Monday, May 4, 2009--An Outfit for the Ages (Note--This Title is Sarcastic with a Capital "S")!

This is "meh." My hubby loves to say that word, meh. I like that word, too, a good descriptive word when blah is too much and fine is too complimentary. (Although oddly enough my husband did not describe this as "meh." Maybe he was asleep when he took the pic.)

I think overall it is a fine outfit for just living...but there was no real oomph to this outfit...and I like oomph. Ah, well. :) Can't have an olive green Victoria cami day everyday, right?

The individual pieces are: J. Crew striped tee from four years ago or so; cream and sage green Dotted Cardigan from Charter Club (Macy's--Spring 2009); J. Crew cream Skinny Belt (Summer 2009); Dockers dark brown cords (Fall 2008--by the way, it was kind of gross on Monday--hence the cords in late spring); and J. Crew iridescent guava Salina flats (Fall 2008).

I think the pieces are all great by themselves. Except the Dockers. I, once again, have fallen victim to wearing pants that are too large for me. They make me look like a sack on the bottom-half. Sigh. My retirement pile is HUGE! I think if I had worn this top-half with a cute pencil skirt, this outfit would have been more "wow" than "meh." :) NEXT TIME!

BTW, I have some time today, so I should be able to get two more posts in...and both contain reviews--one of the J. Crew magnolia necklace (Summer 2009) and one of the Boden red and aqua striped V-neck cardigan (Spring 2009).

It Is Still For Sale!!!

Ladies...The Pippa Jacket is still for sale. Size 4...1300 dollars. If they still let us use our teacher/student discount...it would only be 1105 dollars. Come on, one of you must want it! (Smile...)

I wonder when, if ever, this coat will sell. I think I will check back every month or so and let you all know its progress.

Some Color (Okay, A LOT of Color) for Shopping on a Sunday!!!

So I am not going to even pretend like this Sunday (May 3, 2009) was okay. It sucked. Big Time. Rex was accused of doing something in his Bug Walks and Critter Talks class and we were not even told of the issue until 4 WEEKS later. Ugh. It is fairly obvious that the people running this class have no idea of how two-year olds operate. For one, all two-year olds are extremely EGOCENTRIC (mine, mine, mine, gimme, gimme, gimme). Two, all two-year olds, including the most meek two-year olds, tussle with one another. Three, you do NOT, I repeat, do NOT discipline a two-year old AFTER the fact, ESPECIALLY FOUR WEEKS LATER. It just will make NO sense to them. Sigh.

By the way, Rex pushed another kid. We get it. Mr. Dina saw it happen and talked to Rex and sternly warned him that it was "not okay." The other kid walloped Rex back. Both parents laughed about it. BUT...the way the teacher and the supervisor handled it is what has had me wrapped up in anguish these past three days. The teacher and supervisor made us feel like it was ONLY Rex causing problems and in an e-mail to me and Mr. Dina, the supervisor said that the teacher told her that "Rex punched the other kid in the face." EXCUSE ME? PUNCHED? What happened to Jack, Sawyer, and Juliet on Lost last night was a PUNCH IN THE FACE. What Rex did wasn't even close. SICK!!! I mean...my goodness...what is wrong with these people? I am actually frightened for families that take this class in the future...if what Rex did gets overblown to that level, what are they going to do if (God forbid) another kid bites or kicks or pushes to the point of causing an ACTUAL injury? Call the cops on the kid? I mean, really!

All right...thanks for letting me vent. I am just very sad and the process of grieving over what happened includes writing about it!!! So...I appreciate you, my captive audience. :)

Back to the clothes that I wore. I decided that I needed to wear color. Besides the Rex thing, it was raining miserably out there. Yuck. So Mr. Dina took me and the babies to the mall...it felt good. Visiting Macy's and J. Crew always makes me feel better. CW enjoyed herself, too!

Orange, Purple, and Green for a Rainy Shopping Day! by dinagideon featuring Calvin Klein jeans

Here it is, full-length, no sweater. The top is from the Merona Collection (Spring 2009--Target). The jeans are Calvin Klein from Costco. The shoes are ANCIENT...from back in the '90s. They may be Naturalizer?

I really like the top. It is very slim...so it emphasizes my smaller half. The boat-neck is really pretty, too. It is not a top for everyone, but you know I don't shy away from color. ;)


Here is the sweater. I think it is called the Candace sweater and it is J. Crew from Summer 2008? The bright orange is such a happy color. The color perfectly matched the orange in the Merona top.

You all have a great day...and remember...avoid the Bug Walks and Critter Talks Class...ESPECIALLY if your two-year old acts like a two-year old. SMILE!!!

My Name is Vanessa, and I Would Love to Share a Cup of Coffee with You!!!

Hi, my name is Vanessa, and I would love to share a cup of coffee with you. Since we are in France, I suppose I should say share a cup of cafe with you, but it doesn't matter, the sharing the cup is what matters.

Since it is a Saturday morning and we are taking it easy, I have decided to go casual, but still a casual that makes men weep. Look at me here in my perfect jeans. Look how nicely they offset the cashmere vest I am wearing. Notice how the bow is insouciantly perched...not too twee...just a bit messy to let the world know that I don't take myself too seriously. My bracelet and bangle are perfectly matched by being unmatched. I have my long hair down and my nails are short. The lipstick I wear is the only real color on my face besides my natural blush.

And no matter how good I look, I am still going to treat our conversation with genuine interest...because that is the sort of person I am. Please, now, sit, grab that newspaper and biscotti, and let's start sharing the cuppa.

Brought to you by: dinagideon's obsession...the J. Crew Paris Catalog September 2007.

Enjoy the memories...enjoy the beauty!

Let's Go to the Movies...with the Beautiful Olive Green Victoria (Cami, that Is)...

So I went out two evenings in a row without my kids. I must be growing up. :) Just kidding, it worked out that way. I actually miss them like CRAZY when I am not near them...but I know that it is a good idea for me to get out and live a little every once in awhile.

Movie Night in J. Crew! by dinagideon on Polyvore.com

So this is what I wore to go out to dinner and the movies...the superb Victoria cami in olive green (J. Crew--Holiday 2008), the soft merino v-neck sweater (J. Crew--Holiday 2007), jeans (Levis from 2007?), purple/plum low wedge shoes (Target--Xhiliration--Fall 2008), Bauble necklace (I think--J. Crew--Holiday 2008), and some earrings (History Store--2001).

I was actually a little freaked out by the collar at first. I thought, "can I actually pull this off?" Well, it turns out I can. I got a lot of compliments, which I never expect to get, and when I do, I am so tickled. :) I love this top so much that I am eyeing the melon and waiting for it to go on sale.


Here is the top close-up. If you have some interest in this top, consider getting it...it really does make a statement. I pulled my hair back (thanks, KatyO. for wearing your hair that way when you wore this top) and I truly believe that one hair change made this whole look possible. With my hair down, it was all just TOO much!

Have a great day, everyone!

Friday, May 1, 2009...Dina Does Drinks with No Daughter or Son...

First thing I want to say is "thank you" to the wonderful anonymous commenter over at J. Crew Aficionada who mentioned my blog as one her (maybe his) blogs that she (or he) regularly visits because she (or he) like our positive attitudes. AWESOME!!! I was honored along with FFM, Slastena, Gigi, Heidi, and many others...I read that today (Tuesday, May 5, 2009) and I have been kind of sad these past few days (has something to do with Rex and his Bug Walks class that he is no longer a part of) and seeing this comment totally brightened my day.

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And now back to the show...

So my friend Barbara said we HAD to go and get margaritas on Friday night. I COMPLETELY agreed. Ask any teacher you know and they will all say Friday night IS the night to drink. Every teacher I know is just done by 3 pm on Friday.

I went home and changed into something fancy (or for me, fancy). You wouldn't have appreciated the Friday (day) look. Let's all say it together...LAME! ;)


However, my night look...AWESOME. I felt so good wearing this. I, along with many other bloggers (like Gigiofca and My Closet, My Baby, and I) fell in love with this tunic top. Of course, you know that I love this print. The Fresco print may be one of my favorites ever. Pink, Green, and Olive...perfect! The addition of embroidery makes this top even more special. And special it was...it originally sold for 150 dollars...eek! But I took my Mickey card out one night and purchased it (on sale for 89 dollars) for only 50 dollars (they also let me use my teacher discount...so sweet). I bought it in a size 8 because I wanted it to fit a bit loose...and I think it looks very nice this way. The pants are Ann Taylor Loft from a few years ago and the sandals are Aerosoles, also from a few years ago. No need for anything else...these three pieces are perfect together and require no accessories!


Here is a close-up of the gorgeous detailing. I think this blouse was a good price at 89 dollars, but you definitely can't beat 50!

By the way, I will polyvore this top tonight...if any of you purchase it...I should have it in my items soon!

Have a great afternoon!

Two Outfits for the Price of One...or My Time is SO Limited that I Can Only Post Every Once in Awhile...

Okay...quick info...a couple of you may have seen this published before I added notes. Note to self...do not try to eat and blog at the same time...no matter how well Ms. HeidiG of Head to Toe with Heidi can do it!


Also, for those of you who have been waiting desperately (yeah, right) for me to comment back, I have!!! I still need to comment back on the FFM birthday and I (Heart) Milly posts, but I will get to it!

Today are two outfits from when I first got back from California. That was the insane week where I nearly disappeared and you all wondered if I had gotten the swine flu or something. No, nothing like that...but there was a field trip both weeks that sucked EVERY available bit of energy from me. :)


This is what I wore on the field trip on April 23, 2009. This was the Thursday after I got back from California. This is also the only outfit that you will see of me from this week because it was the only day I could really get the energy up to try and "work it!" Drewablank, if it looks familiar, it is because this is the outfit that you saw me in that afternoon at Pentagon City.

The top is from Macy's, a Charter Club lace frou-frou concoction that is AWESOME. It is stretchy and tailored and really, really pretty. Under it I wore a light purple camisole from Costco (Lady Hathaway). Does anyone else LOVE Lady Hathaway camisoles as much as me? They have a shelf bra, are super-long (but not too long), and come in the greatest colors. Plus, they are as soft as silk (even though they are not). The pants are the stone-colored version of your favorite pants of mine, the Bistro stretch pants. I actually own these in an 8. And they fit. WOO! The shoes are the Juliet patent pumps in Dusty Rose. Do you all have a problem with the insole lining coming out? I know I can get them glued back in, but I was wondering if you were experiencing the same thing...

All in all, I love the way this outfit looked. Pretty, professional, and just the right thing for carting 60 6th-graders on a field trip to DC. Yeah, I know, I am just a little bit crazy. ;)


I wore this on Monday, April 27, 2009, and yes, I am very aware that the skirt kind of makes me look like a nun. The issue? I didn't realize how much this skirt does not fit me until I looked at the pics and then it was too late to change. Whatever. The idea of the outfit is good, but the execution, not so much. A tighter, shorter (to the knees) pencil skirt would have made this outfit sing!

The top is a J. Crew v-neck tee from Fall 2007. I think I bought it in Summer, though. Love the top. It is in citron and has the definition for "spontaneous" right there on the front. Too cute. The skirt abomination is from this Fall and purchased four weeks after CW was born to wear to a Gala. It fit well then. Of course I have lost like 25 pounds since then...I guess I just wasn't thinking. It was comfortable, though, I will give it that. I bought it at Macy's, on sale, for like 12 dollars. The shoes are from Kohl's and I love breaking out the sandals, 'cause that means summer is here! Woo! ;)


Here is a close-up of the tee. I actually have started doing this more, taking pics of my shirts close-up, so that I can use them in polyvore. Is anyone else doing this, too?

Have a nice day. I have more outfits to share, but it will probably have to wait until tomorrow. I have a whole slew from this weekend, today's outfit, and one from Disneyland left to show you. Maybe I can get them all posted tomorrow. We'll see.