My Superfluities

Boden: Limited Edition Spring 2012 Debuts!

2012-02-03T15:03:00.001-05:00

Hi, all! A big thank you to CC who let me know that the Boden Limited Edition (Spring 2012) debuted on-line with new styles today. I have only had a few moments to look around since getting home, but I am very happy that Boden is continuing to issue pieces in this higher end line. The pieces I have from the Limited Edition are well-made, distinctive, and tend towards more subdued (compared to regular Boden). Most women who have bought from the Limited Edition line also have echoed how I feel, so let's hope that Johnnie Boden is listening.

CC mentioned that you can use the code for a discount if you have one. I currently have no active links for a % off (either the links I try are "dead on arrival" or they take you to the UK site), but I am going to give this one last try with the link directly below this paragraph.

You can use this one below for 15% off, I just confirmed that it worked (for the first time in a really long time!)...

Save 15% at Bodenusa.com with Free Delivery and Returns!
(This above link is meant to take you to Johnnie B., the teen line, from there go to the top menu bar and go to "women--new arrivals--limited edition.") UPDATE! IT WORKS! (3:04 pm Friday!) Yay! Going off to update my sidebar with this link!

So, have fun, and definitely know what your favorites are! :)

Boden Weekly Review Roundup: Yummy Spring Weather!

2012-02-01T20:16:00.001-05:00

Hi, all. With temps in the 70s today and multiple recent days in the 60s, you will be seeing quite a few warm "winter" weather outfits from Boden tonight.

Both Poppy's Style and I are located in the American South, so even though we know it is "winter," we are simply using jackets and coats as mere suggestions that we understand the calendar says what it says. In fact today was so warm, a heavy coat would have been insane. (I wore a merino cardigan for the morning, it was gone by the middle of the day.)

Before we begin the roundup...I still have had no luck with the links on my sidebar (sad!), so I am going to encourage you all to check out these instructions for savings on any items you see here (outside clearance, which are only available for free ship and returns).

1. Instead of using the sidebar link, use an item stock photo (like the ones littered throughout this roundup) to get to the Boden USA site.

2. Click on that photo which will take you to the US item page. There will be NO discount applied, but no worries.

3. Once on the site, click on the shopping bag icon which will take you to the shopping bag page itself.

4. On that page, locate the code box (it is on the lower left hand side), and put in this code AF29 (which is what the affiliate link had as the code when I tried it last week). This code is for 15% off and free ship/returns. If you have another code, you can use it there as well.

(If this doesn't work for you, DEFINITELY let us know!) Thanks!

Boden Women Spring 2012:

Fun Jersey Dress. This is a dress that I really only put on for the blog. It fits, but just, and I feel like the dress would be a better asset to my wardrobe postpartum. That said, I could get it on, and it was stretchy enough that if you are currently pregnant, say 20 or so weeks, you may want to consider this one as an option because it is made from a fabric that is flexible enough to work with belly and without. :)

This is the size US 6, which is my tts Boden jersey dress/tunic size.

This is a fabric that is jersey, but also has a slub cotton feel, a lot like the plait trim top, whose review you can find here.

This dress is definitely a nod to the past "fun" pieces made by Johnnie and co., what with the large blooming embroidered florals on the bottom of the dress. However, compared to prior years, this is more muted as the florals are on a fairly blah background of pewter/brown (hard to tell which color it really is, they call it pewter, I call it brown). If this had been released in 2006, it would have been a bright yellow dress. Guarantee it.

This design continues onto the back, but only on the one side.

The flats are J. Crew, Lula Bow Ballet Flats. They are very comfortable and run tts, and work nicely with the dress. Nice SAHM look, great for springtime preschool runs.

Fun Jersey Dress. The brown is still around and likely will be. The red/pink is really popular, and I can see why. :) It's pretty, and the design is less in your face... (If you are a fan of the brown, you can likely hold off till summer clearance time, I bet it will be around then...I just plan on wearing mine a lot before then.)

Other Blogs:

Mariner Jumper. Poppy's Style shows off the navy and white version of this popular sweater. Love the pop of red in the shoes, natch.

Clearance Items:

Silk Flower Tunic. Poppy's Style certainly looks pretty in her edgy take on this tunic. LOVE!

Piped Shoe Boots. Poppy's Style wore these with her silk flower tunic. I had been interested in these, very cute/versatile style! You can also check them out with the Retro tunic at this post.

Leather Blazer. I didn't even realize Boden sold this last fall. It looks great on Poppy's Style with the Retro Tunic (not available any longer, but if you go back to this post, you can see my review on it, which includes a link for any possible popbacks).

Mini Boden Spring 2012:

Rough Applique T Shirt. Rex picked the skull and crossbones version of this shirt out during the preview sale in October (?). He has now worn it twice. And outside. With shoes. Just not here. ;)

It runs tts, as Rex is now in the 5-6 year range. It is long enough and wide enough to fit now and next year, too. It washes well, as you can see here, this photo is from the second outing of this top.

Rough Applique T-shirt. Also comes in a rhino and alligator design.

Okay, all have a great night! :) Talk with you all later.

J. Crew: If It Came Back Today, Would You Wear It?

2012-01-30T18:22:00.000-05:00

I have been wanting to do this kind of post for a really long time! :)

Hope you all enjoy it...

I have so many ANCIENT J. Crew catalogs, including a handful from (gulp) the '90s, and whenever I have a few moments, I peruse the older ones as part of nostalgia for my youth.

(My severely misguided sartorial youth, but we will see evidence of that a bit later.)

One day it occurred to me..."would I wear the outfit I am seeing in this old catalog--as styled--if J. Crew (or x company) issued it again?" Often the answer is "yes," especially with any J. Crew from 2003-2008, but in the catalogs from before then the answer is "OMG, no, please dear God, leave it there with Roxette and this hairstyle that Hugh Grant made popular."

I sometimes (sometimes) can find a piece or two that is redeeming, but they are definitely far and few between.

All of this may well be because I wore the originals non-ironically (crazy twenty-something hipsters are wearing oh so ironically, yikes) but some of these older catalog images give me the skeevies. LOL.

So, I ask you..."if it came back today, would you wear it?"

Source: Summer 1994 J. Crew Catalog. I am specifically looking at the LONG prairie dress at the right, but go ahead and have fun with the shorts/top/plaid shirt combo on the left. (And those shoes. The fisherman sandals. I confess, I had a few pair...and may have worn them to my college graduation. At least I was an Anthropology major.)

Source: Summer 1994 J. Crew Catalog. Long, merlot, flowy, and not one accessory. Minimalism 90s at its best!

Source: Summer 1994 J. Crew catalog cover. Very appealing cover (really)! These are all male items, fwiw.

I had a WINTER version of the merlot dress...and because I was super-challenged style wise, I actually wore this in 1997. I was really behind the times, clearly. :)

Wow. That dress is LONG. And very much placing me firmly in the sister wife category.

(So you all know, at this point I was working with a boatload of LDS--aka Mormon--co-workers at the House of Representatives. They always ALWAYS thought I was a fellow LDS until I would bring in a HUGE steaming cup of coffee into the office, usually because of a night of wine drinking the evening before made me a bit bleary-eyed. I am not even kidding you. BTW, my LDS co-workers were always way more stylish than I...I definitely was always the most covered-up and the most blah. Yeah, I know, me "queen of the print" was a big fan of the solids, from head to freaking toe.)

Okay this one is from 1994, so more in time with the actual catalog. This was a Pier One dress and because it was LONG and covered-up and the pattern was fairly simple, I was all over it. (And clearly all over the really dark lipstick, yet another trend from the 90s that I really think should just stay there.)

So it should be fairly obvious that I will go nowhere near this trend, ever EVER again.

You all have a great night!

P.S. If you really want a LONG red dress, here's a potential candidate. ;)

Randomness in the Form of Outfits of this Last Week.

2012-01-29T19:37:00.000-05:00

Hi, everyone. I have been off the internet for a little bit. Nothing I want to get into here right now (possibly in the future) but let's just say the things in overabundance in my life also included a few things that made me gun shy about publishing here. Hence my need to take a few days to re-calibrate how I am going to go forward with this blog.

I do appreciate some criticism, and felt that some of the things I was thinking and mulling over were constructive in nature, so I am choosing to do the things that make sense and should help this blog and not hurt it. :)

One thing I will be doing is being MUCH MORE OBVIOUS about what the posts are about. I know many of you come here for reviews, some of you come for the outfits of the day, some of you come for the stuff regarding my family and kids, and for some of you (!!!), you kind of just enjoy it all...BUT I really want to encourage the folks that only come here for one thing and one thing only (like Boden reviews) to look for the posts that have to do with that. So from here on out, most posts will have a theme to it and the title will make it obvious what it is...like including the words J. Crew Review, Boden Review, Outfits of the Day (or Week--like today's post), and My Superfluities Family Stuff.

I will be honest...a lot of what I do will focus on outfits of the day, then reviews, then my family stuff. I am feeling discouraged to talk a lot about things going on in my family because some of what I have said here has made for some fodder for folks to enjoy...even if it isn't really all that funny. Yikes. So I will bring it up, eventually, like things that are working for Rex or my pregnancy, but I WILL FIRMLY LET YOU KNOW THAT THE POST IS ABOUT THAT and if you are here just for the clothes, you can go elsewhere, lest it bore the cr#p out of you.

Okay, so this week has quite a few outfits, and in no special order (other than maybe fanciest to most casual), are the ones I wore this last week.

It was warm here, so bear that in mind. I had very little use for any of my coats, really, and found that by the middle of the day, I was happy enough in no coat.

Baptism Going Outfit. Was invited to another baptism for another darling baby yesterday, so we dolled ourselves up.

Top: Liz Lange for Target.
Skirt: Gap Maternity.
Tights: George (Wal-Mart Brand).
Shoes: Biella High-Heel Loafers, Size 9.5. Not especially comfortable, but found I could wear them for around an hour and a half before they became painful.
Earrings: J. Crew Acorn Fireball Earrings.

Church Going Outfit #1. This is from last Sunday. CW is in snow boots only because she wanted to be...not because she needed to be. She likes pink.

Top: Random (loving that word today) Maternity Top. Can't remember the brand.
Skirt (Dress worn as a skirt): H & M Mama.
Booties: Naturalizer.
Headband: J. Crew.
Necklace: J. Crew Crystal Track Necklace.

Going Out to Dinner and 3D Ultrasound Outfit. Nice night. Feeling good in this one. The ultrasound went great. You all get to see Gus soon enough, so I will not likely publish the 3D photo. He is really cute, imo...but enough talk about that. ;)

Top: Liz Lange for Target.
Pants: Duo Maternity (JC Penny).
Shoes: J. Crew Glitterati Ballet Flats. Great buy at a super sale price. Highly recommend.
Headband: J. Crew.

Going to DC and Church Outfit #2. Beautiful day in the city today, sunny, warm-ish, but January, so parking was easy peasy. I knew we were headed into the city so I wore conservative clothing but fairly comfortable so I could do a lot of walking and museum going.

Top: Isabella Oliver.
Pants: Duo Maternity.
Shoes: J. Crew Lula Jacquard Ballet Flats.
Purse: J. Crew Cameron Satchel (2008).
Necklace: Heart Locket Necklace, given to me by Mr. Dina after Rex's birth.
Coat: J. Crew Elements Coat.
Sunglasses: Target, Xhiliration Brand.

Preschool Run Outfit. Needed comfort and so went really casual. The boots are lined in faux and real shearling, but again unnecessary, just wanted boots for this outfit and the brown ones I own were the wrong shade for this ensemble.

Top: Old Navy Maternity.
Leggings: Madewell Convertible.
Cardigan: Boden Cashmere Cardi Coat.
Boots: J. Crew Alpine Boots.
Earrings: J. Crew Snow Sparkle Earrings.

I promised a blog friend of mine that I would upload a picture from the internet for her of a J. Crew item from a few years ago, so that is what this is. :) Very pretty coat, and I hope she wears it in good health! I look forward to seeing your polyvore sets, Lisa!

And for me (not for polyvore, obviously)...a photo of my darling CW. This may well be one of my favorite photos of her ever.

You all have a great night. Talk soon.

Boden Weekly Review Roundup: A Lot to Look at This Week!

2012-01-26T15:13:00.000-05:00

Hey, all. With all my time being used in other ways (some mental, some physical), I don't have a lot of time for chit-chat today, so I will just lay out the reviews for you and you all can use them the way you need to.

Reminder: My link to the bodenusa site is not working...sadly. Still. It takes you to the UK site. Eventually I will receive a link that works, but until then, here are instructions on how to get access to the US site and get a discount. :)

1. Instead of using the sidebar link, use an item stock photo (like the ones littered throughout this roundup) to get to the Boden USA site.

2. Click on that photo which will take you to the US item page. There will be NO discount applied, but no worries.

3. Once on the site, click on the shopping bag icon which will take you to the shopping bag page itself.

4. On that page, locate the code box (it is on the lower left hand side), and put in this code AF29 (which is what the affiliate link had as the code when I tried it last week). This code is for 15% off and free ship/returns. If you have another code, you can use it there as well.

(If this doesn't work for you, DEFINITELY let us know!) Thanks!

Spring 2012 Boden Reviews:

Textured Cotton Skirt. This is actually the image from last week, but I received the exchange size pretty fast, so I will just use the same image (I am sure that is fine).

This new skirt is a size US 10 Long. It fits just fine in the hips and is plenty long enough. In fact, I anticipate it hitting right at my kneecap, which is a rarity in my life. The waist, however, is quite large, with the difference between the waist and the hips being a mere 7 inches. If you have a ruler or apple shaped body, this skirt may be perfection for you. For those of us with pear shapes, you will have to size for your hips, and take in the waist (I will likely have to take the waist in a few inches).

I have read a few other reviews that are saying the same thing. It's up to you if you are on the fence...if you love the print and don't mind the extra time (if you sew) or extra expense (if you don't) to have it altered, then go for it. Otherwise, don't go there, it will just frustrate you.

Textured Cotton Skirt. The printed floral pattern is selling quickly to backorder.

I have many blog friends who contributed new reviews to this week's roundup. One of them is even a new face here at this blog, so definitely go over and visit and follow her blog (Poppy's Style)! She is a big fan of Boden, so I know you all will relate to her. :)

Relaxed Knitted Tunic and Must Have Jumpers and Effortless Cardigan. These items were all featured on Poppy's Style here. In fact, if you are a fan of the must have jumpers, she is modeling three different hues for us!

Ibiza Tunic and Notch Neck Tunics. Poppy's Style showed off the quail egg blue version of the Ibiza Tunic and all four shades of the Notch Neck Tunic here at this post. If you are a fan of Boden tunics, this is definitely the post for you.

Speaking of the Notch Neck Tunic, Ema showed off the yellow version on her blog.

Chic Spotty Tunic. Poppy's Style gave a look-see of this tunic in the light brown/pink colorway (same one as on the model) at this post.

Clearance Boden (Spring/Summer 2011 and Fall 2011):

Pool Party Tunic. Ema picked up two colorways of this tunic (it's price has hit rock bottom--definitely a good buy). I have the pink version and am a fan...

A BIG THANK YOU TO Poppy's Style and Ema for their wonderful reviews!

Lounge Shoes (Tan Leopard). I wore these as part of this outfit. These are a size 40, which technically is a size 9 US. Boden's shoes tend to run big and wide. I often find I have to buy a size 40 rather than what should be my size, a 41. I made the right call going with the 40, the length was nice and long, but in a rare turn of events for Boden, these were made very narrow, which exactly fits my foot. Normally the width is too wide, even in a smaller size.

The shoes are all leather construction, with a calf-hair upper. The soles are leather, but have a rubber bit for traction.

Lounge Shoes. Black Colorway is nearly all sold out, but the tan seems to be sticking around. The $58 price is good for what you get, especially when you compare this shoe to the one J. Crew sells for a whole lot more.

Pretty Party Dress (on CW--Baby Boden) and Big Appliqué T-shirt (Rex--Mini Boden). CW is wearing the size 3-4, which is the largest that baby Boden goes. She was a big fan of this dress, especially the "pink birds, Momma."

Rex's top is a size 5-6, and while a bit long overall, he is growing really fast and needs the length to ensure he can wear it next winter, too. The pants are currently sold out (I have given you all an alternative below) but he took a size 5 in these, he has long legs but a smaller waist, so this was perfect...the jersey stretchy waistband wasn't too big or small and the legs are long enough that he should be fine to wear these into next year as well.

Pretty Party Dress and Big Appliqué T-shirt and Lined Cargos. If you find the size you need is sold out and it pops back, get it. The mini and baby Boden stuff sells fast during clearance time. Good luck!

Okay, all, that's it. Hope you have a lovely afternoon and evening. Thanks for stopping by. I appreciate all of you for spending time over here, I mean it! :)

In My Hood...

2012-01-25T18:27:00.000-05:00

And wearing a J. Crew argyle sweater...

I was grocery shopping next door to Mrs. Obama and Rachael Ray today! While I grabbed produce and perishables, these fine ladies were eating lunch with some local elementary school students at one of our local schools (article says they were in Annandale, nope sorry, that would be Alexandria). No wonder I saw a secret service policeman at the Starbucks this morning! Rex and I even noticed the police officer which prompted me to quip to Rex, "you know, CW said she wants to be a police woman one day...did you know that?"

Rex said he didn't. But wouldn't that be pretty cool? My daughter protecting the lives of others? :) (CW was with Grandpa at her ballet lesson, btw. She could be a second positioning, heat packing protector of lives.)

What surprises me more than anything with regards to Mrs. O and RR being in my hood? The traffic was unaffected. That never happens here in the DC area.

P.S. I love Mrs. O in this sweater, the jester sweater in orange is a perfect hue for her complexion!

J. Crew: Carriage Coat Dress IRL.

2012-01-24T17:21:00.001-05:00

I am FINALLY getting around to publishing this review. I wanted to make sure I could edit these photos properly (teeny computer from heck didn't have adequate photo editing on it), so I had to wait to get the new computer.

I figured if you all are interested in this coat/dress, then you need good photos and not crummy, non-edited photos. Right now, this is SOLD OUT on-line, but we all know that J. Crew has popbacks. Maybe one of you will even be fortunate enough to grab it tomorrow before the extra 40% off sale ends (which would bring the price of the coat dress down a whole bunch, most likely to cost).

Lots of photos, so let's just begin.

UPDATE: Shopwithm has a wonderful review of this dress, so take a look over there for more info. :)

Okay, all, this was early December, so the belly is only 24 weeks along, so there is only a teeny bulge in these photos.

I cannot wear this dress now, but the fact that I COULD wear it at more than the halfway point of this pregnancy should tell you something about this dress...it runs large.

I asked my PS for the measurements and she sent them to me. I was sort of shocked by what I was reading...the bust/shoulders/waist AND hips were almost exactly my non-pregnancy measurements (up an inch or two overall, obviously, so it's not skin tight). I thought for sure I would have to buy a small...but nope, the extra-small (!!!) was the exact right fit.

I could write an essay on the vanity sizing of J. Crew, but it would be a dissertation, and that would bore you all, so let's just move on...

I chose to style this dress similar to the way it was styled on the model, with a turtleneck and darker bottom. I did not go for jeans, but anticipate doing that next winter when I am not pregnant.

Dress: J. Crew Collection Carriage Coat Dress, Size Extra-Small. FWIW, the hips are about 43", which may be why this worked so well on me. The shoulders and bust run smaller, though, so I expect that pear shapes will warm to this dress more than other shaped bodies.

Turtleneck: J. Crew Tissue Turtleneck, Size Medium. From a few years back and definitely a workhorse in my pregnancy wardrobe.

Tights: Assets.

Shoes: Clarks Artisan.

Bag: Boden Leopard Tote. Yummy. Love this bag. The other colors this came in are on super sale right now. The tan is all sold out.

Earrings: J. Crew Snow Sparkle Earrings. Also on clearance right now.

It has pockets! That are perfectly placed! :)

And lined!

The price was ABSURD for this coat dress. For one, it isn't really a coat. Come on now. It is a thick dress made from some very pretty material and made in a beautiful mid-century shape. This dress will make the long run in my closet as it is a classic in a great shade of red, but the original price? Feh.

I got it at 30% off, so a much more reasonable amount. I would have recommended it at the 30% off, but at this current super sale price? Yes, ma'am, especially if you are a pear shape.

I was headed out to dinner with other JCAs that night (dinner at Oyamel) and the kids and I were going to see the White House Christmas tree beforehand, so the kids wore their own "festive" look.

Close-up of collar and material. You can see that the linen (flax?)/wool blend is lovely, especially with the bits of creamy threading. The collar also has a hidden button or two, which if you look closely, you can see the loop of one of them near the bottom of the placket.

I am so glad to have Picnik back. Love having fun with photos!

This is the Highland Coat from a few years back, Fall 2006. I bought this from Molly (My Closet Travels) in a size 10, and boy am I glad I did. Turns out that the 10 is perfect. Normally I would buy a 6, but clearly this coat doesn't suffer from vanity sizing. I could go with an 8 during non-pregnant times, but the 10 will allow me to layer thicker sweaters.

It was a cold night, so I HAD to wear a real coat, not just a dress pretending to be a coat. LOL.

This shot makes me so happy. We captured three happy smiles, with a beautiful sunset framing the (now closed--boo, earthquake) Washington Monument.

Carriage Coat Dress IRL! by dinagideon featuring turtleneck shirts

Above is the polyvore, for you addicts out there. (Smile. I am one, too. I admit it.)

Okay, I hope that helps you all! :) Good luck, and fingers crossed the Carriage Coat Dress will pop back tomorrow!

J. Crew: Jaspé pullover and Mini Orbit Necklace Review plus OOTD.

2012-01-24T16:33:00.000-05:00

Hey, all! I have two posts today that specifically deal with reviewing J. Crew items! :) With tomorrow being an insane Boden review day (OMG, SO MANY REVIEWS for the roundup), I figured I will get these done, especially since the next review post is on an item that if it pops back up on the internet will be an extra 40% off (which would be awesome for whomever grabs the popback).

But right now I want to focus on two items that are "new" arrivals. Technically the Jaspe pullover was in the last rollout and not the one on Thursday, but I know that a lot of you love this material, so I wanted to get this review out as soon as I could.

The necklace is in store only right now, but that doesn't mean it won't be rolled out on Thursday...I hope it will come on-line as it is a really wonderful necklace that is a decent price and a perfect "something something" for topping off a simpler outfit.

I wore all of these items today, which just shows how much I love them both. I figure if I wear them quickly (bought them last night), then the items were definitely meant to be keepers in my closet.

Clearly I can't do that with everything I own right now. LOL. But for the things I can wear, I pull them out as quickly as possible.

I really really love this outfit. I did a lot today, including a freaking run to Costco, and at no point did I feel uncomfortable or miserable. Everything from the top all the way down to the shoes helped buoy my mood. :)

Top: J. Crew Jaspe Pullover, Heather Indigo, Size Extra Small. I picked this up last night at the store after having spied and fallen in love with it on-line. I have no idea if this will sell out or end up in the clearance bin for $5, but I HAD to have it last night. The unusual texture of this tee is soft and the fabric is pretty thick. The three-quarter sleeves don't bother me at all since I normally scrunch my sleeves anyhow. The scoop neck is really flattering, too.

The color is my favorite bit, sort of mid-blue with greenish undertones and a true white threading throughout.

Sizing is typical J. Crew, pretty large. I find it utterly amusing that J. Crew's tops are stretchy and long enough that I can continue wearing my tts xs top size, even at 31 (!!!) weeks. All this means is that the top will be looser and much longer when I am not pregnant.

Pants: Duo Maternity, wear them constantly...

Necklace: J. Crew Mini Orbit Necklace, Sage Green/Blue, $39.50. Considering the regular Orbit necklace is a hundred dollars more than this necklace, I think this is a great option for those of you who love the look of the regular orbit but want to save some dough. (I do plan on buying the regular orbit at some point, but will wait it out a fair bit, just in case it makes it to sale.)

You can see the mini orbit closer up in the last photo. Also, Rose modeled the red version last night over at this post.

Shoes: Boden Lounge Shoe, Size 40. I will do a more in-depth review of these shoes tomorrow. Quick thoughts, though...these run LONG and NARROW, just like my feet. :) I sized down in length to a 40 (should really wear a 41), and the width/length exactly fits my foot. This never happens to me. I am a happy girl.

From the side. Gus was a happy boy. He was moving A LOT today. I think he agrees with the Jaspe.

CW is wearing a pair of crewcuts tights that are as darling as her, grey knit tights with hearts (Girls' Heart Tights). They are size xxs-xs and are large enough they should work for a year or two longer. Great deal at $7 on sale. :)

Hands on hips, including CW. She RUNS to the modelling sessions every AM. Cracks us up. I indulge her as I figure some of you really like my reviews and my ootds, but the vast majority of you stop by to see her and her brother. ;)

I can totally tell I am gaining weight from this pregnancy. Normally my face is not this full. It doesn't bother me, but it is weird to realize that of the 20 pounds I have gained, some of it has been in my cheeks. LOL. Bit chipmunky.

This is a good view of the necklace and the texture of the tee. I actually like both pieces enough I may consider seconds when (and if) they go on sale. The tee also comes in a pretty light grey and the necklace come in many colors, including red, navy, and one other color (can't remember).

OOTD with Jaspe and Mini Orbit. by dinagideon featuring bright jewelry

Above is the polyvore of the outfit as I wore it today (including the coat, which I did not get photos of but wore in the last post).

Hope this helped some of you!

Pregnancy Purge Continues...Anthro, Anyone?

2012-01-22T21:55:00.001-05:00

Oh, well. I might as well go out and just get all these pregnancy outfits out of the way. Maybe I am nesting. I spent two hours today clearing my closet for pregnancy clothing...all the while recognizing the items I was packing up were going to be coming out of hiding in May (I even marked the boxes "bring down in May 2012"). :) I guess I just needed to do SOMETHING. LOL.

So yesterday's post focused on a whole slew of outfits made from items I had either purchased at Pea in the Pod, Mimi Maternity, or Motherhood Maternity. There were six of them. Yeep. Guess I was a bit behind.

Today I want to get three outfits published that I created using pieces from Anthropologie. Amazingly enough, a lot of what I own from Anthro have easily seen me through the last few months. I think it is a combo of some vanity sizing, general versatility of the piece, and the "flowy" nature of all of their clothing.

Anyhow, Desperate Housewives is on soon, so I am gonna make this quick. ;)

Outfit #1:

I got out of the house for these shots. I brought back the arty shot from the summer. Let's just say I find it WAY easier to dress up and play "model" when it is warm. I am a super wimp, I admit it. The day was just warm enough that I didn't shudder at the thought of posing outdoors for five minutes. How those big time fashion bloggers do it is beyond me. Maybe they have steel for skin.

Dress: Maple Mazzola Sweater Dress, Anthropologie, Fall 2008. Oh, how I love this dress. I totally fell in love with this dress when I saw it in the July 2008 catalog but since I was heavily pregnant with CW at the time I didn't think it would work for me. Fast forward to this fall, ebay. I saw it for sale and for an okay price in a size medium and was all, "screw it, I want that dress." Turns out I could have worn it heavily pregnant with CW (although July and cotton/angora...not so much). This dress is far more forgiving than I thought it would be! I could go with a size small for the non-pregnant days, but since it is a sweater dress, the same stretchy material that makes it utterly perfect for those of us "with child," also make it beautifully flattering to non-pregnant curves. :)
Tights: George Tights that recently bit the dust (sad!). Read the last post for more on that saga. LOL.
Shoes: Stacked Strap Heels, Anthropologie, Size 9.5. These are by Schuler and Sons and I must say that I was thrilled to have them pop back in my size after missing them from the sale initially. (Although I was a bit worried they wouldn't ship and worried the 9.5 would be too large--schuler and sons run large on me.) Aren't they pretty? And they were very comfortable. I could have walked in these for hours. Surprising seeing as they are really high!
Necklace: J. Crew, in store only necklace from Fall 2009.

I added a very unique Elevenses topper to this outfit. This is the Neo-Houndstooth coat and after seeing it styled in the catalog last fall, I sort of fell for its mid-century modern appearance.

Having said that, I recognize its flaws. I bought it on super-sale (it went down to $49 from almost $350) because of the flaws. This is a size 4, which is one size down from my true Elevenses size of 6. I may have been able to get away with a size 2 it runs that large.

Part of the problem is what you see here in this photo, the open back vent. There is absolutely NO structure to the vent. In fact the only reason there is structure to mine is because I added some. I sewed up about an inch of the vent about halfway down the vent to keep it from flopping open and I safety pinned the bottom part of the vent so that it wouldn't fly open, either. All in all that took me about twenty minutes, but I feel like the extra time was worth it for such a pretty coat.

I had fun with Picasa Picnik now that I have my new computer. :)

Don't you just love the view of the barren trees and my neighbors? I miss the full blooming trees!!!

The other problem with this coat is what you can see here, even on small shouldered moi, I look like I have actual swimmer shoulders (who did lots and lots of butterfly). I don't mind the extra shoulder girth as I do have a fairly narrow upper body, but on someone who is broad shouldered, I think staying away from this coat may be a good idea.

CW was heading to ballet class. Her darling Boden skirt was perfect for covering up her ballet costume.

Mazzola and Neo-Houndstooth. by dinagideon featuring three quarter sleeve dresses

Above is the polyvore of this outfit, just in case you are interested in any of the pieces.

Outfit #2:

Speaking of Elevenses, here is a spring coat that I wore about a month ago with a full on pregnancy outfit. Didn't do up the buttons, but the rest of it felt great.

Coat: Elevenses, Size 6. I wore it in this post a long while back.
Top: Gap Maternity, Size small. Only Gap I wear is the maternity stuff. The regular stuff just kind of looks bad. (Sorry, Gap!)
Jeans: Mavi, Pea in the Pod, Size ??? (I honestly don't remember). I literally wear these jeans to death while pregnant. They feel awesome on and are fit perfectly for my body. Plus they have a drawstring at the top of the belly band for an even closer fit.
Shoes: J. Crew, Salina Patent Flats.
Necklace: Bloomingdale's Aqua Brand, Multi-Strand Gold Necklace.

We were headed to a friend's house for the night. This was dressy enough but also filled the bill of being comfortable enough, too.

Side view. If this was a month ago, then I was about 26 weeks. (I just turned 30-31 this week, so I am guesstimating.)

Outfit #3:

Alright, I admit this is a bit of a stretch on the Anthro front, but the shoes and scarf are Anthro. :)

Top: Loft Starry Night Bubble Hem Top, Size Extra-Small. Yum. I definitely think I can make this one work non-pregnancy. If I can't, oh, well, but I love the way this top looks.
Pants: Gap Maternity, Size 6/29. These are awesome capri dark wash denim that I purchased a few months ago. They fit as well as my Mavi jeans in outfit #2. Definitely can't wear them on super cold days, but since we have only had a handful this year, I have been able to pull them out a lot more than I anticipated.
Cardigan: J. Crew, Size Small. This is one of those infinity cardigans from a year or so ago. I like how proportionally it works with the shorter pant and oversized blouse.
Scarf: Sketched Surrealism Scarf, Anthropologie. I wanted this in one of the three prints in came in, didn't really care which one, but as soon as it went on sale (and with an additional 50% off), I bit. I love the super-soft silk and the infinity styling (the loop makes it easy to style--here I have it looped twice).
Shoes: Miss Albright (Anthropologie), Anticipation Heels, Size 9. Definitely wear these a lot. LOVE them. :)

The kids are in a selection of mini Boden (CW in baby Boden). I got those not on sale, but they are currently in the clearance section (a lot of the sizes might be sold out, bear that in mind). I plan to add these to the Boden Weekly Review Roundup this Wednesday, so if you are interested in their pieces, there will be reviews then. :)

Okay. Gotta catch up with Gaby, Lynette, Susan, and Bree. Love those ladies.

A Ton of Pea in the Pod Coming Your Way.

2012-01-21T18:50:00.002-05:00

Yeah, let's just keep the "theme" posts going since I clearly am unable to post outfit of the day posts in any sort of timely manner. :) (And I can't even blame this pregnancy for this, have been doing this since nearly the day this blog was born. Whatever. Seems to work for me.)

Okay, there are so many outfits to highlight, so let's just begin...

Quickly, though, the main thing that ties all these outfits together is that they were purchased from either Pea in the Pod, Mimi Maternity (now defunct part of the company), or Motherhood Maternity. These three (now two) maternity outlets are sort of the American woman's dream mall store to turn to upon learning there is a bun in the oven. I like them, but really had no choice of other brands six years ago when I was pregnant with Rex. It was only after Rex and into the pregnancies of CW and Gus that there really were more options for those of us not in NYC and all the chic maternity boutiques. (There was Liz Lange for Target, but again, not every mall has a Target, so for a great majority of women, these three are literally it. And for every Pea in the Pod, there are far more Motherhood's, as the Motherhood Maternity is the least expensive option of the three.)

And to that end I say "thank goodness" for the newer offshoots of bigger brands, like the Loft Maternity, Boden Maternity, and the Gap Maternity. Yes, you have to buy all those on-line, but now that the vast majority of the US is connected on-line, suddenly women can look beyond the two biggies.

(Although I will say if you are in a bigger city the Gap may have a maternity section at your local baby Gap, the one here in NOVA is located at Fair Oaks. This is LITERALLY the only shopping I do at the Gap anymore, btw.)

Okay...quick merchandise history lesson done...17 photos to go (!)...

Outfit #1:

Top: Pea in the Pod, Erge Burnout Top. This is a size small and runs really long. I think I bought it when pregnant with CW.

No head, slightly different view. Besides the top, only the pants are Maternity, by Duo. These are a recent acquisition, bought at another mall store that hasn't forgotten us pregnant ladies, J.C. Penney. (Although I think women forget about them as an option, especially when there is one of the "big" two at their local.)

Non-Maternity:

Cardigan: J. Crew Merino V-Neck from 2009, Size Medium. I haven't pulled this cardi out in a long time, but it was perfection with the tee.
Boots: Madewell Suede Hightower boots, Size 9.5. I waited and waited for these to come down in price...bought them on Monday when they went down to around $100 with the 30% discount. (They still are on sale and all sizes are available.) I really like the look of these and find them to be super comfortable. Be warned, they are a pull-on type of boot and the shaft of the boot runs narrow and short. These are in no way knee high on me...if they were the thinner part of the shaft would hit at my knee and fit perfectly. This, however, is more about me, I have freakishly long calves and all boots are like this on me. They do have an extended size, but those are much much more expensive, so only buy those if you are sure you need them.
Necklace: J. Crew Bubble Necklace in Papaya. I have already done a review here. Love this necklace. Way more versatile than I thought it would be.

This outfit was worn on Thursday night for a Thai dinner out with the family. Amazingly, Mr. Dina and my dad offered to both drop the kids off at preschool and pick them up from preschool (respectively), so I was able to spend the entire day asleep or resting. I have been sleeping really poorly lately (major leg and hip pain owing to the weight of Gus), so I desperately needed a day off. :)

After I had gotten enough rest, I totally had a spa bath and full make-up session. It felt wonderful. I even did Heidi braids (can't see them here). LOL.

Outfit #2:

This is from early December, by the way, and from this point forwards all of the outfits are in chronological order, so there should be some belly growth, too. :)

Dress: Motherhood Maternity, Size Small. This is one of those dresses that are meant to be worn with a top under it, and I usually pair a button down with them, however...all of my pregnancy button downs are HUGE on me (even now, not just back then in December). I anticipate being able to pull them out soon, but they look ridiculous on me currently.
Top: J. Crew striped tissue turtleneck tee, Size Extra-Small. This is from the fall and I bought it for around $9 on sale. Definitely does not fit now but in December fit just fine over the belly. I think J. Crew's tops are ridiculously oversized...
Tights: Assets.
Shoes: Clarks Artisan. Yummy!

My belly is so teeny there. I love it.

Kids really wanted to be in this shot, btw. They come running now. I think they like posing with the belly, honestly.

Outfit #3:

I wore this on a date with Mr. Dina to sushi (not all sushi is off the table during pregnancy...as long as the salmon is frozen before they thaw it, salmon sushi is okay...as is uni--sea urchin--just so you all know). We also went to a movie. The dress wasn't the best for the movie, but I wasn't insanely uncomfortable, either.

Dress: Pea in the Pod, Size Medium. This is a really short, silk, Asian-inspired dress. I am glad I have it, but I definitely will sell this one upon not being pregnant. I am going to sell a lot, but this one definitely. I think I have gotten enough wear out of it. I believe I bought this one with Rex.
Cardigan: Anthropologie, Decorating Committee Cardigan, Size medium. This is such a fun cardi, love having it, even if I only get to wear it once a year or so.
Tights: Assets again.
Shoes: Ancient pair of Sam and Libby Heels. I can tell they are ancient because they have that big chunky heel that was popular in the late 90s and early 00s. I definitely take care of my shoes, but really, I should just purge some of these. (I have started the process, btw, now onto the Goodwill.)

I love how sweet Rex looks here. Such a cutie.

Another belly shot and another cutie pie pic from my first-born.

I publish this because I like the face I am making. Really, I do. LOL.

Outfit #4:

We were headed to Bethesda on New's Years Day, so I put on a fairly summery frock (paired it with a short khaki jacket--not seen). It was warm-ish here that day (in the 50s), so I felt comfortable. You all have seen this dress before, here in this picture. I was pregnant (more fully pregnant--around 32 weeks, btw) with CW in that shot.

Dress: Pea in the Pod, Size Small. Love the print and the cotton fabric. I actually can get away with this one as a sundress non-pregnant, but haven't yet tried it. Maybe I will this summer and then sell it.
Tights: I don't remember, but these have been around for a while...
Shoes: J. Crew Metropolitan Suede Ankle Boots, Size 9.5. I have had these forever, too. They get more comfortable the more I wear them. They were really painful the first time I wore them out.

Hand on hips. The top is smocked and has a high neck, so is really hard to pair with a cardigan. It really is best on warmer days with sandals.

No belly shot, but you can see me cradling it here.

Outfit #5:

I promise you will see my head. The first two you don't, but trust me, the faces I was making were just plain stupid and not even in a "cute" way.

Dress: Mimi Maternity, Size Small. Honestly, this company of the three "big" ones was my favorite. They ran a bit edgier, and were less expensive than Pea in the Pod. Also, Motherhood runs really big, so often there size extra-small tops were too big on me. Mimi was just the right fit. Clearly they weren't the right fit for everyone else, though. Sad! This is a poly-blend and is darn comfy.

CW is holding Rex's Saints pillow pet. This was a Sunday that they were going to play in one of their playoff games. Unfortunately for my favorite Saints cheerleader (she has a cutie pie toddler cheerleader outfit), they are done for the season. (Mr. Dina is the most sad, obviously. I am sad, too, as if they had made it to the Superbowl I could have visited one of my best friends in the whole world, who happens to live fairly close to Indianapolis.)

We were headed to church that day, btw.

The rest of the outfit is non-maternity.

Jacket: J. Crew Velvet Bella Jacket in Leaf Green, Size 4. Definitely not doing up in the front, but still "fits" in the shoulders.
Tights: Assets.
Shoes: Madewell, Handbook Pumps, Size 9.5. Oh, man, the first day I wore these (not here, fwiw), I almost keeled over from the pain. However, now that I have worn them a bit more, they are more comfortable. They are really cute, though, and worth the work. They have sold out--except size 9--on Madewell, but they are worth the sale price (I got it with around 30% off extra) of around $90. They also have a chunky heel (like the Sam & Libby pumps in the Asian dress outfit), but a much more modern cone shape.

There's my head making a fairly non-stupid face. :) Glasses can bring out the crazy face in me, not sure why, but when I take photos with my glasses, I often look silly.

Outfit #6:

We were headed out to dinner as a family, again. (But remember, this post covers two whole months, so we don't go out that much. Promise. Hand on heart. I make a mean casserole, fwiw.)

Dress: Pea in the Pod, Size small. I bought this while pregnant with CW. I have a very distinct memory of wearing this on the first day back to school two weeks before I gave birth to her. I definitely did not have to wear it with tights, fur-lined boots, and a long cardigan. It was cold the night I wore this.
Cardigan: J. Crew Soft Tee Cardigan, Size Small. This is such a cozy cardi, wrinkles like crazy, but often just the perfect topper.
Tights: George (Wal-Mart), Size 3. THE SADNESS. After my LONG LONG run (sorry for the pun, btw) with no tights getting holes, etc., these awesome pair of tights bit the dust. But not because the tights suck. It was the boots fault! As much as I love these boots, the zipper did catch on the tights as I was taking the boots off. Having said that, I am thrilled to report that the boots fit perfectly now. You can read more on that saga here.
Boots: J. Crew, Charley Shearling Wedge Boots, Size 9.5. ON SALE. RIGHT NOW. They were 30% off extra yesterday, but will likely make it to the next 30% off again. I (shh) re-bought as I am WELL within the 60 day return policy. I didn't pay a ton for them initially (had received a 30% off), but um, $125 versus $275? Yep, I will re-buy and return. Since I rarely do this, I feel like I can get away with it this time (and you all do it, too, I know you do...you all admit it constantly over at the mothership). :)

I did a review of the boots here.

Haha, look at Rex in that photo. Love the look.

Rex perked up when I took off the cardigan.

For those of you following my story on the Rex front (was having issues with discipline in December), it is all coming around. The book "The Explosive Child" has been a godsend. Seriously. I can't say that it will always be wonderful and he still gives us issues, but with the emphasis being on working with Rex to learn how to better communicate what he is feeling, there has been a major mood shift in the house. (And school! And out and about!) It takes time and a WHOLE lot of patience and understanding and loss of pride on my part, but omg, so worth it.

Okay, you all made it to the end. If I had "virtual" star stickers to give out, I would hand one to each of you. LOL.

I promise...the next theme posts won't be as involved. I just waited far too long to get around to these. ;)

On "Target" with Maternity Stripes.

2012-01-19T22:21:00.000-05:00

Oh, man. I couldn't stop myself with that title. LOL. Most of you pregnant ladies (or have been pregnant ladies) will know this, but for those of you not aware...besides supplying the United States with easily accessible cheap fashion (Missoni, Liberty of London, etc.), really cheap and cute children's clothing (Circo, Gwen Stefani's new line, etc.), and endless supplies of groceries and adorable homewares that break after a season, Target also supplies pregnant ladies with their own line of clothing, Liz Lange for Target.

So get it? On "Target?" Okay, I'll stop now.

Anyhow, I loved this outfit and plan to exactly replicate it at least once more this pregnancy and then, even though (God willing!) I will have a smaller torso and belly area, I will totally do the look again after pregnancy with the sweater as a tunic. That is how much I heart this striped sweater/free French scarf/Hue leggings/Target Ballet flats combo.

I was doing the preschool run last week and had bought the sweater as a way of perking myself up (Target is really good at perking me up, anyone else?)...by the end of the trip I felt yards better.

I knew it was true love because the next time I went to preschool I wore the sweater, a mere two days later. (I rarely let anything I really love wait that long to be worn...)

Anyhow, the sweater does have stripes and as Mr. Dina so kindly pointed out, "it makes you look REALLY pregnant," in the end, I am REALLY pregnant, so happily me and my ginormous Gus belly made our way through the day.

Sweater: Liz Lange for Target, Size Small. Liz Lange for Target can run big, so definitely try it on before purchasing if you can. This is one of the few tops I own from her line that isn't an x-small.

Leggings: Hue, Size Medium (I think?). Bought from Anthro, these are just a nice staple to have. These seem pretty big as I could hitch them up over my belly, which I can't do with my other leggings (I have to wear them below the belly).

Scarf: Gotta Love The European Magazine Freebie Giveaway...Lolita Lempicka Poly Square Scarf. A score that I found in the November issue of French Marie Claire. CW has actually worn it too. :)

Back when, way back when, in the late '90s, this style scarf was all the rage and I still have all my small square scarves from then...I would really like this style to make a comeback, love the look and instantly dresses an outfit up. I like big scarves, but wow, they are a tad overwhelming with some outfits. This one was the exact right size for this look.

Shoes: Mossimo Venda Flats, Size 9.5. Adorable shoes that "spoke" to me on the day of the sad preschool run/ Target makes me happy day. They were $25, but I had a $25 gift card (thanks, Dad!), so they were FREE! LOL.

Close-up of the scarf and sweater.

Oh, yeah. Definitely the stripes enhance the baby belly. But look at the cute embellishments on the Venda flats. Darling!

A Target Striped Score! by dinagideon featuring liz lange maternity

Above is the polyvore. :)

You all have a great night. This momma-to-be has some 30 Rock to enjoy. Yay DVR.

Boden Weekly Review Roundup: Lots and Lots of Everything!

2012-01-18T20:57:00.000-05:00

Hi, all!

I had so hoped to have this up earlier than right now, but today definitely got away from me...let's see...ballet, then lunch, then playdate, then no nap (ugh), and finally four seconds with Mr. Dina before he went to a movie with a friend (guess who gets to put the kids to bed?).

Anyhow, I promise the wait is worth it. We have a few new arrival IRL photos and reviews AND quite a few sale item reviews. :)

So let's get started.

But before I do that, let me just let you know that I still have not heard from my Boden affiliate program regarding the snafu of my 15% coupon in my sidebar leading folks to the British site instead of the US site. Eep. So until then, I am giving all of you the same advice I gave on Sunday (it seems to work perfectly this way, so yay for that)...

1. Instead of using the sidebar link, use an item stock photo (like the ones littered throughout this roundup) to get to the Boden USA site.

2. Click on that photo which will take you to the US item page. There will be NO discount applied, but no worries.

3. Once on the site, click on the shopping bag icon which will take you to the shopping bag page itself.

4. On that page, locate the code box (it is on the lower left hand side), and put in this code AF29 (which is what the affiliate link had as the code when I tried it last week). This code is for 15% off and free ship/returns. If you have another code, you can use it there as well.

(If this doesn't work for you, DEFINITELY let us know!) Thanks!

Okay, so let's get this roundup started...

SPRING 2012 WOMEN:

Plait Trim Top. I had alluded to this in the last post how much I adore this top, but I really heart it now. From what I can tell from the Boden USA reviews on this top, I am definitely not alone. There is something wonderful about the soft slubby cotton combined with the length and the unique design and braided neckline.

One caveat, though...this is an awful lot of look. As you can tell, I wore very muted pants (Duo Maternity) and shoes (Uggs Rain shoes--it was coming down that morning) with the top so I didn't look like I escaped from Margaritaville in the middle of January.

Close-up of the braiding and print. The seams are perfect everywhere and the braiding is held on very securely. In this climate of cutting corners on what is slowly becoming a disposable climate, Boden is holding true to its quality edict. I truly appreciate it...I have so many items from other retailers where I have to eggshell walk around them in order to keep them from being destroyed after one wearing. Good on you, Johnnie B.

The bonus with this top? It stretches just enough to go from "longer top" while not pregnant to "utterly perfect" maternity normal top. LOVE. And the baby bump looks kind of cute all gussied (pun not intended, but awesome that my tired bleeping brain managed to make it) up!

From the back. So you know, I purchased a size US 6, which is plenty big enough everywhere. I think at my thinnest "non-pregnant" weight, I might consider a US 4, but eh, it's all good. If you are smaller on top, I would say if you want to size down, you probably can.

BTW, Mr. Dina really liked this top, so I guess that's a guy's thumbs up. ;)

Plait Trim Top. I adore all the colors, but don't plan on buying anymore...the one I have is plenty, but I would love to see the other hues on others!!!

Textured Cotton Skirt. Oh, the pretty taunting little vixen you are. Sigh. She is exactly what I love, bright colored pattern on a classic shape like a pencil skirt. Unfortunately the love affair ended when I realized that she has no fit similarity to last year's big winner of the same named skirt. I loved last year's so much that I bought two colors, both navy and fudge. Measurement wise, only the length and waist were the same. The hips on this one (SIZE 8 LONG) were teeny, measuring at most 39 inches. Yikes. I have no problem wearing a size 10 or 12, if that is what I need, but to name the skirt the same as last year's and then vary the sizing that much is just cruel. Ugh.

So I have re-ordered the 10 Long, and with luck, I hope to measure the hips and find a measurement more closely resembling last year's version...about 40.5 would be plenty (that is what my J. Crew pencil skirts all have, fwiw).

I did manage to get this pulled up over my hips, but it was very tight. My hip measurement has not changed much since getting pregnant as Gus has been sitting so high (see the plait trim top review), so I can confidently assert this skirt is running small. (And so the other reviews state...phew, not alone. And they aren't with child either, if that makes a difference, lol.)

So SIZE UP if you have larger hips. Trust me.

Textured Cotton Skirt. I received a comment from a blog friend who said nearly the same thing as me: Just received the textured cotton skirt in gray and the sizing is AWFUL. I've never worn a 6 skirt, but that's what I'll need. And I likely won't get it until May. So aggravating. I was a 2 in dresses last year and one in cotton (not stretchy) fit a bit snugly so I decided to play it safe and size up to 4 in the skirt and tailor down if needed. I definitely need a 6, though the waist will be huge. So disappointing because the skirt is gorgeous. The gray and black color would make it wearable in March in NC and I can see it with white, peach or aqua on top for warm weather. (THANK YOU, MARY G--GREAT REVIEW!)

Border Print Tunic. I have received mine, and find that the size 6 I bought is lovely, but have not yet had a chance to wear it, so I will hold off my review till next week...that said, the very cool Ema of My Closet, My Baby, and I did a in-depth review of this tunic last week. :) This looks like it may be a popular choice, just like last year's Terazzo Tunic.

SALE ITEMS:

Animal Bow Flats. The wonderful Molly (of the blog My Closet Travels) e-mailed me a few IRL photos of items that I currently have and love. :) I see the love is mutual for Boden's use of leopard print this year.

Anyhow, she says of these flats: The Leopard flat, Size 37, these ran a wee bit big so I bought insoles for them. They fit great now and are so comfortable. I am amazed at the level of comfort with these particular shoes. Once the snow is done flying I'll be wearing these shoes a lot.

I ordered a size 41, which is supposedly my "tts" Boden size, but for me, it varies. A lot. :) The clincher on these working so well for me is because they are long and narrow. (I need narrow A LOT more than long...I have freaky skinny feet.)

Leopard Tote and Fab Wallet. Molly did what I did and purchased the wallet to match the bag. I think they really do work so nicely together, and the plus being that the wallet can work well on its own, as well. I love the grey here, and had the tan completely sold out and I couldn't have gotten the combo I did, I would have been more than happy with the grey versions. Very pretty!

Molly says of these: The bag and wallet. LOVE!! I first saw your pics in Paris with the other color way and loved it immediately. I waited patiently for a discount and bought it at 20% back in December. It took over 4 wks to arrive but it was worth the wait. I have rec'd tons of compliments all wanting to know where I bought it and then people asked me about Boden. It's roomy and holds my wallet, calendar, make up bag and all the other essentials a girl needs in there bag. I love that it snaps at top so I don't worry about it being open or things falling out.

Fab Wallet (close-up). Molly added this detail shot and also included a bit more on this item specifically: What I like about the wallet it that it has lots of room for credit cards, license, money, coins and other stuff I stick in there. It's chic and a real conversation piece just like the tote.

Animal Bow Pumps (heehee, definitely a British thing, flats are pumps).

Leopard Tote.

Fab Wallet.

Molly wanted to add one more bit of info, on Boden in general: Why Boden now? I guess because I read your reviews faithfully and because I wanted a change. I still love J Crew but I was ready for something different. The patterns, the colors, the fabric, WOW! Beautiful. I wish they could ship quicker than 3 wks but like you I'd say it's worth waiting for and these are items that not everyone owns.

THANK YOU, Molly! Great reviews and I 100% agree regarding Boden's niche impact on a market that desperately needs something a bit more unique. ;) (And let's hear it for more items being shipped from Pittston, PA, please!)

Embellished Cashmere Cardigan and Ruffle Front Dress. I wore these two together out on the town for lunch with the family. :) I felt good, which is saying a lot for a mom of two (almost three) who is definitely nearing saturation level on this pregnancy. (So tired, so so tired. God bless Gus sitting right there on my diaphragm, preventing the luscious embrace of deep sleep.)

You all have a great night. Enjoy the new arrivals as they come in...and yay for anything that makes us feel wonderful, no matter what the day might bring. ;)

Boden: Giveaway Winner, Two New Arrivals, and a Maternity Outfit!

2012-01-16T18:34:00.002-05:00

Hi, all! I am THRILLED that I had 31 discrete entries in the Boden $25 Gift Card giveaway. (There were 36 total comments, but 5 were "here is my e-mail" type comments, so I didn't include those in the overall number for random.org.)

The winner is Tina Z., whose 21st entry was chosen by random.org as the winner. Tina, I believe I have your e-mail, but just in case, will you e-mail me at dinagideon AT aim DOT com just in case?

Speaking of winners, I want to shout-out to Susan Moran, whose present from a previous giveaway I need to get to her. :) Thanks!

Okay, so today turned out to be a huge Boden day for me. I received a MASSIVE package from UPS (working on MLK day, shame!) that had almost all of our pre-orders in there. I thought they only shipped with US Mail, but hey I am not complaining. This came really quickly, which is the antithesis of many of my packages from December.

I have MUCH that I love, and one that I (sadly) need to exchange but I definitely have a lot of fodder for future ootd posts and BWRRs!

For now I will highlight two today (at the bottom of this post), but before I do that I know that many of you are still shopping the clearance section (and who can blame you with those prices?), so I wanted to showcase an outfit I wore last week to lunch out with the family that includes two Boden pieces that are currently (or pop-back potential) in the sale.

Dress: Ruffle Front Dress, Size 6. This is from Boden Maternity and is the perfect foil for any cardigan or jacket, owing to its black coloring. This was the least popular color probably because of that...the ruffles get a bit lost on the dress, to be honest, unless you are right up on me. :) I did a review of it back here.

Cardigan: Embellished Cashmere Cardigan, Size 6. This is from the Boden Limited Edition Line and I was fortunate to score it on a second cut, so I ended up buying it for $91. This cardigan is for sure worth $91. I think the detail and weight of the knit make this a great bargain, which may be why it is sold out (but watch for popbacks). I did a written review of this cardi here.

Tights: These are from the Wal-Mart brand George, size C. LOVE George tights and highly recommend them...they last for freaking ever.

Shoes: Naturalizer, Size 9. Still find plenty of outfits to use with these fun brown/grey booties.

Rex is all Target-ed out, but I have a few photos of him and CW all Boden-ed out, however, I am waiting to show those off. BTW, their new mini Boden pieces are WONDERFUL. Truly exceptional quality with adorable colors and prints.

Close-up detail of the cardigan and dress. I need to fix Rex's baby photo, it has gone wonky. LOL. :)

Ruffle Front Dress.

Embellished Cashmere Cardigan.

Okay so here are the two new arrivals and my very early thoughts. (I have more thoughts on other items, but these two are more "pressing" on my mind.)

Textured Cotton Skirt, Size 8 Long. I should have known when I saw the hip measurement was 39 inches I would be in trouble. I measured the skirt against last year's textured cotton skirt, and while this year's version is sleeker and more modern looking (they don't have the "pouf" on the tummy area), this year's is also much smaller through the hips by an inch or two on each side. Eep! I need to send mine back (I attempted to put it on and it barely went up--and this is well below the Gus belly, mind you, didn't actually try to zip it or anything) and exchange it for the 10 Long, which has a hip measurement of 40.5, giving me a bit more room, and measuring up to the J. Crew pencil skirts I own. The waist, however is really generous, with almost 32 inches in the 8 Long. I know I will need to take in the 10 Long waist at some point in the future, but that is an easy fix. On Wednesday, I hope to have a photo of the skirt in the pink floral as it is beyond pretty...the pinks are super-saturated, with just the right mix of browns and yellows. The grey version is super-popular and is on back order right now. Just remember, pear-shaped ladies, SIZE UP. ;)

Plait Trim Top, Size 6. THE LOVE. No seriously. I bought the lime green/blue/khaki version and as soon as I tried it on I realized that this is a seriously gorgeous top that is super soft and well executed. The length is long enough to be a fun tunic after pregnancy (short tunic, but tunic length nonetheless) and a lovely "normal" top during pregnancy (its fabric is slub cotton, so it stretches over my belly nicely). I plan to have this on tomorrow for the preschool run, so I will put IRL photos on the BWRR on Wednesday. :) I am telling you all about this early because the color I purchased is seeming popular and is in backorder, so if you are interested, you may want to bite if you want it. right. now.

Okay, that's it! I hope you all enjoyed your day, and if in the US, I hope you had a moment to reflect on the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. Being in DC, I know quite a few folks who were fortunate enough to be at his "I have a dream" speech, and from what they tell me, as moving as it is for us to remember as part of our American cultural identity, to be there was something that cannot even be expressed by mere words.

Good night!

My Superfluities...It Has Been Three Years!

2012-01-15T17:14:00.000-05:00

Ladies! Squee! I am FINALLY on my new computer. :) Yahoo!

Anyhow, now that I have full access to everything from disqus to picasa to blogger to facebook to everything else that is important for daily life nowadays (ha, not really, but I definitely missed them during the time from here on out known as "teeny computer days").

What a great way to start off my fourth year of blogging by inaugurating this computer with the 3rd blogoversary post. Of course this third blogoversary post is really just a mishmash of a reminder, some information, and two pregnancy outfits incorporating Boden tunics, but still...

Okay, here goes. :)

Reminder: Tonight is the last night to enter my $25 Boden gift card giveaway. For more info on how to enter, go to the very bottom of this post. I will most likely pick a winner tomorrow morning, so if you get your entry in before then you should be okay.

By the way, I had no idea that the giveaway was going to end on my blogoversary, just one of those serendipitous moments that happen.

Information: Thanks to both Ann (blog friend) and Amanda (my stepmom), I found out that the sidebar affiliate link (the one that gives 15% off with free ship and returns) is directing folks to the UK site. That is fab if you live in the UK, but considering 85% of my readers are US residents, this is kind of a big deal. LOL. (However, Canadians--you can use the UK site, go have fun while it lasts. Probably the only time I am going to be able to offer you all anything!)

So to help out, I am telling you all the same thing I told both Ann and Amanda...

1. Instead of using that link, go to one of my review roundups and find an item stock photo (or use the one that I have put in this post--the one for the border print tunic).

2. Click on that photo which will take you to the US item page. There will be NO discount applied, but no worries.

3. Once on the site, click on the shopping bag icon which will take you to the shopping bag page itself.

4. On that page, locate the code box (it is on the lower left hand side), and put in this code AF29 (which is what the affiliate link had as the code when I tried it last week). This code is for 15% off and free ship/returns. If you have another code, you can use it there as well.

5. I don't really know if this works 100% so if one of you all tries it and it is successful, would you mind letting me know? Thanks!!!

Pregnancy outfits featuring Boden tunics:

In perfect timing news, it does seem super appropriate that I recently re-wore this tunic from 2009, which is the same time as I started this blog. In fact, you can view the way I wore this way back when here.

Amazingly, I am only a couple of pounds heavier than I was in that photo. I have to remind myself that although I am gaining a lot of weight overall I am still doing okay compared to my two prior pregnancies (with Rex I gained 50 total, with CW 40 total, at this point with Gus I am at 19, with a projected total of around 30-32). I guess the blog has made me more aware of weight gain and loss. And though I know it is fine to gain weight while pregnant (OF COURSE!), I do know that the 50 pounds I gained with Rex made the recovery slower and more difficult. With two other little ones running around the house, I don't think I have the luxury of a slower and/or difficult recovery...I need to be able to recover a bit faster this time. :)

Anyhow, I LOVE this tunic, and so does Mr. Dina. I can't think of one tunic that I own from Boden that I am ready to get rid of, I wear them that often, and through all sorts of weight gains and losses.

From the side. The tunic is Boden, the jeans are Duo Maternity, the shoes are J. Crew (real old school J. Crew), and the necklace is J. Crew. All of these items are from 2009 and before. My expanding waist has also created a closet cleanout, so I have rediscovered items I hadn't worn in a while. :)

Close-up of the tunic. The colors are so pretty, especially in the dead of winter.

This tunic is from last year, and the reason I am buying this year's version should be obvious. I cannot get over the fact that this fabric is just stretchy enough to work on me at my baby belly best and at my very thinnest (check out the bottom photo of this post to see). Johnnie B. and co., you all have done well by women everywhere.

We were headed out for dinner at Moe's on one of the coldest nights we have had yet, so CW and I took the opportunity to dress our tunics up with leggings and furry boots. Normally I would love to have cute ballet flats, but have you all felt how cold asphalt feels on ballet flats in the winter? Brr. I far prefer cute shearling lined cozies for those nights. CW does, too.

Her tunic is from Tea, btw. We got it from Garnet Hill on super sale.

Tunic: Boden Terazzo Tunic, Size US 6. This was very popular and sold out in all colorways well before the sale last year. Definitely pick up this year's version early if you are a fan of this style.
Leggings: J. Crew Everyday Leggings, Size medium. Thank goodness for leggings, I sometimes just am not feeling maternity pants. Leggings are YUMMY in pregnancy.
Boots: mini Boden, size 39. I did a review here.
Earrings: J. Crew Factory.

Border Print Tunic. I bought the US 6 again, I am confident it will fit based on the material used to create it. The grey color is 5 week wait in many sizes, but the other colors are still available.

Okay, that's all. Hope you have a wonderful Sunday night and Monday holiday (if you have it off...amazingly Mr. Dina does...first time in a long time).

Boden Weekly Review Roundup: Open Discussion and One Review.

2012-01-11T22:40:00.001-05:00

Hi, all!

I decided to do today's "open discussion" format because, well, I have one review (that's it!) and there are a ton of questions/comments out there about Boden and I figured I could take today to take care of some of those, all in one place. So if you have left me a comment that had either a question and/or thought that needs to be discussed, I went ahead and put it here. Hope that's okay. Sometime tomorrow I will copy and past the comments back to the appropriate places (reply to the commenters directly at the post where the comment appeared first).

First let's tackle the one review. :) (By the way, even though I know that Spring Preview orders will be coming in, I will happily publish any and all clearance item reviews...the items stick around for a long while and you never know who your review might help out!)

Fab Wallet (Tan Leopard). I was all over this wallet after my Union Jack Patent Leather Wallet (from Boden Fall 2009) gave out on me (the zipper pull broke, however the rest of it still works). Although I can technically still use the wallet, I decided to find a new wallet from Boden because it did last for two years with continuous use. (I have just given CW the union jack one and she can make her "purse." She loves things like that.)

I also decided that since I own the Leopard Tote in the same colorway, it would be nice to have a matching pair, even if the matching only ever happens when I use the tote (I switch between my bags, using one per month, roughly).

The clincher was when the wallet took a second price cut to half the original cost. I could not justify the original price of $88 since I had decided that a $20 leather wallet from Anthro would be fine for the time being, but when it went on sale the first time, I kept my eyes on it for a few weeks waiting to see if it would come down from the $57 or so it was. And then it was $44, and I was satisfied that I could reasonably justify that cost for a wallet that I know will last a long time (especially since I have the Anthro wallet as a backup).

The above view is the wallet from the front. The calf hair and leather are the same as on the Leopard tote, and even a similar shading (even though the tag warns that the coloring can be different from wallet to wallet).

The buckle opens the wallet, with a snap closure. I love snap closures because that means no zipper pull breakages. LOL.

Opened up. The wallet has plenty of card holders, which my union jack wallet had but my Anthro one does not. The zipper compartment is for coins, etc.

Closed up, you can see that the back of the wallet has a small pocket, perfect for receipts. Although not many, which helps prevent hoarding. (This is a good thing for me.)

Fab Wallet. The patent leather versions have sold out or are almost sold out. I am surprised by this as I think the animal print versions are far more attractive. But that's just my opinion, obviously.

Okay, onto Open Discussion!

Open Discussion Topic #1 SLOW SHIPPING FROM ENGLAND.

Oh, man, I feel your pain. Especially in the past month or so...many of my shipments from November through January have been painfully slow arriving from Leicester, which is the city that the Boden shipments originate from. I have joked that they hired a crew of drunk sailors on a rusty ship to get our spotty parcels to us here in the States to many of my blog friends who have e-mailed me wondering why their packages are. not. here. yet. I also mention that they may not be using GPS, either, rather old mapping instruments like the ones Christopher Columbus used. It is no wonder...they must be missing the ports and ending up in Bermuda instead. ;)

The longest I have had to wait is about 3.5 weeks. Crazy if you put two and two together. I live in Virginia, fairly close to the ports at Virginia Beach, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Jersey City (I think that is the NJ city that has the big port near NYC). Even the slowest cruise ships from England to the USA get here in around 2 weeks. I know there is so much more to it than that, but it is a little disconcerting to wait that long for a Boden package when similar British companies get their items out a ~~teeny~~ bit faster (for instance, I had a package from Warehouse, another British clothing company, come in one week).

There are multiple reasons to be testy about slow shipping times, but in general, I am okay with them because I love Boden and if the wait is what I have to put up for awesome clothing and accessories, I will wait...

BUT...I feel that many of you will agree with me here...if the shipment is slow AND there is a price drop (on the item you are receiving, often significantly reduced, too) AND the item does not receive a price adjustment from customer service, that can make the slow shipping very painful indeed.

Which leads to Open Discussion Topic #2 PRICE ADJUSTMENTS.

I never even knew there was such a thing like price adjustments until someone came to my blog and told me I could get a price adjustment on an Anthro item I had paid for at full price and a mere week later was half off. Amazingly, it worked! The Customer Service was fast, efficient, and super-friendly about it.

Lo and behold, other companies, including Boden, celebrated this practice, too. Awesome!

Then, I got bit. In December I bought two items and then 8 days later, those both were on sale for a SIGNIFICANT amount less, so I immediately wrote to customer service nicely asking for a price adjustment. One of the items wasn't even with me (yep, the one from England), so I mentioned that in the e-mail. Umm. Yeah. She was polite and friendly, but the CS said "no way, Jose." She mentioned I could re-buy and return, and that was what I did, but ugh, right around the holidays means that some of my budget would have to go to this double purchase.

(Sidenote: I received the news that my returns are being processed. Just in time for Christmas purchases. LOL. Just kidding, I waited a bit to return, I wanted to make sure the replacements had no major issues first before packing up the originals.) ;)

Tabitha (whose awesome blog Bourbon and Pearls you must check out) did mention that Price Adjustments are not common at all in the UK, so having read that, I get it...and appreciate that bit of insight. However, I am putting this out there to all of you...don't expect to receive a price adjustment from Boden the way you would from Anthro or J. Crew...and I am okay with that...

BUT, it does frustrate me because I know many of us have had no problem in the past getting price adjustments from Boden and well after the original purchase (2-3 weeks I have heard from some). I understand changing policy OR being more of a stickler for the actual rules (it is possible they just bent the rules in the past), but it is hard when you get used to it.

Open Discussion #3: BODEN SIZING.

I love Boden because I always know what size I wear. So much better than Anthro and J. Crew, whose sizing has me anywhere from a size 2 on top to a size 10 on bottom. Heck, I even have a few J. Crew bottoms that are a freaking size 2 or 4 (my 39-40 inch hips beg to differ, you all). I always have to ask my PS for J. Crew measurements and I always have to go to the Anthro reviews to know what size I should order. Why can't Anthro and J. Crew do what Boden does which is to publish ACTUAL garment measurements? I know my personal bust, waist, and hip measurements along with my torso length and inseam length and can translate that into what size I will need in Boden. And through lots of garments I have learned a thing or two...

In structured dresses with shift shapes, I wear an 8. In the limited edition, I may even have to go to a 10.

In structured dresses with A-line shapes, I wear a 6.

In jersey dresses (with stretch), I wear a 4 (I go with my bust on this as I hate way too loose bodices in jersey garments, they look messy on me as I have nothing to fill the bust, even while nursing, ugh).

In skirts, I wear a 8 or 10, depending on the style and fabric. I ALWAYS choose long if available. I have fairly long legs for my shape. My dad jokes that I have the legs of someone who is 5'10" and the torso of someone 5'4".

I don't buy Boden pants. I don't like the higher waist and find many of their styles don't suit me. I far prefer American brands as the sit lower on the hips and have longer inseams. Sorry Johnnie!

I wear a size 4 or 6 in Boden tops.

I wear a 6 in Boden knitwear.

I wear a size 40 (9) or 41 (9.5) in Boden shoes. This is my hardest fit as their styles tend to run wide and long, and I need narrow and long, so I often size down to get the narrower feel and over time the leather stretches to be long enough for me.

I think if you have the time, taking your measurements (or having someone measure you) is worth it. There is nothing worse than having to wait a really long time for a garment (unless it is from Pittston, PA, God bless you, PA Shipping facility that uses UPS), have it not fit, and then have to return it. Guh.

If you have a specific need, definitely leave me a comment or e-mail me at dinagideon AT aim DOT com. I will get back to you, but it may be a day or two. Pregnant plus toddlers plus lots and lots of errands plus constant need for sleeping on my part has made me a little less "available" than I used to be. ;)

Open Discussion #4: BODEN ON SALE.

As you can see, I have a 15% off with free shipping and returns code/link running in my sidebar. This is typical of what Boden will offer early in the season. They sometimes offer better deals through their e-mails or possibly you will spy a code on someone's facebook page, etc. They do this to test the market, really. The 20% code circulating right now works on a lot of items, but not all. The 15% code works on all Spring items, no exceptions (except fall clearance stuff, natch).

Throughout the season's cycle, there will be MANY MANY offers, some equaling near the amount of Boden on clearance at the end of the season. For instance if you see me going cuckoo over the "Catch of the Day" or "Look of the Day," there is usually a good reason. For instance last spring not only were the items in the Catch of the Day reduced by a good 30%, but you could stack your coupons and receive an additional 10% off. It is awesome when you can do that. I was able to get quite a few good deals that way. In fact, I only sort of buy when clearance time comes around. I have normally gotten items throughout the season at a good enough price and worn it enough that I don't feel compelled to get upset if an item is a few dollars cheaper than it was when I bought it on some pretty good discount a few months prior.

But...the allure of the sale is strong, I agree...especially when second cuts arrive and a lot of items are 50-60% off. Today I went ahead and ordered a couple of limited edition items that popped back in my (non-pregnant, chortle) sizes and was stoked I got them at 60% off. Woo!

Spring/Summer sale will occur in late June or early July. I know this because I was at the pool under the blazing sun when I used my smart phone to publish a blog post specifically telling you all about it last year.

If you are ever unsure of whether you should take the plunge, decide if you will use the item right away and often...OR if the item is looking low stock (pink check mark), go ahead and buy now. I am clearly going to do that with the two or three maternity items I need. LOL. They will be of no use to me in July. (I hope. I DESPERATELY hope.)

Open Discussion #5: WHY BODEN?

I can't get enough of...the quality...the prints...the colors...the fabrics...the uniqueness...the care and consideration that Johnnie B. has put into his company...and the fact that I have pieces from years ago that I still wear and still look good and still look good to people who are not me.

The other day I pulled out a tunic from Spring 2009 and my husband was all, "woo hoo, I love you in that, SO PRETTY." I am a woman with a 36 inch waistline in the shape of a freaking watermelon, yet he still thought it worked. Any company that can bring that reaction out of a man in his tenth year of marriage (with two very tiring toddlers and a very irritable pregnant wife to boot) can stay in my life.

And it never fails...if any of the three of us (the kids and me, that is, Mr. Dina has about four clothing items in his closet, including white tennis shoes, shudder) wear any Boden, folks always ask where we got the clothing. It is never been a problem for me to tell people exactly where and why they should buy from them.

Okay, all, that's it. :) For those of you who clued me into your feelings, thoughts, irritations, love, etc. regarding Boden, THANK YOU! I think I have covered all of the ones that have come up recently, but do share any others that you can think of...

And do share any thoughts you have on the above topics, as well. :)

Night, night!

P.S. I have a feeling if you are reading this, you have joined the giveaway. But...just in case...I am having a $25 gift card (Boden, lol) giveaway. The rules, etc., are at the very bottom of this post.

Mommy Style Monday #25: I Can Use That While Pregnant. Score!

2012-01-09T22:23:00.000-05:00

Hi, all! Welcome to Mommy Style Monday #25! Before I begin, I want to use the natural segue that the number 25 gives me to remind you all that I am running a Boden $25 gift card giveaway. :) The info and more appear at my last post (scroll to the bottom if you want to just enter and be done, lol).

Okay, back to the bid-ness of being an expectant momma. I LOVE love maternity clothing, don't get me wrong, but (and I can't be alone here) I will often find myself salivating over beautiful bits of clothing that are most definitely not maternity clothing whilst pregnant. I often just walk away (unless it is something I am sure I can wear after I give birth), but in the case of certain kinds of tops and dresses, I know I can make them work, even when really "full" of child, the way I am and have been for a month or so AND will be for another three months (yeek!).

I had the chance to find and wear two non-maternity pieces right around Christmas. The one caveat with both is that both were fairly inexpensive for what they were. I am not about to spend hundreds of dollars on a designer Milly dress while I am unsure of where my waistline used to be located. Milly can wait (unless I find her at a consignment shop).

Exhibit A: Nanette Lepore Silk Tunic Blouse with Purple Floral Pattern, Size 4. Size 4! The key to this top is that it is very blousy by nature. Even on my body with belly, it flowed nicely over the bump and fit just fine through the shoulders and bust. That is important...only buy flowy if it fits your shoulders and bust. I have MANY maternity tops and non-maternity flowy tops that look really bad on me BECAUSE THEY DON'T FIT ANY PART of me except my belly. For the best look during your fecund times, always fit your non-expanding parts first and then judge if they will work with your growing waistline.

This top was only $60 at Mint Condition. It is a steep price, but for Nannette Lepore, I have read that is a decent discount. This top was in perfect shape, I am not even sure the person wore it before they consigned it. :) The top will also work non-pregnant, and I do look forward to wearing it in the future as well.

We were off to have Christmas Eve dinner with my dad and stepmom, so Rex is wearing red and green, in the form of Boden's tee with a drumming owl. LOL.

Mr. Dina said I wasn't nearly festive enough in grey and purple. Whatever. Purple is so a Christmas color, if you're Catholic.

From the side. I think Rex is introducing his stuffed pillow thing to my bump. "Hello, Gus."

You can see how well this top accommodates the belly, in fact, I think I will be able to wear it for a month or two longer. It is unlikely the last month it will fit, but I will try! (Anyway I can wear gorgeous, yummy, soft silk, I will try!)

I added a grey blazer (also found at Mint Condition, J. Crew Herringbone Ryder Jacket, Size 6, I also own a red version). The reason I bought the grey blazer? (Well, besides the fact that I have one and LURRVE it?) The popped collar has a purple tie repp backing that exactly matches the top. ;)

The pants are from France (Pomkin) and the shoes are from Anthro (Plenty by Tracy Reese Felt Almond).

CW is in a custom made gingerbread dress with her "tiger leggings." Hee.

Close-up of the fabric. Yum. So touchable. The necklace is from J. Crew, circa early 2008. Mr. Dina HATES this necklace. I still own it. Obviously I care what Mr. Dina thinks. ;)

Totally not important to the gist of this post, but OMG, isn't the stocking that my parents made for little Gus ADORABLE? So teeny!

Exhibit B: Target Exhiliration Navy Blue Sequined Blouson Top, Size Small. I saw this when out shopping with CW one night and was drawn to it, like the momma-to-be magpie that I am. This top was also only $20 and perfect for fun nights out where you want be casual but kind of want to bring the bling, too, ya know? I figured I could wear it, but I KNEW it would be far too short with my belly hanging out like some sort of classless Hollywood wannabe momma-to-be (I shouldn't judge, I know). So I needed a solution. Well, further back in the store, I spied the exact same shade maternity tank in the Liz Lange for Target section. Hmm...like a hamster running on its wheel, my creaky pregnant brain started to go in overdrive.

Yes, this is how I made it work. I put the longer fitted tank under the spangled ridiculousness that is the Xhiliration top and it completely worked. In fact, I wore this to a New Year's Eve party with other moms and moms-to-be, and it was really fun to share how I crafted this maternity top. And for a relatively low cost too. (The tank was only $12!)

Anyone want to guess what CW is looking at? I have not a clue.

I adore this shot. LOVE! :)

The pants I am wearing are the ubiquitous Duo Maternity (J.C. Penney), whose line has definitely helped me get through all three pregnancies with relative ease. The shoes are the Satin Ballet Flats from J. Crew a few years ago. The necklace and headband are also J. Crew, but for all my polyvore hunting are in-store only pieces (headband a few years ago and necklace this Christmas).

CW is in a collection of Wal-Mart and Target. She loves silver and black together. That's my little fashionista!

Hands on hips. And tongue on upper lip. ;)

Okay, that's all for tonight! Remember, pregnant ladies, go out there and think a bit outside the "pregnant clothing only" box. Just remember fit the shoulders and bust, then belly. Also, too short? Think layers. Easy!

Night, night!

Boden: My 2012 Spring Picks PLUS a GIVEAWAY!

2012-01-08T22:42:00.001-05:00

LADIES and GENTLEMEN:

I have chosen the ones. LOL. Just kidding...but I have had all weekend to peruse the loveliness that is Boden Spring 2012, and wow, there is quite a lot of the pretty. Yay! And...I am pleased to announce that quite a bit of it is super chic, which is a vein that I want Boden to continue following, I still love big buttons and splashy prints, but they literally made my year by coming out with the ultra classic Leopard Tote last fall...

First, though, I am hosting a giveaway here at my blog and I really would love for you to have a chance to win...for those of you who. want. to. know. now., the info is at the bottom. ;)

Okay, onto the picks. By the way, the links that I have provided say the "promo has expired," yet show correct percentage off (15% plus free ship and returns), so ignore the "promo has expired." I am sure it is a glitch on Boden's part, no worries!

Fifties Party Dress. Umm, kinda crazy of me to want this in the state I am in, but oh, wow...my beating heart...you are SO FREAKING GORGEOUS. The blue print reminds me of Liberty of London and the style is very J. Crew circa 2005. Yum. I may just get it and make that my "goal" dress for losing the weight.

Floaty Jersey Dress. Very very similar to a dress I already own, however, I would sell the one I own and buy this one instead as this shape is more modern.

Regatta Dress Orange and white polka dots? Yes, I say yes.

Everyday Jersey Skirt This skirt is derivative of a lot of what I already own, but again, I am very much interested in culling what I own (read: sell or give away) in favor of more modern prints and shapes.

Swishy Cotton Skirt See above. That is how I feel about this one, too. :)

Spring Trench Could the yellow version really already be completely sold out? Sob!

Calypso Vest The red/blue version reminds me of something J. Crew would have made a few years ago. Very nautical and preppy!

Must Have Bag I love this in the yellow shade. Very fun and summery, but with a very sturdy/classic shape that will go the distance. Plus I love Boden bags...always well made.

Jewel Flower Necklace This is such a cute necklace. That is all.

Embellished Tunic This will be awesome for me in the later months of my pregnancy and postpartum. I probably will bite on this during this current promo period.

Breezy Jersey Dress Will likely order this one soon, too! :) Natch.

BTW, I did a spring picks already, at this post, but I actually have direct links to the items on Boden's site right now, so I thought I would add these to the bottom of the post for those of you interested in the items I chose a few months ago! Enjoy!

Border Print Tunic. I did end up ordering this in the color you see on the model. It should fit, even pregnant (go stretchy material!).

Fun Jersey Dress. This is the very definition of easy breezy summer style.

Plait Trim Top. I had been nervous about pre-ordering this because I didn't know what material it was made of, but to my great relief it is a slub jersey cotton which means I can wear it now and postpartum, as slub jersey is stretchy. ;)

Riviera Shirt Dress. The pretty, come to me.

Textured Cotton Skirt. Bit nervous about this as the measurements are really teeny looking through the hips, so what I will do is measure against last year's textured cotton skirt to decide if I can keep it or return for the size larger. (I went with an 8 long, which fit fab last year.)

Twist Jersey Top. I love the idea of this top, especially for anyone who has a belly that is still a bit bigger from being pregnant. I have a feeling I will be wearing this top a lot postpartum. (And maybe one day with the above skirt!)

Beachcomber Bag. Although I really heart this, I just have to hold off until it is actually swimming pool weather. I wonder if it will make it or if it will sell out? Seems to be pretty popular. Hmmm...

Flowerburst Scarf. I may try to get this on super sale later this season.

T-Bar Flower Heels. Once some ladies review this (either here or at the Boden site), I will bite. Boden shoe sizing is always hard for me, and I appreciate the feedback...especially when on a budget!

Uptown Heels. Love these in navy, but not right now. Maybe May?

Okay, thanks for looking with me!

Onto the giveaway...I am offering a $25 gift card to Boden and look forward to giving it to one of my blog friends...so...

1. Become a follower. I am at 301 (AWESOME, btw) and would really love to give this to a blog friend. Just mention that you are a follower in the comment!

2. Pick your favorite item from the spring line that a $25 gift card would help you buy.

3. Leave your e-mail, need that to let you know you have won!

That's it! Talk soon!

P.S. Susan Moran, I need you to e-mail me at dinagideon AT aim DOT com, I have some info for you regarding your giveaway prize from last time...

Winter Wardrobe: Day Four and Day Five.

2012-01-08T12:05:00.000-05:00

Hi, everyone! :) I hope everyone is having a fab weekend. I am recovering from my week of teaching the girls. It is ridiculous that I need to recover, but by Friday I could tell my pregnant body was not taking the constant up and down and running around as well as I had hoped. I think it would have been easier had I, upon returning home, not had young kids to take care of, but I know that is what I signed up for. LOL. Mr. Dina has been great, though, letting me sleep more and in general just allowing me to take my time and relax. (Yay!)

Okay, so I totally am smooshing day four and five together, but for a good reason. One, I don't want to bother with two posts and two, I sort of was disappointed by day four's look, so I want to start with a more positive note, which is my look for day five.

My day four look appears okay in the photos, but trust me when I say it wasn't exactly pregnancy friendly. By the end of the day I was actually in pain. I suffered for fashion. Chortle.

Day five was far more pregnant friendly AND it was high fashion enough and comfortable enough to allow me to make it through the crazy that runway day entails.

So we will start there, okay?

I totally love this look. It isn't necessarily "me," but the elements came together to become a definite "me" look. The dress is the stunning Stella Dress, which I did a review of here (and if you use in conjunction with my current sidebar coupon you can get sent to you with free ship--no 15% off sale items, but free ship and returns nonetheless). I was super glad that I had this dress in the house because the dress I had intended to wear, the Anthropologie Flickering Slip Dress did not do up at the bustline. Turns out Gus riding so high has messed up the measurement of my underbust, so instead of that being my smallest measurement, it is now an inch bigger and means that the baby doll frocks won't work until he decides to "drop." I am stoked that it fit over the belly, but if I can't do the zipper all the way up, it ain't happening for school. ;) Next year, though, you had better believe I am going to wear it.

The boots are the Charley Shearling Wedge boots. Really, these are sort of insane for me to own, but the unusual look combined with wedge heels and the added warmth of shearling drew me in. The 30% off deal I got when purchasing them also helped, to be honest. Worth it at the 30% off, not so much at the full price. Those of you who read this blog post know that I had initial issues doing up the back of the boot (where the zipper is). I am glad to report that after wearing them multiple hours on Friday, they do up perfectly, and have stretched exactly to the right size.

The necklace is a Diana P. original. I reviewed the handmade piece in this blog post. The colors worked exactly right with the dress.

Dress is a size 8, one up from my typical Boden "stretchy" dresses sizing. This is a Limited Edition piece and I have noticed that vanity sizing is non-existent in this line.

The boots are a size 9.5, which is my exact size in J. Crew shoes. Remember if you need extended calves on your boots, these will probably not work for you unless you take them to a cobbler and have him or her stretch the calves for you.

Closer look at the boots. The bit of ankle wrinkling only happened here. When I wear them with leggings or skinny jeans or tights, this doesn't happen. Weird, right? It doesn't look bad to me, it almost seems intentionally worn that way.

I rarely wear boots with dresses, but I am glad I did that day. The boots held up well, looked chic, and were pretty darn comfortable. I also loved being able to pet the suede of the boot. Super soft.

Winter Wardrobe: Day Five. by dinagideon featuring wedge heels

Above is the polyvore of this outfit.

Now onto the fashion folly of the fertile.

At this point of the day, the outfit felt okay. The pieces fit okay (not great, but bear in mind this is non-maternity, just like the stella dress)...but by the end of the day I was feeling every inch of this outfit. It was wearing this outfit that convinced me that unless it is a non-maternity piece that is flowy (like the Stella dress), I need to shelve it and just bring on all the maternity pieces I own. (I am 28 weeks, not a bad idea at this point. LOL.)

Dress: J. Crew Factory Madeline Dress in hot pink. This was a wonderful dress in fall 2008 that the factory stores replicated in 2009. I was super-excited to find it at Mint Condition, our local consignment shop. I also am psyched because if it fits at 7 months pregnant in a size 8, it will for sure fit at not pregnant. ;)

Shoes: J. Crew Coralie Patterned Heels. Um, ow. Ow. By the end of the day not only did the dress feel wrong, but these shoes WERE KILLING me. They are a 9.5 and fit, but the toe box is not especially pliant, so I have a feeling others probably have the same experience. Misery loves company. ;)

Turtleneck: J. Crew Tissue Turtleneck, Size Medium (few years old version). Best part of the outfit, hands down.

Tights: Assets, Size 3. Also fairly comfortable.

Front view. I look forward to trying this look next winter. It is really pretty on, especially with the heels...just not right now, ya know?

The ruffles on this dress are awesome. The factory recently re-issued this and called it the Emeline dress. I own that in the heather elm color, but in the size 6. The size 6 fit in early pregnancy, but honestly, I look forward to wearing this with a much smaller waistline. The last time I wore the Emeline, I did the same thing, black turtleneck and black tights, but with black heels. I didn't grab photos that day.

Winter Wardrobe: Day Four. by dinagideon featuring mini handbags

The polyvore is above.

Okay, all that's it for my week as a fashion teacher. It was a lot of fun, and recovery has been fantastic. ;)

Later today or tonight I will publish a post with my picks from Boden's spring line that I hadn't noticed the first time Boden sent out their spring preview. Lots to love!

Talk soon!

Boden: New Arrivals for Spring 2012!

2012-01-06T20:00:00.000-05:00

Hey, all! I was running around on my last day of "fashion class" and took a brief moment to look at my smart phone and I saw that Boden had updated their website with spring arrivals. :) Yay, and exactly when everyone thought it would happen!!!

I am very grateful to everyone who left messages at the last blog post and/or e-mailed me to let me know more about the new arrivals, etc. When I got home I promptly took a nap (turns out two runway shows whilst really pregnant is very tiring, lol) and upon waking I saw that Boden's affiliate program had e-mailed me a coupon for me to use on my blog. I will put it in the sidebar, as I usually do, but I will also put it into this post for any mobile users. I know that some of you don't get Boden e-mails, or they come later, so I want to make sure you have access to coupons through my blog whenever I receive one!

I wrote a Spring 2012 Preview post a while back in which I showed which choices I had made for the pre-ordering, but I do want you all to know that I plan to do another this weekend, with emphasis on any pieces that had not caught my eye initially (or were not there, like Maternity!).

Do you all have any picks from the new season??? I would love to read what your favorites are...

Mobile Users, the link is below:
Save 15% at Bodenusa.com with Free Delivery and Returns!

Enjoy the Spring Arrivals!

Boden Weekly Review Roundup: End of the Old and In with the New?

2012-01-05T17:15:00.000-05:00

Ooh, you all, it doesn't even really matter that I have only two reviews to share with you this week *not even my own, btw* because there is all sorts of buzz that with the sale ending tonight (it won't technically "end" it will just become its own clearance tab at the website). Every time this happens, the new items from that season are rolled out that next day. And yep, just like in prior years...it will be Friday tomorrow, which is the day that Boden usually switches their website over.

My antenna is always up in January as I realize this is when the spring items that were ordered during the pre-order window from the Boden preview site (which is gone, fwiw, another great sign) get shipped out. I am stoked, not so much for me, as I can barely wear anything anymore (lol), but because my kids have two fab raincoats coming. (And golly, they so need them!)

All that said, I can't say that this week has been spent in Boden heaven for everyone who reads this blog. Multiple people have e-mailed me regarding their sadness over Boden's refusal to do price adjustments on items they had ordered (and often still have not received!!!) when Boden switched over to second cut prices this week. Oh, I so feel their pain. I had the same thing happen to me in early December and it was a true bummer. I had to re-order the items at the lower price, wait for them to arrive (3 long weeks from England), assure myself that they would fit okay and there were no issues with them, and then package up the two items originally ordered, along with their receipts, and ship them back. I am still waiting for confirmation that they have received my return and will process my refund. At this point, I anticipate that money I spent in December will not be in my account (remember I use a check card) until sometime in late January.

I also have heard that packages are taking FOREVER to get to folks, and I have to agree...unless the item is from the Pennsylvania location, it takes a really long time to get to us in the USA. I love it when I see "Shipped from Pittston," because that means it will come UPS and be at my door in three days, tops.

However, I am willing to deal with how long items take to get to me because I love Boden so much, but am very dismayed by the unwillingness on Boden's part to do price adjustments, ESPECIALLY on items that are still in the shipping process. That's kind of consumer-unfriendly, really.

Do you all have anything to add? Definitely let us know in the comments!

Onto the yummy reviews!!!

But before I get to that, I want to share with you the two items I decided to get in the second cuts of the Boden sale. I had been watching the Fab Wallet and the Lounge Shoe since their respective debuts on the site, and finally I decided that I could afford them. (They went from a total of about $220 to $102, which is over half off, YAY!)

Ladies, I assure that although I will absolutely use the wallet with the Leopard Tote, I will not wear the shoes with that bag. Um, no. LOL.

Pleat Detail Wool Dress. OMG. Love Your Life and Look Today (aka Yoga Girl) looks amazing in this dress, which is currently on sale for $94. I don't have the affiliate link for his dress, but have included the link in the name of the dress. Do watch for popbacks as it looks sold out but could potentially be a type of dress that many women have a hard time finding a great fit for their body (although clearly not Ms. Yoga Girl...wow!).

Stella Dress. AudreyS left me a comment today (at this post), where she agreed with me on my original estimation on sizing for this beautiful dress. :) She said: Also, off topic, but you were spot on about the Stella dress. I am nearly always a 4 in Boden dresses, but the top felt like a corset! The 6 is much better. Thank you, AudreyS!

I am stoked to wear this tomorrow at my Winter Wardrobe's Fashion Class Runway show. I had planned on another dress, but sadly that one doesn't do up the whole way anymore (which is fine, of course). I do have to say I love the material of this dress and am glad that it has enough fabric in its a-line skirt to fit over my baby belly! You all will get a look at that tomorrow night when I publish Winter Wardrobe: Day Five. I will publish Winter Wardrobe: Day Four tonight, btw. ;)

Okay, that's it! Easy Peasy. You all have a great night!

I don't anticipate being able to let you all know that the Spring Line has debuted on Boden tomorrow as I won't be done with school until 4 or so, but if you would like to keep us up-to-date, you are welcome to comment here on any happenings you see! THANK YOU!!!

Winter Wardrobe: Day Three. (Plus J. Crew/Madewell Reviews!)

2012-01-04T23:02:00.000-05:00

Everyone! Hi! Thank you all so much for helping me through my semi-mini fit last night. Ugh, blogger. I have only had one other post disappear, and that was super early on in my blogging history, so I guess I thought it just couldn't happen again.

So in that vein, I am gonna keep this short and sweet, so any effort I put into tonight's post isn't gonna to give me angst if it goes away. ;)

I wore an outfit today that I had been planning for ages. I created the polyvore a while ago after I ordered the bubble necklace in papaya, and saw the gorg image of the model on the website wearing it. (That photo is at the bottom of the post, btw.)

Well, the polyvore sort of panned out. My calves were the issue this morning. Yeah, my calves. Not because they have grown, oh, no, but rather that the boots that I had intended to wear with my outfit wouldn't zip up past the 3/4 point. Huh. (I have fairly thin calves, so I was a bit surprised to say the least.)

In the end it worked out as I re-wore my Alpine Boots that I wore yesterday, and had planned to do a review on, but didn't after the fiasco with blogger, so guess who is doing the review tonight? Yep!

Top: Alexa Chung for Madewell Amelia Tee, Size small. I ordered this when Madewell was offering 30% off all sale items. I really don't need another striped top, but I love how this one seemed substantial (the cotton is very thick and heavy, btw, in real life), and I loved how the stripes are not solid but rather thin and wispy looking. I was pretty sure it could be a go to piece for me as a stay at home mom. I would say this runs a bit small, as I ordered it in my "size up" from Madewell (I wear an extra small with them normally), but I am not not saying that because of Gus belly. In fact I am saying it because I feel like the shoulders, arms, and bust are just fine in the small (and would have likely been too tight in the extra small). Since I have had no weight gain there, so trust me when I say size up. The body is clearly a bit loose if it can accommodate a 7 months pregnant belly, but I believe the look is meant to be a bit loose there under normal circumstances.

Leggings: J. Crew Signature Leggings, Size Medium. They have changed the overall feel of the leggings from last year, but not in any substantial way...you know? It just feels different, and not in a bad way. Hard to describe really...

Boots: J. Crew Alpine Boots, Size 9. These boots were described in the copy as "shearling lined throughout." Well, yeah, technically, but if you are genuine shearling fan, these are only lined through the cuff in true shearling. The rest of the boot is lined in faux shearling, which lacks the plush feel of the real stuff. I would have been p-oed if I had paid anywhere near full price for these thinking they would be true sheepskin boots. The price I bought them at? I can deal with the faux stuff, but I want to send that warning out to you all. I would say these run true to size for the J. Crew "whole sized" items, which I always size down to wear (I am a 9.5 in J. Crew normal shoe sizing).

Necklace: J. Crew Bubble Necklace, Papaya. I will do the review after the next photo.

Close-up of the top and necklace.

I was not a bubble necklace fan when they first came out, but after countless other bloggers showed how they wore theirs, I was a definite convert. However, I wanted to jump on the bandwagon way after ebay started selling fakes, so I knew I didn't want to take a chance on getting one that may not be made super well.

When J. Crew re-issued this one (and the double strand Palm Springs Necklace, which I reviewed here), I was in "old school J. Crew" heaven. :)

The bubble necklace is awesome if you are a statement necklace kind of gal. It is big, well-made, and definitely not for the shy. The papaya is an especially "large" statement to make as the top beads are a lighter orange color and the smaller bottom beads are a traditional orange color. Very much the first thing you see on the outfit. I adjusted the chain so it would fall higher on my neckline, but you can clip it where it is meant to be clipped and have it sit a bit lower, as well.

I was lucky enough to pre-order it during the 30% off promo, so this was just at $100. I don't know if it is worth the whole $150, but I like it enough at the $100 to tear off the tags.

Side shot of the belly and boots.

Yeah, this image started me on my quest of recreation. :) LOVELY image and J. Crew needs to keep this up...

Winter Wardrobe: Day Three. by dinagideon featuring wide waistband pants

Above is the polyvore of the outfit I had intended to wear. FWIW, the Charley Shearling Wedge Boots did zip up tonight, but (and you all are gonna love this), I had to lay on my bed, put my leg up in the air, pull on the boot, carefully zip up the back, adjust, and then repeat with the other leg. LOL. They look really fun and are super-warm and definitely different than any other boots I own, so thank goodness I made them work. :) I believe that they will stretch a bit more in the calf area eventually so that I won't have to do the "bed trick" (yeah, I know that sounds bad) very much longer.

I got the Charley boots on 30% off, and I think they are a decent price at that amount (they are real shearling and have super-soft suede), but full price, nuh uhn. No way. Oh, and calves that need extended calf boots? Don't even bother applying. Ridiculous.

You all have a great night. Me--sleep is calling my name.

Winter Wardrobe: Day Two.

2012-01-03T22:57:00.000-05:00

Hi, all! I made it through another day of hanging with my elementary school homies...grade 3-5!

Anyhow, I actually planned today's outfit as opposed to yesterday's, but what I didn't think about is that I am going to make these girls think I LOVE stripes. Yesterday's outfit was pink with silver stripes, today's is black with silver stripes, and tomorrow's is white with navy stripes. I think Thursday I have a solid dress, so that is in the clear.

*****

Well, I just give the bleep up. I literally wrote a fairly involved blog post and the darn thing was just eaten up by the computer (except the intro paragraphs above). I HATE not having my computer. I absolutely loathe this teeny-tiny, "let's eat all of dinagideon's hard work up," dumb, *@###-ing computer. I am just about to cry. There was a review of the Alpine boots in it, and a rather extensive look at this new necklace I wore today, plus some info on my next post on the Boden Weekly Review Roundup, AND. it. is. all. gone.

I am going to bed. I will show the pics, I will show the polyvore and I will fill in the blanks on this post when I get over my anger. (I get angry, you all, it just. takes. a. lot. to get me there. GRRRRRR.)

You all have a great night. My Aspire One ACER computer? I hope you have nightmares, you beast.

Dress: J. Crew Alex Sweater Dress, Size Medium.

Leggings: Madewell Convertible, Size Medium.

Boots: J. Crew Alpine Boots, Size 9. I will do a review, I promise. Just not now. Sob.

Side shot of Gus riding high. Any of you mommas out there have a belly ride this high? Seems a bit ridiculous, in my opinion.

I had spent two or three paragraphs explaining how I discovered this jewelry designer in Paris, and how my hunt took on epic proportions once I got back home to find his necklaces here, but alas, it must have not been meant to be. For what it's worth, it is designed by Tzuri Gueta, and he truly is an artist. The beads are silicone (!!!) and the cording is silk. Very unusual, and definitely a statement, especially in this lovely blue/red combo.

Winter Wardrobe: Day Two. by dinagideon featuring stirrup pants

Above is the polyvore, where you can find more info on the individual pieces, including the necklace.

Reminder, Boden did some second cuts on their items in their winter sale. I explained it more in depth at this post.

;) I will be back in a better mood tomorrow. Promise.

Yay! Boden Makes Second Cuts...

2012-01-03T14:55:00.001-05:00

And there are even new items added to sale. I am at school, just finished up teaching, so I can't give you a lot of info, but I DO want to give a huge shout out and thank you to Lauren PhD for emailing me about this turn of events at Boden.

Below is a cut and paste duplicate of a recent Boden Review Roundup, including links to items and the sale directly. When I grab a moment tonight I will clean this post up a bit so that it is just about this second cut, but I have a feeling some of you are straddled to your mobile device (like me!) & will likely appreciate the links!

I will keep some of these links in the post, but for timeliness, I will get rid of the cut and paste Boden Roundup...it was nice to have easy access to links, etc., but in the end, was a means to an end, and not really what I was looking for when I published this post. :)

Do any of you ~~se anny~~ see any (man, smart phones kind of make people look stupid, huh?) attention grabbers?

~~Talk soon!~~

UPDATE 9:28 PM. I am finally able to just sit and do my work here on the computer, phew. I love being busy, but wow, keeping two toddlers managed, a whole slew of elementary school girls happy, a sick husband placated, and a growing baby from going hungry does take a bit of energy. Is it wrong of me to look forward to spending some time on my blog since that is really the only "me" time I get? LOL.

I will be able to much more effort into tomorrow's weekly Boden Roundup, but I do want to give you all a few places to look for information in case you are waffling on a purchase.

I find going back to prior Boden Weekly Review Roundups helpful as the reviews are placed together under one single label BWRR and will feature either written reviews, IRL photos, ootds, and links to other blog's reviews. Any review I received from any of my blog friends will appear there. (Thanks a million, btw, to all of you who have participated in the reviews, very, very, very helpful!)

If you need some help deciding if an item is worth buying now (oh, no, it might sell out!), look for tell-tale signs that it will sell out. If all sizes in all colorways are still showing IN STOCK (a blue checkmark), then go ahead and wait to purchase. In fact, I plan on waiting on the pink colorway of the Embellished Collar Top because that thing is just not selling and I would rather include that in part of a future spring purchase so I can get free shipping.

If the item is showing the colorway you want is in stock but that others are low or out of stock, you may want to purchase as the item could be nabbed by someone who says, "well, if I can't get it in brown, I will get it in green."

If the item is showing a low stock tick (pink checkmark), do buy it now. It is very likely the item will not be there the next time you go back to check on it (I know from experience...).

If the item is out of stock, check back for popbacks. There is always a possibility someone will return it...best to look in the AM, however.

I hope that helped some of you decide! Happy (Sale) Shopping!

Oh, and lovely ladies reading on their mobile devices, here is the link I promised you:

Winter Wardrobe: Day One.

2012-01-02T21:41:00.000-05:00

Hi, everyone!

Don't have a ton of time tonight, not because I don't want to actually write a blog post but because I am back to teaching my elementary school fashion class again, which means a really early rise (must be at school well before 8 am) and a very early to bed. :)

Winter Wardrobe was a blast today, but oh, my, I guess starting the class on a federal holiday means my numbers (and all the other classes numbers) were teeny-tiny. I had 7 girls in my first class (of a total of 10, woah) and 11 girls in my second glass (of a total of 15). In the past I have never had a class with less than 18 kids, so I was a bit stunned. But (and those of you who are teachers totally get this) those lower numbers made for a lot of one on one time and fairly easy transitions and the world's best set of kids and ZERO discipline problems.

Anyhow, I am not sure I will be able to do much more than these posts this week (and the Boden Weekly Review Roundup), but if I find I am high on energy and time (not likely, lol), I will add more posts.

I call this my "OMG I have no idea what to wear on 2 hours of sleep and whilst pregnant getting ready for a fashion class that I teach...yawn" outfit. Surprisingly, after hubby saw it, and confirmed that he liked it (did I add that Mr. Dina is sick on top of all of the prep work I have been doing?) , I felt a lot better about my sartorial skills. Not my best outfit ever, but it worked for today.

Top: Old Navy Maternity, Size Small. LOVE this stretchy 80s inspired top that I bought during CW's pregnancy. Great color, too.
Jeans: Duo Maternity, Size Small Tall. Still have to wear these with a support belt to keep them up (belly is more up and down than out which means the built in panel is too big), but I love the fact that J.C. Penny's maternity brand has tall jeans, which means I can wear heels.
Shoes: Merona Collection, Size 10. These mod heels are lovely, and I definitely don't pull them out enough...but worked wonderfully with the top.
Scarf: Old Navy.

I would like to point out the whole outfit probably cost less than $100 total. It felt good to have a head to toe pregnancy look that wasn't an extravagance. So much maternity wear is insanely pricey.

Hands on hips. This outfit was plenty warm enough for school, but wow, even with the down jacket I wore with it, I was freezing at recess. (Aw, darn it, I guess the December of 60s had to give way to normal January temperatures eventually.)

I think Mr. Dina was up to no good when he captured me in my side belly pose next to the referee doing the same exact pose on the TV. I get it...my belly is larger than a football official's.

My Favorites (From a Really LONG List)! by dinagideon featuring a leopard print tote bag

Before I go, I do want to show off my favorite pieces from 2011. I created this Polyvore the other night...I am so glad I purchased these pieces, I anticipate they will be in my wardrobe for a long time...

I would eventually like to show off my favorite outfits from 2011, but it probably won't be for a bit...

Do you have any favorites from 2011 you would like to share???

Night, night, everyone!

Pregnant Party Girl Style, Part Two.

2011-12-30T12:39:00.000-05:00

Hi! I hope everyone is having a wonderful week. I am sure many of you have had this whole time off of work, including some SAHMs! I have not, but with my husband working in fundraising, this is his hardest time of year as all the end of year contributions come in right now (for tax purposes).

And next week I teach my Winter Wardrobe fashion class again, so it is my busiest time of year, too. :)

Anyhow, back to what this post is really about...since tomorrow is New Year's Eve, and I have a feeling at least one or two of you are "with child," you may appreciate my take on pregnant party fashion when you are actually really showing (as opposed to part one of this series where I was merely trying to make real dresses work with a small baby bump).

Party On, Pregnant Girl. Part Two. by dinagideon featuring textured tights

I wore the above outfit to my hubby's work shindig back in early December, when I was about 23 weeks along (give or take a week, no one really knows what I "am"). I was lucky enough to get the dress on ebay for a really reasonable price (about $40). I will probably wear it at least once more, and if all goes well, I will either alter it for non-pregnancy, or I will just re-sell on ebay once I am done with this pregnancy. I had all the other pieces in this polyvore already.

On me, hands on hips. If you don't look very long and aren't wearing your prescription glasses, I almost look non-pregnant here. But again, only the legally blind would have troubles telling that I have a passenger.

Sorry about the wonky angles, my dad is a great photographer but not all that great at keeping the camera straight. And I don't have picasa to fix the angles (oh, my big computer, when shall I ever see you again???).

The outfit was uber-comfy, surprisingly, but I guess that is a given when your waistband is just non-existent. The dress is a size small, which is exactly right for my bust and shoulders. I think this dress could work until around the 38th week...after that, all bets are off and if you all see me in anything besides leggings and really loose tops, I will be surprised, frankly.

The details of the top half. All the accessories (including shoes) are J. Crew from a few years ago.

One last photo, all of it together...and perfectly straight.

So what would I wear if I was actually going to some fancy party/dinner tomorrow night? (We are hanging with other families at a "family friendly" New Year's Eve/birthday soiree instead, which is fine with me, my outfit will most likely include a sequin tee and jeans.)

I scored the Flickering Slipdress in Jade on Wednesday morning. I had this dress in my wishlist forever in my tts dress size with Anthro, a size 6, and guess which size was the only size still available? Yep, the size 6! Woo! I have not really grown through the shoulders and bust, so this dress is exactly right for both pregnancy (can accommodate a bit of a belly) and non-pregnancy (when it just is all "flowy").

I think I will wear it, but maybe next week to my fashion class on the runway show day. Probably pair it with a sleek cardi and tights and boots. Hmm...

Anyhow, pregnant ladies, think about this one as a possibility, some sizes in the cream colorway are available.

J Crew dress (see more bodice dresses)
What would I wear if I wasn't pregnant and headed to a party? This sleeper of a dress from J. Crew. How in the heck has no one even talked about this beauty? I found the Marielle dress in solstice floral during the last 20% off sale time, and was floored that all sizes were available, and at $59.99. I spoke with my PS, who sent me measurements to ensure I got the correct size (I went off my non-pregnant measurements). The only thing I can think is that the measurements seem to be "old school J. Crew" and maybe women purchased their "vanity size J. Crew" size (for me I would have gone with a 4 or 6), and found that it was too small, necessitating a ton of returns. Who knows? Anyhow, I got the 8 (bust is 36 and waist is 30, which will fit fine next year, and if need be and my bust is smaller, I will sew on grosgrain ribbon straps, no biggee). From what I saw (I tried it on, lol, it definitely fit in the hips and the top of the dress, nowhere else), it is well-constructed in a super lovely cotton and is fully lined. The bodice even has one of those interior bra-type things that you see in strapless dresses which give a little extra support to help hold up the girls and the dress. I have other strapless dresses from J. Crew and this one has the best support interior bra I have ever seen from them. (No cups, etc., but very substantial...)

Okay, that's all from me...what are your choices for tomorrow night?

Boden Weekly Review Roundup: Last One of 2011.

2011-12-28T17:39:00.000-05:00

Hi, lovely ladies of Boden land. :)

Real fast today, not a whole lot of reviews, but at least there are some.

Quick reminder...if you would like to see an item closer up on me or my blog friend Molly, click on the photo to be taken to a larger photo (a right click will even allow you to open it up in its own tab, btw)...if you would like to see the item's availability, other colors, and measurements, click on the Boden stock photo which will take you directly to Boden's website...if you would like to see an item at a prior blog post, click on the link taking you to that post.

I still don't know when Boden will switch the sale prices to their lower second cut prices (some items don't get a second cut, fwiw), but I anticipate early January. Don't forget, January is when Boden updates its site with spring items, so anyone who pre-ordered should be getting those packages fairly soon (of course, I will get a few things, no surprise there).

Onto the reviews!

Boden Limited Edition:

This is the utterly perfect dress known as the Stella Dress. I had ordered this before it went on sale, and when I saw that it went on sale a mere 9 days later (just outside the 7 day window price adjustment time period, durn it), I decided to order a second at the lower sale price. I'll tell you what, it was certainly nice to have two to make comparisons to decide which one worked best for me. (I only photographed one, though, the keeper of the two.)

I have not worn it in public as I didn't want to stain or ruin the dress before the other came (I will never EVER return worn items, yuck!), so once I saw the second came, I knew I could decide and finally wore this pretty.

Close-up of the silk/viscose jersey blend fabric. I adore this fabric, especially if you are in your childbearing years...it definitely will work during non-pregnant/nursing times of life, but more importantly WILL work while pregnant (barring the last month, I would think) and nursing. This is a stretchy blend and the fabric glides over curves while the ruching gives the body a cinched in look even when it really isn't cinched at all.

Full length shot. I bought this in a size 8, one up from my normal size 6 in jersey dresses, but from my experience, the Limited Edition line runs more traditionally cut (as opposed to a vanity cut). I am glad I did as even at the bustline (my smallest part by far), it was a perfect fit. The 6 would have felt a squidge too tight.

I opted for this one of the two dresses because of the underbust ruching...on the other dress the ruching was a bit high and didn't lay as well as the ruching on this dress. Having said that, if I had received the other one and not received this one, I would have been fine with it. When you have two well constructed items, it really is just splitting hairs over what makes one worthwhile in your wardrobe.

(Definitely nice to know that the refund for the original price I paid will be coming...and in January when we all need it the most...oh, my goodness, holiday excess under the tree always means an uncomfortable financial situation in January and February. LOL.)

From the side. I look forward to seeing how this will look without my passenger along for the ride, but it is such a treat to have a non-maternity dress work in maternity times.

The shoes, btw, are the Felt Almond Heels by Plenty by Tracy Reese (purchased from Anthro during the fall). They are an excellent option for this outfit. I could see wearing this outfit to church or dinner...easily.

From the back. Nothing overtly special, but I do appreciate the print in times like these, they help break up my backside a bit. Every little thing helps at nearly 7 months preggers.

Stella Dress. Stock is running low...especially in the larger sizes and in the solids.

Regular Boden:

Molly (of the awesome blog My Closet Travels) sent me pics of her wearing the Jersey Rose Top with a Banana Republic Cardigan and jeans a week or so ago. I had meant to include them in last week's BWRR, but well, you all know what happened. (Oh, the folly of thinking I can publish during insane times like the holidays is a definite downfall of mine.)

Molly included this detail shot of the rosettes...I love the detailing, plus the sequins, AND the fact that these rosettes don't look like they will fall off or fray (cough, cough, J. Crew).

Jersey Rose Top. This top was utterly perfect for the "casual, festive and comfy" outfit that Molly was hoping to have for her morning out at worship. I agree. This is definitely a top that is festive but can be dressed up or worn more casually for a comfy dressy feel. Wish it came in other colors, as I am oversaturated in these hues for the moment. (Pardon my terrible pun.)

Molly had also worn the uptown flats as part of the outift, and I would think she must wear them all the time now...I know that my ballet flats/loafers are the most used shoes in my closet, and since her closet travels (teehee), they are probably frequent fliers now.

Uptown Flats. Of these, Molly had this to say: These navy patent flats were a mere $70 and are very comfy. I agree, btw. "Merely" $70 is a pretty decent price for all leather construction (barring a rubber bit on the sole for traction) in a versatile silhouette. The larger sizes are selling faster than the smaller sizes. :)

Cashmere Cardi Coat and Jersey Maxi Dress and Upbeat Kitten Heels and Easy Crossover Tunic. I did not wear all these together at once ('cause I am not crazy), but I did bring them down with me to NC for a weekend away. Check them out here. :)

Okay, that's it for today! You all have a great Wednesday!

Pink Jacket and Brown Top. Again.

2011-12-27T15:08:00.000-05:00

Hi, all! Thank you for your sweet Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays wishes over the past few days. :) I read them all and even though I can't respond (without a lot of effort, thanks teeny computer with no access to disqus), I want to wish all of you a Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays right back.

Also, I read all the comments about Rex, and thank you, every one of you, who told me your own story, etc. It was very helpful to see what has worked for you, what your life is like with your "energetic" toddler/child, and what isn't working. So so appreciated!

I will continue to tell you all about the Rex saga, but for now, things are okay. Not great, but with the extra empathy and patience we are trying with him, we seem to (crosses fingers) be on the road to normalcy (we don't expect--or want--him to overnight become the opposite of his personality).

So onto today's quick post. Remember this post? I wore the pink heather azalea Lexington Jacket with Boden's Silk Flower Top and jeans. Well, I guess I really liked the pink/brown combo so a few days later I went with a similar combo...the heather azalea Bella Jacket (yes, that one!) with J. Crew's perfect fit swirling petals tank in cobblestone.

This is the outfit as worn out of the house. The sunglasses and scarf are from Target (CW picked both of them out for me, in between trying on bits and pieces for herself--see bottom photo for proof of that). The pants are really ancient Duo Maternity cream canvas pants, very comfortable and go nicely with the pink and brown/grey of the top half.

It was warm, though, probably too warm for the jacket, scarf, and Bensimon sherpa lace-up low sneakers I bought from Madewell recently. With highs in the 60s that day, I felt a bit heated on my preschool run and it had nothing to do with Rex's teacher. ;) They are saying this is the fourth warmest December on record here in the DC area. I want you all to notice I am not complaining. I am such a weather wimp.

From the side. I was so lucky to find the bella jacket on ebay a few months ago. It was around the price of the original retail cost, but it was NWT and (almost) my size, so I bit. I love this shade of pink, and I know that even if J. Crew was to re-issue the bella (like they did with the Lexington), they may not re-issue this herringbone version again, so I just re-budgeted that week so I could work it into my finances.

I am wearing the petite 6, which is nearly the right everything, except in the sleeves (har-dee-har, and my belly, but that isn't permanent). The length of the sleeves are short, but I will take it so I can have a perfect fit in the shoulders and torso. (And next year, lol, in the waist.)

The perfect fit tank is long enough to fit over my belly, even in the size small. J. Crew's tanks and tees run really long, don't they?

The Bensimon sneakers are a size 41, which is about a size 10. I thought the 41 would fit great, and they do, but I think I over-sized for what I suspected would be a fair amount of sherpa lining. It is lined, but don't be fooled into believing it will be all thick like Uggs or even like what J. Crew does with sherpa. I should have gone with a 40, but because it ties up, I just have to tie my shoes a bit tighter to have them fit well.

CW in the Target women's accessories department. She loves trying all these on...the bag right next to her, btw, is really cute, sequined and all bow-ed up. Go Target. :)

The sunglasses in the first shot were about $12 and are from Merona and the scarf is around $15 or so and also from Merona. I can't find the glasses on-line, but I have included the scarf in my polyvore (below) so you can get more info on it.

Pink and Brown. Again. by dinagideon featuring cami tops

Above is the polyvore.

Umm, okay, that's all, I guess. Before I go, two quick reminders/questions...if you have a review for me for this week's Boden Weekly Review roundup, can you either drop your link to your blog review in the comment or e-mail me at dinagideonATaimDOTcom...and on that note...when do you all think Boden will switch over to their second cut prices? Last year it seemed to come a couple of weeks after the initial clearance, but I still haven't seen the prices budge (and I am WAITING for some of the pieces to go down in price, couple of my wishlist items are still too pricey at even their sale price).

Have a great rest of your Tuesday, everyone!

Two Anthro Blazers and a Pregnant Belly. Chortle.

2011-12-23T22:02:00.000-05:00

Before I begin this showcase of how adaptable jackets really are, I want to say a few things!

1. You all are too sweet. I had such a rough day when I wrote my last post and all the comments were wonderfully uplifting. I know that the road to Rex's success is a long one, but at least I know I am not alone in my journey--that others have also had similar challenges and came out in the end. :) Whew.

2. A parent from the class (she is also pregnant), saw the whole "Rex" incident and was MORTIFIED over what happened to me as a parent (the teacher basically took Rex out of the holiday sing-a-thon in front of all the kids and other parents and loudly announced that he needed to be with me) and was so very sad for us. She said I handled it well and she understands how embarrassed I felt. She actually said she would have been livid if it had happened to her daughter and her and would have had words with the teacher. She was surprised at my patience. Huh! I thought I handled it poorly, I am glad to know that an outsider felt I held my own...

3. I am reading a book, though, regardless of all incidents, that I picked up because I felt like Rex needed some extra parenting on my part. It is called "The Explosive Child," and OMG, it is wonderful. The advice is spot on AND it also makes me realize that I had some explosive tendencies of my own as a child. (Albeit differently...I was the type to explode exclusively at home when there was a change in my daily routine. I never ever exploded or acted out in public or at school which made my anger and sensitivities a bit easier for my dad to bear.) I have such a clear understanding of why and what is occurring now that I feel so much better...it is like experiencing thick fog and then suddenly seeing blue skies and trees, enlightening and uplifting. I highly recommend this book to anyone struggling with their own explosive child.

4. Onto (somewhat) less pressing matters...my darling brother has ordered the part for my computer and he will fix it himself. :) Cross fingers that this means in the next week or so!!! I miss having access to disqus or facebook or etc. SO FRUSTRATING.

5. Speaking of computer issues, mine means no disqus, which means NO access to awesome giveaways like Molly's of My Closet Travels. Just 'cause I can't enter doesn't mean you all can't! Anyone want to win a $50 gift card to J. Crew? If you win, spend it on something glittery and fun, so I can live vicariously through you!

Okay, now onto true frivolity--CLOTHES! Just kidding...clothes are only slightly frivolous.

CW's pose is cracking me up. She looks like a nutcracker.

We were headed to see Santa that night and I figured since I made both of my kids dress up, I should be festive, too, which in my world means sequins and ruffles. Of course it does.

Jacket: Anthropologie Elevenses Boucle de Souffle Jacket, Size 6. It does not button up. It still can be worn as my shoulders haven't grown, so yay for jackets working in pregnancy! YAY!

Top: J. Crew Collection Glimmer Mist Tissue Tee, Size small. I am finding as long as it is stretchy material, most tees still fit fine. Especially J. Crew ones as they run really long, which is ideal for me during pregnancy (not so much when I am not pregnant, they look really long normally, hence my adoration of crewcuts tops).

Pants: I can't remember. Maybe my Mimi Maternity Black Bootcut ones? Hmm. Doesn't matter, Mimi Maternity is gone now, which kind of bums me out...was a great company.

Shoes: Galaxy Leather Ballet Flats. From a long time ago...still love them, even though one of the gems fell out (sad face).

Bracelet: J. Crew Stone Mosaic Cuff. Ooh, I got this one this summer. Found it on ebay for a decent enough price. I took a close-up pic of it for you all...you will see it a bit later in the post.

Couldn't resist. CW looks so darling. LOVE! :)

Close-up of cuff bracelet. The color and stones were a nice match to the cream and light blue of the outfit. The cuff is a tad big on me, but I have wrists that are small enough to wear children's watches, so I think if you have average wrists, you would be fine to buy this and not have it be too big.

I am teaching Winter Wardrobe again...that fashion class for elementary kids that I teach every few months. I had to skip out on Fall into Fashion as I was feeling really bad in October (and I was going to France, so it would have been CRAZY to do both) and I will skip out on Spring into Style (might not be a good idea to leave a week old newborn in the care of someone besides momma, lol), so Winter Wardrobe is it this year. I had a meeting last Monday, so I wanted to make sure that I got dressed up, but I don't have a ton of "business casual" looks for pregnancy, so I made due with what I had in my closet (except the dress, which is new).

Jacket: Anthropologie Cloaked in Roses Jacket, Size Small. Yum. This felty wool jacket is warm, pretty, unusual, and has the distinct advantage of sort of doing up even though my waist is pretty ginormous compared to what it normally looks like.
Dress: Liz Lange for Target Cowlneck Jersey Dress with Pockets, size medium. This dress is really large through the top, but since the top has a cowlneck, it sort of looks "on purpose" and not because of my specific lacking in the "lady" department. Ha.
Tights: Ralph Lauren Grey tights I have had forever, like four years going. I have good luck with tights. Fortunately, because I fall in love with tights and how comfortable they are and would be super sad if they ran after one wear.
Shoes: Clarks Artisan. I wear these all the time. Definite best buy of my 2011.

The dress has pockets! And is pretty long!

Necklace: J. Crew Palm Springs Beaded Necklace. My good blog friend, Marietta, let me know about this one, and OMG, she is so right...lovely, feminine, and very much old school J. Crew. I won't say it is as awesome as my double strand frog necklace, but it is pretty darn decent for J. Crew 2011. It does not have the heft of the original double strand necklaces from 2006-2007, but it is glass beaded, and the brooch bit is well done. Thumbs up if this type of necklace is your thang. I have it double looped around my neck here, but below you will see it worn its "original" way.

Nice plain view of the dress and of the necklace.

Closer view of the necklace...and of my very pale face. Guess I put a bit too much powder on that day.

Okay, all, remember, THANK you for all your sweet comments, even though I can't respond back (easily, that is, I can respond it just takes forever to do it through my e-mail), I am reading every single comment and appreciating all you have taken the time to say! You all are the best!

Little Bit of Everything from Everywhere for a Trip South.

2011-12-21T13:36:00.000-05:00

Okay all, before I get into the four outfits I brought with me on my trip to NC last weekend, I wanted to tell you all a few things regarding my life, this blog, and other such necessities.

1. My stinking computer is STILL being fixed. The teeny computer I am using will not let me onto either disqus OR facebook, so if you connect with me either way, know that I am very limited in what I see. I have to go to my phone to connect that way, and honestly, the smart phone, whilst great, makes it kinda hard to comment, etc. Maybe it would be easier if I was 15, but I am not that (and kinda pregnant), so I do what I can when I can. :)

2. Speaking of my computer, my abilities to edit photos and such are pretty basic at best here, and my wonderful photos are all tied up in the illin' computer, so things like finishing my Paris posts, etc., are all on the back burner.

3. My bro promises me he can fix it (he works at a computer superstore, you all!) and I have faith, but oy, could this take any longer? ;)

4. Although Rex looks beyond adorable in the photos he is in below...he has been a right holy terror in our lives this past week and a half. Let's just say I am questioning whether I am a doing a good enough job as his mom and I am spending many hours in either my bed or in the bathroom sobbing. It may require us to look into counseling for both me (giving me strategies on how to be both an advocate for me and be a sensible and rational force in his life) and him (he has outbursts and emotions that go beyond your typical "he is a four-year old, lucky you!"). Because of the emotional upheaval, my energies are being spent on trying to not let this problem get bigger. So if you don't hear from this blog for a day or two, it probably means I have to "deal" with a situation. If you do hear from this blog it is because the kids are napping or for the moment, all is okay. I know many of you moms have had issues with your own kids, so I know I am not alone, but it is hard when you see your kid being singled out amongst many others, and not having the backbone to see that the other parents don't think less of you as a parent because your kid is that "one." (And if they do think less of me, well, then, they must have some pretty terrible karma coming their way, right? Like their kids will be the bad seed teens? LOL. Just kidding!)

Anyhow, onto brighter things! Some folks out there do think we are okay people and actually let Mr. Dina and I be godparents for the second time this past weekend. Their baby girl, all adorable 6 months of her (squee, love babies!), is our second goddaughter in that family (#1 is exactly Rex's age).

Of course we said yes...the family thinks of us more like family than friends (Mr. Dina and the dad have known each other since 1995, I believe), so we trucked it on down to NC for a weekend. We go down there often, but it has been a while since I have had to take a trip away with honest to God maternity clothing. It was fine on the pant/tunic/dress front, but I could not (for the life of me) find all my old maternity tops (where the bleep are they???). So the bella band came out for a bit of fun times with one of my outfits as a "modesty" panel of sorts. ;)

Outfit #1 (Trip Down First Day):

It was cold enough to warrant a light jacket, so I opted for the awesome Cashmere Cardi Coat that I did a review of back at this post.

Topper: Boden Cashmere Cardi Coat, Ecru. Although not available in ecru and grey (sold out fast--watch for popbacks), this can still be bought in the navy colorway, which is still at full price (only the ecru and grey went on sale). To find the navy look under the "non-sale" tab at Boden. I bought the US 6, which is fine for me non-pregnant, but looks cute enough just buttoned up to the bump so the bump can be all exposed to the world.

Top: Loft Maternity Starry Night Bubble Hem Top, Size Extra Small. THANK YOU, ladies who suggested I look to the loft for a few items in this pregnancy. Although this is the only thing I have bought, I really love it. Adorable pattern, does not wrinkle, and is made just so that I could possibly wear it postpartum, too. I also bought it on Cyber Monday, so it was 50% off! Woo!

Leggings: J. Crew Signature Leggings, Size Medium. I love these, they keep going and going. The length is fab, too, if you are a taller lady, must be around 31 inches or so?

Scarf: Loft Shimmer Open Knit Infinity Loop Scarf. Bought this (and one more) during the Cyber Monday madness. The other one I bought is for my stepmom for Christmas. Shh, don't tell her. ;)

Shoes: J. Crew Jeweled Bow Ballet Flats, Size 9.5. I am kind of wearing these out! I think next year will require me to find a grey replacement ballet flat. I throw these on whenever my brain can't handle color matching and/or I am traveling and limited to what I can pack (these are a wonderful shade for a neutral).

Close-up of the darling starry print on the top from the loft.

From the side. Gus is definitely getting bigger. His weight gain could be contributing to my overall hormonal imbalances, but Rex isn't in the all clear just 'cause I am nearly 26 weeks gone.

Outfit #2 (Actual godmother outfit):

I did a written review of the dress at my last post, so go and check that out for more info, if you are interested in this beautifully printed Boden "maxi" dress.

Dress: Boden Jersey Maxi Dress, Size 6 LONG. I found it fits perfectly over my bump, but its skirt does have a ruched kind of effect with an a-line flare. If you are a pear shape, you are fine to go with your bust size on this dress. Currently on sale for $109, which is not that great of a deal, but this is a pretty good seller, so I suspect that is why they didn't reduce it all that much. I got the idea to wear it, btw, after I saw this photo in a pregnancy magazine.

Shoes: Boden Upbeat Kitten Heels. This shade sells out quickly, but will popback from time to time. I did a review of them here.

Necklace: Diana P. Original (Papazian Jewelry). I have one other Diana P. necklace, this gorg yellow one that you all saw here. The beautiful 3 Penny Princess gave me this necklace for Christmas!!! I have already worn it twice. Yum!

Close-up of both the necklace and the print on the dress. Color is true in this photo.

From the side. I have noticed non-maternity clothes only make me look "just pregnant," whereas pregnancy clothes make me look pretty darn far gone. Weird. Anyhow, you can tell this is nowhere near a true maxi on me.

Outfit #3 (Hanging with our friends, post Baptism):

Rex looks so sweet here, right?

Top: J. Crew Honeycomb Cable Sweater, Size Extra Small, Warm Ivory. I decided to buy this in my non-pregnancy size even though I knew it would definitely be difficult to wear at the stage I am at. That said, with the bella band and matching cami, the sweater was fine on me. I think it will fit nicely next winter. I had it monogrammed with my initials (which is why there is a white bit of something over my chest) since I had free monogramming on my account. I chose red thread for a "festive" look. This sweater is like a kitty cat, though, it shed everywhere. It sort of made me miss my kitty cat Sammy (he died after Rex was born). I would be wary of this sweater if you have black furniture and/or you are allergic to rabbit hair (angora is one of the components).

Pants: Duo Maternity Cord Pants, Size small. Love these maternity pants. Literally worn by me once a week during pregnancy.

Shoes: J. Crew Lula Jacquard Ballet Flats, size 9.5. They are back in stock (at least they were a bit ago) and on sale, but only in limited sizes. Watch for popbacks. Love these shoes...very comfortable.

From the side. Gus riding high and the other two playing low.

You can see a bit of the red monogram if you look closely.

One more view for you all. CW is wearing her "muno" dress with tiger stripe tights. Roar!

Outfit #4 (Going home outfit):

Tunic: Boden Easy Crossover Tunic, Size 4. I did a review of this Boden Maternity piece WAY back before I was actually pregnant. It actually can be worn before, during, and after pregnancy. It is a great piece, very versatile. Definitely shows off my bump, though, but part of that comes from how tight the bodice fits (doesn't bother me, but if you are busty, size up!).

Leggings: J. Crew Signature Leggings again. Why not? LOL. ;)

Shoes: J. Crew Jeweled Bow Ballet flats again. Why not, part deux?

From the front. I think the bow is so cute with this tunic, but may seem superfluous to some of you.

Here I am holding my goddaughter (she is obscured for privacy) and my little princess CW. Her poor chin, she busted it running around after all her friends. She is pretty clumsy, and her poor face always seems to take the brunt of her falls. Sigh. At least at her age they heal quickly! (You should have seen her busted lip over the Thanksgiving break, yowza...seriously scary how much blood can come from a lip wound!)

I added the Cashmere Cardi coat and scarf to keep me warm for the trip home.

Okay, folks, that's all. Be back later with this week's installment of the Boden Weekly Review Roundup!

Boden Weekly Review Roundup: All Written Review Edition!

2011-12-19T12:17:00.001-05:00

All of the reviewed items are part of the sale and in stock!

I promised in the last Boden Weekly Review Roundup that this week would have two posts, with one of them featuring IRL photos, and the other with written reviews. Well, yes, “this” week turned into early next week, so guess what today is? LOL. It turns out I have great timing because the sale section was updated with all the returns made in the past week, so there are a TON of popbacks (though none in my sought after color choices and sizes, le sigh!).

If you had a piece you were thinking about, it may be your lucky day. At the end of this post I have a link to the site for mobile users, but if you are on a regular PC, you can check out the popbacks by clicking on the sale link in the sidebar.

So why am I so late in delivering this post to you? I was in NC this weekend! I was asked by our good friends to be a godmother for the second time (they have entrusted me and my hubby with this before, now that’s trust!). We had an insanely good time, and I didn’t really find any opportunity to update this blog (although our friend does appreciate what I do as he quipped to Mr. Dina, “you know, the blog won’t just write itself…” yeah, take that, Mr. Dina).

Okay, there are no IRL photos to click on, but if you want to check out the item at Boden, please do click on the stock photo. I do believe all the kinks have been worked out at my affiliate site, so you should be taken right to the item.

Okay, have fun, and good luck (sale) shopping!

Jersey Maxi Dress. I will definitely be showing this off very soon as part of my “weekend away to NC” outfits post, but until then here are my thoughts: The dress is not a maxi by any stretch of the imagination, and that has nothing to do with my current baby bump. I ordered a size US 6 Long ~~and it reached the~~ ~~mid-calf area making this dress decidedly tea length~~ UPDATE (7:30 PM EST) and I just looked at the photos and it hit about three inches above my ankle which is not mid-calf on me, but it is still nowhere near being maxi length. I have longer calves than I do thighs, so the length worked pretty well on me, but for some of you this length will hit at too weird of a spot. Some possibilities…if you are tall and prefer just below knee length, buy the regular length and it should hit around there (which is where I suspect it would hit on me as the regular is about three inches shorter in length than the long). If you are shorter, buy the long and you will actually have a true maxi. Or you can wear it with tall boots which could take away a bit of the awkwardness by giving your lower leg a bit of visual interest from hem to floor.

The fabric and design are really lovely, soft on the skin (it has a double layer with the inner layer made of the nicest jersey material), while the print is not at all overwhelming (I bought the sage/tan design) owing to its subtle coloring.

I went with the larger of my two jersey dress sizes (I have worn a size US 4 in jersey dresses with Boden), but I am happy with the size 6. I think it will even fit great postpartum, maybe a tad loose, but nothing extreme.

I may also shorten the dress once summertime comes, but I will let you all decide that once you see it on me. :)

Stella Dress. This I have only tried on and not shot photos of, but I will for this Wednesday’s Boden Weekly Review Roundup. I chose to get the size US 8 and I am so glad I did. I think that the US 6 would have been too tight (wait for it!)…at my BUST. If you know me, I have the world’s teeniest chest area (even pregnant!!!), so I was a bit surprised that the size 8 fit just right at the bust. It sort of felt like the old school J. Crew size 8 dresses, with the teeny ribcage area. The waist and hips were fine, even over the bebe belly, so that will not be an issue for anyone.

The design is chic and different (went with the fudge spot pattern, which is a grey/brown hue with yellow and dark brown floral design). The fabric is beautiful, with the silk and jersey mixing nicely to skim over curves and ruche exactly right (lots of ruching on the front, especially).

The length is perfect, just right above my knee. For those of you who are shorter, it will hit at knee length or just below.

Size up if you are ample of bosom. Trust me.

Embellished Cashmere Cardi. I chose to get this in my normal cardigan size with Boden, size US 6. This fits EXACTLY the same as my Gorgeous Cashmere Cardi, so please do check that review out for info on that.

Regarding how luxurious this limited edition piece is…it is…the construction, detailing, and fabric choice all show that Boden was looking to make this a special piece in your wardrobe for when you need to bring it a bit (like to a dinner party) or you just want to play dress-up with your typical SAHM outfit (white tee and jeans look pretty darn uplifted with a bit of bling, for sure). The taupe color I went with is a perfect neutral, just brown enough to work with quite a bit, but has just a touch of grey (think of J. Crew’s fab cobblestone color for reference,--the cardi in that photo is the color I am thinking of, maybe a touch lighter in color with a bit more brown) to help keep it from being too muddy for most complexions (I look HORRID in pure brown).

The embellishments are a mix of seed beads, crystals, and velvet. The shell buttons are nice to see, as many companies are moving away from them (I have so many cardigans and such from the 90s that all have shell buttons). One thing, though, there is a bit of deconstructed silk chiffon on the placket, which could fray. I don't know if it will, but I know that my J. Crew pieces with that bit of fluff do fray, so I am keeping my eye on that. That said, if it does fray, I can make it work, especially at the price I bought the cardi at.

Speaking of this cardigan, Ann and I were talking about it in our comments back and forth to each other and I asked her about how the mint green color read in real life as I was concerned that it would be too cool of a green for my coloring, and she said:

“My sister has the sweater. It is not a cool mint and does not look a thing like the color on the model. It is a warm shade of green--a bit more like the online image when it is lying flat but still a darker green in person.”

Thank you, Ann, I definitely will be watching that for a popback, as well!

Other Blog Friends Reviews (pulled from comments made in other posts):
(If I missed your review, please please please let me know and I will absolutely update this post! I have been away a lot from the computer this past week so it is very possible a review or such has been missed! Thank you!)

Retro Knit Tunic. AudreyS (huge Boden fan who always has great reviews) said that she decided to order this in the pink colorway because she “already own[s] and lov[es] the same tunic in lavender/grey AND aqua/green, thanks to your earlier post on this. I will second your opinion that this is a GREAT little dress, especially at $40 -- a thicker merino than some of their other sweater dresses that helps to hide any lumps to be hidden.” Wonderful! Now if only the grey would popback in my size. ;)

Silk Flower Top and Jewelled Ruffle Top. These two tops were IRL reviewed in the last BWRR by yours truly and Molly, but I wanted to add the two cents made by CC, who commented:

“Both the Silk Flower Top and Jewel Ruffle Top are favorites of mine - easy to wear, to dress up or down. Love them both - these were some of the less expensive, but some of the best of the Limited Edition items.”

I think she is right, hence why these have been some of the quicker movers of this sale. Thank you, CC!

Okay, thanks again for reading! I love putting these together, and hopefully I can find the time to eek out a couple more of these this week while the sale section still has plenty of goodies left. (I also hope to make a HUGE dent in my ootd posts.)

Oh, and lovely ladies reading on their mobile devices, here is the link I promised you:

Boden Weekly Review Roundup: A Couple of IRL Limited Edition OOTDs.

2011-12-14T23:10:00.001-05:00

Hi, all! Welcome to part one of two separate Boden Weekly Review Roundups. Tonight's is the one featuring IRL reviews of two Limited Edition tops that are currently on sale and (currently?) available.

Part two will be focused on written reviews. I (and many blog friends) have many written thoughts on pieces and I figured a separate review post with those would be helpful. (I do plan on eventually uploading photos of the pieces I am doing written reviews of tomorrow, I just couldn't get all the IRL photos taken by tonight. Let's just say there are a lot of winners from my last round of purchases, WHEE, and they were on sale, too!)

I will include a direct link to the sale at the bottom of this post for the mobile viewers but you can also access the site through the affiliate links (if they are available). To view an item closer on me or my blog friend, Molly, click on our photos. To see the item's availability, etc. click on the link or photo provided below the review.

REMINDER: During the end of season sale, no additional % off discounts can be used, and all sales are charged shipping. I would try to get a few things in your basket (if you have more than one item you like) to at least save on shipping (which is a $10 flat rate regardless of how much or little you buy).

BODEN LIMITED EDITION:

Silk Flower Top. So this jersey top wasn't even ON my radar until a month ago when I was fooling around over at the Boden website seeing what Limited Edition offerings there were. In fact the stock photo they use of the model highlights her cardigan (the impossible to find Palazzo Cardigan) more than the top. After I opened up the item page, though, I was won over. The detailing at the top of this flowy and soft looking jersey top was extraordinary. And with me being pregnant, I knew that the jersey would comfortably see me through bigger belly now and a whole lot less (I hope!) belly later.

I wore this top (pewter shade) to dinner tonight with a good friend (such a necessity for a SAHM...girls night out!). I paired it with a Talbot's necklace, a pair of J Brand maternity jeans, and a pair of Boden T-strap heels from last year. (Those J Brand jeans, btw, are awesome from mid-pocket down to the hem...but the waistband IS HUGE. I bought the size 29 because they said to size down, but based on how the jeans fit me, I could have easily fit in the 28 or even 27. In one of the photos from tonight you will see my "support" belt's outline that I use to hold up my maternity pants. This belt is meant to help hold up your belly, not your pants. What up, J Brand?)

From the back. This color in this photo most accurately represents the color of the top. You can also see how the top's neckline (all silk, with the floral detailing on front) extends to the back. This is a top that would definitely cost more at J. Crew (even at full price) and would most likely have wonky seams. Sorry, J. Crew.

Closer detailed shot of the neckline in the front. Very pretty and very subtle. The jersey is nice and comfortable. It is literally heaven for us pregnant ladies. I bought a size 6 which fits fine now, and will be loose and flowly postpartum.

This color pairs nicely with the Lexington jacket in the azalea colorway from 2007. Really pretty pop of color for this basic neutral shade (although it says "pewter," I would say the color is a warm grey/brown shade).

Rex, btw, is wearing the icon t-shirt, his fave from Boden's fall line. :) Love the face he is making. Likely he is making it at the outline of the support belt.

Close up of the two colors together. I look forward to pairing these together again in the future and maybe even buttoning the jacket. Oh, the novelty!

Silk Flower Top. Comes in a beautiful berry shade and a navy shade as well, but this top sells fast. Even though it wasn't reduced a tremendous amount, it is seeming to be a popular choice. I picked it up during a 30% promo and barely got it, so I was surprised that it has even popped back. But having said that, watch for popbacks, this top is worth it!

(Couldn't find an affiliate link, but you can click on the link I have embedded in the name to see the item closer up and see availability.)

Jewelled Ruffle Top. Molly (of the very fun blog My Closet Travels) wrote me a couple of days ago to let me know how THRILLED she was that she took the plunge on this top. :)

She sent me this photo of her wearing the top today and I love how she has paired it up with truly unique and special accent pieces, yet still allowing for the sumptuous shade and embellishments of the top to stand out. :)

She writes of this top:
Hi, I ordered the top is a size bigger than I would normally take at J Crew as I wasn't sure how the sizes really ran. It's my first "top" purchase and first purchase in about 7 yrs.

It slips overhead and it's extremely comfortable and versatile. I have worn it with a cardi and without one. Love the color too. I wore this with jeans Monday and with dress pants today. I think it would be cute paired with a black skirt as well.

LOVE!!

I agree...it is love. :) I think Molly will help sell this top out. Thanks, Molly!

Jewelled Ruffle Top. Also comes in navy and a very light grey shade.

Alrighty, all, I am getting tired, I hope you all have a great night!

Link for the sale is below! Happy (Sale) Shopping!

J. Crew: Excursion Quilted Jacket Review and a Very Casual OOTD.

2011-12-13T11:34:00.000-05:00

Oh, you all. For those of you who have been "with child" in the past (or currently), do you remember those days where it literally took every spare bit of energy just to get out of bed? This morning was one of those mornings. Goodness.

It is my fault really, I had a "dinagideon really truly is a fifteen year old girl" moment/meltdown/crying jag last night (will get into that in another post, let's just say it was nuts!) and didn't sleep well at all, but I am sure that Gus sitting right on top of my diaphragm doesn't help, either.

Anyhow, I had the mental energy of a gnat this morning, so I literally pulled together the most casual outfit I have worn outside in years. I definitely have had my share of pjs until noon and sweatpants at night in this pregnancy, but this is the closest I have come to seriously considering wearing my pjs and slippers out in public (*I know*).

But, um yum, I kind of dig the individual bits, especially the jacket which I got on sale a few weeks ago during one of J. Crew's ubiquitous promos of late. It is not currently available on the site, but it could pop back, so I have included a link to it.

Jacket: Excursion Quilted Jacket. Size small. I confess, I actually bought this because Rex owns one from crewcuts and he always looks so cute and very "Virginia" when he wears his. (Very "Virginia" is just my term for anything remotely "horsey.")

I chose to get a small after seeing multiple reviews of this on other bloggers (if you reviewed it, would you drop the link in the comments, many thanks!). Lately I have been sized out of the small, which was my tts jacket/top size back before J. Crew went vanity sizing crazy. Amazingly though, this jacket is sized exactly right, just perfect through the shoulders and length (including the arms, although I rolled them up to show off the wide hand enameled bangle in strawberry) but is not buttoning up over my six month baby belly (and I would never expect it to, either). I say this because I have many MANY J. Crew items that are an extra small that are fine over my baby bump. That is mind-boggling to me. (Carriage coat dress, I am so looking at you...btw, that review will be upcoming on a future True Crew Love blog post.)

So if you are interested in this jacket, get your former tts top size (say J. Crew circa 2006). If you don't know it, go up one size from your current J. Crew top size.

From the side. Love the butt-covering length. Also, the pockets in the front are almost false fronts for hand pockets (though not truly false as they are functional). It is fab as you can keep your hands toasty easily AND you can carry things.

Rex has gotten back into posing for the camera. He is wearing the Dinosaur T-shirt, which is currently on sale (almost everything at Boden is on winter sale right now, woo) for $16. I think he likes the side photos the best because he thinks it is great that I am showing off my Gus belly to the world.

So the jacket can be belted in front, but really, I'm not going to even bother with that until next year. So I have taken to belting it in the back with a knot, which is what I also do with my trench coat when I want to wear it open and yet maintain a vaguely feminine shape. I love the jacket from the back, especially when belted like this.

This is a warm jacket considering its lightweight feel. I believe it could be a fab layering piece with other jackets, but here in VA I most likely won't do that...it never gets cold enough to ever do that, really. And if it does, I usually just say "screw it, we're staying inside." I know, I am a big wimp.

The jacket classed up the joint a bit. Sans makeup (except the teeniest bit of mascara) and no jacket, I look, well, kind of sleepy. LOL.

The top is a Liz Lange for Target top (has a hoodie!) in xs, the pants are a pair of grey cords from J. Crew in a size 12 Regular, and the shoes are the amazing, awesome Upbeat Kitten Heels from Boden (also on sale, but this colorway is LONG gone). The kitten heels were my only real nod to being even vaguely interested in style this morning. Well, okay, CW's outfit is fun, too, but I had a much easier time dressing her rather than me. ;)

I blame you, belly, for my current state of pregnancy induced hysteria and sleeplessness. Look at how freaking high he is riding, too. He is close to puncturing a lung. Ha.

Okay, that's all for today. Gonna eat some lunch now.

P.S. I will be having a Boden Weekly Review Roundup tomorrow, but if you are a fan of Boden, the sale started on Sunday. There are still quite a few goodies left, but the craziness of a Boden sale means that things are selling fast. I have included a link for those of you on a mobile device (there is also one in the sidebar).

Boden Winter Sale...Best Deals, Fast Movers, and More.

2011-12-11T18:55:00.001-05:00

Her cardigan? One of the best deals in the WHOLE sale.

Okay, after taking a long hard look at Boden today, I found some wonderful deals, some fast movers, and some just okay deals. I also found some items not on sale, darn.

Below you will find links to all of my favorites and fast movers (update--the links only currently link to the main website, which is okay, but I hope that this little snafu gets fixed, fast!). I have also included links to reviews if I had any available. (My computer is not with me so I only can access limited amounts of all of the work I put into my reviews this season, sigh.)

Reminder, since this is just the beginning of the sale season, shipping is not free, there is a flat $10 shipping rate for all items (better to bundle them all up to ensure you only pay the shipping once). This could change, but it typically takes a while (count on a couple of weeks of paying shipping).

BEST DEALS OF THE WINTER SALE!

Embellished Cashmere Cardi: $228 to $91 (60% off!).

Stella Dress: $188 to $75 (60% off!). Yes, this is the dress I ordered a few weeks ago. I did ask for a price adjustment. Geez, I haven’t even received it yet!

Gorgeous Cashmere Cardigan: $228 to $68 (a whopping 70% off!). You could buy all four colors and still only be a few dollars over the original retail value. This cardigan is loved by all who have bought it. I did a review a few weeks ago, and Kit's mommy is a very big fan of this style. Buy with confidence.

Ruffle Front Dress: $128 to $38 (another whopping 70% off!). I did a review earlier this week, and yes, I asked for this to price adjusted (haven’t even worn it in public, the review photos was it). I highly recommend this dress at the new price.

Retro Knit Tunic: $138 to $40 (70% again!). This must have been over-manufactured. I have never seen something this highly rated (above a 4) just languish. I adore mine in the blue/green shade, and if the grey sticks around, I will be picking that one up, too (budget is making me wait until later this week).

ON SALE AND SELLING FAST!

Polkadot Shift: $148 to $97. Black is gone, the navy is nearly gone, but this dress seems to be uber popular this season. I can see why, after seeing it on Pamela. Gorg.

Sixties Dress: $138 to $101. Not even that good of a discount (about what I paid back in October with a 20% coupon), BUT it is a good dress and is selling fast. I did a review here.

Jersey Maxi Dress: $164 to $109. I didn’t even notice this dress until it showed up in a maternity magazine I was reading (pic of that to come later on in this post) but it isn’t even a maternity dress. That’s why I couldn’t find it forever. I guess I lucked out, as I found it yesterday and immediately placed it on order today. The pregnancy angels are watching over me. LOL. FWIW, the dress seems popular, which surprises me, but it could be a stock issue and not a demand issue.

Sequin Notch Neck: $58 to $37. This is a beautiful top that is very versatile. Even though the sale price is just meh, I can see this top paying for itself many times over. Definitely looking low in stock, though.

British Tweed Kilt: $98 to $70. Another fast seller. This reminds me so much of old school J. Crew I can see why it’s been popular. I don’t know how long this one will last in the sale.

Printed A-Line Skirt: $78 to $51. I did a review of the only color not selling out way back when (before waistline expansion commenced)…I love the color I own, and believe it is a good, solid, fun skirt to have in your wardrobe.

There are quite a few items that are not that great of a deal, and I will publish those at a later date. I think they are all good prices overall, just nothing, "WOW, OMG, now that’s a deal" like the above items.

There are also many items that are not part of the sale including my very favorite from this season, the Leopard Tote (in the tan colorway that I purchased, the other two colors are on sale). I can see why they held off on reducing them (they’re popular!!!), but it is a definite bummer if you were waiting for the clearance sale to buy them only to see that they aren’t even part of the sale. (Sad Face.) Also no current season maternity is on sale, either. Bummer for me, for sure.

So what were my choices this afternoon? As I mentioned above, I wrote an e-mail for a price adjustment on two items (recently ordered) and decided on three “had to have” items. One is a gift and two are for my closet.

Embellished Cashmere Cardi in Taupe. I almost got the mint version because the model looks SO beautiful in it, but honestly, I will get so much more wear out of this brown/yellow version as I own more items that complement this combo. Plus the model looks really nice in this color, too. :)

Jersey Maxi Dress in Army Green Winter Vine. Look at how sweet this pregnant model looks in this dress. I will keep it long for my pregnancy, but am very tempted to shorten it after I give birth to Gus (more versatile to me as a knee-length dress).

Ornamental Jersey Top in Iris. This top was $78 and now is $23. This color and combo will look awesome on my stepmom who is busty and petite. I read the reviews and it said that it lays weird on non well-endowed females (like me, lucky me, lol) but will look much nicer on someone with something up top, and I immediately knew I had found the perfect Christmas gift for her. She will love it and will likely wear it with a jacket or cardi now and on its own come summer.

Okay, confession time…what did you all decide on for you or your loved ones (I will keep it a secret!)…

Boden: Winter Sale Now Up for Business!

2011-12-11T13:00:00.000-05:00

Well, yippee! It's official...the winter sale is up and ready for your perusal...

I haven't really had much time to look around, but anticipate being able to do a post tonight highlighting the very best deals.

Until then, enjoy browsing around...and remember you can find past reviews of many Boden items at the tag "BWRR."

Here is a link to access the Boden site:

Quick reminder...all clearance items do not receive any additional % off nor will there be any free shipping included. (These terms could change but for now the shipping will not be free.)

Look forward to seeing what you all pick up!

P.S. There is now a tab called "NON SALE" at the Boden website...hmm...that is definitely new. Will check that out, too.

Boden: Could This Be It? Site Unavailable...Again!

2011-12-11T11:23:00.000-05:00

We know what these words typically mean...yep, big clearance sale upcoming. :)

I will only be around part of the day so if you see the switchover to the clearance (or sadly, if it reverts to "normal") would you let all of us know?

Here is a link for those of you on mobile devices:

Okay, all, talk soon, have a great Sunday!

Boden: Ruffle Front Dress (Maternity) Plus Some Sale Info (???).

2011-12-10T12:28:00.000-05:00

First things first...I received a comment from Greatbleuheron this morning at my last pos t where she let me know that in the wee hours of this morning that Boden switched the prices on the items to their "sale/clearance" prices. And then when she checked again later this morning that all the prices were back to their regular prices. AND to verify it even further, my shopping bag was COMPLETELY empty this morning when I went to the site to check things out (I had a few items in there). My shopping bag only disappears when Boden is having "fun" at their site. So who know whens the switchover to clearance will happen, but in order to to keep your access to the site easier (especially if you use a mobile device), I am providing a link at the very bottom of this post, which you can click on to see if the site has changed over. From what I remember from years past, the changeover doesn't take long, so when it does happen, the site should only be down for a little while (under a couple of hours, most likely).

Second, I have a bit of info from another commenter, lala, who said that she needed us to know of a fault in one of Boden's jackets, the short military jacket. She says this: [I]ts lining simply falls apart. I bought it back in October and two days ago I noticed that the very soft, velvety lining they used for this item simply does not do the job. I wrote to Boden and they told me that they had quite a few complaints of the same nature and offered me a full refund. They did not, however, withdraw the item from their website and considering that the sale is imminent (and this jacket really beautiful), many will be tempted but it is better to stay away from it.

I truly appreciate lala reaching out to us over this item. Boden has had issues with items in the past, most notably the Audrey Dress (which I do own in green). I had ordered it in charcoal but the production had to stop because the Boden folks did not believe its quality from the production line was up to snuff and decided to pull the item from their stock. I wonder why they chose not to do the same with this jacket. Odd. Maybe it has something to do with how late in the season they discovered the problem???

Third, I have a review of a clearance item from last summer that I finally have gotten around to ordering, the ruffle front dress from Boden maternity. I fell in love with it back in the spring but knew that unless I had a true belly full of baby that buying it would be a tad excessive. In fact, I held off until the beginning of December because I still wondered if the $85 (clearance price, people!) tag was worth it for a fairly simple dress.

I do want to give all of these photos a disclaimer...I am not on my normal computer, and the world's teeniest laptop doesn't have the amazing editing program, Picasa, on it. Sadly. So while these photos should do the job, they are not up to my personal standards. Everyone, cross your fingers that I can get my computer back as quickly as possible!

Ruffle Front Dress. Size 6, which is my true to size jersey dress size with Boden. The dress fits very nicely, and the fabric is extremely soft. The top is nice and fitted, with just the right amount of flair to accommodate hips and a growing belly.

From the side. You can tell that this makes my belly look bigger than it actually is, especially as the skirt falls straight from the belly versus contouring it. In my opinion, I am okay with this...I have had six months of not having any sympathy, so for people to notice now and offer to open doors and help me up from my seat, etc., is certainly appreciated (and useful, I am actually in a bit of pain, especially by the end of the day, as my belly gets heavier and is starting to affect my back and lower pelvis).

I personally believe this dress can be worn non-pregnant, as well, but won't truly know until the spring after I have Gus. The way the dress is fashioned makes me believe that the skirt will just be a generous a-line versus one that looks deflated from lack of a baby belly.

From the back you can't even tell I am pregnant. It just looks like a normal little black dress.

Close-up of the ruffles. On the black version, this element is almost lost, but is still a nice bit of fluff for those of us girly-girls. The pink and blue versions the ruffles look very pronounced.

Here is the dress dressed up. I bought the dress because it can be worn on its own with sandals and a necklace, or with tights, heels, and a jacket in the winter. If you are pregnant OR expect to be pregnant in the future, this may be a good investment piece that you can work into your maternity wardrobe in many different ways. 10 out of 10 for versatility (especially in the black) but only a 5 out of 10 for value. Even at $85, it seems pretty expensive. Although if I make this dress work postpartum, I may re-evaluate the value. :)

The jacket, btw, is from Anthropologie and is called the Boucle de Souffle jacket by Elevenses. I last wore it here. I also wore it the same night I took these review photos, but with a different outfit, which I will publish later this week. The shoes are the Coralie patterned heels which J. Crew sold a few years ago, love the pop of colorful paisley in this fairly simple outfit.

Ruffle Front Dress. Many sizes and colors still available.

Finally the link I promised for easy access to the Boden website:

If you see the changeover, I would love to read all about it! :)

You all have a great Saturday!

Boden: Reminder, 25% Off Ends Tonight!

2011-12-08T17:18:00.000-05:00

Hi, all. Yes, there is a lack of a Boden Weekly Review Roundup this week...I have lost my computer to the computer fix-it guru (aka my brother), so I am on the world's teeniest laptop which has very VERY little ability to actually help me with my blogging. Well, beyond posts like this...of course.

If I don't get my computer back tomorrow, I will make due, but hopefully I have some luck. :)

Anyhow, this post is simply a reminder that tonight is the last night for Boden's current promo of 25% off everything (excluding clearance) and free shipping.

For mobile users, you can access the coupon here:
Save 25% at Bodenusa.com with Free Shipping

The coupon is also in my sidebar. :)

Alright, all...have a wonderful night and stay warm!

P.S. How many of you have a special feeling that Boden will start their fall/winter clearance tomorrow? Hmm...

J. Crew Reviews: Isabel and a Pair of Crewcuts.

2011-12-06T16:07:00.000-05:00

Hey, all! I am going to make today's reviews brief and to the point--two reasons, my computer is on the fritz (ergh, power cable issues), and I am like a pregnant kitty cat, hyper-flexible (hey, thanks relaxin!) and always needing a nap. LOL. :)

I have three sweaters in today's post, the Cashmere Isabel sweatshirt in heather nordic blue, a crewcuts lambswool sweater in heather mediterranean, and another crewcuts (get it, a pair?) cashmere cable crewneck sweater in heather citrus.

Amazingly, given the sizes I purchased (wanted them to be for years to come, not just pregnant dinagideon year), I actually fit into all of them. I doubt they all (except the Isabel) will fit at full term, but I know I have at least a month or so left to wear all three. Yippee!

Can I just first mention how much I LUURRVVE this outfit? I wore it on the preschool run today, and for an early (and slightly wet and warm) December morning, I all at once felt festive and perfectly warm and cozy?

Sweater: Cashmere Isabel Sweatshirt, Size extra-small. This runs really large. It is supposed to be a loose fit, but it is bordering on too slouchy. Since my upper half of my torso hasn't grown, the shoulders were all '80s flashdance-y and my lower half was fitting exactly right. :) I suppose all "Flashdance" is fine, but we'll see next year. Even if it is out of style, I still will probably keep it because it is SO COZY and yummy and warm and the color is a bit of candy blue heaven, just bright enough to warm my skin up, but not so bright I am the first thing you see coming. If you can get this with an extra % off, bite. It is a good egg in the J. Crew cashmere basket.

Pants: Duo Maternity, Cargo Pants, Size Small. I have had these since I was pregnant with Rex and thought the ivory nicely suited the nordic blue sweater.

Scarf: Loft Infinity Scarf that I will do a quickie review of in a couple of photos.

Shoes: Boden Animal Print Bow Flats. These are from a few years ago, and I wear them as much as I can, love the contrast blue bow to the giraffe print. Boden has a current style that they are selling that I both did a review of here and that you can find at this link, Animal Bow Pumps. Speaking of Boden, they have decided to continue selling their full and promo priced items at an extra 25% off with free shipping, so I have included a link at the very bottom of this post with that link (there is also one in the sidebar). You will want to click on that before buying so the % off can be applied to your shopping bag.

I just love this shot. But you can totally see Flashdance up top and normal on bottom, right? :)

This scarf is so lovely...and I was fortunate enough to get it on the Cyber Monday madness (along with a pregnancy top) for an extra 50% off. I figured it was such a great deal that I would get one for my stepmom.

It is called the Shimmer Open Knit Infinity Loop Scarf and is $34.50 before any discounts. The price on its own is great, but for half off is almost a steal. It isn't cashmere or any sort of yummy wool, but the acrylic is soft and warm and this style can be looped twice (like I have done) or three times for extra warmth. I love how the shimmery light gold looks with the blue...very pretty combo.

Another momma/baby/Rex shot. He loves the baby so much. Really very cute. :)

The color of the sweatshirt is most accurate here as I know that is the exact shade of Rex's tee. So if you like that shade of blue for you then you should be stoked in real life when you receive it.

I call this look Preppy Pregnant Person. (Wait till you see it paired with the Prince of Wales Schoolboy Jacket, hoo boy, call Harvard.)

Sweater: Crewcuts Lambswool Sweater, Size 14. This is pretty true to size as far as crewcuts go...so if you wear a size extra small in regular J. Crew tops (or size 4-6), you should be fine to wear this. Only avoid crewcuts if you have a longer torso as the length is a bit shorter. In fact the reason I will need to stop wearing this after another month or so is because of the length, not the stretchability, etc.

Pants: Liz Lange for Target, Size 6. I think these are fab, but I prefer duo as I like the stretchy waistband bit on duo and only like the adjustable (button tab type) waistband on very specific types of pants.

Shoes: Uggs Ashdale, Size 9. I have a desire for shearling lining, it seems. I am a big wimp when it comes to cold weather, and the lining makes it a tiny bit more bearable. The Ashdale look like regular duck shoes but with the shearling twist. My hubby liked them but kind of laughed when he saw me wearing them on a non-rainy day.

Scarf: J. Crew Airy Wool Scarf. I love the pattern and loved all the pieces it came in, but I really think at this point, I need to just get things that will last in my wardrobe longest...hence a scarf. I have scarves from years ago that I still wear, so I know it will stick around. Totally sold out, but I provided a link just in case (popbacks).

From the side. Oddly enough this one makes my belly look smaller. Ha. At least I get more sympathy if the belly looks bigger. This outfit was worn on Saturday, so I can ensure you that my belly is only a teeny bit bigger than this today.

The color is awesome, btw. Just a very pretty intense shade of blue...it definitely looks like a part of the sea.

I loved this sweater SO MUCH that when I saw it for sale at 9.80 in the red color, I bit and added free monogramming. After the extra % off (it was a 25% off day), the total was 7.50 or something. I about died, I was so thrilled. Yeah, you know the end of the story, right? It was canceled. Boo. Boo. Sad face.

With the Schoolboy Blazer in Prince of Wales Wool. I know there are some folks who dislike this jacket, but I adore the plaid/tartan (right, Tabitha?) and the weight is awesome for our warmer winters here in DC.

It still fits, and I anticipate that as long as I don't need it to be buttoned, I will be able to wear it as a topper until the bitter end. I should mention it is in my tts jacket size of 4.

Close up of both the Prince of Wales Schoolboy and the scarf.

And finally, outfit #3. Yet another preschool run outfit. It was another fairly warm day, and oh, man, I was almost dying I was so hot by the end of the day. This crewcuts cashmere is some warm wool!

Sweater: Crewcuts Cashmere Cable Crewneck Sweater. I bought this in a size 14 and for a really good price, something like $70. It is EXACTLY the same as adult sweaters, just a bit shorter in the torso and cheaper. Yeah, um, I'll take it. (Especially on sale. Especially then!) The heather citrus color is so soft and lofty, I literally was petting myself all day.

Pants: Duo Maternity Skinny Jeans, Size small. I felt elegant wearing these, very slim and long enough for my inseam. Love that they carry long lengths.

Shoes: Miss Albright Prized Rose Peep-Toes, worn with black socks (so they don't really look like peep-toes anymore).

Necklace: Boden Statement Necklace from a couple of years ago. Currently they have the Chandelier Necklace, which if combined with the extra 25% off link (at the end of the post) is around $75. I think I paid somewhere in that neighborhood for mine (also on sale).

From the side. This is a belly from before Thanksgiving. Definitely smaller. Good to know that Gus grows. :)

I hope these reviews have helped you all! Good luck with your sweater shopping this season.

For those of you Boden fans, here is the link to that 25% off deal I mentioned a few times above:
Save 25% at Bodenusa.com with Free Shipping
This sale is on till Thursday night, December 8, 2011. :) Enjoy!

P.S. I was a guest blogger on my friend Rebecca's blog, I Wanna Be a Domestic Goddess (love that blog name), and it was a ton of fun making a wishlist for me and the kiddoes. Check it out here!

Okay, talk soon, you all...

Mommy Style Monday #24--Party On, Pregnant Girl!

2011-12-05T11:19:00.000-05:00

Although most of my days are spent in your basic "SAHM style" outfits of skinny jeans, embellished tank, jacket/cardi, and a pair of fun boots or flats, I am occasionally called to bring my style game up a bit more...especially by my husband's work. They have parties like no one's business.

Their office parties don't even qualify as "typical."

(You know what I mean, drunk people staggering around the copiers, etc.)

They have those, but they also have "functions." These occur at glam hotels that we can only ever stay in if priceline happens to accept our stupidly low offer (which, btw, happens. all. the. time.). I happen to love party frocks so getting kitted out is never ever a bad day for me, but I always feel challenged to make it just right.

Last year's attempt was my most successful, and one that I would love to be able to do again and again, but sadly for the two parties I have been to this year (so far, I have another one on Wednesday), my baby belly was just a smidge too big to let that particular ensemble out to play again (plus what if someone remembers, lol, just kidding, definitely not possible with the crowd Mr. Dina runs with).

I also liked the party outfit I wore to teach my Spring into Style class, but again, not an easy look whilst giving Gus a ride.

So what did I do and what am I planning to do?

The first event was a VERY BIG ONE. On our tenth anniversary, the place where my husband works had their 50th Anniversary Gala Dinner. Yeah, 50. They showed us. :)

I partly pretended that I was going to this amazing party for us, and that the hundreds of people there were all saying, "Happy Tenth, dinagideon and Mr. Dina, you all MADE IT, Huzzah!" Ha.

In reality, it was just a nice way to celebrate the long, hard road that his non-profit has had to take. I actually learned quite a bit about his company that night, which made me more appreciative of the work they do.

But...and this was a stickler, I needed a floor length gown that would fit. And still fit after I was done being pregnant. Fortunately I wasn't full term, but rather, just a bit bigger through the waist than normal (I believe I was 16 weeks at this point). So I turned to ebay and the lovely sample purveyors that exist only there (well, at least for those of us who aren't in NYC for the sample sales).

Turns out there was a size 6, J. Crew Madison Ave. Collection one-shouldered dress available...and had been available for a while. I had been eyeing it ever since finding out I was pregnant AND knowing that this gala was on and I was going.

I first asked for measurements, which they sent, and looked okay to me (bit tight, but spanx can work wonders), and I made an offer, then a counter-offer, and finally, it was on its way to me.

It has pockets!

Best I can tell, this is a dress meant for either a mother of the bride OR for exactly what I did with it, a fab soiree that is black tie.

It is a silk/rayon blend with a poly lining, and it's decorated with little white dots and black fuzzy dots all over. It looked like stars on the web, and from far away in real life, still does.

I needed to define the waist a bit so I could take the attention away from my baby belly, so I pulled out my black elastic blossoms belt from J. Crew last season (so stretchy!). :)

The dress is really long, but because of the full skirt, glided nicely over my belly and exactly to the right length on the floor. So you couldn't see my beautiful Tilly Satin Two Tone heels, but I showed them to all the women who wanted to see them.

Makeup is always fun for me, and I spent as much time of the kids' naps getting ready. Still didn't have as much time as I would have liked, but ah, well, that is life with toddlers. You all remember being young and spending all day getting ready for prom or homecoming? Yeah, I do, and I sometimes miss that level of "me time." ;)

I needed a very lightweight fancy topper, so I pulled out yet another sample from my closet. I bought this cardigan more for casual wear, but have yet to wear it as such. This one is another J. Crew Collection piece that was never made for the retail market. I think it is a really over the top piece, but definitely less so than some of the doozies they've pulled out in the past few years (porcupine popover, I am SO looking at you).

That said, I bet Jenna Lyons thought this cardi read "too old," which I can see, but regardless, it is a really fab bit of shine. It is all hand applied sequins and has a zip front...on very soft merino wool. I believe the seller wanted some really low amount, like $40, so I bit.

The bag is another J. Crew piece, again, bought on super sale, the crushed glitter satin clutch. It was an exact match for the shoes, which I don't normally care about, but liked that night.

Just some simple earrings helped finish off the look, didn't want to over-bling, you know?

And then, THREE days later, we had a wedding of one of Mr. Dina's former co-workers. At night, natch. So guess what? Cocktail dress!

This is the same exact dress I wore to Mr. Dina's last office holiday party (link is in the first part of this post), except this is the Caspian blue one that I bought in a larger size for when my best friend got married a few years ago and wanted me to be a bridesmaid.

Well, what do you know? 16 weeks pregnant is similar to dinagideon at nine months postpartum (hopefully not with Gus, though, lol), so with the exceptionally full skirt, it was the exact right dress for the night.

Again I paired it with a belt to hopefully draw the eyes upward (to where I am not gaining weight). The unique halter straps of the sangle dress helps, too.

I wore the dress with a pair of pewter heels from Nine West, and dangly earrings from J. Crew. The headband is also J. Crew.

Pockets! And at this angle, you can see a bit of the belly.

The bracelet is the amazing beautiful classic pave link bracelet that J. Crew must always sell, definitely classic, and definitely worth the price (especially if you can get some sort of discount).

This looks very Mid-Century Mom, I know. In fact my dad said his mom wore outfits like this out a lot when he was growing up. He said this is the way for a pregnant woman to party. Hee. My dad. (Rolls eyes.)

This jacket was yet another ebay score...it is called the Metallic Mosaic Jacket and was made by J. Crew in 2008. CW has a similar coat that I got for a song at one of their clearance centers.

In fact, this jacket was noticed by the bride's sister, who happens to work at one of the NY magazines, maybe People Style? Anyhow, it made me feel like I had chosen exactly right...

So what are my takeaways? (BTW, this can work for you all without extra "baggage," too.)

1. EBAY, EBAY, EBAY. If you know that you have a function and have some time to prepare, buy from there. Not only do the sellers have retail party dresses and toppers, they also have many very cool and unique samples. Admittedly it helps to have a dress size of 4-8, as the samples are usually a 6, but every so often, the samples will be made in other sizes, too.

2. J. CREW ON SUPER SALE. Oh, yeah, baby. That crushed glitter clutch was like $20 at the end of the season because of the markdown and then an additional 30% off.

3. RE-USE. Especially if you are constantly asked to dress up, have a staple set of six-eight dresses, in all lengths ready to go. As of now, I have two floor length gowns (the other one was worn to the Inaugural Ball for Governor McDonnell a couple years ago and is far too small for my baby belly) and about ten knee length cocktail dresses.

I am very glad I didn't sell my larger sized cocktail dresses as it turns out I needed them, so you may want to bear that in mind if you have the room to store the extra frocks.

And finally, what the heck am I going to do on Wednesday? I really don't know. Isn't that crazy? I have an ancient dress from my first pregnancy with Rex, and it is dressy, but I am not sure it is dressy enough. (I am unable to wear my normal dresses anymore, they are all far too small in the middle.)

So on Friday I bought a dress from ebay for a fairly decent price (maternity is expensive and going to my local Pea in the Pod is not even an option right now), which I truly hope gets here by then. Unfortunately the seller is in CA, but he did send it priority mail, and I have a confirmed shipping number, so I am crossing my fingers. (And if it doesn't come on time, there are a couple more small events that require me to get dressed up, so I will just wear this dress then and over-bling the ancient pregnancy dress.)

I guess I followed my own advice by turning to #1, EBAY. :)

Any of you have any yummy party outfit tricks that you employ?

Boden: Reminder, 30% Off Sale Ends Tonight!

2011-12-04T20:47:00.000-05:00

Hi, all, just a quick PSA to let you all know that the 30% off everything sale at Boden ends tonight. (Everything does not include clearance, though...which is a bummer, but I guess I can see their thought process on that.)

Here's the code in case anyone needs it: Save 30% at Bodenusa.com with Free Shipping

Did anyone bite? I did not, but I had purchased during the Limted Edition sale, so I was pretty pleased with my choices during that time.

Speaking of Limited Edition, the lovely Suzy of Bichonluvr's Closet did a wonderful review of the Leopard Beaded Cardigan, which she grabbed for a WONDERFUL price. Take a look here.