Christmas Eve, the Culmination.

Part Three.  Read the saga's commencement and mid-point to learn more.  :)

By the time I got to my childhood home, I was tired from the sheer energy of trying to find an errant church envelope, swiftly going through all the skirts in my closet to find an appropriate replacement to my seam-split golden bubbles pencil skirt, seething over how late we were going to be for church, wrestling with Rex in the lobby of the same church, and from crying like a little girl to my step-mom when I just. couldn't. take. it. anymore.

So what do I do as soon as I get home?  I take off my Boucle de Souffle jacket, grab a small huge glass of wine, and sit.  That is when my step-mom looks at my outfit and declares that she loves the sequin tee with the tweed skirt and gold shoes.  A part of me was wondering if she was just pandering to my mood, but when she offered to take a picture for my blog (oh, my family is good...), I acquiesced and let her.  She even posed me.  :)  I wish I had her taking pictures of me every day because...

I saw this photo in my camera's preview window and I said, "oh, it is pretty."  I was actually grateful that the darn golden bubbles had ripped because I really liked the combo of the blushed tweed pencil skirt, drapey sequin tee, and the golden Coach heels.  So, yay, for idiot seaming, and yay, for accidental combos that work out beautifully!

And like the teenager that I obviously was emulating that night, this photo was all I needed to feel better.  How freaking narcissistic (well, okay, I do have a blog where I show off my clothing on a regular basis, I get it...lol).  What I mean is that I was being especially vain on Christmas Eve.  Good job, female hormones.

So I had mentioned that I am keeping the golden bubbles pencil skirt instead of returning it to J. Crew...here is why:

I figured I would just use the very nice J. Crew gift card my bro bought me to buy a whole new one.

I kid.  I was very happy to have it, terrible seam issue aside.  :)

Nah.  In the continuing proof that I am Jerry Seinfeld (you remember that episode where he threw a dollar out the window and something like two seconds later her gets a dollar somehow?), I received a SEWING MACHINE from my parents for Christmas.  No wonder my stepmom was all nonplussed by my special situation.  So guess what my very first project will be when I get my bobbin all threaded (ooh!)?

I felt so good by the end of the evening, I was willing to be a bit goofy and take Rapunzel's hair piece and put in my hair and pretend to be Rapunzel's long lost sister (true fact...I once had hair down to my bottom--I kid you not).

By the next evening, that would be Christmas, I chose to be a bit more casual and wear my gorgeous goldenrod Brocade top with a pair of khakis and wait for it...SHEARLING slippers.  Yes, I did.  By the way, this brocade top in a size 2 is perfectly seamed, no issues with it.  At all.  :)

So you think the gift card and sewing machine were the best gifts ever?  Nope.  Not even close (although they were amazingly great).  Turns out the tears were still flowing on Christmas morning.  I open the very last gift under our tree (Christmas Eve is opening gifts with my dad, stepmom, and Uncle Peter whereas Christmas morning is for the four of us pictured above) and see a specially made print by the incredibly talented Dave Perillo of our family, including our HOUSE.  Turns out that Mr. Dina had been working on this with the artist since August when he met him at the Baltimore Comic Con. 

I saw it and immediately burst into tears.  I was blown away by it.  Made the debacle I had gone through from 5-7 pm on Christmas Eve pretty darn inconsequential.

So that's it. 

And with that I bid 2010 adieu. 

And with glee I eagerly anticipate all the joy 2011 will bring.

Happy New Year, you all!

Christmas Eve, the Closet and Church.

Part Two.  (See Part One here.)

Mumbling to myself, many expletives in, I quietly (yeah, right) resign myself to the fact that there was no hope for the golden bubbles pencil skirt tonight.  Le BIG FAT sigh.

I figure I can find another pencil skirt, in a heartbeat.  Well, no dice.  Most of my good pencil skirts had already been worn (and were set to go to the dry cleaners) or were just too spring-y.  So I had to go with a back-up, which I thought just looked okay.  (But I wanted to look like spun sugar on a white cashmere cloud, darnit.)

Can you tell that the words *&%$^*# and %@*&^% were going through my head?  Can you tell that I was about to start crying?  (I know, I know, the outfit is fine.  It even looks decent.  But I will remind you of the big three strikes I mentioned in part one--PMS, no DANG church envelope, and SPLIT SEAM--SOB!)

This skirt is the very lovely blushed tweed pencil skirt (in a vanity size 6, mind you, did that help, nope, not on Dina's dramatic day). 

I opened the Boucle de Souffle up and discovered that I liked the way this outfit looked better, but I still felt TRAGIC.  (I am so very glad I am not really 15 anymore, one evening was way more than enough for me.)

Let's move onto the church, shall we?

Well, we were late.  By 5 minutes.  Which is normally never a big deal, especially on the Saturday evening 5:30 pm masses, which are usually ghost towns (which is why we go--meet exhibit a--Rex, and exhibit b--CW).

Turns out that 6 pm Christmas Eve mass is the family mass and EVERY. SINGLE. FAMILY. that is part of the parish (and their extended families) were at church that night, and every. single. space. was full.  (Where are you people at the Ghost Town masses...hmmm????  I only ask with a bit of accusation in my voice.)

Well guess who decides that he/she wants to be just awful?  Yeah, that's right.  My darling, precious, very nicely dressed up (no wardrobe malfunctions there, thank goodness for small favors, I suppose) sweet Rex and CW. 

So guess who gets to go out to the lobby (cold lobby, mind you) and teach Rex a lesson the entire rest of the mass?  Yep.  Me.  (Probably a bit of a martyr, me, but well, I will remind you of the PMS.)

Thankfully, my family got that I probably was at the end of my tether and said that even getting to mass was more than enough and making it to Communion was great, so they walked me and Mr. Delightful outside.  As soon as the real cold wind hit my face, I grabbed my step-mom, held her back, and immediately burst into tears.

"Blubber, blubber, blubber."

"What's wrong, Dina?"

"Snot, Tears, Drool, my pretty skirt split up the side and I couldn't wear it, and we got to mass late and we couldn't all sit together, and I am having my period, my kids are terrible, I am a horrible and fat mommy, and I just want to have a drink right. now."

"Okay." 

To which she then put me in the same car with her and my dad, told Jim to take the kids on ahead to the house (we were having our traditional Christmas Eve present opening party there at my childhood home--see part three for more on that), and then soothed me like the over-wrought little baby that I was.  LOL.

I did get wine, I did get amazingly perfect presents, and best of all, I eventually happened upon the exact combo of clothes that made me end up feeling great about myself (PMS be damned).

Part Three to come. 

Christmas Eve, the Catastrophe.

Part One. 

Setting: The house, 5:15 pm.  Mr. Dina is running around trying to get the kids ready for church, which is at 6, and if we. don't. leave. right. now. it will be nearly impossible to find someplace to sit (see part two of this Christmas Eve story--to be published later).  I am running around trying to find the Christmas offering envelope so we can put our offering into it.  I am also suffering from quite possibly the WORST pms ever.  I am feeling 15 again, except instead of having my dad to take care of everything when I feel like complete crud, my advanced age and station in life means that I have to take care of everything, regardless of how I feel.  D'oh to growing up.

Do I find the envelope?  No.  Is it worth it in the end?  Definitely not...as attempting to find the blasted envelope instead of just creating a new one with our Family # on it caused my now infamous (at least in my family) meltdown supreme. 

I had dressed oh, so pretty.  I felt like spun sugar on top of a white cashmere cloud.  I felt sparkly, light, and fresh.  It helped my PMS tremendously to be so dressed up and ready to go.  Then the incident occurred.

See what I mean?  This pic (and the two below) were taken before the incident.  Part two (of the three part saga) will show my sad, scowly self in a different look. 

The jacket is the luscious Boucle de Souffle jacket by Elevenses (Anthropologie), size 6.  I had desired this jacket for months before I was able to grab it the one morning that it was on sale (sold out on sale almost immediately).  The skirt is the very pretty Golden Bubbles Pencil Skirt and in the end, the very reason I just couldn't take it anymore on Christmas Eve.  I took it in a size 8 (which is my pre-vanity sizing J. Crew pencil skirt size, I take a size 6 in the double serge wool pencil skirts, fwiw).  The tee is the drapey sequin tee in heirloom pink in a size extra-small.  The heels are an ancient pair of Coach leather pumps in gold.

P.S. You can totally tell that this is pre-meltdown as Mr. Dina seems happy and not worried about the mental state of his wife.  LOL.

Boucle de Souffle open.  The drapey sequin tee is the perfect top for the bubble skirt...it has a similar tone, and the visual differences in texture are interesting, not jarring.

From the side. 

I adore winter white/cream for dressy events in the winter...something exceedingly elegant about the color in such a dark time of year.

So why did the skirt cause me such a rough night?

1. I am PMS-ing.  Strike one.
2. I can't find the BLASTED offering envelope.  Strike two.
3. While bending down to look in my purse for the darned envelope, my left side seam SPLITS right open.  Not the right side seam, not the lining seams, no just the entire outer fabric LEFT side seam.  Strike three.

I start balling.  (Which I continued to do off and on until we get to part three of this saga--you all will enjoy the absolute perfection of why I stopped balling like a weepy little girl). 

I know it isn't me, that indeed it is the workmanship of the skirt (really, J. Crew?  the lining is completely intact, in fact in great, perfect shape, yet the outer seam is ripped?  really?), but I can't help but immediately think--I am such a fat, horrible, bloated cow of a woman who can't even find the darn church envelope.

Now, a whole week late, I am actually cracking up over it all, but at the time, it seemed just terrible.

Part two and three will be published later today, with part two showing the alternate skirt/outfit and the details of my awful time at church, and part three will show what outfit ended up making me feel a whole lot better and the awesomeness of the presents in conjunction with the night's events.

Have you all ever had something like this happen, you know a set of events, that when put together, make for such a dramatic time?  Any other great wardrobe malfunctions out there?  :)

Talk with you all soon...

Paisley Gust Sweater Jacket. How Appropriate.

Take a VERY windy Monday, add an outfit, and you have this post.

I had been waiting for the right day to wear the Paisley Gust Sweater Jacket (that I basically got for free--check this post out for more on that), but I just hadn't gotten around to it. Then my brother offers to come over and go with me and the kids to sushi and the mall, so I decided that was a great reason to get out this gorgeous orange conconction by Moth (Anthropologie).

"Gust"-y Day! by dinagideon featuring leather flats shoes

Winds that day? Nearing gusts of 50 MPH. This sweater jacket, combined with the Molded and Melded Tee, a pair of glazed pecan cords, a cute pair of Kerrington leather ballet flats, and a super-warm Stadium cloth Winnie coat (not shown, btw)? Totally took on the ferocious front. :)

From the side.  I figure you all must know how much I adore this sweater jacket, but just in case you don't, I have provided photographic proof.  :)

Sweater Jacket is a size small.  This is a stretchy cotton blend with just the right sort of drape that can be worn multiple ways (see below photos for more on that).  The molded and melded tee (which seems to be the #1 choice of Anthro devotees this year) is a size extra-small.  The cords are a size 30 short, and the Kerrington Ballet Flats in orange (popback score for less than 40 smackers) are a size 9.5.

Paisley Gust sweater jacket opened.  You can see the moto styling best here.  I believe this came in white, as well, but I have not seen it in that color.

Full-length front.  Wish I had added a statement necklace, but I wanted to get out and about and wasn't super concerned with accessories that day.

Sweater Jacket closed.

Up later today...a three part saga on my Christmas Eve outfit.  It actually was less dramatic than I made it out to be (tears definitely included), but since it seemed big at the time, this debacle is worthy of three separate posts.  (That night, btw, is the closest to bat-sh*t crazy as I get.  LOL.)

A BonBon and Some Pink Plaid...

Hey, everyone!  How are you all doing?  I am fab.  :)  Had a bit of a time last week between all the festivities, recovering, and that special "lady time," but all I needed was an overabundance of wine and some really understanding (REALLY understanding) family members and some sleep and I feel just a bit better this week.  Plus the presents...somehow I lucked out this year and received some truly unique and exactly right gifts this year.  That definitely helped with my mood.  LOL.

(Christmas post is later on...right now I want to get some review posts out of the way!)

First up is a delightful little coat called the Double Cloth BonBon Coat by J. Crew.  I own so many coats, it is true, but I believe that the weather here in Northern Virginia actually calls for many different types of coats as we see it all from around early November to late April.  I actually have a coat now for all sorts of occasions, rainy and cold, rainy and warm, snowy and cold, snowy and REALLY cold, just plain cold, mild, cold, windy and cold, must be dressy coat even though it is cold, etc., etc.  LOL.

Seriously, though.  I sold a few coats recently (including a pretty velvet Boden one and the Shipley coat from a few years back) to make room for this Bon Bon.  I had been eyeing the Bon Bon in torch orange as it so reminded me of the orange coat that Audrey Hepburn wore in Breakfast at Tiffany's, but at its original price of $325, I definitely said, "No way, Jose."

Then came the amazing coat sale that J. Crew does every year.  They usually take 30% off and are done with it.  But...here's the awesomeness...if you have a J. Crew card, you could then use a specialized code given to you, along with your card and get an additional 30% off.  So, guess what?  I said "bonjour" to the bon bon.

And here it is...

Yes, the orange shoes and slightly worn cords are definitely not the look I would go for with this coat, but I kind of was only wearing the coat as a try-on (I have worn it out in public, though, and the color is very popular...there is definitely something uplifting about wearing an orange coat in the middle of winter that brings out the happy--same thing goes for my yellow coats--yes, I said coats--yellow coats are the BEST--haven't sold any of those and probably won't).

Fit and function: I took a size 6.  I say size to your largest part of your body, which for me is my hips.  If you are busty, go with your top size.  This is a shorter coat, and maybe a tall would have made this a smidge longer on me, but I don't want the waist to be anywhere but where it is, so the regular will work for me now.  I like it buttoned up all the way, adds to its retro look, but the collar can be played around with to create different looks.  This is a double cloth, and there are no thinsulate options, so I would say this is a coat for mild, or slightly cold weather. 

Here it is opened all the way.  Also retro-looking.  The opened look is crying out for some statement jewelry, though.  :)

From the side.  The collar isn't quite Bella pretty, but it does the job of being just different enough.  This color is "torch orange," btw, not "spicy russett," which was a similar color from the early fall.

That Orange Coat by dinagideon featuring feather hats

Above is the polyvore that I created when I purchased the coat.  I love how close this coat is to the Breakfast at Tiffany's one.  If I had one wish, it would be that the collar was a bit more fitted, a la the one in the movie.

This is a pink plaid gingham boy shirt that is available in stores only right now (maybe it will be part of the next on-line roll out?).  I was drawn to it when I went in last week to get some Christmas gifts...the pink color is very vibrant and very much a nice change from their "neutral" pinks they have had these past few years.  It is is hard to tell from this pic, but the white color is more of a creamy color and plays nicely with the very pretty pink (color code is ppi--probably Paris Pink, but I like pretty pink more).  This is a size 6 and it retails for $72, but with the 30% off everything sale they were having the day I went to the store, I ended up getting it for $50.  I wear a size 4 in perfect shirts, if that helps any of you out with sizing.  This fabric is uber-soft, almost flannel-like, although this isn't a flannel shirt.  (I want to add I have no makeup here, and if I were to wear this in public in the winter, I would for sure add some lip gloss, lol.)

Hand on hip.  :)  The item number is 35187.  I like that it is kind of a retro look, too.  I hope J. Crew continues with its retro twist.  Sometimes you just want a classic, you know?

Talk with you all soon.  :)

I'm Back...Cloaked in Roses, with an Emerald Isle, and in a Lace Scallop...

Hi, all! I am feeling great! At the end of the post I will let you know how my surgery and recovery has been, but I know some of you are just beyond tickled at the gorgeous Anthropologie sale they are having on-line and in stores, so I want to get to some reviews/outfits that feature current on-sale offerings! :)

First up is the Cloaked in Roses Jacket by Charlie and Robin.  This AMAZING lace-covered, boiled wool piece was a pretty penny, ringing up at around $180 before it went on sale (this morning!!!).  I fell hook, line, and sinker in love with it in the store and although I knew it would probably go on sale, I had to have this piece for the trip I took to NYC the weekend before my surgery (for those of you counting that would be the weekend of the 10th-12th).  I knew this outfit I wore above would be the exact right outfit for walking around Soho in as I knew it would keep me warm, but be visually interesting enough that the Sartorialist wouldn't keel over and die if he saw me in it.  LOL.

Thoughts:  I bought a size small.  The length, waist, and sleeve length is exactly right on me.  The shoulders and bust are a touch too big, but nothing terrible.  I feel like the lace looks delicate, but is more sturdy than you might realize (I snagged a few lace-y bits through the day and there is no damage as far as I can see).  My hubby LOVED this jacket. 

I bought this jacket one week and six days ago.  For those of you doing the Anthro price adjustment calculations...you guessed it...I was able to apply a price adjustment to this jacket today at the Tyson's store and with that adjustment and one other (and the phenomenal extra 25% off sale items), I was able to save (your jaws are going to drop) $125.  (Which I then promptly applied to an orange Paisley Gust sweater jacket...yeah, I know...but come on, that puppy is totally selling out, I doubt that one will make it to sale!)

Rex took this picture.  He isn't even four.  Good on you, Rex. 

Before I went to Soho, we made our way to see the Statue of Liberty in real life.  Rex is actually jumping for joy over seeing it (yay, America!!!). 

I nearly tucked in my striped tee (a J. Crew gilded striped tee from Holiday '07), but in the end I liked it better untucked.

Fast forward to last night (there are other NYC pics, but you'll see those some other time). 

I have recovered enough that getting out the house isn't super-challenging and I am not liable to fall asleep in my dinner (or breakfast, you should have seen me at brunch on Sunday).  Mr. Dina's work had a smaller, more intimate party last night and I was feeling festive, so I brought out Elevenses Emerald Isle Coat for my dressy night out. 

Thoughts: This is a very elegant piece.  Feels almost like I should be heading out to the Moscow ballet wearing it.  I would not wear this coat with pants, I feel like it is perfectly made for the mini-dresses and skirts that seem to be all the rage now (and if you follow the antiquated slightly outdated rule of your coat must match your dress length).  I bought this in a six, and that is my usual Elevenses coat size.  Having said that, if you are at all well-endowed (lucky!) or more broad-shouldered than I, you may want to size up.  The skirted portion of this coat definitely fit fine over my hips. 

I am wearing the Wintertide Scarf here as well, its faux fur edging really adds to the exotic feel.

This may be the single stupidest pose I have ever made but I guess you all can pretend that I was pretending to be all cold and chilly and I was going "brrrr, it's cold outside."  Which I ended up doing for real later that night.  Turns out that a sleeveless lace dress, tights, ballet flats, faux fur scarf, and a sort of thin brocade coat may not be enough to really keep the chill out, but dang, at least it looks pretty!

Next up is what was under the Emerald Isle Coat...the Lace Scallop Dress from the Loft.  I have dressed it up here with the Stella and Dot Charlotte necklace and a belt I made myself (crafty!).  :)

Thoughts: Gigiofca couldn't really find any redeeming qualities, and I get that.  I almost gave up when I received the size 8 I ordered during their Cyber Monday sale and found that it barely fit over my hips.  (I had *just* bought a dress from the Loft in a size 4, so I thought the 8 would be fine, even a bit loose!)  Two weeks later the size 10 pops back (I think it sells out and comes back frequently), and I get that one instead.  The ten fits much better.  Much more like the way it looks here on this model:

Thoughts continued:  I ask the lady at the Loft today if she thinks that this has been a hard fit for people, like they have been bringing it back because it is so off from their regular sizing.  She basically gives me the look of death (where is Debye when I need her?) and icily says, "no, that has not been happening at all."  (Okay...guess I will not be darkening your doors anymore, lady!  Psycho!)  Anyhow, not that I care, a size 10 is my "classic" size, if we were back in the 80s and 90s when there wasn't vanity sizing...heck, I have ZERO problems ordering an 8 or 10 with Milly, it's just the darn inconsistencies I have issues with. 

Bottom Line:  It is a beautiful dress, lined well, made well, but if you are a pear shape like me, size WAY up...for me, 2-3 sizes was the key.  If you are an inverted triangle, stick tts.

From the side. 

Belt Instructions:
1. Get red ribbon from some random gift or another that someone gave you a long time ago to which you thought (cleverly), "ooh, I can use this one day for my hair, or my waist, or my daughter's hair..."
2.  Receive yummy box of Godiva chocolates.  Eat chocolates (of course).  Take red rosette and say loudly, "how pretty, maybe I can make a barrette, or a brooch, or a pendant, or a corsage, or a..."
3. Find ribbon and rosette...discover how nicely they go together. 
4.  Receive awesome lace dress in its right size and try on...ooh, needs a belt!
5.  Take red ribbon, tie it at the waist in a simple knot.
6.  Take rosette (which already has a pin attachment--thank you very much, Godiva) and attach it to tied ribbon.
7.  Go to party in which all the girls go "oooh, I LOVE YOUR BELT!"
8.  Proudly say (making sure your husband is in ear shot), I spent 0 dollars making this.  Then as quickly as possible, read steps 1-7 for them from above so they all know how to make their own 0 dollar belt, too.

No stockings, no necklace.  Same belt.  Cute for spring, no?

From the side, all simple like.  :)

Best is always at the end.  CW in her Jacadi Liberty of London dress, with tights, silver-bowed shoes, and a precious turtleneck to keep her nice and warm. 

With her crewcuts Collection (oooh, how snazzy) coat.  (Don't worry, I bought this at the Lynchburg Clearance Center for $20?  It is a piece from 2006, I believe.  Best part is the pretty hot pink lining and the collar-less neckline, how very chic!)

That's it.  (Psyche.)

:)  Tuesday last week was my surgery day.  I went in, was cleared for takeoff, the awesome Dr. Thompson gave me some awesome sedatives and proceeded to implant the Amplatzer device in my hole.  He is done an hour later.  I then go to the recovery area, where I am forced to stay in one position for six hours (they want to make sure my entry site at the groin area doesn't burst open--that would be bad, so you all know, like emergency room, 911 call kind of bad).  I get home, receive flowers from my kids and the DC JCAs (yay for the coolest and most fashionable friends ever), and hit the hay.

The week since has been great.  I haven't had any headaches, mini-strokes, or the like.  I have been INCREDIBLY tired, but I suppose having your heart muscles growing over a device is going to do that to you.  I feel different.  Other people who have had this done know what I am talking about, but unless you have had the incredibly awful and terrifying auras that can come with migraines and mini-strokes (although with mini-strokes they are not called auras, they are simply just "symptoms"), it is truly hard to describe how my world looks and feels different.  I feel clearer.  I feel more focused.  I feel normal.  YAY!

I am still on anti-coagulant drugs to prevent my blood from continuing to clot (like it so wants to do) and will be for many months.  I will never not take a baby aspirin, or mega doses of folate but that is because MTHFR raises homocysteine levels in your blood, and that can cause clotting, so even if my hole is closed, my doctors still want my blood to be ideal, not all sticky and mean to my poor organs.  LOL.  :)

You all take care.  Hope to write and talk again soon!

Mommy Style Monday #15--What's Your Go To?

Oh, you all! I cannot get over the nice things that were said about my Holiday party outfit...I did have a great time and even better I felt great in the outfit (for all its glitz, it was SUPER comfortable). Thank you so much for commenting. As you know, I am preparing to have my ASD closed tomorrow morning, so between getting things ready (including my nerves) and going to New York City this weekend (my hubby figured it was better to go before, not after, yes, I think he is right), I have not really been around. But, hello, bed rest for a few days this week. Thank goodness we have Wi-Fi here at the house! :)

It has been a little while since my last Mommy Style Monday, and after seeing the gorgeous-ness of one of my very favorite Mommies out there, Slastena, I was inspired! She wore an outfit that just sparkled, but looked so insanely comfortable, I decided that very day to wear the same basic outfit. (They are the last set of photos in this post if you are impatient want a sneak peek.)

Then it occurred to me as I was dressing that morning that I do this whole "sparkles/skinny pants/flat shoes/easy hair/cardigan/sweatshirt" look a lot, especially in the winter. Something about falling temps makes my brain veer towards bling. Don't even ask me why.

I have a "Go To." And I guarantee that if you are mom, you probably have your own version of a "Go To." Some of you might pair a plaid shirt with jeans and boots, while others of you may go for the pencil skirt, button-down, and low heels look. My sister-in-law, who is awesome, leans towards frilly tees, cardigans, and khaki pants with cute, sporty tennis shoes.

So what's the point of this post? By discovering my own "Go To," I want you all to spend some time on figuring out your "Go To," and if you are a fellow blogger, I challenge you to present your "Go To" outfits to the fashion blogging world. If you don't have a blog, kindly mention your "Go To" in the comments. I would love to see what you all personally do! Thank you!!!

And the exhibit of dinagideon's "Go To" outfits begins with this very recent look:

Worn to take the kids out, Rex to preschool and CW to a kid's class that is run by the same people that run Rex's preschool.  This is the Haya Sequin sweatshirt, and I am wearing an extra-small.  I love my other sequined sweatshirt (see pic #3) so much, and wear it so much, that I can actually justify buying this one, especially at the price I bought it for (you know, stacked promos kind of thing that come along every blue moon or so at jcrew.com).  The pants are the black skinny pants with the zipper in the back (cannot remember the name for the life of me, but they are cut slimmer than the minnies).  I am wearing these in a size 6.  The shoes are a cute pair of animal print, bow-ed flats by Boden from last winter that I bought in a size 40.

The love I feel for the comfort and awesomeness of this sweatshirt is pretty high.  The sequins are the type that lay flat and are adhered to the shirt very tightly, so I have no worries about them getting snagged by something during my day with the toddlers, but is still glitzy and special enough that I feel I can fully be "dinagideon."  LOL.  The top runs xxs-xl.  I say size down if you want a closer fit, or don't need the length, stay tts if you want a slouchier, longer feel.

Don't blink.  It isn't the same outfit, but it sure looks similar.  And you have seen this outfit before.  For all my anti-materialistic critics out there (not sure why you are reading my blog, but whatevs), I definitely have gotten good use out of these particular pieces.  I can even assure people who are scared of washing this top that it will all be just fine (handwash cycle, inside out, no tumble dry, on the line to dry)...that is how often I have worn it...I actually have washed this darn top MULTIPLE times.  :)  The top is the slouchy sequined sweatshirt from last year, the one I had waited months for.  It was worth it.  The pants are the black resin wash ankle toothpick jeans in a size 31.  The kicks are a pretty cool pair of silver-laced Nike Airs.  These shoes are bling-y and perfect for running after the tots.

My "Go-To!" by dinagideon featuring silver shoes

Above is the polyvore of that outfit...

And now for the Slastena-inspired look.  The cardigan is the watercolor leopard cardigan in a size small.  The top is the same as Slastena's, the silk and sequin scoopneck tee in a size small.  The pants are matchstick cords in a grey color from last year in a size 30 Short, and the boots are the Rivington Kitten Heels in a size 10.

I was headed out with my brother and the kids that day, and it was uber-cold, so I had to put on my stadium cloth Lucinda, which replaced the Shipley I just sold.  It kept me warm, but only the parts it covered.  The rest of me, head, feet, hands were frozen.

The Lucinda open.  If you can get your hands on a Lucinda from ebay, I say do it.  They can be bought for a pretty good price, I think I paid 70?

thinsulate) weather back!

Here is a view of the top with the cardigan.  I highly recommend that if you buy this top to layer it...it looks like a bit too much by itself, which I think sounds weird, layer to make it look less crazy.  That said, this almond color is so pretty in real life and if you can get a top with well-secured sequins (this was my second one--had to return the first because the sequins were all just *this* close to coming off), you should be able to easily make this top work with so many pieces in your closet.

You all have a great night!!!  I look forward to chatting with you all again soon!!!  :)little

Holiday Party Hoot!

Okay, this isn't really a blog post about how I incorporated owls into my holiday party outfit, but I really love alliteration, so there you go. :)

As I did last year, I went to my husband's work holiday party in early December. I like the timing because the closer you get to Christmas, it gets harder to find time to go to the parties, so I think my hubby's work is pretty smart in doing this. I love his work parties because of three reasons:

1. I get out of the house. All mothers everywhere get this.

2. I get to go to the Four Seasons here in D.C. For those of you familiar with the show "Real Housewives of D.C." will remember that the Four Seasons is where the Salahis go to spend the night whenever they come into town for their events. (Even though they live "near" D.C., it is far enough away that I actually understand why they do this...having said that, I don't really understand the Salahis themselves.)

3. The Four Seasons has wine, really, REALLY good wine. I definitely felt the effects the next day, though. Oops.

Onto what I wore:

This is the dress by itself, with no topper, just the heels and my hair and makeup all done. I ended up not wearing the outfit exactly like this because it was a bit too cold, but I LOVE this dress. I also own it in blue, which I wore at my Best Friend's wedding (heehee).

The dress is the silk taffeta Halter Sangle dress that J. Crew made in many colors around this time last year. I think this shape dress is super-flattering, much more so than the Bow Monde dress, which they currently are offering.

The shoes are from Nine West and the earrings are from J. Crew, but I have no idea what they are called (couldn't find them on the web site).

What I wore most of the evening.  I tried the cardigan on to make sure it looked decent before I did my hair or makeup.  This is the cluster constellation cardigan that came out last year in this grey color and in a black color.  Michelle Obama has the original, in the cream color and with a whole lot more clustered sequins.  I really love that one, but cannot even begin to contemplate spending that amount (near $300) on a cotton cardigan.

Speaking of Ms. Obama, her oldest daughter is old enough to wear real J. Crew now!  Maybe we see her in her own adorable Crew-inspired outfits!  :)  (I only know this because I just saw on the news the family lighting the national Christmas tree, which is A HUGE THING in this area...)

Since I am an Arbonne consultant, I have to include a makeup shot, right?  ;)

The night was cold enough for me to whip out my new Double Cloth Colletta coat with Thinsulate.  LOVE this coat and LOVE this color.  Talk about perfection...it is lady-like, warm, and in a interesting neutral that can last for many seasons.  Awesome!  I am wearing this in a size 6 and it is exactly the right size.  I probably would have bought a 4 if I didn't need the thinsulate.  For those of us gals that have pear-shapes, consider this coat...the top portion is fitted while the bottom portion is built to skim away from the body nicely.

Close-up of the coat.  I wore it without makeup, again, to check that it would work as an entire outfit.  :)

You all have a fab night.  I hope all of you have a hoot at your holiday parties!!! If you are a blogger, I want to see pics!!!

Dressy Mix and Match...

Hi, all! Thank you so much for your sweet thoughts and e-mails over the past week or so. :) MUCH NEEDED...I definitely have left Funky Town, its population is now zero. LOL.

Real quick, I wanted to let you all know that I am having surgery to repair my "hole in my heart" on December 14, 2010, which is one week away. I am not nervous, but I am a teeny bit anxious. Some of my bloggie friends have reached out to me and told me their stories of people they know who have had this surgery so I feel great to know that it is usually a very easy procedure, but it is still my heart and all.

Turns out that I have an ASD, which is a birth defect, and not just the flappy opening between the atria not completely closing at birth (which is what we thought I had--also known as a PFO). If you want to read more about the differences between an ASD and PFO, check out this link for more info. The ASD explains why I have continual blood flow between my right atria and my left atria (also known as a right to left shunt, which I explained in great detail at the "hole in my heart" post which I linked to in the last paragraph), and which makes me understand why I have been susceptible to "mini-strokes" and why the cardiologist was willing to get me in for the heart repair so quickly! (I am even having my surgery before BRET MICHAELS!!!)

Okay, enough talk about my health. Let's move onto OUTFITS!!!

Mix and Match Packing List! by dinagideon featuring a vneck cardigan

Above is the polyvore from my trip to Mississippi and Louisiana that I talked about in my last post. For more info on how this polyvore works, check out the post for the info on how I mixed and matched the pieces together to help me have a well-chosen plan for my ten-day trip. Today I will focus on how I mixed the pieces to create dressier outfits (my last post was on the casual outfits).

Worn to church the Sunday after Thanksgiving.  I know that at my church people dress up, but nothing compares to Southern Baptist church services.  Everyone is turned out just so.  It is very lovely to see, the parade of finery and thoughtful, well-cleansed faces bright and fresh.  :)  Love it!

The outfit consists of pieces #5, 2, 9, 21, and 17.  You have seen the jacket, the dress, and the shoes before, but the belt and necklace are new.  I love the way the grey worked with the purple and browns.  I didn't know if the colors would look ghastly together, but in the end, it all worked.  The belt is the suede floppy belt and I bought it in a size small so I could wear it at my waist.  If you want a more "floppy" effect, buy up a size.  I don't want a floppy effect, so I was great with the size small.  The necklace is the knotty pearl necklace and I just love how a fairly inexpensive piece of costume jewelry (I got it on super-sale) can make an outfit look extra-special.  (Well, the velvet Bella jacket helps, too...lol.)

I dress for Thanksgiving dinner.  Something about dressing for dinner speaks to me, so I was happy to oblige, even if I was a bit "over-dressed."

This outfit consists of pieces #4, 2, 9, and 19.  This dress was wrongly identified as the super 120s banquette dress on ebay when I bought it...it is actually the stretch flannel banquette dress from last year, but in the end, I don't really care.  At the price I bought it, I was happy.  This is in a size 8, and sadly this means that the top is very loose and the hips just fit.  To counter this, I cinched the belt REAL tight and wore a cami on top and wore spanx on the bottom.  It was worth it, though, my super-beautiful sister-in-law complimented my outfit, and that made me feel great!  :)  The necklace is the Charlotte Statement necklace by Stella and Dot that I was able to get (FOR FREE) after CW's Stella and Dot birthday party (CW received a LOT of jewelry for VERY good prices).  If you would like to order Stella and Dot, I can put you in touch with Rachel, who is my Stella and Dot stylist.

This is an outfit I wore at the very beginning of the trip when it was SUPER hot and I needed to cool down.  The first photo shows how I took shimmer paisley dress and winter-ized it and this photo shows a nice early fall option.  It does look like I am wearing a top and a skirt, but I actually just layered a cami over the dress.

These pieces are #25, 9, 5, and 18.

Finally, this is an outfit I wore the very first night of the vacation.  We were going all fancy with a fixed price dinner at a yummy New Orleans restaurant and I wanted to match by dressing up.  It was hot that night, so the cashmere and the wool skirt were a *bit* much, but the restaurant was cool enough, so I didnt keel over in my crawfish or anything.  :)

This outfit consists of pieces #24, 17, and 1.  The tee would have made it into the polyvore BUT polyvore has a limit of 50 pieces!!!  (Did you all know that?  And the numbers that I used to label the pieces count as items!  Shakes fist at imaginary owner of Polyvore...)

CW was also dressed up and ready to go.  Love the pink and brown!  :)

You all have a fab night!  I look forward to posting more outfits!!!  (I will be on forced bed rest for a good portion of next week...but guess what bed rest means?  My wireless computer can come with me!!!  Heehee...)