“O, beware, my lord, of jealousy; It is the green-ey’d monster…” Well, the jealousy I’m thinking about is more of a green-haired monster.  Or a green-scarved monster.

You know what I mean.  Everyone knows someone whose tichel is always tied perfectly, and in a way that would make your face look fat.  Or someone who has a different hat to wear every day of the month, for both seasons.  Someone whose hair is always shiny/bouncy/curly/straight and never flat/dull/frizzy/frumpy – like your own.  You’re torn between worshiping her perfection and wanting to throw a paper bag over her head.

Some women don’t stress about their appearances.  Either they’re confident about their abilities to construct an outfit, or they just don’t care.  But there’s a huge middle of the road where you have women that constantly struggle to pull themselves together. (more…)

As much fun as it is for me to dress up my baby daughter, you’d think I would understand that pet owners get a similar kick out of cute accessories for their animals.  But I have to admit, I cringe when I see a dog that’s better dressed than I am.

I mean, it really is understandable.  If your puppy has really long hair, it might need a barrette or two to keep it out of her eyes.  A short-haired animal living in a cold climate might need the additional warmth provided by a coat or sweater.  You can get paw-printed collars and sparkly ID tags.  I’m even down with the old bandana-around-the-neck thing: I would have tied a Yankees one around my dog’s neck during the World Series, he just wouldn’t let.  But a Swarovski crystal choker that costs over $100?  Doggie sunglasses to protect them from the UV glare on ski trips?  Hand-knit cashmere Fair Isle sweaters? (more…)

Everyone needs spring break.  No, I don’t mean the kind where you spend a week getting drunk in Cancun (although if that’s what floats your boat, who am I to argue?).  I mean that the weather is taunting you with the occasional ray of sunshine, even a warm day sandwiched between the cold rainy ones, and your allergies are due to break out at any moment.  THAT is the time that you need to take a day to sleep in, eat some waffles, and possibly leave the house to do some shopping.  Before all the activity – whether holidays, sports, yard work, whatever – associated with spring and summer sweeps you away. (more…)

I watched Toy Story 3 recently, and it got me thinking about all the stuff I used to play with back in the day.  I miss my old Creepy Crawler Workshop, and my gymnastics Barbie with the hinged knees and elbows.  Did any of you actually act out games with your Barbie dolls?  Because all I remember is getting them dressed in various getups, and then switching them all to a new clothing theme until I got sick of those tiny little snaps.   (more…)

Some authors are better than others at description.  Some bring in loads of tedious details just to take up space, and others leave almost everything up to your imagination.  Back when I read Great Expectations in high school, I learned that it’s packed with unnecessary descriptions because Dickens was paid by the word – so he made darn sure he got his money’s worth!

But the best authors can tell you only exactly as much as you want to know.  I know that some people tend to skip the descriptive parts of a book, but I’ve always lingered over them, forming precise pictures in my mind.  I like to know what everyone looks like!

Laura Ingalls Wilder, for example (the Little House books), does a great job of describing clothing.   (more…)

Weddings are an excellent time to discover what’s new in the world of accessories.  And I don’t just mean people-watching.  Everyone has realized the day of an event that they left their necklace at home, or they took the wrong shoes, or the bride’s veil has been eaten by her puppy.  Stuff like that.  And when you’re rushing to the mall to fill in a last-minute gap in your wardrobe, you don’t take the time to shop around; you grab what’s on display at the front of the first store you go into and run.

My cousin got married this week, and my mother had a new black (!) dress that needed some blinging up.   (more…)

Now I know why so many cultures throughout time, all over the world, developed customs relating to haircovering and hairstyles for women: to keep their babies from yanking them bald.  I have a 4-month-old daughter who recently discovered the joys of grabbing the tender hairs at my neck, kind of behind and below my ears (the part just outside of my tichel too), and giving a nice sharp tug.  She even found the end of my ponytail today.  OUCH.

But when we go out, she’s kind of like an accessory for me.  Before you think that I think my baby is just a necklace, let me explain what I mean.  When you wear a really nice scarf or belt or something, people come over and comment on how nice it is.  An eye-catching accessory can start a conversation, as well as make you feel like you look good. (more…)