OOTDs: Three.

Sewing friends, before I begin, I want to let you know there are sewing projects in the queue for publication at the blog, but most of my sewing energies of late have been of the selfless sewing kind.  I haven't sewn anything up for myself since my splatter art blouse!  I knew the first week I would definitely want to take a break, so I sewed up a bunny rabbit stuffed animal for Rex.  I did cut some coat fabric for a coat last week, but then Rex reminded me about his pizza costume.  So I put the coat on hold and decided to make that this week (it is nearly done--woo!).  But the coat will have to wait just a touch longer since I will be receiving my first fabric from Fabric Mart tomorrow for my very first blog post for them.  I suspect most of my weekend will be spent getting a lot of that project done.  :-)

Okay, onto the outfits!

Day: Tuesday, October 29, 2014.

Where:  Joann's, Michaels, and Noodles and Co.

Ease of Wear: (3.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  Even though the only reason I could wear these pants was because I had a recent weight loss doesn't make them easier to wear.  They are cute, I like the slim cut with heavier fabric, but the waistband kept riding down.  I had to keep hitching it up.  I don't know what is going on...it wasn't the worst, but I wish there was something I could figure out to do so they wouldn't ride down on me.

The Chepstow top (here, original review here) is awesomely comfortable, so that helped make up for the pants.  But not enough to drag it higher in score.

Cool Factor: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.)  My style is usually not this style, even with the Chepstow top, so I would say stepping out of my preppy comfort zone helps up the cool factor. 

Anecdote from the day:  Fall.  Grr.  Fall.  I hate the "oh it's so cold in the morning, but almost hot by midday, and then rainy in the afternoon."  I spent the day wearing this wondering why I bothered.  I am not sure what would have worked for the weather we had yesterday.

Apparently Angus is a Lorde fan.  Upon arriving at Joann's to procure more supplies for Rex's pizza costume, "Royals" came on, and Angus got mad at me for singing because he wanted to sing the song.  When asked if he wanted to listen to the music or go into the store, he didn't hesitate before he said "listen to music."  And to make his day even more complete, they were playing "Royals" in Michaels, too.  :-)

Day: Tuesday, October 28, 2014.

Where:  Bowling and Harris Teeter.

Ease of Wear: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  These johnnie b. jeans are wonderful, but maybe a bit too fitted for bowling?  I should probably just show up to bowling in sweats, but no one else does, so I guess I should just learn how to bowl better in non-activewear.  :-)

Cool Factor: (3.5 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.)  It's cute enough, I suppose.  That's all I got.

Anecdote from the day:  My games were B-A-D, like my first year bad.  Sad.  Our team was whooped soundly, after soundly whooping others the week prior.  Sigh.

BTW, these photos had to be lightened a ton.  The light during the morning is just off in the house and outside.  I look forward to the time falling back on Nov. 1...it will make waking up easier and getting photos done properly, as well.

(If I use the flash, my skin looks ghostly, and I am 100% serious when I say ghostly...I am paler than I realized.)

Day: Saturday, October 25, 2014.

Where:  Rex's baseball game.

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  I was warm because of the Blarney Woolen Mills cape, and comfortable because of the J. Crew jeans.  The boots, while awesome, didn't work with the socks I wore, so I had to keep pulling them up to make them stay up.  That is the blemish, and the reason for the 1/2 star reduction.

Cool Factor: (5 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.)  I am giving this one a perfect score.  I really like the way this cape looks when combined with the jeans, boots, and sunglasses.  I don't know if the Sartorialist would dig it, but honestly don't give two flying "you know whats" about his opinion. 

Anecdote from the day:  Rex's team made it to the championships with the game they played that day.  There is a really good chance their team will be in first place.  I am thrilled for them.  We have the most amazing coach, just an all-around great guy, and the kids really work super hard and try their best, so to see the team make it this far is really exciting.  Wish Rex and his team luck on Saturday coming, please!!!

Okay, that's all for tonight!

P.S. Boden fans--20% off with free ship and returns are here starting tomorrow for four days!!!  Will write more on that tomorrow morning!  :-)

OOTDs: Twice the Pleasure.

Day: Sunday, June 8, 2014.

Where: Bethesda for yummy Cajun food (holla, it's soft shell crab po'boy time again!) and with a friend to a meet & greet with a local Congressional candidate.

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) The Emily Skirt (which had its first outing here--all dressed for winter there) has grown on me.  At first I was majorly pissy about the horrible lining, especially since it seemed pencil shaped.  Well it turns out that while the lining's shape is slimmer, because Boden chose to use a cheap cotton, it also doesn't hold that shape for very long.  (So silver lining, pun intended, on Boden's choice of horrible lining fabric?)  Anyhow, the skirt and top and sandals were all really comfy, and I felt very at ease all day.

Cool Factor: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest--for both outfits.) I liked this outfit a lot, but my husband and my daughter were all IN LOVE with it.  CW was especially happy I chose to wear the Zara flowers t-shirt (size 13-14 from the girls line, the 13-14 fits a women's size 4 or 6, fwiw) the same day she wore hers.  I kind of wish I had chosen another top for the skirt, but it did work, kind of, as long as you don't focus on the fact the dandelions have nothing to do with the Scandinavian florals embroidered all over the Emily Skirt.

Anecdote from the Day:  Soft shell Crab Po'boy.  That is all. 

Day: Monday, April 14, 2014.

Where: Pre-bowling, since I would be on a field trip with Rex the next day.

Ease of Wear: (3.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) The outfit wore well enough, but the top was probably the wrong choice for bowling.  In reality, I should have worn the outfit you see next to bowling, and the one I wore above to do the school run.  Oh, well.

The Bistro Short were reviewed by me here, btw.  I liked them so much that I purchased them in a second color, and even though I haven't published the photos, those shorts have also gotten plenty of wear this spring and summer.  You could say I am a fan, since the stretchy cotton sateen and longer inseam work well for my curvier lower half.

Cool Factor: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest--for both outfits.) It's cute.  Will wear it with a different pair of shoes next time.  Love the hair.  Wish it always fell just like that. 

Anecdote from the Day:  It was warm and humid that day, but the very next day it was cold, very rainy, and windy.  So done with DC/VA weather patterns.  I want one temperature, one season, all the time.  I am officially a wimp.  And when I say one temperature and one season, I don't mean winter, spring, or fall.  Guess I should move to Florida already.

Day: Friday, June 6, 2014.

Where: School Run.

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) Not pajamas, so not a 5 out of 5, but the Bistro shorts felt so good and easy.

Cool Factor: (3.5 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest--for both outfits.) Should have untucked the tee, would have been more balanced that way.  The sperrys look really nice with the outfit, helped make me feel young.  But I didn't accessorize, at all, so ding ding ding down go the points.

Anecdote from the Day:  CW was home that day with Angus and me since her kindergarten graduated a full week before Rex and the rest of the school.  When I went to sub yesterday (6/9/14) she asked if she could go with us.  I think she already misses being at school.

That grin on my face is 100% for real.  I had heard some great news that day.  :-)

Okay, all that's it for tonight.  Thanks for coming by and hanging out over here.

The shorts are running very low on stock. Some of the sizes in the Emily skirt are low in stock, but those numbers look healthier.  If the shorts do popback in your size or you have a hankering for the skirt now, use either the sidebar coupon or the one below to receive 25% off and free shipping. 

OOTDs: Four Recent.

UPDATE: Lisa, one of the commenters on this post in its original form mentioned you could use the $20 off the items in the "select" womenswear 20% off, which you can find here.  That's great!  So if you have been waiting for a fairly good deal, this is definitely it.  Thank you, Lisa!!!

Before I begin, I saw over at the Boden FB page that you could receive $20 off a $75 purchase (with free ship and returns), but it is only good until tonight.  Remember, these deals are only good on current season merchandise, not clearance items, so if you are drawn in by something from last fall/winter, it won't work.  Also, if you have a hankering for something about $115 or more, use the sidebar coupon here at the blog (also at the bottom of this post) instead since the 15% off is a better deal overall than the $20 off of a $75 purchase.  The code for the $20 off of $75 is J5V4, place that code in your shopping bag to ensure you receive that amount off.

(The above promo did expire, but the 20% off womenswear deal is still going.  It does end tonight, Wednesday, April 15, though.)

Onto some recent outfits.

Day: Sunday, April 13, 2014.

Where: Bethesda for lunch and an important haircut.

Ease of Wear: (3 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) The dress has tighter sleeves and since it has been a while since I have worn it (thanks a lot cold winter), I had forgotten that.  Eventually the cotton stretched a bit, but until that happened, my fairly thin arms felt like they were being strangled.


Cool Factor: (3.5 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest--for both outfits.) Pretty, yet conservative outfit.  Shabby Apple dresses always have sleeves and a longer length since they are made for Latter Day Saints (Mormons) who have requirements in dressing for modesty.  As a fairly conservative dresser, I appreciate this.  :-)  The shoes are very cool, I loved being able to let my toes see the sun again.

Anecdote from the Day:  Angus is getting so big (he just turned two on March 25!).  We finally decided his mullet had to go.  I love his wispy long hair so much, but he was often mistaken for a girl, so I gave in, even though he has this one tiny little curl in the back of the mullet that was darling (I kept that for his baby book, though).  In the end he looks beyond cute with his little man haircut. 

Day: Sunday, March 26, 2014.

Where: Winesday.

Ease of Wear: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) Yay for pants that feel decent on the body.  These pants are one of the few that I *don't* want to throw in a big pile of tinder and set on fire, especially since I have worn pants nearly every day for the past few months.  They have just a touch of spandex and they were made with a nice normal rise, nothing too short, but nothing too long, either.  The popover (French Print popover, still available from J. Crew in their sale section) is great in my normal size 4, so if you like it, go with your true size.

Cool Factor: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest--for both outfits.) Cool mix of textures, colors, and print.  I am glad I tried the top with the sequined sweatshirt.  I wasn't sure if worked, but I ended up liking the look and will definitely try a similar look next winter.  I also felt like I looked younger in this outfit. 

Anecdote from the Day:  We hadn't gone to Winesday in forever, so I was relieved when it didn't snow, my brother didn't have a headache, or we had some commitment we couldn't get out of.  We hadn't gone in so long that we forgot our reusable wine glasses and had to buy another set.  (They are inexpensive, though, one dollar a glass!)

Day: Friday, April 4, 2014.

Where: Harris Teeter and the School Run.

Ease of Wear: (5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) This Johnnie b. Cosy Sweatshirt dress is so soft and warm, it is like I have on an old worn-in nightshirt, but just a whole lot more presentable.  Since I was grocery shopping, and running around town, it was nice to feel really good.

Cool Factor: (3.5 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest--for both outfits.) The sweatshirt dress has a bit of sparkle and the scarf is unique, so even though I was technically "slumming" it, I think I looked good for a SAHM. 

Anecdote from the Day:  Yeah, I got nothing.  Just a usual taking care of the house, kids, and hubby kind of day.

 

Day: Tuesday, April 8, 2014.

Where: Bowling.

Ease of Wear: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  Leggings and easy shoes equal very comfortable.  The top ended up getting really wrinkly (you can see it in the second photo--I took these photos after bowling) and the way the top sat on my hips felt weird.  Overall a nice easy outfit.

Cool Factor: (3 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest--for both outfits.) The mix of colors is fresh and cute, especially as our days are getting warmer and we are craving brightness however we can get it.  That said, it is still an outfit that features a peasant top and leggings, so ding ding (two points) down on the "cool" scale.

Anecdote from the Day:  I haven't gone to the bowling alley on the actual day of bowling in forever.  Again, like Winesday, something is always getting in the way, be it subbing, be it a sickness, or be it dang-blasted snow.  It was nice to see all my friends again.  Of course the rest of April I am out on all the Tuesdays.  Tomorrow I am chaperoning Rex's field trip, next Tuesday we are in Florida, and the Tuesday after I am subbing.  At least it won't be because of snow.  (IT BETTER NOT BE!)

Okay, that's all for now.  I really hope I am able to blog everyday this week, but I can't promise since life is really busy right now.  ;-)  I know you all understand.

OOTDs/Reviews: Johnnie b., if You Please.

Hi, all!  Happy Thursday!

First up will be the ootd, followed by the reviews of the item featured in the ootd.  :-)

Day: Friday, September 13, 2013.

Where: School Pickup.

Ease of Wear: (3 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  I found the outfit comfortable enough for jeans, tank, and a cardi, but after a whole summer of wearing jersey dresses, I think it might take me a while to acclimate to wearing more fitted (read: with zips and buttons) clothing.

Cool Factor: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.)  I like it.  The rolled hem on the jeans came pre-rolled, so for now, I feel at least Johnnie b. cool.

Anecdote from the Day:  That song Typical Situation by the Dave Matthews Band is sort of like my day, "typical situation in these typical times."  In other words, just a normal SAHM kind of day.

The Boyfriend Jeans by Johnnie b. (Boden's teen line) are so cute.  I ordered the lighter denim option and received these, which makes me think they sent the mid-denim to me instead.  If you own these jeans, and you can tell which color I have, definitely let me know.  I think I will try to pick up the lighter shade on super sale if these that I have are the darker shade, since apparently no one wants the lighter version except me.  (The darker shade is selling out, many pink "low stock" tick marks over many of the sizes.)

I typically will order 32 long from Johnnie b., but I decided that since the measurements were showing that the 32 would be very loose in my waist and fairly loose in my hips that sizing to the 30 long would be a better fit for me, "boyfriend" style or not.  (I think at my age a bit more fitted silhouette works better, and had I purchased the 32, these pants would likely look sloppy on me.)

Back view.  Love the pockets, would be GREAT if they were a touch closer together, but the size and minimal detailing work nicely on my more rounded behind.

The inseam is great for me, with my inseam of 34 inches, rolled they hit at my high ankle, unrolled I have enough length to wear them with small heels.


Boyfriend Jeans.  Size down unless the boyfriend looks good on your frame.

The price, btw, is awesome, especially with sales/coupons.  I think I got these for $35.

Day: Thursday, September 12, 2013.

Where: Little Gym/Old Town.

Ease of Wear: (3.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  Outside of being a touch nervous about how short the skirt felt on this dress, I was very comfortable.  By the end of the day, the length seemed fine, especially in relation to how short some of my shorts are.

Cool Factor: (3 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.)  Eh, it's a pretty casual dress in some pretty hip colors, but I don't think my styling of this dress makes it cool.  Even the cobalt blue top-siders couldn't help.

Anecdote from the Day:  I hung out with Angus in Old Town that day.  It was insanely hot and humid, and I forgot how difficult it was to push a buggy (with nearly 30 pound toddler inside) up the hill from the river.  I was a bit worn out after that.

Angus loves helicopters, birds, and planes, so sitting by the Potomac at one of the parks that sit on Alexandria's waterfront was right up his alley.  He could have sat there all day watching the planes take off and the birds frolicking in the water.

I lucked out, too, I was bringing a ton of winter clothing into Mint Condition to sell, and upon entering I spied a gorgeous tan colored coat from Halston Heritage.  I had no idea that it had sold for significantly more than I paid for it when it first appeared on Net-a-Porter (even its Outnet price would have required some budgeting).  It is divine, and so soft.  I don't love cold weather, but I will happily wear this as a compromise for my sour mood when the temperatures drop.

The Ella T-shirt Dress was too cute on line and I thought I would at least give it a try.  I ordered the size 15-16 thinking it would be fine, since the measurements were spot on for my body.  The length was the same overall as the 16+, so I knew that sizing up wouldn't give me extra length.

Then I received it, and in a moment of cold feet decided to try the 16+ because I was nervous about how short it was...I figured maybe extra fabric overall meant I could pull the whole look down and get extra length.

Well, yes, I could, but the 16+ size meant I lost my entire figure since it was so oversized, and the waist on the dress sat super low and was about three inches too big (the elastic didn't even have to stretch to sit at my waist, which is not what elastic waists are supposed to do, lol).

So I decided to deal with it and kept the 15-16, and as you all read above, the shortness mattered way less to me after I spent a day in the dress.

Hands in the pockets!  The pockets are lined in the same material as the waistband, really cute pop of color where you wouldn't expect it.


Ella T-Shirt Dress.  Sizes aren't selling out, so you will probably be safe to wait for a sale on this one.  (That said, it is a great warm weather dress, so if you are in any place that has higher temps in September and October, you could buy it now and wear it now.)

You all have a great Thursday!  Anyone else buy anything from Johnnie b. for themselves?

Below is the only coupon I have from the affiliate.  It works on all items, even if it says "mini Boden."  :-)

OOTDs: Solid Summer Sundressing.

Day: Saturday, July 20, 2013.

Where:  Haircut (obviously from the last photo) and Harris Teeter (yay for grocery runs on a Saturday night--can you read the sarcasm?).

Ease of Wear: (5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  Well this is a first, I believe, a full five stars for comfort.  This J. Crew jersey dress is one the most comfortable dresses in my wardrobe, but is elevated in status because it looks so darn good with barely any effort.  I wish J. Crew still did jersey dresses this well...

Cool Factor: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.)  It looks good, minus the sandals I chose.  But in fairness, I was going grocery shopping.  Had I been headed out for dinner, I probably would have opted for wedge sandals.

Anecdote from the day:  I decided, last minute, to go with a bob and bangs after seeing how darling Katie Holmes and Jessica Alba looked in theirs.  (Thank you to google images and my smart phone for letting me find these in the bowels of the gym that day.)  My stylist and I decided Katie's would be too demanding for me with my lifestyle (hahahaha), so Jessica's less involved longer version would suit my life better.

Now if I could only style my hair at home as well as my stylist does it in the salon...

Day: Sunday, July 14, 2013.

Where:  Greensboro Children's Museum.

Ease of Wear: (3.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  Nice and cool for the really hot/humid day it was, but the shoes weren't completely worn in yet, so they knocked the overall score down.

Cool Factor: (3 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.)  Well not bad, pretty decent for a museum that specializes in keeping children amused.

The last time I showed off an outfit from my trip to NC and GA, I was asked about the bag by one of the commenters, so I thought I would mention it...the bag is the Beacon Tote, and I think if you can grab it from ebay to do so since the size/function/feel is pretty nice, especially if you have a need for a big bag.

Anecdote from the day:  Since I like big big big chairs, it was a no-brainer that I would happily jump on up into the one at the museum and take a photo with my girl.

Okay, that's it for today.  :)

BTW, I am just terrible about getting anything non-Boden up in my sidebar.  There has been a great Lands' End coupons swirling around in the affiliate program these past few days, and I totally missed it.  Anyhow, it expires tonight, but it is a decent sale promo, so I thought I would at least let you know just in case you needed something from them.  (And I promise, hand on heart, to be better about the Lands' End coupons in the future.)

OOTDs: Handmade Liberty Love.

Angus loves to smile.

And he likes to run.

And every once in a while, he will stand still.

Day: Saturday, July 27, 2013.

Where:  Damn Yankees (my dad was props manager for the local production).

Ease of Wear: (3 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  I guess I have been favoring easy to wear jersey dresses and loose shorts this summer too much as this skirt felt so fitted and tight.  It really wasn't, obviously, just a regular pencil skirt silhouette, so I probably should wear at least one fitted piece of clothing a week to remind myself that I can wear clothing like this.

I don't know when I fell into the comfort clothing trap, but it probably has something to do with my overall mood this summer.  I go to the "aw, forget it" mode way too fast when something doesn't quite work.  I need to get out of this funk already, and stop letting everything bother me to the point where I quit.  (I forced myself to go out in this outfit instead of changing into a jersey skirt.  I was *that* close to freaking out that I was too big to wear this outfit, which is ridiculous, but that is where my mind went that night.)

Cool Factor: (3.5 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.)  Pretty top (wrote about it here, btw) with a great skirt and cute headband makes this a bit cooler than my usual SAHM look, which was appropriate since I was going out with my friend instead of doing something with the kids.

Anecdote from the day:  My dad loves loves his theater group, and when a play or musical is upcoming, he throws himself into the production with such gusto that the song from Damn Yankees "You've Got to Have Heart" is very appropriate for his life.  :-)  We don't get to see him as much during these times, but it is nice to know he is really having a lot of fun.

My friend got a migraine that night, so we had to leave at intermission, which I obviously understood.  This is the second time I haven't been able to see a musical there during the second act, since last year my dad had the great idea that I bring Angus to see Legally Blonde.  Yeah, Angus was upset at me and insisted that I either nurse him the entire time or get him out of there.  I didn't go back for the second act as I am not a crazy person.  (I also wondered *why* my dad thought it was a good idea.)

Day: Monday, July 15, 2013.

Where:  Drive from North Carolina to Georgia.

Ease of Wear: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  I knew I wanted a pretty outfit to wear on the drive, but since the drive is nearly 7.5 hours, I knew that it had to be comfortable.  The shorts are a bit oversized and that helps up the ease factor, and the top is blousey enough to not pinch or pull.  I still get bugged by the gathering and puckering where the yoke meets the bodice and armholes, but I don't feel the issues while wearing it, so as long as I am not looking in a mirror, it doesn't bug me.  (I wrote about making the top and the issues I had with it here.)

That bag, btw, is so overused.  It has this patina to it now that I like, but I have no idea if it is okay that I willingly used a light-colored leather bag as a day bag when I have toddlers in my life.  Oh, well...at least I got it from the J. Crew clearance store instead of at full price.

Cool Factor: (2 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.)  Meh, the colors are pretty, and those Sperry Top-Siders (for J. Crew in a neon pink color) are really cool, but the outfit definitely reads SAHM casual.  The cool kids would probably just sort of scoff at my attempt at cool if I was trying to hang with them.  Good thing I'm not, lol. 

Anecdote from the day:  The trip to GA was beautiful and the weather was amazing.  I always love the drive down there...something about Southern interstates are refreshing.  They are made well, nice and smooth, with lush forests and rolling hills for scenery, and miles between exits.  The blood pressure drops a bit, you know?  Not that I don't enjoy going to other places, but I am not sure I would ever describe the drive to NYC in the same way.  ;-)

Okay, that's all for today.  Hope you all are having a fabulous Tuesday.

I want to write a Boden Weekly Review Roundup tomorrow.  If you have a review for me (it doesn't have to have a photo, btw) for anything (clearance or new), you can e-mail me at dinagideon AT aim DOT com.