi retired into the infamous never never land of "fixed income." So when I made a major investment in two pairs of boots this weekend, it was big! In the picture to the right you see the two new pairs and a hold over boot in the middle from last year.
Of course, the more you transition into your girl self, your fashion dynamic will change too. All of the sudden, your wardrobe needs go from one or two days a week to five, six or 24/7. Over a space of time, I changed my focus to finding cost conscious styles which had the potential of lasting longer, fitting better and matching my overall style.
We can use the boots above as an example. The shorter tan boot will certainly not be a flattering fashion find for my feet in that they will have the tendency to make my feet look bigger and they do not have a smooth fit up my leg. On the other hand, they will be very functional in snowy/icy weather and I will still be able to tuck my jeans into them for a trip to the grocery store or where ever.AND they will be warm with a pair of thick snuggly socks! As I have told you all several times, HRT has ruined my thermostat and I'm not making up some sissy/girly excuse when I tell you I get colder now. I do!
The black boot in the middle is essentially a bit more of a winter fashion upgrade from the shorter tan boots. These boots are really fun to wear with leggings, a big baggy sweater and just the right scarf.
The gray "slouch" boot on the left qualifies as the fashion choice of the three. It provides a slimming line up the leg and can again be worn with leggings, tights and even hose. Lot's of potential for me to dress them up or down.
Interestingly, all of these boots are sized different. The tans are regular 12's, the black suede regular 11's and the gray slouch boots are 12 wide. I have a difficult time finding a boor which will slide over the top of my foot without a side zipper. Another consideration I have with boots is finding a pair which will fit my wider calf. All are reason's I have a tough time shopping on line.
The cost? Under 100 dollars spread over two years. Believe me, I would have recoiled over such an expenditure as recently as a couple years ago. Now, winter footwear is a needed expense.
One other feature you may have noticed is all of these boots styles have very low heels. I have four reasons:
1.- safety. I'm very uncoordinated and want to keep all the decidedly unfeminine falls to a minimum!
2.- height (I prefer to stay under the 5'11" mark)
3.- comfort. Let's just say my old bones and joints have seen their better days.
4.-blending. These three styles give me the flexibility to match my style with what the majority of the other women in my area are wearing.
Hope all these little hints help you girls!
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