OOTDs: Time for Turmeric.

I have some turmeric in my spice basket and even though it seems to be an orangey-yellow, sometimes even orangey-red color, Boden keeps insisting that the color that I see as a yellow-green is in fact turmeric.

So I will go with it, although based on my very amateur sleuthing, what is called turmeric by McCormick spice company and what is called turmeric by my most favorite British clothier, are definitely different hues.

In my opinion, J. Crew had the closest shade to turmeric last year, which is the color you see on the sweater above, which was part of an outfit I wore on Sunday to church.  Boden's Amazing Embroidered Skirt (which is my hands-down favorite piece from them, ever) came close to the real color of turmeric in the threading of this skirt, but since the main color is navy, this skirt was not amongst the items named after this delicious spice.

The shade nearly matches the turning leaves of the sassafras tree behind me, which means that if Boden wanted to, they could name the shade sassafras as well and be nearly as close.

Pieces of the ensemble from Sunday's outing. 

Normally I try to be more conservative when attending service at church, but by the time I got to this photo, it was too late to put on a longer skirt.  I had wanted to wear tights, but combined with the very warm turtleneck and the high afternoon temps of 70 F, I would have been boiling whilst singing the hymns.

In real life the skirt seemed less short, but looking at it here, I am a bit ashamed to see that maybe it was shorter than I realized?  ;)

Ah, well, still no big deal as I have personally laid eyes on halter tank tops and shorter skirts than this at church, but I don't know that wearing any of those is necessarily the best example for the future generations (my darling Rex, CW, and Angus) that I bring with me.

I probably should have flipped my outfits and worn this outfit from Saturday to church instead.  Live and learn.

Was running errands all day with my brother, with a stop at the Sushi buffet.

Don't worry...still focused on the title of this post...turmeric.  This Funnel Neck Jacket is an absolute steal at $88 (down by half), but is also inexplicably supposed to be the same shade as the yellow sweater above.  Do you see any pure yellow/orange in this jacket?  I see a yellow bordering on olive.

But because I don't care, and happen to love this shade of yellow/green, Boden could call is asparagus juice and I would still have bought it.

Here is the jacket all buttoned up.  Was a bit much to button it that day, as by noon the day was warm enough to not wear it (I spent most of Saturday just in the striped tee and pants), but since I can't resist reviewing new items for you all, I buttoned it up to show how it looks all done up.

I purchased this in a size 6, and as you can see from the side shot, the jacket runs short in the body but with quite long arms.  I prefer it when my jackets have a fit like this because of how disproportionate my torso is to my lower body (if jackets are longer I have to accommodate my larger hips).  So if you are a pear shape with a short torso, this jacket may be one you should have in your closet.  I tried it with fuller skirts, btw, and it is a great topper for those, as well.  (I often have troubles with what type of top to wear with full skirts since I don't want to look like I have no upper body, and if I tuck my tops into full skirts, that is what I end up looking like.)

From the back.  Nicely made, great boiled wool fabric, and lined in a luscious purple lining.  I like the funnel neck detail, so I wore my hair up so people could better see it.

This is the most accurate shot of the color.  Plus if you open up the photo you can see what the boiled wool looks like up close.  Very warm fabric, btw, here in VA, definitely can be outerwear during the mid-fall/mid-spring months of October, November, March, and April.

Close up of the makeup and the very cool Kirna Zabete earrings that I found on clearance at Target for $7.50.  I think they look like jelly fish, but I don't know if that is what they are supposed to look like.

Okay, that's all, folks!

P.S. I have received or seen quite a few Boden reviews for this week's Boden Weekly Review Roundup.  Since I *know* there is no way I can get the post up today, if you send me the review by tomorrow morning, I will be able to include yours in this week's.  :)  Thanks in advance, btw.  You all are the best!

Source

P.P.S. Oh, and before I go, I will leave you with an image I found of turmeric, which shows it as both yellow/orange and pure yellow.  You make the call...is Boden correct in calling its items turmeric or should they switch to asparagus juice or sassafras?

OOTD: Bright Orange Madewell and the Os.

We are a split decision family here in our house, but only during any Nats vs. Orioles games.  (When they play each other it is called the Battle of the Beltways, although we could call it Momma against everyone else.)

So why would I, a native of Northern Virginia be adamant in rooting for the Orioles over the Nationals, when the Nationals are our "home" team?

Well, if you know anything about baseball, DC did not have a team for many years between the 70s and the early 00s.  We had a football team, a basketball team, and even a hockey team, yet no baseball.

We had exactly one team we could root for and they were not so conveniently located an hour north in Baltimore (well it was an hour in 1997, the last time we went to B'more--for this Rush concert--it took us 2.5 hours to get there).  It didn't matter...if you were a fan of the boys of summer (fave Don Henley song, btw), you needed to head up 95/295 to see them playing in Charm City.  My fave boy of summer was always BJ Surhoff (showing my age there, lol).

One day my hubby came home and announced that Montreal was losing their team and they were coming to DC.  I was stoked but also a bit bewildered.  Would I forget my team?  Would I not root for them any longer?

Well, in most cases, yes, I do root for the new home team of the Nationals, but like most folks who grew up between Richmond and Baltimore in the 70s, 80s and 90s, when the Os play the Nats, the Os win out purely because of nostalgia.

They play each other a few times a year and I always pull out my Os hat and don some bright orange to let the world know my allegiance.  My hubby tolerates it, but only because I let him dress the kids up in Nationals gear.  (He did not grow up here.  Which I have no problem reminding him when he gets lost on his way anywhere in this area without me--the streets here are "challenging" to put it mildly.)

We were stopped a lot by folks, mainly other Os fans giving me a thumbs up and asking why the baby on my chest had a Nats cap on...it was fun, and it was nice to have a heated "frivolous" rivalry in the house.

My beloved Orioles?  They lost.  Sigh.  (Yeah, Mr. Dina, Rex, CW, and even darling Angus totally rubbed it in my face.)

I was not super heartbroken, though, had it been any other team going against the Nats I would have been cheerful at the win. 

I was inspired to wear this outfit not only because the shorts are the exact right shade of orange, but also because Madewell sent out an e-mail with items from the beach shack a while ago that paired these shorts with a hot pink top.  I so loved the look that I immediately purchased the shorts along with a bright pink v-neck that was on sale (the one in the e-mail was too pricey).

I plan to show off that image in my inspired by Madewell post that is upcoming, but until then, I will give you all a sneak peek at the bottom of this post.

Sunglasses: Anthropologie Gramercy Shades.
Tee: Madewell V-Neck Pocket Tee.
Shorts: Madewell Seashell Eyelet Shorts, size medium. (They fit true to size.)
Scarf: Anthropologie Noon Glow Loop.
Shoes: Bensimon with Liberty Fabric.

My hubby really likes me in braided pigtails.  I sort of thought he would outgrow that, you know seeing as I am no longer 18, but every time I wear them, he says, "I love you in pigtails."  Whatever.  :)

The wacky bird is the best mascot, btw.  It is rare to see actual orioles in these parts, so if I ever saw one in real life, I would probably be surprised that it isn't a big fat black bird with a grinning orange beak.  :)

This was Angus's second game as a Nats fan, and because he faced outward, he definitely was a favorite of many of the people at the game.  I think my favorite part is his fisherman sandals, so cute!

This was the image I was inspired by.  I also have the red sunglasses, again because it was less expensive than the ones I had been eyeing at J. Crew (a near $75 difference, btw!).

Okay that's it!

Do you have any family fun rivalries?  It could be anything...political, tv shows, etc.  Do tell!

ROYGBIV: Orange. Doesn't Rhyme with Anything.

Well, I guess I could technically have put in half of the outfits from the last ROYGBIV post because really what is the color modern red? Truly looks red in the near dark, but in actual light is a really good friend of orange. Probably best described as a "RORANGE" kind of color, little red, little orange. Whatever, I still love it, they could call it poopy doo creamsicle and I would still wear it.

I have two outfits for this post, but I already published one of them, so I will just link back to that post rather than re-posting.  *Because I am lazy.*

The photo has the info, but I will mention some bits about the pieces.

The sweater was really popular in blog land, but I seemed to keep missing it at its really good sale price, and since I knew other people were getting it for almost half off of the original price made me irritable (or it could have been the end of the pregnancy hormones which was when I bought it), I chose to wait until it was the price I knew I could have it at.  Of course I had to wait for a popback, but one morning, very early, I found the boatneck popover in my size and in the orange (TRUE orange) color.  Yay for patience and a being just a little bit crazy.

The rest of the outfit is old, old, old.  Just in case you all didn't realize it, I actually re-wear a ton of my clothes.  It may seem that I have new pretty shiny things all the time, but that is because I just like to show off the new and pretty.  :)  In fact, I rarely buy new pants or shorts.  Eh, just can't feel the love for most of those because most of those just give me sadness...when you can't fit into pants because your thighs are too big, it sort of makes wanting to get new pairs in favor of your old not really a great idea.  Dresses?  Tops?  They seem to fit fine, so I get more of those. 

Okay, rant done.  Don't know why I felt I needed to talk about it, I just did.  Do you have any piece of clothing that gives you sadness because you find it hard to work on your body?  I am really curious.  I sometimes feel alone in my frustration with my body.  Probably because I spend most of my time talking to my husband (he who is super thin and can wear anything) and my toddlers (they don't care if something doesn't fit, always amazes me).  Also do you buy certain types of clothes because they always seem to fit, regardless of other issues you may have with the rest of your body?

That necklace, the scattered glass necklace, is easily my most worn piece of jewelry.  LOVE.  J. Crew should remake that necklace for those of you who missed out on it initially.

I don't think I would ever do a pixie cut, but I am not overwhelmingly disgusted by my face with a short look.  (There is a bun in the back...was a preschool run day, so it made my life easier to have it up.)

End of the preschool run.  My hair and my sweater were still in decent shape.  The jeans were about to fall off, but they stretch out a LOT.  I love them, but I think I need to go to my non-postpartum pair (I have them in size 30, too, these 32s are for after I have the bebes).

This was the first time I had let Gus ride forward in the Bjorn, he loved it.  Mr. Dina says that it looks like he is a vestigial appendage of mine, like a third arm or an extra finger.  LOL.  I guess.  (Such a freaking weirdo, that's my hubby!)

Mr. Roy G. Biv presents Orange. by dinagideon featuring j crew handbags

Above is the polyvore of this outfit.

Okay, so this post has the other orange outfit.  That said, it did have an indigo piece, so I would have still been confused on which post to include it in, so I guess it is good I published it early so I wouldn't break my brain.  ;)

You all have a great day.  Talk with you soon!

A BonBon and Some Pink Plaid...

Hey, everyone!  How are you all doing?  I am fab.  :)  Had a bit of a time last week between all the festivities, recovering, and that special "lady time," but all I needed was an overabundance of wine and some really understanding (REALLY understanding) family members and some sleep and I feel just a bit better this week.  Plus the presents...somehow I lucked out this year and received some truly unique and exactly right gifts this year.  That definitely helped with my mood.  LOL.

(Christmas post is later on...right now I want to get some review posts out of the way!)

First up is a delightful little coat called the Double Cloth BonBon Coat by J. Crew.  I own so many coats, it is true, but I believe that the weather here in Northern Virginia actually calls for many different types of coats as we see it all from around early November to late April.  I actually have a coat now for all sorts of occasions, rainy and cold, rainy and warm, snowy and cold, snowy and REALLY cold, just plain cold, mild, cold, windy and cold, must be dressy coat even though it is cold, etc., etc.  LOL.

Seriously, though.  I sold a few coats recently (including a pretty velvet Boden one and the Shipley coat from a few years back) to make room for this Bon Bon.  I had been eyeing the Bon Bon in torch orange as it so reminded me of the orange coat that Audrey Hepburn wore in Breakfast at Tiffany's, but at its original price of $325, I definitely said, "No way, Jose."

Then came the amazing coat sale that J. Crew does every year.  They usually take 30% off and are done with it.  But...here's the awesomeness...if you have a J. Crew card, you could then use a specialized code given to you, along with your card and get an additional 30% off.  So, guess what?  I said "bonjour" to the bon bon.

And here it is...

Yes, the orange shoes and slightly worn cords are definitely not the look I would go for with this coat, but I kind of was only wearing the coat as a try-on (I have worn it out in public, though, and the color is very popular...there is definitely something uplifting about wearing an orange coat in the middle of winter that brings out the happy--same thing goes for my yellow coats--yes, I said coats--yellow coats are the BEST--haven't sold any of those and probably won't).

Fit and function: I took a size 6.  I say size to your largest part of your body, which for me is my hips.  If you are busty, go with your top size.  This is a shorter coat, and maybe a tall would have made this a smidge longer on me, but I don't want the waist to be anywhere but where it is, so the regular will work for me now.  I like it buttoned up all the way, adds to its retro look, but the collar can be played around with to create different looks.  This is a double cloth, and there are no thinsulate options, so I would say this is a coat for mild, or slightly cold weather. 

Here it is opened all the way.  Also retro-looking.  The opened look is crying out for some statement jewelry, though.  :)

From the side.  The collar isn't quite Bella pretty, but it does the job of being just different enough.  This color is "torch orange," btw, not "spicy russett," which was a similar color from the early fall.

That Orange Coat by dinagideon featuring feather hats

Above is the polyvore that I created when I purchased the coat.  I love how close this coat is to the Breakfast at Tiffany's one.  If I had one wish, it would be that the collar was a bit more fitted, a la the one in the movie.

This is a pink plaid gingham boy shirt that is available in stores only right now (maybe it will be part of the next on-line roll out?).  I was drawn to it when I went in last week to get some Christmas gifts...the pink color is very vibrant and very much a nice change from their "neutral" pinks they have had these past few years.  It is is hard to tell from this pic, but the white color is more of a creamy color and plays nicely with the very pretty pink (color code is ppi--probably Paris Pink, but I like pretty pink more).  This is a size 6 and it retails for $72, but with the 30% off everything sale they were having the day I went to the store, I ended up getting it for $50.  I wear a size 4 in perfect shirts, if that helps any of you out with sizing.  This fabric is uber-soft, almost flannel-like, although this isn't a flannel shirt.  (I want to add I have no makeup here, and if I were to wear this in public in the winter, I would for sure add some lip gloss, lol.)

Hand on hip.  :)  The item number is 35187.  I like that it is kind of a retro look, too.  I hope J. Crew continues with its retro twist.  Sometimes you just want a classic, you know?

Talk with you all soon.  :)

I Kind of Like This...

Must go to bed. But before going to bed, must show outfit I wore yesterday to relax around the house (while still doing a million SAHM things--lol).

Untitled by dinagideon featuring J Crew

Above is the polyvore of the outfit I wore. Yes, those are the (in)famous unsweatpants.


Making stupid face while taking self-potrait equals off with her head!
Sizes:
Top: Ellora Print Button-Down Shirt, J. Crew, Size 6. Bought from a JCA. Loved how it brought this casual outfit up a notch.
Cami: The ever-awesome and no longer produced Lady Hathaway Camis with Shelf Bra. Boo, Costco! You should still sell these...they rock my world, size medium, although size small fits, too.
Pants: Luxe knit un-sweatpant, J. Crew, Size Small. These are the dark mushroom color...and I think because I paired it with the wedge sandals and the button-down, they actually are passable. Passable for SAHM things, maybe not so much for the grocery store--your thoughts? Would you wear this outfit out to the grocery store??? ;)
Shoes: Aerosoles. I tell you, Aerosoles keeps grabbing me with the awesome mix of comfort, cool look, and great prices. These are the Bora Bora sandals in mid-green and I bought them in a 9.5.

You all have a great night...and remember, celebrate the outfits you "kind of like." :) SMILE!

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. ;)

A Bit of Orange Thanks to Miss Fiona!!!

Must be quick today...we have been in North Carolina for the past four days and we are heading home very soon (so I must pack and not post--but I can't resist a small, itty-bitty, little post).

This outfit is from one of my most popular polyvore sets...normally I put an outfit together and then create a polyvore, but this outfit is from a polyvore creation first. In real life, I really like how it turned out.

I wore it about a month ago when I took a walk on one of our local forest paths here in Northern Virginia (amazingly, you can go from very urban to very quiet and country quickly here--thank you Fairfax County Park Authority). I live very close to this forest, so I spend a lot of time walking in this area. The kids love it, so it is utter perfection!



I Like This Look for Fall! by dinagideon featuring J Crew

Here is the polyvore. Don't worry, all, I DID NOT wear the shoes walking in the forest. I switched to a much more appropriate pair for the walk. :)


But for the pic, definitely wore the shoes. MUST remember to wear nude socks the next time I try this look...ridiculous, those white socks peeking out like a mouse out of a mouse hole. :)

I am SO glad I bought this Fiona (very recently at jcrew.com, for something like 30 dollars) in a size 6. I had bought this in citron, but in a size 10, and sadly (as much as I love the color), it is far too large now. I wore it in this post, way back when. (Anyone want to buy it??? I haven't gotten my for sale blog going yet, but this item will be one of my first listings...)

So you all know, the gorgeous cuff bracelet was a gift from the amazing Drewablank. I said one time to her that I was all ga-ga over it, and she had it, but wasn't wearing it often, so she gifted it to me...how nice is that? I wear it all the time, I love it so...THANK YOU, Ms. Drewablank, you rock!!!

Also, HeidiG. is the reason I got these flats by Merona Collection. She had tried them on at Target and found them to be very narrow, so she suggested I try them on my freaky narrow feet. She was right, they are perfect for me!!! So, thank you, Ms. HeidiG.!!! :)

Okay, all, must pack now. Have a lot of cool things to tell you about...including a trip to the Arden, NC, J. Crew Clearance Store. Yes, it is amazing, and wow, there are some DEFINITE deals. :) (Just a little tease for you all...think the Winnie and now subtract a lot of money...)

Orange You Glad This Only Lasted Three Days?

I usually put forethought and planning into my outfits. Seriously. I love planning, arranging, playing with colors, having a mix of serious and whimsy, etc.

Then the first week of summer school happened. I obviously was going for a pattern...two whole days of Boden, and then three days of this...

ORANGE. If you hate ORANGE, I have warned you...


Wednesday, July 8, 2009:
Top: Ann Taylor Loft (Spring 2007)--Medium Orange (like a ripe to almost too ripe pumpkin).
Pants: J. Crew Outlet (from Ebay, so no idea on when)--Light Aqua Blue with Orange Whale Critters.
Shoes: Aerosoles (Summer 2009)--Sherbet Orange (looks like a yummy dreamsicle).


Thursday, July 9, 2009:
Top: A Turkish Blouse my dad bought for me in Fall of 2007...from Turkey (he was on a study tour). BRIGHT ORANGE!
Pants: J. Crew (Spring 2009). These are the very comfy colored chambray cocktail capris. They do NOT photograph well...none of them do. It is weird. You all know what they look like so I didn't feel you all would be sad if you didn't see them...


And because it was Friday, July 10, 2009:
Top: J. Crew (Spring 2009). This is the graphic floral top I wore in green all the way back when...and yes, I bought it in a very neon orange.
Pants: J. Crew (Summer 2008). The overdyed denim capri pants. They are bright neon orange as well.
Shoes: Navy Born (way the heck back when...forever ago...I don't even think I had kids).

So my hair on Friday was all poofy. I am showing you all because you all are used to me either in a ponytail or barrettes. I think the poof happened because I slept on it funny. I still liked it, though!

Okay, everyone. I hereby promise to not wear the same color three days in a row again. This was just CRAZY! (Although it did make it easy from a posting perspective!)

Oh, and let's all pray for a 20% or 25% mickey card soon...certain items over at jcrew.com are just CALLING my name!

The Double Serge Cotton Pencil Skirt...for Review and for Real Life!!!

Some of you...like the super-sweet Amy...have been waiting a while for this post!!! I am so sorry, my friends, for taking so long. As you know my weekend was chock full of family fun...the zoo on Saturday, and then the pool and church on Sunday. Yesterday I just had enough time to post the mini-skirt info (and by the sound of it...miniskirts ARE my friends...thank you all for the feedback). Today, and for this I do believe God will grant us teachers some grace, we went to a field trip on the National Mall (Air and Space museum, American History museum, etc.). Somehow...no one died...no one broke anything...the guards managed to not freak out when they saw us coming...

BTW, if you are in this area, there is a film being shot at the Mall. I so wanted to be plucked out of the crowd to be an extra. Sigh, maybe next time they will notice my inherent camera-readiness (snort...).

Onto the review...this outfit was actually worn on THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2009. This was the same day my lovely coworker wore the orange shorts/white tee/grubby shoes combo that I talked about in this post.


Here is the outfit full-length. It consists of an Anthropologie top that I bought in 2006 (and have not been able to wear in close to 3 years...yay), the double serge cotton pencil skirt from J. Crew this spring 2009 (for sale here), and some Linea Paolo kitten-heel mules that I bought probably in 2004 from Nordstrom's.

The skirt is FAN-FREAKING-TASTIC. I had heard really good things about its predecessor (the double serge WOOL pencil skirt) over at J. Crew Aficionada but knew deep down there was something better for me. I love wool but honestly, because I run HOT, I can only wear the lightest of wool clothing (for instance, the Merino Michelle Cardigan is a perfect weight for me). Plus, I have a deep distaste for having to store wool. I have bags and plastic containers and a hanging implement in my closet for the storage of wool pieces, but it honestly drives me batty that such storage is required because of moths. Ugh. So the less wool and cashmere I have to store, the better.

I saw this for the first time in the May 2009 catalog and ADORED every single color it came in...especially the bronzed twig and slate colors. I decided to hold off on the slate until I tried the bronzed twig and I am glad I waited (more on that in a minute). I figured that if I could only own one of these skirts, I would want the bronzed twig because of it being a brighter neutral that would work so well with many of my summer tops. I went ahead and ordered in a size 10.

I tried it on and was happy to see it fit well. It was a tad big in the waist but the rest of it felt great. Then I wore it to school all day. This puppy stretches!!! By the end of the day, the skirt was very, very comfortable. :) It still looked good, but was very loose. So with that on my mind...I knew the slate skirt would need to be ordered in an 8. So an 8 I shall get.

So...here are the basic FYIs on this skirt:

Length (regular): Perfect on my frame, but bear in mind most of my height is in my legs. So if you are tall but have shorter legs you may need to hem this to get it to hit at the right length. Shorter ladies, I highly recommend the petites.

Colors: The bronzed twig is a bronze color but with a hint of a green...very special. I have yet to see anyone else do this neutral. It isn't khaki, it isn't brown, it isn't olive...just somewhere in between.

Sizing: SIZE DOWN. I may even find the 8, when I receive it, stretches out a lot. I won't get a 6 because I LOVE the comfort factor (plus it still looks good when I wear it a little loose). Or maybe I really am an 8 and keep buying 10s because of something psychological? Hmmm...

Price: At $98 (if you buy it outside of the secret sales), the price may seem high, but even at a regular price, if you wear it enough (which I anticipate a lot of us would...highly versatile piece and all), the price per wear would be very low.


Anthropologie Top close up...for polyvore, of course. :)


Linea Paloa kitten-heel mule...for polyvore, of course. ;)

Any further questions? I won't be able to post anymore today (million, trillion things left to do), but should be able to get to them tomorrow.

You all have a great afternoon. If you are in the Northern Virginia area, watch out for the storms...they appear to be a coming!

Three Outfits Worn to School (Week of May 18-22, 2009)...

These three outfits are from TWO whole weeks ago. I guess that is what happens when you combine testing (almost done) with illness (almost over, thank goodness...still yucky, but at least I can sit up straight) with raising two kids (well that is ongoing but my absolute favorite). Suffice it to say I will not spend a ton of time on each outfit. If you have questions go ahead and ask in the comments (I will eventually answer them all...promise)!

Outfit #1:

Worn on Monday, May 18th, 2009. I like this outfit in concept more than reality. I think I needed to wear a different pair of pants. I think the top and shoes work really well together, but the pants...eh. The outfit consists of:
INC Petite Small Peasant Top,
J. Crew Colored Chambray Cocktail Capris (Faded Blue Color--in store only), size 8,
J. Crew Salina Patent Flats in Peacock.

Do you all have any recommendations for pants to wear with this top? What about these faded blue cocktail capris? What would you wear with them? I have a hard time matching this blue to things in my closet!!! (It has been a long time since I have worn this color pants--it actually kind of reminds me of the denim that was popular in the early 90s--faded and cowboyish.) Thanks for all your advice...you guys give great advice!

Outfit #2:

Boden Greens and Blues!!! by dinagideon featuring FOSSIL watches

I wore this outfit on May 20, 2009. I really liked this outfit. Definitely a winner.


Here it is in real life. I LOVE this outfit. The skirt is especially cute. I also have the fun skirt (Boden calls it this) in the white with the multi-colored flower/sun thing. BTW, the kids at school loved the skirt, too. I think teachers (especially those who teach the younger kids) should think of buying a fun skirt or two or three. Kids are suckers for these sort of embellishments. :)

Outfit #3:


Navy, Orange, and White for a Beautiful Day!!! by dinagideon featuring FOSSIL watches
I really enjoyed wearing this (to SCHOOL) on Friday, May 22, 2009. Yep, I was allowed to wear shorts (Fridays are normally jeans day but at our school tailored shorts are okay, too).


Here it is on me. I walked to school, by the way. I was running late...and yep, those lovely Born shoes caused me some awful blisters when I decided to run to make sure I was on-time. For me, on-time means getting there ten minutes before school starts. I prefer to get to school 30 minutes before school starts, but when I am walking, ten minutes is fine enough. That is how late I was...I had to sprint to make it to school ten minutes before school started. My blisters are fine now...but man, they hurt for a good week.

This Boden top is a size 12 (size 8 U.S.). It was a bit large on me so I went ahead and shrunk it in the dryer. It is now the perfect size. :)

You all have a good day. Hopefully I can get one more post up before the end of today (my goals are not lofty right now...)!

Target "Coppelle" Pencil Skirt!!!

This is not going to be my longest post ever...suffice it to say...work has been INSANITY today. We are end-of-year testing and EVERY single one of the computers that were in my classroom failed at one point or another. Multiple kids had to restart their tests. I am about to quit over how difficult it is to do something that should be so much easier. Ugh. I need wine. Stat.

If you have specific questions relating to this outfit, comment and I should be able to add my answer directly to the post (when I get home and get that wine, of course).

A couple of things to note:
This is the skirt from Gigiofca's post about Target copying the Coppelle design. I also bought the dress. I purchased them both from a Target in Richmond (I didn't stay in Richmond for the weekend but rather stopped by Richmond on our way back from Williamsburg--note--best Target ever located at the intersection of 295, Route 1, and I-95--basically the Atlee/Elmont exit off of 95 Southbound). I LOVE these pieces. They are extremely well-made. :)

The tee is the white tee I was talking about when I did the white tee post. I know technically it is off-white, but stark white tends to look kind of bad on me. It is an Eddie Bauer tee from a few years ago.

Please ignore the bandages on my feet. They are covering some awful blisters I got when running to school on Friday (I was "running" late...haha).



Target Coppelle Paisley Skirt for a Rainy Day!!! by dinagideon featuring FOSSIL watches

This is the Polyvore.


This is the outfit with no cardigan.

I bought the skirt in a size 10. This skirt definitely fits close to the body but it seems to be made for me. The waist fits exactly at my waist and is definitely narrower than the hips. And because this skirt has a flared A-line but yet still manages to be a pencil skirt, it fits my hips nicely, too. YAY! I personally love the fabric and the lining. The fabric is substantial and the craftsmanship is very detailed. There are even pockets that are separate from the lining but in no way are bulky. Best part--the pockets are deep enough that I can use them when I want to put my hands in my pockets (which I do a lot while teaching)!

I would say this skirt is true to size, but if you have a large waist to hip ratio (the opposite of me), you probably should size up. This seems to be made more for us pear-shaped ladies.


This is the outfit with a cardigan.

This cardigan was on super-sale at J. Crew and it is awesome. The color is persimmon and is a beautiful coral-orange. And LOOK--it perfectly matches the skirt! :) I call that fate!

You all have a great day!