Georgia on My Mind (with a Dash of North Carolina Thrown in...)

So remember way back in late July when I went to Georgia and Indiana? Remember when I posted about the portal to hell that was the hotel room that we stayed at in Winston-Salem, NC? Well, I FINALLY have put together a big polyvore of all the things I wore on the trip, two mini-polyvores for some of the outfits, and I have uploaded all of the images, edited said images for publication...phew. This took me a better part of three hours today. Yikes. Blogging is fun but very time-consuming!

(Oh, and so you know, I have many, many outfits to post from late July and August...eventually, my friends, eventually!)

By the way, I did comment back on all the latest posts...not individually this time (unless you had a question or such)...but I did it! YAY!

Oh, and also...I loved my last week (August 23-30, 2009). I did not stop moving. Between three separate DC JCA get-togethers (Tysons for shopping, Tysons for a playdate with HeidiG. and Summerilla, and the White House/Occidental Grille with Cleo26, Slastena, 3PP, Kelly, and Rosa), working out with my brother, and jetting to the pool with the kids, I have been a bit busy...but that really good busy that makes life worth living, you know? BTW, I would be back to school preparing my classroom if I was still teaching full-time. :) I am so excited to only substitute this year...WAY less pressure!



Untitled by dinagideon featuring J Crew

First Polyvore is of all the items I brought with me to both Georgia and Indiana. You will see this in this post and the next one on Indiana.



North Carolina by dinagideon featuring J Crew

This second Polyvore is of my first and second day's outfits. The first outfit (on the left) I wore to a yum-tastic Mexican restaurant in Winston-Salem. We specifically request a journey there every single time we visit. Man, it's good. The second outfit (on the right) I wore the next day (Sunday) to Biscuitville (umm, biscuits, gravy, and grits...mmm...) and on the ride to Georgia...


Here is the first outfit. This is the lovely Liberty print fabric jacket that you all have seen before, but this time I scrunched up the sleeves. I LOVE it this way...very pretty and very (dare I say it), chic. The rolling ruffles tank is the champagne color, a lovely light yellow.


Here is a close-up of the jacket and well, the real reason I put the pic up, CW. On three...1, 2, 3...Ahhh!


This is a tee I bought from Boden for a song. I also purchased it in a navy blue/grey stripe. Why this was not more popular is beyond me...it is pretty and comfortable. Of course it is citron hued, so that may be why! ;)

I know this is going to sound odd, but I got my color inspiration for the trip from CW's onesie that she is wearing in this pic...it has many colors but they all worked so nicely together, I chose those colors as my theme.


OMG--Ignore my face...I look like I just smelled CW's diaper (which is entirely possible)...
This third outfit is from Georgia, and I wore it on Monday. It is the boyfriend tee in aqua (yes, HeidiG., just for you) in size extra-small (that's right, XS); some Ann Taylor Loft shorts I got from Rugged Wearhouse for next to nothing (and it's a short inseam...look out!); and the starfish capri sandals that I hearted so much I bought for full price (minus 15% educator discount).



Untitled by dinagideon featuring J Crew

This third polyvore is from my last day in Georgia. I knew his family would like to see a tee celebrating New Orleans, so I wore it just for them...


Not much to say about this except that the sandals are ancient, but have lasted forever. Hmmm...if Mickey and co. read this, keep these sandals in mind the next time you make something...they are beautiful and built to last...J. Crew, I know you all have it in you to make awesome products again (of course, they still do, but even I, Miss "Rah-Rah" J. Crew has noticed a decline in many of the products' ability to last a long time).

Have a beautiful Monday (no, seriously, try to...)!

So What Can I Post with 20 Minutes? P.S. AppGal and Ashley, I Made Something for You All!

Oh, I know what I can do with 20 minutes! I can post two polyvores and post a pic of all of us at Tyson's from Sunday's JCA get-together. YAY! No time to comment back on the last post (well, except for my EXCEEDINGLY long explanation of why I wear petite tops that I wrote yesterday)...that will just have to wait...

Evening Primrose Cardigan Poem by dinagideon featuring J Crew

So my first polyvore (above) is for AppGal. She and Ashley said they wanted to see my poem to the Evening Primrose Garden Cardigan. I happily obliged. By the way, it is a TRULY awful poem, but the polyvore looks pretty!

Tysons 8/23/09 by dinagideon featuring J Crew

The second polyvore (above) is what I purchased at Tyson's at the DC JCA event on Sunday. I had a return and with the 20% the total wasn't truly terrifying, but yikes...I definitely have more than enough for this fall.

Which brings to me to a question I have...I am cleaning out my closet and I wanted to get rid of some things. I don't have enough J. Crew to sell to make it worth it to sell on the Weekly Exchange over at JCA, but I am thinking of doing a blog devoted to my items, it feels (at least right now) that it would be less pressure and less time consuming than ebay. What do you think? (So you know most of the items I would be selling would be in EUC--excellent used condition--and between a size 6 and size 12.) Thank you, Gigiofca, for the great idea!

Here are all of us at the event. Everyone looked so pretty and summery. I also love that Rex wanted to be in the shot, too. No crewcuts, though. (I know...I know...what was I thinking?)

Have a great day, all!

Anyone Interested in Some Reviews?

First...I wanted to let you know that I have commented back on this post and this post. I am still trying to find the time to comment back on this post, but I knew you all would prefer these reviews first!!!

To make my life simpler, I have compiled all the info on these items in a polyvore, so if you want to find them on-line, click on the polyvore, and then from there, the items should be easy enough to find at their respective homes (jcrew.com, banana republic, and ann taylor loft). Hope this is okay by you all..

Untitled by dinagideon featuring J Crew

Above is the polyvore. (And yes, I know it is kind of dorky, but I had a lot of fun creating it!)


This jacket is from Ann Taylor Loft. I saw this in the store about a month ago and fell in LOVE. I tried it on and saw that a small fit PERFECTLY. I didn't have enough money at the time to buy it, but as always, timing is everything, and a couple of weeks ago, the Loft was having a great sale (20 or 25% off), so I bit the bullet on this item. Like the downtown field jacket by J. Crew, I feel very saucy in this jacket...in a good way. Momma's going bad, girls. :) Just kidding...

Anyhow, this jacket is made of a lightweight, brushed cotton...very comfy and perfect for a early fall day (when the temps top out in the low 60s).


This is the ribbon-floral tee by J. Crew. It is a bit expensive at 45 dollars, but with my educator discount, it became a much more reasonable price.

Others have reviewed this (and if you have, can you mention it in the comments), and many have not liked it, especially in this color. I like this top and I like this color. I have almost NO tops in this color, so I have a definite need to have it, especially to wear as a base to jackets, etc.

I bought this in a small, and it is a nice fit...it stretched a bit through the day, but not too badly. The ribbon trim is very pretty, by the way, and secured very well onto the tee...no shoddy workmanship here.


The Eden blazer has also been reviewed a lot (please let us know if you have reviewed it), and here is my fit. I bought a PETITE 8, not regular. To me, this is perfect. This blazer has a very high-waisted fit, and I really appreciate them having the petites available, because this high waist actually fits me at my high waist. Phew! If it had been any lower, it would have fallen very poorly.

This is the copper color, which is very brick-like. I have very little in this color, so I am glad to own it...with many of my liberty print and boden outfits, this will be my go-to blazer. :) I am happy with this purchase.


Here it is, all open. I just thought you all would like to see this...

So I have always wanted to own a trench coat. Banana Republic had a FANTASTIC sale last week in which they offered a 25% off all items (even the sale items), and I saw this trench in the new arrivals and salivated. GORGEOUS. I also saw the Old Navy one that Gigiofca wore here last week, and well, suffice it to say, I now own a trench for the rain (Banana Republic) and one for the crisp, clear days of autumn (Old Navy--I will review it later).

Here is the trench all open, but belted. I really like the detailing. I think overall this jacket makes me look all classic...a bit of Casablanca, if you all don't mind the comparison.

I bought this in a small. I have noticed I have to size down in BR, as they are very GENEROUS in their sizing. :)


Here is the same jacket all buttoned-up. The jacket is made from cotton, but is one of those treated cottons that do very well in the bad weather. (In other words, perfect for VA in November.)


Oh, my love, the Camino coat in Dusty Blossom. SO pretty in the lookbook. And in real life, the double-cloth wool is so luxurious and soft and tightly-woven...bliss. I always feel so special when I wear my double-cloth coats.

I bought this in an 8. It does not come in petites or talls.

The double-breasted look is a tough one to pull off...but I think I am big enough that it doesn't look like I am wearing a football player's jacket.

This is what the coat looks like all buttoned-up. I love the buttons, and so everyone knows, the coat is made VERY well...there are no defects, holes, etc. I wish J. Crew could get their coat-maker to make everything they sell...


I also like the jacket buttoned-up but with the top buttons undone.


I should mention that there is a lot of room to layer under this coat...I could easily wear a thick sweater and a tee, no problem.

I cannot wait to actually wear it for real, and not just to review...I bet I can create some really pretty looks around this jacket.

Have such a very lovely weekend. I hope if you get to your local mall this weekend, that these reviews may have helped you a little bit!

Oh, the Tops...So Many Tops!!! (P.S. Cocodrillo Cardigan Alert!)

Okay...A LOT of reviews today. A LOT. So I will be sparing myself some grief and only put the barest of info. If you have questions, put them in the comments and I will (PROMISE) get to them. BTW, if you commented on this post or this post, I have written a response back.

Oh, and I am not wearing any makeup...and by the time I took pics of the downtown field jacket, well, let's just say my hair is a bit "wispy." You have been warned. :)


This is my actual outfit of today...The "uterus" shirt (which I see but prefer to see a bib necklace) in small, the summerweight bermuda shorts in a ten, and some knockoff capri sandals from Kohl's in 100.

I love this top. I think it is a great year-round piece. I am careful with it, but I will say the kids played with it and it was fine. So if you hesitate for that reason, take it from me, it's okay...


This is my hair today. I show it to you because as a young girl I always wanted french braids and my dad never knew how to do it, so I had to teach myself. Years later, I still amaze all my friends that I can french braid my own hair. As a SAHM, this is a nice, easy hair style, especially when it is AWFUL and HUMID outside. BTW, if I wasn't a natural dark blonde, I wouldn't have all those various colors in my hair. ;)


Okay...next...I bought this dress as a replacement to the twist dress. I LOVE the color plum raisin. I can see this in the winter with tights and boots and a fierce jacket. I bought this in a size small.

CW would not stop fussing...she is teething right now, poor dear...so I had to hold her for this shot. So cute!


I loved this when it came out, and sweet J'Adore These Stores reviewed it, but I was on the fence. I could NOT see paying full price for chiffon squares that would no doubt fray. But at 30 dollars, okay, we'll see. And I do like it. I especially like the color. I could see wearing this all mad men style, with a pencil skirt and maybe a belt around the waist. Hmm...

I bought it in a size medium. (That is my normal cardigan size.)


This Cocodrillo cardi is so darn cute. I will probably wear it open, with a tee or cami underneath, but I also like it all button up. This sweater, btw, is so comfortable, all cool cotton! I bought this in a medium.

Oh, and the willfah who hates this print? I warned you in the title, so don't complain about seeing it again...I did the title just for you! :)



Okay...if you click on the photo you will see me at three next to me now. It just makes me laugh. I put that pic there ages ago and didn't even think of it when I was taking the photograph. (Yes, Mr. Dina is at work and can't take my photos of me...boo!)

Oh, the headache be gone tee...everyone and their sister has reviewed this...too many to mention (if you have reviewed it, can you mention it in the comments so people can check your blog out)?

I find this to be the most NECESSARY tee I own. I get migraines so bad that I actually have been on medicine since they invented migraine medication (years and years ago). I am one of those rare people that started suffering from them when I was a kid (7 years old). I fear for my own kids, because not only do I suffer from them, so does my brother...obviously they are genetic. I even get the classic version...aura, nausea, sound and light bother me, ice-pick stabbing behind my right eye, etc.

I bought this in a small. Considering that it is such a bland color, I was sort of surprised that it looked okay on me. :) Must be because I need to wear it that much! This tee is retail only.


OMG. How I want to write poetry about this evening primrose cardi...it has great fit, fabric, and colors. Plus the print is absolutely too die for...

I bought this in a medium.


The downtown field jacket actually made me make this face...all insouciant. I feel kind of bad-a** when I wear it. Now, in the middle of summer, with shorts, it does look a bit ridiculous, but you get the general idea. ;) I bought a small and it fits so well. I cannot wait to really dress this jacket up with a pair of dark wash skinny jeans, boots, a beret, and a fitted tank. Then I will make Mr. Dina take me out to play pool. And there I will drink a beer. :)

Did this help you all? Good. Sorry I have no real "NEW" products, but umm, SAHM and B&M just don't mix...Sunday is just around the corner!

See, This Is What Happens When You Don't Sleep!

My darling daughter kept me up really, really late last night...late enough that I actually witnessed the J. Crew site updating their fall arrivals. Huh...less sleep? Well, okay...it just means that I spent a full hour clipping items for polyvore. Yeah, I know. This "grown-up paper dolls" obsession is a bit ridiculous.

But before I went to bed...at 1:20 am...I created this polyvore. I think I may have dreamed about Barney last night because of this...

Untitled by dinagideon on Polyvore.com

Then, this morning, my brother assured me he would be here at 7 am for a workout. Which he wasn't. Ugh. We have been spending a lot of time at the gym lately (X-Sport Fitness--the location nearest us ROCKS--OMG, wow, there is always something there to keep you moving), so I fully anticipated him coming on time. You know the punch-line, right? Yeah, he isn't coming till later. ERGH and DOUBLE ERGH.

I can't waste time (well, in the sense that I always want to be DOING something while awake), so I created this polyvore just fifteen minutes ago. The colors are spectacular. You pick the shoes. :)

Untitled by dinagideon on Polyvore.com

Oh, and my favorite piece from the roll-out? (Besides the tiered cami shown in both of my sets and the gorgeous necklaces from my sets?)

Well, the Liberty Ruffle Front Shirt that I pre-ordered way back in early July, of course. The question is...when will they send it?


Have a great morning, you all. Don't worry, I will take a nap today at some point...

And Because Timing is EVERYTHING...

I have been backlogged on getting comments written to all of you AWESOME readers, but I will assure you that I read them all and will respond, because that is my thing.

But in some stroke of absolute serendipity, I decided to wear my sage colored Frances cami last night to go out (we needed to get CW's passport photos done and eat at an Indian place we just LOVE) and today, Chanel Fashionista asked me if I could talk about the sage colored Frances cami...awesome!

It was so freaking humid (air feels like it is sitting on you...really) that I figured that if the Frances cami needs a steaming, then what is better than good ole Virginia swamp air in August?

Well, it turns out that even seriously crazy humidity isn't able to getting rid of J. Crew wrinkles...or maybe crewrinkles...the wrinkles that only come out when you take your very new blouse or dress to the dry cleaners (you like, Gigiofca?)...the brand of wrinkles that no other company besides J. Crew is capable of making (and my Boden stuff comes from England...whatcha think of them apples, Mr. Drexler?)...

Nuff said...you know the blouse will be wrinkled...here goes the review:

On me, close-up. I did buy a Petite 8 because of my crazy short torso, and it fits perfectly in length, and in width. The ruffles down the front are just enough fussy for me to feel all female (go alliteration), and the cami styling makes this a winner for the heat but is thin enough to wear under a jacket.

This is a fairly pale color for me, but since it matches my eye color almost exactly, I figure I can get away with it. Normally I need to stay away from the pastels.

As Chanel Fashionista rightly pointed out, I did also buy this in a rose color (which is more of a flattering hue on me).

I look forward to this being wrinkle-free...it was fine for slumming around town last night, but I will NEED it to be pressed for nicer outings.

I obviously went REALLY casual last night. I also like to match my vehicle. ;)

If you would like to purchase it, here is where you can find it!

Hope that helped, Chanel Fashionista.

P.S.: MissMasala: The shoes I wore with the purple Saturday dress in this post are J. Crew Magdalene Strappy Sandals. I believe they are sold out. I bought them in a size 9 (one size smaller than I normally wear) off ebay. They fit perfectly. :)

Sara Dress (at the Outlet) Versus Saturday Twist Dress (On-Line Only)...

Thank you everyone for your patience with me. I had issues getting these photos onto my computer because my compact flash card reader futzed out on me last night. GGGGGRRRRRRR. If I was rating the compact flash reader, it would receive negative stars...I was that mad. >:(

So, I start with the good...


As AppGal has mentioned before, I LOVE the Sara Dress that J. Crew offered back in their stores and on-line in January of 2009. Then the darn dress PROMPTLY sold out in my size in every single color. I lost out because I didn't want to spend the $88.

Well, I think someone likes me up there because I walk into the factory store in Indiana and spy this Sara dress in a bright, beautiful, saturated purple color. Back when they were offering the Sara dress at the "real" J. Crew, it only came in navy, grey, and black (if my memory serves me right). So, by waiting, I was able to buy the same dress (maybe in a thinner fabric--whatever, I run hot) in a great, vibrant color. SCORE.

And as you can see, it really wears well. VERY flattering cut, and even though it is an empire-waist dress, it doesn't make me look pregnant...

UNLIKE... (Drumroll, please...)

THE SATURDAY TWIST DRESS!


Okay, I know I don't look pregnant in this shot (actually I quite like the look from the front...great for the beach or the park)...


And I don't look pregnant from the back...love the look from the back the best...I really like the shape it creates on me...

So why didn't I keep this well-made, good fabric, beautiful plum raisin colored dress?


Because no matter how I stood, arms down, arms up, arms crossed, arms praising our Lord in Heaven above...I still managed to look three months pregnant.

And as you all know...Miss Dina worked way too hard these past twelve months to look fierce and lose the postpartum look...sorry, J. Crew...it's a dud!

Now, if I do get pregnant again, you can bet your bottom that I will be all over Ebay to find this dress...but right now, Momma needs the money for this weekend (yay for DC JCA get-togethers!)...

Umm, if you still want to buy it...look here. ;)

Just a Little Time Off Works Wonders...

Spending time with CW...


And with Rex...


And fooling around in the car with the best brother in the entire world...


And realizing that Kathy, Patina, Summerilla, MissMasala, Kat, grape squishee, Shannon, Drewablank, Slastena, Gingersnap, kendra, monogramgirl, Donna, nobelle, anon at 11:06 pm, Julia, Kristin, anon at 11:57 pm, RatsOnParade, Ann, casual-crew, Kate, AppGal, ashley, tastymoog, cdp, Meli22, Leader, tnorwood, stylestance, Jordyn, luvallthingsjcrew, jmpb, Christina, JCrewcrazy, Beth, PrettyBallerina, kristin, jjc, HeidiG, FabulousFloridaMommy, Petunia, Suzy, Amy, tres tippy, Joyce, JC, Maggie, and MCC (plus others I am sure) FULLY SUPPORT THIS OUTFIT (regardless of what "stylists" and others believe about fit, color, or proportion)...

EQUALS PRICELESS! Thank you everyone for believing in my vision of style...and my version of femininity. It means the world to me.

Thank you, everyone. I am back. :)

P.S. Anyone interested in a crewlet Sara Dress review? I think I could get that posted by tonight...

Okay, I had to do it...This Blog is NOT Your VERBAL TRASHCAN!

They need me to be my best...and I am not my best when I am sad...

I was the free-est of free in regards to comments. I never said "no" to anonymous comments because I have learned a lot through all comments, not just from my "blog friends."

But I received a fairly mean-spirited comment tonight which makes me want to stop blogging all together. (And it takes a lot to get me riled up.)

I did NOT start this blog at all to pretend I was anything other than me. I am not fashion-forward. I am in love with clothes, but I don't ever think the clothing I love is the epitome of fashionable. For crying out loud, I actually adore some of those amazingly outrageous Partridge Family prints from the 1970s. I know those are nowhere near fashionable.

I also accept that what I wear on my body may not suit me most days, but I am trying.

This blog was started to be a blog about what I have in OVERABUNDANCE in my life right now. Most days, that is whatever clothing concoction I have come up with...good, okay, or even (and I have laughed at myself for some of these) bad.

I think I need to take a break. If I come back, I think I will slowly get back into posting what I wear again. (And I think, no I know, I had some that actually looked really nice on me...and may have actually benefited some of you.)

I will most likely come back...but I will start small, blogging about mid-century architecture, my beautiful kids, my love of my life as a stay-at-home mom.

I do not want to be sad. My kids need the best mom I can be, and the best mom I can be is one who takes a break when she needs to...and that is starting right now.

P.S.: I have a new opener for the comments section...I think it is appropriate and plenty polite. It is below...

Hi. I LOVE almost all comments. Every once in a very long while, I will see a comment on here that is just mean. These mean comments I do not love. I always respond quickly and with as much tolerance as I can manage when faced with truly awful, ignorant comments. I do this so I can discourage others from treating my blog as their "verbal trash can." For all of you who leave sweet, kind, and constructively (yet well-mannered) criticisms, thank you. I always try my best to respond to your awesome thoughts when I get enough time to give my best back to you.Oh, and my number one blog rule: My Blog, My Rules. That simple...

P.P.S.: I have turned OFF the comments for this section. I do not need the heartache of mean-spirited comments on this post.

P.P.P.S.: I am still allowing anon. comments...because 98% of you anon commenters are awesome.

For Two Days of Summer School, I Wore the Pants...

Wooh! Let's hear it for two posts in one day. (I may not post tomorrow, I have to go to Richmond, so I may be making up for my absence early...)

So I know that when you think of summer, you don't think of pants. But I mixed it up anyhow because that is me, Miss Crazy! I have two outfits in this post and they have the whole "pants" thing in common.

If you have questions on these items, ask in the comments, and I will get to answer you...pinky swear.

Wallpaper Cardi! by dinagideon featuring J Crew

Here is the polyvore of outfit #1.


And here is outfit #1 on me! I know this looks like it belongs in the fall, but honestly, as long as I took the cardi off for the walk (this is a nice, brand-spanking new one that HeidiG. personally inspected for me and it has no holes and the pattern lines up...score), this outfit isn't that oppressive for July heat. The Saturday pants are especially lightweight...very nice for the heat. The pants are a size 10 and fit very nicely. An 8 would have been too tight in the hips.

Green and Yellow! by dinagideon featuring Old Navy

Here is the polyvore of outfit #2.


And here it is on me...I think I look young in this outfit. I really, really like it! :) I wore the red and blue version of this cardigan way back when, and loved it so much that I got it in another shade.

This outfit was also summer-friendly, as long as I didn't wear the cardigan on my walk to school.
By the way, the top is not J. Crew, it is actually Ann Taylor Loft from a long time ago. The denim is Old Navy and is a bit big, but I don't mind...they still work for me (although hopefully not for much longer...come on, last ten pounds...).

You all have a great rest of this Thursday!

A Couple of Outfits from July!

I will never, ever make it to the present time in blog posting if I don't just bite the bullet and start posting all these long ago outfits. So, in order to spare me some time so I can actually catch up to real time, I will post most of the July and early August outfits in pairs or triplets.

Today I have for you three outfits from mid-July. None have polyvores which makes this post especially easy...and easy is what I need because baby CW is being clingy, needy, etc. and I am finding it hard to type and hold her at the same time. (Stay at home mom doesn't mean less work it just means a different kind of work...) :)


Here is one I wore to the gym on a Saturday morning (for a while there I had a Pilates Allegro class on Saturday mornings)...

Info: Cardi: J. Crew, Summer 2009, size small; Tank: Athleta, Fall 2008, size medium; Shorts: Wal-Mart, size large (has to be, that inseam is way too short otherwise); Shoes: Born from forever ago, size 10.


Mr. Dina affectionately called me a "hippy-chick" in this outfit. Haha. He is right, though, I do look a bit crunchy-granola. And the skirt...man, it is long...

Info: Top: J. Crew, Fall 2008, size medium; Skirt: Target (Merona), Spring 2008, size 10 (this may be why it is so long now); Flip-Flops: J. Crew, Summer 2007, size 10.


I actually really like this outfit, worn to summer school. I just wish the skirt was shorter. I think as I get smaller, the skirts still technically fit, but since they ride lower, they look longer, which on me reads as dowdy.

Info: Tee: J. Crew, Spring 2008 (maybe), size medium. Skirt: Macy's Style & Co., Fall 2008, size 10. Shoes: Earth, Spring 2009, size 9 (their shoes run a bit wide and long).

There is more to come. If you have any questions, please comment. As usual, I will comment back...I always *eventually* do. (For example, I have commented back if you have left a comment on the last two posts...)