Sunday, October 06, 2024
I started my weekend on Friday, with the Real Estate Coffee House Zoom meeting. Yes, I am still a Maryland licensed real estate salesperson, see resume.
Maryland laws which affect areas associated with real estate recently went into effect and I wanted to sit in and listen to some of the local experts.
After the meeting, since I did my hair and makeup, I started to try on things I recently pulled from the back of my closets. Though the charcoal sweater with the detachable fur collar is something I wear normally in the Fall and Winter months, I never wear the collar.
I purchased the sweater because of the collar, however for whatever reason
I could never find a look I liked using the collar. So Friday, I looked into
one or two things I could do to use the collar with the sweater.
Today, I pulled out more of the pencil skirts I purchased as separate pieces for the corporate workplace. Some of those skirts (black & charcoal gray wool skirts) are shown above.
Other pencil skirts I purchased like the leather and lined linen skirts shown below, were worn on weekends or on other outings. The style worked with my body type and I always liked a more conservative look for most outings. I played with color a bit more, outside of the workplace. Most of the skirts are size 6 and lined.
I am still going through my closets to see what I can wear again- because of weight loss.
Other things I took care of this weekend included updating the renewal
terms for a CD that will mature later this month, some work in the
garden, and I added to the clothes donation pile.
Some of the movies, videos, and sports events I watched over the weekend.
- Silent Witness w/Dermot Mulroney
- Hypnotic w/Ben Affleck
- Madeline Argy recent vlog
- Baltimore Ravens win over the Cincinnati Bengals
My days are pretty active, and because of this I have been able to lose more weight than normal over the last year. The activities discussed in this post are in addition to my normal routine.
Wednesday, October 02, 2024
It rained today, however I decided to go out as planned. The high in my area was about 71 degrees so I wanted a light jacket to wear with my dress.
In the illustration above, I included the prices for the items I had on. The dress is available at this link. The 14K gold earrings were a gift, however, I found an exact match and noted the $500+ price tag.
In a recent post, I provided a photo of a wool lined suit I purchased in 1983 or so in Falls Church, VA.
I paid about $50.00 for the suit at a discount center. This is not a noteworthy stat, however interesting to me insofar as how my buying habits changed after leaving the corporate workplace. Okay, my weight also played a factor.
Monday, September 30, 2024
Over the years, I have spent a lot of time in the mirror putting together business styles that worked for me. I have also purchased a great many outfits to accommodate my business world.
A type of suit that worked for me- included a tunic jacket with a matching pencil skirt. Two examples from my closet are shown below.
How am I defining tunic jacket? The jacket to the suit could be worn without a blouse underneath because it had some type of closures from top to bottom.
What I do not have in my closet is the suit shown below.
I would like to own the suit illustrated above. I know this suit will work for me in black, caramel, and the gray shown. Leave a comment if you have answers.
Thursday, September 26, 2024
The new flyer for Costco arrived Monday, and I wanted to pick up several sale items on Wednesday with the start of the new promotion.
The problem, it rained all day Wednesday. So I made plans to go today,
Thursday, September 26, 2024. Though it rained earlier in the morning it was
not raining around 11:00 AM when I left the house. Because it was steamy and
wet, I
decided to wear jeans and a sweater. Below photos taken before leaving the
house.
Below, closeup photos of the items I wore.
What is amusing about this? Before I could reach the entrance to the store I had to
pin my hair up because I had absolutely no curls left. Outside, it was like a
steam bath. You would think, I would simply pin my hair up before leaving the
house on days like today.
I managed to purchase most of the items I wanted on sale. In addition, I noticed a
bright LED OttLite being offered for $49.99. These days I need all the bright
light I can find and the lamp on display seemed to cast a bright light.
Happy to report, the lamp worked out well in the area I wanted to use it. See this link for a similar offering on Amazon.
Monday, September 23, 2024
I seldom wore or purchased sweaters to wear to the office. Three sweaters I owned before I started or early in my professional career are shown below.
On occasion, I did wear the brown sweater to the office with a long brown
plaid pencil skirt if I had no meetings planned. One of the photos below shows
the brown sweater with a dress similar in style to that of the skirt. Keep in mind I was a lot
smaller when I worked in the corporate world (resume).
When I started my small business it seemed I purchased a lot of sweaters.
This probably due to the fluctuations in my weight and working from home. Below
photos taken in October 2009 showing styles incorporating sweaters I wore back
then. Note the tweed lavender college sweater from above.
See this post for my corporate business style.
In the previous set of photos did you notice the burgundy sweater I have on in the top left photo? I like that style and since leaving the corporate world I have purchased several in the same style however different colors.
I can also change the look of the crew neck sweaters shown above- by clipping on the black velour collar shown below.
Three of the sweaters I purchased after leaving the corporate world came
with collars and are shown below.
And finally, okay yes I have purchased other sweaters, however these are the
sweaters I wanted to use for business style, I purchased the following
sweaters to wear with pencil skirts rather than a business jacket.
Why are the tags still on these sweaters? Though I love them and only paid $15.00 apiece for this designer brand, they are men's sweaters and have pockets where I need no further adornment, breast pockets. Because the sweaters are thick the pockets added too much. Now that I have lost weight, the fit is more to my liking. Purchased the sweaters over 15 years ago.
Sunday, September 22, 2024
With my recent weight loss I have looked forward to trying on old and new clothes to see how things are shaping up.
Around ten this morning, after my AM routine, I did my hair and makeup in preparation for trying on Fall fashion styles along with some of the new pieces recently acquired.
This did not go exactly as planned.
One of the old pieces, I have always wanted to wear is the brown sweater
shown in the following photos.
The problem with the sweater is not size, more, it simply did nothing for me. I purchased it from the Saks Off Fifth Avenue at Arundel Mills many years ago thinking at the time- it was more suitable for the area I lived and worked in.
Next I tried on another
sweater with the same cords and boots and liked the results better.
That said, I was annoyed about the first sweater and thought about the Mac & Cheese casserole I made Friday and finished off late Saturday. Why doesn't that sweater work for me? I look heavy.
The upshot? I did not want to try on more old Fall pieces.
So next, I tried different looks with one of the new tube tops.
This too rather annoyed me because I thought my top seemed disproportionate as compared to the rest of the look. Yes, I had on the new strapless black bra, which does have a bit of padding.
Thought the outfit looked better in the mirror than the photos I took. One of the photos shows an evening jacket that will help to correct the styling error. In my case, when I wear something like the tube top shown, I always have a jacket or shirt topper.
Friday, September 20, 2024
Yesterday, I had several errands to run and I wore something new- which worked out well with the spaghetti string camisole I wore underneath my dress.
- Banana Republic Wrap Dress (Black)
- Charlotte Russe Spaghetti String Camisole (Tan)
- Light Weight Summer Jacket
- Calvin Klein Black Patent Slingbacks
- Tan Strapless Bra (new)
- 14K Gold Button Clip On Earrings
- Timex Brass Watch
- Brass Bangle Bracelet
- Sunglasses
- Readers (I wear contacts)
I was up early, however some of the photos seem to suggest I just rolled out of bed. It was a productive day.
Wednesday, September 18, 2024
On September 9, 2024 I submitted my first order to Temu and yesterday (September 17, 2024) the package arrived. Below a redacted copy of my purchase order.
I was pleasantly surprised by the whole experience and very happy with the items I ordered. Below photos of the items I received.
What led me to try Temu? I used to own a velvet/velour corset that had hidden snaps in the back. I could pair the corset with business suits, dress slacks, or a long velvet/velour skirt I had that went with another top. The original velvet/velour skirt and top are shown below along with other top options and the new corset I just ordered from Temu.
Somehow the black velvet/velour evening top (corset) was stolen and though I have searched over the years for something similar- could never find a replacement until I ordered the new one from Temu.
No the new corset it is not velvet/velour, and not as deep in color as the one stolen. In addition, the new one zips rather than snaps in the back, however it will work for the look I want.
Examining the purchase order shows I received quite a few discounts (first time buyer), so I am not sure if the same deals are available for existing users of Temu. If you are a new user, you may be able get a good deal too, here is the Temu link.
I always loved the idea of a simple classy corset as an evening top option so when I noticed a wholesaler offering a similar style in different colors I thought about also offering them as women's accessories via WiredShops.
Still thinking about it. What do you think? Again the above tops are not the same as the new corset I ordered via Temu.
Friday, September 13, 2024
Sometimes I get questions.
- Is that hair all yours? Yes, every raggedy strand.
- Why don't you do something with that hair? I keep my hair pinned up until I have to go out or depending on the visitor. It needs color and a good cut, however hairdressers never do what I want. My hair is very thin and a hairdresser tends to want to make it very straight. I prefer more of my natural body to cover how thin my hair is. Not bald thin. Just thin.
- Why are your legs so white in coloring? Though my skin color changes from very pale on some days to a bit darker on others, for some reason my legs always seem very light. A relative once told me I had poor blood circulation. I believe I have a rare blood type like my mother's- AB negative. Not sure if this is the problem.
- Why do you dress old? These days I am old. That said when I was 20 I wore the same style suits. Classics. Did you watch the Gilmore Girls? I have always preferred Emily's style to that of her daughter's or granddaughter's on that show.
- If you are a techie, why is your style more a TV lawyer or the old Charlies Angels wannabe look? I love style and spend time and money in this area. I also like makeup. I like being a girl. When I first started my career, there were not many girls doing the same thing. There were secretaries and support staff, however I was often at the Pentagon or NAVSEA and the support staff was not. Sometimes I had lunches, meetings, travel. That said since high school I have liked what a business suit could do for me. I interned in offices in high school.
- Did you really develop all of the applications found on WiredPages and other areas of your sites? Yes.
Just a few of the old suits in my closets. Yes, some need to go to the cleaners for a good pressing.
Why am I showing you these suits? Because I wanted to show my style is the same as it was 30 years ago. Should I brag that I wear a dated look? My old style suited me and is similar to the outfit I have on in the top right photo of the series. I have a lot of business suits. I have no plans to get rid of them. The problem? The sizes. I am now beginning to fit many of my old suits.
Why don't I look like a vlogger claiming to be a software developer? Software developer roles have changed over the years. In my day, someone with my role owned the software project. Requirements definition, all areas of development, debug, documentation, and customer interaction.
These days, software developers on Youtube own a bug and they have to fix it. Then go through many levels of review to make a change. They also do not wear suits.
I do all of my own work- from soup to nuts and continue to wear suits.
Software development has changed. I like understanding the whole project. I own the project.
I love working, coming up with new business ideas, developing software applications, reading, old movies, shopping for new outfits, and tennis.
Why am I telling you I am not really an agile software developer? Because I do more, which is not really wanted in software developers anymore. Businesses do not want programmers 'owning' the software project. They cannot afford to allow one or two programmers to own the project. I own my software consulting firm.
When I have a problem with a resource I have to work out the issues. For example, Google notified me earlier this year that the Representatives API resource I use for the "Who are my representatives?" application on the WiredPages Government page will retire in April 2025. I have been researching for a new resource, and thought I had a good option, however, today I found out I need to continue searching.
Today, most developers are not required to do this type of research nor engage with outside organizations. Well not the ones on Youtube, in any case. Okay, a little annoyed I thought my problem was resolved.
Wednesday, September 11, 2024
Yesterday, before the dishwasher installer arrived I quickly snapped photos of me trying on the two sweaters and caramel jacket I recently highlighted in this post.
Unfortunately, after the dishwasher installer left, I was too upset to re-shoot the photos with a tripod and more lighting.
I like the way these pairings turned out.
I also decided the new lip color I have been playing around with, works with my new Fall wardrobe additions.
I would love to offer these items for sale, however, not sure the wholesaler would be onboard with this plan and the sizes may be problematic.
Sunday, September 08, 2024
Since June 2024, I have added a number of pieces to my wardrobe, ostensibly to research new items for my online shop, however, for one reason or another decided many of the items were not a good fit for my shop.
That said, I absolutely love most of the new acquisitions to my wardrobe.
Two weeks ago I ordered the tan and caramel leather jackets along with the two sweaters with the peter pan like collars. I am very pleased. I ordered the black leather jacket in June, and have since lost a bit more weight. The two new jackets are the same size.
I have begun pairing the new pieces with other elements in my wardrobe. Shown below an example using my old paisley corduroy skirt.
What else have I been up to?
How am I losing weight eating things like that doctored cinnamon raisin bagel? Getting my workouts and moderation. That bagel for breakfast, is often only half a bagel.
Sunday, September 01, 2024
It was a quiet Sunday. With the beginning of each new month, I spend time reconciling all of the financial matters under my charge.
In addition, I decided to make this great Buttermilk Fried Chicken Tenders recipe I found sometime ago.
In the above set of photos, I included shots of what I wore today because lately I have been going through my closets, trying to decide if I should get rid of somethings. Decided to keep the old jeans skirt and suspenders.
That said, the light orange dress shown in the photo below is something I have never worn and though I like the style (shown with the black version I love), the color is not the camel shade I thought I ordered.
Do you own a lot of little black dresses? I do, and it seems I cannot part
with any of them no matter how old.
The little black dress (shorter dress) shown in some of the photos, is over 30 years old. I think the last time I wore it was in the early 90's to a night club in Washington, DC called Rumors. Think the club no longer exists, however the dress is in great shape.
So what did I throw out? Still working on this.
Saturday, August 24, 2024
It took me awhile to find the tie blouse style I used to pair with many of
my suits. I liked the style because in a male dominated career area, I always
felt my style was if not more so, as conservative and formal as the suits
and ties of my male counterparts.
The illustration below shows a recent purchase in light purple of the top/blouse style I so loved in my early career days. Note, my earlier versions of the styles were either silk or rayon, whereas my new tops are knits.
In June of this year when I first ordered six tops in various colors of the same style, I envisioned offering the item as a women's fashion option via my online ecommerce platform, WiredShops. This because the style these days is so hard to find.
My plans fell through because though I love the hard to find style and think it attractive on most women, the buttons on several of the tops were not what I wanted and I was unsure whether my supplier could handle any and all demand levels.
Nevertheless, I am very pleased with my new tops. Yesterday when I left the house around 8:30 AM, the temperature was in the high 60s and I wanted something to keep me warm without wearing a blazer or coat. I paired the top with an older pencil skirt in an egg plant shade.
I also had to adjust my makeup for the lighter purple of the top. I left the house
wearing pinks and lavenders insofar as makeup, however purchased a new makeup
pencil while out, so upon my return, played around with my makeup shades to see if I liked the
new pencil.
The colors I ordered in the new tie, button up knit top style:
- Black
- Cream
- Burgundy
- Caramel
- Aquamarine
- Light Purple
Let me know if you want information on how to find similar styles.
Thursday, August 15, 2024
Over the years, one of the knocks friends and family tended to offer me, you have no causal clothes.
I would say they are mostly right, however in high school I did my internships in business offices and tended to buy Town and Country suits from the local military installation (Fort Meade/NSA) and not jeans.
I never stopped buying business suits after high school and opted for this style while doing my undergraduate work.
That said, I did have causal styles in high school. One of my favorites is shown below.
- White Painter's Pants
- KORK-EASE Ava 2.0 Women's Wedge Sandal
- Long Tube Top
- Womens Plaid Long Sleeve Shirt
- Red Crew Socks
All of this to explain why in July 2013 I purchased the Steve Madden
WANTING Wedge Sandal shown in the illustration on the right. I thought I could
try to replicate a casual style I once thought suited me.
The problem? Once I started high school, I began wearing shoes with heels or platforms and never looked back. That said, I found the 5¼ inch heels on the Steve Madden WANTING Wedge Sandal to be more than I was used too. Hence, I never tried to find styles in my closet that worked with the shoe.
Recently, I discovered the reason I could not walk in the shoes was probably due to my weight, because I can now walk in the shoes with ease.
So what is the problem now? I found very little in my closet that works with the sandal. See the photos below.
I think the straight leg blue jeans work better with the shoe on me, though not as dressy as I would like.
I have worn the Madewell Black Velvet Jeans for a couple of years and prefer the look in the following series of photos when wearing the dressier jeans.
Still working on the camera lights to hide everything I do not want to see and believe it or not my diet.
Monday, August 12, 2024
I am excited about Fall. This morning, I wanted to pair new clothing items with various things to get a feel for what I can do with my Fall style.
The first thing I did was hair and makeup.
I also wanted to think about a pair of Steve Madden platforms I have been trying to do something with. I just discovered I can now walk comfortably in the 5 inch heels due to the weight loss. I have had the shoes for about 15 years.
I tried a new brown cashmere sweater with a pair of high waisted brown baggy pants (shown), with the Steve Madden platforms and socks. The look did not work, however, the suede caramel/tan Anne Klein's did.
I tried several other looks, however did not get as far as I wanted. I will post more on this topic in the coming weeks, as well as the business and "life happens" occurrences continuing in my world.
I also continue to play with my new camera lights.
I normally do nothing with my nails except keep them trimmed to enable easier use of a keyboard. I have hard nails like my father's. That said, I wanted to show the difference with the new lights. Yes, I can make adjustments.
Monday, July 15, 2024
Today, I ran several errands and since I did my hair and makeup, upon returning- I decided to test different lighting scenarios using my new camera lights.
I have also been trying on some of my old clothes to see whether I am making progress with my diet.
The jumper I am wearing in some of the photos was purchased in a shop in Bermuda in the 90s. I purchased several outfits for the 7 day cruise out of Baltimore before we left, however, could not resist this jumper when I found it. The only clothing purchase I made while visiting the island.
Cover-up Info
The following photos show some of the shoes I tried with the jumper. I cuffed the pant hems when trying on the flats.
Like others have discovered, I too like my photos taken using the reflections in mirrors. I continue to research how to use my lights and cameras without mirrors.
When I left the house this morning, my hair was curly and I thought I would
have it pinned up before I finished all of my errands. It has been hot and
humid in the Baltimore/Washington region. I still had a few curls
by the time I returned home. I started playing with the camera lights around 4PM this afternoon.
Other news, my birthday is Saturday and I got a new cell phone.
Though you cannot tell from the outfit I chose for the photos, I am happy with my weight loss progress.
Wednesday, July 03, 2024
I cannot remember the last time I saw someone writing a check in the checkout line, that is until yesterday.
One of my errands yesterday, stop by Costco for these staples:
- Water
- Bathroom Tissue Paper
- Fruits
- Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
While there, a lady two customers in front of me in the checkout line- paid with a check. This seemed to take forever.
Do you want to ask why it is taking so long to put the Microsoft Publisher Check Writing Template on a WiredShops product page?
The answer is complicated. I want to say something like DOJ is allowing sales from my online site to be blocked, however, I cannot say for sure because my information is only abstract in nature.
I believe there is a similar issue with Maryland Bloggers. I get Maryland Bloggers emails from the online forms, however there is no contact information. It is as if the email information is being stripped. Yes, I installed the email forms correctly.
In abstract, I am also told DOJ is trying to correct this situation. That said, I have been told many things over the years, however, I am not holding my breath.
I tend to move on and come up with my next plan of action. These plans are mostly to do with business and not anything to do with hiring a lawyer. I have become a serial entrepreneur of sorts.
What I wore yesterday while out running errands? The dress is a long sleeve t-shirt type dress that I belted to distract from my slightly lumpy midsection. The good news, my midsection is a lot less lumpier so I did not wear shapewear nor a blazer. These days, the less I wear the cooler I am.
What I put on upon my return? Biking shorts and a t-shirt.
In some of the photos, I am trying on a leather blazer I hope to wear in the fall and winter months to hide unwanted curves. Need to lose a bit more weight. Happy with the purchase of all that fruit from Costco.
What are you having for the fourth?
Tuesday, June 25, 2024
This morning, I received the three pair of slacks I discussed in the last post. I am so very pleased with this purchase and have been smiling all day.
I have made several purchases over the last month, including:
The following photos provide a closer look at the Joilcan 75" tripod. I already owned a 53" and a 17.32".
Other Amazon purchases made this month include the DEVICO portable utensils (on my
wish list & on sale) and the Miusol work pencil
dresses.
I wear many hats and I will be able to style the dresses for real estate activities as well as my software consultancy activities. I was surprised how well this dress style worked for my body type.
Amazon Purchases
I started this month thinking I wanted to sample products for inclusion to my online shop. I do not think I can source most of the products I sampled, however, happy to add updated pieces to my own wardrobe.
While working on this post, I noticed an email notification related to my Maryland small business (QiSoftware) and the trade name renewal.
Having a good day.
Wednesday, June 19, 2024
My closets are filled with black, brown, gray, and olive suits. I wear a lot of black, preferring to appear tall and slender.
My physical stats:
- 5 feet 6 inches, I often wear heels (some are surprised I am only 5'6")
- About 155 pounds, however working on 130-135
- D cup
- No hips
With the weight loss over the last year, I decided I needed to update my wardrobe, however, most of the items in my closet are old classics that are now beginning to fit again. So I wanted to add to what I have.
I also wanted to see if I could add any of my new items to my shop- under the women's fashion category. I ordered several items as wholesale samples, including the slacks and tops shown in the following illustration.
I also ordered the two summer cardigans shown in the following photos.
In the following series of photos, I show how the one-size cardigans fit me, and why, though I love them, will probably not offer them in my shop.
From the photos above, you may be able to tell I am still researching my lighting issues. I finally decided that it is a lighting problem (almost purchased a new lens for my camera).
Amazon purchases I am or did consider to fix my lighting issues.
The last item I considered for my shop, are the button sweaters shown below.
I absolutely love these tops because I can wear them with or without a suit. Though these new sweaters are great, I was not happy with the crystal buttons that the manufacturer used, even though the tie hid them. I replaced them with the buttons shown or have on order replacement buttons.
I need a more business or formal appearance when out, however, I am trying to add new pieces like slacks. Not sure whether my new fashion items will work for my shop, however, I was able to get the items at very reduced prices, so I am not that unhappy.
Wednesday, June 05, 2024
I have been looking into a number of business related issues, including the renewal of my Maryland business entity, QiSoftware, which is due to expire in September 2024.
A new Maryland law and the change of address for my business, made this a little more complicated than the renewal process five years ago. I think I have finally ironed out all of the problems.
My other business related projects of late? Working on my e-commerce shop, WiredShops. I have placed several orders to my wholesaler, including the fashion earrings shown below (now available) and sweaters and tops I want to add to the shop in late August.
The sweaters were ordered more to research the quality to ensure they were what I expected and I am very pleased.
In addition to the orders to my wholesaler, I also ordered the dress shown in the following images from Amazon.
Here again, very pleased with this purchase. Wish the photos showed more accurately the features of the dress.
