What to Wear to a Wake...on Very Little Energy...

Okay, admittedly this is a post that is a bit weird...what to wear to a wake, but after I posted my review of the necklace, I saw that people could benefit from what the heck to wear when you need to appear a very "certain" way.

I literally got off the plane from DC to CA and then with my family hightailed it to the hotel where I had about three and half seconds to get ready for the wake. Fortunately, I knew before I left what I was going to wear. The Tuesday before I left for CA (April 14, 2009), I wore a very similar outfit to school. You may remember it from this post. Since I hadn't worn it long and it was very fresh, I decided to just wear the darn outfit again (obviously with different undergarments, I am not a heathen). I changed it up, though. I wore a bright pink short-sleeved cashmere cardigan from J. Crew (Summer 2008) and the skinny patent leather belt in root from J. Crew (this winter 2008). I wore the grey Alessia peep-toe heels with this (figured it wouldn't clash with the belt too badly).

My main concern was to look nice, formal, yet more relaxed than I would need to be for the actual funeral. I think this outfit is exactly what is needed at event like a wake. (I went way more formal and classic for the funeral itself.)


Here is the full-length view.


Full-length view with the cardigan. The flash failed to fire properly, so I just pumped up the "fill-light" in picasa...that is why the image is so grainy.


Here I am with CW. She has only one piece of black clothing, so I knew I had to reserve that for the funeral, so I put her in one of Rex's old "formal" baby outfits...I realize she looks like a boy, but at least she was dressed right for the occasion. I forgot to put her bow in her hair (which definitely helps with the gender confusion).

Please bear in mind that I was EXHAUSTED when these photos were taken. The wake started at 10 pm Eastern time and we didn't get done till nearly midnight Eastern time.

I hope this helps some of you all out there who may be faced with such an occasion in the future.

America's Most Endangered Historic Places...

As many of you who have been following this blog for awhile know, I have a thing for mid-century modern things. I love it all...furniture, clothing, houses, and buildings. Many folks dislike this style because it is a bit "in your face," especially in the case of buildings of this style.

You can ignore someone's choice in furniture or clothing (because this is their own personal choice). To a lesser extent you can ignore mid-century modern homes because they have less of an impact on the public space than buildings (even though there are WAY MORE houses of this style out there than buildings).

You have no choice but to pay attention to a building, because they exist as part of the public footprint on a community. They are often very tall and imposing structures. The 60s was a time of over-the-top creativity, a pushing of boundaries in architecture. It is no surprise that buildings like this (Markel Building, Richmond, VA) were born in this time period.

Sadly, not everyone feels preserving these (admittedly) unique structures. So the National Trust for Historic Preservation has listed (as of yesterday) their take on America's Most Endangered Historic Places, and the list includes two mid-century modern buildings, the Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles, CA, and the Miami Marine Stadium in Miami, FL. Both built in the 60s and both in great danger of being torn down.

I can do very little on my end, other than inform a couple of you that this is happening. If there was a mid-century modern building in my area about to be torn down or listed as endangered, I would find a way to take action.

Now, I know this is not some of you all's cup of tea, but there are non-mid-century modern buildings and structures on the list as well.

Take a look at the American Historical Association's blog post about this. Good read.

Hope you all have a great (and enlightened) day!

By the way, thanks, Dad, for sending me this info!

Review of the Chain Bow-Tie Necklace!!

You will have to excuse my makeup and facial expression. I actually wore this necklace as an acccesory to my black dress for my Uncle's funeral. Because I knew I would be doing a review on this necklace, I had my brother grab a shot. Not my finest look, but whatever. A funeral is not meant to be a fashion show.

This necklace is still available on the J. Crew website. Today it is $44.99 and is an extra 20% off. That makes this necklace a pretty good deal. I actually like the necklace before it went on sale, but by the time I got around to buying it, it was already on sale (although for a bit more than you can get it today).

The necklace is very pretty and classic. I think this is one of the few pieces J. Crew has that doesn't scream "whimsy." I love whimsy, but for occasions like a black-tie event, a funeral, an opera, you need something more time-tested. This necklace fits the bill beautifully.

It has a nice weight to it...not too heavy...not too light. It ties in the back with the ribbon. The ribbon is a solid piece of fabric, with good care it should last a long time. It holds together with a very pretty set of inlaid "crystals" (whatever J. Crew calls the diamond-looking pieces they use) where the ribbon and chain meet.

I purchased it in a natural ribbon as black does nothing for me (you have proof of that with this picture). Both the black and natural ribbon necklaces are available for purchase here.

Ashley also did a review of the necklace here on her blog, Love It!

You can also tie the ribbon on the side and make the ribbon center-stage if you want to make the necklace more "fun" than "formal." :)

I hope this helped someone...especially if they were on the fence!

Our Hot Day at Riverbend Park...in a Boden Top!!! Plus, a Review of the Miss Trish of Capri for Target Sandals!!!

Boden Top for a Hot Day in DC!!! by dinagideon on Polyvore.com



This is the outfit I wore today to go take Rex to his Bug Walks and Critter Talks class. It is a lot of fun...they have all sorts of awesome creatures for us to check out...but today we needed to dress right for the weather. I don't know about you all, but here in the mid-Atlantic it was like 95 degrees. Insane. Don't worry--I LOVE this weather. Always have, always will. I don't know how my ancestors can be Scandinavian...I definitely did not inherit their love of cold weather.

The top is the Boden top I spoke about in the previous post. I ordered in 2007 after I had Rex. I ordered it in a 12 (size 8 here) but didn't realize that Boden truly means what it says about its sizes...they are true to their measurements. I couldn't wear it until I was almost 5 months postpartum. With CW I was able to wear it sooner, but of course, it was winter, so I chose not to. This is a light cotton button-up. Not the best material for keeping you warm. I bought it because I love the print so much!!! (Their prints are either love or hate. I love. A lot. But of course I love the Campo di Fiore print from J. Crew that a lot of people really hated...hmm.)

The capris are just some Target purchase for like 15 dollars. They are a color I needed so I bought them. They wrinkle very easily but suit this look and some of my other looks perfectly. Plus, if you are a dork like me, the fact that you can roll the pants to two different shorts lengths (bermuda and a slighter shorter bermuda--11 and 9 inches, respectively) really gets me excited. (Not chic in the least--haha--some of you will get that statement!)

The shoes are Miss Trish of Capri for Target. The review will come at the bottom, but they look so sweet with this outfit. No, don't worry, I did not take them out for the bug walk. They just came out for the other activities...some old J. Crew flip-flops went on the walk instead.


This is a close-up of the fabric and print. LOVE IT! The teal and red and white are so summery and fun. You will probably see me wearing this again, real soon. :) Plus, I am going to clip this to Polyvore...so expect some sets with it!


Okay, the Miss Trish sandals. They fit true to size (I wear a ten narrow). The shoe is a bit wide, but obviously I expect that if I wear a narrow. I almost went down to a 9.5, but am glad I didn't. My feet totally cover the foot-bed (which is all leather). The uppers are man-made. The red you see here is the true color. Very pretty color, almost a brick red. The starfish are also very pretty, in real life (unlike my un-pedicured toenails...but who has the time...not me). I was totally worried about the starfish falling off...but no worries, they are bolted in with hardware. You can actually spin the starfish...Rex is gonna love that when he discovers it! All in all, I have to say this purchase was totally worth it. 29.99 is a great price for something that is well-made and very unique.

I had first heard about these shoes from sparrowsandsparkles in her post here. I also happen to own the sandals with the turtle. :)

Have a great day!!!

Boden Sizing...My Experiences 101...

I have probably a total of 15 pieces from Boden, so not a whole lot, but maybe more than some of you other ladies out there (sorry men and children, I have NO experience in your sizes...smile).

First--quick story. I was told by my co-worker Patty that I needed to check out this British company Boden because her roommate received the catalog and all the ladies in it dressed like me (colorful, lots of prints, playful shapes, and comfortable fabrics). I was intrigued, but not enough to go out and check it out. Then it came...my first Boden catalog. I received it in 2005 and Patty was SO right...it was totally my style. Wow!!! Why couldn't they have had this when I actually lived in England for my study-abroad?

Now, back to sizing. I have over the past four years been pregnant multiple times, been postpartum twice, and have gone from a low of one weight to a weight forty pounds heavier. Right now, I am ten pounds away from the weight I started with in 2005 (which is where I want to be). Lucky for me my height and shoe size haven't changed! ;)

So, that said, I am 5'8" tall and wear anywhere from a 6-8 or xs-m in J. Crew tops (yes, I know, xs, what's up with that...). I also wear anywhere between an 8-10 in J. Crew bottoms. At my weight that I want to be, I wear a 6 top and an 8 bottom in J. Crew (although who the heck really knows--their sizing has been CRAZY lately--but a few years ago this was the case).

Now, onto Boden. They may seem expensive, but they are consistent in sizing and do use quality fabrics and finishes. When I was the weight I want to be (go away, last ten pounds), I wore a 10 top (equivalent to a 4-6 here) and a 12 bottom (equivalent to an 8 here). I also wore a 10 dress (equivalent again to a 4-6 here). Now, at the weight and size I am, I wear a 12 top (equal to an 8 here), a 12 dress (natch), and a 14 bottom (equal to a 10 here). Every once in a while, depending on the style and fabric of the top, I can wear a 10 top (4-6 here). I love that I also can check the specific measurements of the item in the description. I also love that the reviews are posted, both good and bad. (Saved me from purchasing a dress that said there was no defined waist--not a good look for someone like me.)

If you choose to buy from them, bear in mind the British sizing. As one of the commentors said...there is no traditional "6." Since I am not one to take chances and know that a good tailor can do a lot for a shirt that doesn't fit perfect, I always size up to a 12 (8 here) on top...

I hope that has helped some of you out. I am going to post the outfit I wore today a little later...it includes a Boden top from 2007. This top is in a size 12, by the way!

Enjoy yourself. Hopefully some of you will give Boden a try. Patina, I am so sorry about that bag. I know it will come...

Boden is Bodacious!!!

I love Boden (the British clothing company that makes cute, quirky clothes for the whole family) so much that I went looking for a Polyvore group to join. And, guess what? There is none!!! Or I should say, there wasn't one!!! I went ahead and created a polyvore group entitled Boden is Bodacious!!! Join if you are in love with Boden as much as I am...only one rule for sets: they must include at least one Boden piece of clothing or accessory!

Here is my first polyvore:

Fun at a Picnic with Boden!!! by dinagideon on Polyvore.com

Thanks for looking, and I hope you will think about making some Boden sets!!!

My Tuesday, April 14th, 2009 Outfit for School...

I was inspired by Ashley of the blog Love It (and I do Love It) in this post to find a way to wear my Paris striped scarf from J. Crew this last holiday season (2008). This scarf is awesome. It is a blend of linen and metallic thread with some cotton thrown in (I think). I purchased the beautiful muted yellow and silver color.

Since I needed to feel good about school when I was insanely busy (I was flying out to CA two days later and I had to get my grades in before I left), I knew I could dress the scarf up (it can also be casual).

It is no longer available at jcrew.com, but maybe some of the stores still have it? Or ebay?


The outfit I created without the cardigan. The blouse is from Macy's and is very stretchy and dressy. It is so comfortable it should be criminal to wear it...feels that good. The pants are INC pants bought at Macy's. Love the matchstick leg...which oddly enough works on my frame. The shoes are Isaac Mizrahi for Target (I miss you!) from last spring (2008). I obviously have already told you about the scarf.


Here is the outfit with the addition of the Tartine merino cardigan from J. Crew (fall 2008). I love this pewter color. The Tartine is a fun, yet very practical cardigan. For all of its ruffles, it works well with so many outfits!!! It was cold-ish that morning, so I knew I had to have something covering my arms...and this fit the bill.

I have many scarves just like this one...I hope to let them come out and play soon! I know it is a bit warm for scarves now, but at night the linen ones may work. :)

Have a lovely day!