OOTDs: Ferns, Palms, Ikat, and Itty Bitty Florals.

Hey, all!  Happy Wednesday!

Before I get started, I wanted to let you all know that Boden rolled out quite a few new arrivals on Monday.  Because that was the day I was in "new" teacher training I wasn't able to get the news out right away.  :-)  That said, I am sure most of you figured it out already.  I have my eyes on a few items, and hopefully before the week's end, I can get a post done on the rollout in a proper fashion.  There is a coupon for 20% off mini Boden in my sidebar and at the bottom of this post, but it works for everything on the site, so enjoy it for you, too.

Okay, onto the outfits of late.

Day: Saturday, August 8, 2015.

Where:  Mini Golf in Manassas and dinner with my brother.

Ease of Wear: (4.25 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) J. Crew had that redonk 75% off sale recently, and the shorts were an impulse purchase (along with a pair in green).  They are amazing.  I sized to a medium since I wanted the extra room so I could pull them down to my hips so they wouldn't super short on me.  (I read they were running large, so instead of sizing up to a large so I could pull them down, I went with my "tts" J. Crew size of medium--though crazily enough J. Crew sometimes runs so large in bottoms I can wear an small.) The linen is substantial, the tie is not superfluous or silly, and the elastic is thick and comfortable.  If you are a pear shaped lady, these are your shorts.  Trust me.

The silk fern blouse was from a while back, and it was loose and flowy and just right for the searing heat and humidity that afternoon.  Playing mini golf in the middle of a parking lot with the sun blaring down on you is intense, but I didn't feel too gross or overheated.  (The top is a bit cropped, though, so long torso ladies, beware.)

Outfit Details:  Cropped Silk Popover Blouse in Tropical Fern, J. Crew here (also in a darling coverup that is more "in stock" and a bathing suit--I own and love that one); Drawstring Linen Shorts, J. Crew here; Shoes, J. Crew; Clutch/Bag, Stella and Dot here and chain for bag here; Sunglasses, Target (but then left those at home, d'oh, so switched to the ones in my car from Anthropologie).

Anecdote of the Day:  I was better at mini golf than I remembered, but it wasn't like I was some sort of superstar.  I got a hole in one, though, so for that, I celebrated.  Little things bring me joy, you all.

Rex used a knife to cut up onions at my brother's house (we were eating Mexican food).  I guess eight is a good age for them to learn that skill, but it's still weird to just let it go and be okay with it.  :-)

INSTAGRAM HERE.

Day: Wednesday, August 12, 2015.

Where: Winesday at Whole Foods.

Ease of Wear: (4.25 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) Oh I love this halter dress so much!  The back has a bit of elastic to give it some wiggle room, and the skirt is nice and full with pockets.  It is the perfect dress for a pear shape.  I am so glad I bought it all those years ago.  :-)  (It's been a while since I wore it, though, inexplicably...here I am in it with my long, no bangs, light blonde hair.)

The Esska shoes are awesome for long walks, since they have tons of cushioning there in the sole.  I desperately wish these were available here in the United States more readily.  I was only able to get these because Anthropologie decided to carry a couple of styles a year or so ago.  UK ladies, so jealous of you all!

Outfit Details:  Jakarta Halter Dress, J. Crew (someone has this exact dress in the same size for sale at ebay); Sandals, Esska; Sunglasses, Anthropologie; Necklace, tru.che here.

Anecdote of the Day:  I get along with most people, most of the time, even if I am a bit introverted at first.  I was finishing up the winesday portion of the evening, and about to start the shopping portion (usually yogurts, fresh produce, and some vitamins) when I saw a former roommate of mine from the late 90s.  It was so weird to see him just standing there.  I *know* he saw me but I pretended not to see him, I just couldn't make small talk and pretend like everything is okay.  He was fine for the most part while we were roommates, but at the end it got B.A.D., and I had to leave living there in a hurry, so seeing him was a bit jarring.  Mr. Dina has seen him a few times through the years, too.  Didn't see him last night at Winesday, though, and haven't seem him at the other ones, either. 

INSTAGRAM HERE.

Day: Saturday, August 15, 2015.

Where:  Playdate at the park with Rex.

Ease of Wear: (4.75 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) Contrary to what the photos show, earlier in the day I felt like such crap, and though I knew I needed to go this playdate with Rex for his class (he just loves seeing all his friends), I was struggling with a massive migraine (I only get these a couple of times a year compared to my pre-PFO surgery amount), and while the medicine worked to keep it from being too intense, it still was imparting some pain.  The Garnet Hill starlet dress is so soft and has such nice ease because of the knit fabric, that I at least didn't have to deal with digging waistbands or too tight hip areas. 

After I took a nap and used more medicine and an ice pack, we all went to dinner and I felt even better in this getup.  :-)

Outfit Details:  Dress, Garnet Hill's versions from this year here; Shoes, J. Crew; Bag, J. Crew; Sunglasses, Target; Necklace, Gift.

Anecdote of the Day:  I was telling one of the moms about my migraine and she said she suffered from them, too, and through that conversation, we discover we had both suffered strokes (mine of the mini variety) and we both had to have our PFO closed.  She is the only other person I have met who has gone through what I went through, I am so glad I opened up to here about not feeling great.  I have someone in my circle who "gets it."

INSTAGRAM HERE.

Day: Thursday, August 13, 2015.

Where:  Cafe Rio for dinner.

Ease of Wear: (3.25 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) You ever have days where you feel a little bloated for whatever reason?  Well that day was one of those for me.  These shorts are normally my "go to" shorts since they always fit just fine, but they felt so snug that day, even though I could pull them down to my hips, etc.  I think I was just in a truly terrible state and nothing was going to feel good, outside of pjs or a easy knit dress.  But I had it in my head I wanted to wear the tee, and these shorts were the only ones that seemed to work, and it was too hot to wear pants, and a skirt wouldn't have looked right.  Grr. 

Outfit Details:  Tee, J. Crew; Shorts, J. Crew; Sandals, Target here; Sunglasses, AR Trapp (via J. Crew).

Anecdote of the Day:  Cafe Rio was really yummy.  I don't know that eating yummy salty Mexican food was the smart choice for me that "night of bloat" but man it tasted so good.  I should have better willpower, lol.

INSTAGRAM HERE.

Day: Tuesday, August 18, 2015.

Where:  Staples, then to Honey Pig Izakaya for dinner.

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) This is a handmade dress so it is very comfortable.  :-)  Love the woven rayon for its very comfortable hand in the heat, though sadly it appears I didn't prewash and dry it enough to keep it from shrinking.  It has gotten a touch shorter and slimmer over the past year.  It hopefully will be done soon, but I definitely have to baby it when I wash it.

Didn't feel like contacts that day, so threw on my Bebe glasses, and unfortunately in our heat and humidity, they kept slipping down my nose, sigh.

Outfit Details:  Dress, Handmade; Factory Raffia Boardwalk Sandals, J. Crew Factory here; Bag, J. Crew; Necklace, J. Crew; Glasses, Bebe.

Anecdote of the Day:  Going to Staples to buy the kids school supplies on a Tuesday was smart.  We were the only ones there, which is contrary to the Target/Walmart runs we have engaged in the past.  We saved money, too, so I say go for it if you are a parent who is tired of getting places and finding 7000 other people and completely empty cartons of glue sticks, markers, etc.  Unfortunately the teacher stuff was kind of disappointing, so I will have to order some of that online.

INSTAGRAM HERE.

Day: Friday, August 7, 2015.

Where:  Another playdate, this time to say goodbye to a friend leaving the area for a while.

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  Boden does these kind of summer casual jersey dresses so well.  I would say Garnet Hill does it a touch better, but Boden is definitely in second place, and if they could up the "softness" level on their fabric, they would be in first place because their prints and colors are better than Garnet Hill's.

I have now put the Birkenstock sandals on their tightest setting on the strap, and now they fit perfectly.  I walked for a mile in them last night and they stayed on my feet perfectly.  Love these so much now that they fit exactly to my foot.

Outfit Details:  Dress, Boden; Birkenstock Madrid Sandals, this exact pair can be found here at amazon.com (amazon.com also has the shade in these sandals and J. Crew still has some of the mirrored Madrid available); Sunglasses, Target; Necklace, tru.che here.

Anecdote of the Day:  My son's friend's mom is another big Boden and Garnet Hill fan and we have a very eerily similar closet.  LOL.  Anyhow, she was wearing the Blackberry dress that night in yellow, and I knew it was her from 200 yards away.  ;-)

INSTAGRAM HERE.

Okay, that's it for me for now.  I hope to come back sooner than I did this time.  :-)

Remember if you want to try something from Boden's new styles, this coupon is good for those, even though it is marketed specifically to mini Boden.

OOTDs: California. 2015.

I realize I actually have a California, the Outfits, post or two, here at the blog.  I guess since I travel there so much I now have to start just naming them by years.  Of course I didn't think I would have a 2015 version, but as many of you know, my great aunt passed away on July 5, so I ended up traveling back to my birth state to say my last goodbyes.  It was a great visit, and her funeral service and interment were very beautiful, just like she was.  It was also nice to see friends and relatives, of course, and even though there was a loss bringing us together, it still brought us together, which is something my great aunt loved.  :-)

I will post the California: Photos post later, but those are still all stuck in the phone and camera for now. 

I am going from most recent to furthest in dates for these outfits, starting with the outfit I wore to fly home. 

Day: Tuesday, July 14, 2015.

Where: Flight home from CA, with three airports in between.

Ease of Wear: (4.25 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  Any outfit is going to be uncomfortable after twelve plus hours of wearing it (barring pjs, let's be real), but considering I had this on for that long and with a very unexpected change of flight plans, with a long shuttle ride to another airport, this outfit was as easy to wear as can be without looking too sloppy.  :-)

Outfit Details:  Pants, J. Crew here; Tee, J. Crew (but I found it at Marshall's for $16--who knew they had current J. Crew stuff); Sandals, Target here; Sunglasses, Costco; Necklace, Gift.

Anecdote of the Day:  I discovered my phone can take selfie shots on timer when propped up just so on a tall bottle of San Pelligrino (those are the shots with the white background).

Our flight plans were originally Long Beach--Phoenix--DC (National) but then the little plane set to get us to Phoenix was unable to shut its door (not good, obviously), so that flight was canceled and we ended up going to LAX (SHUDDER) to fly nonstop to Dulles (double SHUDDER).  But, meh, once on the way it was fine.  I should complain less.

INSTAGRAM of LGB here.
INSTAGRAM of LAX here. 

This is my lovely cousin, K. Isn't she super cute?

Day: Monday, July 13, 2015.

Where: Knott's Berry Farm's Soak City.

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  A swimsuit, a lightweight a-line teeshirt dress coverup, and a pair of flip-flops?  Definition of ease.

Outfit Details:  Dress, Soprano (found at Marshall's); Flip-Flops, J. Crew; Bag, J. Crew; Sunglasses, Costco; Swimsuit (not pictured--but it's the yellow one), J. Crew.

Anecdote of the Day:  Soak City was so much fun.  I usually am so absorbed with going to Disneyland every time I visit CA that I always neglect Knott's, even though as a kid, we went there quite a bit too.  Soak City is the water park for Knott's and not the amusement park, but that was more than fine by me.  I should have worn more sunscreen, though, my very pale skin burned.  Eek.

INSTAGRAM of the other outfit I wore that day here, definitely more dressy than the outfit above.

Day: Saturday and Sunday, July 11-12, 2015.

Where: The funeral on Saturday and mass on Sunday.

Ease of Wear: (5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  Garnet Hill's tiered maxi dress is one of my favorite summer staples (I have this version and this version, too).  So unique, very presentable, exceedingly packable (doesn't wrinkle), and comfortable to the max (groan, bad pun there).  Add a pair of sparkly, fun, casual flats, and it's a winner outfit.  Can you blame me for two days of wear?  (Well that and the fact that I packed very little.)

Outfit Details:  Dress, Garnet Hill here; Sandals, Target here (they are true to size); Bag, J. Crew; Sunglasses, Costco; Necklace, tru.che.

Anecdote of the Day:  My aunt is buried next to my uncle, and whenever I go to the cemetery, I am overjoyed that their final resting place is on such gorgeous grounds.  Nestled in the hills in between Los Angeles and Orange County, it is verdant, full of light, and in a position to see the mountains to the east. 

We stayed in Downey for the visit, and my dad, though raised in Downey, had never really taken me there as a girl.  Walking around the downtown area after mass I fell in love.  It is an absolute mecca for fun mid-century architecture.  I especially adored the Masonic Lodge.

INSTAGRAM of the outfit here.
INSTAGRAM of my cousin and I here after mass.

Day: Friday, July 10, 2015.

Where: Marshall's (where I got the tee and dress above from), In and Out, and one of my many visits to the hotel's Happy Hour.

Ease of Wear: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  The day after traveling I always feel ugh, so I wasn't surprised to wake up and feel a bit bloated and under, so no matter what I wore, it wasn't go to be awesome, but I figured a brisk walk (our mode of transport to get to Marshall's) would help.  I wanted to show some pride in the gorgeous palm trees of CA, so I decided to wear this Madewell linen tank with one of my favorite pairs of shorts.  The outfit was comfy enough, and got comfier as the day wore on.

Outfit Details:  Tank, Madewell; Shorts, Bandolino Blu (THEY ARE SO OLD); Sandals, Target here; Sanibel Reversible Pendant Necklace, Stella and Dot here.

Anecdote of the Day: I cannot believe how much my family enjoyed happy hour.  Embassy Suites has free drinks from 5:30-7:30 nightly, and the drinks kept coming.  The first day I was jetlagged (you'll see evidence of my fun while jetlagged in the next ootd), but by the second I was more clear, so I enjoyed it more.  By that point, all the relatives had come to town, including my once super bratty boy cousin, D.  He's not bratty anymore, more like an enabler.  I have to massively detox this week to make up for my CA sins at the bar.  :-/

INSTAGRAM of the outfit here.
INSTAGRAM of the shenanigans with boy cousin here.

Day: Thursday, July 9, 2015.

Where: Flight to CA from VA, El Torito for lunch, Happy Hour, and thankfully bed thereafter.

Ease of Wear: (5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  I made that tee you see the day before and dang, it's super comfy.  Granted it is two rectangles sewn together and made out of stretchy rayon knit, but it was so comfy, I made it work as pjs later that weekend.  And leggings, I mean, really.  It barely counts as an outfit.  ;-)

Outfit Details:  Tee, handmade; Leggings, J. Crew here; Sandals, Target here; Necklace, Madewell here; Sunglasses, Costco.

Anecdote of the Day: This day was fine, but remind me never to start the weekend of drinks before my family gets to me.  If I had known what they were capable of, I would have waited (I had a glass of wine on the plane and a beverage of choice at El Torito).  I fell asleep easier than I have ever fallen asleep before.  AND--I slept better than I have in a long time, so there's that.  :-)

INSTAGRAM of the no makeup Dina here.
INSTAGRAM of the shenanigans with girl cousin here.

Okay, that's all for now.  Armchair travelers, some more atmospheric photos to come.  (And for those of you interested in more shenanigans, those are coming, too.)

OOTDs: Rest of Georgia on My Mind.

Day: Wednesday, June 17, 2015.

Where: Atlanta to visit the World of Coke Museum, the Georgia Aquarium, and the Varsity for dinner.

Ease of Wear: (5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) God bless you, Garnet Hill.  I can always count on them to make jersey dresses that are sublimely comfortable, beautifully made, and in gorgeous bright colors and patterns.  The Born sandals I have had for years and I finally realized that I had to bring the straps in a notch, which made them fit my narrow foot better.  I wish that lightbulb moment had occurred earlier.  :-)

Outfit Details:  Dress, Garnet Hill (find this version from last year and this year's version here, I have bought the navy floral from the current year and have plans to wear it soon); Sandals, Born, but there is a similar style from Clarks available at Amazon.com here; Necklace, Madewell here; Sunglasses, Anthropologie.

Anecdote of the Day: Two things! 1. At the World of Coke, they have this amazing tasting room with all the flavors of soda throughout the world.  I am not really a soda person (though I was as a kid), but it was a blast trying them all out.  My favorite from when I was a child in Germany was there, Mezzo Mix (I also drank Spezi, which is similar), I was giddy with excitement over remembering it.  It is now my mission to find it at the German Gourmet store up the road from my house. 2. We took the kids to the dolphin show at the Georgia Aquarium and since I have never seen dolphins up close, I didn't know what to expect.  Although the show was super cheesy (it was bordering on Stilton, you all), I get the love dolphins get now, they are pretty darn magical creatures.

INSTAGRAM HERE (outfit).
INSTAGRAM HERE (day in Atlanta).

Day: Thursday, June 18, 2015.

Where:  Watch the movie Inside Out.

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) It's made by me for both my husband and me, so I would think his would also be a 4.5.  (You can read more on that sewing adventure here at my blog post for Fabric Mart's blog, where I am a regular contributor.)  I always find sitting in movie theaters in a dress is weird, but overall not an uncomfortable night.

Outfit Details:  Dress, handmade from this Japanese Pattern Book (you can find a copy of it at Amazon.com); Sandals, Target here, but if you want the real thing (Birkenstock Arizona), you can find them here at zappos.com; Necklace, Target; Sunglasses, Anthropologie.

Anecdote of the Day: So there are volcanoes on our clothes (Mt. Fuji to be precise), and the intro cartoon before Inside Out was called "Lava," about a lonely volcano singing about wanting to find his Lava Love.  It was such a sweet little cartoon and I felt it was serendipitous we wore these clothes that night.  ;-)

INSTAGRAM HERE and HERE.

Day: Friday, June 19, 2015.

Where: Steak and Shake. Yes, I dressed up for Steak and Shake.  :-)  Earlier in the day I had been at a pond/pool in Cohutta, GA. 

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) I love this dress.  I actually decided to get the blue version of this dress (similar pattern but not the same), I love it that much.  It is a touch short, but I wear enough conservative dresses otherwise, it is nice to let my legs out from time to time.  I wore this one a few weeks back, btw.

Outfit Details:  Dress, Target here (the version I am wearing in this post is here and the version I just purchased is here); Sandals, Target here, but if you want the real thing (Birkenstock Arizona), you can find them here at zappos.com; Necklace, Madewell here; Sunglasses, Anthropologie.

Anecdote of the Day:

INSTAGRAM HERE (outfit).
INSTAGRAM HERE (day at pool).

Day: Saturday, June 20, 2015.

Where: Drive home from Georgia to Virginia.

Ease of Wear: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) I was comfortable enough, but it is really hard to be comfortable in anything when sitting in a car for twelve hours straight.  The Turner pants do well considering.  :-)

Outfit Details:  Turner Pants, J. Crew here; Top, Zara; Sandals, Target here, but if you want the real thing (Birkenstock Arizona), you can find them here at zappos.com; Necklace, Madewell here; Sunglasses, Anthropologie.

Anecdote of the Day:  You all probably think my Steak and Shake obsession is weird, but my husband adores something even weirder, Krystal.  Most southerners will understand, either with me in my "ugh, more Krystal," or with my husband in the "OOOOH, Krystal."  Krystal serves these steamed burgers and hot dogs and fries, and while it's *okay,* that's kind of low praise from me considering I'll eat almost anything.  Anyhow, Mr. Dina HAS to get at least one last meal at Krystal before we leave Tennessee, so we always have to stop right outside of Knoxville to grab his grub.

Their sweet tea is awesome, though!

INSTAGRAM HERE.

Okay, that's all for now.  I am so glad I was able to write this post up.  Our internet has been really spotty since getting home, and since I can't blog from my phone (I mean maybe I could, but no thank you, very very much), I have been unable to do much.  It should be fixed up real soon.

You all have a great Monday night!

OOTDs: Simple and Super Simple.

Day: Friday, June 5, 2015.

Where:  Harris Teeter.

Ease of Wear: (4.25 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  The Le Minor tee fits but it fits a bit more snug at the hips than above the hips.  I think the version I bought was the male Breton (from Madewell a few years back) and it fits like a male top would with a bit more ease through the shoulders and upper chest and goes straight down from there.  Basically exactly the opposite of what I need.  That said, it was fine, and sometimes it is nice to wear something in a different silhouette than I normally wear.  I last wore it a couple winters back.

These Boden shorts are super comfortable and have a nice long inseam for tall ladies, right at 7 inches, which for those of us with longer legs means it hits at our mid-thigh.

The Target shoes are the same pair that I mentioned liking at this post.  Still like wearing them, very supportive and secure, but nice and open for summer.

Outfit Details: Le Minor Shirt, Madewell; Shorts, Boden; Sandals, Target (this year's version here); Sunglasses, Anthropologie.

Anecdote of the Day: I went to Harris Teeter.  We've gone over this before here at the blog.  It basically means I did the usual grocery run.  It was uneventful.  I did, however, come back and make a fried oyster po' boy, which tasted pretty good.  :-)

Day: Wednesday, June 3, 2015.

Where:  I stayed home all day, dealing with the air conditioning repairman and the cable guy.

Ease of Wear: (5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  I only put this outfit up here to show I can take it REAL easy sometimes.  I mean, there are pajamas that are more involved than what you see here on me in this outfit.  A loose fitting pair of shorts, a lightweight baseball tee, and a pair of slides.  Hmm.  Oh, and zero makeup.

My hubby likes outfits like these on me, though.  Men are weird.

Outfit Details:  Lovebirds Baseball Tee, J. Crew Factory here (it is a bit sheer, just be warned); Shorts, Target; Factory Raffia Boardwalk Sandals, J. Crew Factory here.

Anecdote of the Day: Oof.  The air conditioner needed some major repairs.  I wish there was someway we could have put it off, but the swamp otherwise known as the greater DC area is a place known for its especially brutal humid and hot summers.  We really didn't have a choice.  It's been great the past few days, though, even a bit cool.  So we spent all that money for the repairs and haven't even used it yet.  Of course.  :-)

Okay, that's all for now.  Hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend.  Enjoy your Sunday!

OOTDs: Made by Me May. So Far.

I already posted one photo from May, in which I wore a handmade item, here at this post.  Then the crazy came, in the form of a fever that lasted four days (me, up to 103!), a Communion suit that needed completing, and a pair of dresses I needed to sew up for a post at Fabric Mart.

I still wore "me made" items, I just didn't get around to posting them here until today.  So below are a couple weeks worth of ootds all featuring handmade items.  (For more on Me Made May*, check out this blog post.)

*Ugh, hate the term "me made." It goes against every fiber of my Language Arts teaching degree.  Sigh.  I do like the idea behind it, though.  Wish it was called "made by me" May.

I didn't photograph everything with my nice camera, but I usually tried to capture all outfits here at Instagram, so there are probably a few there that you won't see here.

Okay, here goes, and in order of date worn...

Day: Saturday, May 2, 2015.

Where:  A Bar Mitzvah and a Communion Retreat.

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  This dress is so wonderful, I am glad I spent the time working on it last year to exactly fit my shape.  The cotton sateen has a touch of stretch and it is lined in a stretch silky knitted material.  It's like heaven in the form of a dress.  :-)

Outfit Details:  Dress, handmade (using Burda 7137); Necklace and shoes, J. Crew.

Anecdote of the Day:  The Bar Mitzvah was beautiful and I am so glad I was able to make it for at least part of the ceremony to see my friend's son participate in this very special occasion.  I then went to my son's Communion retreat to volunteer, and halfway through, I got very chilled and couldn't bend down without it hurting.  I asked everyone if they were cold too and no one else was.  My spidey sense went crazy and I suspected a fever (both boys had it earlier that week).  Little did I know it would be a four day fever that wouldn't break.  I finally had to go to urgent care on Tuesday.  I didn't have the flu, I didn't have pneumonia, and I didn't have strep.  I just had something.  Ugh.

Instagram here.

Day: Wednesday, May 7, 2015.

Where:  G Street Fabrics and School Pickup.

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  I feel like such a broken record, but man these handmade dresses are all so easy to wear.  I also really love these new sandals from J. Crew that were kind of a "whim" purchase.  They really are very vibrant in real life and fit well (I did size down to a 9 from my normal 9.5 since I have very narrow feet and I know the 10 would have fallen off of me).

Outfit Details:  Dress, handmade (using Simplicity A1636--may be available at Walmart, too); Malta Crackled Leather Sandals, here at  J. Crew; Cardigan, Boden; Necklace, gift.

Anecdote of the Day:  I went to G Street hoping to buy a bunch of pressing supplies I needed, like a tailor's board or a sleeve roll, but the walls in the notions department were EMPTY.  I am getting really concerned that the beloved G Street is going down, and will soon shutter its doors.  I really really hope not, as much as I love online fabric shops, I adore G Street for his selections of beautiful high end fabrics and its gorgeous selection of notions (normally).  And they have the most amazing vintage buttons for sale.

Instagram here.

Day: Sunday, May 10, 2015.

Where:  Mother's Day and some time with my Grandpa.

Ease of Wear: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  My matchy match dress with my daughter (last worn Easter) was more comfortable this time around.  I have washed it since the last wear, so maybe that is why it is more comfortable.  Hmmm.

Outfit Details:  Dress, handmade (using New Look 6262); Necklace, J. Crew.

Anecdote of the Day:  So my Grandpa came to visit for a few weeks, and on Mother's Day, my dad was part of an "intermission" play at the local community theater.  We went to go see him first (where my Grandpa declared that my dad's performance was far better than the rest of the actors, lol, of course he said that), and then we headed off to a very late lunch.  Just a nice time all around.

Instagram here of Grandpa and me.
Another Instagram here of the kids and me.

Day: Monday, May 11, 2015.

Where:  Subbing Kindergarten.

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  This printed linen dress was perfect for the very hot and humid day that Monday was, and I felt exactly right, not too hot, and definitely not too cold. 

Outfit Details:  Dress, handmade (using Vogue 8615); Sandals, Boden; Sunglasses, Anthropologie.

Anecdote of the Day:  There isn't much to say other than Kindergarten kids are a whole box of energy.  I stayed on top of the situation, but man, I always sleep well the nights I sub the little ones.

Instagram here.

Day: Tuesday, May 12, 2015.

Where:  Subbing Kindergarten.

Ease of Wear: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  I love this skirt, but I have to say it felt a bit short for wearing that day, though I realize it is fairly modest.  We went to church and I prefer skirts and dresses to hit right at the knee.

Outfit Details:  Skirt, handmade (using Simplicity 1887); Top, J. Crew Factory; Sandals, Saltwater; Sunglasses, Anthropologie; Bag, Hobo, Intl.

Anecdote of the Day:  We had the May procession and living rosary at school that day.  It was awesome.  The Kindergartners even managed to pay attention the whole time!

Instagram here.

Day: Wednesday, May 13, 2015.

Where:  Subbing Kindergarten.

Ease of Wear: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  The voile of the blouse is very soft and feels so nice against the skin.  Love this shirt so much. The Esska sandals are the best, very secure on the foot, and a nice, cushioned footbed.  I wish more American retailers would sell this brand.

Outfit Details:  Shirt, handmade (using vintage Simplicity 9559); Turner Pants, here at J. Crew; Sandals, Esska; Glasses, Madewell.

Anecdote of the Day:  Another day of subbing!  Not much to add to that. :-)

Instagram here.

Day: Thursday, May 14, 2015.

Where:  Subbing Kindergarten.

Ease of Wear: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) For a dress that didn't take me long to sew up, it sure feels great on, and though fitted, it isn't so skintight as to be innapropriate. The J. Crew Factory version of the Malta Sandals (you saw those in green above) fit exactly like the retail version, nice and fitted in the size down from my normal 9.5.

Outfit Details:  Dress, handmade (using McCall's 6886--you'll notice the photo has the knitted version of my fabric from the Burda dress at the top of the post!); Factory Raffia Boardwalk Sandals, available here at J. Crew Factory.

Anecdote of the Day:  Last day of subbing.  I was glad to have Friday off.

Instagram here.

And for those of you curious, here is a link to my son's Communion suit review (will eventually blog about it here), a link to the Lilly Pulitzer inspired dresses I made for the Fabric Mart blog post (will also include those in an ootd post), and a link to the instagram of today's outfit (which will not be published here).

Hope you all have a great day!