OOTDs: Some Regular Clothes. Not for Teaching.

Day: Wednesday, September 16, 2015.

Where:  School Meeting followed by Winesday.

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) This Boden jersey dress is very comfortable, I dig that it is tighter without being constricting.  It also has shaping at the top part of the dress, which draws the eyes up from my hips/bottom, aka my "trouble" spots.

Outfit Details: Dress, Boden; Shoes, J. Crew; Sunglasses, Target; Necklace, tru.che.

Anecdote of the Day: This was the last Winesday before I left for my cruise (on the 20th).  When I got back to town, the next Winesday there were threats of no more Winesdays (NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!) and a few of my most favorite employees had received the ax, even though they were all amazing and most deserving of promotions/more money and not firings.  Stupid Whole Foods.  The Winesdays are still on (phew!), but those employees aren't back.  Boo. 

INSTAGRAM HERE.

Day: Tuesday, September 29, 2015.

Where:  Preschool, Swimming, Old Town Alexandria.

Ease of Wear: (4.75 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  Well, gee, I am basically wearing an adult nightgown outside, but because it is shirred just right, and not of flannel, I can wear it and not draw any suspicions.  The scarf helped keep me warm, though I ended up taking it off partway through the day. 

Outfit Details: Dress, J. Crew Factory; Sandals, J. Crew Factory; Scarf, Do Everything in Love; Sunglasses, Target.

Anecdote of the Day: I never had a preschool run where there wasn't a kid attached to me (either CW as a baby, or Angus as a baby), and wow, it certainly is freeing not having any children attached to me at all.  I really enjoyed swimming and going to Old Town with only myself to worry about.   

INSTAGRAM HERE.

Day: Sunday, October 4, 2015.

Where:  Church.

Ease of Wear: (4.25 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) I haven't worn a formal skirt in a while.  I felt compelled to wear this because it was so gross and grey out and felt like matching the skies.  It was fairly comfy, the skirt sits well on my hips and waist, and the tights, sweatshirt, and shoes fit with just the right amount of ease.

Outfit Details: Skirt, J. Crew; Top, Boden; Shoes, J. Crew Factory, Boden; Necklace, J. Crew; Tights, Lands' End.

Anecdote of the Day:  I liked the look, but I was surprised by how many Instagram friends liked it, too.  I never do these monochromatic/neutral looks, and I guess people were happy to see me in something other than eye-searing color and pattern, lol.

INSTAGRAM HERE.

Day: Wednesday, October 7, 2015.

Where:  Funeral of a childhood friend and a school meeting.

Ease of Wear: (4.25 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  Well I knew I would be walking to the funeral from my school since the parking is a bear around the church where the funeral was to be held.  I also knew I would have Angus in the stroller, so I had to wear comfy shoes for that, too.  Fortunately this older Boden Limited Edition dress is made of a jersey ponte, and the shoes are flat without being so flat that they are hard to walk in.  I don't wear this dress often, but I appreciate it for occasions like this, one where reverence and formality are key.

Outfit Details: Dress, Boden Limited Edition; Shoes, FS/NY; Earrings, Macy's.

Anecdote of the Day: My friend went to grade school and high school with me, and now I teach with her mom, who I have known forever.  I feel for her mom, so if you are a praying type, do send some prayers her way and for the rest of the family.

On another note, I have now seen five of my high school friends die before age 40.  I know death is part of life, but it seem so shocking to lose so many so young.  We didn't even have that large of a graduating class (~250).  

INSTAGRAM HERE.

Day: Monday, October 5, 2015.

Where:  Very little done this day.  I may have done the school run.

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  Leggings, Sandals, and a Tunic.  Yeah, 'nuff said.

Outfit Details: Tunic, Boden; Leggings, Boden; Sandals, J. Crew Factory; Necklace, tru.che.

Anecdote of the Day: If I had something to give you, I would.  I know I was happy it had finally stopped raining, after nearly four full days of constant rain.

INSTAGRAM HERE.

Day: Tuesday, October 6, 2015.

Where:  Preschool, Swimming, Huntley Meadows for a walk, and the other school run.

Ease of Wear: (4.25 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  I found the outfit most comfortable after wearing it for a bit.  The J. Crew Reese pants are great, but sit funny sometimes...it's like I have to find their sweet spot on my hips.  At least they come in a tall length so I can have proper full length pants.  It got really warm that afternoon.  Glad to have it, but wore the wrong top.  Oops.

Outfit Details: Sweatshirt, J. Crew Factory; Pants, J. Crew; Sandals, Birkenstock (can find them here at Amazon.com ); Sunglasses, Target.

Anecdote of the Day: I (heart) Huntley Meadows so much.  It is a local wetland/forest preserve that has a boardwalk over the wetland portion.  We always see something, whether it be a snake, a beaver, a heron, etc.  This time was huge numbers of box turtles out sunning themselves.  Every time Angus said (more like like loudly spoke), "ooh look at the turtles, Momma," they would dive off their sunning logs and go hide.  Can't blame them.  He would look terrifying to me if I was their size.

INSTAGRAM HERE.

Day: Sunday, October 11, 2015.

Where:  Lazy day at home.

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) I feel like I am on repeat here.  Loose fit pants, a sweatshirt, and some Birkenstocks.  'Nuff said.

Outfit Details: Sweatshirt, J. Crew; Pants, Walmart; Sandals, Birkenstock (can find them here at Amazon.com in gold and silver ); Sunglasses, A.R. Trapp.

Anecdote of the Day: My facebook feed was filled with Redskins chatter (SO BORING, GAW) or people exclaiming they had just run the Army Ten-Miler (not boring, but made me feel LAZY).  I need to go away from FB sometimes.  Better for my mental health. 

INSTAGRAM HERE.

Day: Saturday, October 10, 2015.

Where:  Housewarming Party.

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  I love how polished this looks without being polished "feeling."  The Turner pants will always be in heavy rotation in my closet (every color I have fits well no matter what I am feeling that day, weight wise).  Even with the elastic banding at the cuff, they still manage to suitable for my version of dressy.  The linen Lena top is a bit wrinkle-prone, but manages to cut a nice shape without being too form-fitting.  (It actually swings away from my hips, so its a-line shape is perfect for my pear shape.)

Outfit Details:  Top, Boden (here on clearance, I took a size 6); Pants, J. Crew (they are now available in wool--yes, I bought them in grey); Shoes, Target; Sunglasses, Anthropologie.

Anecdote of the Day: Our minivan's battery died.  We manage to get it restarted and went to the housewarming party.  It started again after the party, so we went to Joann's since I needed to pick up some patterns.  That's where trouble started again.  No battery power.  We found the nicest person in the world to take ten minutes of her time after work (she had just gotten off) and she let us jump the van with her engine.  I need to make sure to pay that forward big time.  :-)

INSTAGRAM HERE.

OOTDs/Review: Santorini Amongst the Dandelions.

Day: Saturday, May 3, 2014.

Where: Baseball Game (Rex's not the National League--at least not yet!) followed by a trip to get Vietnamese sandwiches and then to Barnes and Noble.

Ease of Wear: (5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) Even with the higher-heeled sandals, this outfit is one of the easiest I have ever worn, hands down.  I am such a fan of the Santorini Sundress (here at Boden) that I am immediately going to pin this dress to my "Favorite Pieces from my Wardrobe" board.  I can see why this dress sold out almost immediately.  For more on the dress, I have written up a quickie review below.  The only issue I had was that my shoulders got burned, but that is MY fault...what kind of pale fool like me forgets sunscreen on a hot, sunny day?

Cool Factor: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest--for both outfits.) I think it looks very interesting with its unique mid-century inspired print, plus it is a very flattering easy knit dress with a fitted bodice and slightly flared skirt.  My husband really really liked it on me.  :-)

Anecdote from the Day:  I was going to go out with my friend from high school, L., but at the last minute she had to cancel.  I was tempted to go to where we were headed anyway, but I was all, "meh."  LOL.  So. not. motivated.

Santorini Sundress.  Size 6L.  I didn't even know this was part of the first summer rollout (came out with the Nancy dress) until I was looking around and then realized I hadn't seen it before.  I was very intrigued by the print, but when I opened up the page, I saw that the 6L was LONG gone.  Sadness.  I immediately started wondering how I could recreate this dress on my sewing machine, but I was really hung up on the fabric, so even though I *probably* could sew this up, I am happy to not have had to, since I think the fabric is very special.

It fits precisely as it should, and even features darting at the bustline for shaping, which is not always something found in jersey garments.  The pockets are also very handy and I found myself sticking my hands in them all day. 

It was hot out, but the breeze would catch the skirt and give me some *subtle* air conditioning, which is a big bonus here in DC, now that summer is very close (summers in DC--always brutal).

I think if you can grab this one, and you think it would suit you, it would be money well spent.  I had no problem buying this with the 15% off coupon.  No regrets!


Santorini Sundress.  A lot of the sizes and colors have sold out, but watch for popbacks.

Day: Saturday, April 26, 2014.

Where: Rex's baseball game (connection to the first outfit!), meeting my good blog friend Leslie in Old Town, and the walking SIX miles home from Old Town.  SIX miles.  :-)  It felt good!

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) Since I knew I would be walking home from Old Town, and I knew it would involve sun, some heat, and a few uphills, I decided comfort was key, even if I really wanted to wear something more pretty and unique to show off to Leslie.  This was the first time I was going to be meeting her, and even though I suspected had I worn a burlap sack she would have still liked me, I really wanted to look good, ya know?  In the end, I decided to go halfsies...wear the cool sweatshirt from the Neiman Marcus/Target collab...do my hair up in a functional yet kind of pretty style...and wear the sneakers that will help on the six mile walk, but also look *fly*.

I ended up getting pretty hot, but fair skinned me wasn't about to take off the sweatshirt for fear of burning.  I did drink all the water and green tea I had in my bag on the walk home to stay cool, though.

Cool Factor: (3.5 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest--for both outfits.) Pretty cool.  The sneakers are actually pretty old, but that retro style Nike is staying popular (although these aren't nearly as retro as my green kicks).  The short in front, longer in back sweatshirt look may be on the way out, but it still works, trend-wise, especially if you are a SAHM on a very long weekend walk.  ;-)

Anecdote from the Day:  Leslie wrote up a nice description of the day at her blog, Pink Tulips, and I really appreciate her taking the time to meet up with me.  She is an absolute breath of fresh air, which is needed in this hot air kind of place (thankyouverymuch, Congress!).  I loved when we were able to sit down at Austin Grill and just enjoy our yummy lunches al fresco (yay for outdoor seating!).  Anyhow, only regret?  Not grabbing a photo of the two of us!!!  Next time, for sure!

Okay, that's it for tonight, I really hope everyone is having a great evening!

If you are looking for a discount for Boden, this coupon below is the current one running through the affiliate program:

OOTD/Review: Maximizing the Summer.

Yes, that's a new haircut.  Finally!

Day: Tuesday, July 23, 2013.

Where:  Mint Condition (Consignment Shop) run, Cosi, and Anthropologie.

Ease of Wear: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  As you are all very aware by now (unless you just discovered my blog), I heart heart heart all my long jersey maxi dresses from Boden.  I love them because they are ridiculously comfortable and very cool on the hottest, most humid days.

Anyhow, as per usual, this dress is very much in the same vein, and I feel fortunate that I was able to grab this one on popback, since it was the original color I had wanted but had been sent another color.  Only drawback was that I had to grab in the size down, a 4 Long.  (Still fit, more on that in the review bit down below.)

The sandals are the versatile Seventies Wedges, and I continue to think their low wedge heel are a great lift without pain.  If you can get a pair of these on popback in your size, I highly recommend them (my original review of them is here, btw.)

Cool Factor: (3.5 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.)  I think I would give this outfit a half-point more if I had worn flat sandals since the effect of the maxi is a bit marred by the heel of the sandals lifting the hem a bit off the floor.  Since I went down a size, the length ends up being a bit shorter on my frame (probably since it is hugging my curves a bit more than the 6 Long does), which means I should wear these with absolutely flat shoes in the future.  That said, the sidewalks in Old Town are a bit dirty, so I was okay keeping the lovely fabric off the pavement.  :-)

Anecdote from the day:  It was nice spending the day in Old Town with Rex.  I had my dad take the youngest two to CW's Bug Walks and Critter Talks class and my oldest and I just chilled at the various shops and one of his favorite restaurants, Cosi (weird, right, but that's my guy!).

I had a 15% off bday coupon from Anthro, but try as I might, I couldn't bring myself to spend a load of money on items I can sew on my own, so I bought a cute pair of sunglasses, a darling embroidered tea towel, and a knitted short-sleeve cotton sweater.

Mint Condition took nearly all my consigned items from this post, so yay for that! 

Review: I actually thought there would be a slightly bigger difference between the 4 Long and the 6 Long (here is my original review), but this Jersey Maxi Dress is very forgiving in the size 4 Long, which makes it appear to fit nearly the same as the 6 Long.  The only (pretty obvious) difference is the length, since the 6 long is worn with a higher heeled shoe, yet appears much longer.

So if you see a popback in a color you like, and it is one size up or down, go for it.  The jersey works out all the issues because it truly is a miracle fabric.

Mr. Dina lol-ed that the camera was fogging up due to the vast contrast in temps between his sister's house and her front porch.  He really loved the halo effect the camera gave the image.  He insisted I use this one in today's post. 

Day: Wednesday, June 17, 2013.

Where:  Ruby Falls, you all!

Ease of Wear: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  Exactly like the above outfit, just substitute the dress for last season's version (original review here) and the sandals for Johnnie b.'s leather clogs (no longer available, apparently due to a fault in the wood used in the sole--they sent me a letter saying I could return, and I was all, "feh, no way!").

Cool Factor: (3 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.)  Very pretty outfit, but definitely very in your face with all those glorious bright pinks.  I suspect I should tone it down a bit if I wanted to be "cool."

Anecdote from the day:  I was a bit stressed once down in the cave for Ruby Falls since my youngest is a mover and shaker now, but I used my wrap to keep him next to me the whole time, and so long as I was moving, he was fine.  The moment I dared to stop, he would whine and complain, loudly.  Sigh.*

Rex loved it.  He actually exclaimed loudly, upon seeing the falls, "THIS IS AWESOME!"

*I have a flight with Angus at the end of August.  Unlike my past few flights with him, he now wants to be running around almost always.  My hope is that I have had enough sleep and patience to deal with him, and with any grace, maybe I will be blessed with a baby willing to sleep at least part of the flight.  Fortunate for me, he likes blowing kisses at ladies, so maybe a few of the flight attendants will be charmed by him, and will blow him a few kisses back.  Wish me luck on that!

Speaking of moving, I move constantly with him, but the last five pounds of weight is not budging off my body.  I think that I have a reason to hold onto them, but it is a wee bit frustrating to not see the results on my scale.

Alrighty, I hope all of you are having a great day, and maximizing your summer!  ;-)

Boden: Catch of the Day...Catch All.

Good Wednesday afternoon!

Okay, just like Monday and Tuesday, Boden has given us a catch of the day, which means that the items selected are 25% off, which is 10% better than the 15% off you would normally get if you just used my sidebar's coupon (also at the bottom of this post).  Anything not in the "Catch of the Day" sale is still able to receive the 15% off, btw.

(And use the coupon for free shipping, even if all you are getting is catch items, since the free ship works on everything at the site.)

Today was the day I was most looking forward to since I have an actual need for pants that fit me correctly.  I have so many dresses and tops that fit me so well, but I am continually buying pants that don't fit me well, which then either means I return them to the store (did once. again. yesterday. sigh.), sell them on ebay or the JCA exchange, consign them, or give them away.  I have actually toyed with the idea of giving up pants* all together, but I know that in my life, that is not necessarily a practical option, so I will continue to seek out the elusive, "OMG, perfect pants!!!!!"

*I know that read as scandalous to my British readers.  Stop being so fresh.  ;)

There are more than just trousers* for sale today, including skirts, shoes, and an assortment of accessories for the ladies, shorts for men and boys, and skirts, tights, and shorts for the girls.

*British readers, see...I know the proper term.  LOL.

I have only made picks from the women's section, but there are some darling items for sale in the girls' section, and for those of you with young babies, there are nice, practical options for them.

Okay, here are the picks...

British Mini.  All three colors are on sale.  This skirt looks like it could nicely bridge the work/play divide by being conservative enough for most offices (note: if you need length, the long measures 22 inches, which is right above the knee on me at 5'8", would be even longer on shorter ladies) but also sweet enough, especially in the fun pastel shades for dates or parties.

The fabric seems serious enough, a mix of Abraham Moon and Sons wool and linen, which may be too heavy for most of here in America in mid-summer, but just fine for now in January and February.

Leather Folded Clutch.  I thought the clutch in the photo above was grey, but they say it is brown, whatever.  :)

The clutch is available at 25% in all shades, but the grey (brown) is probably the most practical.  However, it is a clutch, so not really practical by its nature, which means splashing out on red or yellow is okay, too.  (Not enabling, but stating how I see it...)

This particular bag seems fairly popular based on what I have seen from other bloggers, blog friends, and facebook folks.  It will be around for a while, but will probably sell out at clearance time.

Oil Cloth Tote.  This one is also available for 25% off in all colors.  I adore the turmeric doves pattern as well as the durable fabric, but oh, my, doesn't this bag look like it would be big enough to hold a book and maybe a wallet just based on this picture alone?  No, that would be an incorrect assumption.  If you click on over to its product page, you will see the model holding it and she looks like she is struggling under the weight of the bag, it is that big.

There are uses for such a large bag, though, and at this price, that large bag is indeed a nice deal.

Skinny Belt.  All colors are on sale.  This particular color combo made me smile.  I love the brilliant deep teal color paired with the vibrant red, very pleasing to the eye. 

Stitch Burst Skirt.  All colors are on sale.  This skirt intrigues me, but I am often intrigued by Boden's embroidered offerings.  (The fun skirts have seen to have disappeared, and in their place are these less "fun" pretties.) 

One thing of note on this skirt, the one review on the site mentions that the skirt the model is wearing is actually navy with purple embroidery, and am surprised by that...so be wary of that colorway if you want one with the pretty blue stitching you see in the photo.

Suede Brogues.  I know many of you love these shoes, so I anticipate many of you will be thrilled that these are on sale.  My favorites are these grey ones, but I love all the other colors, too.  Very classic and made out of all leather, so they should last in your wardrobe for many years.

Wideleg Jeans.  And now we are at the item I will be buying tonight, in hopes of finding a pair of pants that I can wear and not have to return right away (I am looking at you stovepipe pants from J. Crew!!!).  I think these will be long enough in the inseam (they have longs), big enough in the thighs, roomy enough through the hips, but also not be too large through my upper hips.  We'll see.  And I will definitely report back.

This color above is the only one in the sale.

Zip Ankle Skimmers.  I really liked my pair from the fall (only one issue for me in those and that is that the upper hip fits oddly, but remember, pants, all of them, hate me) so I highly recommend these.  Only two shades are in the sale, these in navy, and in the guava color.

Okay, that's it!  Do you have any picks from today?

Reminder, here is the schedule for the rest of the week:

Thursday--Tops
Friday--Lucky Dip

Okay, here is the coupon for 15% off and free ship:

OOTD: SAHM, Sequins, Fedora, and a Maxi.

Hi, everyone!

After writing last night's post, I expected that I could get this post done by mid-morning today.  Then life (read: kids, doctor's appointments, errands, etc.) happened.  I didn't have a blog the last time I had a wee newborn, and even then, I didn't have two toddlers on hand whose every last need was my responsibility.  ;)  So I take it as I can, but it does sort of get frustrating that I can't keep my favorite hobby up to the extent that I would like. 

Having said all that, I won't get this time back with my kids, so in the world of priorities, clearly spending as much *quality* time as I can with them will always be number one.

Anyhow, I now have a few brief moments, and will at least get this outfit post published.

I had thought I would wear this particular outfit in California, but the night that I had planned to wear it, I decided to be lazy (it was on day 8 of the vacation) and stay at the hotel with Angus and watch four hours (!!!) of National Geographic channel while feeding him and me (yummy hotel food--and yummy hotel mojito).

The day after we got home (amazingly, if you didn't read it in the last post, we nearly, and I mean NEARLY, missed the flight) I had a Whole Foods date with a good friend of mine, so I decided that this had just enough casual dressy to work for the occasion.

Whole Foods here has a Wines-day event every Wednesday, and for $5 you receive a wine glass, five separate tastings of wine and small samples of a food pairing.  It was awesome, and my friend and I have plans to do this at least once a month or more (I may try to make it every week).  This week was Pinot Grigio week, so I was in heaven, as this is one of my most favorite types of wine.  Plus it was super hot outside, and the pinot was very light and fresh.

Skirt: Boden Swishy Maxi Skirt.  First reviewed by me here.  I wanted to make this outfit a bit more conservative and more California casual, so I decided to go with a fuller sequined tee, the fedora, and a very "now" white clutch.  The navy skirt is barely on sale (only $15 off full price), but the other colors are priced to sell.
Top: J. Crew Sample.  I wore it last here.  Definitely a different look this time, but sadly I still have an additional 10 pounds around my upper hips, so those green shorts are not happening right now.  
Hat: J. Crew Factory.  I wear this hat constantly in summer.
Clutch: Anthropologie Malmo Shoulder Bag.  I bought this on ridiculous super sale.  I had it in my shopping bag waiting for a good sale, and I nearly forgot about it...and one day I opened the shopping bag up and saw that this near $300 purse went on sale for $30.  It is full grain leather, nicely lined, and with a pretty closure (you can see a close-up in the bottom photo).

The clutch isn't really a clutch, but you can easily hide the strap in the back portion of the bag.

I wore this outfit with a pair of sandals from the Loft.  I am stoked that this skirt is *just* long enough to cover my feet except when walking...most maxis are too short for me, so if you are a taller lady, definitely consider this skirt if you want to have a true maxi.

Detail shot of the makeup, hair, hat, and a tremendous number or sequins.  ;)

Detail shot of the closure on the bag.  LOVE.

Sequins, Swishy, and Swank. by dinagideon featuring a straw hat

Above is the polyvore.

You all have a great afternoon.  Maybe, with any luck, I can get around to answering questions left for me in the comments.  Maybe.  ;)