Boden Love...In the Form of Their Fun Skirt...

So yesterday when I said that I was going to upload photos and polyvores of ALL the Boden outfits I have worn recently, I forgot to look in my OTHER camera's photo folder on my computer. (This is what happens when half of your photos are on your fancy DSLR and the others are on your sub-compact "it's okay if the kids drop it because it is indestructable" camera.)

This outfit is my last Boden outfit for a little while, the rest in the queue to be posted are all J. Crew or Target...

Boden Fun Skirt and a J. Crew Tank! by dinagideon featuring Forever21

Here is the polyvore for this outfit.

Here it is, in real life, on me.

First, info on sizing...the skirt is a 14 LONG in UK sizing. I can wear a 12 LONG but these sit right at the waist and I have discovered that British woman must not mind things being a bit tight when it comes to skirts. I get that sentiment for pencil skirts, but a beautiful, breezy A-Line summer skirt? Nah...would rather it be one size too large and know that even if I eat McDonald's I will still feel comfortable in it. I know for a fact this skirt is sold-out on-line. I think the fun skirts may be among the first things to go on the Boden website. I actually own the Brown fun skirt from this fall (the ones with the hotchpotch bird print) and am planning on adding the teal fun skirt (with the honey glaze paisley looking print) when I get a Boden coupon.

The tank is a J. Crew tank I bought at Rugged Wearhouse for a song, in a medium (for the length), and the flip-flops are J. Crew from the Summer of 2007.

Second, doesn't my brother look nice? He was interviewing at MicroCenter for a job. Right now, things are looking tenuous at best for him in regards to that job possibility, but at least he looked the part!!! Wish him luck!

Also, isn't the double stroller awesome? It is ridiculously heavy and cumbersome, but it does allow me to go places with them both and not have to worry about Rex or CW getting loose or lost or running out into traffic (is it just me or does every mother have this insane worry)...

A Little More Boden Love...

I WAS planning on doing my outfits in sequential order, which would have made these two outfits have a debut date of sometime next week (and that is only if I plan on being uber-productive)...but then I noticed something...I have been writing A LOT about Boden these past few days, so I figured, "Oh, just go and publish all the outfits that have Boden in them." So that is what you are getting...two outfits that I actually wore fairly recently (and I have some outfits that I still need to publish from back in late August/early September. Whatever, it doesn't even really matter anymore...all my days kind of run together lately. :)

BTW, I have a HUGE sub job coming up starting this Thursday and going into all of next week. I plan on posting (and even hope that I can do more--breaks and all), but I have no idea if that will actually occur. I won't go completely off the radar, I can promise that at least.

Boden Silk Cotton Scoopneck on Display! by dinagideon featuring J Crew

So this is the polyvore for outfit #1. (By the way, I wore this when I met the awesome HeidiG. for shopping and fun at Tyson's last Wednesday.)


And here is the outfit in real life. First thing, though, isn't Rex just insanely cute here? My little mimic. I just love this photo...

The top is from the Fall 2009 Boden collection. It is called Silk Cotton Scoopneck and it is really nice in real life. Very lightweight and special looking. The band is constricting, though, as it is grosgrain ribbon, and it has a side zip. I bought this in a UK 12 to make up for the lack of give. I normally can get away with a UK 10. The shoulders are also a bit tight, less so on me (my skinny shoulders are so bony), but I could see that even for me the shoulders are not all "loose and easy." So definitely size up in this if you want to buy it. (Purchase info can be found in my polyvore...just in case you didn't realize that.)

The shorts are J. Crew from this spring, and are the lovely bermudas that I bought in nearly every color. This color is grey. ;) The shoes are the ANCIENT sandals I own and just will not give up the ghost (yay for small miracles).

Boden Knitted Summer Dress and Snow Leopard Tartine!!! by dinagideon featuring J Crew

This is the polyvore for outfit #2.


Okay, here is the outfit on me, without the cardi. The brown dress looks very drab and boring in this pic, but in reality this dress looks very nice. In fact, at the sushi place we went for lunch on Saturday, the waitress complimented me on the dress and said she loved the fabric. (She's right, the fabric is very soft and forgiving...a linen jersey...sounds weird but that is what it is.) This is from Boden's summer 2009 collection and is called the knitted summer dress and is in Boden's sale section right now. I bought this in a ten, and if it weren't for the Henley placket, I could have bought an 8. (8 is the smallest Boden size.) Definitely size down, ladies. :)

To give this dress a bit more oomph, I added the ladybug necklace in yellow from J. Crew last fall (2008) (and currently making multiple appearances on the new ABC show Glee...the neurotic counselor wears it and the bracelet ALL the time). The sandals I bought on super sale from Banana Republic and are from their summer 2009 collection.


I cut my head off because the face I was making was that stupid. Really. But the outfit looked okay, so I wanted to salvage the photo. This is the outfit with the merino snow leopard tartine cardigan from J. Crew last fall (2008). I have worn this cardigan before...it may be one of my favorites. :) Roawr. (Or some sound like that--what sound does a snow leopard make anyhow?)

Good night, all. Wish me luck. Rex will be going to preschool tomorrow, and although we have tried everything to instill a sense of urgency over his inability to play nice, who knows what my sweet little guy really has up his sleeve?

Boden's Winter Collection is On-Line Today!!!

Okay, I know this coat was already on-line, but it is a new picture, which means there is a new catalog coming, and that means we can all waste our time salivating over the loveliness that is Boden. :)

Yay, we can all waste our time over at Boden today (already done by me, in fact I just spent the last half an hour clipping items for polyvore) looking at all the new goodies. There are many very nice items. I won't waste your time talking about which ones I like, but if you are curious, here are my top three from the new collection:

1. Glam Evening Cardigan in black. Yummy...although very impractical for my life!!! :)

2. Cashmere Tunic in azure. You know this would be so lovely on a cold winter's morning...very snuggly looking.

3. Vintage Inspired Necklace in pewter. Boden does the statement necklace, and really well. This is my favorite of the bunch.

I can't resist asking, what are your favorites? (I feel a bit like Alexis over at JCA, except for Boden...how did that happen?)

Umm, I Hope So...

(Are you coming my way, oh, beautiful Liberty Print shirt, via TARGET, of all places? Please, oh, please be true!!!)

If this is true, then I will be the happiest camper EVER.

BTW, I found this link through this blog. How have I never seen this blog before? It is a JCA but for TARGET! :) (CHEERS!)

Oh, and the reason for me checking out a Target-obssessed blog? Because I bought this little number today (Anna Sui for Target® Metallic Jacquard Dress), and oddly enough, I LOVE IT!

P.S. I will get back to commenting, etc., tomorrow. I was just THAT excited to tell you about the rumor about Liberty of London and Target. (And knowing me, I may be the only one really truly excited about it...but, eh, we all have to have something, right?)

Kreativ? Moi? How very nice...

I want to thank AppGal (check out her very fun and incredibly sweet blog, Musings on the Mountain) for the Kreativ Blogger award! Thank you so much, my North Carolina friend! I am still, to this day, shocked that anybody outside of our nanny and my family reads my blog!

Here are the instructions:
1) Thanking the person who gave this to me!

2) Copy the Logo and place it your blog.

3) Link the person who nominated you.

4) Name 7 things about yourself that no one would really know. (Hmm, this could be a lot of fun...)

5) Nominate 7 Kreativ Bloggers.
6) Post links to the 7 blogs you nominate.
7) Leave a comment on each of the blogs letting them know you nominated them.

So here are my 7 things...(and I am going really obscure...you all already know how much I love my kids, my family and friends, other bloggers, etc.):

*I have to have one bottle of green tea a day, and it has to be from the Japanese Green Tea company ITOEN. I actually have to make a quest to one of the three or four stores in this area that carry it...I feel like if I don't get my green tea, then I am not really ready for my day. It is weird, I know. (Oh, and watch out if it is on sale, I will buy out the entire store.)

*I get a tingle of excitement when someone recognizes the fact that being raised in Northern Virginia is pretty darn rare (seriously, there are not that many of us that stick around). Recently one of Rex's teachers, Coach B. said, "You were raised here? You and the four others? I heard that you all existed but I don't believe I have ever met one..." :) SMILE! I will forever be appreciative to Coach B. You rock!

*I enjoy reading all types of maps. I could stare at a map (be it big, small, old, new, political, or topographic) for HOURS. REALLY. HOURS. Just ask Mr. Dina. I think he believes I have a form of Asperger's because of it. I just say I like being focused. Plus, who do you want to be with on a walk in the woods? Me, or my husband? Yeah, that's what I thought.

*I received my Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology with a concentration in Historical Archaeology. It sounds cool, and it really is, but man, it takes a lot of years of extra college, and a ridiculous amount of kissing butts of professors to actually "DO" the job. I have little desire to continue on with it because of these reasons. I am too old and stubborn to kiss the butts of people who are just as human as the rest of us. If I don't expect people to kiss my butt, why would I kiss your butt? Just saying...

*I am really glad crayons are non-toxic (CW, if she had a list, would talk about how much she LOVES to eat crayons).

*I once thought it would be cool to work in a steel mill. I have absolutely no factory workers in my family, and the whole idea of being a factory worker intrigued me. And yes, I would bring my bottle of green tea with me.

*I really really REALLY want to go to Bora Bora and stay in one of those over-the-water huts that cost something like a million dollars for one night (well, more like a thousand, but still)...

I nominate... (So you all know--I could have easily nominated twenty more bloggers--there are so many good reads out there...):
Lemonade Makin' Mama

HeidiG.

Cate

Drewablank

Mslay

Beth

Stylestance

Have a fun, KREATIV weekend. ;)

End of Summer Equals Shorts...

Sorry for the absence this past week...I have been struggling trying to keep up with the blog while shuttling Rex to and from preschool (and dealing with his "behavior" at preschool itself), plus CW had her year checkup (23 lbs., 29 inches, and a HUGE head). But I have a few moments, so I thought I would do this post plus the Kreativ Blogger Award post (AppGal, THANK YOU!).

These three outfits are just so simple, it may not even be worth your energy to scroll down...that said, I do have a few photos of the kids...so maybe that alone will be worth it!

I love shorts in the summer, and this summer was no exception...


First up: Khaki Bermuda Shorts (J. Crew, Spring 2009); Citron Eyelet Blouse (J. Crew Collection, Summer 2008); Brown Leather Sandals (Nine West, Spring 2008).

I love this blouse...it is so pretty...I really like that it now fits a bit looser (it is a size 10) because I like the tunic look...I could probably have gotten away with an 8, but in the throes of summer, I don't really want fabric sitting too close to my skin. These bermuda shorts are so comfy...I bought nearly every color J. Crew made I love them that much. The shoes are "eh," but I can wear them all day and not feel like my feet are killing me at the end of the day!

BTW, isn't CW darling? I love it when she sneaks into the photo!


Speaking of sneaking into the photo...she is crawling up behind me and...voila...


I picked her up and swung her, just to see her smile... :)

The outfit consists of: same shorts as in the first outfit; Lime-striped tank top (Old Navy, Summer 2009); and Lime fit-flops (Summer 2008). (Oh, and so you know, this was the first day of school here in VA, and I definitely didn't want to wear anything special...hence the super-casual look.)

1st Day of School for Everyone Else! by dinagideon featuring J Crew

Here is the polyvore of the outfit above. I do agree with one of the comments that the fit-flops match the top...and I believe I may have planned it that way that day (because I get bored like that)...


And finally, a very CASUAL outfit for just hanging with the kids. I may have gone outside to get the mail that day. Ooh, exciting. Anyhow, aren't the kids too cute? I love it! I wish they always were in this sort of mood. Rex is probably excited because he is holding onto his Transformers magnets...which speaking of Transformers, we had to take ALL his Transformers away and put them in a box (which he can still see) up on top of a shelf in order to discipline him for not being a good boy at preschool. Sigh. I am not sure my 2 1/2 year old is quite old enough to get it, but this is what his preschool teacher recommended (supposedly it worked for her son when he acted up). If that doesn't work, does anyone know of a preschool that "bad" boys can go to? I feel like with the way people portray Rex he is a budding criminal, not the sweet boy I know he can be! Is it just me or have any of you mommies out there had a time when your kids were painted as "awful," even when you knew what they were saying was an overreaction? Also, I feel like if you have never had a super-active, crazy 2-year old boy, Rex and the way he acts may be beyond you...I now have a lot of sympathy for any mom or dad with a little boy or girl having a fit in the grocery store (I even go out of my way to help if I can...I know what it feels like to feel like you are the only one who is going through this particular realm of hell...).

Okay, this outfit consists of: Linen (Sequined) Top (J. Crew "Vintage Closet," Spring 2008); Yellow shorts (J. Crew, Spring 2006); and Brown Strappy wedges (Aerosoles, Summer 2009).

You all have a great day and start to the weekend. I will be posting my blogger award very soon!

Quickest Post of My Life...and a Boden Dress!

I am suffering from ennui today...I just can't seem to get it up for blog writing. I think it stems from spending so much time this weekend moving, that now that I am not moving, I just want to sleep or sit or just be. :) I know every single one of you have had days like this, so I know I am in good company.

Today is a Boden-centric day. One part of the post is a pic of me in a dress that I bought on super-sale from their Spring/Summer 2009 collection. This bad boy of a dress may still be on sale over at their US site.

And here it is, the blue bubble dress, as I affectionately have named this. I wore it when it was raining cats and dogs here in Virginia, and I just felt like the dress matched the mood of the day. It is a beautiful print, and can be worn casually (like I have done), or you could dress it up (maybe with tights, heels, pretty jewelry, and maybe a contrasting belt).

It is a jersey fabric dress, and Boden does their jersey dresses right...they always seem to be the best weight and they always seem to hit the curves of a woman's body well. I also love that they do many of their jersey dresses in prints, as opposed to my favorite company, who tends to stick to one color options...I wonder who I might be talking about? Hmmm...

Boden Video Reviews! by dinagideon on Polyvore.com

Two...and this is so ridiculously cool...that if you are reading this over at J. Crew...please, please, please, for the love of all things fashionable...start doing this...the video catwalk of all dresses, skirts, and coats. At Boden, they have the SAME model walk down a catwalk in all the different types of dresses, skirts, and coats that they have created for that season. If you are on the fence of whether or not you should purchase an item, this video feature can make your decision easier. In fact, it was the video feature that convinced me to buy this coat (in turquoise) back when it was on a 20% sale. When you watch the video, you see how it flows over this model's body, you see the contrast lining, you notice how easy (or difficult) the buttons are to button, etc. It is a GREAT feature...and very, very helpful. The reviews from actual customers will always be MY favorite way to gauge whether something will work for me, but this video catwalk is up there in helping me decide. I also adore that Boden individually measures items at various places so you can, with the help of your handy-dandy measuring tape (you have one, right?), decide which size is also best for you.

These reasons, plus Boden's very unique style, keep me reaching across the Atlantic to get more from them. Poor J. Crew loses a lot of money to them from me...

A Long Forgotten Summer Outfit...Featuring Boden...

I kept meaning to post this outfit, but I believe I wanted to post it about the same time as jerkface mean commenter came along, and I think my brain just said "no" to posting this outfit. Crazy thing? This is just a simple outfit--tank by Boden, denim shorts by Calvin Klein, and sandals by J. Crew. It would be VERY hard to make fun of this outfit because making fun of this outfit is like making fun of 99% of people in America during the summer, because all of us wear some variation of this outfit when it is hot outside. :)

Simple Summer Outfit by dinagideon featuring J Crew shoes

Here is the polyvore so you can see the pieces individually. The tank is sold out, I believe, but if you like it sometimes these items will pop up on Ebay.

And here it is, on me. Yep, pretty basic, but a great, casual look for summer.

*********************************************************
NOVA residents: GENEROUS GEORGE'S is CLOSING. You read that right, one of the most revered family restaurants in the area is shutting its original location on the edge of Old Town Alexandria for good (Sunday, September 20, 2009 is its last day). The news came down yesterday, and since we wanted to celebrate baby CW's birthday with pizza, pasta, and good times, we went there for dinner. Well, our favorite waiter, Pedro, said "good thing you all came tonight." And we were like, "why?" Then he and the manager lady told us the news. Ugh. Poor Generous George's...it is a tough time for so many people, but it hurts way more and more deeply when it is a place that has fed the people of an area for well over thirty years. So the pink building on Duke Street will be no more...

That said, there are two good (well, okay) news regarding GG's...
1) There is a franchise location in Herndon you can visit. It is an hour away for us, but if we get a hankering, at least we know there is a place we can go...
and
2) If they can sell the building on Duke Street, they will try and find a smaller location somewhere close by to open the restaurant again. I really hope this can happen. If it does, I can guarantee that we will be there for baby CW's second birthday. The manager lady said that they will keep everyone updated on the progress of a potential new location on their website.

Okay, all, have a great weekend. We are having baby's birthday party tomorrow, so I know I will have a good time...

My Sweet CW...Age One!

I never imagined being lucky enough to have two kids...and now I do...I am truly blessed. :)

Baby CW...one year ago, at 8:17 am, you entered our world as amazing as you are today. Thank you for being you. I love you so much!


Baby CW, in daddy's arms, on the day she was born...


Baby CW, today...looking as precious and wonderful as ever...


This seems to be a tradition in these parts...on our birthdays...we watch the Yo Gabba Gabba "Birthday" episode. Baby CW LOVES DJ Lance (pictured on the TV). Every time she sees him she just smiles REALLY BIG!

Happy Birthday, sweet CW!

Haircut and Some New Glasses! (Plus Evening Primrose Cardi Makes Its Debut!)

Yes, yes, yes, the new arrivals are over at jcrew.com. And no, no, no, I just can't even think about getting any of them because...a) I don't really have any money (gotta start my for sale blog...that blog may be my only way to earn any money to buy new pretties), and b) I took a peek at the new arrivals and for the first time, ever, was underwhelmed. I saw three things that were okay (not even awesome)...which may just mean this is the first month in a long time I am not going to get anything from J. Crew. (That said, I went to the outlet this weekend and there are some really pretty things for sale there...)

Okay...in order of my liking them, here are the three things I like: Terra paisley shift dress (I love almost everything this model wears, though...huh...); Beaded ribbon-front top; and the vineyard necklace.

Now, here are some things to ponder about some of the new items and the models that are showcasing them...
1) What happened to her arm? YIKES! Did she break it? And look, it still ISN'T healed!
2) Okay, hon, your mouth is open and here in Virginia (esp. in the summer), you just don't do that or flies are gonna use your mouth as a home. Yuck.
3) Oh, my GOODNESS. This dress is AWFUL.

Okay...that's enough...back to my post. Yes, I got a haircut (about two weeks ago)...nothing dramatic, but enough to make a difference. And yes, I wear contacts and glasses, so I got new glasses and contacts. It has been FOREVER since the last time I went to the eye doctor. Supposedly your eyes change shape when you are pregnant and so you are advised NOT to go to the eye doctor until after your pregnancies. Well, I have been either pregnant or nursing for the past three years and realized I hated not being able to see well (my prescription is old), plus when I was pregnant with REX (so a long, long time ago), I fell and broke my glasses (I was hurt way MORE than Rex, thank God) and never got a replacement pair, so there you go.

I will also show you all what the evening primrose cardi looks like in real life, in an actual outfit. I reviewed it here, but even with our cooler temps (very odd for here in September), it still isn't cool enough for sweaters (except today...it is chilly out). I wore this cardi to church so that I could be more conservative, my church is one of the most conservative in this area, so I am used to being very careful in my outfits.


Only teasing...no haircut. No, no, now I am kidding...this is the before picture. I am wearing all J. Crew, from necklace to sandals. The necklace is the antique gold manor necklace, the top is a silk pleated top in tea rose from spring 2009, the shorts are the stretch summerweight bermudas in tulip, and the sandals are the posie sandals (also spring 2009) in caramel.

I went tonal in top and bottom and necklace and shoes. I like this bright pink with a softer, yet still saturated pink. The bronze/caramel accents are nice to help mute the brightness a bit.


And here it is, my new bob haircut. I LOVE IT! I love that I don't have hair sitting on my neck, I love that it is thinned out, and I love that I can really wash and go and not do much more than put some serum in my hair, brush, and there you are...when it dries, I put an additional serum in to stop frizzing. So far it has worked well. I KNOW I have to maintain it once every eight weeks or so. And because I am officially in love with my sweet, mothering hairdresser (plus the shop is really close to wear Mr. Dina gets his hair cut), I will have no problem going back in early November. And this haircut...30 dollars. Yep, 30 dollars. Well, I added 10 for the tip, but come on, 40? That's a great price for what I got!

To Chuch I Go... by dinagideon featuring J Crew

Here is the polyvore for the outfit I wore to church (with the evening primrose cardigan).


I love this simple, grey stretch jersey (AppGal, it's calling your name) dress from Ann Taylor Loft. However, it shows some skin, so I had to put the cardigan on top.

The glasses are by Jones New York, and they are a brown horn color. I have a narrow face, and it is quite long, so I am limited in what looks good as far as glasses. The shape must be rounded like an egg sitting on its side and the frame mustn't be too thick. The ends of the frames must extend past my cheekbones a bit (to give my face more width). There were maybe five glasses that worked in the entire store. It was a very tiring day trying to figure out which ones to buy. I do love these glasses. My brother says I look like a lovely librarian in them. Ah, how sweet!


And here I am...in action, even, with the cardi on. I am stepping over Rex to get to the camera to take it from Mr. Dina, and oh, that card, he took a picture. Out of the MILLIONS of these ridiculous shots he has taken in the past year, this is the only one that has turned out well. I do feel a bit "model-like" because of the general feel of the photo (not because I feel I should be a model). That said, doesn't the cardigan look great with the dress?

So that is all for now. I meant to do a quick post, and again, what do you know, I just ramble and ramble. :)

I have updated my last post, by the way, to include some reviews of the dressy jersey ruffle neck dress. Turns out Gigiofca and some other folks have reviewed it for their blogs, too!

Have a great day, all!

Dressing Up Is Now More Fun Than Ever!

Before I start the actual post, I want to let you all know that we were fortunate enough to go to Kill Devil Hills, NC, over the weekend. For those of you that don't know, Kill Devil Hills is located in North Carolina's Outer Banks, and is the favorite beach destination for all Virginians (seriously, there are more VA license plates in the OBX than NC license plates...I think it is harder for NC residents to get to the OBX than for us Virginians).

Also, today was Rex's first day of preschool. The preschool survived. Phew!

It feels good to be able to post again...I love being busy, but I miss my blog when I am doing a million things...

Okay, so back to the post...I am such a girly girl that dressing up is one of my absolute favorite things to do...I love it so much!!! Of course my "dressing up" has a tendency to look most like an Anthropolgie catalog or *maybe* like some of J. Crew's crazier looks, but still my wardrobe is extremely feminine. (That is probably why I adore the Liberty print fabrics so much--flowery prints in gorgeous, well-made cotton...heaven!)

Over the past few weeks I have been fortunate enough to find plenty of reasons to "dress up." It used to be I would dress up to teach and come home and throw on shorts and a tee. Now I wear my pjs some days until noon, throw on some yoga wear, and then at night, when Mr. Dina takes me and the kids to Target or wherever, I get all fancy...well, not ball gowns, but you know, flirty ruffles and doo-dads and special fabrics.



Untitled by dinagideon featuring J Crew

First up is this outfit found in this polyvore. I will also be reviewing this dress for you all who are on the fence about buying it. I know HeidiG. has reviewed this dress and did not like it for her. I have this dress and love it for me.

Some other folks who have reviewed this dress? Gigiofca; Chasing Davies; and of course, my favorite mom-to-be, Slastena.


I think I wore this dress for a swim coach meeting. You know that I was the most dressed-up for that meeting, right? I don't even need to tell you, huh? Swim coaches, and I have been known to do this, too, wear flip-flops, shorts, and tank tops even in the wintertime. We *may* throw on a hooded sweatshirt in the winter. Maybe. But I now am resisting this, especially when I am not going anywhere near the pool...

This dress is just fantastic. FANTASTIC. You all know what HUGE fan I am of the jersey dresses of J. Crew. This dress does not disappoint. The dress is not only pretty to look at, it is also INSANELY comfortable. I also adore the empire-waist, but I find this is one of the more flattering dress styles for my pear shape. The heather latte color scared me at first, but I am so glad I purchased it...the neutral color is light, but is not an exact match for my skin tone, so somehow it works. I bought a small, and maybe could have bought an extra-small, but honestly, the small isn't too big...plus if I ever get preggers again, this will be an excellent transitional dress...plenty of volume on the bottom, but not so much that I actually look pregnant now.

Bottom line? It is worth paying for...and I would even say at full price. :) Buy it here.


Just another view for you all. (I always put my hand on my waist, and I feel that you all sometimes need to see things without my hand there...different look and all.)


I wore this dress out and Mr. Dina almost died...he was all like, "where are you going, hot stuff?" Haha. :) Whatever, Mr. Dina. He honestly thinks that other guys are looking...yeah, I am such the catch, married, over a certain age, have two very young children, etc. I think Mr. Dina is safe.

Anyhoo...this dress is fun...it comes in tons of colors and is on sale now for 78 dollars? Maybe? I bought it WAY back when and it was 78 dollars then, too. I don't know why it hasn't dropped since then, but I am guessing J. Crew must know what it is doing...

I liked that I added the stone-colored belt...I felt like the dress was a bit much all one color block, but with the belt it breaks the look up a bit, and in a good way. The flip-flops are the fantastic grosgrain flip-flops that J. Crew makes so well, and I really really hope they never stop making. I live in J. Crew flip-flops, year-round (see my comment about swim coaching above).


And then there was the night that dinagideon became a teenager from 1988. It was fun! I went to eat dinner with Mr. Dina and wanted to look nice for him. The top is the plum raisin painter scoopneck tee from this fall (2009). It is a small. Gigiofca reviewed it here...she didn't care for it...but I was one of the lone dissenters. I love it so much that I own it in amber, too.

The skirt is from the J. Crew outlet and I think I paid 10 dollars for it? The skirt is a size 8 and is so stretchy and fun. It is high-waisted, too, so I can make this skirt look dramatically different in another outfit.

The belt is the patent leather jeans belt (from Winter 2009), but I bought it in a small so I could wear it at my waist or slightly below my waist rather than at my hips (which is actually where I wear my belts when I wear jeans).

Ooh, and I almost forgot...the necklace is one of my favorite pieces from this fall, the Galaxy ribbon and chain necklace. For 78 dollars (same price as the halter embossed dress), you can own one of these necklaces. I bought the stone colored one, but it also comes in black and dusty blossom. It is way more lightweight than it looks. Plus it is deconstructed enough looking that not only keeps the necklace interesting, but also keeps it from being too twee. If you like it, check it out here.


Love my girl. And as you can see, she loves the necklace, too!

Oh, and before you all go, check out crewsing through my 50s blog post on how to determine your perfect skirt length...turns out I have really long shins compared to my thighs, so I look really nice in knee-or a bit longer than knee-length skirts. (And I am wearing that length in outfit one and two.) I am not really meant to wear shorter skirts, but dangit, I just can't give them up that easily! :) Enjoy the post...really, really good info!


Next up? New haircut and new glasses (which at this point are nearly two week old...but I am close to catching up...)

Oh, I Am a Stay at Home Mom, Now...

Outside of a couple of stints as a substitute teacher this year, I will be exclusively staying at the house with the kids...still working (all you stay at home moms chime in with how true this is)...but it does afford me the opportunity to be a bit more "casual" with my outfits. (Although, I have an idea or two percolating in my mind to try and emulate the fab moms of the '50s and '60s, those who dressed up to do the dishes, but more on that later...)

So here goes...a few of my recent "hot weather" SAHM outfits. Nothing uber-special, but all fun and totally me. :)


HeidiG., this is all for you, babe. Don't you just love the message on the message tee? I bought this in Disneyland and I know it's meant for teenagers, but eh, whatever, I love the way it looks. The citron shorts are J. Crew from years ago, and the capri sandals are the starfish critter ones from earlier this summer. I felt very good in this outfit (probably because I felt like I was ready to go to the beach--and really when is that ever a bad thing?)!

Playdates and Mini-Skirts... by dinagideon featuring J Crew

Here is the polyvore for outfit #2...only polyvore for this post.


I wore this outfit to the playdate with HeidiG., E., M., and Summerilla. Yes, I wore a mini-skirt to the mall for a playdate. Again, who cares? This skirt is so comfy in real life. And that tee...it is so soft, it is unreal. And yep, that is the antique gold manor necklace from J. Crew (the only thing I have been able to wear from the DC JCA shopping expedition to Tysons in August).

The playdate was great...I love seeing HeidiG. and Summerilla, and as a bonus, my kids got to play with HeidiG.'s kids (who were FANTASTIC with my kids...love it)!


And for those of you who are curious...this is my version of workout wear. I workout so much that I find I spend a few hours a day at least in clothing just like this...I even travel now with workout clothing...yes, I know, it is almost sick. ;)

The night that I wore this it was a bit chilly, so I covered the tank with the wallpaper cardigan. This cardi was just the right weight to keep me from being too cold...but portable enough that I could fold it up and put it back into the yoga bag, if need be.


I did a close-up of the workout tank because I want to emphasize to all ladies the importance of having real support for your own "ladies" when engaging in any activity more jarring than say, yoga or swimming. I think I was off to an abs class and although it wasn't, say, kickboxing (no, that special form of cruelty awaited me another day), I found the extra support from a workout-grade top really helped in keeping me comfortable and from hurting CW's main source of food (yes, I am one of those crazy nurse a baby--if you can--until they are two types).

You all have the best night...soon you will see parts two and three to this SAHM thing...dressy nights and my new haircut and new glasses. But depending on Internet access, I may not be able to post again until Monday! So until later...

August 12, 2009 (aka Rex's 2 1/2 Birthday)...

We are so into birthdays in this household that we happily celebrate half-birthdays, too. Yeah, I recognize the inherent lame-ness of it all, but well, that's us...a little bit lame. :)

Rex turned 2 1/2 on August 12, 2009. We celebrated during the day by going to the pool, and at night, we went to McDonald's and then to Toys R Us. (Wouldn't have been my first choice, but when you are 2 1/2, McDonald's and Toys R Us are the pinnacle of fun...esp. when they have happy meals with toys--whee!)

And because I eagerly anticipate any sort of celebration, you got it, I dressed up to go out to McDonald's and Toys R Us. You would have seen these outfits sooner, but if I recall, the next day my post had a comment from Mr. or Ms. Negative Jerk-Face commenter, and it kind of shut down my desire to post any fashion for a little bit. (But I am obviously back, and have been, and really wanted to get these outfits posted before it got any further into the fall season.)

August 12, 2009 by dinagideon featuring J Crew

Here is the polyvore for the whole day...from pool (on the left) to ultra-fancy McD's and TRU (right). Yes, Mr. Dina was a little amazed I was wearing a strapless dress and pearls out, but I think he got over it when I glared at him. ;)


Here is my day look...the Trastevere tunic from the outlet that I won on ebay (actually received a second chance offer) in a small, the khaki bermuda shorts from regular J. Crew, the twist back swimsuit in pacific from J. Crew, and the carina sandals in silver, also from J. Crew.

There is CW crawling around...sometimes they find their way into the pics (which I love...so cute)!


Okay, so here is the McD's/TRU outfit...the strapless jersey dress in a dark charcoal (may have been an in-store only color) belted with a cream leather skinny belt, and some sandals from ebay that are J. Crew (I think last summer--2008?).

I will be honest with you...I love the way this looks, but there is a whole lot of fashion tape being used to hold this dress up. For all of you who own this, do you have any secrets on how to hold this up better? I want to wear this more, but right now I am limited to wearing it only for a few hours at a time because the fashion tape only lasts that long. Hmm...if you have any ideas, I will forever be grateful!


I bought this button-up shirt specifically to wear as a lightweight jacket/cover-up. Crazily enough, while I can wear a 6 or even a 4 in some of J. Crew's jackets, I can barely get into a size 8 button-up shirt because the area of the shirt near the hips is always too tight to button up completely. Ergh! This shirt is the worst offender, by the way...the top 1/2 fits PERFECTLY, but the bottom 1/2 is WAY TOO small. So lucky for me, I only wanted to wear it open.

For those of you considering the ruffle front liberty art perfect blouse from J. Crew this season, go for it if you have larger hips...they have finally sized their tops to work on both the top and bottom halves of us pears. (Finally...)

Have a great day...enjoy yourselves and don't work too hard!

Oh, and P.S.: I found my diary from high school...man, it is BAD. Terrible. Completely hilarious, but truly awful. I will be working up the courage to bring you dina's dramatic diary...just give me a few more days...

Let's All Go to the White House!!! (Mini-Review of Twist Sash Dress, Also...)

I have been telling Gingersnap that I was going to publish this post for over a week now, and all because she and I have a love for Cole-Haan shoes in common. She wanted to see the fabulous-ness that these new Cole-Haans I have, in all their amazing glory.

Well, it turns out that we have another thing in common, a love for the amazing Banana Republic Floral Statement necklace, which she and I both fell in love with because of the world's biggest jewelry enabler, aka Ms. Patina. So now I felt DOUBLE the pressure to publish this post...the shoes and the necklace!

And being me, I really wanted to show you all a fantastic dress, the twist-sash dress by J. Crew, that is currently on sale, so that those of you considering it for purchase will know if you are choosing well (and you will be...). :)

White House Tour, 8/29/09 by dinagideon featuring J Crew

First things first...the polyvore of the entire outfit I wore to the White House. Yes, I was even so inclined to wear the nail polish you see in this set...admittedly it came off two days later, but I did wear it!

Second, the wonderful Slastena and 3-Penny Princess each had their own posts about the day, so go ahead and click on their names so you can see their write-ups (which will be way better than mine, because I am really tired right now and barely able to give this write-up everything I should). (Which is also why, if you have further questions, add them in the comments, and after a couple of hours to a couple of days later, I should be able to answer any question you have!)


Yes, I wore what is basically a party dress to the White House. I was feeling very mid-century modern woman when I was planning my outfit. I also knew that it would be hot and ridiculously humid outside, and because this dress is made from linen (with metallic threads interspersed), I knew that it would help me stay cool...linen is any preppy southern girl's best friend in July and August! I also threw on the navy patent open-toed Carma Cole Haan heels on, a knotted satin headband on, and the amazing floral statement necklace on. Altogether, pretty nice...but lacking...I threw something else on but I will get to that in a second.

The dress is well made and perfect for a summer party. The twist sash is just precious enough, without being all in your face twee. I like that this is a dress that can be worn to the office (see how in the next photo), but with just a few tweaks can be all sweet and sexy for a couple of mojitos or mint juleps out on the patio or veranda. (Can you tell I spend a lot of time imagining where I will wear things? It is all part of my pre-purchase process....and this time, it actually came to fruition!)

I ordered the twist sash dress in my normal J. Crew dress size 8. I could have just fit into the 6, but I would rather take something in than squeeze in... It is flowy and full on the bottom-half, so if you are bigger on bottom (like me), you should go normal size or possibly size down. If you are a bit "bust-ier," go with your gut and size up...the empire waistband sits right at your bra strap line, and it can be a tight squeeze if you don't properly size the dress (there is a metal covered zipper at the back of the dress).

If you are now interested in purchasing it, please visit here to find it, on sale. I bought it at nearly full-price and I don't regret it, so I think if you buy it on sale, you have scored!


Now, I wasn't about to traipse into the White House wearing a linen dress whose hue is almost a match for my skin color (it looks less so in real life), so I knew I had to find a jacket or cardigan to wear. The cardis I tried were all too unstructured and looked sloppy, and many of the jackets I tried were too boxy or the wrong kind of fabric. Then I remembered...I own a navy, belted linen jacket by Ann Taylor Loft that is just the right fit and fabric and weight for this outfit. I tried it on and voila, perfection...this was the right jacket. What made this jacket even better was realizing I had bought it on sale for something like 15 dollars (down from near 90 dollars) and in a size petite 6. I know...a petite 6. CRAZY! This jacket even reminds me of the Fiona jacket by J. Crew, with the exception of being well-fitting versus boxy.

So there you are, everyone...a perfect outfit for a perfect day. Thank you, Cleo26 for arranging the tour, Rosa for getting us into the Occidental Grill, and Kelly, 3-Penny Princess, and Slastena for being the absolute best company ever. Oh, and so you know...this necklace is like some sort of drug...after Gingersnap and I saw it on Patina, we just HAD to have it, and after Kelly saw it on me, she just had to have it...so funny...I love that we are all just enabling one another left and right...I guess that is what friends do for one another!

P.S. I answered comments earlier today from the fairly recent posts, so if you have left a comment or asked a question, I have attempted to answer it as best I could!

Passport Photos=No Smiles, Please!

So there is now a rule that you can't be all "smiley, mc smile smile" when taking your passport photo. I have a tough time with that rule now, obviously, because I love smiling so much. It seems false for me to not smile in a picture, because I spend the good majority of my day with a smile on my face. (As do my kids...keep that in mind...)

Well, it turns out that I have no worries about this rule with my two kids because when both sat down to have their passport photos taken, they just kind of stared at the photographer with a kind of glazed over, deer in the headlights look.

They look cute, but kind of ominous...a little bit children of the corn (although I have never seen that movie so I can't vouch for the description's accuracy).

I know I promised that I would do the White House visit post next, but these pics were in my computer, and I figured some of you would love the distraction of funny passport photos. Granted they are no where near the territory of awkward family photos, but pretty darn priceless, nonetheless.

Oh, and so you know...it must be a familial thing...cause look down there (yes...below this paragraph)...oh, it's me, dinagideon, at my most sinister-looking. :) The photographer must have LOVED me when he was taking this passport photo...this was back when you were actively encouraged to smile! :)

Okay, everyone, back to the frivolity of Labor Day weekend.

Dress-Up for Whole Foods, Part Two and a Little Bit of SAHM Clothing!

Happy Friday before Labor Day Weekend!!! I know that some of you have already started your long weekend, so please do enjoy and be safe (!!!)...

Today, I had planned on showing you my outfit that I wore to the White House last weekend with the fabulous DC JCAs but then when I looked in my computer this morning, I realized I never uploaded them...and I am being lazy so I will just publish the post this weekend. (Gingersnap, this is the outfit that has the Cole-Haans, so rest assured, you will see their fabulous-ness sometime soon!) Also, for those of you thinking about buying the twist-sash dress on sale, that is the dress that I wore to the outing...so I will treat it as a mini-review for those of you on the fence...

Dress Up for the Grocery Store, Part Two! by dinagideon featuring J Crew

Here is the polyvore for the first outfit (and only the first outfit--the second outfit, as you will see, was not worth doing a polyvore for...).


Yes, I dressed up to go to Whole Foods again. I mean, really, now that I am only venturing out of the house five times a week or so, I really make the outfits sing as much as possible. I have even turned to wearing nice outfits in the house because I love dressing up so much! (Although my SAHM outfit in the second photo is my very casual daily look--especially useful in the mornings.)

A Bigger Closet reviewed these sandals, and I put some comments in her post to talk about the fit...so if you have questions on the shoes, try her post first. The rest of the outfit's info is in the polyvore, but if you have specific questions, go ahead and ask in the comments!


Yes, this is my very casual, let's just hang with the kiddies look. The head-scarf is J. Crew, back when they thought it was okay to produce head-scarves. Can you imagine Jenna Lyons approving them now? Haha...no way, Jose. The striped tank is from J. Crew back in February 2009. I actually had to shorten the tank straps and dry it in the dryer to make it fit properly. Irritating, but worth it for such a nice-looking tank top. The shorts are Ann Taylor Loft and are so comfy and cozy. The flip-flops are J. Crew...and one of about 7000 pairs that I own (I am a swim coach--I can sort of get away with the excess...)

You all have a great day...I will be posting a bit this weekend...come on by if you need a break from all the sun and playing and happiness that these long weekends afford us. ;)

Oh, and P.S.: I am at 99 followers!!! Lemonade Makin' Mama joined in as a follower yesterday...her blog is really funny, btw. I just want to say thank you to each and every single one of my followers...I love that you all get to join me daily with whatever I have in overabundance in my life (and with 99 followers, I would say I have you all in overabundance--YAY!).