I have been reading Glamour Magazine and Marie Claire since I was a teenager. I answered phones at my very first job at 16, and spent most of the in between time reading these magazines. They had thrilling articles that talked about date etiquette, make up applications, ways to look thinner, etc. I still read them. When I was 23ish, one of these magazines had an article about this new thing called “internet dating.” I had heard of it, but was always dating someone, usually my on again, off again college boyfriend, so I had not ventured into it. Also, there was kind of a stigma back then and I cared about those types of things. The article caught my eye because it broke down different companies offering this type of service. One of them was called “J Date.” One of the things I had learned in Manhattan was that Jewish men were awesome. My best guy friend was Jewish and the Jewish men who had taken me on dates were a ton of fun. I was curious and decided to try it out. I filled out the online application. I remember it asked me about my religion. Curiously, this had not occurred to me when jumping on board. It listed several denominations of Judaism. I am Christian in general, and Presbyterian in particular, and those were not options to select. Certainly there were others like me, no? I checked the box for “other.”

I had my employer (I nannied) take pictures of me, and I had my best friend take some action shots of me studying paintings at the Guggenheim. None of these turned out the way I hoped so I did not post a picture. They asked for occupation, body type, hair color, etc. I said I was a curvy blonde actress/singer. The description created a lot of action and I was pretty excited. I quickly learned that these men took the site seriously and asked about my “other” religion box. The two men I went on dates with basically thought I was a moron. Looking back, I can see where they were coming from. My best guy friend thought it was fantastic, but he knew and appreciated my slightly naïve yet super exuberant outlook on life.

I share this story because I spent hours trying to get a picture for my profile. I did not know what to wear and did not like any of the pictures. Today, I would choose a pretty blouse. A feminine blouse should be a wardrobe staple. I have found that some of my staple jersey dresses do not translate well in photographs, but a blouse is delicate and pretty in a picture. For photographs, choose a solid color, or very subtle print. Steer clear of white or cream because it can be difficult to photograph well. A blouse transitions easily from casual to formal and is at least a 3 season piece. I prefer silk or a silk inspired fabrication because of the fluid draping on the body and ease of positioning for the photograph. For something more substantial, choose a crepe fabric. Crisp cotton can be tricky. Here are beautiful fall options that I would choose today if I had not already found my Prince Charming!

DVF Tanyana Blouse

DVF Teagan Blouse

Anthropologie

Maje Blouse

Joie Blouse