1. When do you feel at your most attractive?

When I feel that my best features are being shown to their advantage -- long legs, great hair, nice rack. I feel best when I am dressy/casual = casual outfit, but with dressier details that show taht I have made an effort with my Look.

2. Do you notice women on the street? If so, what sort of women do you tend to notice or admire?

I notice anyone who has obviously taken some care with their outfit, and maybe even a chance or two -- wearing something unconventional though not bizarre, having unusual hair, crazy shoes or bag.

3. What are some things you admire about how other women present themselves?

I love when women break the Fashion Rules with *successful results* (this last part is key!) Winter white outfits; pairing things that you wouldn't think woudl look good, but they do!; women of colour dying their hair blonde or red and pulling it off (hard to do); mini skirts on older women; and body consciousness on everyone -- i am so proud of and admire women of size who love their curves and wear body accentuating clothes.

4. Was there a moment in your life when something “clicked” for you about fashion or dressing or make-up or hair? What? Why did it happen then, do you think?

There wasn't ever a "moment" per se, just me looking at other women, ones I know and women around me - on the street or at work or in clubs and restaurants - and wondering why they were pulling off fashion and I wasn't; what were they doing right and was I doing wrong? I think I've finally got it, but it was a gradual thing, not just a moment...

The thing that sums up everyting I ever learned and which I must still remember, is that you use what your mama gave you and that you shouldn't try to be something you are not.

I have big, crazy-thick hair, and it will never be silky and fine, like I wanted. So I choose styles that silky-haired women can't pull off and rock it. I have big boobs and hips, and couldn't be waifish if I were political prisoner on a hunger strike. This used to cause me pain and grief, but I know now that I have to dress the body I have, and rock that , too. Nothing good ever came from wishing things could be a way they are never going to be. So much time wasted.

5. What are some shopping rules you wouldn’t necessarily recommend to others but which you follow?

Too much black, dull colour palette, solid colours. I wear almost exclusively black and grey, with denim and burgundy here and there, and very few patterns (like maybe grey and black stripes or discreet plaid). I know it's boring and I should try harder to branch out in to colour and pattern, and I did for awhile, but I know myself and have accepted it now. This is me.
I should add that I have outrageous red hair (not even close to natural) and a really outgoing personality, so I think of my muted wardrobe as being my backdrop, sort of. In the way that diamonds are always displayed on a dark monochrome velvet or some such, so as to contrast and accent their brilliance.
That's what I tell myself anyway. :)

6. What are some rules about dressing you follow, but you wouldn't necessarily recommend to others?

I am everyone's fave shopping consultant among my friends, just because of experience, and for no other reason. I'm not especially stylish, but I am detail oriented and objective and patient, so I won't let a friend buy a jacket or dress or trousers that are doing her no favours, or are cheaply made, or just doesn't fit, which she is overlooking becauise she loves it.

My number one rule (which in my heart of hearts I don't always follow) is that no one is gfocusing on your [least favourite body area] as much as you are, and you should not let it hold you back from wearing things that look good and that you love.

Having said that, I am exceedingly conscious of how my belly looks in EVERYthing.

7. What is the most transformative conversation you have ever had on the subject of fashion or style?

I had a gut-wrenching but ultimately freeing conversation once with a practical and brutally honest friend when we were trying on clothes and her puzzlement over my reactions to certina clothing items I was trying was, not in so many words, "well, what do you *think* you look like??" In that I think I was moaning about how my ass was huge in these pants, or that turtlenecks make my neck look short, or something, and she was all "well, yeah." I don't remember what she said, but the thrust of it was "well, yes, your ass IS big, so what?" or "yup, you've got a short neck." And I knew that she wasn't being a jerk, she was just saying the truth, and (most importantly) that it was perfectly okay. Big deal. But I was young, and years of shopping with girlfriends for the sole purpose of everyone trying to persuade each other that "NNOOOO! Your butt TOTALLY looks skinny!" etc. it was shocking but then freeing to hear the truth, and that it didn't matter.

8. Do you have a unified way of approaching your life, work, relationships, finances, chores, etc.? Please explain.

I don't know what this means.

9. Are there any clothing (or related) items that you have in multiple? Why do you think you keep buying this thing?

Holy crap, do I !?!!
Somebody stop me before I buy another black pencil skirt or cardigan. Also silver hoop earrings. Jeeezus.

I keep buying these because they are pretty much my uniform. To be fair, I wear them all -- it's not like I have pencil skirts and cardigans backed up in my closet with the tags still on. If I buy another p-skirt or cardi, it's going in the rotation, for sure.

10. Have you ever successfully given someone a present of jewelry or clothing that you continue to feel good about?

All the time. I only give such presents when I am pretty damn sure they will be happily received and worn. See above comments about being the shopping guru with my friends -- I know what they need and will wear, and I have yet to make a misstep that I know about, and there's plenty of evidence that I'm good at this.
On the flip, unfortunately, I get too many pieces I thank the giver profusely for, and then think to myself "have you even met me?" I think the secret to good gifting, and this is not just applicable to clothing and jewelry, is that you have to give them something that THEY would like, not something YOU like. I know this is not a revolutionary idea, but its shocking how many people don't consider this.

11. Is there any fashion trend you’ve refused to participate in and why? 

Lots. Tons. As it should be, I think. There are a lot of trends that are just ridiculous, and purposely. A lot of the time they're big with uber-youth, and that's a separate thing. Nobody thinks they are flattering, and they may not even be meant to be, but fashions can trend for social or political reasons, or for shock value or whatever. I'm not playing along with that stuff, and I think that's perfectly appropriate for people over college age.

12. Can you say a bit about how your mother’s body and style has been passed down to you, or not?

My mother was painfully critical of herself, and everyone. Her body image was as low as it gets, and she was always very defensive. We didn't have money for her to be fashionable, or what she thought was stylish, so she obstinately refused to participate in fashion at all, and made a very special point of rejecting all style forever. She was very insecure and thought that if she didn't TRY, she could not be found to have failed.

Then later, when she wanted to look special for some occasion, or maybe none, she felt doubly insecure that she didn't know what she was doing.

She was also merciless in her criticism of my body. I would never ever ever be thin enough, and I was told that certain items are off limits to me because of my body. Like JEANS! Seriously, I heard her tsk many times that "Fat people have no business wearing jeans. Seriously. Nobody needs to look at that!"

It took me years to get that voice out of my head.

13. Have you stolen, borrowed or adapted any dressing ideas or actual items from friends or family?

Ha! All of the above. :)
When I was a teenager, I wore half my recently-deceased grandfather's wardrobe - suits, ties, hats. It was the eighties, Annie Lennox was a style icon. Scooped a great deal of my grandmother's vintage items in the early nineties. She was happy to be rid of it all. Just a couple years ago, I talked a co-worker out of a green suede car coat I have admired for as long as we have worked together. I also gift my own things on the regular. I figure if they are more enthusiastic than I ma about something of mine, they should have it. If they are crazy about it, and I'm only "meh" then it's selfish to deprive them of joy I don't even feel myself.

14. Was there a point in your life when your style changed dramatically? What happened?

When I got a professional job, my style changed, of course. It had to. But looking back, I don't think I changed, as much as I finally had reason and opportunity to indulge the style that I liked all along (see pencils skirts and cardigans and heels above). I could dress this way when I was a caterer, but once I had an office job, I was free to Joan Holloway myself up all over the place.

15. Is there anything political about the way you dress?

Only in that I will not bow to the fat-haters out there and shroud myself in baggy tenty "appropriate" crap because they don't want to be 'disgusted' by my body. This is what I look like, I think I look great, deal with it.

16. Please describe your body.

I am stocky. I have a rib cage like a keg (thanks, dad) and big shoulders. I have a great butt, high and tight, and long legs. I have 44DDD boobs, so between them and the ribcage/shoulders, it's knit cardigans for me - jackets don't fit. My legs are my fave - they are long and perfect, and I have narrow ankles and pretty feet. I wish my belly weren't so saggy - I have always had a round belly, but it was solid; now, with age, it's getting flabby, which bugs me, but hey.
Over all, I have come a long way, and I kinda dig my body now.

19. What are you wearing on your body and face, and how is your hair done, right at this moment?

Ha! Caught me on a sick day -- I'm wearing a giant men's button up shirt, black leggings, flats, hair up in clips, dark denim jacket, in a coffee shop with a stack of napkins for my sniffling nose.

20. In what way is this stuff important, if at all?

I think the way we choose to present ourselves to the world does matter. Some people say that you can't judge a book by its cover, but I believe you absolutely can, because we are allowed to choose our own cover. Everyone cares about what they wear, because it's how we have chosen to tell the world a little about what's inside the cover, sometimes even without meaning to. (E..g. I think when someone wears $800 designer sunglasses, they mean to tell the world that they have money and class; I interpret that they are insecure and unimaginative.) Even people who make zero effort toward style are telling the world that they don't want to participate, and that's information, too. It's all data.

21. With whom do you talk about clothes?

People who like clothes! My girlfriends, and anyone else who wants to talk about it with me. :)

22. How do institutions affect the way you dress?

I'm assuming you are talking about social and cultural institutions...? Not literal institutions?

23. Do you think you have taste or style? Which one is more important? What do these words mean to you?

Everyone has a sense of taste, per my above comment that everyone cares what they wear. As for style - this is harder.... I suppose everyone does, or nearly everyone, since their style of dress is a manifestation of their taste.
I would be no exception. I don;t think the traditional definitions of 'taste' or 'style' are applicable in the real world.

24. Do you remember the biggest waste of money you ever made on an item of clothing?

I have a couple of these. It was before my epiphany, as expressed above, regarding working with your giufts instead of against them. I bought things because I thought I should like them, or that I had been told they were 'staples' when in actuality I was never going to wear them. I can think of one dress, it's designer (though it was marked down), and beautiful on me, and a gorgeous grassy green. I bought it because I have/had been told that I need to wear more colour!!!
I have never worn it one time. I have put it on in front of the mirror, and I can see objectively that it looks good on me, but I always change again before i leave the house. I can't wear it. It isn't "Me". And there are a couple more examples like this. They are the biggest waste of money, even though I have bought much more expensive items, because I have never worn them one time, so I am not getting my 'price-per-wear' ratio down on them. Where as an expensive dress or pair of boots that I paid a bundle for but =wear a million times are actually a bargain, in the big picture sense.

25. Are there any dressing tricks you’ve invented or learned that make you feel like you’re getting away with something?

I sew my button up shirts closed and pull them over my head, so they don't pull and gap. Same with my cardigans - each one has a tiny safety pin I keep on the inside seam, so that if/when I want to button them up (or even the top couple of buttons), the first button is pinned closed from behind so it doesn't pull.
I stick dressmakers tape along the top rims of my knee boots so they don't slide down.

26. Do you have style in any areas of your life aside from fashion?

My home is a place of pride for me, and even my office at work. I take the same minimalism approach there too -- no clutter, no bright colours, few patterns -- a Zen style. Clean and streamlined and not visually arresting. There is no black or red in my house - those colours are too harsh. I like earth and jewel tones, and grey and creamy beige. I hate plastic and leather, and I have a lot of bare wood and brushed metals, and soft textiles.

27. Can you recall some times when you have dressed a particular way to calm yourself or gain a sense of control over a situation that scared you?

Ha! Every damn day.

But, yes, I do have my fave outfits for when I need to feel confident and be on top of my game.

28. Would you say you “know what you like” in the area of fashion and clothing? If so, do you also know what you like in other areas of life, that is, are you generally good at discernment? Can you say where your discernment comes from, if you have it? Or if you don’t have it, why or why not?

Absolutely! I am far too opinionated about my tastes in everything, and it only gets stronger as I get older. But, luckily, with age I also get better at keeping it to myself.

Unless I am asked, or am having a conversation with someone who cares about ___ as much as I do.

I don;t really care about what anyone else does, as long as I can indulge my tastes to suit myself. This can only be a problem if I have to regularly compromise on food (my best guy friend has crap taste in restaurants, and we are going to have to start taking turns, because I can;t eat that shit as often as he wants to) and also if I have to live with someone. Now, and for the foreseeable future, I live alone, but I hope that if/when that changes one day, I will be able to style our home, or influence my partner, in a way that follows my taste. this is something that actually worries me -- it would present an actual relationship problem otherwise. Not necessarily in a deal-breaker way, but this is one of the areas of compatibility that I woudl have to consider along with others, before moving in together.

29. Did your parents teach you things about clothing, care for your clothing, dressing or style? What lessons do you remember? Or did you just pick things up?

See above re my mother's negative influence. My father never took any kind of interest in that kind of thing, apart from the usual father-y things like the length of my skirt (too short) or mild disdain for my nontraditional hairstyles. I never cared what he thought, but I spent years trying to feel good about myself after my mother did number on me.

30. What sorts of things do you do, clothing or make-up or hair- wise, to feel sexy or alluring?

I show off my legs, and my chest, without showing skin. (or much, anyway.)

I'll wear black tights and a short black skirt and black heels, and my legs look like they go for days. But I never wear a short skirt with bare legs, as that's pretty overt, for me.

I wear vee-necks almost exclusively, because they make my large boobs look less rubber-inner-tube (and my neck longer), but the vee doesn't go low enough to show cleavage -- I think with boobs the size of mine, that would be overkill. They're noticeable enough without.

My sexy is more subdued, not because I believe the slut-shaming propaganda, but because I think you look a little clueless and un-subtle if you lay it all out. Overkill just looks like you have no idea what sexy is, and it look slike you have so little confidence in your own sex appeal that you have to smack people over the head with it for fear that they won't get there in their own.

As for hair, I have found recently that big and long and loose is my thing -- it suits me, and it's me. But I got there after much experimentation. I don;t own hair spray or any product at all, as sexy hair, IMO, is not stiff or sticky. Touchable and clean-smelling is where it's at.

31. Many people say they want to feel “comfortable,” or that they admire people who seem “confident.” What do these words really mean to you?

We're not comfortable when we are wearing clothes that don't accurately represent us, or at least a facet of us. See above re taste and style.

And when we are comfortable in what we are wearing (physically and psychologically) and presenting ourselves authentically to the world, we feel more confident.

32. If dressing were the only thing you did, and you were considered an expert and asked to explain your style philosophy, what would you say?

1. Wear things that send the message you want to send. Choose your book cover!
2. Only wear clothes that FIT YOU. Seriously.
3. Buy halfway decent quality - save up if you have to, or do without something non-essential so that you don't have to buy garbage. I don't mean designer, but not cheap materials put together carelessly for practically nothing, either. There are a lot of points on that continuum, and plenty in the mid-range. Shop sales, and be thoughtful.
4. Don;t try to hide your body.
5. Don't punish yourself for not having the body you want by denying yourself decent clothes. Looking and feeling as good as you can every day is important, and something you deserve -- not something to be earned when you feel you have suffered enough.

33. What is really beautiful, for you, in general?

See above. Women who follow that philosophy look good. Self esteem is gorgeous.

34. What do you consider very ugly?

Total lack of effort. I see women walking around some times, in huge ill-fitting clothes, that are in poor repair, shabby or not very clean, and you can tell that they think that because they are bigger than they want to be, or older than they think is ideal, that there is no point in trying to look and feel good AT ALL. Because of cultural distortions and the very very narrow parameters of beauty that are imposed on us every day, I can see why they think they haven't got a shot, so why bother? I get it, believe me, I do.

35. Are you generally a good judge of whether what you buy will end up being worn? Have you figured out how to know in advance?

Yes. See my above answer to the bad-idea purchases. I never buy anything now that I don;t wear to death. I have gotten very good at this, and I hate to waste money, so this almost never happens. I think sometimes I take a chance with something inexpensive, just to see. I bought a pair of earrings for 18 bucks a couple years ago that I have never worn -- I really did think I was going to pull them off, but they are not me. I'll give them away to the first person who admires them.

38. What are you trying to achieve when you dress?

I want each outfit to look like it's on purpose. Like I took care with it, thought about each item, whether for right or for wrong.

39. What, for you, is the difference between dressing and dressing up?

Dressing up, in my head, whether this is right or not, means getting sexied up. I don't wear suits for work much anymore (on occasion) so whenver i can be said to be 'dressing up' it's for evening, maybe even for a date or some other occasion where I want to look nice for men/a man, so that equals sexy, although my subdued version of it as described above.

40. If you had to wear a “uniform” what would it look like?

Haha! I do! Voluntarily.

It is a pencil skirt, plain top underneath with a vee neck or a very wide scoop/boat style, with a cardigan. Heels from 1.5 to 3 inches, depending. Many of my shoes are patent or metallic leather.

In winter, this will also involve tights or boots, and a pashmina (I have a lot of these). In summer, no hosiery and open toes, usually, and the cardi is lighter weight knit.

I live in Vancouver, so it;s entirely feasible to wear most of one's wardrobe year round, with seasonable adjustment of accessories. There's a stretch of summer where the cardi is discarded, and a stretch of winter where I ave a light overcoat over it all, but basically the same core items.

41. What would you say is “you” and what would you say is “not you”?

ME: grey, black, dark-wash denim, dark teal, burgundy, some dense black and white patterns. Tights and boots, cardigans, FABULOUS shoes and handbags -- that's where I really go crazy. I have outrageous coloured and patterned and textured bags, and my shoes are almost always shiny or have a bit of sparkle, even if it's just patent leather. I like open styles, as I have pretty feet and always have a perfect pedicure.

NOT ME:
Pastels in any way shape or form. Ughhggh. skirts much above the knee with bare legs. Athletic shoes. Actually, any athletic clothing. Ballerina flats (I need support in my shoes). Yellow or red or anything bright. What I call "ugly fat girl clothes" -- because I wear a 16 and size large or extra large, I sometimes have to stray into the plus size department, and am dismayed at how cheap and ugly the clothes get IMMEDIATELY. Huge gaudy patterns, tacky and cheap 'embellishments' on everything ("to distract the eye away from problem areas!") cheap fabric and construction, boxy cuts, etc. NOT ME, and really, should not be anyone.
I also don't wear clothes with writing on them (except band t-shirts, which are cool!) and dislike obvious designer logos. Tacky.

42. What is your cultural background and how has that influenced how you dress?

I have no particular ethnicity to speak of -- most of my grandparents were born in Canada, and I'm of the usual white European mixed background. But I was brought up very very poor and never had nice clothes as a child and teen, which made me very conscious of that in adulthood. I have class insecurities, and try not to look like I came from where I came from.

43. Do you remember a time in your life when you dressed quite differently from how you do now? Can you describe it and what it was all about for you?

See above class issues -- we did not have money for clothes wen I was young and so I was made fun of at school by the Mean Girls for looking shabby and out of fashion. Then I became a punk, because I wa sin theatre and music and it was accepted there, and it was cheap -- even the rich punk kids shopped at thrift stores! But I never accepted the ethos - I just wanted to fit in with cool people. Then in my 20s I was a singer in bands and spent a lot of time in bars, so I dressed accordingly -- lots of cleavage, sparkles and black, NIG hair and a ton of makeup. I actuiallt enjoyed that, it was fun. And now I have found my way here, where I am now, and I can't see any reason to change, I think I have found my life long style. I hope I don't 'give up' when I get old, but I can see the possibility -- I'm pretty lazy.

44. What sorts of things do you do, clothing, make-up or hair-wise, to feel professional?

The biggest challenge is to disguise my giant boobs, and to do something with my hair that's polished but not dowdy. My hair is long, sexy, rockstar hair, but when I put it up, I look like an eastern European babushka. So I flat-iron. But it's boring me.

45. How do you conform to or rebel against the dress expectations at your workplace?

We have no real rules, as long as we don;t look actively unprofessional, so I don;t have to rebel. In fact, I wish we had firmer rules, and that a couple of my co-workers would step up their game.

46. Do you have a dress code, a school uniform, or a uniform that you wear for an extracurricular activity?

No

50. Do you ever wish you were a man or could dress like a man or had a man’s body? Was there ever a time in the past?

Never!

52. Do you consider yourself photogenic?

Not at all. And in fact, I am not -- this is not just my opinion. We know from seeing famous faces on film and in person that there IS such a thing as people whose features lend themselves to two-dimensions, and some that don't. Mine don't. In person, i think I;m quite beautiful, but that rarely translates to any photographic medium.

53. When you see yourself in photographs, what do you think?

My features are small and fine -- small nose, small mouth, tilted eyes, but I have a round white face. Most pictures of me are snapshots, with no shadows or definition, and so I look like the Man in the Moon. Round, white and featureless.

54. Are there any figures from culture, past or present, whose style you admire or have drawn from?

So many. Coco Chanel, Jil Sander, Katharine Hepburn, Jessica Rabbit, Joan Holloway on Mad Men, Michelle Obama.

55. Have you ever had a dream that involved clothes?

No

56. What would be a difficult or uncomfortable look for you to try and achieve?

Pixie-ish stuff that waifish teenage supermodels wear. Peasant blouses make me look like a beer wench at Oktoberfest. anything tunic-y makes me look like a beer keg -- tubular does not suit me, I need a waist. Broomstick skirts, Ugg boots, that whole hippie-waif look. It does not celebrate curves, which is my wheelhouse.

57. If you were totally comfortable with your body, or your body was a bit closer to what you wish it was like, what would you wear?

Pretty much what I wear now. If I were a bot less curvy, I would look better in those lovely tailored shift dresses I admire on other people, but it's not my destiny, I guess.

60. What do you think of perfume? Do you wear it?

Love it, but it should be subtle. When men or women wear too much scent, I wonder what they are trying so hard to cover up -- like, how bad they would smell without it? They must know something I don't, like that hey didn't shower recently....

61. What are some things you need to do to your body or clothes in order to feel presentable?

Shave my legs.

62. How does makeup fit into all this for you?

I am in my forties, so I keep my makeup very light. I think I look younger. I have clear skin and very few wrinkles and I like to show that off by wearing little make up. Sephora foundation, but light, and neutral eyeshadow. No mascara, ever. VERY little pink blush, if needed. Light lip gloss. (I hate lipstick, and dark lipstick makes my mouth look even smaller than it already is.)
If I'm dressing up at night,. I will use the above, plus eyeliner along the upper lid only, and some shimmery highlighter on my cheekbones and brow. on a VERY fancy night, I love false eyelashes. I wisj=h I could wear them all the time.

64. Can you describe in a basic way what you own, clothing and jewelry-wise?

I've covered most of it above, I think -- I have about 60 handbags and over 100 pairs of shoes (none of them athletic in any way!). Way too much jewelry to outline here, god, there's tons.
About a dozen cocktail dresses, and all but 3 are black. Two suits for meetings, grey and black.
Only three or so pairs of trousers, apart from jeans. I don't really like trousers, and I have trouble finding ones that fit.
About 10 pencil skirts, 5 short skirts, one maxi that is only worn on hot holidays, 10 cardigans, 6 pullover sweaters, 20 or so shells or tops to wear under suit jackets or cardigans (grey, black, white, jewel colours, some small patterns) a dozen or so band t-shirts or tanks, 2 pairs of dark wash jeans, 2 dark wash denim capris, more black or dark coloured capris, couple pairs of shorts, a few tank tops.
I have a few sparkly tops for evening, a long dressy overcoat, a tunic-style rain jacket that zips, with a hood, and dark denim classic jean jacket, two pairs of knee-length boots - one patent, one suede, both black. At least 20 scarves and pashminas.

65. What is your favorite piece of clothing or jewelry that you own?

Changes all the time.

66. Tell us about something in your closet that you keep but never wear. What is it, why don’t you wear it, and why do you keep it?

I have a couple of skirts that are too tight, but I love them. I have the green designer dres sdescribed at the berginning, which I have never worn and should h=give away. I have some vintage clothes from my youth that I will never wera again, but want to give to a good home -- not a thrift shop where someone would cut them up or something equally horrifying. But they are stored, not in my closet, so they don;t count, I don;t think.
I also have a very expensive lambskin car coat that is too warm for the city I live in, and I want to sell but I always forget about it.

71. What’s the first “investment” item you bought? Do you still own or wear it?

A really beautiful leather tote bag, gorgeous! but I didn;t treat the leather properly, and the moisture ruined it, so I had to get rid of it. Very sad about that, and lesson learned. I think this is my answer to question #68 as well.

73. What item of clothing are you still (or have you forever been) on the hunt for?

Low heeled boots that are dressy enough. They all seem to look like hiking boots to be.
Bras. I cannot find bras that are comfortable and supportive enough - I can only have one or the other, it seems. Same with underwear - and you can't really try on most of it, so you buy one pair and tell yourself that if you love them you'll go back and buy twenty pairs. Hasn't happened yet...

74. What are your closet and drawers like? Do you keep things neat, etc?

Very organized. I don't like to look for things. Not just clothes, anything. My closet is organized by item (tops, sweaters, skirts, pants) and by colout within type. I like to know at a glance what's there, so I can dress quickly.

75. Were you ever given a present of clothing or jewelry that especially touched you?

My mother saved her pennies and bought me burgundy suede boots. I hated them, buit I wore them becasue they were expensive and I wasn;t going to get anything else. I waited a year to tell her that I didnt like them and she was very hurt and angry. I felt so guilty.

76. Did you ever buy an article of clothing without giving it much thought, only to have it prove much more valuable as time went on? What was the item and what happened?

Oh, god, all the time. You never know.

77. How and when do you shop for clothes?

I always poke my nose in. I shop all the time, but I don;t have to buy something every time I go. I'm more patient now than I used to be.

78. Do you like to smell a certain way?

Clean. I like warm soft scents, like vanilla or VERY light musk, but not too flowery or citrusy.

80. How does money fit into all this?

I almost never buy anything full price. I shop the sales, and Marshalls and very high end consignment (for a suit or handbags) But I have learned that when I find something perfect, buy it for the love of god, use a credit card of you have to, because if you come back on payday or whatever, it won`t be there. This is actually how I decide to buy something or not -- I say, what will happen if I go get a coffee or something and I come back and it's been sold? If the answer is "meh, wasn't meant to be, I guess" then I don't buy it; but if the answer is "ack!" then I buy it.

81. Is there an article of clothing, a piece of make-up, or an accessory that you carry with you or wear every day?

I have multiples of everything that`s necessary every day. I guess maybe a handbag...?... but I switch those out pretty regularly, every couple weeks at the max.

I always have lip balm and my Clinique compact in my bag. I have a mini-makeup bag in my car console with emergency rations, in case I suddenly have to look better than I currently do (last minute invitation?)

What’s your birth date? 
Where were you born and where do you live now?

I'm 46 years old, I was born in a small town in British Columbia and I live in Vancouver BC.

Say anything you like about your cultural/ethnic/economic background.

See above answers

What kind of work do you do?

Professional

Are you single, married, do you have kids, etc.?

Single, no kids

How do you feel after filling out this survey?

Fine! :)