Thursday, March 19, 2009

I am Wearing a Skirt...to School...(Plus My Review of the Cate Slingbacks)!

Yellow, Khaki, and Shell Pink!
Yellow, Khaki, and Shell Pink! - by dinagideon on Polyvore.com
I know, I know...call the doctor 'cause I have a fever. I am actually baring my legs and for work, too. By the looks on the kids' and other teachers' faces, you would think I had grown horns. Everyone has been super complimentary, but I was still very nervous about wearing a skirt. Like Gigiofca has mentioned in her blog, I hate wearing my skirts too high on my navel. And because of my "baby" fat, it is taking me a while to get back into my lower-rise skirts (and I have some darling ones). But I went into J. Crew (the actual store) around a month ago and I purchased a soft shell pink pencil skirt, in kind of a stretchy, sateen-y cotton. It was something like 25 dollars. It is beautiful. And it is comfortable. It is also not the one in the polyvore set, but since polyvore only has what is on-line, we polyvore ladies have to improvise. (Although I do own the skirt from the set in navy.) I think the reason the skirt is so comfy is because I was basically forced to buy it in a size larger than I wear (size 12--the pencil skirt's hips are tight...and I hate tight, so hence my choice). This means that my waist is deliciously loose, almost 3 inches loose. That's fine. For now I just won't tuck anything in...still looks polished and pretty.

The rest of the set is self-explanatory. The only thing that I don't own in the set is the black necklace. The necklace I do own (and am wearing) is from Macy's a few years back (you got it--I bought it on "super-sale"). I also am wearing the lovely Erickson Beamon for Target clear-bead necklace you have seen before!


Full-length. For those of you who follow Emily's blog, Champagne and Cupcakes, you have seen these shoes before...the Cate slingbacks in shell. I bought my slingbacks in shell in size 10, my normal size. I have a very narrow foot, though, and I find these shoes work really well for me. And I normally hate slingbacks. Emily mentioned that these were narrow in the footbed and I want to warn you of that, too. For me it isn't an issue, but I can imagine for some of you it might be. I think the general consensus is that if you have normal feet, size up 1/2 size. For those of you with narrow feet, stay with your normal size. To read more, go here: http://champagne-and-cupcakes.blogspot.com/2009/03/cates.html

I should point out two things. The makeup I used this morning must not have been blended in correctly because I look very pale. I will blend much better tomorrow morning. Also, I highly recommend a cami under the lighter-colored tissue turtlenecks. I am wearing a pink cami and I think it helps save this turtleneck.

I thought about belting the turtleneck, but because of my waist and the waistline of the skirt not being 100% compatible, I decided it looked weird, so I went with necklaces instead. Fortunately, my waist is still defined enough that I could do this...


Here is a close-up of the slingbacks. The shell color really is the perfect neutral for me. It nearly matches my legs and I feel like this plus the fact that they are heels really lengthens my legs. I also love the patent...such a nice sheen and very classy in a retro sort of way.

I hope you all have a great day...by the way, I gave CW a lot of kisses last night, one for each one of you who sent her 1/2 birthday greetings!!! :)

17 comments:

Emily said...

OMG Those Cates look great on you! You need to be the model on J. Crew they look so good! I also tried to find the soft shell skirt on Polyvore and I think I used the oraganza skirt instead. Your whole outfit is adorable!

ashley said...

oooh i like your entire outfit! you really dressed up that tissue turtleneck! nice job! love love love the cates on you! now i need to add those to my list!

Unknown said...

Yes...I hear you on wanting room in the skirt. I know exactly what you mean! I tried that skirt on, but didn't get it. I probably needed to size up and just didn't realize it. Great buy! And the shoes are the perfect nude for you. I love them on you. :-)

Patina said...

I love it. YOu look beautiful. How do you the Cates feel? Are they comfortable?

KatyO. said...

The outfit looks gorgeous on you and the Cates are beautiful for your skin tone. :)
I saw them IRL, and they're just to peach-y for me (my skin tone is pinkish). I'm hoping the dusty pink Juliets go on sale soon! ;)

Melissa@AllThingsSimplified said...

Oh Dina, you look so pretty! This shoes are fab for you, too! I have an actual photo of the pink skirt off of Ebay in my Polyvore items if you and Emily ever need to use it. ;)

AppGal said...

woo wee! lookin' good! This is a beautiful outfit! :) I love the colors you put together!

HeidiG said...

Love, love love! I never would have put the yellow tissue turtle with a shell skirt, but it looks fantastic. And you do look so leggy in your fab cates! and yes, no wonder you can do these and those target pink heels - your narrow foot - my toe box is too wide for most JC shoes (except the flip flops)

Fabulous spring outfit!!

sparrowsandsparkles said...

love, love, love the Cate in Shell!!! Why didn't I get those, again?? Beautiful on you.

Gold Coast Gal said...

The shoes look great on you! Great Neutral!

Moda said...

I also got the Cates in same color. It's beautiful color but I was expecting something baby pink-ish, like the pictures from the web.
The shoes looks gorgeous on you! Congrats on your purchase!

ashley said...

i wore my tissue turtleneck yesterday since you did!

dinagideon said...

Ladies: First things first...I AM SO SORRY it took me this LONG to write to you all. I was incredibly busy yesterday and of course today (Sat.) I was worn out and slept most of the day!

Emily: You are so cute to say that about my feet in those Cates. I felt good wearing this outfit on Thursday, so it must have come through a little bit in the pictures!!! ;)

Ashley: Tissue turtlenecks are so wonderful, but can be sort of ho-hum, right? But when you find the right mix, the turtleneck can sing! I hope you took pics of you wearing it!!! I really look forward to seeing you in your outfit! Also, I know you would look so good in the Cates.

Gigiofca: Yeah, that skirt could have brought me way down if I really cared about the size. But since J. Crew isn't all that good about being consistent in their sizing, I wear everything from a 6 (in tops) to a 12 (in bottoms). With dresses, I have to buy an 8 or 10 and wear Spanx. It drives me nuts!!! But in the end it all works out... :) Yeah, about that soft-shell color...I guess I should grab it in all of its various offerings. It is like a great lipstick, just for my legs. (All right, I am about to laugh at what I said, too.) ;)

Shopaholicdiva1027: Thank you. The Cates are pretty comfortable, but honestly, by 3 pm (keep in mind I am teacher), they were a wee bit uncomfortable...but I have had WAY worse experiences with high-heels in that past, so these were really not too bad!

KatyO.: THANK YOU!!! :)

FFM: I am going to go to Polyvore as soon as possible and save that skirt to my items. Thank you for helping all of us out!!! You are awesome...

AppGal: I really wonder if we should show off our legs at work...I mean we do work with kids. ;) Actually at my school I have to worry more about the male teachers and assistants telling me how much they "Love" my skirt. Hmmm...my skirt, really? Jim says they are noticing my other assets, but I don't know if he's right! So funny...I guess when you teach you are in the spotlight (sort of) and your outfits get noticed.

BY the WAY--Did you celebrate with a nice party last night because your student teacher has left the building??? Yay all around...

HeidiG: Sometimes I wonder about my color combos, so you saying it looks good makes me feel like I might get it, every once in a while.

J. Crew shoe sizing is just as freaking frustrating as their clothing sizes. ERGH. I have had the unfortunate experience of buying their shoes and finding the toe box and heel fit, but the middle part is too wide. Whose foot is shaped like that, J. Crew? I mean, really!!!

I hope you had a great first and second day of spring!

Sparrowsandsparkles: Thank you. I have a feeling based on the issue with sizing that these Cates might even go on further sale. Probably in the shell color, too, because it may be too peachy for some of the ladies who buy it. I may even go for this shoe in a different shade if J. Crew gives a 30% discount, too.

GoldCoastGal: THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! I am glad you came on by to visit my blog...

TheOutfitoftheDay: Yeah, I have heard that from a lot of ladies. Fortunately for me it wasn't too baby pink or else it would have looked wrong with my skin tone. I took a chance ordering them and it worked out for me. (Thank goodness...)

Milly said...

i like the layered necklaces

dinagideon said...

Milly: Thank you...it worked...I normally wouldn't layer necklaces but I was inspired to do so that day!

Ema said...

I had the Cates in shell ...for a week. I returned them because 1) I was afraid that they would hurt my feet (I can hear my mother saying: never buy patent shoes to wear without stocks, they HURT) and 2) they were still $140 (-25% off) when I bought them and since I KNOW that I won't wear them more than few times, still too expensive. I will re-buy if the price go further down though because they are SOOOO PRETTY and I don't have a single pair of slingbacks (plus mother's advices are meant not to be followed, right?)

dinagideon said...

Ema: I never received mother's advice (she wasn't around when I was the impressionable age), so I say go for it when it is on sale!!! I think I may have paid 80 dollars at most for these. This price is reasonable enough for me and I love them so!

Let me know what you decide to do!!!

:)