Facebook Group Member of the Month: Jeanne Kraimer

Jeanne is a sweet presence in my Facebook Group, like a pretty butterfly with a warm gentle presence that flutters around in the group.  What makes her most memorable is her silver hair that looks so natural on her you would think she always had it.  During this time of COVID, it’s become quite normal for women to consider giving up on the dye and I am sure Jeanne could give them all a tip or two on how to do it successfully.

Jeanne is always challenging herself with her style and takes full advantage of the group to do this while also contributing and helping others with their own.  It’s been great getting to know Jeanne through her posts and photos and I thought it would be nice for you to get to know her too by featuring as the Facebook Group Member of the Month.  Here are her answers to my questions.

Name: Jeanne Kraimer

Location: Cedar Michigan

Age: 47

Q: What do you like most about being a member of Bridgette’s Facebook Group? 

A: The diversity and support of the membership, for sure. It’s a chance to connect with women from all walks of life who have a wide range of experiences. A fashion novice like me can ask questions and get great advice, or just read posts from others who share their style. I’ve learned a lot!

Q: The biggest benefits you have received from being a Group member 

A: I have actually posted a picture of an outfit I wasn’t sure about before work and received fantastic advice in real-time. I made a couple of tweaks that the group suggested and felt a lot more confident heading out the door. How cool is that?

Q: What would you tell women who haven’t joined the Group yet?  

A: Do it! You won’t regret it. There’s so much negativity on social media these days, but this group is a haven from it all.

Q: How would you describe your style? 

A: Gosh, I guess I’m still figuring that out. If I had to pick, I’d say classic and tailored. I like nice tailored pants with a button-up shirt. Maybe a little on the boring side, ha! I’m learning to work in more color and that helps

Q: How did you discover your style?  

I’m still discovering it, I think. My fashion journey has been a long one! I didn’t have much female guidance growing up, and I was a really skinny kid, so I spent a lot of years in clothes too big for me to hide my bony knees and elbows. I didn’t have much self-confidence, and as I grew up, I let myself think I was “too good” or “too smart” to care about how I looked. That probably hurt me in my early career. I finally decided in my 30s that I really did need to do my hair every day and buy some nice clothes, lol. I still feel really uncomfortable in dresses, avoid pumps like the plague, and I’ve only started wearing jewelry in the past 5 years or so. I wear zero makeup on a daily basis and that will probably never change… But WOW, what a difference dressing nicely makes me feel about myself.

Q: What advice do you have for others trying to find their style?  

A: Step out of your comfort zone! It really sounds silly, but when my then-boyfriend (now husband) started buying me necklaces, I didn’t want to wear them. They felt so foreign to me and I thought I looked like I was “pretending” to be something I wasn’t in some weird way. The only person who cared was me, and today the necklaces he buys me are part of my daily wardrobe. Most days I wouldn’t be without one. Even if something doesn’t feel like “your style,” it’s worth experimenting with until you find out what you really do like.

Q: What fashion issues are you currently struggling with? 

I have no fashion struggles in 2020! I barely leave the house. I went to the office the other day and wore a pair of high heeled shoes for the first time in forever … I looked down and they were dusty! Oops. But prior to the pandemic, my main focus has been on career-wear. The small company I worked for was acquired a couple of years ago and all of a sudden I am working in Corporate America. I love the company and the people, and I have great exposure all the way up to the CEO. It’s a fairly casual culture, which is good for me, but I still needed to step up my game a bit – especially for the presentations I give a few times a year. My biggest struggles revolve around color – I tend to play it safe and go all monotone because I know it works.

Q: What are the most versatile items you have in your closet? 

A: My navy blazer – I can pair it with a t-shirt and jeans for a super casual look, step it up a notch with some chinos for a causal professional vibe, or dress it all the way up.

Q: If you could go back and change the way you dressed in the past, what would you change?  

A:Ha! Everything! Seriously… I held on to the wide-leg pant look too long while everyone else was going with skinny jeans and cigarette pants. Now we’re trending back that way again, just when I’ve finally gotten comfortable with the skinny look! I continually feel like I’m a trend behind.

Q: Is there a fashion purchase you made that you found more useful than you thought it would be?  

My Josef Siebel boots – I bought them for my trip to Paris, but ended up leaving them home because they didn’t feel like they had enough cushion/support… But I wear them all the time both to the office (well, I did) and on the weekends. They look great with skinny or straight-leg jeans.

Q: What about a fashion purchase that you thought would solve all your problems, but didn’t?

A StitchFix subscription! I was so excited to have a “stylist” pick out clothes for me – and I thought I would get outfits. But what I got were a lot of separate pieces that did not match my style at all. I kept a few pieces just to save the stylist fee, but I hardly wear any of them today.

Q: How do you envision yourself when you look your best?  

A: Put-together and confident.

Q: What are your biggest fashion goals for the year?  

This year my biggest goal has been to still dress for work even though I am sitting in front a computer at home for 10-12 hours a day. It’s so tempting to go to work in pajamas and a ponytail, keeping the video off. But I haven’t done it once all year. I might wear my favorite comfortable jeans every single day, but I’m still doing my hair and wearing my corporate casual tops, sweaters, blazers, etc. with my favorite necklaces. If I didn’t have the “get ready for the day” part of my routine, I think it would be harder to work from home.

Q: What is the best fashion advice you ever received? 

A: It doesn’t really matter what you wear, as long as you feel confident wearing it. Also, figuring out my color palette (soft summer) was a revelation.

Q: The first thing you take off when you get home? 

A: Shoes. After that, I pretty much don’t tend to change into other clothes.

Q: Favorite color(s) to wear 

A: Soft/muted colors like a dusty purple, plus anything blue.

Q: Favorite stores to shop? 

I’m a big thrifter. My local Goodwill is a great place to find designer clothes since I live in a fairly wealthy community. I also shop ThredUp online. I rarely buy new clothes, but when I do it’s usually White House Black Market for work-wear or Patagonia, Stio, or Lands End for my more casual clothes.

Q: What makes you happiest? 

My husband! He makes me laugh every day. We adore each other and I couldn’t be luckier. We’ve been together for 11 years, married for 2. He’s my second try, I think I got it right this time! A close second is my garden. I love growing veggies! Being in nature, reading a good book, listening to Talking Heads and other great music, watching a fantastic TV show – doing all those awesome introvert activities are when I feel my best. Also, being with my friends around a campfire (which is our go-to activity since the pandemic hit – we can be outside and still have conversations – even when it’s cold).

Q: What inspires you? 

A: Selfless acts of kindness. There’s not enough of that in the world today.

Q: Use One Word to Describe Your Style

A: Classic