OOTDs/Review: That Zara Jacket and the Color Green.

Good Monday morning, all!

I hope everyone had a lovely St. Patrick's Day weekend.  :)

Day: Sunday, March 17, 2013.

Where: Dinner out with my dad and stepmom.

Ease of Wear: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) This outfit was very comfortable.  The upbeat kitten heels (Boden fall 2011) were a bit snug, but they always feel that way at first.  By the end of the evening, they felt fine.

The Audrey dress (review here, on clearance here) is so easy to wear since it is made from a thick stretch ponte fabric.  I can see why this particular dress was super popular, you can look put together, yet feel very comfortable at the same time.

I will admit to being a bit chilly at the end of the evening when the temps dipped into the 30s.  The leather jacket with ruffle detail (still available here) was not the best at keeping me warm, but considering how much I adore this jacket, the little bit of chill I felt on the five minute walk back to the car was okay by me.

Cool Factor: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.)  I gave this one almost a perfect score.  I think had I worn a pair of booties, I could have given this one a 5.  :)

The jacket is insanely cool, and combined with the floral scarf, it looks as editorial as I am ever gonna get.

I would have not known that jacket existed had I not created a polyvore set for a blog friend who asked me to put together a few looks with the LouLou dress, which I had fun doing.  I was searching for the exact right look for one of the dresses, when I happened upon this pretty beige leather jacket from Zara.  I hemmed and hawed over purchasing, but decided to give it a try since I had no idea whether it would sell out (still don't, in fact, since I have no idea how Zara's stocks are).

I could get it as long as I was able to pay it off, and by continuing my closet cleanout (many trips to the consignment store later), I could afford it, so I grabbed a small and went on my merry way.

Then I realized by reading on-line reviews of Zara's sizing that I had probably made a huge mistake since Zara runs really really really small.  Eek.

I got the jacket three days later (super fast and free shipping, btw) and try it on and OMG, it was wee.  Indeed, very wee.  It fits at the shoulders and arms, but I cannot zip it up to save my life.  I can't even do up the zip beyond the first two inches, and since I actually want a jacket that does what it supposed to do, I know the small won't work, and based on how the small was fitting, the medium would fit, but just barely.  I was sure the large would be sold out (and it was the time I ordered the small), but when I got online later that day, there was a large in stock, so I reordered.

The one I am wearing is the large, and as you can see, it fits exactly right.  Reminder...I wear a size 4 in J. Crew perfect shirts, a 4 or 6 in Boden tops, and a size extra-small in J. Crew knits and tees.  Based on that, I would agree that Zara may run a bit small.  LOL. ;)

Anecdote from the day:  How did we celebrate St. Patrick's Day?  Well, we went to a Moroccan restaurant, of course.  It was next door to an Irish pub, so that sort of counts, right?

Mr. Dina stayed at home with the kids, including little Angus who had come down with a fever.  Poor kid still has it as of a couple of hours ago.  Blegh.

Speaking of Angus, I can't believe it, but one year ago exactly, I was heavily pregnant with him.

That Zara Jacket and the Color Green. by dinagideon featuring a leather ruffle jacket

Above is the polyvore of the outfit, which also has a direct link to the Zara website.

Day: Saturday, March 16, 2013.

Where: Sewing Class (last one).

Ease of Wear: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  Hard to feel uncomfortable when you are wearing the world's softest leggings and a super-stretchy tunic (Boden Spring 2011--worn here in a similar way).

Even the Garnet Hill wedge boots are easy on the feet.

Cool Factor: (3.5 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.)  I like this outfit and the jacket and boots help really up the cool factor, but it is still like I am wearing a slightly dressy pair of pjs underneath those two cooler pieces.  ;)

Anecdote from the day:  I finished another skirt, this time using Simplicity sewing pattern 1887.  I had intended to make a pair of pants from this pattern with the fabric I chose, but I realized that I had bought 1/2 yard too little of the fabric to actually make the pants, so I made view D instead, the skirt.

I will be making the pants from a very nice cotton lawn that I found at G Street fabrics that looks a lot like the pepper print from Liberty (but not being so very expensive, of course).  That one I may photograph each step so I can show how I made the pants, but it may be that when I actually get down to the process, I find it too time consuming to bother photographing the sewing "journey."

My stepmom and I are planning on doing the sewing class again, even though we technically are too advanced for the class.  The teacher is great, she lets us do what we want and serves as a technical adviser on the projects, which is handy since we still get confused by some parts of the process.

Here is a photo of Angus from earlier on St. Patty's day, before he came down with "the fever."  He looks like a cute little Leprechaun businessman.

You all have a great day!  And a belated Happy St. Patrick's Day to you all!

Boden Weekly Review Roundup: In Time for St. Patty's Day.

Hey, all!  Hope everyone is doing well.  :)

Since St. Patty's Day is on Sunday, I thought I would throw a green Boden sweater into the mix for today's roundup.  I actually wore this sweater for bowling yesterday because I *knew* the ladies would all be decked out in their Irish finest.

(And they were.  LOL.  Bowling--the world were "theme wear" is a-okay.  Christmas sweaters--worn unironically, they would not understand the "ugly sweater" party.)

Short roundup today, with just two reviews of regular Boden and a small handful of reviews for clearance Boden.

Onto the goods!

Regular Boden:

Off Duty Shorts.  I took these in a size 8 Long, which just fit.  I am *probably* going to return these for a size 10 Long, which will give me a little bit more wiggle room.  (However, I am still on the fence, I have about five pounds left to lose from Angus's pregnancy and those last five pounds are usually shed right after the first birthday, so I still have a little bit to go until then.  I also hate the way saggy bermuda shorts look, which could happen with the next size up combined with an inevitable weight loss.  Hmm.)

I love the long length, it is wonderful to have a printed short in a ten inch inseam length.

Side View.  These shorts have a lot of stretch, especially through the legs, but NOT through the waistband, where the facing (back bit of the waistband) prevents the material from stretching out.  Oddly enough, I found the legs and butt region more than ample for my particularly plump posterior, but the waistband less so, which is not typically where I have issues.  If you carry your weight in your waist or upper hip, be sure to compare the measurement to your measurements (note: waistband sits below the waist a bit--on me by nearly three inches--I am high-waisted, though).

Doubtful there will ever be a St. Patty's day warm enough to get away with this outfit around here, but when there is, I will be sure to celebrate with this look.


Off Duty Shorts. There is a reason the model's legs look so thin here, those legs are cut very wide, so us girls with "those American thighs" need to celebrate.  LOL.


Colourblock Points.  I have been very interested to see what these look like in real life.  Thankfully Lou got them and put them with the exact right outfit.  I can see why these have been so popular!

Clearance Boden:

Cashmere Hoody.  Cannot find this anywhere on the website, so I am providing you with a link to the polyvore image of it, and from there you can gain access to its item page.  Here's the deal, though, if you like it, don't give up on it because this could get returned in the future.  It is very hard to catch it as a popback, but it is good to have access to the "possibility."

I took this in a size 6, which is my normal Boden knitwear size.  

It fits exactly right everywhere, even in length, so I am a very happy camper.

 

The green is a true Irish green, the color you see when you think of Ireland.  I am planning a trip to Ireland in April, and yes, this cashmere hoody will be joining me on the trip.

The cashmere is not super-soft, but I blame that on the darker color.  I know there is some science to this, but my heathered cashmere colors, especially in the lighter shades, are super soft, whereas my cashmere in a solid, dark color are usually less soft (still soft, just not baby butt soft).

There is a very subtle light blue trim on the kangaroo pocket and the hood itself, but it is barely noticeable, so don't let that dissuade you from purchasing (on popback, of course) if you are not a fan of that element.

Audrey Jumper and Cropped Cashmere Crew Neck Cardigan.  Though the hoody may be sold out, the color "sapling" is available in a handful of items, including the lovely Audrey Jumper (above in orange) and the versatile crew neck cardigan (model is wearing the sapling shade).  The cashmere cardigan is going to physically emulate the hoody the most, since it is made from the same fabric, but a hoody is very different from a cardigan, which is why I included the Audrey jumper as an alternative.

Raw Edge Hotchpotch Top.  This one is likely to linger in the clearance for a really long time, but I wanted to make sure and get the review out early so if you had interest in it, you could decide for yourself if this top is for you, since it is a lot of look.

I took a size 4 in this one *because* I read the on-line reviews.  I normally would size to a 6, but so many people said to size down that I did.  I think I made the right choice, especially through the bosom, waist, and shoulders, but the top is a touch too small  in the hips (you can sort of tell from this photo above).

To counter the smaller hip line (until I can alter it on the sewing machine), I flipped the hem under and wore it like that.  Because the printed part of the top is made from a thick rayon, the flipped hem stayed like that, which I was surprised to see (but happy to see, of course).

The upper bodice portion is made from a woven cotton fabric, so it has very little stretch.  The 4 was the right size for my shoulders, but if you carry any weight up there, I highly recommend comparing the measurements on-line (garment not body) to make sure your shoulders will fit.

The print and colors are lovely, and this is the only shade of brown I can wear without looking horrible (it has a touch of green which helps).  Brown is typically not my friend, lol.


Raw Edge Hotchpotch Top.  Its original price was so expensive.  For what you receive, the clearance price is far far better.

I don't care for the other two shades, but like the silhouette of the top.  I have a butterick pattern that I have since purchased that I think has a similar look, and can be made to have a hotchpotch element, or be made with a single fabric (I may try a cotton eyelet).

mini Boden/Johnnie b.:

I must have been under a rock earlier this week since I just figured out that a good bit of Mini Boden is on sale.  If you are interested in anything for your kids (or yourself, if you can wear Johnnie b.) then this may be the time to grab that item.  I may pick up one or two items since I have a ten dollar coupon (sent to my "secondary" e-mail address).

Rex, CW, and Angus have not gotten much from the spring line, but from what they have received, there is a lot to love.  I especially heart how well Angus's baby clothing is made, since he is literally a mover and shaker and really really hard on his clothing.  CW's clothing could be made from angel dust and it would be fine, but my boys, oh, no, they need good fabric stitched together really really well.

A Sale for Little Stars: Up to 35% off selected Mini, Baby & Johnnie B at BodenUSA.com!



Tassel Loafers.  See them on Lou in an adorable, colorful outfit.  :)

Okay, that's it for this week!  If you have any picks from the mini Boden sale spectacular, do leave a comment!

Here is a quick link to the current Boden coupon:

Made by Me Files: Tresco Floral Top and Girl's Dress. (Butterick 5463 and Butterick 5442.)

This image may be familiar to many of you if you have spent anytime over at my Facebook page, where I debuted my Liberty of London Tresco Floral tana lawn fabric top (woo, that's a whole lot of words) after I had completed it and was able to wear it for the first time.

This top took me way too long to make (which makes me think I need these labels for all of my handmade garments), but by the end of the ten or so hours I spent crafting this top, I was beyond thrilled with it.

I ended up wearing it the first time to my son's sixth birthday party, on the assumption that I would see my stepmother, who is my sewing partner in crime.  She ended up not being able to make it, but not one single person looked at my top and said, "oh, that's homemade," or "oh, ah, my eyes, they bleed from the horrible craftsmanship."  So I guess I would call that a victory of sorts.

(BTW, my stepmother saw it a few days later and declared that she loved it, especially the shape, and asked if she could borrow the pattern.  She wears the same size top as me, so we can do that, no problem.)

I like this top belted, since it is a very relaxed shape, and not all outfits call for a loose fitting top.

If I have one thing I would change, it would be the sleeves, since I feel like I could have constructed the edges a bit better, but I was more than happy at how nicely the shoulder seams and side seams came together.

Full outfit. I love the brightness of the print with the solid burgundy and cream and grey.

From the back.  The back is a bit longer than the front, which I did on purpose to help with my frame.

The pattern is Butterick 5463 and is view c.  I changed it up, though, by shortening it.  I have plenty of longer tunics in my closet, but longer tops, not so much.  :) 

I wore it again to my first class of Sewing 2.  My teacher really wanted to see it in real life, and I was more than happy to oblige.  :)

I love it with the Zip Ankle Skimmer in the deep pink/purple shade and the pretty cobalt blue cardigan.

I wore it without the belt that day, since the pants were a slimmer silhouette than the sweater skirt I wore to Rex's birthday party.

I knew that CW would go gaga for the print, so I indulged her inherent girly-ness and made her this adorable dress (also a Butterick pattern--5442--no ruffle, though, may add one later).  I had to take a lot of time making this, since the facing on this one is more complicated than the facing on my top, but because I had more experience with sewing in general, I found this dress a bit easier to make, and the finishing on it is far better looking.

I had made a tiny mistake on the shoulder seams on this one, so I decided to add bows to the top bit, which not only covered the mistake but also gives the dress another very darling element.

Plus...I can say that I made this for around $35, and not for the $150 that this one costs at J. Crew.  That said, the J. Crew one is a bit more difficult to make, but still!  :)

Close-up of the hem, which *is* an accomplishment for me, since I find hemming so very difficult.

Okay, well, that's it for this installment of the "made by me" files. 

Do you all have any other ideas for patterns for this fabric?  I have some left over and have enough to make an accessory and maybe a skirt. 

OOTD: Re-worn. Not Simply.

Day: Friday, February 22, 2013.

Where: School Run and Little Gym.

Ease of Wear: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  Outside of a tiny bit of itchiness in the sweater, the rest of the outfit was super comfortable.

Cool Factor: (3 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.)  I love this look and will happily be recreating it.  It is very urban boho and may not be your thang, since it has many textures, colors, and patterns going on, plus it is very covered up.

I called today's post "Re-worn. Not Simply." because I love all these pieces and consider them to be some of my best buys to date.  The only one of the bunch that is old is the jacket.  In general, my most beloved pieces of clothing are from years ago since there has been a terrific decline in clothing quality in the last ten years, but the sweater, skirt, boots, and scarf all harken back to a time when quality garments were something retailers strove to create.  (The belt is not super high quality, but I have been reaching for it a lot, so it is definitely getting re-worn.)

Wallace and Barnes Sutherland Sweater: Last worn here.

Liberty Floral Scarf (Tresco Floral Print): Last worn here.

Anthro "Bubble Jewel Circle" Elastic Belt (I have no clue what it is really called): Last worn here.

Swishy Jersey Skirt: Last worn here.

Blakeley Riding Boots. Last worn here.

3.1 Phillip Lim Pashli Satchel: Last worn here.  But really, I use it almost daily.  Will be so sad when it is too warm and sunny everyday to be hauling around a dark wine colored leather bag. 

Downtown Field Jacket: Last worn here.  I wear this a lot, actually, but I only photograph outerwear when I have the time or inclination.  I usually wear this when it is n-a-s-t-y outside, and on those days, I really don't have the inclination, lol. 

Anecdote from the day:  I picked Rex up from school.  I then went to the Little Gym where he and his sister went crazy at their class (they actively encourage the children's craziness, which I appreciate).  I went to the coffee shop next door and ate some amazing homemade soup and had a chai tea latte.  That is all.

Okay, that's it for today.  :)  For those of you who know that Monday's are Boden's "trim" days, there was not new trim items this week.  I don't know why, but maybe it is because yesterday was Mother's Day in Great Britain?  (Happy Mother's day to all my UK/Ireland mommy readers, btw!)

Also, I have been so behind in commenting back.  You all know I am good to get back, but you all know I am s-l-o-w.  Thank you for your continued understanding and forgiveness.  ;-)

OOTDs: Casual Dressy. Or Just Dressy. Part Two of Two.

 Day: Sunday, February 24, 2013.

Where: Clyde's for lunch with my girl.

Ease of Wear: (3 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) I am taking a couple of points off because the dress's skirt kept hitching up on my tights.  It wasn't anything unbearable, but I did notice it.  I wish I could be less OCD about things like this, but I *know* other women have the same hangup.

If it had been a touch warmer, I could have gotten away with wearing the fitted ponte dress (review here, btw) sans tights, but since it was only forecast to be in the mid-50s, I knew it was tights all the way. (As much as I adore the velvet Bella jacket, it isn't super warm.)

The effortless suede boots, once again, proved why they will always be a fixture in my wardrobe.  I love how they can give a little lift (literally and figuratively) to most of my outfits, yet are so very comfortable. 

Cool Factor: (3.5 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.) I think it looks pretty good, but it may be a bit too much "look" for some of you since I decided that a knee length dress and tights and ankle booties worked.  From what style 101 dictates, that combo is tremendously awful on the leg line, creating stumps instead of stems (remember this scene in Clueless?).  I am fairly tall, and most of my height is in my legs, so I am okay with the *stumping,* but I get it if this is not your thang.

Anecdote from the day:  So I was approached by a friend at bowling yesterday who asked if CW and I had been at Clyde's a couple of Sundays ago.  Obviously we had been, but I was very amused that someone had seen us walking to Clyde's that day.  She said she had tried to find us, but because of how many rooms this particular Clyde's has, she had to give up after the first five or six.  LOL.  She supposedly stopped right before she got to the room we were in.

CW loves Clyde's, which if you know this restaurant, is slightly amusing, since she is 4.  Anyhow, I got her the kids' meal with a hamburger, asked for well done, and out comes a very pink center patty.  Guess who didn't care?  Yeah, that's my girl, giving Anthony Bourdain and Andrew Zimmern a run for their money.  However, she won't touch mashed potatoes. 

Day: Tuesday, February 26, 2013.

Where: School Run and Jo Ann Fabrics, but no preschool run that day.

Ease of Wear: (3.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) I had to get over the way the bodice fit (since it runs large through there on me--the review is here, btw), but once I did, and sort of *wore in* the dress, I was very comfortable.  It just took a while to get used to the way the casual pintuck dress felt.

It was very cold, windy, and rainy, though, and I was very happy with my choice of the thick stadium cloth coat (rightly called the Elements coat), thick wool knee socks, and leather boots.

Cool Factor: (3.5 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.) Since I normally am "Miss Pattern Explosion," this very sedate and monotone outfit is out of my proverbial comfort zone.  It is also the first time I tried the whole "knee socks and boots" look that everyone else does so effortlessly.  I really liked the way it came together, but the outfit isn't super special, so 3.5 it is...

Anecdote from the day:  I decided to go to Jo Ann's before picking up Rex from school.  I went ahead and purchased a rotary cutter and self-healing cutting mat (they were 40% off, too!) since I despise cutting fabrics with scissors.  I try to be so careful with the scissors, but I end up making mistakes, and if you sew, you know what a pain in the a$$ it can be to sew on fabric that doesn't follow the pattern properly.  The rotary cutter has taken some getting used to, but I will say that being more careful with that leads to really precise cuts, and can also take curves better, which my scissors cannot. 

CW fell in love with a Japanese girl print flannel cotton and I found a skull print flannel cotton for Rex, so I guess there will be more pajamas in our future.

Day: Wednesday, February 27, 2013.

Where: Body Wrap and Whole Foods Winesday.

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) I am in a "soft as a baby's bottom" jersey dress, a pair of knee socks (hey, no need for full tights!), and small heels.  It is hard to imagine a more comfortable outfit.  It would be a 5, but the Pointed Mary Janes (review here) are not ballet flats, so a tiny bit more of a challenge to walk in. 

I love this dress, and am very glad that it still fits me well, despite having been purchased specifically as a maternity dress (seen here and here on me while pregnant).

Cool Factor: (2 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.)  Not cool, pretty, but not cool.  The knee socks, now that I have admitted to it, bring the score down a whole point, too.  :)

Anecdote from the day:  I love that my hubby is willing to let me take an afternoon off once a month to get a massage/body wrap/facial.  I never realize how bad my back/shoulders/neck feels until after Miss Michelle gives me her very intense (read: kind of painful) massage.  I usually walk out of there feeling like I am walking on a cloud of marshmallows. 

It is always followed up by Winesday, which makes it even more lovely. 

Day: Saturday, March 2, 2013.

Where: Church and then the school auction.

Ease of Wear: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  For a party frock, this is really comfortable.  The sequinned dress (review here) is a stretch jersey with a lining, so it feels wonderful on, with none of that "ugh, what in the world is pinning/scratching me" feeling that sometimes happens with party dresses. 

The least comfortable part of my outfit was the glitter Mona pumps, but even so, I wasn't dying or anything, and managed to stand up in them for at least an hour and a half of the evening.

I wouldn't have minded keeping the pretty metallic trim ballet flats on, though (bottom photo).  I only brought them, though, so I could wear something far less "in your face" to church right beforehand. 

(Yes, I just said I went to mass in the sequinned dress and ballet flats.)

Cool Factor: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.) This is such a cool outfit.  It is really hard to mess up cocktail attire, though.  LOL.

The clutch is from Arbonne (comet cosmetics collection), and was one of their offerings over Christmas time.  Basically, you ordered the clutch and it came with four eyeshadows and a bright red lipstick.  I fell for the clutch first (since it is reminiscent of Alexander McQueen), but appreciated the extra goodies, of course.  Only issue with the clutch is that the chain sticks to my hair, but since I don't plan on wearing it that way (as a handbag), it doesn't even affect me.

Anecdote from the day:  AI went to church before because the auction was in the church's basement.  Since I like to kill as many birds with one stone as I can, I decided that I could wear a sequin, spangled dress to church so long as I wore the coat over it the entire time and wore the flats (I brought the pumps and changed into them after).

Once at the auction, it was A BLAST.  My friend (and Rex's girlfriend's mom) and I hung out and drank vodka-spiked lemonades.  Yum.  Mr. Dina bid on two things, a basket of Chik-fil-A free meal coupons, tees, and mugs, and an after-school class for Rex.  He won both.  (Mmm...chicken!)

My friend told me that the live auction was crazy.  The Robert Griffin, III. jersey went for 1000 dollars, which we totally expected, but the handpainted bookcase that Rex and his classmates made (that was from the day I spent entirely at Rex's school--also Rex and RG3's birthday) went for 900 dollars.  You read that right...a very basic, very diy-looking bookshelf went for almost as much as a jersey from a Redskins' quarterback.  Guess it was good we put all that effort into making it!  Yeep.

Day: Sunday, March 3, 2013.

Where: Bethesda run, which means one thing--LOUISIANA KITCHEN (and their amazing cajun martinis).

Ease of Wear: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  Love how comfortable this outfit is, even though it looks like it should be more uncomfortable.  It isn't fully comfortable since the tights aren't control top and I had to hitch them up every hour or so.

Monica H., my good friend from CA (seen here with me in this post at Winesday), gave me this skirt a few months ago since her wee little hips couldn't fit into them anymore.  I was more than happy to accept her gift, and am glad we are now getting to a point (read: warmer days) where I can wear this, finally.  :)  So thank you again, Monica!

Cool Factor: (3 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.)  Some of you J. Crew ladies are gonna love this outfit, since many of you love this skirt.  Others of you will be all, "yeah, not so much."  Let split the difference and give it a 3.

Anecdote from the day:  Mr. Dina is a terrible parallel parker.  He will give up and drive really far away to find an easier spot to park in, which is no big deal when it is warm and sunny, but on days when it is blustery and cold, it is nice to be closer to where we need to be.  It wasn't that cold that day, but with three kids, and the *perfect* spot nice and wide open, I told him to just let me park the darn car.  If you grow up around here, learning to parallel park is absolutely a necessity (unlike in Mississippi, home of wide parking spaces EVERYWHERE!), so I can get into the tightest spaces imaginable.  Mr. Dina always seems amazed that I have no problems doing so, and to further mess with him, I usually take a bow afterwards.  LOL. 

Anyway, after my (only known) feat of strength, I was more than happy to imbibe the Cajun martini.

Okay, that's it!  You all have a great Friday!  :)