OOTDs: Mardi Gras and Ash Wednesday.

Subtitle #1: Lots and Lots of Purple.

Subtitle #2: Mardi Gras--Not Just Mardi Gras.

Subtitle #3: Review of the Boden Pointed Mary Janes.

There's a lot here, you all.  :)

Day: Wednesday, February 13, 2013. (Today!)

Where: Ash Wednesday Mass.

Ease of Wear: (3.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) Well, it was comfortable enough, but let's be clear, wearing a pencil skirt with a pair of low heels all while trying to juggle the world's largest man baby (he refuses to sit during mass so I have to take him on mini-walks up and down the back part of the church) is not super easy.  If there was no largest man baby (pictured in photo #1), this outfit would rate a 4.

Cool Factor: (3 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.) Perfect for church on Ash Wednesday, so definitely not cool, but very much appropriate.  And that works for me just fine.

Anecdote from the day:  I have spent the day feeling annoyed at everything, but since my Lenten promise means I can't moan about those irritating things for forty days, I guess I won't spill my guts here, but they involve skirts that don't fit (not the teal one above, though), "me first" DC area drivers, broken zippers on a new Boden dress (grrr!), and my husband.  ;)

 Day: Tuesday, February 12, 2013. (Daytime.)

Where: Rex's school (TWICE!), and Party City.

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) It is a pair of leggings combined with a mid-00s empire line tunic (so stretchy and manmade) plus a pair of purple ballet flats.  I am not wearing pajamas, but they would do well in a pinch for sleepwear.

Cool Factor: (1 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.)  Ain't gonna lie, this is the world's least cool outfit.  Well, maybe not the least cool in the world, but for this blog, this is pretty bad.  LOL.

I have worn this top before, but that was four years ago, so it was only a few years out of style back then.  If I hold onto it just. a. little. bit longer, I bet it comes back into style.  Or not. 

I hold onto it because we celebrate Mardi Gras, if it we didn't, this top would have been in the donate pile years and years ago.

Anecdote from the day:  What didn't I do in this outfit?  Seriously, yesterday was the perfect foil for my blog's title.  I felt like if there was ever an overabundance of things accomplished in one day's time, this would be that day.

Started off by dropping Rex at school,

then watched a dvd on my new sewing machine while I waited in the car until I was needed at the school,

then I went into the school to help his classmates and him paint a child's bookcase for the school auction,

after which I headed home to feed Angus,

which then led to going to Party City to get Rex a balloon for his birthday and Mardi Gras beads for his classmates,

then back to school to give his classmates a cupcake and the beads,

and finally heading home.

Then I went to work out at the gym with my brother...

And then...

Day: Tuesday, February 12, 2013. (Night.)

Where: Rex's Birthday dinner at El Paso Cafe (with a bit of celebration tossed in for Mr. Dina's bday, Mardi Gras, and the restaurant's 21st birthday).

Ease of Wear: (3.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  I love Boden's silk jersey dresses.  This one is a favorite of mine, and definitely one that is perfect for the Lenten season.

Cool Factor: (3 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.)  Much like the Ash Wednesday outfit, it was exactly the right outfit for the occasion.  I didn't have the right tights to wear with it, but as it turned out, the night was pretty warm, so even the peep toe heels were okay.  I think with tights and some killer boots, this outfit could have been bumped up a half point, but I was with family, and they don't really care what I wear (even though I wish they would!).  ;)

Anecdote from the day:  I think it is so cool that so many wonderful things happened on Rex's birthday.  I know they were all coincidental, but I think he liked having all these interesting and unusual occurrences on his special day.  And as his mom, I was pleased to see him having such a great day. 

Pointed Mary Janes.  The Pointed Mary Janes are another great example of what makes me love Boden's footwear, year after year.  For a fairly decent price, Boden uses great materials (usually all leather construction) to craft classic, yet punchy colored shoes.

I have fallen so deeply in love with my Sixties Heels (last worn here), that I determined that if Boden issued another pair of shoes that reminded me of the sixties heels, but in new colors, I would definitely be purchasing.  So when I saw these in the Spring preview, I bit on the eucalyptus shade, which you can see here is a mid grey-green done in patent leather.

You can also see that the fasteners are pop-button, but they stayed nicely secured through the day, which surprised me.  (Happily surprised, of course.)

The shoes fit well in the 41.  I normally am between a 40 and 41, but the larger size works better since I think this shoe runs small and narrow for a Boden shoe.

From the side.  The heel is not very tall, and there is plenty of room in the toe box, so I found it to be very comfortable.  It is also a very pretty shoe, ladylike and pristine. They are currently on deep backorder in the pink and silver colors, but fully stocked in the green shade. This means they are unlikely to do a second order of the green ones, so if you see the stock box head to "pink/low stock" that means once it sells out, that's it. (Not that this will happen any time soon, though.) I have a coupon in the sidebar for 15% off with free ship, however you click here, it will have the same effect (I finally learned how to really embed links properly!).

There's Angus wearing his "My first Mardi Gras" shirt given to him by Mr. Dina's parents.  You can't really find things like this around here in the DC area (even though there are celebrations all over town, it isn't celebrated by everyone like down where Mr. Dina comes from). 

What's better than a day full of events tailor-made to make you happy?  Ice cream, of course, and a small sombrero.

Mr. Dina's head barely fit into the hat.  That's saying something.  As said in the awesome movie "So I Married an Axe Murderer," "that boy's heed is SO big ... it has its own weather system."  Ha.

We are always wearing sombreros on this blog.  I think we should buy my brother Peter one to wear all the time, he looks so good in it.

And finally, the ubiquitous shot of Dina having had two (!!!) yummy margaritas.  Mmm.  Margaritas.

Okay, that's it, you all have a great night.  :)

What did you all do for Mardi Gras?  Do tell.  I always enjoy tales of overconsumption.  Please tell me that at least some of you had two margaritas, too. 

ROYGBIV: Green...Not Just for St. Patrick's Day.

Good Monday evening!  (And Happy Memorial Day!)

I can't get over how quickly May has flown by...at the beginning of the month I thought, "oh, I have 31 days in this month, plenty of time to get all sorts of things done."  And then I barely accomplished half of what I wanted to do.

Does that happen to you all?  I am in no way mad at myself for not getting all the things on my work list done, but I am definitely noting in my notebook of life that all the best laid plans often go to waste.  I guess that is why cliches exist, to prove that they will one day happen to you, too.  So watch out!  (The actual cliche is a mouthful, btw: the best laid plans of mice and men often go astray.)

A week ago to the day I published the ROYGBIV post on yellow, so I probably should get around to doing green already.

I heart green so much, and wear it all the time.  Something about its earthiness appeals to me.  Since I live next to a forest, it should be obvious that I want green in more than just my wardrobe.  (The walls in my bedroom are lime green.  I could go on and on...)

It's not just the verdant shades of the trees that I adore, either...all those yellow-greens and blue-greens are wonderful, too.

Today I am showing off two outfits in probably my all time favorite shade of green, moss green, a little dark green with just a hint of yellow.

Jacket--J. Crew Factory. (Called the Celtic Country jacket when it was in the retail stores in 2006.)
Top--Target, Mossimo Striped Tee.
Pants--Inc. (Macy's).  These are a pair of black pants that allow me to feel like a normal person even though I may still have an extra five inches on my hips because of postpartum"padding."
Shoes--Missoni for Target.
Necklace--J. Crew.

This outfit was worn on April 12, so Angus was about 18 days old.  Like all my awesome pants that I have had since I had Rex, I (eventually) stop wearing them when my hips return to normal.  I have now retired these to the basement storage area, but to be honest, if I could find these in a size 8, I would buy them in a heartbeat, they fit that well.

I like the look on my face.  I was probably frustrated with the camera's timer here.

Close up of the jacket, necklace, and tee.

My hubby liked my hair that day, big fan of the pigtails.  (Weird.)

This is my hipster/Madewell inspired outfit that I wore to Rex's second tee ball game (no tee ball gown that day, lol).  It was sort of cold that day, but I know that layers are the way to go as I often overheat (I run hot), so I gave a nod to my love for the prep and slung the striped cardi over my shoulders.

If you open the photo, you will see the info on the pieces.

Those J. Crew sweatpant trousers are ridiculous.  They are comfy and awesome, but they had been in the sale section, at the same sale price FOREVER.  J. Crew...folks aren't buying them at the higher sale price, LOWER the price.  Honestly I am surprised they are sold out, they just sat there for months and months and months.

(Ha, I know I bought them at the higher sale price, but I did get the 30% off...and in my defense, I was able to wear it when I was early in my pregnancy without fear of the waistband digging into my belly.)

Close up of the cardi and the top.  I really do love this shade of green, so pretty.

Speaking of Madewell, the photo of the French woman reading the book from their spring catalog inspired my outfit.  No, it is not an exact copy, but I love the ease of the look, and I think I came close.

No, it isn't green.  But like a dummy, I forgot to put this outfit in the last ROYGBIV post, so let's just pretend that it was part of my "yellow" post.  In fact if you click over real quick, take a peek, and go back in your browser, it will be *almost* like it is in the right place.

He wears green, too!

Aww...so cute!  Angus was 20 days old here (he was 2 months on May 25, btw).  If you open this photo up, you will see his onesie proclaims that he is indeed the "cutest monster."  ;) 

Okay, that's it.

I am heading to Miami tomorrow (whee!) and will be around "virtually," but not with any regularity.

Also, I have news of a sale for Boden tomorrow, but you will have to wait until I publish that post tomorrow morning...but for some of you, this may be the sort of % off that you need right now for all your Boden wish list items.  There is a chance that I won't be able to get it to go live until later in the day, and if that is the case, please bear with me and know that when I can get the link up, I will!

Night, night!!!

White Hot Summer.

Seriously.  People.  Hot.  You can actually see me sweating (not even daintily glistening) in one of the below shots.

I had worn this outfit on the very same day the chic Tabitha posted about how she uses an ultra-glam white dress on her "fat days."  Based on what I saw at her post, she is by far, hands down, the skinniest looking "fat day" person ever.  (Although I did read later in the comments that she was not, in fact, having a fat day that day, just posing the question.)  :)

I chose to wear this white dress not because I was having a fat day (although the cut of the dress would certainly make it work for such an occasion), but because I had been eyeing this dress, tempting me from the bowels of my closet since. Rex. was. born. in. 2007.  Four freaking years have gone by...I had never felt quite right in my body enough to chance wearing it.  I have made a significant error.  I should have been pulling this puppy out since 2009, at least. 

It is all a bit gratuitous...you can't buy the necklace or the dress and the sandals have likely sold out at jcrew.com, but fashion and fashion blogging isn't all about the "newest," but the most wonderful, appropriate, and flattering for the individual.  As evidenced by all my "new" old school J. Crew, clearly I understand that something doesn't have to be current to be stylish. 

(And I now understand that spending my money on great dresses, skirts, and coats is smart for me...I wear these the most.  Spending too much on tees, pants, and shorts is just kind of stupid, as I tend to wear them the least.  And sunglasses?  Worth the expense based on how much I use them to accessorize outfits.)

Dress: INC (Macy's Brand) from 2007 (maybe 2008?).  Had tags attached for far too long.  Size 8.  Comes with a slip, but chose to wear my nude Hanky Panky version instead as it is far more comfortable.  The dress is cotton, with cotton lace inserts.  It is a bit hippy, but more "Anthro" hippy than "Woodstock" hippy.

Mr. Dina liked this dress, which surprised me...he typically prefers me in plaid, paisley, and florals.

Shoes: J. Crew Snakeskin capri sandals in the lavender colorway.  Snakeskin is too much on a bag (and for some, anywhere is too much) but on my feet, I quite like the look.  I also have the Lulas in the Green Snakeskin colorway. 

Necklace: Banana Republic Floral Statement Necklace, from Spring 2009.  Love this necklace...very unusual and very girly.  (See close-up shot for more detail.)

You can actually see me sweating.  (Or glistening, lol.)  This is a great shot for the details on the necklace and the dress.

So you all know, I was going to Moe's that night, not a garden party--but ooh, so want to go to one of those, please!  I just wanted to feel cooler, and the shorts/tee combo that I typically wear was not gonna happen.  (Fear of sticking to vinyl seats being first consideration.)

Alrighty, la-tee-da, talk soon!

P.S. I am teaching a bunch of darling rising third graders in summer school.  Those of you who know their energy level can also understand why mine might be drained by 8 pm at night.  Been a bit neglectful with comments, but I am bound and determined to respond back to at least the questions as soon as I can.  ;)  Just know that, you all!

P.P.S. Although I do love me some old school J. Crew and Boden and random bits and bobs in my wardrobe, I have a fondness for the new, lol.  Any Boden reviews you all want to send my way for the Boden Roundup tomorrow, please e-mail to me at dinagideon@aim.com.  Thank You! 

Silly Little Natalie Studded Sweater...

First things first, I had such a BLAST announcing the Boden Catch of the Day every day for the whole of last week.  Sadly, all good things must come to an end, and all we have left is the 15% off coupon.  I checked this morning, but there are no other coupons.  The best I could find *is* the maternity 15% off coupon.  LOL.  So you all be preggers now, okay?  {Wink, wink.} ;)

A few weeks back, I wore the Natalie Studded Sweater out in public.  I know.  My mind wondered, "would the public be able to handle it?"  Well, yes, as it turns out...with a comment here and there.

Did the women come up to me and say, "ooh, cool sweater?"  No...I don't think they even noticed.  It was the men who stood up and commented on my (admittedly) avant garde sweater choice.

I heard:

1. Mr. Dina said..."Ooh, you are like a superhero...a se*y superhero."  Really, Mr. Dina, a superhero.  That's what you see when you see a cotton striped, studded sweater???  Okay, then.

2. Nice manager at Indian place..."Oh, you look like a GLADIATOR.  That's awesome."  Umm, okay.  Well, then.  LOL.

I felt:

1. Rex touching all the studs.

2. Nice manager at the Indian place caressing one of the studs.

Haha, so if I ever lack for attention, I must remember to pull this sweater out.

From the front.  Remember, I have done a review of this sweater before.

The sweater held up well.  :)  No issues with the studs coming undone.  AND THEY BETTER NOT COME UNDONE at the price J. Crew wanted for this.

I am wearing a pair of INC. black pants I forgot I had.  I love the stretchy material and length.  To add a bit of fun, I put my hair in pigtails and pulled out a pair of satin bow aqua flats that J. Crew made a few years ago. 

You know they re-thought this sweater and created a less expensive non-studded version.  It is sequined and called the spangled stripe sweater (it is pretty, but the loosey-goosey sequins would have me in OCD overdrive plus the model is VERY VERY THIN).

Okay, all, have a great night. 

P.S. I have a few Arbonne-centered posts coming up.  I have been looking at my webstats and a lot of folks are coming over to my blog after entering keywords like "Arbonne RE9 Advanced" or "Arbonne blog reviews."  I would be cah-ray-zee if I didn't do reviews or tutorials, etc. with my Arbonne background as people are actively seeking out this information.  Even if it is other Arbonne consultants, I am 100% cool with helping out my peeps, ya know???  So if you are not really a skin care or cosmetics kind of person, I am okay with you all skipping over it, I get it.  LOL.  My first series will be on Arbonne cosmetics from a fresh face to all done up and ready to go, step by step.  It is meant to complement my next Arbonne giveaway with purchase over at my Arbonne web page, so that when people get the free sheer glow highlighter, they have an idea of what to do with it.  ;)

A Meh Day...(However It Was Brightened by the Sunshine Peonies Perfect Shirt and Stained Glass Drop Earrings).

You all ever had an ugh day? Or a meh day? Well that was me today. I fear I am just not gonna bring it fashion-wise today as much as I normally try to. Sigh. 'Tis life!

I feel like I did try to try to bring it today, but in the end, I was harder on myself than you all will probably be (well, maybe...)!

I am kind of feeling irritated, tired, fussy, antsy, blegh, etc. Sort of like Rex feels when he hasn't slept or eaten enough. Great, I am a three-year old toddler. Except I have great clothing. Heh.

Okay, 'nuff said! :) Onto the few bright spots of my day!

I FINALLY got the packages that had been sent from J. Crew over a week or so ago (some of my packages were almost three weeks late). I appreciate UPS, but by the time the packages came, I was kind of chomping at the bit to get them. :) They did all arrive, and in perfect condition...so BRAVO, UPS. BRAVO.

In the packages were two items that I will (quickly) review tonight for you...the Sunshine Peonies Perfect Shirt and the Stained Glass Drop Earrings. For perspective on when I wore them (not sure if that is even important, but still), the Sunshine Peonies was worn at night, and the Stained Glass Drop Earrings were this morning.


Sunshine Peonies Perfect Shirt--Yes, this is the button-down sister to the much talked about Sunshine Peonies Pencil Skirt. Yes, I have pre-ordered the skirt. With as much yellow and orange as I have in my wardrobe (plus my penchant for any print that is Liberty-esque in feel--and yes, I know, know, know, am very excited by Liberty for Target), I kind of feel that this Sunshine Peonies print will be a perfect addition to my spring wardrobe (or heck, even late winter wardrobe).

I took an 8 and that is my typical perfect shirt size. I could have sized to a 6, but I like knowing that if it (God forbid) ends up in the dryer, it will still fit me nicely.

The fabric is soft and thin-ish, but most perfect shirts are a bit on the whisper weight category (better for layering, I suppose).

I wore this with the Blush Pink Sateen Blazer from last spring. The blazer didn't photograph as well as I would have liked, so I am leaving those pics out, but it is a lovely combo. It could also be paired with hot pink, all yellows, all oranges, and lighter purples.

By the way, look at Miss CW coming up from behind. Didn't even realize she had done that until I was cropping the photo. Showed Mr. Dina and we both just cracked up. :)

I guess she really likes taking photos with me...she literally came running when she saw what we were doing!


Speaking of enjoying taking photos, I hammed it up for the last photo. I felt like if I felt terrible, the least I could do was try to bolster my confidence a bit with a silly shot. It actually *sort of* worked. LOL.

Sizes:
Pants: 30 short.
Shoes: Size 10.


Okay, see these lovely earrings? (They are different from the ones I wore with the Sunshine Peonies Perfect shirt.) They are called the Stained Glass Drop Earrings and are quite lovely. Quite lovely in a long, kind of heavy, yeah, I will only wear these for a few hours at a time lovely. They fill a whole in my jewelry collection...I have a bunch of silver long earrings, but very few golden-toned long earrings. These are the metallic blush color, but come in other lovely colors, as well.

I didn't show my face because it was one of those mornings (you know, it started bad and stayed kind of bad). :)


Oh, and here is what I wore this morning. Yes, I am one of those people who wakes UP REALLY EARLY to go to the very first Ash Wednesday mass. Part of the reason I go to the early mass is because I am (typically) more of a morning person, but also because now that I have the kids (who only go to Sunday mass), I need to go to mass at the time when Mr. Dina is still at home and can care for them while I am away.

I didn't crop my head because I had ashes on my forehead (I actually am really proud of the ashes) but because I did not take one. single. photo. with my eyes OPEN. After the fourth try, I just gave up.

CW had her eyes open...fer cute!

Sizes:
Dress: Size Medium. It is by INC (Macy's brand) and gigiofca has it in yellow. Not only do we share a birthday, we share a love for pretty dresses. :)
Shoes: Size 9.5.

You all have a great night.

P.S. I am doing "things" for Lent, including doing good, and giving up things, but that is between me and God, and I am sure you all understand why I am not sharing my intentions with you! ;)

Silk Tiered Cami Goes for a Day Out!!!

Merry Christmas, one day late, you all!!! It has been a great couple of days, just insanely busy.

Learned a few things. My daughter is a HUGE fan of Baby Chou Chou and of the Fur Real Animal Friends Kitty Cat. My son can't get enough of his Dragon Castle and of his Big Bakugon.

More on the festivities later, but I wanted to go back to publishing my outfit of the day, even if I have almost no time to really devote to it.

So here you all go...my outfit of the day for December 26, 2009 (the other days this last week will be published probably tomorrow and Monday).

Silk Tiered Cami... by dinagideon featuring J Crew

This above is the polyvore. The only thing that is different are the pants. I was wearing a pair of INC pants from a few years ago. If you fall in love with any of the other pieces, you can link to them from Polyvore.

One thing, the boots are a DEAD ringer for the Metropolitan Leather Ankle Boots. They are not *exactly* the same in color, and are certainly not leather, but for $35 from Naturalizer (in store price), plus a "woo-hoo, looking good" from Mr. Dina, I'll take it even if they aren't J. Crew. ;)


Sizes:
Top: Size 6.
Pants: Size 10.
Boots: Size 9 (I have been fitting into MUCH smaller sized shoes lately...is it just me or are the shoe companies suffering from vanity sizing, too?).


Sizes:
Cardigan: Medium.


Sizes:
Coat: Size Small.

I loved this outfit from tip to toe. Not only was it comfortable, but I felt chic. I almost never feel chic. It was a good feeling going out all dressed up...lots of teens in their sandals and socks combos at the mall today, so these boots felt ultra-glam. I don't think anyone realized I got them from Naturalizer. ;)

Have a nice night, all. Will get to comments for the last two posts (one on the shimmerveil charmed mini bag and the one on the watercolor leopard dress) shortly. Probably not tonight, but soon...you all know I am good for it!!! ;)

Three Outfits Worn to School (Week of May 18-22, 2009)...

These three outfits are from TWO whole weeks ago. I guess that is what happens when you combine testing (almost done) with illness (almost over, thank goodness...still yucky, but at least I can sit up straight) with raising two kids (well that is ongoing but my absolute favorite). Suffice it to say I will not spend a ton of time on each outfit. If you have questions go ahead and ask in the comments (I will eventually answer them all...promise)!

Outfit #1:

Worn on Monday, May 18th, 2009. I like this outfit in concept more than reality. I think I needed to wear a different pair of pants. I think the top and shoes work really well together, but the pants...eh. The outfit consists of:
INC Petite Small Peasant Top,
J. Crew Colored Chambray Cocktail Capris (Faded Blue Color--in store only), size 8,
J. Crew Salina Patent Flats in Peacock.

Do you all have any recommendations for pants to wear with this top? What about these faded blue cocktail capris? What would you wear with them? I have a hard time matching this blue to things in my closet!!! (It has been a long time since I have worn this color pants--it actually kind of reminds me of the denim that was popular in the early 90s--faded and cowboyish.) Thanks for all your advice...you guys give great advice!

Outfit #2:

Boden Greens and Blues!!! by dinagideon featuring FOSSIL watches

I wore this outfit on May 20, 2009. I really liked this outfit. Definitely a winner.


Here it is in real life. I LOVE this outfit. The skirt is especially cute. I also have the fun skirt (Boden calls it this) in the white with the multi-colored flower/sun thing. BTW, the kids at school loved the skirt, too. I think teachers (especially those who teach the younger kids) should think of buying a fun skirt or two or three. Kids are suckers for these sort of embellishments. :)

Outfit #3:


Navy, Orange, and White for a Beautiful Day!!! by dinagideon featuring FOSSIL watches
I really enjoyed wearing this (to SCHOOL) on Friday, May 22, 2009. Yep, I was allowed to wear shorts (Fridays are normally jeans day but at our school tailored shorts are okay, too).


Here it is on me. I walked to school, by the way. I was running late...and yep, those lovely Born shoes caused me some awful blisters when I decided to run to make sure I was on-time. For me, on-time means getting there ten minutes before school starts. I prefer to get to school 30 minutes before school starts, but when I am walking, ten minutes is fine enough. That is how late I was...I had to sprint to make it to school ten minutes before school started. My blisters are fine now...but man, they hurt for a good week.

This Boden top is a size 12 (size 8 U.S.). It was a bit large on me so I went ahead and shrunk it in the dryer. It is now the perfect size. :)

You all have a good day. Hopefully I can get one more post up before the end of today (my goals are not lofty right now...)!

What to Wear to a Wake...on Very Little Energy...

Okay, admittedly this is a post that is a bit weird...what to wear to a wake, but after I posted my review of the necklace, I saw that people could benefit from what the heck to wear when you need to appear a very "certain" way.

I literally got off the plane from DC to CA and then with my family hightailed it to the hotel where I had about three and half seconds to get ready for the wake. Fortunately, I knew before I left what I was going to wear. The Tuesday before I left for CA (April 14, 2009), I wore a very similar outfit to school. You may remember it from this post. Since I hadn't worn it long and it was very fresh, I decided to just wear the darn outfit again (obviously with different undergarments, I am not a heathen). I changed it up, though. I wore a bright pink short-sleeved cashmere cardigan from J. Crew (Summer 2008) and the skinny patent leather belt in root from J. Crew (this winter 2008). I wore the grey Alessia peep-toe heels with this (figured it wouldn't clash with the belt too badly).

My main concern was to look nice, formal, yet more relaxed than I would need to be for the actual funeral. I think this outfit is exactly what is needed at event like a wake. (I went way more formal and classic for the funeral itself.)


Here is the full-length view.


Full-length view with the cardigan. The flash failed to fire properly, so I just pumped up the "fill-light" in picasa...that is why the image is so grainy.


Here I am with CW. She has only one piece of black clothing, so I knew I had to reserve that for the funeral, so I put her in one of Rex's old "formal" baby outfits...I realize she looks like a boy, but at least she was dressed right for the occasion. I forgot to put her bow in her hair (which definitely helps with the gender confusion).

Please bear in mind that I was EXHAUSTED when these photos were taken. The wake started at 10 pm Eastern time and we didn't get done till nearly midnight Eastern time.

I hope this helps some of you all out there who may be faced with such an occasion in the future.

My Tuesday, April 14th, 2009 Outfit for School...

I was inspired by Ashley of the blog Love It (and I do Love It) in this post to find a way to wear my Paris striped scarf from J. Crew this last holiday season (2008). This scarf is awesome. It is a blend of linen and metallic thread with some cotton thrown in (I think). I purchased the beautiful muted yellow and silver color.

Since I needed to feel good about school when I was insanely busy (I was flying out to CA two days later and I had to get my grades in before I left), I knew I could dress the scarf up (it can also be casual).

It is no longer available at jcrew.com, but maybe some of the stores still have it? Or ebay?


The outfit I created without the cardigan. The blouse is from Macy's and is very stretchy and dressy. It is so comfortable it should be criminal to wear it...feels that good. The pants are INC pants bought at Macy's. Love the matchstick leg...which oddly enough works on my frame. The shoes are Isaac Mizrahi for Target (I miss you!) from last spring (2008). I obviously have already told you about the scarf.


Here is the outfit with the addition of the Tartine merino cardigan from J. Crew (fall 2008). I love this pewter color. The Tartine is a fun, yet very practical cardigan. For all of its ruffles, it works well with so many outfits!!! It was cold-ish that morning, so I knew I had to have something covering my arms...and this fit the bill.

I have many scarves just like this one...I hope to let them come out and play soon! I know it is a bit warm for scarves now, but at night the linen ones may work. :)

Have a lovely day!

Mardis Gras Party Outfit!

So we have a Mardi Gras party every year (8 years now)...and I always try to be festive. Since the Mardi Gras colors are purple, yellow, and green, I wore this outfit to celebrate. It also had to be comfortable because I spend most of the day cooking gumbo (6 hour process, crazy, I know, but the result is YUMMY).

The shirt is INC (the brand at Macy's). It is a bit loud, but it works for the occasion. There is a close-up of the print in the next photo. The jeans are levis. Simple and easy to wear. The shoes are J. Crew...Savona suede flat in yellow and purple from Winter 2007. The headband is also J. Crew from Winter 2008.


I love this pic. Mr. Dina (my hubby) did such a nice job. You can see the print on the shirt, plus the headband, and all those Mardi Gras beads.

I didn't do a polyvore for this because most of the pieces aren't there, and if you read my blog on a regular basis, you know I don't have the time for the clipper tool.

Mardi Gras, by the way, is not until February 24th, but my hubby likes to combine the party with a celebration of his and Rex's bdays.