OOTDs: Winter Casual.

Hey, all!  Even though I normally try to add bits and pieces about each outfit (like coolness, ease of wear, and anecdotes), I am going to dispense with that since I am pretty beat.  I spent the day cleaning every last square inch of my room.  Plus side--I feel so tidy now.  Minus side--so tired...

If I can link to an item since it is currently in stock, or if I have thoughts on an item, I will mention it in the copy below the photos. 

Worn to first "Moms with Young Kids" group at church and then to help CW's class with their auction project (a quilt that I will be making--yipes).

Sweatshirt/Tunic.  Zara's Printed Sweatshirt.  Size Medium.  Very cute, very comfy, and true to size, as far as I can tell (I would think my frame would be a medium up top and a large down below).  The pockets are fab.  I think this is worth the full price.  :-)

Pants.  J. Crew's Full Length Bi-Stretch Wool Minnies.  Size 8 L.  So long that I actually had to tuck the hem up into itself to get it to be the right length.  Having said that, had I bought the regular, it would have been too short by about 2 inches, so I made the right call on length.  Love how they look, just fitted enough, just long enough, and a great color for my wardrobe.  I am a fan of the Minnie pant, and look forward to seeing this version next fall in other great shades.

Worn to pre-bowl, since I can't seem to drag my butt to the actual bowling league itself.  Subbing, snow, and school meetings are getting in the way!

Top.  Johnnie b. (Boden) Sammy Sweatshirt.  Size 15-16.  As far as I can tell I am usually a 15-16 in tops, unless the top is so oversized that it looks ridiculous on me.  (Then I go for a 13-14.)  I typically wear a 4 or 6 in Boden tops and a 4 or 6 in J. Crew, so use me as a comparison if need be.  Very comfortable, cute, young-looking top.  I love the color, such a fresh shade of aqua/mint.

Pants.  Johnnie b. (Boden) Printed Skinny Jeans.  Size 30 L.  These pants were so cheap during Boden's crazy "let's reduce clearance items by 80% off" that I bought two pairs, the 30 L and the 32 L.  They were $9 a piece.  The 32 L was very big on me, near falling off, but I dug them so much and since they are actually cheaper than fabric in that amount, I am keeping them, cutting their legs off, altering the waist, and making these pants into shorts for the summer.  The 30 L that I wore bowling fit fine, a touch tight through the legs, so if you have calves that fall on the wider spectrum, they may be too skinny, even if you size up.  These were also so long that I tucked the hem up on them, too, just like I did on the Minnies in the first outfit.  Again, had I gone with the regular, though, they would have been too short.

Worn on the school run last week.

Coat.  Boden's Ingrid Coat.  I did a review of this amazing coat here at this blog post.

Worn on the school run.  This is my most casual outfit ever (hey no makeup!).  But man was it cozy and comfortable.  Look at Angus walking up those stairs all by himself.  He is a champ stair climber.  He's almost two, guess it was bound to happen.  :-)

Shoes.  Target's Merona Mallory Flat.  Size 9.5.  As per my usual with Target, I only buy if the shoe has some component made from leather.  That is getting harder to find these days, but I was in Target and saw these darling mint driving mocs and was all, "ooh," 100% expecting to put them back after spying "all manmade materials," but nope, the uppers are suede (100% leather), so yay for that.

Okay, that's all for now.  I hope everyone is having a great Monday night/Tuesday morning.  :-)

OOTDs: Thursday, Friday, Sunday.

Hey, all!  Happy Monday.  If you have today off in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr., I hope that your day off has gone well.  We have kept it fairly sedate here, but sometimes sedate is the best kind of day.  :-)

Anyhow, onto the outfits from my recent days.  (I have some from earlier last week, but these three "go" best together.)

Day: Thursday, January 16, 2014.

Where: G Street Fabrics/School Run/Little Gym.

Ease of Wear: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear) The pants are now kinda big, but since I am a big fan of comfort, especially when going to the Little Gym (all three kids had classes that afternoon), I keep the "they're just a touch too big" pants just for that purpose.  I wish that they wouldn't have that weird whiskering at the crotch area, but any pair of pants is going to have that, *unless* you get the exact right size for your body.  And I can tell you from all this sewing experience I am gaining, that even if you sew the exact right size for your shape, that still doesn't mean anything, you could still end up with weird lines everywhere.  Sigh.  (Even really loose pants will whisker if you put your legs together, you will have very deep frown lines radiating from your crotch.  LOL.  That sounds funny.)

The rest of the outfit was super comfy, and even though I don't wear the Fiona jacket that much anymore, I am glad to pull it out once or twice a year since it is so pretty and warm.

The shoes are the Penny Loafers from Boden that I just received the day before.  It took me less than twenty four hours to pull them out and wear them in real life.  Yep, like I feel about all my Boden loafers, it is love.

Cool Factor: (3 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest--for both outfits.) This is a pretty preppy outfit, so I think in some circles it would be cooler than in others.  Fortunately most of you who read here seem to like this brand of preppy, so I think there will be a few fans of this look.  :-)

Anecdote from the Day:  I went ahead and purchased a class at G Street that starts this Saturday (the 25th) on drafting a pants pattern to your exact measurements.  Maybe, just maybe, I will eventually have a pair of pants that have no whiskers, at all.  (Crosses fingers!)

Day: Friday, January 17, 2014.

Where: Little Gym/Harris Teeter/Sushi Dinner.

Ease of Wear: (3.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear) Overall a very comfortable, weather-appropriate outfit, but I wish that I looked less "matron of a German women's prison" when the jacket is buttoned up.  I rarely button it up, but it was chilly enough that day to have a need for the full buttoned-up look.  No biggie, I am sure no one was staring and saying, "get back to the Fraus, dear lady," but still.  I guess the more severe cut is emphasized in the name, the Military Wool Jacket ( here--and on deep discount in all shades). 

Cool Factor: (3.5 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest--for both outfits.) I like this look.  I really like it most without the jacket, but again, cold day and all.  :-)

Anecdote from the Day:  That is not a typo, we went to the Little Gym twice in two days.  I had missed so many of their classes when we were gone in December, that I have had a lot to make up with them.

And I went to Harris Teeter with all three kids.  They were very well behaved, by some minor miracle.  Hallelujah!

Day: Sunday, January 19, 2014.

Where: Day out in DC with the family.

Ease of Wear: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear) It was windy and cold, so any plans I had to wear anything other than a thick cashmere sweater and snood went away after I went outside briefly that morning. 

On the fly, I kind of dig how easy this outfit is and how cute it looks all together.  The Anthropologie boots (made by Pied Juste, more on the brand's history here) are super cool, but not super warm, so they are the reason the outfit had a point knocked off.  (Well and the fact that I triple-looped the snood around my neck, which meant it felt rather tight...warm, but tight.)

Cool Factor: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest--for both outfits.) I reckon this is a pretty cool look.  I felt cool anyhow.  My girl was probably the coolest.  Standing at the J. Crew, trying to figure out what time it opened (we had a return to make), a lady remarked on how well-dressed CW was.  Aw!  (She picked out her outfit completely on her own, btw.)

Anecdote from the Day:  We had intended to have me take the oldest two to the city on Friday (they had the day off--hence why they were so well-behaved at the Harris Teeter), but those plans fell through after Angus's babysitter fell through.  In the end, we decided to all head to the city on Sunday instead and I took CW to the Portrait Gallery, while Mr. Dina took Rex and Angus to the Spy Museum.  I then grabbed Rex and CW and went to the Pret a Manger, while Mr. Dina took Angus to the Shake Shack.  (Rex, CW, and I LOVE Pret a Manger, and we go whenever we can.)

Okay, that's it for tonight.  If you haven't had a chance, don't forget to enter my five-year blogoversy giveaway here. 

OOTDs: Mississippi Missus.

Good Sunday!  I hope everyone is well.  :)

Before I dive headfirst into the many Boden reviews I have (most positive, a handful not so), I wanted to get the ootds published from my last trip to Mississippi.  Unlike last year when we stayed there for nearly eleven days, this year was a mere eight total, so I was happy to have far less to pack and to think about.

Anyhow, since I have done this before (2009, 2010, and 2011), I don't think I need to go into much more. 

Travel Day.  I love the idea of looking fabulous while traveling, but the reality of flying with three young children means I can't go all "7FAM jeans, button-down fitted shirt, crisp wool jacket, and high-heeled boots." 

So instead, I take three lovely and comfortable pieces, wear just a touch of makeup, and fix my hair just so, and am happy when I make it through the process relatively unscathed.  (Which we did--the first travel day was wonderfully easy, for once.)

I had read the temperatures in New Orleans would be in the 70s on the first day, so I decided to pack some tees for us to wear once we landed (it was cooler in DC by twenty degrees).  The tees have a hand-printed bicycle (I used a stamp I found at AC Moore), with the words "hipster" and "mini hipster" below the bikes.

I hadn't originally planned to make a tee for CW but she saw me making mine, so she asked if she could have one, too.  I actually like hers better.  :)

The second day we were there was mild enough to go without a coat, but I knew that a sweater was necessary.  The sweater was reviewed by me here, and I have to say it has held up well, and looks wonderful with a variety of different colors.  Of course, this shade is nearly sold out (as is much over there at Boden).  The Effortless suede boots were my go-to the entire time I was in Mississippi, and I was glad to have brought them.  They are also almost completely sold out, but if you like them, I reviewed them here.

The Madewell scarf I received for a song, as it was a popback sale item with an extra 25% off.  The cords are a wonderful color, and even though I usually stay away from J. Crew pants, I have lucked out this season, since the ones I have bought have fit well and are special and unique.

BTW, the whole day was very relaxing, a bit of shopping, a bit of eating, and a bit of visiting.

Two days later (didn't get a good shot of the in-between outfit) was Thanksgiving.  We do a very easy midday meal, so none of us ever really "dress" up, but we do at least make some effort.

The collection pencil skirt in windowpane was one of my favorites from the J. Crew Fall lookbook, but OMG, the original price was so expensive.  I can see why they *wanted* to charge that amount, as this skirt is made from the softest virgin wool imaginable, but what J. Crew *should have* done was to mark it at a bit above what they wanted to get for it, and I guarantee they would have sold out immediately.  Instead, the skirt sat in the sale section until it was priced where most of us could afford it.  (And at 30% extra off, at least in my case.)

The rest of the outfit is old, except for the shoes, which I mentioned in the last outfit.

No cardigan in this shot.  I cannot express to you all how much love I have for this tee.  These were from the holiday 2007 season, and I have two of them, this one in silver, and one in a gold stripe.  If I was only allowed to have two tees in my closet, I would immediately grab these two and not look back.

Funny face!  (I love my self-timer, it always catches my *best* moments.)

I wanted to wear the Carriage coat dress again this year, and since I have plans to try it like it was styled by J. Crew (see here), but knew it wouldn't be cool enough to do so down there, I came up with the idea to wear it with lightweight leggings, some black boots, a tank (not shown), and the Madewell storyteller scarf.

And a bag that holds everything a mother of a baby and two kids might need while at a nice restaurant in town.  ;)

I wore the dress here last, while pregnant, so it is nice to see that even though it fit me then, it still works on me now (although the a-line shape is much more obvious now).

I am throwing this in here because Angus turned 8 months while we were there.  :)

Just another simple outfit from another simple day.

The sweater is the dreaded dream v-neck sweater.  For those of you who are not a JCA, the dream sweaters are dreaded because the fabric pills nearly immediately, usually if you decide to look at it the wrong way.  Now I have no idea how I lucked out, but this year's version in this lovely heathered mint color has barely a pill on it.  Sure, it is a bit "lofty" but I don't need to get out my sweater shaver and I have worn it at least three times since purchasing it (mainly lazing about the house, that's why this is the first time you have seen it on me).

Two days before we left, CW, Angus, and I went to town to get some things.  I love this Liz Lange nursing dress, especially since the colors and pattern seem right for fall festivities, but I wanted to see if I could make it work as a skirt with a buttoned up cardigan.  It almost works, barring the bit of dress you see poking out of the top of the cardi.  (I wore it last here, more traditionally.)

I didn't really grab photos of the outfit the day before we left or even the day we left, but I did ask Mr. Dina to grab a photo of the food I ate at Mother's.  Now I know that this food looks kind of gross, but WOW, it certainly doesn't taste like that.  In fact, as much as I enjoy cooking Cajun myself, and have done so for years, the food at Mother's is my personal holy grail, and if one day I can manage to cook a jambalaya like Jerry's jambalaya (my fork is pointing to it), I would be exceedingly thrilled.

I also kind of dig what Angus is doing there in the back.  Any quotes?

Since I knew I wouldn't get a photo of the last day's outfit, but I really dug the sweatshirt I was wearing, I wanted you all to at least see that, so Mr. Dina grabbed this shot of me.  It is from JC Penny's and looks and feels way more expensive than it actually is.  I liked it so much that I went ahead and grabbed it in heather grey on Black Friday (it was almost half-off, so cheap went down to insanely inexpensive).  I am wearing this in a small, and I would say it fits well (I wear a size xs in J. Crew for reference).

Mississippi Missus. by dinagideon featuring columbia jackets

Above is the polyvore of my packing list.

Okay, that's all.  Will be back later tonight with more.

Randomness in the Form of Outfits of this Last Week.

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.