Made by Me File/OOTDs: Liberty of London Akinobu Print A-Line Skirt (McCall's 3341).

Hi, all!  I am trying to be better about posting this month, so I have been attempting to get a post a day done, but in reality, I will still be on my game if I get five a week done.  :)  Anyhow, this post has been a couple of months in the making.  Initially I wanted to show off the skirt and its work*, and then do ootd posts with it as the star, but since I clearly wasn't able to do that, I am gonna smoosh them all together.  

*If you follow me on facebook, you have already seen this skirt here and here.


Made by Me File:

Above is the skirt I made in early March, with a gorgeous Liberty of London tana lawn called Akinobu from their seasonal (Fall 2010) line.  I fell deeply in love with the fabric when I saw it at Purl Soho and knew that I would use it on something, eventually.

I bought a yard of it, but because Liberty fabrics are 54" wide (standard for cotton seems to be 44"), I actually still have a bit of this fabric left over, and I think I may make the Mathilde Blouse from the remainder of my fabric, although I may have to use the liberty for the front and a solid color for the back to make it work.

Anyhow, I thought I would try the fabric out with McCall's 3341, which is a pattern for a very basic a-line skirt in five lengths.  It would allow me  to try something not terribly challenging, and because it is a basic shape, it would really allow the fabric to be the main focus.  (You can see it on another blogger here.)

So I go to my mother-in-law over Thanksgiving 2010 with the fabric and the pattern and she helped me cut it out, and all excited, I anticipated being done by New Year's 2011.  Except I wasn't.  I kept putting it off because I didn't want to ruin the pretty with my sub-par sewing skills. 

And then I got pregnant with Angus that summer, so I knew I would definitely have to wait on making it. 

And of course, if you have been reading this blog lately, you know that I finally got my sewing butt in gear and have been trying to sew at least as many garments as I buy, and so far so good.  :)  

BTW, this is the first piece of clothing that I made with a zipper**, and somehow, even though I made this whole skirt, by myself, in an afternoon, with only youtube/blog tutorials to help me, the skirt came out looking pretty good.  Whee!  I had originally cut a size 14, thinking that was my size, but I ended up having to take about three inches total off the hips.  I have a suspicion this skirt and its pattern suffer from a bit of vanity sizing.  And to think I thought the skirt would be too small when I was done.  Ha.

*Which doesn't mean that I am pushing out tons and tons of garments, in fact, I have buying less and less overall.  Funny how seeing what constructing clothing entails and what *could be* in a truly finished garment made me really examine what I decide to buy and keep.  Basically--if I can make it from a similar fabric on my own, I am not buying.  If it is something that would be too difficult for me or is not worth my effort--say leggings--I will buy that instead.

**Since then my zippers work, but don't look as neat and tidy as on this skirt.  I think I need to have the tutorials right by me when I do that step, regardless of whether I think I need them or not.

If you are a fan of Liberty, you will immediately recognize that this is a play on the very popular (and from the classic tana lawn line) Strawberry Thief.  I love the Strawberry Thief pattern and when that went on sale at Fabric.com, I grabbed a couple of yards for a dress, but I think the Akinobu may be one of my all time favorites ever from Liberty.  I LOVE the starfish, shells, seaweed, all playing around on a beautiful deep blue background.

Here are some examples of items made from this fabric (sleeveless dress, vintage dress, purse, head scarf, and boy's swim trunks--wish they had those in the US), but not a whole lot.  It would be awesome if Liberty would make this a part of their permanent line, but if that doesn't happen, at least I know I have a piece of this unique pretty in my closet.

OOTDs:

Day: Tuesday, March 5, 2013.

Where: Preschool Run/Little Gym.

Ease of Wear: (3 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) Okay, the skirt was super comfortable, but unfortunately, because it isn't lined, it kept sticking to my tights.  Nothing terrible because the skirt is a-line, but not exactly fuss-free, either.

I may end up lining the skirt later, since I believe I can do that to a finished piece, but if I end up not being able to, I will probably just see if I can source a short slip instead.

Cool Factor: (3.5 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.)  I think my skirt is cool.  LOL. :)

I like this outfit, and I think with the coat, it looks chic and pretty, with the turtleneck alone, it is less polished, but still nice.

Anecdote from the day:  I had a very typical day for me, you know, run to CW's preschool, run to Angus's Little Gym class, watch him nearly die from the excitement of playing with balls and tumbling equipment, and then run back to pick up CW from school.

No one even noticed the skirt, which at least means it didn't fall apart or anything.  I feel like as a novice sewer that if my clothing can at least stay secure and not have a wardrobe mishap, I am a bit successful in my endeavor.

Day: Friday, April 12, 2013.

Where: Rex's Tee Ball Practice/Friend's Birthday Party.

Ease of Wear: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) Stupid me forget a cardigan for the outfit.  It was cool by the time I arrived at my friend's bday party.  I was fine at Rex's tee ball practice, but that was out in the sunshine.

However, that said, since I wasn't wearing tights, the skirt felt much better on my legs and I didn't have to fuss at all with it.

Cool Factor: (3 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.)  This looks less cool than the first outfit, but the friends of my friend liked the look, so I guess that means something.  :) 

Anecdote from the day: My friend also sews, and she sews VERY well.  She got super-excited to see my skirt, since she always asks me if I made whatever I am wearing.  (Most of the time I answer with the ubiquitous, "no, this is Boden/J. Crew/Madewell/Anthro.")

Anyhow, I loved showing her the skirt, since she doesn't make a ton of clothing (other than for her kids), but when she brought me up to see her quilts and projects she had sewn for her house, I was amazed by her talent.  OMG, she's good.  I am trying to convince her to start a quilting blog (there are a TON of them on the internet), so when/if she does it, you had better believe she's gonna be in my blogroll.

Okay, that's it for today!  I hope everyone's Friday is going spectacularly well. 

OOTDs: Shorts Ahoy.

Hi!  Happy Saturday. 

I figured while I had a moment when

a. the kids are all sleeping;

b. Mr. Dina is here just in case they wake up from their sleep;

and

c. I don't feel like sleeping, either...

then I could get a few outfit of the day(s) posted here.

Today I am compiling all my "shorts" outfits of the last month.  :)

I spent my summer shuttling the kids everywhere, including many Tuesdays spent at dance class, picnic lunches, and bug walks.  This outfit is from one of those days. 

The name of this post is inspired by the crewcuts tee I am wearing above, btw.  Get it?  Portholes are on ships...ships leave port?  Okay, I know I am stretching it.  ;)

I lucked out when I purchased the two girls' porthole tees when I visited the J. Crew with Monica in CA.  They were both on sale for $12 and further reduced by an additional 40%.  CW was thrilled that we have another matching pair of tees. 

I am obviously in a size 14, while CW is in size 5.

I added the seersucker shorts (also purchased for a ridiculously tiny amount in my not so tiny size 10), my Madewell sunglasses, and my Bensimon tennis shoes.  The bracelet is even nautical, every dangling bauble is some fish, sea creature, or oceangoing item.

Close up of the porthole tee.

The next photo shows this better, but I call this look "Hipster Mary Ann."  (As in Mary Ann from Gilligan's Island.)

Was headed to the grocery store (another thrilling journey in my exciting life!) as hipster Mary Ann.

The pieces in this outfit are old, old, old.  I think I bought the button-down from Kohls in 2003, I believe.  The shorts are from 2007.  The shoes and necklace are from 2010.  Only the sunglasses are relatively new (last January).

I almost gave the button-down away, but I am glad I held onto it.  Although I will never wear it the way I wore in 2003 (untucked, and unbuttoned more at the top), it gets a new lease on life with a new, fresher styling.

You saw the bottom bit of this outfit already when I reviewed the shoes for this BWRR post.

We were headed to the city as a family to see the Miro exhibit on the last day it was open.  I knew I would have Angus on me in the bjorn, so comfort was key, but I still like to have a put-together outfit, if possible.

The scarf was a bit unnecessary as it didn't even dip below 80 that day, but I liked how it tied the pieces of the outfit together and added some visual interest to the tank's neckline.

I love Brutalist architecture.  You don't know what Brutalist architecture is?  Well, take a look-see at this wikipedia article on it. 

I will happily pose in front of any building built in this style.  They are definitely unique, most certainly ugly, but so very much evocative of "Federal Government DC circa 1970" that I have a big soft spot for them.

This is a photo in front of the side of the Department of Labor.  Would have been more appropriate, I realize, to pose in front of it either the day I was set to give birth to Angus OR on the actual Labor Day (still can do that, two Mondays from now).

There I am, with Angus in tow, at the entrance to the Miro exhibit.

Was set to do errands in this outfit, but if you have good eyes, you can see that I have a swimsuit under the top.  I was also set to go to the pool, as well.

The hat is J. Crew (love my Lola!).  The top is Kohl's (must find out who made it for my facebook friend who asked about it).  The shorts are maternity (shh, don't tell).  The sandals are Target. 

Okay, that's it.  :)  I will probably make a polyvore of one of these outfits and if I do, I will make sure to include it in this post and then erase this here sentence (or at least cross through it).

Have a great rest of your Saturday!

Yay for Bling and Makeup. (Seriously!)

LOL.  I am tired and that was the best I could do for a title.  :)

And before I begin, can I just count the ways I love the people who read my blog?  You all are the best!  I have had such fun over the past few months writing and putting up pictures, and regardless of how frivolous or serious (umm, heart surgery, anyone?), the posts have been met with lots of great comments and questions.  You all make writing this blog tons of fun.  Thank you!

Bring the Bling...and Makeup. by dinagideon featuring glass jewelry

Okay onto the outfit.  Above is the polyvore of the outfit I wore to dinner out with my Arbonne team while I was in Vegas.  I just wanted to wear something fun and sassy that would also be comfy (yeah, it was that time of the month--oh, joy). The top and skirt are identical, but the shoes and earrings are different.  Having said that I love this combo and I will try this at some other point.

The skirt is the lovely, just sparkly enough stardust pencil skirt (in copper) from the Holiday 2009 season.  They came out with a nearly identical pencil skirt this fall.  I also *had* owned this in silver, which I wore last New Year's Eve (12/31/09), but I sold it when I discovered I had enough light grey/silver pencil skirts in my closet (I mean, I love overabundance, clearly, but even I have limits).  This skirt is a size 8.  The cashmere short-sleeve tee is a size extra-small in he heather agate color.  Here's whats bugging me about the color name.  Do you realize that agate now is a beautiful teal-ish green color?  Last fall, the heather agate is this color, a luscious light orange/brown.  Huh.  Weird-oes over at J. Crew been smoking something.  LOL.  The earrings are from J. Crew, but I never saw them on-line.  (Possible in-store only?)  The shoes are similar to a pair of J. Crew sandals I own, but are actually from Kohls.

Another view.

From the side.

I had fun with my makeup that trip.  I just LOVE being able to play with my face, and often, at home, I get by with some SPF, a touch of lip gloss, mascara, and powder.  But really being able to bring the bling in both the outfit and my face?  Awesome.  I still missed my kids though.  (Yes, there were many texts and phone calls made over that three day trip.)

You all have a great night.  SWAK!

Mommy Style Monday #4--So You Only Have Ten Minutes...

First up...Happy Mother's Day. Whether you are a mom with many children, a mom with one kid, a mom who is expecting, or even a dad who is acting as a mom, I commend you. No one realizes what kind of work goes into raising little ones until one actually has to do the job, so it ranks high on the "under-appreciated" chart. Good thing at least one day a year is set aside for celebration. That said, Mr. Dina wants the world to know that mothers should be celebrated daily in small ways. Good to know...can you get me a glass of wine, then? ;)

Second, to honor the time crunch that all moms face, be they the kind of mom who commutes to a job or the kind of mom whose job is right in the house, today's Mommy Style Monday is all about dressing with limited time. And because I don't believe in ever stating something without truly believing it, I actually experimented on myself starting with Friday morning and ending with this morning. I gave myself a time limit of ten minutes to get ready for each outfit I had to put together (there were five total). This did not include bathing or facial stuff (moisturizing, contacts, brushing teeth), but did include make-up.

The results are very mixed. Some pretty good, and some very most definitely "meh." But that is okay. At the end of the photographic journey of my ten minute outfits, you will see eight rules to live by if you want to attempt a streamlined approach to your dressing time. Over time, I bet I could "bring it" a lot more in ten minutes. I may try this experiment periodically, almost like my own mini-version of the Olympic games, sort of like, I have been practicing for so long, now let's show the world just what I have. Haha. LOL. We'll see.

Created in Ten Minutes... by dinagideon featuring J Crew

I start with the very good, my fave, and one I will be wearing again. This was the only one I made a polyvore for. A lot of times I will make a polyvore but not publish it. Instead I will keep it in the "Draft" folder to remind me not to go there again. I have about twenty outfits in there that are just "do not attempt again." Anyone else do a version of that? All the pieces in the polyvore are accurate, so click on the individual items if you want to know more about them.


In real life I wore this to Sunday "Mother's Day" Dinner at one of our favorite Ethiopian restaurants, Meaza. (Did you know that outside of Ethiopia itself, Northern Virginia has the HIGHEST population of Ethiopians? Yep...and that makes for really awesome things like great students, friendly neighbors, and ridiculously yummy food.)

Sizes:
Dress: Size 8. This is a collection item and is a bit snug through the hips, even now. I think it is meant to be body-hugging, but my Spanx helped me feel just that much better about it!
Jacket: Size 4. This is a Super-120s jacket in black that I purchased at Rugged Wearhouse for...$29.99. Yes. It is still $230 on-line. It had a BUTTON missing...that was it. Yes, I can get the tailor to help me out. I still saved nearly $200 after all was said and done (the tailor sewed it on for free).
Shoes: Size 9.5. Love you Cole-Haan.
Belt: Size xs-sm. My hubby did not like the belt, but he never does. I think he looks at belts as a practical thing, to hold up pants. It bugs him that I wear them for purely pretty reasons. Men. ;)

Baby also did a ten-minute outfit. Had a rough time locating her pants but that is because she does not have #1 on the list (see below) done yet. This is my fault, so I only have myself to blame. :)


This is my second favorite outfit from my experiment. I adore all the elements (like the ombre pearl necklace and the shimmerveil charmed mini-bag--you can see its chain), but am bugged that my sandals are a bit off in color from the aqua blue. It was fine...out in the sunlight no one even noticed. I wore this outfit to go gallivanting in Old Town. It was an insanely beautiful day on Saturday afternoon and I wanted my outfit to match the spring-like air.

Sizes:
Dress: Size 6 or UK 10. I reviewed it here for more info.
Shoes: Size 10. These are a Gap Outlet pair that I bought in 2008.

For more info on the purse, see here. For more on the necklace, see the second to last picture.


This is my outfit from this morning. I am on the fence about it. I like it, it is certainly non-offensive, but it is very, very simple barring the necklace and the sandals.

But since today was for errands and chilling at home with the kids, it really was the perfect outfit.

Sizes:
Sweater: Size Small. Bet you think this is a J. Crew sweater? Nope. It is a Chadwick's cashmere sweater from 2006. It is insane how beautiful this is in real life. And soft! And was pretty darn cheap at $45.
Pants: Size 10. Saturday Pants from J. Crew last spring (2009).
Sandals: Size 9-10. Direct rip-off of J. Crew's capri sandals. Bought at Kohl's many years ago.

For more info on the necklace, see last photo.

I like that baby is wearing lime green, too. :)


I like this outfit, especially the individual pieces, but am bothered by them together. The top would definitely pair with white linen trousers better. But hindsight is 20/20.

I wore this on Mother's Day morning. My only request? That I be taken to McDonald's for breakfast (yum, sausage mcmuffin with cheese) and Starbucks for coffee (yum, Grande Breve latte).

Sizes:
Shirt: Size 6 or UK 10. This is the Boden Hepburn Shirt. It is so beautiful and extremely well-made. I love the colorways it is offered in, and once on sale I hope to pick it up in the ivory color.
Pants: Size 30. These are my beloved Amore Wash Toothpick Jeans from J. Crew.
Shoes: Size 10. These are the City Printed Ballet Flats. If you look closely, they are the same print as my long lost desire, the Liberty Printed Laura Shirt. (No, I have not found her. Sadness!)

I love baby's outfit SO much. :)


Finally my dud. No one threw tomatoes at me, but I was disappointed. I went subbing in this, and admittedly, I was walking home, but still. I think I should have worn a different cardigan, or a different top. Next time I will know better.

Sizes:
Top: Size medium. From Delia's. I love the floral print, so pretty. The colors are pretty sweet, too.
Cardigan: Size small. The soft tee cardigan from J. Crew last summer is truly super-soft. I spent a good portion of the day caressing my arms.
Pants: Size Tall 8. These are the tall Scout Chinos. I love the extra length in both the inseam and the rise. Talls fit me much better on the bottom half. The only time I can't wear talls at J. Crew is in their suiting and denim. The inseams on those are 36" and I would have to wear "hooker" heels to have them not be a tripping hazard. And since I don't own "hooker" heels, looks like I am out of luck.
Shoes: Size 10. These are the Miss Trish of Capri sandals from last summer, with the starfish.


Ah, the lovely necklace known as the Ombre Pearl Cluster Necklace. Currently sold out on-line, watch for popbacks here.

This is the perfect statement necklace if you want to be understated in your statement (seems like an oxymoron, but it isn't). The length is adjustable, I am wearing it a bit higher so it clears the collar of the dress, but it can be worn lower.

I know why it sold out. At $98 and not some piece of tackle-box jewelry, J. Crew Aficionadas were super-excited and swept in and bought them all up!


Last cool necklace is the seahorse pendant necklace mentioned over at Gigi's Gone Shopping yesterday. My favorite part? It is only $19.99 and looks way more expensive than that. It also was just the thing this argyle sweater needed.

Go, Target!

So, that's it. Below I have written down some tips to make your transition to a ten-minute dresser easier. Now I know you will take more time sometimes, and hon, I totally get that. This is your list for the days when you just don't have enough of it...

Tips for a successful ten minutes:

1. Always have a well-organized closet. The less clutter, the more likely you are to see just the perfect "missing" piece for the outfit you have chosen. (Example from above--the jacket in my "Mother's Day Dinner" outfit. I tried on four jackets, was getting worried it would take longer than ten minutes, and then I spied this jacket--and it was perfect!)

2. Try to stay within a specific color palette year after year of buying clothing. Since college I have pretty much stayed true to my love of citrus colors, yellow, green, and orange. I do branch out, of course, but tend to veer towards my faves over and over again. They may darken up for winter wear (grass green becomes olive green, and sunshine yellow goes mustard), but they are from the same family! (You can see my love for these colors throughout the five outfits.)

3. Always search for an anchor piece to each outfit. I will often choose a blouse, or a pair of shoes, or even a necklace weeks in advance of actually wearing and say, "When I do wear this, everything will work for this piece." (From the examples above you can see this most with the watercolor dress and with the ombre necklace.)

4. I love dresses for ten minute dressing. Umm, no pants, shirt, and extra piece to match? Yes, please. Plus dresses are often in gorgeous prints, making the color coordination really easy. (See both dresses above for examples of this...)

5. I love revisiting really old pieces of clothing in my wardrobe. (Having a well-organized closet makes finding them really easy, btw. I never was very organized and I would buy things thinking I needed them and in reality, had I been more organized, I would have found the solution without having to spend extra money. Now I just buy for the buying pleasure, lol.) Over this weekend of dressing in ten minutes, I found many items I hadn't worn in a while, the watercolor dress, the argyle sweater, the printed flats, and the floral tee. It was fun wearing things that were the "something old."

6. Great accessories can make an outfit go so far! The two necklaces I highlighted were like shining beacons of light to my outfits...my hubby complimented the seahorse pendant for instance, which for him is pretty unusual. My dresses and tees? Sure. Jewelry...um, no. The shimmerveil charmed mini-bag is also a great accessory and is functional, too, so yahoo for double duty.

7. Finally, give yourself a break if you discover after the fact that your ten minute outfit kind of sucks. (See my subbing outfit.) It is okay. Chances are no one is even really noticing. I tend to only notice really REALLY fab outfits or really REALLY bad outfits. Those kind of "sucky" outfits fly under the radar for the most part and that's cool. You are the only one who really is stressing over it...

8. Also, if you are feeling unsure, a great smile can be the best addition to any ten minute outfit. Trust me on this. :)

Have a great night. Don't forget...my giveaway for some yummy, delicious Arbonne products ends this Wednesday!

Boden's Parisienne Jacket and Brass Button Cardigan!!!

You all will have to forgive me. I am very wiped today. I have taken my cold medicine but it has definitely started to kick in and I am going to be unable to give this post my all. That said I want to get these photos up for you all to look at today. Even though I won't be able to answer any comments, go ahead and ask any questions you would like and I will try to answer them over the weekend, when I anticipate being in a better state of mind. :)


Parisienne Jacket, on me, with jeans, a top, a cute hat, and flip-flops. I wore this on the day we were *supposed* to leave for the Bahamas. Note I said we were *supposed* to...yep, we missed our flight. And to make matters worse, it was rainy, chilly, and awful weather that day. SAD!!! (In the end it worked out because we extended our vacation by one day at the end, and that last day was simply BEAUTIFUL--pics to come, I promise).

So I wore this jacket, finally. Up till that point, the weather had been far too warm to wear this jacket. You got it, the jacket is very heavy, very woolen, but also of the most yummy coloring...in other words, perfection for a grey, yucky, terrible day.

You can buy the jacket here at Boden. Still available in all sizes, so yay!

I bought this in a size 10 (UK), as the size 12 would have been far too large. Bear this in mind, though, if you are a bit busty, definitely size up. Oddly, the only place where it is even a little tight is at my bust, which is very unusual for me.

The hat is from Target, by the way. The jeans are from Land's End and the shirt is from Kohl's. Only the hat is current.

Also, isn't CW so cute standing up and emulating momma? Love it...she is even really close to walking at this point!

Close up of the jacket and collar...plus the very pretty hat from Target. CW is pretty darn adorable, too!

And one more shot, I think CW wants my hat...anyone know if they make these in baby sizes? I would love a baby-sized cloche!

Boden Brass Button Cardi by dinagideon featuring American Eagle Outfitters

Here is the polyvore of the second outfit.


I recently wore this outfit. You can find the info on the individual pieces in the polyvore. I will tell you that only the cardigan is an accurate item, however the pieces in the polyvore are pretty darn close to what I actually wore.

The cardigan is SO soft and pretty. And the buttons are just the right amount of embellishment.

I bought this in a UK 12. I waffled between that and a 10. Probably should have gone with a 10, but the 12 is fine enough, plus I can wear a thicker shirt underneath, if need be.

You can buy it here, and I definitely think everyone should. Unlike the Parisienne which could be too bulky on some, this I believe, could work on all. :)


Here it is unbuttoned. My face was just looking stupid, so I went "snip, snip" to my head. :)

Please ask away. I know I will have the energy for your questions at some point soon. Just not today!!!

UPDATE: POLYVORE ADDITION (9 pm...must go to sleep soon...):

Untitled by dinagideon on Polyvore.com

Okay, many of you mentioned this cloche, so I decided to (quickly) create a polyvore with the cloche and the jacket in it, so that you could have info on where to get the items. BTW, the cloche is sold out on-line, but you could probably find it a local Target. :) Hope this helps you all!

A Catch-up Post!!!

I can tell you EXACTLY when I wore this Merona Collection Coppelle Paisley knock-off dress. One day after I finished my teaching career (at least for a little while). So why would I wear a pretty, polished, and professional dress on the day after I finish up? Because crazy ole me wanted to teach summer school to make extra money and to try something new (and kindergarten summer school is definitely that).

Because of the way the city schools run things, all summer school teachers MUST attend a mandatory in-service the day after the regular school year ends. I always love making an impression when I am meeting new people, so I ALWAYS dress up...regardless of whom I am meeting (I would hate to have them judge me poorly based on an outfit I am wearing).

Coppelle Paisley Knock-off Dress! by dinagideon featuring FOSSIL watches

So on June 26, 2009, I wore the outfit in this polyvore above.


So here it is on me. I like it. I think it suits most women's body types...very conscious of curves...but still managing to cover the bits women have issues with. Plus it is FULLY lined in a great sort of stretch poly...

Gigiofca wore it here, and she looked so good, I had to go and grab it for myself.

Oh, and then she mentioned the pattern of the dress here, and I decided I needed to check and see if my pattern was okay...which it was...phew!


Another shot of me, just being less "ham"-tastic. ;)

Please do enter my socks giveaway. I am super-excited by my first giveaway!

Also, make sure to vote in the poll...man, spearmint is popular! And citron is not the loser. Yay, citron!

You all have a great night!

Umm, So I Forgot that I Wore this Last Tuesday!!!

And I was so excited to show you that I let my Sanibel Crawford Blouse out to play last Tuesday...

How did I forget? Oh, I know...it is called...June/End-of-the School Year/I have two babies/Oh, and I am quitting my job CRAZINESS!

Sanibel Crawford Blouse Comes Out to Play! by dinagideon featuring FOSSIL watches

So, not much to say...I wore it because last Tuesday was relatively cool and so even though it was June 2...I knew the gold cords and long-sleeved blouse and cami combo wouldn't be too much. The sandals are my only nod to the actual season.


I last wore the Sanibel here. It still is kind of itchy where the metallic threads touch against your skin but I don't get too bothered by it...it is kind of like I get desensitized as the day goes on...

The sandals are from Kohl's and not the one pictured in the polyvore. I wear these a lot during the summer...I think they may be my only pair of black sandals that are slightly dressy.

There is a lot more to come today...I just had to get this one posted before I completely forgot to put in my blog!

Two Outfits for the Price of One...or My Time is SO Limited that I Can Only Post Every Once in Awhile...

Okay...quick info...a couple of you may have seen this published before I added notes. Note to self...do not try to eat and blog at the same time...no matter how well Ms. HeidiG of Head to Toe with Heidi can do it!


Also, for those of you who have been waiting desperately (yeah, right) for me to comment back, I have!!! I still need to comment back on the FFM birthday and I (Heart) Milly posts, but I will get to it!

Today are two outfits from when I first got back from California. That was the insane week where I nearly disappeared and you all wondered if I had gotten the swine flu or something. No, nothing like that...but there was a field trip both weeks that sucked EVERY available bit of energy from me. :)


This is what I wore on the field trip on April 23, 2009. This was the Thursday after I got back from California. This is also the only outfit that you will see of me from this week because it was the only day I could really get the energy up to try and "work it!" Drewablank, if it looks familiar, it is because this is the outfit that you saw me in that afternoon at Pentagon City.

The top is from Macy's, a Charter Club lace frou-frou concoction that is AWESOME. It is stretchy and tailored and really, really pretty. Under it I wore a light purple camisole from Costco (Lady Hathaway). Does anyone else LOVE Lady Hathaway camisoles as much as me? They have a shelf bra, are super-long (but not too long), and come in the greatest colors. Plus, they are as soft as silk (even though they are not). The pants are the stone-colored version of your favorite pants of mine, the Bistro stretch pants. I actually own these in an 8. And they fit. WOO! The shoes are the Juliet patent pumps in Dusty Rose. Do you all have a problem with the insole lining coming out? I know I can get them glued back in, but I was wondering if you were experiencing the same thing...

All in all, I love the way this outfit looked. Pretty, professional, and just the right thing for carting 60 6th-graders on a field trip to DC. Yeah, I know, I am just a little bit crazy. ;)


I wore this on Monday, April 27, 2009, and yes, I am very aware that the skirt kind of makes me look like a nun. The issue? I didn't realize how much this skirt does not fit me until I looked at the pics and then it was too late to change. Whatever. The idea of the outfit is good, but the execution, not so much. A tighter, shorter (to the knees) pencil skirt would have made this outfit sing!

The top is a J. Crew v-neck tee from Fall 2007. I think I bought it in Summer, though. Love the top. It is in citron and has the definition for "spontaneous" right there on the front. Too cute. The skirt abomination is from this Fall and purchased four weeks after CW was born to wear to a Gala. It fit well then. Of course I have lost like 25 pounds since then...I guess I just wasn't thinking. It was comfortable, though, I will give it that. I bought it at Macy's, on sale, for like 12 dollars. The shoes are from Kohl's and I love breaking out the sandals, 'cause that means summer is here! Woo! ;)


Here is a close-up of the tee. I actually have started doing this more, taking pics of my shirts close-up, so that I can use them in polyvore. Is anyone else doing this, too?

Have a nice day. I have more outfits to share, but it will probably have to wait until tomorrow. I have a whole slew from this weekend, today's outfit, and one from Disneyland left to show you. Maybe I can get them all posted tomorrow. We'll see.

Guava, Melon, and Yellow...Like a Yummy Dessert! (Or--One Outfit from BEFORE my Spring Break Began!)

As much as I love being on vacation, there is nothing that I love more than being back home. Northern Virginia, for all its faults, is a great place to live and spring here is glorious. After only five days of being away the tulips are blooming. Wow. Sure, the temps are supposed to be quite chilly this weekend, but when the tulips make it out, NOVA is ready for the good stuff...all that hot and humidity (which I LOVE and this is the reason Florida was so great). Of course I think I love the anticipation of the hot and humidity especially, which may be why a place like NOVA is awesome...we only get that type of weather for half the year (if that)...giving me something to look forward to the rest of the year. Does that make sense or am I just a little weird? I am also the type that loves the anticipation of a trip almost as much as the trip itself.

BTW, I probably won't be able to comment back on all your awesome comments till tomorrow...I hope you all will forgive me.

Without further ado, here is an oldie but goodie (wore it over a week ago, on Wednesday, April 1, 2009).

The polyvore is here:

Guava, Melon, and Yellow...Like a Yummy Dessert! by dinagideon featuring J Crew tops

This is the outfit on me full-length. I really like how the merino cardigan in melon looks with the guava tunic. I also happened to have the most perfect belt ever for this outfit...J. Crew (surprise) from four or five years ago. I have only recently begun wearing belts around my hips...love that my hips are thinner...enough that I can wear belts without getting the dreaded muffin-top look. The pants are cords by Lee Riders that I bought at Kohl's in fall 2007. The shoes are the buttercup colored perfect-patent flats by J. Crew from last fall.

Here is why I tucked in the tunic: I still don't feel completely comfortable with the hem of this top...it is still giving me the scrunched-up look and I really don't like that. Also, there was the added bonus of showing off the pretty belt, so I went with it!!! Here is where my initial review of the tunic is located.

Next up: Saturday's outfit for the plane and the first day in Orlando! (Or Outfit #1 from the trip...)

You all have a great day!!! I am so excited to be back...

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!

Real quick post about what I wore. I am walking home (I also walked here), so I have to get going, but I wanted to show my pride in St. Patrick's Day, and more importantly my love of the color green.

Because I walked today, I didn't do anything super-fancy, but it works as a whole. The top is a cotton sweater from Talbot's. I love this print. So pretty and chic. The pants are tan cords from Lee Riders that I have finally been able to wear again. In fact, I think I may have waited too long to wear them...they are a bit loose and may be headed for retirement if I can actually reach my weight-loss goal (still have about 3 pounds until I reach my pre-pregnancy weight before Rex and about 14 to go before I reach my ultimate goal--my weight in Summer 2005). The tennis shoes are some keds that I bought a few years ago at DSW. The headband is the only thing from J. Crew. Shocking, I know. Even the jacket I wore was from Kohl's.

I have J. Crew clothing in green...but none of them spoke to me last night when I planned this outfit.

I hope all of you enjoy your night. I am going to yoga. Maybe I will wear a green yoga top. Hmm...do I even own a green yoga top? :)

What I wore on my trip to West Virginia (THREE OUTFITS)!!!

Here is the polyvore of many of the items I wore on my trip to West Virginia. I don't have the time or inclination to discuss each item, so I will just tell you what items I do not have from that set. I have a different dress, bought from Kohl's. I have a different striped shirt, bought from J. Crew last spring (2008). The Lady Day is actually a Sybil coat in the same color, bought from J. Crew last winter (2007). The necklace is different, but looks very close to the one in the polyvore.

I really do have that Andie Bag, I did bring my camera, I did tote my laptop, and I drank copious amounts of red wine. YUM!

You can find my set here: http://www.polyvore.com/trip_to_west_virginia_in/set?id=7195152


This is what I wore to drive to WV. Or I should say, what I wore to be driven to WV in our VW (heehee). I have a fear and hatred of driving, so usually Jim drives me...I know, very, very sweet.

The turtleneck is so comfy and cashmere and J. Crew, this winter (2009). The pants are from Athleta and are super-stretchy, perfect for long drives. The shoes are from that brand Earth (not Wal-Mart but the walking shoes) and I bought them last summer. The necklace is a Macy's find, very inexpensive, but a great piece for layering. It reminds me of the cheaper version of the stone necklace J. Crew has now.


Here the outfit is with the Sybil Coat. I LOVE THIS COAT. I actually can tolerate winter in this coat...so cheery and sunny! I usually receive many compliments wearing it...I think because people need the dash of yellow in their lives.

This is the dress I wore out to dinner with Jim. We didn't go anywhere fancy, but I just had to dress up. The dress is from Kohls, and I have no idea who made it. I believe it is a juniors dress. I love the empire waist and fuller skirt--perfect for us pears. The shoes are the Jane suede flats in brown. The necklace I have discussed already, but the clear necklace is the Target find I wrote about on Saturday night (3/14/09). This necklace is Erickson Beamon for Target and I think it worked well with the other necklace and with this dress. I really, truly think I will get a lot of use out of it!

This is a close-up of the Andie Bag in flame. It is GORGEOUS in real life. I could never have spent what it originally cost, but I got it at a significant savings (THANK YOU EMILY)...and it is just so much fun. I will not go on much more because My Delightful Obsessions did an amazing review of it here: http://mydelightfulobsessions.blogspot.com/2008/10/fabulous-andie-bag.html. Suffice it to say, if you like it and you can find it, I would recommend buying it. It was sold last summer (2008).

Here I am holding the bag...nice size for lugging a lot of stuff around. It does get heavy being leather and all, but I have my vera bradley when I need lighter stuff. If I am just going around to show off, I am bringing my Andie Bag. You also see the Sophie sweater peacoat in this pic. This is the only red I can wear this close to my face (I have mentioned this before). I like the way the reds and browns all work together in this outfit. I felt very stylish...I know we were just hanging out in a simple Italian restaurant, but it was so nice to feel pretty!

No Andie Bag, but you get a nicer view of the Erickson Beamon necklace.

This is what I wore to hang out on Sunday (the day I received the best facial ever--seriously, I have never felt that relaxed). The cardigan is the Lea from this winter (2008), the pants are some Levi's that I have recently started to be able to wear again. I have already discussed the shoes, necklace, and tee. This is a very comfy outfit, and I think it manages to be a sleek casual, as opposed to messy casual! ;)

It's been awhile since CW has posed with me...so here you go. She makes the outfit SING!

You all have a great day. As you can tell, my weekend was pretty awesome...definitely making Monday way more tolerable than it normally is!!!