tank top — Fashion — Stylin' Granny Mama

Since it is still winter in the midwest, I thought it would be beneficial to start our fashion walk with layers. I am a layer fanatic and I will give my daughters Rebecca and Rachel the credit for teaching me about layering and all things fashion. What is more fun that being able to wear as many of your clothes as you can at one time, and still look fashionable?

In today's post we'll start with the under layer or what I call the bedrock. This is your foundational layer. This layer should lay close to your skin. This will include your underwear. Now what sort of underwear you wear is entirely up to you. This blog is meant to help you feel comfortable and fashionable in things you are already used to wearing. If you wear cotton panties, by all means keep wearing them. If you wear a thong, you go girl! There are so many options out there and you are in charge of you. In addition to your underwear you can also consider hose, tights or leggings as well as slips and shape wear part of the bedrock.

After we have all our under layers on, we can think about actual clothing. I usually wear a tank top, but any type of cami or even a thin tee shirt will do. What you wear, might be determined by how you wear it. If you are layering a button up blouse over a long sleeve tee and want to coordinate the pattern on the blouse with the color of your tee then you might be wearing a crew neck. Maybe you are looking for simple practicality and just want to be warm, then a cami or tank top that doesn't show is appropriate.

The real trick to the bedrock is layers without bulk. If your under layer is too thick or covered in buttons or embroidery, etc. the over layers may look wrinkly, or, God forbid, make you look heavier. So always think layers without lumps. Think of layer cake. A beautiful cake will have frosting free of crumbs or blobs of unnecessary decoration. As we dress, we want to appear smooth, light and beautiful.

Obviously layering is not for everyone. I am a post menopausal woman and while I still have micro hot flashes I was one of the fortunate women who flew through the change easily; that's not true for everyone. My mother-in-law was thrown into menopause after having a hysterectomy and likens her hot flashes to panic attacks with your skin on fire. During that stage of her life she would not be found in the amount of layers I am used to wearing in the winter. If you are in the throes of the change then layering can be as simple as a short sleeve blouse under a cardigan. That way, when you are flashing you can take the cardi off and still look polished. No sweat! (Pardon my unforgivable pun!)

Next week we'll explore Middle Earth!