Ambling Twists Tank in Real Life...and a Jig from Rex!

QUICK REMINDER! Do you know a stylish mom? PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE check out this post. I need nominees! I have a few, but need more... :) THANK YOU!


Can I just tell you how much I love Rex doing the jig?

Sizes:
Top: Size Small. This is the Ambling Twists Tank by Anthropologie, and I adore it. I love the color, the knotting, and the fit. And as added bonus, it is the one top in my entire wardrobe that actually works with these light denim chambray cocktail capris (was a J. Crew in-store only color--spring 2009). Seriously, the ONLY top. It only took me a WHOLE year to find something that worked well with them. Gah. True to size, and if you can find it, I say "snap it up!"
Pants: Size 8. Awesome, yummy cocktail capris from Spring 2009. Even though I complained about the difficulty I had matching the light blue version, I think I have them in every color, nice workhorse pants that can be worn even when it is super-hot (as it was today--anyone want to try 95 and full humidity on for size?).
Shoes: Size 10. If you look closely, you will see that the footbed is the same Liberty Print fabric as my much-loved shirt (Thanks, Ema!).

As I am so very tired and kind of done, I will bid you all farewell. :) Sleep well.

Mommy Style Monday #10--Calling All Stylish Mommies!!!

Image courtesy of SheFinds
Doesn't Naomi Watts look so utterly perfect in this picture? She radiates (in my opinion) the essence of what "Mommy Style" is...effortless clothing choices, subtle, yet beautiful makeup, exceptional accessories, and of course, she looks right at home holding her adorable son.

I promise, this pause in my series of Mommy Style Mondays will be worth it when you find out what I next want to do...

I am bringing my posts to the next level and asking for you, all my dear, sweet bloggie friends to put your thinking caps on and tell me who you think I should INTERVIEW on their "Mommy Style." (And, yes, it is 100% okay to nominate yourself, in fact, I EXPECT IT! LOL.)

The process will be incredibly painless (a la Ms. Watts style).

First, I will receive the e-mail stating that you or someone you know should be interviewed for a Mommy Style Monday. (My e-mail is dinagideon AT aim DOT com, by the way!)

Second, I will e-mail the Mommy (or respond back if you nominate yourself) a list of questions that I would like you or your nominee to answer regarding "Mommy style."

Third, I will ask that you take a photo of yourself (and the photo does not need to have the head if privacy is a concern) showing off your best version of "Mommy Style."

Fourth, you or your nominee will e-mail the photo and answers back to me, which I will then publish on an upcoming Monday.

I have not been in a rut, but I wanted to take my Mommy Style Mondays further and I really feel like finding out how other mommies (who have very full lives) do it all and stay stylish!!!

I hope that I get a lot of nominees!!! I look forward to this mini-series in my column's future!

P.S. If any of you want me to interview Naomi Watts and have her e-mail, I would be more than pleased to ask her the same questions I am posing for the rest of you FAB moms out there! ;)

Where to Find the Tiered Lace Cami, Outlet Style...

Ooh, you all were excited by this top! :) I received so many inquiries on how to find this cami that instead of answering all the e-mails and comments individually (which I normally would love to do--that said today has been crazy busy), I will just post the info here.

(Note--J. Crew Outlets whose numbers I post here--look at the phone calls you are receiving as GOOD for business and be nice to my dear, sweet, kind readers who really want to get this top from you. SWAK!)

Item # (this is from the receipt): NA6295. Remember this top also comes in a black colorway.

Phone #s of the two stores we have had luck finding the camis at: 860-664-3528 (in Connecticut), and 845-928-4400 (Woodbury Commons, I don't know which state that is in...).

If you all find it, report back, please! If you have luck at another store, would you also mind reporting back with that info, as well?

Thank you all. :) Have a great night, and GOOD LUCK!

Tiered Lace Cami...Outlet Style.

Remember this beauty from last fall that everyone was all swooning over? And what about the Lacey Top, this year's version? Still not sure that you can swing it? I agree...over $500 for a cami is a lot of money, no matter how special the lace is...

So what is a girl to do who loves the frill and romance of the lace but can't afford it? Why, it's Super-Greg (read more about him here) to the rescue! In late July, dear Super-Greg gave me a little look-see at the Outlet look-book for the fall (basically a set of photos in a binder for the managers of each outlet to keep for how to set up shop) and I gasped upon seeing the Tiered Lace Cami on one of the mannequins in one of the photos.

I said, "Super-Greg, do you think you all will get this in your store?" To which he replied, "no, as we are not super-special enough to get Outlet Collection pieces." And to which I said, "one, there are Collection pieces for the outlet, and two, you are Super-Greg, shouldn't that make this store SUPER SPECIAL?"

He, being super, said that he would put an all-call out to find me the cami at one of the stores. He, not ten minutes later, had located it, but only in black. It appears that the ivory colored one was not yet available. I declined to purchase the black, but insisted that he continue to use his super-powers to find the ivory.

Fast forward, he did find it! And he called me! SWAK, Super-Greg. And then I heard the price. $198. Even for a wonderfully, beautifully made Outlet Collection piece of which there are only a few in existence, it is still a lot of money for someone who doesn't make a lot of money (subbing doesn't pay very well, especially in summer--har de har har). I told him I would have to think about it. It took me six hours, but I figured out how I could do it. A combo of the rewards card and the extra money I have made selling clothes on ebay helped pay for it! Woo. And they allowed for my teacher discount, so that took it down a bit.

So You Wanted the Tiered Lace Cami and Couldn't Afford it? by dinagideon featuring j crew pants

So am I happy with it? You had better believe it! Above is a set I created using last year's image of the cami (the one I own is almost a dead-ringer, just not all frou-frou silk or rayon lace specially herded from the French Alps or whatever) along with some existing pieces I already had in my wardrobe. I wore this on Sunday to an outing with some of the other JCAs and the ladies loved it so much that two of them asked for the style # and phone # of the store I bought it from. I would say that it was popular. :)


It was VERY early when I took this, like 7 am. Yes, I was up and ready to go at 7 am on a Sunday. :)

Sizes:
Top: Size 4. Stay with your current J. Crew cami size.
Cardigan: Size small. This is the featherweight cashmere cardigan in the warm peacock color. Yum, love this color.
Pants: Size 6. These are the matte jersey curator pants. I have to say I am pleased that I bought them. They have a nice feel, no wrinkling, and the shape and color are very versatile.
Shoes: Size 9.5. Probably would have worn a different pair if I had more time that morning. These make the outfit a bit heavy, although some might say the sandals give an edgier feel to a fairly romantic outfit (that is what bits of lace and silk ribbon will do to ya!).


Close up of the cami. I don't know what the lining is, but it feels like silk. If it isn't silk, it is the nicest poly-blend ever. The lace itself is made from nylon and poly, and in my opinion, that makes for a very durable lace. I don't know how much I will wear it around the kids, but I didn't feel like I had to tip-toe around it, which is a relief. The sash is for sure 100% silk. I belted it twice around my waist and tied it in a knot.

Later that morning, Cleo26 (hi, girl!) untucked the second tier from the belt and changed the whole look of the top. She was right and I preferred her version (mine seems a bit high-waisted).


And, on that note, what I am wearing today. Get ready for old school J. Crew...I have had this maxi-dress since (cough, cough, wheez, wheez) 1995. Yes. 15 years. I celebrate it today for two reasons...

1. I brought it with me to my study abroad program at Harlaxton in Grantham, England. I wore it at least once a week. And since it is my (OMG, I am so old) 15th anniversary of studying abroad, I thought I should wear it again.

and...

2. I finally found it. It was in some box or another while I was pregnant and/or nursing, and it just. didn't. fit. properly. Now it does. Holla!

Would I actually wear this out in public? Umm, no. Thank you for asking, though.

Have a great day!

What I Have Been Doing Instead of What I Should Be Doing...

Okay, I know I have e-mails to send and comments to respond to and posts to publish, but when there is $2000 at stake ($1000 for the blogger who sponsors this contest and $1000 for the creator of the winning blogger's favorite set), then I have to say all things can take a back seat.

Interested in helping Fabulous Florida Mommy to BE THAT BLOGGER that wins the $1000? Check out her post on this contest for more information.

Above are the FIVE sets I have created for this contest. I actually have had a LOT of fun making these sets, and I love the items that FFM chose for this contest. It is nice to use REALLY high-end items for the sets...they look so luxurious and colorful and sophisticated.

You all have a great day, and I believe I can tear myself away from Polyvore to do another post today. LOL. :)

Showing Boden Some Long Overdue Love...

Oh, you all! I love the comments I have been getting lately, so sweet! I have been a bit over-extended, hence my not commenting back, but I have read them all and loved them all, so thank you!

I have also been neglecting my very good friend, Johnnie, you know Mr. Boden? He is so good to me, always making things that fit me just so and in such luscious prints and colors. I have been wearing his stuff, I just haven't celebrated it lately. So I make up for that today with a Boden-centered post. (With that said, Johnnie, if you feel so inclined, I would totally LOVE a *free* trip to your headquarters in England, just sayin'. LOL.)

Untitled by dinagideon featuring J Crew

Above is the polyvore of the outfit I wore to have my MRI in. Okay, admittedly, I didn't really wear *this* outfit IN the MRI, but I wore it to the MRI place. (I wore scrubs in the MRI.) Can I just swoon over this silk tunic? I HEART it so much. And I almost overlooked it! It came out last season and I must have missed it amongst all my troll-ing over at bodenusa.com. The other day I was poking around the fall stuff and I happened on the clearance section and saw it and took a chance, knowing I might return it. Now? I WILL DO NO SUCH THING. I think we have a winner. :)


Sizes:
Cardigan: Size Medium. J. Crew from Spring 2008. I bought these out when they went on sale in four colors, and I am glad I did, I wear them all the time.
Tunic/Dress: Size UK 12, US 8. This silk tunic is a dress, although I guess if you are VERY tall, it may be best to wear it with leggings or tights. It is still for sale, and if you love a particular color and it appears sold out in your size, try again another day as it may be back in stock.
Shoes: Size 9-10. These are from Vera Bradley and they have a very subtle "Sittin in a Tree" pattern on the sole.

And baby's outfit? All J. Crew and Target. Her smile is also very real, and unlike the rest of the world, cannot be bought. ;)


No cardigan in this shot. I only wore the cardigan at the hospital. Still August here in the swamp known as Northern Virginia.

(Quick side note: I don't know what my MRI revealed, but they gave me the CD with the pics of my brain, and of course I snuck a look...my brain is BEAUTIFUL. I will know more at my next neurologist's appt. on August 31, 2010. I am not worried, as I KNOW I can get through all of this--God has given me that strength!)


And yesterday's outfit. (Also a Boden product, but Johnnie B. style!)
Sizes:
Dress: Size Medium. This is the Jersey Broderie Dress and is all sold out. :( I think that they make FAR fewer Johnnie B. items as it is a relatively new line and I don't think Boden is willing to over-do it and have too much stock sitting around. It also came in a navy colorway, but I have approximately 1,984,352 navy jersey dresses for summertime, and I don't need another. Sea Lion (fancy way of saying brown)? Sure, I can use another. :) Comfy, swingy, and VERY casual, this is the PERFECT way to be a SAHM.
Shoes: Size 10. These are from back when J. Crew was okay with making grosgrain flip-flops in many different patterns and styles. I think they had two grosgrain patterns this summer, and they both kind of were ugly. Sad.

Just Sayin' by dinagideon featuring J Crew coats

One last polyvore...above I have put the J. Crew stadium-cloth Milo coat against the Boden Greenwich Reefer coat. Sure there are differences, but with Boden constantly running some special or another, AND with free shipping (and sometimes returns), the Greenwich Reefer eeks out a win in my mind. (And that is why I ordered it. LOL.)

If you are an Arbonne client of mine and you DID NOT receive today's August specials e-mail OR you would like to be on my e-mail list, please e-mail me at dinagideon AT aim DOT com. My e-mail server has been a bit wacky lately, and I want to make sure that you all got today's specials (they are REALLY good). :)

Have a great day, and remember, give Johnnie B. some love!

Watercolor Garden Pencil Skirt SAHM Styled!

Good day to you all!

Not much to say except that it has been pretty nice 'round these parts, been enjoying the lazy days of summer doing a little bit of this, a little bit of that, and sometimes a whole lot of nothing. And that is just fine by me. :)

Purple Florals are Heavenly! by dinagideon featuring J Crew

Yesterday, one of my best bloggie friends, HeidiG.,and I got our kids together for a little outing across the Potomac (I must adore Heidi to have DRIVEN across to Maryland on the Beltway--you know me and driving, right...). We simply met at Montgomery Mall, went around to the various stores and had lunch at Nordstrom's. Above is what I wore to go out...I figure most of my summer has been super-casual, so it felt kind of good to "dress-up" a bit. I felt very lady-like in this get-up and honestly, it was pretty comfy. And even though it was hot and humid, the cotton pieces kept me pretty cool. Thumbs up from me!


Sizes:
Blouse: Ann Taylor Loft, Size 6. I honestly couldn't tell you when I purchased this. All I know is that the simple, white blouse, while ubiquitous, is an absolute ESSENTIAL in any wardrobe...even one as colorful as mine.
Skirt: J. Crew, Size 6. This is the Watercolor Garden Pencil Skirt that I got for a song at the local store last spring. I can't believe it took me this long to pull it out. Look for it on a pop-back. I say size down one size (although size 6 could be my *new* J. Crew skirt size...vanity sizing and all).
Shoes: Cole Haan, Size 10. Yummy, comfy, pretty sandals. SWAK Cole Haan, love you!


Ooh, what a difference this hand position makes. LOL.


Can't leave you without showing you something insanely precious. Why should I be the only lady in the house with a fedora? (Old Navy Fedora for toddlers, only $9 for its "OMG, that is SOOOOOOO CUTE" cuteness, bought yesterday, CW wore it the entire day and people actually stopped me to comment on how adorable my little girl is, I happen to agree.)

All, have a great afternoon. I will continue to be lazy. I can get back to work tomorrow. ;)

Oroya is a genus of cacti (family Cactaceae), originating from Peru...

Note: Title comes directly from Wikipedia. LOL.

Oroya for a Party! by dinagideon featuring Anthropologie dresses

Above is the polyvore of the outfit I wore a couple of weeks ago to host my very first Arbonne party as a active consultant. Woo. Loved this Oroya Dress the very first time I saw it on the cover of the March Anthropologie catalog, but not at its original price. When its price was halved in July (?), I went for it.

The makeup and skincare products in the polyvore are accurate to what I wore that day. I have some photos of me (just my face) that I am going to publish at some point so I can do a tutorial post on how I make up my face when I go out or have a special occasion (most days I just wear moisturizer, a bit of lip gloss, and maybe some powder).


Sizes:
Dress: Size 4. Can I (once again) sing the praises of the Anthro web site and its willingness to allow reviews? Without them I would have not known to size down to a 4 as many reviewers were saying how billowy the bottom half was. I usually have to worry about my hips in dresses, but because of the swingy shape to this skirt, I knew I could go with my top size and be fine. And what do you know? The reviewers were right. SWAK to you, Anthro!
Shoes: Size 9.5. Cole Haan, I don't know what I would do without your amazing high heels. The olive green color was also perfection with the pattern (of cacti!!!) on this dress.

I don't think this photo accurately shows the makeup I am wearing, so wait till my post on makeup to see the end result. More than likely the brightness of the room made the makeup look a bit faded. It was much more dramatic than it appears in the photo.

I felt great that day. The party was a HUGE success. Most of my Arbonne business is over the internet with people I have only met through e-mails, so seeing my clients was kind of a thrill. It was a spa party and I really enjoyed helping my clients de-stress and feel good about themselves. (P.S. If you are a local reader and want to set up a party, I will help you out, just e-mail me!)

That is all for today! Happy Friday!

A Daisy Day and a Hammock, Please!

The outfit you all saw me in yesterday's post was not actually yesterday's outfit. Nope, I actually wore that pretty little Frances cami about three weeks ago, but felt it was time to let it out of its Picasa 3 prison and let it shine. (There are about 20 outfits still waiting to be released from Picasa Prison as of 3:23 PM Eastern Time, 8/12/10. Poor outfits!)

Speaking of yesterday's post...I need you all to understand that it was one of my molars that is having the root canal and not one of the other (read: simpler) teeth. Turns out I have four chambers that had to be cleaned and emptied, which is why I only have had that done. That is also the reason I am on such a strict diet (SO VERY HUNGRY, btw)...I have very little left under the very delicate dental cap right now, so chewing on real food (mmm, beef) and compromising the cap would be very bad.

My dentist is AWESOME, and I know that some of you have had very successful endodontic procedures done that don't require a million hours of work (yes, a bit of hyperbole on my part), and for that I say, BRAVO. I wish I could have the same experience. :) But I will tell you all something, I am going to do everything in my power to prevent this from ever happening again!

Onto easy, breezy simple SAHM fashion!


Sizes:
Top: Size medium. I like these basic tanks by J. Crew, but this puppy is quite long and the straps are very very VERY long. I need to wash this and dry this on high heat to make it less big. It only looks okay here because I tucked it in...had I not, the tank hem would have been very near the skirt hem (ooh, attractive!).
Skirt: Size 2. This is the Daisy Day skirt from the J. Crew collection made from the always beautiful Liberty Print Fabric.
Shoes: These are Japanese and were purchased at the Japan Pavilion at Epcot Center years ago. Aren't they cool?

I wore this yesterday to take the kids out for the entire day. Long story short...our bathroom is now pink, thanks to an amazing tile repair guy out of Ashland, VA (Jeff Harnish of PTR--in case any of you locally need this sort of work done) who took the paint off of the original tile. Yes, I am a fan of the Pink Bathroom. I figure if it worked for families in the '60s, why can't it work for us now? (Yep, we have a blue bathroom, too.) (BTW, Jeff did NOT laugh at our desire to go back to a pink bathroom so I give him an enthusiastic TWO thumbs up!)

But Jeff uses really awful, caustic chemicals to strip the paint, so we had to be out of the house for 6 straight hours. In this outfit I went to Whole Foods (yummy organic baby food, anyone?), to Rex's preschool, to the bank, and finally to the pool for a dip in the cool, oh so chill waters.

The outfit held up well. No, I didn't wear the skirt into the pool. I wore this Lomellina beauty instead.


Have to add a linen button-down when dealing with the possibility of frozen air (at Whole Foods). This is from Summer 2007 and is a size medium.


Sizes:
Dress: Size small. This is the lovely cotton Hammock dress that is still (somehow) at full price over at J. Crew. It is short, so I limit its public appearances to only the hottest and most humid days (umm, well, I guess that means every. darn. day. this summer).
Shoes: Size 9-10. These are the Kohl's capri sandal knock-offs that I have had forever.
Necklace: Target Seahorse long necklace.

Wore this today for a playdate at our house. Rex is 3.5 today and wanted to have friends over to celebrate. Good times! (Remember when we looked forward to our half-birthdays? Now, I just hide under the covers every New Year's Day...thank goodness my half-birthday falls on a holiday!)

Have a fab day, and remember, take it easy. :)

Indigo Floral Frances Cami (Try Saying that Three Times Fast)...

Oh, you all. Glad to be back to blogging. SMILE. :)

Yesterday I had a root canal. And I am not done. How many of you knew that a root canal is sometimes a four-part process? (Slastena, you do not count as you are the queen of all things teeth...LOL!) I just finished part one, in other words, the actual cleaning of the root canals. No, I will not explain what actually happens (ewwww), but it isn't fun. I now have to look forward to:
1) they fill in my root canals with a special substance made from tropical trees (no, not kidding)...
2) they place a "fake" crown on my tooth for a few weeks...
and finally,
3) they place the permanent crown on my tooth.

I will be done with this all by late September. Yes, late September. As in one and a half months from now. Woo-hoo!

Add to that the fun of a mid-August MRI and yay, Dina, we should consider naming August the month of "Health!" Any other fun procedures out there for me to try? (I will bite the person who says colonoscopy. Ha.)

Alright, let's move on to fun things! FASHION! :)


This is the Indigo Floral Frances Cami I bought from the outlet about a month ago. My man Greg pulled it for me in a size 4 and I fell. in. love. I already adore the Frances Cami (so versatile, love it in the summer by itself and swoon over it in the cooler months with a jacket or cardi).

I hope you all know who my man Greg is. He is the 100% awesome, fab, chill man in charge over at the Potomac Mills outlet. Okay, he may not be THE big boss man, but he is #1 in my heart--retail heart, we know Mr. Dina is #1 in my bigger, squishy, big ole hole in the heart, HEART--off track, come back now...that said GO SEE GREG if you are in this area, he is very very good at what he does. (And what else has he done to help silly ole me? You shall see in a later post. Promise!)

Okay, so I have no idea if you local outlet will carry this lovely top anymore but it is worth a call if you like it. I think I got it for around 20 dollars after clearance and any additional discounts were applied.


And this photo is only for those of you who have some desire to see the whole outfit. IMO, the top makes it and the rest is a bit of fluff. (Except baby CW who is way WAY WAY more than fluff...what exactly she is doing back there, I have no clue, but I can tell you it isn't cleaning. Ha.)

Sizes:
Pants: Cropped Seersucker Zipper Pant, Size 8. Could have sized down, but I don't really care if they are loose. It's summertime and the size 8 was SO COMFORTABLE. And the zippers, while WACKY, take Southern Preppy to a whole new level. (What level? I don't know...it just does.)
Shoes: Ann Taylor Loft (just can't call it the Loft--likewise, still call KFC Kentucky Fried Chicken), Size 9.

Have a nice night all. Talk soon!

P.S. One thing...my doc says I can't eat any "real" food for 8 days. I am only allowed smoothies, baby food, shakes, and the like. I have "eaten" maybe 750 calories today, and topped with a glass of wine (thank GOODNESS that is not verboten) I am a little "happy." So if I seem a little odd, blame the lack of "eating" and the overabundance of "drinking." LOL.

Some New J. Crew Items, IRL...

Hi, all! I was able to get to J. Crew yesterday to return a top, and while there I tried on a few items for you all. I ended up exchanging my top for one of these four items, so I left having only spent $12. Woohoo!

Hopefully this helps some of you...


I had heard about this skirt because Jean over at this weekend's post over at the mothership had mentioned it, so I immediately sought it out upon arrival. I picked it up both in a size 6 and 8. For now it appears this is an in-store only item (#30310) and only comes in this muted gold color. When I got home I compared it with the metallic sequined bell skirt and there are some major differences...

This skirt is the same shape and pull-on styling. However, this skirt is made from the same sort of sequins that were on the very popular stardust pencil skirt. Instead of being made from Spanish metal sequins like the sequined bell skirt, this in-store skirt is made from micro-sequins. My honest opinion? For $128 and not $275, micro-sequins suit me just fine. In fact, I prefer micro-sequins.

Here is one thing to watch for if you go to the store...be careful handling it...the micro-sequins can get stuck together and if you tug on the fabric, the fabric could rip and that would be terrible! They had just put these skirts out the night before so my skirt is in PERFECT condition, but I had to gently pull the 6 and 8 apart from each other.

This is the size 8. I tried on the 6 (next photo) and unless you see something I don't, I barely noticed a difference between the two sizes.


This is the outfit with the stardust bell skirt (my name, not theirs) and a beautiful beaded cardigan in a LUSCIOUS color.

The skirt is the size 6.

The cardigan is a size small and is $118. It is a cotton cardigan and the placket is where the embellishments are. This is an in-store item, reminded me of the peekaboo sequin cardigan, but it has a different look. I prefer this one. I did not buy this cardigan, as it is still too expensive for me, but if this puppy goes on sale, it is MINE. LOVE!


This is the Saint James naval II tee. I liked this better in the photo than in real life. It looks decent enough but, and this is a MAJOR BUT, the torso was very constricting and the arms were very VERY large. I have an extra-small on here. There was so much extra fabric in the arms I wondered if they had made a mistake. (Having said that I realize other bloggers have had the same issue as me!)

If you are a woman with an extremely small upper body and hips yet you find your arms are like Popeye's, you should be set with this top. That is most definitely not me. NO LOVE.


This is the silk and sequin scoopneck tee. I like it, but at $148, it is very expensive. I would also rather order this on-line as I fear stores and how they handle precious items like this. I will wait this one out for a while, see if it goes on sale (even an extra 20% would make a big difference to me). This is an extra small, and while I like the way it fits through the shoulder and bust, I would definitely order a small for extra room in the hips. I would not wear this alone...probably would layer it under a gorgeous brightly-colored v-neck cardigan and a pencil skirt or a sleek pair of pants.

I ended up getting the stardust bell skirt in a size 8. Although I could have gotten away with the 6, I liked how I could pull the 8 just a *stitch* further down on my hips making it a bit more of a versatile skirt. I will not be wearing this skirt to preschool, though. LOL.

You all have a great day!

Good on You, Garnet Hill...

Wow. 5 days? Yowza. Okay, no real news to report except that I have been busy, so that is good, right? Only day with a migraine this week was today, and I slept/froze it off (LOVE ice packs) so while I might be a little "fuzzy" still, I can at least write. :) (Sort of...I could look back at this post and be all, "girl you crazy.")

Oh, and I have FIVE new followers. Yay! That may be the most I have ever gotten in such a short period of time. Thank you! And welcome!

Good on You, Garnet Hill by dinagideon featuring Cynthia Vincent shoes

Very simple post today for a very simple, yet I feel, very chic outfit. This is a SAHM outfit, btw, and one I LOVED wearing the whole day. It is meant to be part of my Summer Sundressing series, but as it is Garnet Hill, it is the only sundress I own by them (I have a smattering of pieces here and there--great company with great quality fabrics, so you know), so it gets its own post.

BTW, doesn't Edda LOOK BEAUTIFUL in this catalog shot? Yes, I love it all...they have fab stylists at Garnet Hill.


On me. See? For a SAHM outfit, it is pretty chic. I definitely could have gone out for dinner al fresco with hubby after! (We didn't, for the record--sad face.) LOL.

Sizes:
Dress: Extra-Small. This knit tiered sundress runs REALLY large. Like so large that the only part that truly fits well is the upper-half. That bottom half has a lot of fullness, so beware if you are shorter than me and smaller than a J. Crew size 2. I am so glad I read the reviews and went with my gut and got the smallest size they offer. The animal print is very subtle and works nicely on this dress. The cotton is uber-soft, as well. (Oh, if you follow that link to the sold-out sundress, you will see that it costs $999,999. Must be really popular if it cost that much and is sold-out. Good thing I bought it when it was on sale!)
Shoes: 9.5. These are the Cynthia Vincent for Target Gladiator Sandals. These bugged me for a while. My left foot fit perfectly but my right foot the darn thing was nearly falling off. So I stretched out the left foot side so at least it would "feel" the same while I was walking. Any of you ever have that happen to you, or am I the only foot freak of nature?

You all have a GREAT DAY and NIGHT! :)

Mommy Style Monday #9--Chop Off Her Head...

LOL. I am not referring to wanting to chop off my own head because my migraines are so very terrible (although I would be lying if I didn't admit to thinking it every so often)...no, rather I refer to a simple styling tip that I use each and every single day to determine whether or not I should wear an outfit. Yes, I physically "chop" my own head off in pictures so I can tell whether or not the outfit itself looks good on me by pretending I am looking at someone who is not me (I find it really hard to evaluate myself when looking at myself, face, smile, and eyes, it is like I don't want to let myself down by admitting a particular outfit doesn't work.)

Below you will see three outfits on me...all of them eventually received the thumbs up from me, but all three outfits had to pass the "chopped" test first.

There are six photos, the first of each set has the outfit with no head, and the second set of each outfit has me all smile-y and happy with my outfit. :)

BTW, none of these are taken and then I look at the photo to determine. I take the photos first and then I evaluate after the whole set is taken. If I have to change something, I will then re-take the photos after the change.


First up is the Ruched V-Neck Dress, in the neon peach colorway, size extra-small. It was offered in an extra-extra small (craziness, I tell ya), so I knew to size down.

Without my head I see that the top half fits well, and highlights the shoulders. The bottom is a bit full, but fortunately nothing that over-emphasizes my hips.

Status after "chopping?" Thumbs up, but not a home run. Great look for just hanging out and being a SAHM.

BTW, this is the outfit I wore today. ;)


I do have to say the outfit looks better with the smile. LOL.


The second outfit is one I wore out to dinner with the person whose torso is *just* peeking into the pic (more on that person in the second pic).

I was REALLY worried that the pants would be too garish, and without the head, they do look very much over the top, but not enough for me to change. I like the way the navy flip-flops and the light tee with the embellished shrimp (in a very complementary color to the pants) work well to *sort of* tone down the pants. (And since I love Boden and old school J. Crew, I will always have a fondness for very colorful clothing and a paisley print done just right.)

Status after "chopping?" Yes it's a keeper, but I do realize how much what you pair with these kind of crazy prints make a huge difference.


And there he is...my bro. I think we look just alike in this pic. (Oh, and for what it is worth, he loved the outfit, especially the shrimp.)


The third outfit contains what I truly consider my most garish, over the top item from my closet...the large ikat peach and yellow bermuda shorts. I have been tempted to get rid of them in the past, but I just love the warmth and happiness of them, so I just. can't. do. it.

No head means I can see that these are truly a pair of shorts for those not faint of heart (even if the person wearing them does have a hole in their heart--snort, had to add that). That said, the yellow top matches just so, and the neon peach flip-flops are a great little shoe to make the outfit.

Status after "chopping?" The shorts get some more time in my closet. I also know that keeping it simple helps...notice I am wearing absolutely no jewelry (outside of my rings and one fun bracelet).


Still looks better with a head. :)

And because I have to be fair and show you the not so good, here are three photos of one outfit: the first pic shows how the outfit as planned didn't work AT ALL, the next photo shows how the outfit (in its original form) did have some potential, and finally how I ended up styling the outfit to go out (still not good, but eh, no one threw tomatoes). I am doing this not to humiliate myself but to show you that I actually follow my own advice.


EEEWWW! Yeah, it all kind of really looks bad. The shirt should be tucked in, the necklace is too dark for the pants, the pants probably need a different style top, the purse is a whole lot of extra too much, and the sandals are too pale to even ground the bad outfit.

I definitely ripped this sweater and necklace off as I couldn't change pants or top (we were running late).


That said, imagine if this top was with a pair of dark denim straight leg pants, top properly tucked in, and with a fierce pair of booties? Yeah, much, much better.


But since it is summer and my legs don't go ANYWHERE near denim when it is hot out, I stuck with the pants, kept the top untucked and then used a much less conspicuous necklace.

Status after "chopping?" At best a "C." Kind of sad, but again, no one threw tomatoes.

Hope this is something you will all consider doing in the future. You don't have to have a blog, either, just grab a digital camera and take them of yourself (like I have often done) or have someone in your house grab one of you. Then cover your head with your thumb as you are previewing the pic, and really take a good. close. look. at your outfit. I am so glad I did in that last outfit, I tell ya!

P.S. I spent the day working on my Arbonne business (I am off to a GREAT start, so thank you all for your support) and on making drs. appts, as well as doing the typical SAHM stuff. I did reply back to one of the previous posts, but have not for the past two...they are on my list and if you all know me by now, you know I will reply back. PROMISE! ;)

Summer Sun-Dressing: Target Edition!

Hi! Today I give you another edition of my summer series on the very, truly awesome summer sundress...Target style.

I don't know what it is about this super-low cost retailer, but they can churn out some lovely summer sundresses. Every women's (and girl's) brand that they carry has some perfect options out there for those sultry, humid, sunny, and hot days we seem to have in superfluity (heehee) around here.

Let us begin!


Dress: Target's Merona Collection, Size 8. Bought last winter for a steal in the clearance section. I know it looks really nice on my shape, but I will be honest with you...it was a bit too clingy and because it was SO humid outside, I kind of felt uncomfortable. I wore this to church, but because my darling CW was pretty awful, I had to go outside with her and there you go...discomfort central. Maybe the early fall will be kinder to me when I wear this dress again.
Shoes: J. Crew Dani suede peep-toes, Size 9.5. The irish moss color is exactly the right hue to match the merona dress.
Necklace: A Chico's Find! :) (My one and only item from Chico's!) I have to say I normally bypass Chico's but a friend of mine was DYING in Palm Springs from the heat and she needed to find some shorts. They didn't really have anything for her, but they did have this necklace. It is a lovely layering piece and I know it will work with many of my wardrobe staples.

Baby is all blurry, look at that...most shots we take are with the flash, but this day it was all natural lighting, so the shutter just captured her slight little movement!

She is wearing all Target, too, btw.


Shot of just me for you to see the details a bit better (read: a bit less blurry).


Dress: Liberty of London for Target Girl's (!!!) Sundress, Size X-Large. I wear this mainly as a cover-up and as a lounge around the house kind of dress. It is amazingly comfy.
Shoes: J. Crew flip-flops. I am definitely addicted to J. Crew flip-flops...have them in almost every color, and I find that as a swim coach, I actually have a use for them beyond the summer. Size 10.

Baby CW is dancing a jig in her cute as a patchwork button Gymboree romper.

Yummy Sundresses! by dinagideon featuring J Crew

And because I have been the lamest Polyvore-er in these past few weeks, I present to you a Target special polyvore to make up for my absence.


Twinsies!
Dress: Liberty of London Martha Grace Halter Dress, Size Small. I bought this after seeing how pretty this print was in baby CW's romper. I find this style of dress is very comfortable and flowy, which was awesome on the day I wore it as it was about a thousand degrees outside. (And you think I am kidding...the thermometer in the car read 738 degrees...and we know that the car. never. lies.)
Shoes: Size 9.5 from Circa Joan and David. Love you, great walking shoes with a bit of edge for this SAHM.

CW is in the Martha Grace romper.

Scene from that day:
Lady: {Screaming from across the street.} OMG, that is QUITE possibly the CUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUTEST thing I have ever seen.
Me: {Trying to yell back, not very good at it.} I know, she (CW) looks so CUTE. I think I will keep her.
Lady: {Still screaming.} NO! I mean, yes, she is cute, but I meant your outfits. I DIE! SO CUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUTE!
Me: {Laughing.} Oh! Well, thank you!

The mommy/baby matching outfits worked their precious power. Hahahaha, they will rule the world with their power!!! (Can you even imagine? The matching outfits going to the UN to try and bring peace to the world...LOL.)


Dress: Mossimo Girl's Dress, Size X-Large. Yes, I might be a bit crazy with my dipping into the girl's section, but at $15 a pop and a great return policy, I am not exactly being daring. I love this dress and found that the belt and shoes really helped turn this dress from being too sweet and young to being a bit more "developed." :)
Belt: J. Crew Elastic Blossoms Belt, Size small. Yes, please...this belt is perfection, exactly what my waist need when I want to emphasize it, but with the frayed and bleached black blossoms, it is very unique and special. When I put it with this sundress, I smiled. It made me that happy.
Shoes: Boden Snake-Print Sandals. Size 41. Nice, light, all leather shoes. If you miss the all-leather shoes that J. Crew used to offer (now only Collection shoes are all leather), then go to Boden. Every bit of them is leather from soles to uppers.


Okay. I am going to show what a geek I am here, so if you want to continue to think of dinagideon as cool and hip (snort, haha, lol), then don't continue reading.

I LOVED the show My Two Dads growing up, and as the single daughter of a single father, I totally identified with Staci Keanan's character (that is her in the pic above--taken in 2007). Last night I decided to do a "where are they now" google search for some of my most favorite characters from '80s sitcoms. And I stumbled upon Staci Keanan and all of her adorable-ness. She is still acting (awesome) and obviously has great taste. :) You have seen this dress before, remember? So, girl, you go with your bad self and keep enjoying these nice, inexpensive Target dresses. (If a Hollywood actress can get thee to Target to find dresses, the rest of us can, too!)

Thank you all for reading...and for writing back. I have read EVERY. SINGLE. COMMENT. you all have written over the past two days and I have to say that I am heart-warmed by your love and concern. I am still very early in this whole "let's fix Dina's head and heart thing," but knowing that I have an amazing support system is huge. (Tear.) ;)

When I get some time today I am going to write every. single. one. of you back. :)