Keeping Up with the Obamas

I've expressed my appreciation for Mrs. Obama shopping in her closet here on PPT before and even wrote a story about it for the old gig that was picked up by Shape.com. As the wife of the U.S. President who is currently leading a country facing a massive recession, she's wise not to boast new, expensive looks every week.

Well, the First Lady recently did it again. The mom-in-chief wore a J. Crew ensemble that we first saw last year during her first Jay Leno appearance. Mrs. O rocked the same blouse, pencil skirt and cardigan again last week at a health care event at the White House. This time around she flipped the look by losing the brooch and adding one of her signature wide belts.



Loves it!

Here are a few key points for all of us to remember when shopping in our own closets like Mrs. Obama:

1 - Investing in quality -- not necessarily expensive -- clothing is key. Remember that a bargain isn't a bargain if it falls apart after three washes. By the same token a good deal loses it's value if it just sits in your closet and never sees the light of day.

2 - Taking care of garments to ensure a longer lifetime is crucial. Washing whites with the other whites. Handwashing delicate items. Dropping our boots and shoes off at the cobbler when necessary. Taking clothes to the cleaners and tailor when appropriate are all important in extending the lifespan of the clothing and accessories we love.

3 - Stacking up on items that fit our lifestyles and paying less attention to trends. Mrs. Obama frequently wears pencil skirts and separates that she can easily mix and match. She's also a fan of shift dresses. All of these items are ideal for a wife and mother on the go and are essentials to most female professionals working in an office setting.

Attempting to keep up with the Jones has put many of us in debt. Let's try something new.

Shopping in My Own Closet

Hey, folks! Last week I was laid off from my job. Yep, my position at ESSENCE.com has gone bye-bye. Thank God for discernment and an awesome circle of loved ones, because I am more at peace than I have been in a long time. When I mentioned this to my good friend D, and added that I was feeling somewhat guilty (and confused...Was my hurt/anxiety coming later? I am notorious for delayed reactions after all...), he assured me that it was quite alright for me to have a positive outlook on the situation and not to force myself to be bitter, angry or depressed. "B, you should own your serenity. So what if people think you're not normal? You've never been normal." See why I think my peeps are so dope?

Moving along, I actually wanted to post about shopping in my own closet weeks ago but now the timing feels just right. Last month, I attended the wedding of a close family friend in North Carolina. The wedding and reception were both taking place indoors; at a church and a loft space respectively. In preparing for this wedding, I did what most of us do and made the decision to buy something new to wear. I had convinced myself that it would be worth it if I found something that I could also wear to the office later. (Isn't God funny?)

So, on one of my rare lunch breaks just days before the nuptials, I head to a Banana Republic a stone's throw away from my former j-o to find an appropriate frock to wear for this occasion. En route I remembered that I already owned a perfect dress, also from Banana Republic, I had only worn once or twice before. Hmmmm. I decided to check out Banana anyway since said dress might not read "fall" (I picked it up on sale over the summer in New Orleans). Well, nothing in Banana that day tickled my fancy enough to purchase it so I stuck with the dress I owned.

The outcome: The dress was perfect. I received many compliments and more importantly, I felt great in it. I paired it with a pair of metallic gold slingbacks and a vintage gold clutch from my mother. These accessories help take the dress from summery to fallish. Plus, since the dress contained neutral colors, the wedding was in North Carolina (temps don't really drop there until late November) and everything was held indoors, my fears that my dress would appear too "summery" were quickly dismissed. Nice!


Me wearing my "old" dress (on your right) and my cousin at the wedding reception. She just might flip that I posted this pic but it's the only one I had access to from the wedding.

Ironically, I spoke on a panel recently and urged the audience (the majority of them were residents of NY's Queensbridge Public Houses) not to buy something new just because society pressures us to do so. As the holidays are approaching and invitations to cocktail parties, office soirees and like start floating in; I strongly suggest we ALL reevaluate what we own before purchasing something new to wear.

Remember this post? Well, now ya girl will really have to practice what she preaches in this career transitional phase of my life. Regardless of what God has in store for me, shopping smarter is an absolute must.

Have you learned to shop in your own closet recently? Leave me a comment with your stories.