Embarking on New Territory

This year I have been volunteered to host Thanksgiving. I'm incredibly nervous about it because I have never cooked a turkey in my life! I know, GASP! Because my family is all local and both sets of my kids' grandparents like to see them for the holidays, we always have been the traveling caravan. We usually have 2 meals that day, one at my grandparents and one at my husband's family. It's stressful, especially in timing naps for each kid so that they can last for both houses, we usually have to have two outfits for each of the kids (and a back up just in case for ourselves) for the eminent spills and food plopping on their nice, clean, and freshly pressed clothes. I also usually have to make a dish for each house, so timing that is stressful too as I usually have to make it in advance, cook it at each of the houses as it's too far a distance to each house to cook it ahead of time and have it still be warm when we get there.
This all seems so hectic and sounds like a terrible way to spend a holiday, right? Well, it has become the norm for us, for every holiday, so I'm used to it now. This year, on the other hand, is more stressful and scary for me! My mother-in-law is always the hostess for Thanksgiving, the tables are always so pretty with gorgeous place settings, the nice dishes come out, the nice glasses come out and everything is just so organized. Well, if you've been reading this blog for a while or you know me personally, you know that organization is not a strong suit of mine. So to help me along this journey, I'm going to be doing a small series, mostly so that I get mentally prepared for holiday ahead. I'm going to have recipes that can be prepared ahead of time, so you aren't freaking out the day of, table settings for adults and kids, ideas on stress management, and decorations for your house.

So today, I am going to talk about what I am going to wear. Yup. If I want to be the "Hostess with the Mostest" I need to look the part! I have been looking up ideas for months now and I think I have settled on a great idea. Well, by great I mean in theory it is great, in all actuality, not too sure yet. I have decided to do something a little out of character for myself and try making a High Waisted Pencil Skirt. I've been doing lots of research to see if it's even a good idea for someone of my shape and size to wear something that hugs your hips.

Here's what my research has found:

* Pencil skirts, especially High Waisted Pencil Skirts, are flattering for ALL sizes! You just have to find one that fits properly for your shape and size.

* When finding the perfect skirt, you need to think of how long you want it. If it's too short it will make you look way bigger than you really are and slightly tacky, if it's too long then you will have a hard time walking. Plus, wherever your skirt ends is where the eye is drawn to, so you want it to be a smaller part of your leg like just under the knee or at your calf where it starts to taper down. To find the right length, wear the shoes you want to wear with your skirt (mine are a pair of pumps that I found at Goodwill for $2 and they are brand new!), stand in front of a mirror and put a sheet of fabric on the floor, pull the sheet up until you reach the length that you feel makes your legs look great. I am incredibly knock-kneed so I have to find things that are past the knee or it looks like my legs sprang out from nowhere! I am making mine about 3" below my knees, so the skirt isn't stopping at a wide part of my leg and it's still very flattering to my figure.

* Also, your figure has a lot to do with what type of skirt you get. If you have no hips, you want to look for a skirt with pleats or pockets at the sides to give the illusion of having more there than you really have. If you have big hips, like me, you want to stay FAR FAR away from pockets and pleats. If you have a belly, no pleats in the front either as it will make your tummy look much bigger than it actually is. If you are pear shaped, you carry your weight in your hips and thighs, you want your skirt to be as simple as possible, with no buttons, embellishments or pockets at the front or sides of your skirt.

* Usually for us bigger girls, black, navy or brown are the recommended colors to help minimize your hips, or at least give the illusion of it. But now, the trends are getting more bold and colorful. The thing to look for is the fabric itself. Stay away from shiny fabrics, like satin and taffeta, as it is not very forgiving if you have a bulge in the front because it causes shadows which is the same as having a giant neon sign flashing and saying, "Look at my baby bulge! Yes my baby is almost three years old, but LOOK AT IT!" Look for cotton, cotton blends, linens, wools and other thicker fabrics that give your skirt more structure and won't shift very much. The fabric I bought is a burnt orange linen that I'm really excited about!

Now I also want to show examples of women that are fashion icons of all shapes and sizes rockin' the pencil skirt!

You can't talk about beautiful curves without thinking of Marilyn Monroe. She is still a trend setter and designers still look to her shape and the way she looked in her clothes for inspiration for modern day fashion.

I love how this skirt looks on America Ferrera. It shows how simple an outfit can be, but the outcome is stunning! A simple black blouse and a grey skirt makes this amazing!

I have been watching "Mad Men" a lot lately, which is probably why I want to make a pencil skirt. Christina Hendricks, who plays Joan, is setting a new standard of GORGEOUS! She is busty, hippy and beautiful! I have to say that I have a little bit of a girl crush on her (in a very straight way). I just think she is stunning and if I had half her confidence I would be one happy camper!

These are examples of how to dress up and down a pencil skirt. These skirts are so versatile that you can wear them year round and at the office or on a date! Love that!

Here is a perfect example of how to break with tradition and think outside the box... or the color palette. This is a gorgeous, show stopping ORANGE skirt that compliments this girls curves so well! I love the band at the top too! If you are making your skirt with a band at the top, put some stiff interfacing in it to give the look of a corset! Easy way to create the illusion on a tiny waist!

Stay tuned for more on my Stress Free Thanksgiving Series!