Fridays Are for Feet, Dani Neon/Cherry Blossom Style!

Wow! I received so many positive comments yesterday on my outfits, especially the Dauphine jacket one! :) THANK YOU! (I sort of feel like I should be wearing that outfit 24-7...heehee, just kidding, but I am definitely going to keep those proportions in mind when I want to be chic-er.)

Because April was CRAZY, I was unable to publish my two "cherry-blossom" themed outfits this year in a timely fashion. So you all know, the two-week Cherry Blossom festival is HUGE in the DC area, and this year it ended on APRIL 4, 2010. Yep, I am almost a month late in publishing these. Oh, well, better late than never. :)


It is "Fridays Are for Feet" day here at My Superfluities, so I figured I would highlight the Dani neon peep-toe heels today. I have already discussed how they fit (in the last Fridays Are for Feet post), but wanted you all to see just how cool the Danis are with the neon strap. SWOON. I love that pop of color against the ochre leather. Even better--if I tire of the neon strap (right, like that will happen)--I believe the strap could be removed by a shoe repair place and not ruin the integrity of the shoe (the other strap kind of secures your foot, if that makes sense). I took my new J. Crew size of 9.5 and it is perfect.

I wore these heels last week, also, and for a long time, and they were pretty darn comfy for heels. When I get a moment, I will post that outfit, but let's put it this way, expect to see me playing indoor "football" while wearing these heels. (And, no, I am not kidding.) :)

I love this outfit because head to toe I felt very put together. I also love the way the neon pink and red and ivory and ochre look together. Plus that Milla tank is so luscious. Yum. If clothing were a food, the Milla tank would be my first choice to eat.

Sizes:
Top: Size 8.
Skirt: Size 10, altered to fit like an 8.
Shoes: Size 9.5. Currently sold-out, but look for popbacks, this shoe is worth it.


Here I am with CW. We were headed out to Bethesda this day, and it was H-O-T if I remember correctly, like in the 80s (and this was EARLY April, so that is quite hot).

Pretty Petals for Work... by dinagideon featuring J Crew

The next outfit was for the VERY first day of my "Spring Into Style" class, and I had no idea what the other teachers would be wearing, so I pulled this outfit together. I figured it was: business-like enough, stylish enough, special enough (that cardi is so, so pretty), and celebratory enough (yay for Cherry Blossoms--the petals on the cardi reminded me of cherry blossoms).


And here I am. I love the overall look, but next time I may opt for a denim skirt or a lighter colored pencil skirt. I feel like this pencil skirt, while very versatile normally, is a bit dark for the top and the shoes. Ah, well, was still fine. The kids in the class LOVED the cardigan, and that works for me.

BTW, isn't CW precious in that Gymboree patchwork onesie? I love LOVE their kids clothing lines. :)

Sizes:
Cardigan: Size small. To see a mini-review of it, look below the next photo.
Skirt: Size 8.
Cami: Size medium.
Shoes: Size 10.


I believe I had written over at Gigi's Gone Shopping and at Sum Sunshine that I could never envision buying the forget me not cardigan from J. Crew as I was sure its very delicate nature plus my darling overactive toddlers could not go together, and while I still very much believe that, I do have a few times a week where I am away from them, so I went ahead and got it. I love the very girly nature of this cardigan, and was surprised at how well made the darn thing was (I am comparing it to the chiffon hot messes of J. Crew's "embellished" cardigans and tees from last spring).

It is currently sold-out, but I found mine on ebay for a really, REALLY good price. I have no idea how some of these sellers can sell these items for so cheap, but I assume they are either re-sellers and they go to the clearance centers A LOT or they are J. Crew employees who "turn" their "clothes" on the black market. Hmm...

Okay, enough said. You all have a fab, lovely day. It looks to be another hot one for us here in the NOVA area, so I look forward to wearing a floaty Liberty of London for Target dress tonight. Talk soon...

Tweed Dauphine and Alecia Suede Heels Review plus Zebra and Teal Sparkle!

Hi! I am back! Yay! Travelling was great, but it really limits my ability to keep up with my blogs. Pretty much the whole month of April we were off places, so it is nice to be back and in my (somewhat) relaxed SAHM mode. :)

Up today...two reviews and two outfits of the day.


This is both an outfit of the day and the reviews.

Sizes:
Jacket: Tweed Dauphine Jacket, Size 2 (!!!). Wow. This J. Crew Collection jacket runs large. I even checked with the sales assistant and she says that the jacket fits me exactly like it fit the model in the catalog, so that made me feel both good and outraged, all at the same time. Admittedly I am smaller on top than bottom, but wowza, you really petite women are probably completely sized out of this jacket. It is a beauty, too. (See next photo for a close-up.)
Top: Size small. This is the linen-cotton tiered tank that came in one moment and the next was out (probably because it went on 20% off and is a really nice tank). I bought it in the light purple which goes very nicely with the jacket and the pants.
Pants: Size 8. These are the infamous silk-linen pants from the holiday season that it seems very few of us liked. Even I was unsure UNTIL I wore them. Golly they are comfy...and shiny...which makes me feel like the are sweats but a little dressier, and really what could a SAHM want more? :)
Shoes: Alecia Suede Platform Peep-Toes, Size 9.5. A bit tight, these, but I am glad I got this size as I KNOW they are going to stretch out. I love these...and feel that they are worth the price WITH a discount of some sort. I got them in the February 30% off your whole purchase promo, which is way more reasonable of a price to me. (Speaking of, when is the next one???) I love the zipper detail at the back, plus the whole "I am now nearly 6 feet tall" thing.

For what its worth, my hubby hated this outfit. I have enough confidence now to laugh at him. He was wearing white tennis shoes, an oversized tee, and light-wash loose fit jeans when he said this to me. I just pointed to his shoes and said, "you are giving me fashion advice wearing those???" ;)


Here is the Dauphine close-up. The price on-line is EXCELLENT, with the current extra 20% off sale items. At 160 dollars, I thought I GOT a steal...turns out, no, those of you who waited until now got the BEST deal, so BRAVO!



Zebra and Teal Sparkle! by dinagideon featuring J Crew

Up next is today's outfit. I felt a bit iffy about the combo of zebra stripes and teal sparkles, but, eh, you only live once.

By the way, I visited the Lynchburg Clearance Center in Wyndhurst (the second of two clearance centers in Lynchburg, VA) on Tuesday and found these pants for $30! Down from $170, these may be my FAVORITE pants ever. They are the Collection Minnies, in the grey stretch wool and I just about died when I put them on, they were that comfy and sleek. Yay!!! (Oh, and my 15% educator discount was applied, which made it more like $27. It made the sewing of the ripped seam--tiny, by the way--feel like nothing!)


And here it is on me. Yes, my hubby had a hey-day with this one, too. He said I was a "dancing queen." Haha, real funny. But, then he said, "no, that's okay, I actually really love this outfit." And then he winked, all rico suave-like. Hmm, okay.

Then the coffee guy was all, "ooh, sparkly!" I guess guys like sparkle. Good to know. :)

Sizes:
Cardigan: Size small. Love me some zebra-print. Yum!
Top: Size Medium.
Pants: Size 6. YAY!
Shoes: Size 10.

You all have a great, sparkly day!

Mommy Style Monday #2--What to Wear When You Are Finally Showing...and a Review of the Double-V Dress...

After I did my very first Mommy Style Monday last week, I heard from mrsanketell over at Polyvore about how she has a particular dilemma, what to wear when you are 29 weeks preggo. Since I heard from her a week ago and I assume her pregnancy is progressing like mine did, she would now be 30 weeks pregnant. For those of you unaware of where 30 weeks puts you...this is the 3/4 mark, or 75% done with your pregnancy. This is also the point where most women have to just give up on regular clothing (like those highlighted in last week's post) and go to Pea in the Pod, or Motherhood Maternity, or Old Navy's Maternity Section, etc. You are definitely no longer looked at as "hmm, is she gaining weight," and instead it moves to, "wow, you must be ready to deliver soon!" (Unfortunately, as all of us previously pregnant women can tell you, this last statement is usually delivered when you are still 10 weeks from delivery, and when you tell the person that, they get really silent and look like they are really, really worried about how big your kid actually will be.)

30 Weeks Pregnant??? by dinagideon featuring J Crew

Since I know that mrsanketell is 30 weeks pregnant (7.5 months is yet another way of looking at it), I called my polyvore set "30 Weeks Pregnant: Non-Maternity Options." I will be doing a post on really cool maternity wear soon, but since mrsanketell is still pretty early in the "showing" phase, I thought she may appreciate one post on what options are out there that are not from the traditional maternity stores. I had a few reasons for doing this: 1) Maternity is ridiculously expensive and if you are only wearing it for a few months (including the postpartum period), it can be a bit prohibitive; 2) I like the idea of taking these items in your normal (or maybe one size larger than normal) size and wearing them as a showing yet not quite full-bellied enough to fit into real maternity wear; 3) If you do buy these kind of tops/dresses in your traditional size (or one size up), these tops/dresses WILL work for much longer than your pregnancy and postpartum period last (for more on that--I STILL wear the tee shown in this photo).

The tops are a mix of Boden and J. Crew AND mini-Boden and crewcuts.

The Boden and J. Crew tops were chosen because of their "easy" nature. If you buy them in your normal/one size up size, then you should be able to make them work for you up until you are around 35 or 36 weeks, plus postpartum, and later. I say 35 or 36 weeks because for most women, those last 3 to 4 weeks are the point when your belly gets SO big that most "normal" shirts become far too short to be worn decently. Yep, that is when maternity tops are your best option...also because (if you are like me anyhow) you feel ginormous and want to be done with it all, you could potentially get into the whole "tearing clothes off your body because you are so frustrated with how everything fits, you could hurt clothing that is pretty"...and who wants to do that to a lovely embroidered top from J. Crew? :)

The J. Crew dress option was chosen because the March catalog had a lovely pregnant woman wearing this dress (the Double-V dress) and she looks serene. I can tell you from experience that J. Crew jersey dresses are ideal for most of pregnancy. I wore many of them when I was pregnant with both kids. I also took them in my normal size of small (now rapidly moving to extra-small because of vanity sizing) and they fit up until about 35 or 36 weeks (see reason above on why I stopped wearing them). Note that I have a review of this dress below...I am not pregnant but this shows the versatility of this dress.

The mini-Boden tops were chosen because they are cut in such a way that they are ONLY flattering for little girls or really pregnant ladies. I know this because I bought a mini-Boden top to match CW (I bought a 14, but could have bought the 12 size...they run large), and it looked silly on my non-pregnant body, but I remember looking in the mirror thinking, "this would look great if I were to be pregnant again." It wasn't enough incentive for me to keep it, but I know that this style would work well for those with child.

The mini-Boden and crewcuts dresses were chosen because these are in essence, tunic tops for pregnant ladies. The great thing about the crewcuts options are that they have a neckline that reminds me of a halterneck and would do a great job of showing off shoulders, which for many in the maternity set, is the ONLY part of their body they don't mind baring. LOL.

I hope these options have opened your eyes to the potential that is out there for all the lovely ladies who are carrying precious cargo.

Next up is the review of the Double-V dress. I bet that after this post hits the blog-world, J. Crew will have a run on this dress...it is that good.


I bought this dress in a size small. If this dress were a tad more roomy in the hips, I would have returned this for an extra-small. I bought the slate color as black makes me look like death and the light purple (berry) color they have is very bad with my skin tone.

The dress does indeed have a double-v, one in the back, one in the front. The waist is actually an empire waist, but is a wider empire waist, so it doesn't become a babydoll dress. The waist is ruched elastic, so it E-X-P-A-N-D-S, which in pregnancy speak equals A-W-E-S-O-M-E. :) From the waist the skirt billows out, just so, but not enough to be unflattering (you know how if an A-line gets too full it just makes you look too full).

Because the dress is super-simple, the potential for accessorizing is HUGE, and I took it and ran with it (this was from when I went to Vegas), pairing the dress with the beautiful Aqua multi-chain gold necklace and a pair of silver sandals from J. Crew (2009).


I am standing here with my own product of pregnancy, CW, and my very pregnant (at this point she was 33 weeks pregnant) friend. She agreed that the double-v dress would be a very good option for her, although I have to say her faux-wrap dress does the trick nicely, too.

BTW, although I look "slightly" with child in this photo (showing its ability to look good on a pregnant body), I am not. This is what happens when you take a very heavy child and place her on your hip, you end up bowing your back (bad, bad for your posture) and looking pregnant. And for this post, that is just fine.

:) You all have a fantastic Monday. I have been on vacation, and still will be when this post publishes. I apologize if I cannot comment back quickly, but will do so when I return from my vacation.

As per last week, if you have a request for a Mommy Style Monday, let me know...either comment here or at polyvore, or go ahead and e-mail me at dinagideon@aim.com.

Casual Sequins Times Two!!!

Hey, you all. Glad you enjoyed yesterday's preview of today's J. Crew roll-out of May 2010 items. :) I woke up all ready to go and may have spied a few items I just love...including the Liberty Floral Daze Cardigan (how pretty and I think even though it is similar to the Target print, the colors pop more on this one) and the pants and shorts in the orchid shadow color. That color is divine!

I have for you tonight two very recent outfits that are me to the core. Very sparkly, very fun, somewhat dressy, but still has a very distinct casual edge to it.


The first outfit was worn by me on Tuesday for a day with Rex. I knew it would be a busy, crazy day, but I still felt like dressing up a tiny bit, but I knew the day's activities meant I had to be comfy. Enter my newest purchases (actually one is REALLY OLD, but was on a waitlist forever), plus my standby black resin wash toothpick ankle jeans by J. Crew from this last winter.

Sizes:
Top: Jaspé sequined slouchy sweatshirt, Size small. I waited for this for over four months. I bought this on a super promo back in December and waited and waited and waited... The wait was worth it. This has a lovely combo of both cozy and special. BTW, you know I have sequin OCD and if sequins even look like they will come off, I freak out, right? These sequins are applied in a random pattern and in such a way that they are all stitched in a continuous line (if you look on the inside of the sweatshirt you can see this). The workmanship is there, and definitely deserves Collection status, in my opinion. I also love the scoop neckline, so flattering.
Pants: Size 31. These are good workhorse denim pants.
Shoes: Lux shimmerveil ballet flats, Size 9.5. I would NEVER have bought these at full price, or even the current sale price. They had been on promo for $198, and then came along the awesome 30% off sale items, and yep, these guys went down to a much more reasonable $130. These are all leather, and well made. The do run a bit tight, but I know since it is all leather, the shoes will kind of become one with my foot. By the end of the day, these felt way better to me than at the beginning. I personally love the shimmerveil leather, just a hint of shine, and a very soft feel. I have the shimmerveill charmed mini-bag and it is the same exact leather. I think they are Collection worthy (came in a silver box--woo!), but even still, the original price was CRAZY!

I guess CW was shy that morning. ;)


I wore the above outfit on my RUNWAY show day of my Spring Into Style class. I figured if the kids were going to be dressed very swank and pretty and strut confidently, then so must I.

Sizes:
Cardigan: Size small. This is the slub cotton v-neck long cardigan from January 2010's rollout? Anyhow, I remember this cardigan selling out pretty quick, I think if J. Crew prices things well and they are well-made, they will sell out.
Top: Size Petite Medium, which in Ann Taylor Loft world means a regular size small. Huh. Great top. I know a lot of you out there own it and love it...consider me a member of your club. No sequin OCD, btw, this top, like the jaspe above, has very secure sequins. Phew.
Pants: Size 30 Tall. I love LOVE these stretch toothpick ankle jeans in the twilight wash.
Shoes: Size 9.5. Love how the spearmint pops against the neutrals of the rest of the outfit.

The kids and staff at the school loved the outfit, but at first many, many people were all, "what is she wearing?" Then, seeing me on stage as the MC for the fashion show, little light bulbs went off. :)

Baby matches, too, all pretty in peacock.

Have a great night. Talk soon!

A One Day Early Sneak Peek into J. Crew's May 2010 Catalog...

There must be armed guards around these catalogs now if I am the first person doing a sneak peek of a J. Crew catalog. Normally I am one of the last to receive them, either through mail or the store, so for me to receive one from the nicest, most pleasant SA in the world (no joke, either, she is AMAZING with my kids--worth everything to a mom) was just awesome.

But I still had the feeling that someone, anyone out there in the JCA universe would have scanned the images from this catalog by now. NOPE!

Okay, fine, I can at least scan a couple of images for you all. *Note* I say a couple, because that is all I can do. 1. The catalog comes out tomorrow on-line because the new arrivals come out on-line tomorrow, or so says my very capable and hard-working personal shopper (on-line), so I didn't have the energy to scan the whole catalog knowing that in less than 20 hours you all could see all the images for yourself. 2. But I love a good sneak peek, so here goes...(10 images my kids let me scan before they had some sort of toddler crisis, lol).


Front Cover: GORGEOUS SHOT. Taken in the Turks and Caicos, which based upon the copy in Jenna's picks, was where she and her fam took a vacay earlier this year. That backpack is silk satin. :)


Umm, I guess I am saying good-bye to my Poppy Liberty Jacket from last spring. I can get one that fits correctly and is green and pink paisley? Umm, yes, please. :)


I went ahead and bought this tank in three separate colors during the tee/tank promo a few weeks back. This is a great tank to wear on its own, but more importantly, can transition to fall and winter as a layering piece under all the great cardis J. Crew comes out with.


Oh, wow. I am seeing double. Didn't Target's Liberty of London collaboration have this exact suit? Oh, wait, yes it did. See here. I do like the J. Crew version, too. I have a feeling this one will stay up easier, but it is almost $80 more.


I have had my eye on this racerback jersey gown for some time. And now I am officially smitten. Oh, and the one on the right is sure pretty, too. AppGal, are we in love or what???


Jenna's picks, page one. I do have to say that sequined jacket is sure pretty. And expensive. One of you go and enjoy it for me, please!


Jenna's picks, page two. Doesn't do much for me, but maybe someone else out there...


I love this look. The subtle sequined top, the cardi, the necklace, the pants, the shoes, and the purse. Now if I only had over $600 to put it all together. Oh, wait...except for those purple pants, I can replicate this look...it is called "shop your closet." :)


You all know the lovely, gorgeous Suzy from her blog, right? Well, lucky me and CW got to meet her last night at Tyson's for an outing. Suzy is in town for a couple of days and polyvore messaged me to get together. Of course I said "you betcha!"

Here is a photo of us at J. Crew all happy and excited because CW looks just darling in her headband, she and I just scored the Tweed Dauphine jackets in our "sizes" (quotation marks because she and I both went much smaller than we normally wear--me, a size 2--I know!), and we had just received the catalog you all are spying with your eyes right now in this post.

Oh, and p.s., look at her Fenton-Fallon for J. Crew necklace. Isn't it just really, really cool?

Suzy, thank you for such a great night!


And here is my outfit I wore...

Sizes:
Jacket: Decade Dot Jacket, Size 6. Bought from a very cool JCA. It was in PERFECT condition. Thank you! :)
Shirt: Size Medium. A bit baggy as this is the perfect fit tee from 2005, and these stretch out a lot (great for pregnancy, not so much for me right now).
Pants: Size 31.
Shoes: Size 9.5. Only pair of Sergio Rossi shoes I own and they are amazing...got them off ebay in EUC condition for a song.
Necklace: From Target. It is a necklace of shells, fish, and turquoise beading. Came out recently and is on clearance now. Does anyone know what collaboration line this is from? I must have missed it.

Have a great day, and enjoy the new arrivals tomorrow.

Mommy Style Monday #1--What to Wear When Newly Pregnant...or Newly Not Pregnant...

Over the weekend I held a Blog/Business Bash for my new partnership with Arbonne (more on that bash and a giveaway in another post--most likely tomorrow), and while there, some of my awesome friends started talking about what they do when they find out they are pregnant but they don't want the word to get out yet. A lot of my friends, including myself, live by the "wait until the second trimester--or 12 weeks" to tell everyone about pregnancy. There are many reasons to wait, but the reason most of us wait is for fear that something will go wrong with the pregnancy (like miscarriage) and then we will have to spend the next few months answering questions about our pregnancy that wasn't. It is a terrible thing...but one that has to be addressed.

The discussion then turned to what to wear after you have given birth, you know right after having the baby when in reality you still look pregnant. You so DESPERATELY don't want to appear pregnant, but you do, so you try your best to find anything. ANYTHING. that doesn't make you look like you are about to give birth. I have had this happen to me:

Teenage Boy Sales Clerk: "Ah, when are you due? Are you excited?"
Me: "I gave birth last week. I am here for some slippers because none of my shoes fit--my feet are swollen to three sizes bigger than normal."
Teenage Boy Sales Clerk: (Turned BRIGHT RED.) "Oh, ugh, ah, uh, oh, oh, I...aaaamm...sssooorrrry."
Me: "It's okay, I can't even wear normal clothes yet, so of course I look pregnant. You wouldn't know better. What are you, 17? It's okay!"
Teenage Boy Sales Clerk: "Lance, LANCE, I can't make this till work, can you take care of this lady, PLEASE!?!?!?"

Yes. I frightened a poor teenage boy because of my inability to choose my wardrobe wisely enough to prevent his breakdown after he discovered that I was indeed not pregnant, but instead just REALLY. REALLY. FAT. (It's okay, I know it is baby fat, but come on, you all, it is still an extra--in my case--45 pounds of fat around my belly and face and FEET.)

So why do I highlight both newly pregnant and newly not pregnant? Because these are two times when a lot of women have extra weight where they didn't before, and is the time where your choice in clothing can AND will do a lot to "hide" your condition.

And just so you know, many of my newly pregnant friends are pregnant for the third, fourth, fifth, and even sixth times, and supposedly the weight comes on faster and fiercer with every baby you have.

As far as the postpartum weight goes, each lady is different. The story I told about me was with Rex...and although I carried an extra 35 pounds after CW, the running around after a very active BOY toddler helped me shed that much, much quicker. I still needed to hide the "pudge" a bit, but I found that I was able to put away the specialty clothing much quicker.

SO--with that transition sentence--onto the main crux of this post. What is the best shirt or top (specifically--we will get into other items of clothing in other weeks) for the newly pregnant or newly not pregnant?

It was determined at my bash that the best shirt or top was not a maternity top as most of those styles actually make even the most flat-tummied women in the world look pregnant. It was also determined that the baby doll style top also has that effect, even on teenagers (who still wear this style, regardless).

No, hands down, the favorite style was any top that had shirred or gathered detailing at the neckline and then flowed gently and smoothly away from the bust down. It made a lot of sense after we deconstructed the choice. Rather than being too tight at the bust and then too loose through the waist like many maternity/baby doll tops, this style top is loose throughout but not too loose. After all, whether newly pregnant or newly not pregnant, there is generally not enough belly to justify a super-loose waist/belly area on a top.

What also makes this top a go-to choice for us is that is super-flattering even when you aren't trying to hide a little something, something. I still wear these style tops and I have lost all baby plus some AND *very important* am not with child now.



Gathered and Shirred Tops!!! by dinagideon featuring Old Navy

Above are some examples I found over at polyvore this morning.

I love them all but am especially fond of the purple blouson top at the very top left hand corner, the floral v-neck in the second row, the grey cowl style tank on the left in the third row, and the ultra-luxurious silk tied waist shirt at the very right of the third row.


And here is a photo of me wearing a popular tank style of this top (J. Crew--summer 2007). I was still attempting to lose that last little bit of tummy in this pic and I love how this just looked fresh and sweet on me and not like I was trying to hide. Because in the end that is what we all want when we are trying to hide something...to make it look like we aren't.

And with that I bid you farewell! Happy Mommy Style Monday!!!

P.S. Do you have a question for Mommy Style Monday? I would love to help find you an answer to your specific needs...either newly pregnant, pregnant, postpartum, stay at home mommy chic, working mommy needs, etc. If you have a kid and have a question, I will do my best to help you out! :)

Cleo and Dani Make an Appearance on Fridays Are for Feet!

Oh, I feel so timely writing this post. I think if it weren't for the fact that I have seen NO reviews of these shoes, I wouldn't even bother writing these up. :)

Yesterday was fab. I loved it! Hung out with my kids for the first time during the workweek since I started my awesome Spring Into Style class (which is now over--and yes, the runway show was amazing, and yes, my outfit for the show will be presented to you all at some point). Since it was just the perfect temperature to hang outside with the kids yesterday (high in the 70s and very sunny), I took them to a park near us called Huntley Meadows, which if you live in the NOVA region and have not been to...you must go and stat. It is a protected preserve with both abundant forests AND a wetland (complete with a boardwalk). Sadly, we didn't make it all the way to the wetland (the kids were a bit tired by the time we got there), but we did take a quick jaunt through the forest. :) Baby CW was really mad when we left...I guess I know who I have to take there more often.


Above is me and Rex after the walk. He ACTUALLY wanted to pose for a pic with me. Yay, Rex!


Above is the outfit I wore...all oldies but goodies, except of course for the Cleo Platform Shoes.

Sizes and info (no time for a polyvore):
Cardigan: The infamous Coccodrillo printed cardigan from last summer. Compared to what J. Crew is churning out now, this print almost looks sort of tame. :) Size Medium.
Tee: I forget the name, but I find this shade of caspian blue very flattering, and I love the black silk floral applique on the front. Proof that you can and should wear navy and black together. Size small.
Pants: Scout Chinos (in regular length). I own these in the tall length, and it adds about three inches to the inseam, making them the perfect ankle length pants. These are just regular capris in the shorter, normal inseam. Size 8.
Shoes: Size 10. And they are a bit too short in length. SHOCK! I actually have a pair of shoes from J. Crew that fits me in a size 10...just like old times.


Close up of the Cleo Platform Sandals. 1. Get your normal, pre-vanity foot size J. Crew size. For me this is a ten. I have been wearing 9s and 9.5s recently...in 2005 I almost exclusively wore 10s or 11s in J. Crew shoes. Admittedly my feet have shrunk a bit, but not enough for me to be wearing 9s, for crying out loud. 2. These are just wonderful shoes. I love the comfort, I love the color, and I love how they are pretty on the feet. 3. I was 6 feet tall in these. YAY. Eye to eye with Mr. Dina. (And Jenna Lyons, in flats. Heehee.) 4. I walked all over God's green earth yesterday and did not feel it. They are perfection for a mom on the go!


I wore this outfit a few weeks ago, but since I did the review of the Dani Peep Toe Shoes in this outfit, I thought I would at least show you how I styled it.

Sizes and Info:
Shirt: Mushroom Printed Button-Down Nehru collared shirt from the outlet. I bought this off ebay. I love this print, but missed out on it when it was at the "real" J. Crew back in 2007. Now does anyone have a mushroom printed skirt in a size 10 that they want to sell me???
Pants: 7 For All Mankind Bootcut Jeans. Based on this pic, it appears these need to go into my postpartum closet. Size 32.
Shoes: Size 9.5. Perfect fit in my "new" J. Crew shoe size.


One shot of the Dani suede and leather heels in Irish Moss. Love the cone heel and I adore the stretchy bit there on the side...great for expanding feet (especially during pregnancy and if you are on your feet all day).


Another view from the other side. Very pretty and girly, eh?


And a front shot. I wish I had the time to get a pedicure. My toes are all bare and sad looking. :( Mother's day gift, anyone???

Some thoughts on this heel...love the color, love the retro details, and appreciate the cone heel, as that makes this a very comfy shoe. Here is an odd thing, though. I bought these about two months ago and on sale for...$105.00. It was on sale for $150 and J. Crew was running a 30% off all sale items promo, so there you go, $105.00. Now this heel is back to its original (and slightly insane) price of $215.00. Huh???

I also have the Dani neon leather heels in the neon pink color. I will be doing that review when I finally get around to showing my cherry blossom themed outfits (the pink in the strap was perfection with the ochre pencil skirt and bright pink silk top I wore that day). The Dani heels in neon have NEVER been on sale, so I had to grab (probably their last pair of 9.5s) those at full price. Yes, I know, it hurt me too. (But they are amazing!!!) Oh, and I provided that link at the beginning of the paragraph because they may popback one day, and you all should make grabby hands towards them...

Have a great day. Coming tomorrow? A new blog/business venture for My Superfluities (grand launch is happening between 4 and 7 pm Eastern time). Wish me luck!

Animal Print Fun Times...A Little Tortoise Here, A Little Zebra There...

Howdy, all!

Making this quick...

Have two outfits to show off, both from two separate days of teaching the "Spring Into Style" class. I know I could probably get away without "bringing it" every day, but I kind of feel like if you are going to say "I can teach this class on style," then the least I can do is put some effort into the outfits I wear.

Here are two attempts I made...even though both attempts were made in the morning when yours truly when bu##-tired, I think I did okay. Thank goodness for dresses...easy, peasy, and put together. :)

Tonal Paisley, Gold, and Brown... by dinagideon featuring J Crew

Above is the polyvore from today's outfit. Yes, that is the metallic beach cardigan in metallic camel. And, yes, that is the stone garden tote. (I have a real life photo of it in another post upcoming.)


Sizes:
Cardigan: Size small. A medium would have been massive on me. The small is a nice fit, I feel this cardigan looks better opened and with the sleeves scrunched up (see the next photo for why it should be 3/4 length, especially when worn with a dress).
Dress: Size 8. Now it is too big on me, but I still LOVE YOU, shimmer paisley print dress. Swoon.
Shoes: Size 9.5. Probably should have worn heels, but if you are a teacher, you 100% get why I didn't. ;)
Necklace: The Madewell Jigsaw necklace. Get this on popback if you can. (Fortunately jewelry suffers less from popback ickiness, unlike the clothing--used kleenex, anyone?)


With the sleeves at my wrist, the overall look is a bit schoolmarm-ish. Eek. Thank goodness for my preview function on my digital camera.

Baby CW loves her Fur*Real kitty cat. We have named him Chairman Me-ow. Haha. I am sure that name has never been done before.


And Thursday:

Yes, that is the Blakely dress in the Zebra print, which I guess sold as quickly as I am writing this sentence. One day I tried it on in a 6 in a store (too small through the ribcage) and then the next week, this puppy was gone almost everywhere (I decided to chance it at full price, and was glad I did).

Sizes:
Dress: Size 8. Bit big through the bust, but I just pin the bit there at the cleavage area, no one is wiser. I really like the look of this dress, very appealing in its forgiving shape, plus the zebra print is just too much fun. The kids REALLY liked this dress, plus the avocado colored accessories.
Belt: Size Small.
Shoes: Size 10.

Well, that's it. Two days left till the end of the style class. Wednesday, by the way, is our runway show. :) FUN! Wish me and them lots of luck...

Some (J. Crew) In Store Only Items--IRL Photos and Info!!!

Let's jump right in, shall we? :)

Armed with a bunch of returns, and a 20% off new store opening coupon, I ventured to Fair Oaks mall (in Fairfax, VA) to check things out at the newest J. Crew. (Which, as an aside, is quite beautiful, bleached wood, wide-planked wooden floors, bright lighting, and clean white walls.)

Here is what I found (some of which I decided to keep)!

In Store Only??? by dinagideon featuring J Crew tops

Above is the polyvore of the four items I kept. When you see the IRL photos, plus the explanation, you will see why I kept them and not the other things I tried...


Ooh, JCA is all a-buzz (bzzz, bzzz) over this Jaipur Paisley Helena skirt. Yes, I totally bought into the crewlade on this one. :) The colors are perfect for spring and summer, and the pattern is like nothing I have owned before. The fabric is lightweight and linen, meaning that if it is 100+ degrees outside, I won't swelter if I wear this skirt.

I bought an 8. There was no 6, but I know the 6 would have fit. I liked the 8, though, because I can scooch it down on my hips, making the length longer (this is a short skirt if you wear it at your waist and you are 5'8").

This skirt reminds me a lot of the linen skirt I bought from J. Crew last summer (and wore all the freaking time).


Here it is with the tank layered over it (don't worry, I am not really planning on wearing this color top with this skirt). I did this so you could see that the waistband isn't too bulky, so if you like to untuck, you can.

This skirt retails for $88.00, and is in store only for now. Hopefully it makes it on-line at some point.


Next, the celosia cardigan in cool breeze (CBR?). I have the celosia in papaya AND honey. I love this cardigan. I think it is the collar. It is not overdone, yet gives enough drama to elevate it from being *just* a cardigan. I love to button up my celosias, especially with a printed pencil skirt. Supposedly this cardigan color is in store only, but my, it certainly looks an awful lot like the aqua one that was for sale (now sold out) on line.

It was on sale for $69.99. I believe this was the last one in the store, which is why I bought the medium. I would have preferred the small, but the difference between small and medium is very hard to see. (In fact, I bet it is only a wee bit bigger through the waist and I bet the medium is a bit longer...the smalls I own fit EXACTLY the same way through the bust, shoulders, and hips.)


All right, I did NOT buy this skirt. I thought it was SO pretty, and so that is why you see it on me. If you have the right body for this skirt, GO FOR IT. Basically, if you are 5'5" or shorter, have narrow hips and a bigger waist, this is your skirt.

I tried this J. Crew Collection skirt on in a size 8. It fit, but poorly. It was far too large in the waist and just a bit too tight in the hips (which is why you see the lines across the front). Plus the fabric is terribly unforgiving, so I would have had to size up and really take in the waist to make this skirt work for me. Such a shame. That said, it must not have worked for a lot of folks because it is on sale for $49.99, which if you do look good in it, would be an incredible deal!


Oh, this gorgeous strapless dress. So beautiful. You break my heart, my pretty. Yes, I know it looks good in the photo. Some of you will call me crazy for leaving it behind. My hubby even liked me in it.

I tried this strapless, body skimming sheath dress in a size 6. It definitely fit in all the right places...except in the ONE place where a strapless dress should fit...yep, the bust. If I kept my arms at my side while wearing this dress, I would be set...except who does that? I raised my arms in the fitting room, and well, gave myself a little show. SHOCK!

The only way I could conceive of paying for this dress is on a STEEP discount. I would then take the money I saved and purchase some grosgrain fabric ribbon in brown and have my tailor add straps (wouldn't that be pretty?).


Why, oh, why, J. Crew? Couldn't you have made this into a strappy dress? Sob.


Okay, ladies and gents...I listened. Now that I have a 20% coupon, I bought the purple checked blouse you all went nutso for when I wore it last. Turns out it does look good buttoned up...when I wear it with minnies, all classic and 1950s like. :)


Now, no one has talked about this coat. Why? This is the Beene coat, and is a very retro, pretty spring coat. Even though it is white (usually the nemesis color of any mom), it is a very durable fabric so it can withstand the toddlers.

It was originally $178.00, but must have been overlooked by everyone, so now it is down to $119.99. I bought this in a 6. The 4 fit fine, but the back blouses out, so it looked a bit too blousey in the 4, and more slimming in the 6. Does that last sentence even make sense? (I confess, I am drinking a glass of wine while penning this post--I am also outside amongst the pollen-friendly oak trees of our neighborhood--maybe I should have made a warning--"Do not mix pollen, wine, blogging and Dina." LOL.)


I didn't capture any pics of it closed...but I prefer it open. :)


And, yep, I wore an outfit to shop, so here it is.

Sizes:
Top: Size Small. This is the strewn leaves blouse in red by Anthropologie. Very pretty, even if I do have to fuss a bit with the collar. :)
Pants: Size 8. I have recently purchased the minnies in the tall size (the khaki color) in a size 6, and they fit well. Hmm.
Shoes: Size 10.

There is CW, mixing patterns again. ;)

Have a nice Sunday, all. I have three more days of Spring Into Style left. Wish us luck!

A Tank Two Ways!

You all! I am so busy...and truly sorry for taking so long to publish. It has been a LONG time since I have taken such a break. :P At least I have a cool, stylish reason for this break, but still, I have missed you!!! :)

Spring Into Style is going well...the kids are fab and all very sweet. I even have one little boy in my class, and he is very passionate about creating looks for both men and women alike. To see such creativity and expression at 8, 9, and 10 years old is amazing!

A Tank Two Ways! by dinagideon featuring Seven For All Mankind jeans

Above is the polyvore from an outfit I wore on a Saturday a few weeks ago. It was still a bit cold out and I knew that no matter what, I would need a coat and tights. :) I love this tank, and found it the perfect pick-me-up on that day. Plus, it looks fab with grey and denim, so the overall look was very lovely.


Here is the tank with the jeans, constellation cardigan, and the animal print flats. Very comfy, but with that bit of bling on the cardi, a little special, too!

Sizes:
Tank: Size small.
Cardigan: Size small.
Denim: Size 30.
Shoes: Size 40. (These were the shoes that ran REALLY big by Boden.)

And I had to make sure CW matched!!! ;)


Too cold to wear the outfit on its own, so I paired it with one of my favorite spring coats, EVER. This is an Anthropologie find, brand Elevenses, that I bought 5 (???) years ago. LOVE this color, print, fabric, cut, etc. Unfortunately, I had to put it DEEP in the closet until I lost all the way...this coat is cut very close, and has only recently fit again. I am wearing a 6 here.

Does anyone remember what catalog or season this coat is from? Or even better, know the name of it? I would love to find an image of it...


And here is the other way I wore this tank, paired with the short, full indigo skirt by J. Crew, and the tie-front cashmere cardigan in black. The tights are grey, and make the skirt seem less revealing.

Sizes:
Cardigan: Size small.
Skirt: Size 8.
Tights: Size Medium/Tall.

Have a great day, all. Hope to get back and publish soon...there is A LOT ready to go! :)