OOTDs: Three Times a Turner Sub!

Day: Friday, April 24, 2015.

Where:  Subbing Art.

Ease of Wear: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  Although I had crafted this top to fit me exactly (it was my last entry in the Fabric Mart Fashion Challenge last year), I have gained about three pounds since then, so it was a touch tight through the waistband, but holla, linen is always stretches out by the end of the day, so by noon, I felt fine.  :-)  The pants are awesomely comfortable, which is why I keep praising them to the hills.  I don't think I am the only person who loves the Turner Pant this much, but I *may* just be the most vocal.

Outfit Details:  Top, made using Simplicity 1590; Pants, available still from J. Crew; Shoes, J. Crew.

Anecdote of the Day:  The reason for wearing the top should be obvious, but in case it's not, I wore my hand-painted top so I could use it as a vehicle for discussing the process of creating art.  It actually ended up helping one kid who was stressed out about something not being perfect at the beginning of his hippo art (yep, that's my signed version above, lol).  I told him my top was nowhere near perfect when I started and honestly was far from perfect still, but overall it was a good piece of art.  I think it worked.  He seemed satisfied by his art from there forward.  :-)

Instagram Shot.

Day: Wednesday, April 22, 2015.

Where:  Subbing 4th Grade.

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  I basically felt like I was wearing pajamas the whole day.  The navy version of the Turner pants (haha, yes, I wore them twice in a week with a wash in between) is a touch tighter than the other colors, but still stupidly comfortable.  The merino wool metallic striped sweater appears that it would be scratchy because of the metallic threads, but the inside is nice and soft.  Very lovely.  I also found the size extra small that I bought to fit well on my frame, but keep in mind I have a very short torso for my height.  For some of you this may be too short.  Hogl is a brand out of Germany, and I had purchased these shoes way back in 2004, when we went there on a spring break.  They are doing well considering their age.  I love this brand and wish they were easier to find in the States.

Outfit Details:  Sweater, a few left at J. Crew; Necklace, J. Crew; Pants, available at J. Crew; Shoes, Hogl.

Anecdote of the Day:  I was supposed to be in the office but at the last minute switched to fourth grade.  I didn't know what the day was going to hold, but apparently there was a big "station" day at the school focused on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) with an emphasis on CSI kind of work, so I loved it, since as an archaeologist we had to use many of the same techniques that CSI does in its work.  I looked a the clock one minute and it was 1:15, and then LITERALLY five seconds later I looked at it and it was 3:00.  That was easily the best day I have had teaching, ever.  It was fun.

Instagram Shot.

Day: Friday, April 17, 2015.

Where:  Subbing Computer.

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  I could repeat what I wrote in the above entry.  Gracious.  I am probably boring you now.  But these Turner pants are the black version.  Woo.  Right?  Exciting stuff here, I tell ya.

Outfit Details:  Top, Target; Necklace, Target; Pants, available at J. Crew; Shoes, J. Crew Factory.

Anecdote of the Day:  Rex was out of school for a month when he broke his leg and was wheelchair bound.  Apparently he was missed.  The note above tells what one student felt made them lucky, and one of their "I am lucky" statements was that Rex was back.  I nearly started crying, so sweet.  :-)

Okay, that's it.  Want to point out that I am wearing no Boden in these outfits.  Yes, it is possible.  Haha.

You all have a great night. 

OOTDs: Summertime Leftovers. And a Giveaway Winner!

Day: Sunday, August 24, 2014.

Where:  Day in DC at the Natural History Museum with the family.

Ease of Wear: (5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  There is a reason why I keep buying the Garnet Hill Tiered Maxi Dresses, they are so comfortable and incredibly easy to wear on hot summer days.  This year's version is slightly shorter (yet more fitted) than last year's (which I wore here last), and while different, I love them both equally the same.

I have had these Boden sandals forever, I don't pull them out as much as I used to, but they do make their way out to see the sunshine at least a few times a year.

Cool Factor: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.)  Pretty and breezy.  Better suited for Maui than DC, but I don't exactly live there, so I'll take here.

Anecdote from the day:  They are redoing the entire dinosaur exhibit at the Natural History museum, but until they are done, they have some temporary exhibits up.  When we were there, this live action dinosaur screen was going and you were part of the action ("Walk Among the Dinosaurs").  The kids ate it up.  I love how CW is gently holding her hand up to the T. Rex, like he wouldn't bite her.  Yeah, right, hon.

Day: Thursday, September 18, 2014.

Where:  CW's birthday dinner.

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  I wish I didn't have to wear a cami with the Boden knot detail dress, but since it was dinner out with the family and not a date night, I knew I wanted to be a bit more covered up.  Otherwise the outfit was very comfortable.

I know some of you will want a little review on the knot detail dress (here on sale), so here goes...I took a size 6L, and you can see that it is pretty long, so I only recommend sizing to a long if you are very tall or if you have modesty requirements.  I may have gotten away with the shorter version, but since most of my height is in my legs, it does help balance my frame a bit.  I also think if you stand the wrong way you could potentially get the question, "are you pregnant," so definitely stand up straight, lol.  I actually never mind if people ask, but I am a weirdo like that.  It is usually kids who ask, so I just smile and say, "no."  The dress is well made and very lightweight.  Perfect for summer.  I wore it with a cardigan at night and it looked cute that way, so it could be transitional, too.

Cool Factor: (3.75 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.)  I like this shade of orange on me, but the length keeps it from being a homerun.  That's okay.  :-)

Anecdote from the day:  The sombreros were out again for CW's birthday.  I think outside of my upstairs railing and our outdoor forest no place has seen more of my photography on this blog.  I don't go there for my birthday, but everyone else does, it seems. 

And now for the winner of the giveaway...Aimee Everrett, you are the winner.  I almost *never* enter giveaways until someone enters first because I figure there is no way #1 will ever win, even though I understand chance from my years of math schooling.  Hahaha.  Was I proven wrong--on my own giveaway--which had 153 discrete entries (after I took out duplicates and extra superfluous comments).  Aimee commented first and won the big giveaway.  Chance dictated that #1 has as good a shot as #47 and #122, but I guess seeing it is believing it.

(I even made sure to screen grab the date and time so you could see that I wasn't fudging it!)

Congratulations to you, Aimee!  Enjoy your prize!

Take care, all.  We'll talk soon.

P.S. Thank you to those of you who took time to comment on yesterday's post or email me.  I feel better today, definitely, still feel like I have a bit of an uphill climb, but most assuredly less blue than before.  Your sweet and kind words really helped make me feel a lot better!

Review/OOTD/Giveaway: Boden's Amy Dress Goes to School!

Okay, so many of you have seen me hinting at a big something something here at the blog, and today it is here!  More on the very fabulous giveaway (trust me, you'll want to enter!) at the end of the post. 

Boden, basically the bread and butter of my wardrobe, contacted me and asked me if I would be interested in a free garment of my choice and the chance to host a giveaway at my blog, and within maybe a half-heartbeat, I wrote them back and said, "um, yes, please." 

I told them I wanted to choose an item that would serve me well in a back-to-school way since I have recently gotten back into substitute teaching after a two-year absence of any teaching at all.  While I have clothing that is fine for substitute teaching, I love having extra-special pieces that are all at once unique and hard-wearing enough to stand up to whatever children will bring during their learning.  Boden was my favorite place to find pieces like that when I was teaching middle school.  (Heck, it was another middle school teacher who, in 2004, told me I HAD to look at this "Boden" place, since she took one look at the catalog and determined it was very "Dina.")  So rather than go with a tee or pants or skirt, I knew that my free item would have to be a dress in a lovely print made from a *washable* material that was also conservative in cut (we have a modest dress code at the school).

Enter the Amy Dress (find it here at Boden).  It fits the criteria for my needs as a substitute teacher, a lovely print (gorgeous mid-century take on plaid), washable fabric (cotton sateen lined in a poly), and a modest cut (knee-length in my size and sleeves).

In addition to the c/o dress, I added two additional Boden items to the outfit, the gorgeous Flat T-Bar Points (here, but sold out in many sizes/colors, watch for popbacks), and a pretty necklace from a few years ago.

The flats are the perfect *almost dressy* shoes while also being exceedingly comfortable, which is great when you are on your feet all day helping little ones with their school work.

Regarding sizing, I took the dress in a size 6 Long, which was chosen because the bust and waist garment measurements matched mine (with an inch for ease).  With the full skirt (and a full skirted lining), the hip measurement was n/a.  Definitely size for your chest if this dress calls your name, it is definitely more fitted through the bodice, and it has a side zip, so you need to ensure you can get it over your head, shoulders, and bustline.

The shoes are a size 40.  I was worried these wouldn't fit me and be too short, but they fit both length- and width-wise, so my US size 9.5 feet are happy as can be.

The silhouette is very classic, mid-50s, early 60s, in feel.  The detailing is sublime.  As you may have seen on my sewing project from last week, I made a vented cuff on my sleeve, so I *know* that those kind of details take time and would not be made if Boden was trying exclusively to think about profit.  That is precisely why I shop at Boden, they are special and unique, but they also care so much for details that many retailers overlook these days. 

Although you would think a back zip would work here, and I would prefer it personally, my friend pointed out that she prefers that kind of side zip, so to each their own, I suppose.

The back view is beautiful.  I really dig how the skirt pieces were cut on the bias, while the rest of the dress was cut "normally," so the plaid was going the way you would expect it would.  The way the pattern directions work together is darling and eye-catching.

The pleated collar is a lovely feature, but the seamstress in me is a bit put off by the fact that the outermost pleat right near the shoulders is not cut deeply enough (with enough fabric for the pleat), so the effect is a bit lost and looks like the pleat disappears into the underarm.  This happens on the model, too, so it isn't necessarily a size thing.  Having said that I *notice* it but no one else did.  :-)

I love this shot!  It, in one moment, shows exactly why I was excited to get this on and wear it out.  Look at that twirly skirt in motion!

The color is more grey than the photo on-line would have think, so definitely bear that in mind if you were hoping for a brighter cream color.

I have already washed it and dried it (hung to dry, not in the drier), and it is just as lovely as it was the first time I wore it.  I will give it a bit of a press and it will be ready to go for my next time!

In addition to this gorgeous dress, Boden rolled out the Isla Dress (here) in the winter rollout, and it is a wool version of this same dress.  (And I believe the Flowershow Dress--here--was the summer version of this dress, too.)  Um, yum.  I might have to get a cold weather version of this dress for those days I have to sub in frigid temperatures.

So, remember how I mentioned that a friend introduced me to Boden in 2004?  (And a blog started in 2009?)  Well, now it's your turn.  Obviously I may have paid forward my own Boden love to others out there in the internet, and Boden really wants all of you to do the same, so if you have a friend that you think would love Boden, definitely remember to participate in their "refer a friend" program which is beneficial for both you and them.  You will receive a $15 voucher to Boden after their first purchase and they will receive 15% off their first order.  You can find out more and how to refer them here at this link.

Okay, now for what I know many of you are excited to find out more about--THE BIG GIVEAWAY!

Boden has decided to treat one of you very faithful readers of this blog to $125 to spend at Boden.  (I know!  Yes!)  They ask that you comment below with the one item from Boden that you just love!  (Or more, but one is sufficient!)  I would pick from this season the Eliza Coat (here) followed by the Amy Dress (above, obviously, lol).  I could pick more, but I'll stop.  ;-)  You have until October 3rd to enter.  I will announce the winner on the morning of October 4! (The giveaway is open to US residents only, though!)

You all have a lovely day, and thank you for reading my blog and for loving Boden as much as I do!

OOTDs: Great Summer Lengths.

Day: Tuesday, July 1, 2014.

Where: My Birthday!  So yeah, I was able to enjoy a small trip to the city (with my daughter and my BFF) and get to Barnes and Noble and Pret-a-Manger.  That night we all ate dinner at our favorite Ethiopian restaurant, Meaza.

Ease of Wear: (5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  I love this Garnet Hill dress so much.  It is hands down one of my easiest, breeziest dresses ever.  And if there is ever a day to feel good about oneself, the birthday is probably high on the list.  :-)  I bought this year's version (tiered maxi dress here--wait for that $58 to go down, it should) in a tropical floral for $21 (yay!), but it is about two inches shorter, so it doesn't have that full-on maxi feel, sadly.  It looks fine, but I would have preferred this length.

Cool Factor: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest--for both outfits.)  It's a very pretty summery look!

Anecdote from the Day:  Some years I go all out for my birthday, but I wasn't really feeling like being over-the-top this year, so I just chilled all day with my BFF, L., instead.  And because I was able to eat some of my most favorite food ever that day, I was good.  Next year I will likely celebrate a whole lot more.

Day: Sunday, June 29, 2014.

Where: Smithsonian Udvar-Hazy Museum (aka Air & Space, Part Two) and Generous George's for pizza.

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  Just like the Garnet Hill maxi, this Boden jersey maxi dress (this year's is here) is one of my most favorite dresses, but this one loses out because I felt like I had to wear a cami with the neckline in order to be a bit more modest.  It wasn't that I was busting all out, 'cause I can't do that at my bust size, but for me, it does feel very exposed. 

Cool Factor: (3.75 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest--for both outfits.) I like the look.  I definitely was the only one in the museum in a maxi dress, though.  I think I would have fit in better at the beach.

Anecdote from the Day:  The original Air and Space Museum is the classic museum experience in DC.  This Air and Space museum only recently opened (2003), and features FULL-sized airplanes and an actual space shuttle.  It is AWE-inspiring, and the only thing that you have to pay for is parking.  (But here's a secret...if you arrive after 4 pm, it's free!  We locals can visit the museum as much as possible during the year, obviously, so we can take in the museum in bits and pieces, making the two-hour window to visit the museum doable.)  Anyhow, it is worth the trek out to Chantilly (right next to Dulles airport).  My favorite airplane is the Concorde, because I always thought that maybe one day I would be one of those lucky individuals who could fly to Paris or London in three and half hours flat.  Sadly they shut the operation down in 2003, so my dream will never ever come true.

Day: Wednesday, August 6, 2014.

Where: Angus's ABC/123 class.

Ease of Wear: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  The shirt kept wanting to come untucked, but other than that, again, super comfortable.  The rayon jersey in that skirt is SO soft, btw.

Cool Factor: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest--for both outfits.) It's probably polarizing, you are either gonna love it or hate it, but I dig it.  My hubby asked why I wanted to be so covered up.

Anecdote from the Day:  I just love watching toddlers figure things out.  Angus is now at the point where he can match letters and pictures to its pair on a chart, which I think is pretty awesome.  I also love it when he sees a friend of his in the class trying to figure out which match to make, and he chimes in (while seated, like *that's* gonna help, lol), "dere it is!" 
 
Okay, technically this isn't a "great lengths" outfit, but the dress fell deep into my photos folder, and I figured if I didn't publish it now, it would never get published.

Day: Saturday, July 5, 2014.

Where: It was a Saturday...and the photo time stamp says 8:00 am, so somewhere, but for the life of me, I can't remember.  Hmm.

Ease of Wear: (3.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  The dress is more form-fitting that I have been wearing this summer, so it took getting used to, but by the end of the day, the cotton had stretched a bit making it more comfortable.

Cool Factor: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest--for both outfits.) Ikat seems to still be in style.  I really like ikat prints, and since I have started sewing my own items up, I have bought a few yards in different colors/styles to hopefully make my own dress/jumpsuit/tunic in one day.

Anecdote from the Day:  Since I can't remember, I got nothing.  ;-)

Boden fans, there is a sale coming up next week.  Can't give you more, but there will be something coming on Monday.

You all have a great Friday!

OOTDs: Feeling Visible Where I Once Felt Invisible...

I am starting this outfits of the day post with a bit of a backstory so that I can properly explain why I chose these outfits to represent me for the Visible Monday (#130) linkup I am participating in with Not Dead Yet Style.  Basically to participate, a blogger must follow these guidelines (these are direct from Not Dead Yet Style):

1. Whoever wants to can join in! Just compose a post that includes any outfit, accessory, piece of jewelry, hairstyle, cosmetic or other adornment that makes you feel more confident, alive and visible that day.
2. Include a link to Not Dead Yet Style somewhere in your post. Please leave a comment, too, so we know you had a good time.
3. Go to the bottom of this post and click on the InLinkz button "Add Your Link". It should open a new page.
4. In the "Next Step", you crop the pic (easy tool) you want to display, and you're done!

So that is what I am going to do here, all four of the above.

But here is my backstory of "feeling visible where I once felt invisible."  I have been subbing at the school where my children go, and as many of you know, that is the same school I attended as a kid, too.  Here's the thing, I was a painfully awkward and shy young girl, due in part to who I am inherently, and due in part to the fact that I was being raised by a single dad.  I barely spoke to people, and when I did, it was to be the know-it-all who answered every single one of the teacher's questions.  I felt very uncomfortable around the kids my own age, instead preferring the company of younger kids (the kindergarteners and 1st-graders were so cute and sweet) and that of the teachers. 

I spent my days embarrassed by my circumstances...the messy uniform with not crisp pleats in the skirt...my tangled mop of wavy blonde hair that never was quite clean enough...the messy, weirdly shaped, and crooked teeth that only came out behind a smile every so often.  I dreaded being around my peers because every bit of me was up for inspection, and it always failed.  I still remember all the taunts thrown at me by every individual in the four years I was at the school.

So going back to the place where it all happened may seem highly suspect, but I assure you it is not.  As my PE teacher (she still teaches there!) said of me during my time there, "you didn't seem to care" regarding my treatment.  I corrected her later and said, "it wasn't that I didn't care, but that I couldn't care."  Regardless of my treatment by others and by myself (I hated me, too, often), I knew that the school itself fostered an environment where I became able to be the best me, in spite of all the various issues I had while there.  So I never once thought I would send my kids elsewhere.  But unlike my time there, I would make sure to ensure that my kids at least had a tiny bit of a leg up.  So I decided to not just be an alumnus, and not just a parent, but a part of the staff, too.

And since choosing that path, I have found such pleasure in the hallways and classrooms that once held both the keys to my successful future but also the skeletons of my sorry, pathetic past.  Now I walk in the school excited to be seen as me in my best form, happy to serve the needs of the students and the full-time staff, instead of being the *me* that *barely cares* because that is the most protective stance I can take.

And, yes, walking in there in a crisply pleated skirted dress feels pretty darn good, too. 

Day: Thursday, May 15, 2014.

Where: Substitute Teaching.

Ease of Wear: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) The Gingham Shirt Dress (see written review of the dress here if interested) held up well, and lol, the pleats did, too.  The dress may not have a lot of stretch the way my Riviera Shirtdress does, but it did have just enough through the crosswise fabric (the weave that runs parallel to the floor) to keep me comfortable.

The shoes are so pretty, but for all the pretty, by the end of the day, I was happy to take them off.

Cool Factor: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest--for both outfits.) This is a ridiculously cool outfit for subbing.  I received a lot of compliments on the dress and the shoes.  Going to get this one washed quick so I can wear it again as soon as possible.

Anecdote from the Day:  One of the kids asked if my sandals were real snakeskin.  They are from Target, so it is faux snakeskin, or fauxskin for short.
 

Day: Friday, May 16, 2014.

Where: Substitute Teaching, with a quick walk to Harris Teeter after the school day ended.

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) The Nancy dress is so comfortable, and the pencil skirt lining that I complained about in the original review (here) has stretched out a bit making the dress very comfortable.

The only thing that I had any issue with was the shoes, since my feet got wet in the monsoon-like conditions we had on the way into school, and they pinched a bit on my way back from Harris Teeter after school (my kids were in an after-school class so I had *just* enough time to walk there and back).

Cool Factor: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest--for both outfits.) One of the teachers said I looked like I was ready for the beach.  I replied, "if only."   :-)

Anecdote from the Day:  You know when you run into someone where you don't normally see them and think, "oh, how do I know them, and from where?"  Yeah.  That happened to me at Harris Teeter when I saw one of the parents from the school with one of her kids that I hadn't met yet.  So I sort of was all confused, but quickly caught myself before I appeared too much like a lost little puppy.  She had also just had a baby, but barely looks like it (some women have all the luck, I tell ya!), so that threw me too.

Okay, that's it for tonight.  If you have a post you would like to link up with Not Dead Yet Style's Visible Monday post, definitely do so, I would love to see what other people publish.  Don't know that I will do this weekly, but will definitely try to do it at least every once in awhile.

P.S. In case you missed it, Boden started a diminishing discount today and I wrote more about it at this post.  Below I have placed a direct link to the sale for those of you that need one.