Made by Me File: The Joy of the Red Coat.

Before I start talking about the joy of making the red coat, I encourage you to visit the post I wrote up at Fabric Mart first, especially if you are a sewer.  I am sure it would be fine to replicate, word for word, and photo for photo, that post here, but since this blog is more focused on style, fashion, and garment reviews, I am choosing to leave the bulk of heavy sewing info there.

I am choosing to focus here instead on the journey I took to getting to a place where I made up a fully lined, fully tailored red coat in a month's time.  :-)

The back story here is important.  I wrote to Fabric Mart and told them I would love to make a coat for my January make.  I always enjoy picking out my projects with them, but most of the time the projects are not so involved.  Usually I'll make up a dress, or a top and pants, but I tend to not sew up intense projects as they don't really fit in with my hectic school and life schedule.  But dang it, I really wanted to challenge myself, so I said to myself I could figure it out and make it happen.

I asked what coating they had in stock and they mentioned that they were getting in a red wool, and if I was interested they would send it my way.  After looking at, I leaped, even though I wasn't fully convinced that the red would be "classic" red enough.  It definitely didn't look like a yellow-based red (which I usually wear, it suits my warmer complexion), but it didn't look like a blue-red, either, which I know would look horrible on me.

It ended up coming and I fell in love since it was indeed a true red, with no additional tones of blue or yellow.  The color is one of the four universal colors all people can wear, regardless of skin tone.  Looking at that universal color chart, it's true.  I normally can't wear purple, but the one purple on the list is the only shade of purple that doesn't make me look ill.

Deciding on a coat shape and design took me FAR longer than you would think it would.  Especially considering that once I had figured it out, I knew immediately what to do.  I hemmed and hawed over which design I wanted for a week or so.  Did I want a double-breasted trench, did I want a full a-line skirt on the coat, did I want a more modern shape like a cocoon?

It wasn't until I put on my Alabaster Tweed coat from J. Crew that I realized my design was under my nose.  Even though I didn't use a shape or coating like the Alabaster Tweed one, I decided I was being silly not looking through my coat closet for inspiration.  After all, you all here (especially if you have been reading for years), know how much I love my coats.  We may not wear them all the time here, but I adore them all, and wear them every chance I get.

If you have been reading the blog for long enough, you'll know exactly where I went to find my design inspiration, my Sybil coats, and my Bella jackets.  Ever since I started sewing, I knew that one day I would want to try and make my own version of these and get them in my wardrobe, but with my personal measurements and aesthetics leading the way, not one of J. Crew's designers making those choices for me.

And I do fully realize I am being derivative here, but at least my version is a bit different, especially in the lower half of the coat (the Sybil is a more straight up-and-down shape).
 

So I stopped my constant searching through my coat patterns and ebay for the "perfect" coat choice, and decided on the two coat patterns that would come together best to suit me and to realize my vision of the red coat I had in mind.

Vogue 8626 is a pattern I had seen over at Sewing Pattern Review a couple of years ago, and when I saw it, I swooned.  It was so pretty, feminine, and yet regal, at the same time.  And it was out of print.  It took me a few months, but eventually one in my size came up on ebay, and I bought it without hesitation.  The only issue I had with the coat was the design of the collar.  I don't know if you can tell, but when the collar is buttoned, it makes a weird pointy collar jut in one direction, and the asymmetry is too much for my eye, and I knew it would bug me if I made it up that way.

McCall's 7024 is a pattern I had seen when it came out and bought it as soon as possible.  I loved the collar because of how much it reminded me of the Sybil and the Bella.  Really the rest of the jacket is fine, but the collar was what I most wanted.  Though it is designed with a drawstring, I knew I could probably (and eventually) figure out what to do to omit the drawstring and have it properly stand up.

I had to make a muslin to ensure I was using the correct measurements, and thankfully, they were pretty close to right.  I did note that I needed to change up the way the side pleats on the back laid (they favored opening up to the center pleat and it didn't look right on me, so I chose to turn them into box pleats).

I am pleased that Vogue 8626 has cup sizes.  I have a very small bustline, 32B if I am lucky, and I have noticed that any pattern that doesn't have specific cup measurements built in will often manifest themselves in a bit of wrinkling above my chest below my collarbone.  The same thing happens when I wear a bra that is too big (which is a lot of the time, it is really hard to find a 32B bra that doesn't have underwire).  This coat has an A cup bodice, and it is a dream fit up there.  Seriously, hands thrown in the air, waving around, kind of fit.  I know fuller-bust ladies get a lot of attention for having to make FBAs on their clothes, but for those of us who are wee-er up there than average, have to do the same thing if we want a good fit.  People notice it less when things don't fit me properly since it doesn't mean gaping plackets or straining streams, but I get really bothered by those darn wrinkles.

This doesn't mean I am going to take on the challenge of the small bust adjustment every time I sew anything for my top half, but for tailored garments I darn well will.  It is worth the effort!

BTW, the belt above is called a Martingale belt.  I always just called it a "half-belt at the back," but now that I know what they are called, I am gonna throw that term around like it's hot.  LOL.

So the collar, the most important portion of my coat in realizing my vision...turns out the McCall's 7024 is a great dupe for the Sybil coat.  It is nearly the same.  The Bella is a bit off, as the Bella collar sits on a faux collar stand.  The way I made it stand just so was to interface the non-pleated side with fusible hair canvas on the bias (wanted it on the bias so it would be more easily molded when I was steaming it, on the straight grain I would have had a few more struggles to shape it since the straight grain prevents any stretching).

The buttons.  Well, it turns out that even though I had chosen a near match for the Sybil coat (they seriously are the same buttons as the ones on my other coats, but red), I wanted to use a flatter, variegated reddish button instead.  Now it fully is a coat that is "inspired by" but not a samesy copy.

Now that I have published this post I can actually start wearing the coat out and incorporating it into my ootd postings here and at Instagram.  Yes!  (I have to wait until the post publishes over there before I publish here.)

I know that some of you might have questions, so if you do, I encourage them.  Maybe some of you can even make your own versions of the Sybil/Bella?  I would love to see some more of these out there in the world of sewing.  :-)

OOTDs: Three Pairs of Pants and One Purse.

Day: Tuesady, March 11, 2014.

Where: CW's Bible Play.

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  I love the ease of this outfit.  I normally try to dress up more if I am going to the kids' school, especially if it is for a play/performance, but I wasn't feeling up to getting kitted up that day, so I figured a dash of color would make up for the fact that I am wearing jeans.  :-)

The Must Have Tee is super soft and just warm enough, even though it is fairly lightweight (see my original review of it here).  I didn't have to wear a coat that day, by some minor miracle in this Canadian winter of ours, we had a day of semi-warmth.

Cool Factor: (2.5 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest--for both outfits.)  Very pretty, but also very casual.  Just somewhere right in the middle of cool...

Anecdote from the Day: You can never hear kids when they are performing, huh?  There is a chance CW did say her line properly, but we aren't sure.  They all sang the songs really well, though.

Day: Wednesday, March 12, 2014.

Where:  Home sewing and school pickup.

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  Again, a super high score for comfort.  Those Pure Collection pants are sublime, and I am so glad I have these in both the navy and the black color (I am wearing the black now as I type).  Even though I haven't been able to do a lot of in-depth reviews of Pure Collection lately (budget constraints, boo!), I do look over there from time to time (and keep their coupons in my sidebar) since I LOVE everything I have from them.  Looks like they have a near dupe of these pants in their current collection called the Pure Silk Tie Waist Trousers, and I kind of think I need to save up for the ones in jade.  My pants are made from a heavy poly mix, so I suspect the silk ones would be even more luxurious and special.  Pure is having a big mid-season sale and the pieces in there look to be very pretty, especially all the cashmere in sherbert shades.  The Pure Silk Tie Waist Trousers are not in the sale (the sister, the silk tie waist skirt is, though), but you can use the sidebar coupon to get an additional 25% off those, if you like the look.  (The 25% off does not come off the mid-season pieces, though.)

Cool Factor: (2.5 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest--for both outfits.)  The Downtown Field Jacket seems to be the coolest bit of this look, as it is so popular that J. Crew keeps bringing it back season after season.  The rest of the outfit is fine, of course, but not especially cool.

Anecdote from the Day: My stinking Pants Sloper I worked SO HARD on is TOO BIG!  I spent hours redrafting the sloper into a new pants pattern with a yoke and pockets only to make the whole thing up and find the whole thing was too big by one whole inch on each side.  Sigh.  I put the redrafted pattern against what I had made in class and it was the same, so the only thing I can think is that because I wore tights and not bare skin to the lessons that the friction from the fabric allowed the pants to stay up since they definitely were falling off of me when I finished all the hard work on the pants I made at home.  I can save them, I took an inch off each side seam and they fit better, but still a bit loose.  I think I need to redraft the pattern again and hope for the best.  I can save the pants I worked on, but they will likely become "at home" "fat day" pants.

At least the crotch length and depth is accurate, so small favors, right?

Day: Saturday, March 15, 2014.

Where: Finishing the kindergarten class quilt, the Veronica Mars movie, and Girls Night Out with B. and T.

Ease of Wear: (3.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  The Peter Pilotto for Target tee is very soft and comfortable (and worth the $20 I spent, only thing from the collection not overpriced in my estimation).  The points off are for the jeans, which while look fine on me are just not *super, over the top,* pj comfy the way I have decided I want all my pants to feel.  LOL.  I am getting soft in my old age. 

Cool Factor: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest--for both outfits.)  This outfit is pretty cool.  I think the whole look makes me look a touch younger, maybe not super youthful, but maybe, possibly, *not a mom with three kids* young?  :-)  Here's to hoping, anyhow.

I cannot believe how much the people in the UK were willing to pay for these Target pieces.  They were sold at Net-a-Porter UK and from what I could tell they simply took the American price and put a pound sign in front of the amount instead of a dollar sign.  So this tee would have been 20 pounds, or nearly $35.  Yikes.  And then of course some of the items sold out and the ebay people over there then double or tripled the UK price.  Seriously.  Wow.  I made a joke with some of my UK blog friends that I could go to the local Target, buy most of the pieces on sale, and then make a *stupid* amount of profit if I did that.  I guess we didn't want these pieces as much as the ladies over there did.

Anecdote from the Day: My hubby and I love Veronica Mars.  I loved it enough to obsessively watch it, but my husband was obsessive enough to actually give money to the kickstarter to get the movie funded.  It turned out that he couldn't give money in the end since the whole project was funded in one day (fast!!!).  That's some serious love.  It was a good movie, but it was weird, like it should have been on TV, but there I was, along with other adults reliving their *decade old* youth in a theater.  Did anyone else out there see it?

Okay, that's all for now. 

If you have a Boden review, I will be writing the BWRR up tomorrow if you would like to include yours in it.  You can either comment your review here at the Boden Reviews tab, or you can email me at dinagideon AT aim DOT com.

OOTD: 900 Posts, a Pop of Color, and a Giveaway!

Hello!  Happy Labor Day!

Well, look at that.  I am now at 900 posts written here at this blog.  Phew.  I guess I have had a lot to say.  Ha.

(Or outfits worn.  Or a mix of both.  Or Boden was having a sale and I couldn't shut up about it.)

Anyhow, as luck would have it, I published this outfit you see here in this post a week ago on my facebook page (I show off my outfits there first), and then five days later, my facebook friend, Rachel, posted on her Stella and Dot facebook page some photos of celebrities wearing the necklace that I used as a "pop of color" in the outfit.

Because it had been a long time since I had "talked" with her, I left her a note that let her know that I had worn this necklace as part of the outfit and that she could see it over at my facebook page.

She then said, "why don't we do a giveaway at your blog with one of my pieces?"  And I, of course, was game.  I let her know that my 900th post was coming up, and I could, as a way of celebrating, show off this outfit, talk about how the necklace added a bit of color to a very neutral outfit, and then do the giveaway!

So here we are.  I am now able to do all of the above!

Info on the outfit is in the photo.

I had worn the skirt earlier in the day to go and visit Rex's preschool teacher, and you all saw that last week here at this post.  I knew I still wanted to wear the skirt later that night when Mr. Dina and the rest of us were heading off to dinner, but I definitely wanted to change up the pieces, especially since I wanted the Stella and Dot Bahari necklace to be the star of the outfit.

A lot of people thought this outfit was a dress, that is how nicely the Loft top and Talbot's skirt worked together.  I think the studded leather belt by J. Crew ties the pieces together well, helping with the "dress" effect.

The Bahari necklace is a bright, vivid blue with gold accents (you can see it more closely here).  It really did "pop" against the white.  I love the summery feel of white, gold, and blue together.  It can look very nautical, and normally whenever I wear those colors together, that is the preppy feel I get.  This time, though, I felt like the outfit looked less preppy and more pretty.

The necklace was given to me by a friend, not Rachel, btw, even though she is the one hosting the giveaway.  My friend had two Stella and Dot boxes sitting out at her house when I stopped by to visit.  I said, "ooh, Stella and Dot, I love their pieces!"  My friend laughed and said, "I pulled these out for you."  So I open them up and was all, "ooh, I love these, I can't wait to see you in these!"

She laughed even more and said, "no, I want you to take one, they seem to be much more you than me."  So I picked out this necklace and she said, "good, that was the one I hoped you would like!"

I said, "you know I like a statement necklace, don't you?"  ;)

900 Posts, a Pop of Color, and a Giveaway! by dinagideon featuring silver jewelry

Above is the polyvore of the outfit.

Okay, so what about this giveaway?

Rules for entry:

1. Please "like" Rachel's Stella and Dot's facebook page.  (You don't have to follow my blog or like my facebook page, but if you feel like it, go for it!)

2. Please let me know you "liked" her page in the comments along with: a) your e-mail address, and b) how you would style the Bahari necklace in an outfit you would wear.

This contest will end one week from today, Monday, September 10, 2012 at 11:59 pm Eastern time.  I will announce the winner the next day.

I will be writing one additional post mid-week about how I would style this necklace with some of Boden's sale pieces (there is a 20% off sale going on right now), so if you forget to enter right now, I will definitely be reminding you.

Alrighty, that's it!

P.S. Boden's 20% off sale (I mentioned that I had received early word on this in my last BWRR and on facebook) has started.  I will be back later today with more info and my picks from this sale, but until then, here is a link for you all.
Get 20% off + free shipping & returns on select items at BodenUSA.com! Shop dresses, tops, pants, tees, skirts, accessories and more!

OOTDs: Back to School.

So you know how I mentioned that I literally have not stopped moving for the past week?  Yeah, this kindergarten back-to-school stuff is NUTSO.  I give every single one of you who has done this before major props.  Between the forms (about 6,812 of them), pre-visits with the teachers and other school staff (58 of those), and supply purchasing (126 items and counting), I am one worn out momma.  At least I will be prepared for when CW and Angus go through this process.

Rex hasn't even started officially, that would be Wednesday, you all.  :P

And I thought setting up to teach 6th-grade history was hard.  (Laughs at former self.  Ha.)

Anyhow, I have a few moments to do a post (and polyvore and maybe even comment back on the last three posts), so here you all go. 

Let the back-to-school outfit parade begin...

I wore this getup to go to meet Rex's kindergarten teacher last Wednesday night.  Silly me forgot to bring a dressy enough outfit for the occasion.  I had planned to spend the day in the city and then head home for the afternoon, but at the last minute we changed plans where I would spend the whole day out in the city and then at my dad's.  On one hand being at my dad's was very convenient since he lives right down the road from the school (we walked to meet his teacher), but I didn't want to show up for the day all sweaty and in shorts and a tee.

Anyhow, I went ahead and ransacked the Anthropologie sale floor in DC and found these jeans (AG Stevie Polka Dot Ankle).  I had been eyeing them and hadn't realized they had gone on sale, so I decided to go for it as they are great on my "continuing to lose baby weight" bottom half and dressy enough that I wouldn't feel underdressed at the meeting.  I also grabbed a tee from Forever 21 for the occasion.  I don't normally even go in Forever 21, but the need of a non-sweaty top combined with their really good prices compelled me to take a look.  I actually quite like this top, very pretty and somehow worked with the polka dotted jeans.

I am excited to wear both pieces again, how would you all style the polka dot jeans for the fall?  I am looking for suggestions!

Wasn't actually headed to anything school-related, but wanted to show off this one because I found the skirt lingering in my basement storage (which I cleaned out this weekend and found a TON of clothing from my past to either give to Goodwill or sell).  The skirt was from when I was heavier (after Rex was born), but I didn't think I could make it work on me now.  It is a size 12 and meant to be worn as a mini, but I like it better pulled down further on the hips and made into an a-line "almost mini."  Technically it is only two inches above the top of my knee, so it is more modest than a true mini, but still very summer appropriate.
  

I liked my hair and makeup that night, but I think it looks better in this over-processed/B&W photo.  :)

Okay this only counts as Back to School because I wore it to church, which also happens to be where the school is, BUT I am okay with it if you all are.

I reviewed this dress last week here.  Let me tell you all...if Boden came out with this in another vibrant color (I have more than enough in the way of navy dresses), I would be in on that action.  This dress is so comfortable, so pretty, so conservative, and SO exactly what it needs to be for my life, that I cannot thank Johnnie Boden enough for having his designers come up with this frock.  Amazing.

BTW, not only was the dress wonderful, so was Rex's behavior in church.  I was beyond thrilled.  He even genuflected at the end.  My baby is growing up!

So since my baby is growing up and again, can't. have. enough. meetings. with. his. school., we went back to the school this morning for orientation.

So I found a way of being modestly dressed, comfortable, and dressy enough by pulling these pieces out.

I had the hardest time figuring out how to wear this skirt.  Fortunately I found that this multi-stripe dolman sleeve tee is just short enough (I bought it in the size extra small to wear it a bit closer to the body) to skim the waistband of the skirt so that the skirt doesn't look overly frumpy (although it could be frumpy if you are still young, free, and without kids, lol).  I also can't tuck in with these kind of skirts because I am so short in the torso, so this top really does help make this skirt happen.

I have another way of wearing the skirt tonight, but won't likely publish it over here for a few days.  However, I have been pretty good about updating my facebook page with the photos the day they happen, so visit there if you want to see more "real-time" outfit of the day postings.

Went a bit lighter with makeup this morning because I knew I would have to wash it all of when I went to the pool (ah, the last gasps of summer, how I will miss thee).

Back to School. by dinagideon featuring a lace skirt

Above is the polyvore of this outfit.  :)

You all have a great day.  Hopefully back to school is going well for all of you, too!

ROYGBIV: Not Really (Feeling) the Blues.

Hey, all!  On the heels of the very blue Maritime dress I wore in the last post, I am publishing another installment of my ROYGBIV series, today focused on B or Blue.

(By the way, the next post--I or Indigo--is the one I have struggled most with...is indigo a navy blue or is it a purple/blue?  If you know the answer, definitively, would you comment with the answer?  I don't want to publish a whole slew of navy outfits and then discover that the post should have included only purplish outfits.  Hmm.)

Wore this outfit about a month ago.  I normally don't bother with accessories or nicer shoes if I am just chilling at the house with the kids, but that day I just wanted to put on some extra something something.

If you open up the photo, it has the info on the pieces.

The hair was my attempt at a side bun.  I like the side bun but it is a bit fussy to keep up, about an hour after I took this photo, the bun was completely unraveled.

BTW, my hair looks really red here.  I notice it looks redder when I have a white background, so I suspect the white background throws off my camera's color.

I do technically have some variation of dark strawberry blonde hair (if I never went in the sun it would always be this color), but it doesn't ever look this red in real life.  Only photos.  ;)

Added the Brompton clutch to see if it worked with the outfit.  I like it, but would probably not use it in real life (remember I was just at home, no need for a bag).  I would probably bring out a yellow bag to play off the yellow in the scarf.

I wore this dress to go out to sushi for Mother's Day with my brother.  He always takes me out for Mother's Day, which I think is completely unnecessary, but I appreciate it nonetheless.

This is the Starlet Knit Dress from Garnet Hill, and like I expected, it is made incredibly well and is very flattering.  It is a jersey knit fabric and definitely felt comfortable and cool.  I took it in a small.

The dress even has pockets, which I liked.  Most jersey dresses don't come with pockets, so this is a nice bonus.

The first photo cut off my legs, so I had my hubby retake the photo later than night.  As you can see the dress is not wrinkled and may even look better three hours later.

The Greta Suede wedges I am wearing are one of my best purchases of 2011.  I think I got them for $40 on super sale in September and I have found that I am wearing them a lot this summer.  If you can find a pair on ebay, definitely think about picking up a pair if you have a need for a pair of dressy casual heels.

Mr. Roy G. Biv...Not Feeling the Blues. by dinagideon featuring glitter jewelry

Above is the polyvore.

Okay this one is from a long while ago, April 10 to be exact.  This means I was 16 days postpartum.  Those are maternity cords, btw.

I like mixing this shade of blue and bright red, as evidenced by how many times I do it (with the Riviera shirt dress and the Maritime dress, for instance).

Bits of this outfit are...J. Crew Factory (Sweatshirt), Tzuri Gueta (necklace), Duo Maternity (cords), Shoes (J. Crew), and earrings (J. Crew).

Anyhow, I may have gone out to dinner in this outfit, but nothing more than Five Guys or McDonalds.

Still any reason I have to wear my Tzuri Gueta necklace, I will wear it.  ;)

I love my fedora!

This was worn around and about one day with the fam.  The blue is technically in the top's print, but it is hard to tell, so open up the photo for proof.

This outfit was also postpartum, but I was a bit more out of the woods (so to speak) at 5 weeks past the birth...

Fedora and top (may have cost all of 8 dollars): J. Crew Factory.
Pants: Talbot's.
Sandals: Loft.

Can't resist adding in this photo of Angus from last Monday.  Here is my little man, perched on his blue boppy throne in his blue seersucker overalls.  This one is making the rounds amongst my facebook friends and family.  One of them even suggested that Angus looks like a king awaiting his supplicants.  LOL.  ;)

Okay, that's all for tonight.  Hope everyone has a happy rest of your Monday.

Sequined Out in Camel and Black...

Yes, No, Maybe So? by dinagideon featuring hoodie tops

If you are a polyvore addict like I am, you may remember seeing this set Monday that I created. I needed to know whether I should wear it or not to go out with a good friend that evening...she was taking me to an album launch (her cousin just released an album of holiday music) and I was taking her to dinner. And because I never, ever get to go out with the girls anymore (well, rarely, anyhow), I wanted to splash out a bit.

The ladies of the polyvore world liked the set, so I felt like I had chosen well...

On me, before I was about to leave.

Sizes:
Top: Cashmere Cowlneck Sweater, Size Extra Small. When I see that anything that J. Crew makes comes in a size extra-extra small, I know to order the extra-small (which is a size down from the small that used to be my normal size). Except in bottoms, where I don't know if I would want to chance ordering a small (which would be a size down from my normal medium). I love the fit...I didn't need to open the buttons at the bottom of the hem, but I like the effect of the buttons being opened. The cashmere FEELS very nice this year, and softer than last year or the year before. I also have yet to see pilling on this item (although I did only wear it for four hours). Thumbs WAY UP. I will buy another (on super-sale) in another color, maybe the blue?
Skirt: Sequin Mesh Bell Skirt, Size 8. The 6 fit fine when I tried it on way back in August, but I like how the 8 allowed me to pull the waist down a bit for length. I was exceedingly comfortable all night, and that says something when you are wearing a skirt made of sequins.
Tights: C? From a drugstore. Comfy enough. I like that they are super-opaque and black...they worked nicely with the Alecias I am wearing on my feet.
Shoes: Size 9.5. Yay, my black suede Alecia peep-toes get to come back out now that it is colder...

I also wore the black ingenue coat, which was the exact right coat for the night and the outfit. It started to rain while we were at the album launch, and the coat plus the cashmere kept me nice and toasty.

Another view. Similar, yes, I know, but I kind of liked this shot. :)

I hope I can post tomorrow, that would be quite nice. We'll see just how busy I can possibly be in one day (answer? very!).

Subbing Mom Monday (in Red) and SAHM Tuesday (in Green)...

Kind of a boring post today. The first two photos are of the outfit I wore on Monday to go substitute teach. I was also walking home, which is why the pants and shoes are so. darn. practical. Plus it was "winter warm" on Monday (high was near 70), so I didn't want to be too hot on my walk home. All mindful and practical...the Sartorialist would have kicked my butt.

He wouldn't have even bothered to look at me on Tuesday, which was yesterday, and the day I decided that shades of green, grey, and black were for me. Now, I was taking Rex to preschool, and I was going to be switching into yoga pants for my yoga class, so I can't be expected to have completely brought it, right? Or am I just kidding myself, and I should have been full-on pencil skirt, heels, pretty blouse, cardigan, belt, earrings, etc.? Ha. Not a chance.

So without further discussion, I bring you...

Subbing Mommy in Red...

Sizes:
Sweater Jacket: Size Medium. This is from the September 2007 Paris Catalog, page 15 (yes, I have memorized the page). Swoon over the original catalog image here.
Tee: Size Small. Discussed here.
Pants: Size 8.
Shoes: Size 10.

Baby CW is all sleepy. We hadn't even changed here into her outfit for the day yet. Gah, babies who are sleepy-looking always do me in...especially when they rub their eyes, TOO PRECIOUS.


Outfit with just the tee. I love this tee. The abstract floral in neon is just awesome. I know some of you don't like the color, but this is just the right amount of "ping" for me. Especially when dealing with Monday morning 7th-graders, they will be drawn like moths to the brightness.

(I know all you middle-school teachers know what I am talking about. Grade school teachers also have the same experience. I think it is once you get to high school when what you wear to teach doesn't really matter--the kids are less looking at you and much more looking at each other...hormones and all. Although 8th-graders probably do the same thing...don't have much experience with them.)

SAHM in Green...

Sizes:
Cardigan: Size Small. Any styling ideas for this Talbot's cardi? I am leaning to buttoning it up and wearing it with a pencil skirt, but I am looking for other ideas. Thank you for any help you can give!!!
Top: Size X-Small (J. Crew's cotton-modal tops run HUGE).
Pants: Size 8. BTW, the other button fell off these pants. So glad I sewed the original one that fell off back on...needed that one when the second of two fell off. If I didn't love these pants as much as I do, they would so be going back.

Shoes are the same as above.

Lastly...I received the Tangled Treasure Necklace and even though it looks like it would be a HOT MESS, it is not. I love it. I plan on wearing it tonight with a sequined tank from Target and the watercolor leopard cardigan. It looked wonderful with the tank (which is black). The necklace isn't so avant-garde that people will come up to me and go, "my goodness, woman, what is that THING around your neck?" I anticipate it will be right at home with my collection of statement necklaces (which I think J. Crew does incredibly well). So you all know, almost all of my jewelry from J. Crew is bought on super-sale. If you can wait for a good price, I would say their jewelry is worth the plunge. Having said that, slight jewelry (single chain necklaces with pendants, thin bracelets, etc.) get lost on me. I do wear them, and do love the ones I own, but I find that the larger pieces that J. Crew and Banana Republic make suit my frame very nicely.

Okay, that's all. Have a fantastic afternoon.

Trying to Be Festive...Talbot's Style!!!

I don't really go for the "festive" look very often. On Halloween, I will wear orange and put in some pumpkin earrings. On Valentine's Day, I wear pink. At Christmas, I wear holiday colors, but rarely anything with trees, presents, etc.

And although I know that this reindeer tee from J. Crew has a lot of fans, I am not one of them. But then Talbot's, the purveyor of all things for a certain "mature" sort of woman called my name. They made two specific tops that made me want to be festive for real. And, yes, one of them was a reindeer tee.

Festive in Talbot's and J. Crew! by dinagideon featuring J Crew

The polyvore above is the outfit I am wearing today to substitute. For all of you locals who know how cold it is outside, be aware that I am wearing a cardigan and a puffer jacket. Even I don't run that "hot." :) I adore this top...very pretty, very comfortable, and it has just a dash of festive, in the form of very small sequins placed very carefully on top of the print. I am not even sure you could see them even when you expand the photo of me wearing the top, it is that subdued.

The pretty lady in my polyvore? The most excellent Anna Torv of the show Fringe. Easily one of my most favorite characters on TV, and also my beauty ideal (I try to have beauty ideals that I could easily replicate...no use in me attempting to have Audrey Hepburn or Iman as my beauty ideal, as gorgeous as they are, I don't anticipate having big brown eyes or tiny hips anytime soon).

The pants I am wearing are similar to these pants in this polyvore. I call these "sailor-esque" sort of denim pants my "GingerSnap" pants, because one of my favorite bloggers ever, yes, she of GingerSnap's Daily Fashion Post, has a pair of pants that so remind me of the ones I wore today. And doesn't she just look darling wearing them???

I totally forgot to wear that necklace. Ergh. I bought that necklace from the J. Crew outlet in Lancaster, PA a few weeks ago (see below for more info on why I was in PA). It is really pretty.


Top: Talbot's, Size Small. This top has a blouse-y effect. I think I could wear this even if I was a bit pregnant (no, I am not), Winter 2009. :)
Jeans: Isaac Mizrahi for Target, Denim Trousers, Size 10, bought a long time ago.
Shoes: J. Crew, Caroline Jeweled Ballet Flats, Graphite, Size 10.
Watch: My lovely, and very trusty Fossil.

Yes, that is the ever awesome Uncle Peter holding CW in the background. He is babysitting today. The kids were beyond thrilled. :)

There is no polyvore for the second outfit. Too tired. :)


Top: Talbot's, Reindeer Tee, Green, Size Medium (for the length), Winter 2009. I like this reindeer tee because it is a bit more understated. I know, I know. This is coming from the same girl who wears BRIGHT YELLOW on a regular basis. Sorry to be so hypocritical.
Pants: J. Crew, Cropped Cocktail Capri, Khaki, Size 8, Spring 2009.
Shoes: J. Crew, Etta Flats (I believe), Metallic Silver and Gold, Size 10, Fall 2008.

Look at the preciousness named CW. She looks perfectly festive for Valentine's Day wearing that adorable heart onesie.

I wore this outfit for a drive up to Pennsylvania a couple of weeks ago. We went up there to visit Thomas the Tank Engine. Rex only sort of appreciated it. Sigh. ;)

Have a nice day. I may end up doing 6000 posts tomorrow. Turns out we are supposed to be blanketed with almost a foot of snow here in the NOVA region. And if you know this area, things will shut down for days because of it. We haven't seen this much snow since 2003. (And, yes, all you Canadians and Bostonians can start rofl'ing right now...we are a bit of a spectacle here...)

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!

Real quick post about what I wore. I am walking home (I also walked here), so I have to get going, but I wanted to show my pride in St. Patrick's Day, and more importantly my love of the color green.

Because I walked today, I didn't do anything super-fancy, but it works as a whole. The top is a cotton sweater from Talbot's. I love this print. So pretty and chic. The pants are tan cords from Lee Riders that I have finally been able to wear again. In fact, I think I may have waited too long to wear them...they are a bit loose and may be headed for retirement if I can actually reach my weight-loss goal (still have about 3 pounds until I reach my pre-pregnancy weight before Rex and about 14 to go before I reach my ultimate goal--my weight in Summer 2005). The tennis shoes are some keds that I bought a few years ago at DSW. The headband is the only thing from J. Crew. Shocking, I know. Even the jacket I wore was from Kohl's.

I have J. Crew clothing in green...but none of them spoke to me last night when I planned this outfit.

I hope all of you enjoy your night. I am going to yoga. Maybe I will wear a green yoga top. Hmm...do I even own a green yoga top? :)