Kristin van Ogtrop's Blog, page 346
April 29, 2011
Stretching the Truth...or Why You're Suddenly Size 2!
A recent New York Times article detailing how vanity sizing is sweeping the nation had many women chattering about how they shimmy into size 4s at one store while wriggling into 12s at another. Generally speaking, the more mass-market lines tend to skew smaller—that is, you may be a 4 at Old Navy but at Prada you'll be a 10 or 12.
While the forces behind the sizing may involve the changing waistlines of Americans and a perverse capitalization on many people's rather tortured relationships with their bodies (Read: the smaller the digit on the label, no matter the reality of the proportions, the better we feel!), I think it also comes down on to word. With apologies to "The Graduate", the one word: Lycra.
Think about it. Rifle through your closet. Read the labels. How many garments do you own that contain NO Lycra? Especially when it comes to jeans and other pants. A touch of stretch is pretty much standard in almost every fashion brand from couture to Kmart, and in terms of making clothes move with your body and hug one's curves, these fibers can't be beat. But with all those stretchy fabrics, it's a lot easier to gain 5 or 10 pounds and not have to change sizes—or even unbutton your pants.
And have you ever tried on the clothes of yesteryear—i.e. anything you'd find in a vintage boutique—and find yourself struggling to pull on those 40s tweed pants or that 60s polyester shift? Before elastane, Lycra, Spandex, Supplex, and all the other rubbery fibers, clothes were certainly less forgiving. Personally, I'll admit that I rarely wear a garment that doesn't have something stretchy in it and when I do, I am uncomfortable all day—literally bursting at the seams. And heck, all of my Lycra-laced jeans are so accommodating, I actually can get away with a size smaller than I'd wear in a pair of the exact same measurements.
So there you have it. My one-word take on the state of American fashion and our physical selves: blame/thank Spandex!
Thoughts? Agree or disagree? Still happily clinging to those few stretch-free garments or are you similarly hooked on newer fabrics?
April 28, 2011
Close Your Shades to Save Energy
Another easy way to cut down your electric bill this spring and summer: Keep your shades closed especially on the west- and south-facing windows of your home. Doing so prevents your home from being heated by the sun and making your cooling system work harder.
In the colder months do the opposite. Keep your shades up during the day if you can to take advantage of the sun's energy.
What do you do to keep your electric bills low during the summer?
The Case of the Racist Roommate
Earlier this week, a reader named Allison Sparling posted a dilemma on Real Simple's Facebook page that is as much about ethics as etiquette:
"I have a prejudiced roommate to be. She sublet from another roommate. How should I handle other people who want to rent rooms?...At first she didn't want to live with any more girls, which seemed strange, but then it was African Americans. She uses the phrase 'she totally jewed me,' and she does not seem to have many kind things to say about Greeks or anyone of Asian descent. Ahhh! We have sublet the rooms for May only to a bunch of Caucasians (female, much to her actual chagrin), but we have to go through the whole process again in June."
How should Allison handle this sort of talk...and the roommate's unwillingness to rent to "other kinds" of people?
I don't know about the rest of you, but I have a messy, visceral reaction to reading those comments— a combination of shock and outrage and embarrassment that makes me want to instinctively turn away from them.
Fight that urge, Allison. Stand up for what's right. You need to make it clear you won't tolerate her intolerant views. Step one is to rent rooms to the first qualified applicants you meet, and do not judge their suitability based on race or religion or gender. Do not allow your roommate to make you an accomplice to her ugly views.
Next: Deal with her. Here are two possible approaches:
(1) Her bigotry may be ignorance, an artifact of her upbringing and youthful inexperience. You told me you've tried talking to her sincerely ("wow, I don't really feel that way"). Since that didn't work, next try biting humor. I remember in college that an effective way older, more sophisticated students made callow freshmen realize that they were callow freshmen was to make a humorous comment with an edge, which felt like a cold slap. Next time she says something derogatory about an applicant, say sarcastically: "Great idea, and we can all start walking around wearing white sheets over our heads, too."
If that doesn't work?
(2) Announce a mandatory all-roommates meeting where you can present a strong, united front. After you call the meeting to order, use an implacably reasonable and measured tone when you say to her, "We're all concerned about you. You've ignored our attempts to point out that your bigotry is unacceptable. Is something preventing you from understanding what we are saying?"
Give her a chance to answer. If she defends her position, another roommate can chime in and say, "It's really weird you aren't getting the message. If you have some underlying problem you haven't told us about, please tell us now, so we can help you. Otherwise, don't talk like that in our home."
Stay strong. Her name may be on the lease, but if she isn't willing to change, she needs to come to the inevitable conclusion that she may be happier living somewhere else.
OK, that's my two cents. Anybody else care to weigh in on this one?
What Are the Little Things That Annoy You?
This week the New York Times ran a story about small annoyances. Specifically, the article was about some researchers who were trying to figure out why certain things annoy some people but don't annoy others. For example: The writer of the story gets very annoyed when someone behind her kicks her seat. That doesn't bother me so much. The writer is also annoyed by public nail clipping. How do I feel about that? Completely fine, really, except for that fact that it makes me want to kill somebody. Especially when the public nail clipping is done on an otherwise quiet commuter train at the end of a long day. Seriously, what would inspire someone to clip his fingernails on a train? What kind of parents raise a person who thinks that clipping fingernails on a train is acceptable? If you are a person who clips your fingernails on a crowded train, what sort of awful, irritating, disgusting things do you do in the privacy of your own home? I shudder to think.
So I guess public nail clipping annoys me too. Just a bit.
One of the "takeaways" of the article, as we say here in Journalism Land, is that although there are a few universally annoying things—fingernails on a chalkboard, a wailing baby (which both have scientific or evolutionary explanations for why they bug us)—little annoyances vary from individual to individual. For example: My assistant, Ann, and I have spent a fair amount of time this week discussing how much it annoys her that kids no longer have to learn cursive in school. (And lo and behold, there is a Times article about that today too.) I see her point, although this doesn't really bug me the way it bugs her. But I'm happy to hear her rant about it, because there is some masochistic part of my personality that, on certain days, actually likes to dwell on annoying things, just as I occasionally really love to listen to someone complain about something for far longer than they should.
Here are a few random, in-no-particular-order things that annoy me, in addition to the nail clipping:
1) dirt on my kitchen floor
2) people who look over my shoulder when they talk to me
3) dogs that drool a lot
4) people who talk so quietly that it's hard to hear them
5) when frames on the wall are crooked
6) children who keep getting up before they are finished eating dinner (note: I have two of these in my household. I love them, but this still annoys me)
7) tourists who walk really slowly in front of me down a Manhattan street, looking up at the sky
8) drawers that are left open
9) anything sticky inside my car
10) a T.V. left on with nobody in the room
It's one of those days: I'm all ears! What little things annoy you?
If you wish to comment, please click here.
April 27, 2011
Easy Energy Saver: Lower the Temperature on Your Water Heater
Sometimes it's the smallest changes that can make the biggest impact. Case in point: adjusting the temperature on your water heater.
Most hot water heaters are set at 140 degrees Fahrenheit, but the ideal temperature is actually 120 degrees Fahrenheit. That is the lowest temperature that still prevents any bacteria from forming in the water, and it will still be hot enough for washing dishes.
In terms of energy savings, you'll see a 3 to 5 percent savings for every 10 degrees you lower the temperature on your water heater.
Do you know at what temperature your water heater is set? What other energy saving steps have you taken?
Related:
How to Set Up a Recycling System
10 Ways To Brighten Up Your Look For Under $50
Bring on the color!
Spring has sprung! So in celebration--here are 10 high voltage pieces to add to your wardrobe this season. Go from ho-hum to OH-WOW! And all for under $50!
MICHAEL ANTONIA--GALENA SANDALS, $45
MODCLOTH--FLOWERS OF ROMANCE DRESS, $49.99
SPRING STREET--STARBURST RING, $28
VOLCOM--BUENO BOLSA TOTE, $45.50
LANDS' END PINTUCK BIB SHELL, $39.50
TRADING POST HANDKERCHIEF SKIRT, $41
Bonus Brightener:
In anticipation and sheer excitement about the Royal wedding (swoon!)--I have spend a considerable amount of time on InStyle.com's ingenious "Kate Middleton's Royal Wedding Dress Style" game. Pick and choose--from an amazing selection of dresses and accessories handpicked by InStyle.com's fashion team--what the future princess will wear on her big day. This totally brigthens my day and it's so much fun!
Wire Frame Lampshade Trend
Have you noticed an emerging wire lampshade trend? I've been living in Europe for nearly two years now and definitely see it as a trend over here but what about there in the states? You'll have to comment and let me know... but I've spotted lots of wire frame lampshades being used in home decorating more and more - even in the Australian magazines that I read. Here are some examples of what I'm talking about... After you've checked out my selections below, please let me know if you love or hate them (or somewhere in between!).
Wire frame lamp shades from Swedish decorating magazine, Skona Hem. These were made for the shoot, you can recreate the look quite easily by stripping a lampshade and spray painting the frame white.
Rockett St George has a lovely white wire lampshade.
Wire lampshade from House Doctor in Denmark.
Green expert Danny Seo made this fun light for his dining room.
You can also buy the original that Danny based his DIY version off of, designed by Mathieu Challières, lights I've had my eyes on for several years now.
Here is a lampshade that I made for under $12 by wrapping fabric around a vintage frame that I purchased on eBay. Details here.
Black wire shade from Australia designer Koskela.
Another DIY lampshade, this time a shade was stripped and painted pink in a Swedish home.
So tell me, are you on board with this whole wire frame lampshade trend or not?
I love this trend - but definitely when they are done right -- either very simple like the Koskela ones or more ornate like the fabric wrapped frame that I made or those gorgeous ones from France with the birds - yum!
(images linked to their source above.)
Host a Royal Wedding Celebration
Having spent the past few months living in London, I've naturally become royally obsessed with the Royal Wedding and was even dubbed "the wedding obsessive" by my former colleagues at the BBC. With a mere two days until Prince William and Kate Middleton say "I do," I've finally started to plan my own celebration.
Originally I planned to host a breakfast party to celebrate, but I realized most of my friends don't fancy the idea of waking up at the crack of dawn (the wedding broadcasts begin at 6 am EST). My next great idea? Record the wedding and host a breakfast-for-dinner party.
Since a Royal Wedding isn't just any occasion, here are some of the things I've been thinking about:
Decor
An elegant breakfast to celebrate the royal wedding is the perfect excuse to use nicer dishware and cutlery. Nothing says royalty quite like a white linen tablecloth, fine china and polished silver. I'll be using the Royal Albert "Polka Rose" tea set (cup and saucer, $60 at macys.com) I bought myself as a souvenir to remember my time in England. The more tasteful wedding memorabilia, like this tea towel I was gifted ($10 at johnlewis.com), will make a great addition to my table. I want to keep the setting simple (but festive!) for an air of sophistication.
Attire
I'm excited about getting dressed for the occasion, but a morning dress (a dress paired with a matching jacket) isn't quite my style so I'll trade that for a sundress. To maintain some tradition, I'll definitely pair my dress with a fun hat. If I have time, I'll even save some money by making my own with the help of DailyCandy's D.I.Y. video.
If you and your guests are having a true breakfast party, it might seem daunting to think about dressing up for such an early event. Why not make it a pajama party? Tell your guests to come in their coziest bathrobes and slippers.
Food
What could be better than serving the Queen of England's very own drop scones? The family recipe will be included in an upcoming exhibit at the National Archives and, luckily, a copy has been released just in time for the wedding celebrations.
While it's easy to remember the basics such as tea and scones, I'm looking forward to cooking a full English breakfast to serve my guests a more hearty meal. The traditional British breakfast typically includes an assortment of eggs, sausages, bacon, baked beans, mushrooms, sliced tomatoes, toast, and fried bread.
Favors
It's always nice to send guests home with a memento to remember the occasion by and there is no shortage of quirky souvenirs out there. One artist even designed a sick bag for all the royal naysayers ($5 at lydialeith.com).
I like subtlety, so I've chosen a commemorative souvenir mug ($15 at johnlewis.com) because it's something that my friends can use daily. If you're looking for something smaller that you can make yourself, pass out small bottles of bubbles and tie on a blue ribbon with a British flag or a picture of Prince William and his bride-to-be. You and your guests can blow bubbles after the vows to celebrate.
How are you planning to celebrate the royal wedding? I'd love to hear what your plans are.
Related:
InStyle's Kate Middleton Wedding Dress Up
The Wedding Dresses of American "Royalty"
April 26, 2011
Do You Shop Online Sample Sales for Home Decor?
Fashion companies kicked off the craze of online sample sale shopping (hello, Gilt Groupe!), but the brands that make decor weren't far behind. And now it seems like there are a million sites out there that promise the best home goods without the designer prices.
I regularly check out sites like Joss & Main, One Kings Lane, and, of course, Gilt Home, but I've never purchased anything from them. So I'm curious if you ever have.
Do you shop online sample sales for home decor?Market Research
Let me know in the comments what, if anything, you've ever purchased.
Related:
23 Decorating Tricks for Your Bedroom
A Month-by-Month Guide to Shopping Deals
How Much Water Do Low-Flow Showerheads Save?
Switching out your showerhead for a low-flow model is one of the easiest changes you can make to save water. But how much of an impact is it actually making?
Low-flow fixtures cut water usage in half. Meaning if you take a 5-minute shower you can save approximately 4,550 gallons of water each year, or enough to fill a 15-foot aboveground swimming pool. Just imagine if everyone made the switch.
Have you installed a low-flow showerhead? What else have you done to save water?
Related:
9 Things You Can Do To Save Water
