OOTDs: Aqualiscious.

Good Monday morning.  I would typically be running (what seems like) a thousand errands on most Mondays, but since this week is clearly atypical, I am sitting here in my PJs in northwestern Georgia working on my blog. 

Reading the Washington Post, I see that the hurricane is truly striking the region between southern Virginia upwards to Maine pretty hard.  I normally veer towards sticking things out, but am very glad we made the decision to drive here to be with Mr. Dina's relatives instead.  And in some ways, more work can get done here than there, especially for Mr. Dina, who can do his writing as long as there is power and my laptop with a strong Wifi connection.

Going to keep this post short and sweet, though, because I do want to at least make dinner for our relatives as a way of saying thank you, and because it is "Cheesy Shrimp, Grits, and Sausage," I need to make a grocery run to get all the ingredients.

Onto the "aqualiscious:"

Speaking of making yummy food, I was wearing this outfit last week when I made Shrimp Po'Boys for Mr. Dina.  (He love shrimp, can you tell?)

I had been meaning to wear this abstract floral scarf again, but wanted it to be with an outfit that was tonally similar (unlike the first time I wore it), so I brought out a sweater I scored on super sale from Anthro last winter.

I did notice the pants (that's the jakarta print, btw, same as one of my favorite J. Crew dresses) have the same brown color as the scarf, so I decided the prints could work well enough together.

I am so not a food blogger, but looking at this sandwich makes me want to make it again.  Sadly the remoulade would likely be too spicy for the kids here, so I will hold off and make something a bit more kid-friendly.

Yes, this is a slightly boring outfit, but it is all aqua.  ;)  I wore this around the house.  I don't even think we left the house that day (it was a Sunday and I had gone to church the night before). 

The shirt is a Liberty print, though, from J. Crew's Spring 2008 collection.

Okay, that's all. 

If you are in the path of the storm, stay safe, stay warm, and hopefully if you lose power, it will come back on quickly. 

Here Fishy Fishy!

Yay for fun theme days!  :)

Before I show of the "under the sea" outfits, I wanted to remind everyone (not just my Boden fanatic friends) that I am hosting a really great giveaway for some very pretty sparkly scarves from Boden.  Please enter here.  Would love to top out near 50-75 entrants, if possible!

Okay, so this first outfit includes the very popular "school of fish" skirt from J. Crew back in 2006...I spent far too much on ebay for this (ugh), but when I received it, I saw that this skirt is so unique and special, it was okay to make this one of my only ebay splurges.  (I usually try to do bargain hunting on ebay, only treasured items am I willing to pay more for.)  The second outfit is a mix of Anthro and J. Crew and includes a pretty aqua and coral print top and cute little starfish earrings.

The skirt is a size 6, which is fine, but I would have preferred the 8, but c'est la vie...it fits and looks decent.  Plus that adorable print?  Agh!  Love it!

The tee is awesome.  I have literally worn it over and over and over since I bought it back in the winter of 2007.  In fact I wear it so much that I bought the silver/grey version from ebay for $7, I really do find these neutral striped tops go with so many of my printed skirts and pants.

The necklace is the sparkle flower necklace, perfect little bit of bling, not too much, but just enough to add interest to the neckline.

I decided to wear it with the most comfy platform sandals, from Aerosoles a few years ago.

I was teaching the book "Swimmy" at school and really loved the message of "together we are stronger."  This skirt is a very nice little visual reminder of that.  :)

From behind.  I would love to have this skirt in a navy version, too, just like there is a navy version of this print in a dress.

Here Fishy Fishy! by dinagideon featuring clutch handbags

Above is the polyvore of this outfit.

I wore this outfit on the day we were driving from GA to southern VA.  (This was way back in late July, btw.)  I love this Coil Flower Tank from Anthropologie.  It doesn't really read floral, in fact I see the gorgeous red corals of the seabed, but whatever.  The shorts are J. Crew from a few years back, as are the cherry blossom lucaya espadrilles.  The earrings are not Elsa Peretti as are shown in the polyvore, but rather from Stella and Dot.  I found this outfit perfection for driving all day long.  Very comfortable and kept me cool (very important)!

Do you all see coral or florals?  LOL.  You can also see the earrings a bit closer here, as well.

Starfish and Corals. by dinagideon featuring a floral tank

Above is the polyvore of this outfit!

Okay, all, have a great Friday.

Oh, and although this is a fun "under the sea" day, I really truly hope that we don't end up "under water" with this ridiculous storm heading our way!  ;)

Anthro Arty Farty Party...

On my birthday/Happy Canada Day, I went to have some sushi for dinner, because what screams dinagideon and our great Northern neighbor more than some raw fish?

Anyhoo, I found that I wanted to be dressed up but not overly done, so to get there I chose to wear a Anna Sui for Anthropologie frock that I wore for my birthday party last year (I am nothing if not loyal and traditional, snicker).

Since we took a backseat to partying all night (unlike last year--but I did order the LARGE hot sake instead of the small), I knew that this would be my splish if I was going to splash.

Mr. Dina ended up liking the outfit (seriously, he had no memory of it last year, men!)...

Dress: Anna Sui for Anthropologie Endless Chevrons dress, size 6.  Shoes: Cleo Platform Sandals in grey, size 10, Stella and Dot Starfish Earrings, and a J. Crew golden headband.

That was all.  Very comfy, btw. 

This tree I am posing with is the best. darn. tree. in our yard...it's trunk sits low so climbing is uber-easy, and it has a huge expanse of branches whose leaves provide a ton of shade in the summer.

Obviously I went nuts with the picnik.  BTW, B & T were not involved in this photo shoot, just my good friends Tripod and D70.

Close-up.  You can get a better glance at the earrings and the pattern on the dress in this shot.

Okay, all, off to continue to see how the Boden update is going.  As of now, the Explorer version is working well, but Firefox's version is all screwed up.  Hmm.

P.S. Speaking of July happenings, a belated Happy Bastille Day to all my favorite French friends/Francophiles.

Spring Into Style: Monday, April 4, 2011.

Surprise, surprise...I am back to teaching my fashion class to local 3rd- through 5th-graders who want to go to school during their "intersession" time.  There are only a few year round schools, and the ones that are year round always have these extra few weeks of the year sandwiched near major holidays to have fun classes (like mine, called enrichment) or remedial classes (called remediation).  I am always stunned how many kids sign up for extra learning, but I bet part of it has to be because their parents don't know what to do with them during non-traditional time off (during the summer these same kids would be at camp, etc.).

Anyhow, I am around, but if you e-mail me at my aim.com account (for Boden reviews, basic blog stuff, or etc.) or at myarbonne.com account (for Arbonne info, etc.) it may be a bit before I can get back to you (but I WILL get back to you, promise).  Also expect that my blog post won't be as wordy or talky (woo-hoo, I am sure some of you are exclaiming, lol).

Spring Into Style: Day One 2011. by dinagideon featuring a cotton coat

So above is the polyvore of the outfit I wore today.  I had wanted to wear this one, but in the end the heels would have been too much. My long shins would have looked too long for a school day.  Kids don't need to be seeing that much of my legs.  :)

See what I mean? Had I worn the heels it would have thrown the proportion off, that said, for a date the heels could be cute.

I had to wear a trench as this morning it was a tad cool, probably mid-50s. By the time I left school, well, I almost had to just wear the dress it was that warm, mid-80s!

You'll note that I buttoned up the Floral Creek Cardigan as I needed the coverage.  Although the lyric/drift dress (why change the name, weirdness) isn't super low cut, the cami's neckline I was wearing was above the knot in the dress, and it threw the look off, so in the end I just buttoned up and put a silver belt on with it.

I bought both pieces in an extra-small.  The cardigan is FINE in this size, and even stretched out a bit.  I could have gone with a small in the dress, but then the neckline would have been too low and I actually wonder if the skirt would have been too full.  I do wish it was one inch longer, but que sera...you know???

I love the colors of teal, aqua, peacock, and silver together.  Very very calming.  The kids in my Spring Into Style class loved the outfit, for what it's worth.  :)

Have a great afternoon.  Up tonight I will do a very brief post on how I apply my makeup, the eyeshadow and lip polish edition.

Borrowing from the Boys, Literally...

For those of you that read this post early, all you got were four pictures of me wearing the same tee as Rex, and so I am sure that even without copy you all could guess where I got the title "Borrowing from the Boys..."

But just in case you still don't get it, I wore two separate tees recently that happened to be from crewcuts, and were boy's tees. Yes, I literally borrowed from the boys. And because nothing seems to tickle me more than matching my kids (I know, it doesn't take much to amuse me), I had to buy Rex the same tees in his size.

So here you are...


Borrowed from the Boys (Section), Part One (Also today's look, so yay for that!):
Sizes:
Top: Size 12. This is the boys graphic tee with the phrase "Don't be so shellfish," and has a drawing of a lobster. Did I tell you I happen to also love puns??? ;) I like the size 12 in the crewcuts boys shirts, but far prefer a size 14 in the girls shirts, which are cut narrower.
Skirt: Size 8. This is Jones New York from last year. I like the length and modest cut of this for church.
Shoes: Size 10. These are the Carina T-Strap Sandals from last summer, J. Crew. Very comfortable and well-made.

I love that it was baby CW who happily posed with me, not Rex, even though he was the one most excited by the fact that we matched.


I LOVE this picture. You all be expecting my dad to come in and post a comment about how much he loves it, too. Look at that--we are all smiling, no one has their eyes closed, perfection!!! :)

And isn't Rex just DARLING in his shirt??? (Oh, and get this, one whole hour of church and Rex was amazingly well-behaved. He even did prayer hands AND did the sign of peace with one of our pew neighbors--YAY!)

Oh, and yes, inquiring minds, those sunglasses are my new A.R. Trapp for J. Crew Troubadour sunglasses, and yes, I do love them. I did save up for them, and I figure after a few years their cost per wear should be pretty low, so I anticipate these being worth every penny I spent!!!


Borrowed from the Boys (Section), Part Two:
Sizes:
Top: Size 12. This is a crewcuts from last year that I fell in love with...love softshell crabs (to eat) and felt that I had to declare it. I have not yet had ANY this summer, and from what I can tell, I may not the rest of the summer (shortest softshell crab season ever, it seems, sadness is me), so I decided to put it out there that I NEEDED some. Alas, no one caught my (admittedly subtle) plea, so no offers from random strangers in Alexandria offering me some. Boo.
Shorts: Size 10. Yummy buttercup chino color, no?
Shoes: Size 10. Miss Trish of Capri for Target, you did good.

And even though it SHOULD have been Rex in this picture with me, again it was baby CW. I think she just loves the camera (and I think it loves her right back)!


One nanosecond after this photo was taken, Rex bolted for the other side of the room. It was a minor miracle this photo looks like this. LOL.

You all have a great night. Thanks for visiting and bearing through dinagideon's children's photos. :)

P.S. Less than 1.5 hours before my giveaways end. Don't forget to enter!

Mommy Style Monday #2--What to Wear When You Are Finally Showing...and a Review of the Double-V Dress...

After I did my very first Mommy Style Monday last week, I heard from mrsanketell over at Polyvore about how she has a particular dilemma, what to wear when you are 29 weeks preggo. Since I heard from her a week ago and I assume her pregnancy is progressing like mine did, she would now be 30 weeks pregnant. For those of you unaware of where 30 weeks puts you...this is the 3/4 mark, or 75% done with your pregnancy. This is also the point where most women have to just give up on regular clothing (like those highlighted in last week's post) and go to Pea in the Pod, or Motherhood Maternity, or Old Navy's Maternity Section, etc. You are definitely no longer looked at as "hmm, is she gaining weight," and instead it moves to, "wow, you must be ready to deliver soon!" (Unfortunately, as all of us previously pregnant women can tell you, this last statement is usually delivered when you are still 10 weeks from delivery, and when you tell the person that, they get really silent and look like they are really, really worried about how big your kid actually will be.)

30 Weeks Pregnant??? by dinagideon featuring J Crew

Since I know that mrsanketell is 30 weeks pregnant (7.5 months is yet another way of looking at it), I called my polyvore set "30 Weeks Pregnant: Non-Maternity Options." I will be doing a post on really cool maternity wear soon, but since mrsanketell is still pretty early in the "showing" phase, I thought she may appreciate one post on what options are out there that are not from the traditional maternity stores. I had a few reasons for doing this: 1) Maternity is ridiculously expensive and if you are only wearing it for a few months (including the postpartum period), it can be a bit prohibitive; 2) I like the idea of taking these items in your normal (or maybe one size larger than normal) size and wearing them as a showing yet not quite full-bellied enough to fit into real maternity wear; 3) If you do buy these kind of tops/dresses in your traditional size (or one size up), these tops/dresses WILL work for much longer than your pregnancy and postpartum period last (for more on that--I STILL wear the tee shown in this photo).

The tops are a mix of Boden and J. Crew AND mini-Boden and crewcuts.

The Boden and J. Crew tops were chosen because of their "easy" nature. If you buy them in your normal/one size up size, then you should be able to make them work for you up until you are around 35 or 36 weeks, plus postpartum, and later. I say 35 or 36 weeks because for most women, those last 3 to 4 weeks are the point when your belly gets SO big that most "normal" shirts become far too short to be worn decently. Yep, that is when maternity tops are your best option...also because (if you are like me anyhow) you feel ginormous and want to be done with it all, you could potentially get into the whole "tearing clothes off your body because you are so frustrated with how everything fits, you could hurt clothing that is pretty"...and who wants to do that to a lovely embroidered top from J. Crew? :)

The J. Crew dress option was chosen because the March catalog had a lovely pregnant woman wearing this dress (the Double-V dress) and she looks serene. I can tell you from experience that J. Crew jersey dresses are ideal for most of pregnancy. I wore many of them when I was pregnant with both kids. I also took them in my normal size of small (now rapidly moving to extra-small because of vanity sizing) and they fit up until about 35 or 36 weeks (see reason above on why I stopped wearing them). Note that I have a review of this dress below...I am not pregnant but this shows the versatility of this dress.

The mini-Boden tops were chosen because they are cut in such a way that they are ONLY flattering for little girls or really pregnant ladies. I know this because I bought a mini-Boden top to match CW (I bought a 14, but could have bought the 12 size...they run large), and it looked silly on my non-pregnant body, but I remember looking in the mirror thinking, "this would look great if I were to be pregnant again." It wasn't enough incentive for me to keep it, but I know that this style would work well for those with child.

The mini-Boden and crewcuts dresses were chosen because these are in essence, tunic tops for pregnant ladies. The great thing about the crewcuts options are that they have a neckline that reminds me of a halterneck and would do a great job of showing off shoulders, which for many in the maternity set, is the ONLY part of their body they don't mind baring. LOL.

I hope these options have opened your eyes to the potential that is out there for all the lovely ladies who are carrying precious cargo.

Next up is the review of the Double-V dress. I bet that after this post hits the blog-world, J. Crew will have a run on this dress...it is that good.


I bought this dress in a size small. If this dress were a tad more roomy in the hips, I would have returned this for an extra-small. I bought the slate color as black makes me look like death and the light purple (berry) color they have is very bad with my skin tone.

The dress does indeed have a double-v, one in the back, one in the front. The waist is actually an empire waist, but is a wider empire waist, so it doesn't become a babydoll dress. The waist is ruched elastic, so it E-X-P-A-N-D-S, which in pregnancy speak equals A-W-E-S-O-M-E. :) From the waist the skirt billows out, just so, but not enough to be unflattering (you know how if an A-line gets too full it just makes you look too full).

Because the dress is super-simple, the potential for accessorizing is HUGE, and I took it and ran with it (this was from when I went to Vegas), pairing the dress with the beautiful Aqua multi-chain gold necklace and a pair of silver sandals from J. Crew (2009).


I am standing here with my own product of pregnancy, CW, and my very pregnant (at this point she was 33 weeks pregnant) friend. She agreed that the double-v dress would be a very good option for her, although I have to say her faux-wrap dress does the trick nicely, too.

BTW, although I look "slightly" with child in this photo (showing its ability to look good on a pregnant body), I am not. This is what happens when you take a very heavy child and place her on your hip, you end up bowing your back (bad, bad for your posture) and looking pregnant. And for this post, that is just fine.

:) You all have a fantastic Monday. I have been on vacation, and still will be when this post publishes. I apologize if I cannot comment back quickly, but will do so when I return from my vacation.

As per last week, if you have a request for a Mommy Style Monday, let me know...either comment here or at polyvore, or go ahead and e-mail me at dinagideon@aim.com.

Tuesdays are Dress Days!

First up: A NEW commenting system, Disqus, has been enabled for all posts starting with today's. I will still have commenting on the old posts, but they will be through Blogger, and they will still have comment moderation. From what I have seen of the Disqus system on GingerSnap's blog, Chloe's blog, and Ashley's blog, I knew this was the direction that would work well for this blog. I like free thought, I love discussions, however...I do not really care for downright insulting comments. Sorry, I have feelings, and so does my family. Say what you want about this blog being public, blah, blah, blah...this is still my happy space (I love it most of the time), and I want it to stay happy. Disqus will allow me A LOT more control of how negative or not negative I choose this space to be. And as one of my favorite blog friends pointed out in a recent e-mail (she wants to remain private), the My Superfluities Blog is a lot more fun and delightful when a system of respect is there. I agree. So that is what I am doing by using Disqus, implementing some modicum of respect. Does that mean every comment has to be sunshiney and with rainbows? Heck no! I married a contrarian, for crying out loud. I can handle jibes and jokes and disagreements! And that is why I really fought to keep anonymous commenting for so long...I wanted you all to have your say. But lately, it has gotten out of hand. You have not seen the comments, because I have NOT PUBLISHED THEM. But they have been TERRIBLE. With Disqus, they may get published, but I will be able to have them flagged, etc. Plus you all can DIRECTLY answer a person if you want to discuss a point or counterpoint with them...

So enjoy this "happier, more decent" format of My Superfluities. :)

Okay, so Tuesdays are dress days...this is because I don't have baby CW with me and I am able to wear something that isn't conducive to nursing, in other words, dresses! I love dresses and relish any opportunity to wear them. In fact, the days I wear dresses I feel uplifted, even if everything else is kind of rotten (case in point--yesterday--God bless the little children and all, but boy, Rex was in a MOOD yesterday).

Simple, Easy Elegance... by dinagideon featuring Cole Haan shoes

So last Tuesday I wore this oldie, but goodie. Click on the polyvore to see info on the three pieces. Only the necklace is new. Speaking of the necklace, LOVE this one. Made by Urban Outfitters, I think it cost $15. It is a fun piece that is trendy, but at $15, is an expense that I can swallow.


Sizes:

Dress: Size UK 10, or US 6. This dress really is a nice bridge piece for the changing seasons, either from fall to winter or winter to spring. It is warm, but not too cloying. I wore it with tights the last time, but I did really like it bare-legged.
Heels: Size 10.5 Narrow.

Yesterday, I wore a dress that I was reminded of when reading Goldenmeans last week. There was an awesome post on Lil dresses (a brand that Anthropologie carries). I had just been going through my closet of "ooh, I can wear you again" clothing, and I found my beautiful silk Lil dress. Seeing her post reminded me I NEEDED to bring this dress out to play, and that I did...

Sizes:

Dress: Size 10. It is a bit loose, and long, but that's okay. A blue cami fixed that problem. Heels would have helped the length problem, but the below knee length doesn't really bother me too much, in fact, I felt a bit "mid-century mom" wearing this get-up. (I know, I know, my poor sad neglected little sister blog...) I bought this dress for a cruise Mr. Dina and I took in the spring of 2006. He said he would have even bought it for me, but I had already bought it for myself. How sweet! :)
Cardigan: Size Medium. Later in the day I did button it up and it added a bit of sophistication to the outfit. Belted it would have soared.
Shoes: Size 10.

The necklace is the Crystal Devote necklace, currently on promo of $100. That is a good price. I find this to be a fairly versatile necklace, even though on its own it seems a bit scary. I reviewed it here, and yesterday Bichonluvr did a post on it.

You all have a great day. Hopefully I can get back to more regular posting now that I feel more in control. ;)

Subbing in Style! (Plus a Sweet Peek at a Free Johnnie B. Bag!)

Don't worry, everyone. I promise I wasn't sitting at home this weekend crying because I was told my hair needed to be fixed or because my mommy style doesn't mesh with what others think mommy style should be. (Nope, I was just out A LOT this weekend and nowhere near my computer.) You would be proud of me...I actually read all the comments from the last two posts, laughed a bit, reflected a bit, and was proud to say that I in no way, shape, or form was hurt or offended!!! I actually agree with the commenter that thinks I need to color my hair. You better believe I do!!! I CANNOT stand my winter hair. It is all pretty and shiny and blonde in the summer and then...WHOOMP...like a dark, deep shadow, my winter dark hair comes out like the night, slowly, but surely. If I never went out at all in the sun, my hair would naturally be a dark blonde/red combo, which is pretty, but since I do go outside (even in the winter), it never quite gets there. And since I don't anticipate becoming a housebound lady any time soon, I will just have to deal with this winter hair thing (and I have had this since I was in high school). I am going to the salon sometime this week...maybe I will have them do something! (BTW, when stylists see me their reaction is always to blonde me up more...so I think in real life I must appear lighter than I do in photos...does that make sense?)

In re: Mommy style and the little convo going on...I think each mom is entitled to be the best mom they can be...if that means stepping out in stiletto heels and bright red lipstick, then FANTASTIC. If it means wearing your hair in a bun and having a sports bra on all darn day, then GREAT!!! I am just showing you my version, and from what I read, many of you try to do the same in your lives, so bravo for all of us! (More power to us moms...it is an insanely difficult job but also insanely lovely...so whatever fashion we bring to it, then yay!) If you want to hear some of my takes on mommy style, I am *thinking* (very much thinking--not executing just yet) of doing a "Mommy Style Monday with My Superfluities," kind of an advice column on particular needs of moms and their styling questions...in particular my passions of postpartum wear that goes beyond frumpy, great maternity wear, and what the heck to wear when you want to step out but you have a crazy and wild toddler (or two or three). :) It is still in its (haha) infancy, so nothing yet, but I know that mommy style is personal, but is something to share!!! So instead of being divided, let us unite and show our corners of the world that we can look awesome, even when the most glamorous thing we do during the day is feed our children rainbow colored cereal.

Okay, enough of that! :)

I subbed twice last week, and because this was by far the most action my wardrobe had seen in a LONG while (thank you SO MUCH, SNOWSTORM(s))...I really went all out to bring it to subbing. Had I driven to school, I would have probably shown up in a tiara. (Just kidding, but I would have for sure worn a dress and heels.)

I walked home on both occasions, and the first outfit does not reflect that well...I changed shoes to get home. There was NO way I was wearing those flats on a two mile walk. The second outfit you see my walking shoes, so that outfit is more exercise-friendly from the start.

Subbing in Style! by dinagideon featuring J Crew

This above is the polyvore for the first outfit. There is NO polyvore for the second outfit, because I am lazy. ;)


Sizes:
Top: Size small.
Cardigan: Size Medium.
Pants: Size 30 Tall. Umm, can I just tell you these are now officially my very favorite pair of jeans? These are the ankle-length (in tall--inseam of 30 inches) twilight wash toothpick jeans by J. Crew. I want J. Crew to always offer this inseam in this fit...my goodness, it is so flattering, and also very, very comfortable.
Shoes: Size 9.

By the way, I have worn a version of this outfit before. I guess I must have really liked it!

Baby CW looks darling here, but wait till you see the collage. Just wait for it!


Sizes:
Top: Size Medium. This is an Xhiliration microsequin tank in aqua. This is a juniors line, so the medium was my best bet.
Cardigan: Size Medium. I bought this dark aqua jackie from CDP for $25. What a great buy. You are the best CDP...if you want to sell any more of your jackies, you have a buyer. ;)
Pants: Size 10. Umm, SAGGY BRITCHES alert!!! I guess these Talbot's jeans are a bit big on me. Ooops. At least they were comfy! :P
Shoes: Size 10. By a company called Flurt, they are actually very lovely trainers that are lightweight and colorful.

So you know how CW always is in the pictures with me? Well, on Friday morning, she was having a mini-meltdown...and I was none the wiser, UNTIL I looked at the photos in Picasa. Before my very eyes, her meltdown unfolded. And being me, I turned it into a collage...because it is HILARIOUS. The WHOLE time we were taking photos of the teal sequined outfit, CW was having a temper tantrum...I thought she had just walked out of the kitchen to go play in her room. :) CRAZY!


She was fine. Please trust me on this. I wonder how I could turn this collage into a stop motion film?

Man, when she is fifteen, I think I might have to drag these images back out...she is normally all sweet as pie and agreeable...this is much more of a Rex-type thing to do!


Okay, almost done. Wanted to show you a pic of the free "Johnnie B." bag they are sending when you make your first johnnie b. order. I ordered a very lovely fitted tee (has a bird saying "moo" on it) in dark pink and this came with it. I think the bag may be worth more than the tee. This is a nicely made canvas bag...definitely puts the J. Crew canvas ones to shame...all tri-colored and fancy-looking with the Union Jack on it!

LOVE the tee, btw. Very soft, very nicely made. I ordered a medium, and I am glad I did. It would have been too small in a small. It is weird, but the 13-14 mini boden tops are sometimes too large, yet the medium in their junior's line is a close fit. Huh. I guess it just shows ya...follow the measurement guide over at Boden...has never led me astray!

Have a nice Monday. I will share more from this weekend tomorrow (including baby CW's first crewcuts fashion show)!

P.S. Cash from My Closet is updated, and so you know, all of the items in today's post are going to be consigned on Saturday...just a heads-up. :)

A Knitted Boatneck from Boden is All I Need to Brighten Up!!!

Nanny and Pops, aka Mr. Dina's parents, are in town, so I am limited in how much time I can spend on my blog, but I will attempt to publish every day, even if I only say a few words overall (well, compared to what I normally do, anyhow).

So I woke up feeling like CRUD...I think I might have had a small virus, you know the type with headaches, aches, general malaise, ick, ick, ick.

Was totally NOT feeling the whole "dress up and look awesome for everyone," but honestly, I now feel like I HAVE to try, at least. Thanks a lot, blog.

Easiest SAHM Outfit, Ever. by dinagideon featuring J Crew shoes

And this is why Johnnie Boden should be crowned the king of fashion for all stay at home mommas. His spring line is FULL of bright colors, stripes, florals, and overall prettiness. I literally spent three seconds deciding on my outfit. It consists of three pieces...Boden's beautiful striped knitted boatneck, the pixie pants in black from J. Crew, and the Rivington kitten heels from J. Crew. Done. My outfit is done...just that quickly and easily.

And even better, my spirits (even if my health wasn't quite there) were LIFTED. I felt good. :) And that is priceless. SO SWAK, Johnnie. SWAK.


Knitted Boatneck from Boden. This is a cotton, wool, cashmere mix and is a nice weight for all seasons outside of summer. This is the turquoise melange stripe, and as you can tell the stripe is a citron color.

I am wearing not a stitch of makeup (well, an eensy bit of gloss), and considering how bad I felt overall, I could look a lot worse. I think this color would make a drowned rat look like a pretty little princess. Heehee. :)

I am wearing a size 10 (UK) or size 6 (US). Yes, this is a loose fit. The size 12 (UK) or size 8 (US) would have been too loose...so I am glad I went with the smaller of my two Boden sizes. Only bummer is that this means a lot of you more petite ladies might have a problem. Boden's smallest US size is 2, and that is not all that small. I guess you could get it, wash it, and then dry it in the dryer...maybe then it would be a 0?

Minor pilling by the end of the day...but I wore it ALL day. And I picked up my kids multiple times, I wore backpacks, lugged boxes, hung up clothes, nursed, etc., etc. The pilling is probably more my fault than Johnnie's. And really, this pilling is only a tiny amount if I compare it to a dream sweater from J. Crew I bought two years ago...now that is some amazing pilling. :P


Yes, next time I will untuck the pixies and wear them over the boots. If the boots had been taller, I would have been (once again), Miss Horse Hunt Country Virginia. :) (I did untuck them after I saw this pic--not about to re-photograph, I do have a life...seriously, I do!)

Sizes:
Pants: Size 6.
Boots: Size 10.


Okay, I fibbed. I wore a perfect fit tee in citron under the sweater, but that is because I am obsessed with making sure NO underarm antiperspirant gets on my sweaters (am I the only one who worries about this?).

Oh, and can I just SQUEAL, just a tiny little bit? Okay, here goes...

SQUUUUUUUEEEEEEEAAAAAALLLL!!!

I have a beautiful pic of me, baby CW, and Rex. Ah! Nanny, you are a good photographer. ;)

Have a nice night all.

A Little Pink to Brighten Your Day (Featuring Sequin Tiered Ruffle Tissue Tank and the Jayne Dress)!!!

UPDATE: Happy Birthday to my girls HeidiG. (whose twin's birthday is today--heehee) and 3-Penny Princess (who celebrated a birthday last week). I hope you all got lots of J. Crew. ;)

Day Two of Two...and yes, I am publishing a post with today's outfit and polyvore AND an outfit from about a month ago. Yay! I will catch up, I will!

Untitled by dinagideon featuring J Crew

Today's outfit is this polyvore above. You have seen me wear all these pieces before...but I like this combo for today because it is:
1) NASTY outside...it has been raining (or monsooning) outside for hours. Thank goodness we were just over the front-line, else we would have had ice or snow. Ick.
2) A day where I am substituting AND I need to walk to a meeting after school (about 1.5 miles) AND I get to take the kids to see Santa (and I want to be festive).
3) It should clear up (sunshine and clouds later today), but if it doesn't, that trench coat (great fabric, Banana Republic) and umbrella should be handy on my walk.


Cardigan: J. Crew, Merino Crewneck Cardigan, Dusty Rose, Size Medium, Spring 2009. I wore it here last.
Top: J. Crew, Sequin Tiered Ruffle Tissue Tank, Slate, Size Extra-Small, Holiday 2009. I wore it here last.
Pants: J. Crew, Everyday Chinos, Quartz, Size 10 Regular, Spring 2009. I wore them here last.
Tennis Shoes: Adidas from a million years ago. :)
Necklace: Tiffany's, Apple Necklace, Given to me by Mr. Dina many years ago...seemed appropriate for teaching. ;)
Watch: My trusty Fossil.

No polyvore for Outfit #2. I could have made one, but eh, too tired!


Dress: J. Crew, Super 120s Jayne Dress, Tea Rose, Size 8, Spring 2009. This was an insanely popular dress when it came out. I didn't think it would work for me, but then I decided to give a whirl...and I really liked its shape on me. I bought this one off of ebay, as I did with the navy, but I decided to get the aqua color when it was on sale at jcrew.com. I am now realizing I don't really want or need three of these dresses, so if any of you want to buy the navy from me, let me know. ;) (I look fine in navy, but the tea rose and aqua make my skin tone sing...)
Belt: J. Crew, Superskinny Satin Belt, Aqua color, Size small, Holiday 2009. I really love this belt, as I love all of J. Crew's skinny belts. This is just the right punch of an opposite color to define the waist of this dress.
Shoes: Cole-Haan, Air Ada Low Pumps, Nude, Size 10. Nude heels or pumps? What can I say...love the look with a dress or skirt. :)

Do you all have any ideas on what cardigan or jacket might look nice with this dress or the aqua one? I worry about the neckline plus jacket/cardigan looking too fussy...any thoughts? Thank you!

Have a nice day...if we get the photo of the kids with Santa uploaded tonight, I will definitely share it tomorrow. Hohoho!

A Few Outfits for a Vacation (aka Let's Go to the OBX)!!!

I realized I had not gotten my outfits up from my trip to the Outer Banks (which I took all the way back in early September). Since we are going away fairly soon to another beach-y location, I knew that I just had to publish. the. pictures. already.

:)

Untitled by dinagideon featuring J Crew

Here is the polyvore of the outfits I wore (except outfit #1, which is directly below).


I wore this on the way to the beach. It was actually kind of cold (mid-60s), so I wore a light jacket (see next photo), but this is what I wore under the coat. The top is a tee from J. Crew from maybe two or three summers ago? I love this tee, it is so soft and pretty. The V-neck is a nice neckline, and I adore the anchor detail. The shorts are the ubiquitous summerweight stretch bermudas that you all know now that I own in almost every color. (These are the navy pair.) The sunglasses are from Boden, and from this summer. I ADORE these glasses!


The light jacket I wore is the Ruffle-neck short trench coat that J. Crew made this last spring (2009). I remember Slastena loving it, so I bought it, and I loved it, but it is definitely too heavy for me to wear in the summer...but 60s? Yes, I will definitely pull it out again...plus, look at the tea rose contrast color in the sleeves!!! Too freaking adorable. Love it!


This is from Target (and is in my polyvore). This giraffe-print is so sweet. It is a Merona Collection item, but lucky me...I found it on sale. YAY! (And in my size...even better!) This may be my favorite dress from the weekend. It fit perfectly and the giraffe print was not especially overwhelming (the way animal prints can often be)...I saw this dress on sweet tea in seattle and fell in LOVE, so thank you! :)

I wore it belted with the skinny leather belt in hot pink, which is from J. Crew this last spring. The shoes are some knock-off gold capri sandals from Target from a year or so ago (I think they were ten dollars--definitely a steal).

Oh, the giraffe print obsession continues. This time, for the next day, (the day I visited the crewlet), I wore the giraffe-print belted top by Merona Collection (also on sale) and a pair of aqua shorts (also on super-sale...something like 5 dollars). I wore the fake capri flip-flops again, natch.

I wore this delightful dress to dinner the last night we were there. Dinner itself was a nightmare (thanks, Rex), but I still felt good and eventually even Rex was well-behaved enough for us to enjoy ourselves at least a tiny bit.

This is the linen constellation strapless dress from J. Crew this last spring 2009. I tried it on in a ten initially, and decided it was too big, so I went back to J. Crew later (and armed with the Mickey card) and bought it in an 8 and for 25% off. That works for me. But here is the kind of sad thing...I just got around to wearing it (some five months later) and I find the 8 fit, but a 6 would have been better. Here is my advice to all you post-partum moms out there...if you buy it while you are still losing baby weight, be prepared to do some tailoring or else you will have wasted your money. I got by with it being a bit too big by doing the old tug, tug, tug. Sigh. (And I must say, I didn't have to tug this one nearly as much as the Sanur dress...that dress is really hard to keep up...)


And here is the dress with the linen seafront cardigan (I think that is its name). I love this cardigan. I am obviously a huge fan of the linen (what with it being all southern preppy summer friendly) but I especially love linen sweaters...they are so unique and the texture so special, that I usually buy one or two linen sweaters a summer. I believe gigiofca also wore this one for you all at some point.

That is all for now, lovelies. :)

I will be publishing my pretty pics from this trip (which will include some of the kids that are super-cute) later tonight. You all have a great day, I am off to comment on the other posts (hopefully) and to go sub...

August 12, 2009 (aka Rex's 2 1/2 Birthday)...

We are so into birthdays in this household that we happily celebrate half-birthdays, too. Yeah, I recognize the inherent lame-ness of it all, but well, that's us...a little bit lame. :)

Rex turned 2 1/2 on August 12, 2009. We celebrated during the day by going to the pool, and at night, we went to McDonald's and then to Toys R Us. (Wouldn't have been my first choice, but when you are 2 1/2, McDonald's and Toys R Us are the pinnacle of fun...esp. when they have happy meals with toys--whee!)

And because I eagerly anticipate any sort of celebration, you got it, I dressed up to go out to McDonald's and Toys R Us. You would have seen these outfits sooner, but if I recall, the next day my post had a comment from Mr. or Ms. Negative Jerk-Face commenter, and it kind of shut down my desire to post any fashion for a little bit. (But I am obviously back, and have been, and really wanted to get these outfits posted before it got any further into the fall season.)

August 12, 2009 by dinagideon featuring J Crew

Here is the polyvore for the whole day...from pool (on the left) to ultra-fancy McD's and TRU (right). Yes, Mr. Dina was a little amazed I was wearing a strapless dress and pearls out, but I think he got over it when I glared at him. ;)


Here is my day look...the Trastevere tunic from the outlet that I won on ebay (actually received a second chance offer) in a small, the khaki bermuda shorts from regular J. Crew, the twist back swimsuit in pacific from J. Crew, and the carina sandals in silver, also from J. Crew.

There is CW crawling around...sometimes they find their way into the pics (which I love...so cute)!


Okay, so here is the McD's/TRU outfit...the strapless jersey dress in a dark charcoal (may have been an in-store only color) belted with a cream leather skinny belt, and some sandals from ebay that are J. Crew (I think last summer--2008?).

I will be honest with you...I love the way this looks, but there is a whole lot of fashion tape being used to hold this dress up. For all of you who own this, do you have any secrets on how to hold this up better? I want to wear this more, but right now I am limited to wearing it only for a few hours at a time because the fashion tape only lasts that long. Hmm...if you have any ideas, I will forever be grateful!


I bought this button-up shirt specifically to wear as a lightweight jacket/cover-up. Crazily enough, while I can wear a 6 or even a 4 in some of J. Crew's jackets, I can barely get into a size 8 button-up shirt because the area of the shirt near the hips is always too tight to button up completely. Ergh! This shirt is the worst offender, by the way...the top 1/2 fits PERFECTLY, but the bottom 1/2 is WAY TOO small. So lucky for me, I only wanted to wear it open.

For those of you considering the ruffle front liberty art perfect blouse from J. Crew this season, go for it if you have larger hips...they have finally sized their tops to work on both the top and bottom halves of us pears. (Finally...)

Have a great day...enjoy yourselves and don't work too hard!

Oh, and P.S.: I found my diary from high school...man, it is BAD. Terrible. Completely hilarious, but truly awful. I will be working up the courage to bring you dina's dramatic diary...just give me a few more days...