While walking through Home Goods this summer, I came across this canvas print that says "I Can't Adult Today".
While I think that this canvas is meant to be a light-hearted joke, I couldn't help but think that many people today actually do have a hard time tending to adult responsibilities. This generation has turned the word adult into a verb: adulting. And they sure are having a hard time doing it! What does this mean for our future and for our children's generation? I hope you join me for today's Teatime with Jennifer video, as we sip a cup of tea and wonder at the marvel of adulting.
Check out my new eCourse on the ten-item wardrobe. With over an hour of never-before-seen video instruction, notes and quizzes, you will be on-track to creating your own ten-item wardrobe. For those of you who already do the ten-item wardrobe, this course will keep you focused and provide further inspiration. Enjoy!
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Comment of the Week Christina Writes, "Your fall and winter clothes are so beautiful and chic! I just ordered my last two core items and one extra which I think should do it! There was one dress I wanted but my size is now gone but I'm excited about my order and how freeing it feels to be done! Two questions... I have a beautiful black maxi dress that I love with sandals but feel lost on how to transition it to cool weather. What type of boots will you wear with your maxi? I'm wondering if ankle boots will look ok? I feel like my riding boots will be too bulky under it. Also, my biggest trouble with completing a 10 item wardrobe is quickly finding things that I like the fit of. I order and return so much and shopping in a store would be nice but I'm a mom of almost 8 so just don't want to spend free time in a mall. Do you always find what you like right away? I'm sick of the ongoing orders and returns."
Hi Christina, Thank you! With a maxi dress, you can definitely wear ankle boots or if it's still warm weather, ballet flats. Riding boots might be too bulky under it. You won't know until you try. I also understand your plight with not wanting to spend a long time on shopping. I am in the same boat right now. This year I needed to quickly order my wardrobe before my trip, which is why I ordered my clothes online, and I'm very happy with all of my choices. As you continue the ten-item wardrobe, you become really good at knowing what will work for you and what won't. Please keep us updated!
I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. I pray everyone affected by the hurricanes are on the road to recovery. I will see you on Monday. Until then...
The other night, I looked in the mirror and thought, "I should share this with my readers." Not because I looked great, but because my clothes were stained, my hair was messy and I looked tired. That's actually what I look like at the end of nearly every day. What would be the point of sharing that with you? To share that even though I know I am going to get messy, it doesn't deter me from dressing nicely and aiming high.
The look presentable always philosophy does not mean to look perfect always. It means to do the best you can with what you have. If you are cooking, cleaning, raising children and working all day, chances are you will show it at the end of the day! You will wear every moment of the day on your appearance. But in today's video I hope to inspire you to start out ahead of the curve by wearing your best. Don't save it for a future date.
For those of you who have been asking about the ten-item wardrobe videos, be sure to stop by the blog on Monday. I will be prepping my spring/ summer ten-item wardrobe!
News Glee from Living Gleefully shares my homemade lavender vinegar solution in her blogpost called, Living Gleefully.
Comment of the Week Sherry writes: My Cocker Spaniel, Buddy, is attracted to your voice. Whenever I sit down to watch your videos, he jumps on my lap, faces the computer screen and watches, spellbound. I thought you might like to know you have a canine fan!
Hi Sherry, your comment made my day! Please give my biggest canine fan, Buddy, a big hug from me :)
Today, I would like to know... what do you look like at the end of the day? Knowing you are going to get messy, do you dress well anyway? Does your ten-item wardrobe help you to look presentable always? Let me know and your comment could be chosen as comment of the week on the blog.
See you all on Monday for the first ten-item wardrobe video of the season!
Welcome to the first episode of Teatime with Jennifer!
This will be an on-going series where I discuss popular/ current events that pertain to this channel. Today, I chat with you about the recent tweet that went viral, showing young man, Grant Kessler, wearing a suit to meet his newborn baby niece.
my sister is about to have a baby and my brother showed up to the hospital in a suit because "first impressions matter" pic.twitter.com/KtNV4mvnDU
Thank you to my friend, Juliana, who shared this story with me. She knew I would love it! Check out my video today to hear my full thoughts on the subject. In the video, I discuss why I think Grant Kessler's story went viral and confirm my thoughts on why what we wear matters.
If you have not already subscribed to my YouTube channel, please do so. Teatime with Jennifer videos will not always appear on this blog. If you subscribe, click on the "bell" next to the subscribe button to get notifications every time I upload a new video.
If you have any requests for future Teatime with Jennifer posts, please leave them in the comment section.
I would love to know what you think of this story... let me know, and your comment could be chosen as comment of the week!
Hi everyone... wonderful news! We had our baby this past weekend and ... it's a boy! He is wonderful and healthy. I will speak about him in a future post, but I wanted to publish this for you first... Monday's original post. It's very timely! Thanks for all of your wonderful comments on social media. We are all enjoying this very special time! See you soon, Jennifer xx
We have come to the end of the school year. This time of year can be so busy for parents, with graduations, concerts, recitals, award ceremonies, open houses and parent teacher conferences. In this week's video, I encourage parents to dress up for their children to mark the specialness of these occasions and rites of passage.
Children do notice how we dress, whether they tell us or not. You will notice them smile and compliment you when you dress up for a certain occasion. Dressing up for them will send non-verbal communication that the event is special. It also conveys respect, because you are showing that you thought about, and have prepared for the function.
Now, this is not supposed to be stressful. If you have a ten-item wardrobe, you will most likely have many presentable options already to choose from. You don't need to go overboard in expensive clothes, or even go shopping for anything. Just looking presentable and appropriate for the occasion is enough. To deem whether you are appropriate for the occasion, just think of the event. One would dress differently for an outdoor daytime graduation, for example, than they would for an evening choir concert.
There are so many options, even casual ones, that still convey dressiness. Always avoid exercise clothes, pajamas and sweat pants (yes it seems obvious, but I have seen it all at these sorts of functions). You can absolutely wear jeans, it just depends on how you style them. Jeans with flip-flops and a tee shirt do not read as dressing up because this is the type of clothing that is worn on an average day.
Below are some outfit ideas. I am giving a wide range of options because I know not all people are comfortable in dressier clothing and prefer to wear jeans (whether or not you choose to wear jeans will depend on the formality of the event, it's up to you). I tend to veer on the dressier side for everything, but you don't have to if it makes you uncomfortable. The key is to look presentable and feel great too, so do what works for you.
Here are some suggestions:
Graduation:
Slacks in any color or white jeans, blouse, flat or wedge sandals and a cardigan or wrap.
Summer dress, cardigan, flat or wedge sandals and a special piece of jewelry.
Skirt, blouse, flat or wedge sandals, wrap or cardigan, sunglasses.
Concert or recital:
Dress, heels or flats, paired with a cardigan or wrap.
Skirt, blouse, heels or flats, cardigan or wrap.
Dark or white jeans, blouse, cardigan, heels or flats, special jewelry.
Slacks in any color with blouse and cardigan, heels or flats.
Award Ceremonies, Open House, Parent Teacher Conferences
Dark jeans, blouse, sweater, flat shoes and handbag.
Dress, wrap or sweater, flats or low heels.
Skirt or slacks with blouse and cardigan, paired with low heels or flats.
I wish I could model some of these looks for you, but being 37 weeks pregnant and on bed rest, that isn't happening right now... perhaps in the fall I can model some appropriate looks! Check out my video to hear me discuss this topic. If you are unable to see the video above, click here, look in the sidebar of this blog, or visit my channel: www.youtube.com/TheDailyConnoisseur
Comments of the Week
Wenzday writes: Hi Jennifer,
I love your books and blog, and putting together the 10-item wardrobe has been amazing for me.
I am in total agreement with you on the bad language issue. (So is my husband, who makes me turn the sound up whenever I watch your videos!) The thing is, I think it goes beyond the fact that they are "bad words." I think it is about disturbing the atmosphere and comfort of people around you. Swearing is accompanied by strong negative emotion, and it is just plain obnoxious to inflict that on other people. Especially somewhere like a restaurant, where other people have dressed up and are paying good money to have a lovely meal and time with friends or family, or a beauty salon where one expects to be able to relax.
Thanks so much for your post!
Hello to you and your husband, Wenzday. You touched upon a major truth in your comment. Foul language does carry a negative energy with it and does infect the atmosphere, which is why we can't quite put our finger on why it is so bothersome in public spaces. Thank you for wording this so eloquently.
R&R writes: Thank you for this post. I agree wholeheartedly with your assessment of self-awareness (or lack of). Unfortunately, I find that it is now unique to observe behavior (language, cell-phone etiquette, driving etiquette) that IS respectful of others. I am the Human Resources Director of a large medical office and it is not uncommon for applicants to arrive for an interview in jeans and sneakers and to use profanity during the interview. By far, the worst offenders I have are the high school students that apply for a job shadow. They arrive (after having been dropped off by a parent) to observe a licensed medical professional wearing gym shorts or flip flops with their belly button exposed. After having to ask several of these students to leave, I now provide every job shadow applicant with a description of appropriate attire, since they are certainly not provided with this guidance at home or at school.
Dear R&R, thank you for sharing your experience as a human resources director. People can be oblivious to their bad habits. It sounds like all of the applicants you describe in your comment could benefit from working on their poise. One of my favorite letters was from a reader who just landed her dream job and was told her "poise" was what made her stand out in the interview process.
Edna P writes: Every lady is a woman but every woman is not a lady.
Hi Edna, thank you for commenting on YouTube. I would like to add to your sentence that every woman has the potential to be a lady. And I truly believe that. Anyone who makes up her mind can have the grace, class and elegance described in Polish Your Poise with Madame Chic.
News Congratulations to my blogging friend, Fiona Ferris, of How To Be Chic on the publication of her new book, Thirty Chic Days.
Fiona's blog is wonderful, and she infuses all of her inspiring tips and ideas into her comprehensive book. Congratulations, Fiona!
This week, I would love to know... What are your thoughts on dressing for children's school events? Do you feel that parents are becoming more lax in this regard? Do you think it is important for us to present ourselves well when we attend a child's extracurricular or school function? Let me know and your comment could be chosen as comment of the week!
I hope you had a wonderful mother's day weekend! This week, I have two videos for you discussing pregnancy. In today's video, I talk about my own journey with this third pregnancy (I am currently 34 weeks pregnant), with everything from weight gain, to hair loss, to skincare and beauty. I also recommend my favorite non-caffeinated drinks and show you some presentable pajamas. On Thursday, be sure to check back with the blog, because I will answer your motherhood and pregnancy related Facebook questions.
If you are unable to see the video above, click here, look in the sidebar of this blog, or visit my channel: www.youtube.com/TheDailyConnoisseur
** There are conflicting reports on whether chicory causes uterine contractions during pregnancy. Teeccino's official statement is that their chicory herbal teas are safe during pregnancy. This is their official statement from their website:
"Is Teeccino safe for pregnant women and nursing mothers? YES! All the herbs in Teeccino have been in the human diet for thousands of years. There are no stimulants or drugs like caffeine that could cause uterine contractions or hyperactivity by the infant. Although there is misinformation repeated on some internet sites about chicory being contraindicated during pregnancy, there is no scientific substantiation of this claim. On the contrary, there is the long history of pregnant women drinking chicory-based beverages with no problems whatsoever. Teeccino is nutritious for both mom and baby. Many health care practitioners, midwives and doctors recommend Teeccino to their pregnant patients. Learn more about the effects of coffee and caffeine on women�s health."
To be safe, be sure to ask your doctor if chicory tea is safe for you to take during pregnancy.
Honey We're Home recommends Lessons from Madame Chic and At Home With Madame Chic for great French reads.
Comment of the Week Last week's discussion on screen time etiquette and addiction was amazing! So many of you chimed in with your observations, questions and musings. I really loved this comment from AquinoFamily99. She was responding to the question that some of you posed, asking about the difference between crayons and screens at restaurants for children. I loved her insights! Here is an excerpt from her comment: Screens vs paper @ restaurants - Usually when kids are coloring or writing on paper they are very reachable, as someone else stated. On the screen, whether they are playing or socializing, they are usually unreachable to the people present. Usually. Not always.
I have read several articles over the last few years about the real, physiological addiction and the brain chemistry concerning electronic games and computers. The symptoms are similar to that of drug addiction where taking the 'drug' away causes withdrawal, denial, guilt and physical illness! It's worse for kids. There are programs and safehouse-type institutions to help addicts!
We keep our kids screen time down to once a week and are very choosy about the games. I have seen the addiction begin first hand in one of my children as his behavior dramatically changed. This is a serious issue.
Screen vs paper books - I don't think anyone here would judge you for reading on Kindle, checking email, playing a game or using social media, just as we would not judge if you were reading a book. It's more about when you do these things and whether it's keeping you from living life or spending time with humans. If you wouldn't pull out a novel on a date, you shouldn't pull out a kindle book or other screen activity.
AquinoFamily99, I couldn't have put it better myself. I really loved your input on both of the issues you touched upon. I have noticed with my own children that when it's time to put the screen away, they develop irrational behavior (tantrums, anger, defiance), where as with a simpler project such as a coloring book and crayons, they do not have such swinging emotions. Because of this, we seriously limit screen time in our house and, like you, are very picky about what they do play with. Thanks for your wonderful comment! And thank you to everyone else you weighed in on this discussion. It's worth checking out the comment section on both the blog and YouTube channel to see what your other connoisseurs are saying about this subject. I will do a part two on this topic one day in the near future.
This week, I would love to know your thoughts on the pregnancy chat. Do you have any stories or recommendations for us? Have you tried any of the herbal coffees or teas I recommend? Also, what do you think about AquinoFamily99's comment on screen time? Let us know, and your comment could be chosen as comment of the week on the blog.
See you on Thursday for part two of the pregnancy chat videos.
FTC: All items mentioned in this video were purchased by me. All opinions are my own.
