CW's Stella and Dot Children's Jewelry Party is Starting TODAY!

Hi, everyone! I am so excited to share with you an opportunity to celebrate CW's 2nd birthday by joining us in a week long Children's Jewelry Party with Stella and Dot!

CW is such a girly-girl, but sadly has very few baubles to show for it. I find that we get her all the sweet little dresses and shoes and hair bands but we completely neglect her jewels. LOL. I know that she doesn't really need jewelry, but then I saw what my great bloggie friend, Rachel had on offer with her SAHM business, Stella and Dot. How did I miss this? The Stella and Dot company is fab, a direct sales company like Arbonne, that does costume jewelry very similar to styles you all have seen before by J. Crew, Banana Republic, and Fiona Paxton.

When I found out that Rachel was doing a direct sales business like I was, I immediately told her I was going to have a party with her AND that I wanted it to benefit my little girl on her birthday! So tonight we are going to have the physical party, to which I have invited all sorts of local moms and their daughters, but Rachel and I decided to take it one step further by extending the sale to all of you who read My Superfluities. I know the only way you can order from Stella and Dot is through a rep like Rachel, so I am thrilled that you all can satisfy your needs with this week long party! (And no, you don't have to buy children's jewelry, but that is my goal as hostess.)


CW has so many pretty hair accessories but is so lacking in her bling. She is starting to eye my Fiona Paxton and I am a little concerned.


This is the mini-Charlotte necklace. It looks like a piece for a full-grown lady, but this is made specifically for our little minis (and I am not talking about skirts)!


Ooh, the girliness continues with the Gracie headband and barrettes...the floral attachments are meant to be switched out and you can attach the florals to necklaces if you (or your mini) choose!


This is pure old school J. Crew. Except it's not. Yum. This colorburst enamel cuff bracelet is not meant for the kids. :)


I think I own this. Oh, yes, it is called the tangled treasure necklace by J. Crew. Oh, wait, no--this is Stella and Dot's more versatile option, the Audrey Cluster Necklace. Good for you, Stella and Dot! I should have waited. LOL.


Now, I saw this and said, FIONA PAXTON, when did you start branching out? Nope. This is Stella and Dot being fashion forward with the Nolita Necklace. Awesome.

As you know, my fixation with jewels is pretty legendary. After all, I fell in love with the Crystal Devote necklace even when the rest of the world was crying foul! Heehee.

(But I also know I am not alone...my jewelry posts are always the most read...so there must be some love out there and this party is for you fab, bejeweled ladies!)

How do you join the party:

1. Go to this link.

2. Look for the link at the top of the page that says "Can't Make it to a Show? Find Your Hostess."

3. When the pop-up box appears, put Dina in the box that says first name and Gideon in the box that says Last Name.

4. After that, you are all ready to shop. :) Please do enjoy!

I cannot wait until this party is done so I can show you all the awesome lovelies that I got for CW's birthday!

Thank you all, and have a great, sparkly DAY!

Marseilles Floral Cami and the Liberty Tulip Mania Perfect Shirt...IRL with Shorts.

CALLING all Stylish Moms or anyone that knows a Stylish Mom! Nominees, please!!! :)

Pretty Marseilles! by dinagideon featuring j crew shoes

Above is the polyvore of the summer outfit I created for the Marseilles Floral Cami. I fell in LOVE with the print and as difficult as I found it to fit (as others did, I believe, including gigiofca who tried on the other version), the print was worth making it work (Tim Gunn, you are rubbing off on me!). I wore this when one of my fave blogggie pals, drewablank, and her sis came over to my house for a playdate (drewablank's sis has kids the. same. exact. age. as mine...awesome). It was humid and muggy that day, so the light silk of the cami was perfection!


I think this pose might draft me into the army if I am not careful. Recruiters, stay away. I am not really interested.

Sizes:
Top: Size 4. The 6 was far too big everywhere but the hips, but in the end, I wanted a slimmer silhouette and went with the 4. I am not going to lie...the cami bugs when you are trying to figure out how to get the bottom hem to lay right, but in the end if it is close enough, it is more than okay (for all you OCD people out there--I know what it's like!). P.S. I always wanted to name one of my daughters Chloe Marseilles. One of my awful ex-boyfriends made so much fun of me, I quickly lost that drive and desire. Jerk.
Shorts: Size 8. You know, the 5 inch inseam chino shorts they ALWAYS have at J. Crew...good thing they keep some of the basics around.
Shoes: Size 10. These are from Summer 2009, and I LOVE them. So pretty and sparkly.


Yes, our family has bought into the pillowpets craze. CW and Rex love their pillow pets. Really.

Sizes:
Top: Size 4. I am such a fan of the Liberty Print fabric, are any of you really surprised that I bit on this button-down? I love tulips, and this particular print is just the right size, not too big and not too little. I have tried layering this with a jackie shell (even though the jackie shell I bought is too big) and it works nicely. Will look great in the fall with the shell, a pair of jeans, cute ballet flats, and a bright lady day coat. P.S. Anyone have a charcoal jackie in a size small that they want to swap for a charcoal jackie in a size medium? Merci!
Shorts: Size 8. SO GLAD I bought the store out of all colors of the stretch summerweight bermuda shorts last year. Even though they are all a bit large on me now, I don't give a hoot. This year's bermuda shorts are a JOKE. I am *this* close to returning the orchid shadow, even though the color is sublime. They are pretty bad, no stretch, wrinkly, wonky waistband. Ugh.
Shoes: Size 9. Yummy neon flip-flops. :)

Baby CW is proof that cuteness reigns supreme. Love her version of my outfit...crewcuts elephant print top and a pair of Target bright pink shorts. She is even putting her hand on her hip. Work it!

You all have a great night. Thank you for all of your time, I am glad that I have so many awesome followers (225! Thanks, Tabitha!).

Good on You, Garnet Hill...

Wow. 5 days? Yowza. Okay, no real news to report except that I have been busy, so that is good, right? Only day with a migraine this week was today, and I slept/froze it off (LOVE ice packs) so while I might be a little "fuzzy" still, I can at least write. :) (Sort of...I could look back at this post and be all, "girl you crazy.")

Oh, and I have FIVE new followers. Yay! That may be the most I have ever gotten in such a short period of time. Thank you! And welcome!

Good on You, Garnet Hill by dinagideon featuring Cynthia Vincent shoes

Very simple post today for a very simple, yet I feel, very chic outfit. This is a SAHM outfit, btw, and one I LOVED wearing the whole day. It is meant to be part of my Summer Sundressing series, but as it is Garnet Hill, it is the only sundress I own by them (I have a smattering of pieces here and there--great company with great quality fabrics, so you know), so it gets its own post.

BTW, doesn't Edda LOOK BEAUTIFUL in this catalog shot? Yes, I love it all...they have fab stylists at Garnet Hill.


On me. See? For a SAHM outfit, it is pretty chic. I definitely could have gone out for dinner al fresco with hubby after! (We didn't, for the record--sad face.) LOL.

Sizes:
Dress: Extra-Small. This knit tiered sundress runs REALLY large. Like so large that the only part that truly fits well is the upper-half. That bottom half has a lot of fullness, so beware if you are shorter than me and smaller than a J. Crew size 2. I am so glad I read the reviews and went with my gut and got the smallest size they offer. The animal print is very subtle and works nicely on this dress. The cotton is uber-soft, as well. (Oh, if you follow that link to the sold-out sundress, you will see that it costs $999,999. Must be really popular if it cost that much and is sold-out. Good thing I bought it when it was on sale!)
Shoes: 9.5. These are the Cynthia Vincent for Target Gladiator Sandals. These bugged me for a while. My left foot fit perfectly but my right foot the darn thing was nearly falling off. So I stretched out the left foot side so at least it would "feel" the same while I was walking. Any of you ever have that happen to you, or am I the only foot freak of nature?

You all have a GREAT DAY and NIGHT! :)

A Little Black and White (and a Dash of Pink)!!!

I have been B-U-S-Y. Crazy busy. Basically I have been nowhere near my computer...between my family being in town last weekend, and substitute teaching twice this week (those outfit posts will be later today or tomorrow), I have had to put the blog on ice for a couple of days. I have responded back to the last few posts, except the one of the review of the Devote necklace (I have read the comments, though).

I did receive an award from some of my blog friends, and to you all, I say "THANK YOU!" I will being doing that award later this weekend...I promise!

Onto this post's theme...black, white, and a dash of pink. Yep, I went a bit neutral (for me, anyhow). The first outfit I wore to go out to dinner on Tuesday night, and the second outfit is from Tuesday during the day...I wore it to bring Rex to preschool and to wear to yoga. These two outfits are very much "SAHM."

Black, White, and a Dash of Pink! by dinagideon featuring J Crew

The above polyvore is for the first outfit. The second outfit has no polyvore...but if any of you have an image of the second outfit's sweatercoat/cardigan, and you could e-mail me it, I would be very grateful (I would love to have that for polyvore).


Sizes:
Cardigan: Size small. This is the papaya colored Celosia cardigan. I have the honey one from this last roll-out, too. This is such a lovely cardigan...perfect shape, just the right amount of frill, and very cozy and comfortable.
Top: Size small. Currently available in store, but obviously I have photographed it and put it in polyvore myself. You can use it if you are polyvore addict, too.
Pants: Size 31. I am so glad I bought them one size too big, makes going out and eating yummy Mexican way easier. :) Ha.
Shoes: Size 10. BTW, these shoes inspired my whole day...take a look at outfit two to see how.

And the kids...so sweet that they both wanted to be in the photo, even if they decided not to actually look at the camera.

Oh, and have you ever worn a sweater to a Mexican restaurant and ended up smelling like the food? My cardigan smelled just like fried onions, and it took two days to air the smell out!!! Oh, well, I guess that is a good price to pay for yumminess!


Sizes:
Sweatercoat/Cardigan: Size small. This is the Arlington Sweatercoat made by J. Crew in the Fall of 2005 (I think that is what I read on the tag). I LOVE this cardigan. It is the PERFECT shape and fit and weight for taking the kids to preschool and enough to cover my yoga-panted butt. ;) Does anyone else own this beauty?
Top: Size small.
Pants: Size medium. Love Target yoga pants!
Shoes: See last outfit.

That is all for this afternoon! Have a great day, everyone!

Devoted to the Crystal Devoté Necklace...

Up first, before I get into my utter devotion to the (in my humble opinion) beautiful Crystal devoté necklace from J. Crew's Spring 2010 collection, I wanted to tell you all about something cool that has happened for this blog (and some of my other blog friends)...there is a very neat website devoted to shopping called become.com and it has a few blog off-shoots, including a blog called Carnival of Shopping. Every week (on a Wednesday), they write-up in their post about blogs that consumers and interested people can check out if they have specific needs and/or desires. Well, my blog and GingerSnap's blog were listed in today's blog write-up, as was Roxy's Effortless Anthropologie! YAY!!! So go check it out...I found some neat blogs by looking through their archives, and plan to keep reading so I can see what else is out there in blog-land!

Now, for the much anticipated review of the Crystal devoté necklace...aka "J. Crew's nefarious plot to make anyone who buys it look like they have spent their money stupidly." No, I just kid. But based on many (MANY) reactions to the fact that I (horror) spent near full-price on this (well 20% off) bauble...I have now renamed it for this post at least. After this post I will be calling it my "sweet starburst devotion," because that is what I am...devoted to my devoté.

So why am I devoted?


Here goes why:
1. I like the retro look. The starbursts remind me of a necklace that my grandmothers would have worn in the 50s and 60s to make their outfits sing.
2. I happen to think the ribbon looks fun, like a bit of spun sugar enveloping the chains and glass beads. I also know that they can easily be removed by a simple "snip, snip" of the scissors.
3. The weight is not too heavy, although I can see why many would be worried about that.
4. The size is lovely...can be worn with many types of necklines...like the silk tiered-cami (shown above), turtlenecks, under button-downs, etc.
5. The crystal colored version is by far my fave. I can't say I can recommend the black version, as I think the black beads are very jarring in this necklace. But to each his own, and if you love the black beaded version, more power. (I am all about people enjoying what they enjoy...)

The price is a bit much, but based on all the haters of this particular bit of jewelry, I believe this will make it to the sale racks. I believe the crystal colored one will sell out first, and the black beaded version will linger.

I am glad I bought it when I did, near full price or no...I love it that much. And that is okay, because it is my neck it is on, not yours. ;) But if you love it, find it here.

And because it is me, I actually wore the necklace outside. Yes, outside. People besides my family spied the necklace. And, get this. Not one single person fell over at the fact that I wore it! No, contrarily, I got many compliments on it. Imagine.

Okay, enough sarcasm. :)

Catalog Inpiration...with a Twist! by dinagideon featuring J Crew

I wore it with the outfit pictured in the polyvore set above. The tie-front cardigan is so yummy and warm, and because it was a "winter warm" day (yay), I used it as outerwear. The novelty was not lost...I miss our normal (read: not so cold) DC winters.


Sizes:
Cardigan: Size Small.
Top: Size 6.
Pants: Size 8.
Shoes: Size 9.

I did this look because I had seen a similar image in the October 2009 catalog (see the polyvore--tiny image is in there), and fell in love with how nicely the tiered cami and tie-front cardi worked together. Plus the model looked super-pretty in the outfit.


And of course, no real My Superfluities outfit post would be complete without baby CW hamming it up. And there she is...in her version of the "mommy outfit." (I did this, as an homage to the prior night's Project Runway--Thursday, February 18th, 2010 episode--seems to have worked, maybe not as "fashionista," but certainly well enough.)

You all have a great afternoon. Remember, too, that I still ADORE all of you even if you HATE the Crystal devoté necklace. But...here is my message of the day...try out the things you may think won't work...because sometimes they just might. Step out of that comfort zone. ;)

A Blushed Tweed Pencil Skirt for a Thanksgiving Feast!!!

Untitled by dinagideon featuring J Crew
Although I didn't win (or come in 2nd or 3rd) the Polyvore contest for the best Thanksgiving outfit, I still LOVED the entry I created...and true to form, I actually wore said outfit on Thanksgiving. Since I was combining the look I created with my other blog's function (Mid-Century Mom), I needed to have a very ladylike, retro look that day.

I wore this outfit because I wanted to look nice, of course, but also because I would be attempting to set the table and make some soup while in this get-up. Nowadays many folks do all the chores, etc., in their casual gear (sweats and the like), but for the mid-century mom that wasn't an option. So that is what I did on Thanksgiving, I got dressed BEFORE I started my chores. By the time dinner was served, I was very comfy in my dressy outfit and found that because of the more "restrained" feel of the pencil skirt, I didn't eat nearly as much as I normally would have (by the way, I LOST five pounds while on vacation...maybe there is something to the whole dress up to eat thing...).

Anyhow, check out the results of my experiment "Mid-Century Mom Sets the Table."


And here is the outfit before the chores set in. Yes, I am by the Christmas tree, and yes, that is an ACTUAL buck-head behind me. While there, Mr. Dina's uncle "bagged" an 11-point buck. (Not my words...) So you know, an 11-point refers to how many points there are on the antlers.

Mr. Dina, although he grew up around hunting, doesn't hunt himself. It is kind of like Rex not enjoying swimming. I know, shocking.

This outfit was awesome to wear. The skirt is especially pretty and lovely. I bought a six, and it is perfect in fit, maybe a wee bit too big in the waist. The nubby texture of the tweed is very soft...I kept wanting to pet the fabric. I resisted because that would have looked weird. The swiss-dot top was a huge hit with my sister-in-law who really wants one. I would have just given her mine (the 10 I bought is far too large now), but the 10 is far too large for her, too. Anyone have a 6 they want to trade with me for??? :)

The skirt can be purchased here. It is still for sale, and still full price (but there is that whole 25% off thing this weekend...). I would say stay true to size or if you have a small waist, size down.


Here is the outfit, sans cardigan.

You all have a lovely weekend. I will certainly try to enjoy mine, too. Maybe I can even post once more...we'll see!

Now in Color...My Outfit from the Tea Party! (Woo--Only One Week Late--I Feel So Timely!!!)

So from the annals of all things late...I am finally posting pics of the outfit I wore to the Tea Party LAST Saturday at 3-Penny Princess and her Mom-in-law's House. Seriously...you all have already seen this in something like twelve posts. :) Oh, well, I am sure some of you may want to see the Polyvore...

Tea Party in Olive and Pink! by dinagideon featuring J Crew Clothing

Here is the outfit full-length. I won't bother even mentioning the pieces because they are all on my polyvore (for once I could get every piece of the outfit onto the polyvore without substitutions).

I love this outfit. The colors are my favorites. There is something very "Southern Preppy" about these colors. I have been doing a lot of "SP" this week. On Thursday night I wore head-to-toe seersucker. I tend to do this in summer. It gets so dang hot and humid here (the air just sits on your head) that you have to pull out the fabrics that breathe. And because you still are expected to live your life and get dressed up, I have a closet full of clothes made from the "SP" aesthetic.

I was wilting last Saturday, but the outfit kept me relatively cool. But you can bet your bottom that I took this off upon arriving back home and threw on some shorts and a tank top.

Have a great day. I think I might get up my Mother's Day outfit today. If I do, I will actually only be six days late. (Ha.)

Purple, Plaid, and Yellow...aka Wacky College Professor Day!

Purple, Plaid, and Yellow for a Crisp, Sunny Day! - by dinagideon on Polyvore.com
So this outfit seems fairly normal, maybe even a bit boring on polyvore, right? I mean the only colors are the purple and yellow and they don't seem too crazy together...

I actually own the top, the necklace, and a similar watch and sweater. The shoes, pants, and vest are all acceptable stand-ins for the real thing.

Now let's get back to the task at hand...why this post is also entitled Wacky College Professor Day...look at the craziness that ensued when I put the pieces together...


Yes, at first it seems okay...put together, professional, clean, and neat...but then you start to deconstruct it..."Wait," you say, "haven't I seen this look before?" "Didn't my 85-year old, slightly demented, greying, smelling like coffee History professor wear this outfit back in 1996?" "Why is Dina wearing the same get-up he did (well, minus the headband and necklace and bow)?"

Well, honestly...I don't hate this outfit. I am certainly laced-up and yes, a wee bit bright and jarring to look at, but I sort of enjoy the fact that I am wearing this, have worn this all day, and have yet to see anyone run down the hallway screaming "My eyes, they burn..."

That said, it is certainly not the dress I wore last night or my teal lydia blouse, snow leopard cardigan, and chambray capris, but, eh...at least it isn't a black turtleneck and a pair of jeans, either. I mean, I have a colorful reputation to uphold. :)

But if you actually like this, cool. I am not going to stop you!!! After all, I don't hate it, either!

Also, I do teach American History, so no doubt I am well on my way to old, aging, slightly crazy professor-hood one day...I am just giving the outfit an early run...

Oh, and I walked today...so really...you know I can't completely bring it every time I walk!!!

I hope you have had a great day...and hope you had a few chuckles at ole prof Dina...

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? :)

Yellow, Teal, and Khaki for Spring (or Spring-like) Weather!

So even though I feel like complete CRUD, I wanted to at least look presentable for school today. I have that ridiculous cold running wild here in NOVA and because I have NO days left in my sick/personal leave (yep, maternity leave), I have to go to work. LOVELY POLICY! (Not...)

I am glad it is Friday because I can wear jeans to work. AND guess what? I have lost another pound, so I am HALFWAY to my goal weight. I had 32 pounds to lose and I have lost 16 (I started at Thanksgiving, not right after CW was born in September). I am a mere 4 pounds away from what I weighed before I got pregnant with Rex. My ultimate goal is my old-skinny minnie self from 5 years ago.

So why do I mention weight and jeans? Because I am wearing some of my skinny jeans that I bought before I got pregnant with Rex. WOO! They are some Levis that are faded and skinny (kind of like the matchstick by J. Crew). The top is J. Crew Collection, the daisy-eyelet cotton top from summer 2008 (not on polyvore, sigh). The shoes are J. Crew, salina patent-leather in peacock (teal). The necklace is my "witch" necklace (or so says Jim) from J. Crew, January 2008 (not on polyvore, either). The trench is my beloved "keegan" or washed ruffle-collar trench from J. Crew.

Even though Polyvore only had a couple of the pieces, I managed to make a set that looked similar enough. Go here to see it: http://www.polyvore.com/yellow_teal_khaki_for_spring/set?id=6848543


So here it is on me, Ms. Sicky...I feel good in this outfit. I love this color top...so pretty! The eyelets are just gorgeous in real life. The headband is also J. Crew, from winter 2007.


Here I am holding darling Rex's hand (he wanted something from the fridge). The trench polished this outfit up a bit...I feel vaguely retro wearing this coat. The peek of color beneath the coat was enough so I didn't roll the sleeves of the coat up (the lining is this pretty pink/red color).

I look ghastly right now (it is the afternoon)...my makeup is almost all gone from the constant use of tissues and I look a bit feverish, too. Oh, well, at least my outfit has stood the test of time!

Colorful for school...

Since I was colorful and NOT fancy yesterday at school (the walk home was actually really nice), I decided to be Ms. Fancy Pants today. Well not fancy pants, more fancy blazer, but you get my drift.

Above is the polyvore set of my outfit. I love this blazer. The color is amazing in real life, this saturated cobalt blue. The fit is fantastic now that I have lost a few pounds from when I bought it (size 10)...definitely a size UP situation. The material is so soft and so warm (didn't need a coat today). The pants are my trusty surplus chinos in buttercup, a muted mustard yellow. I wear these in a 12, and would say these are a size UP as well (I am now wearing 10s in all the other J. Crew pants). The tee is the sequin placket tee in ivory and it is quite large in a medium. And the V is REALLY LOW, so to save myself from indecency, I used a safety pin to close off the bottom inch (can't even tell). The belt is to cinch in the blazer, and I love the way it turned out. Makes me look tiny in the waist! Love it! And the color, so bright and a great contrast to the blue in the ecole jacket. The shoes are Merona Makenna from Target. They were so inexpensive, yet so stylish. J. Crew would have had a 150 dollar version. Target--29.99 or something like that!

The link to this polyvore is here: http://www.polyvore.com/brights_for_school/set?id=6663390


Here I am wearing it this morning before I left for school.


Here is the close-up of the placket and belt. The safety pin is at the bottom. Eventually I will sew it up, but not now...no time (well except to blog). :)

I love this color but think if only I could be a little bit darker...I look pale here. Whatever! Life goes on...it's not like getting a tan is even an option for me (hello, skin cancer!). I have had multiple relatives get skin cancer so I am in that "high risk--better wear SPF 70 and a hat" category!

Mardis Gras Party Outfit!

So we have a Mardi Gras party every year (8 years now)...and I always try to be festive. Since the Mardi Gras colors are purple, yellow, and green, I wore this outfit to celebrate. It also had to be comfortable because I spend most of the day cooking gumbo (6 hour process, crazy, I know, but the result is YUMMY).

The shirt is INC (the brand at Macy's). It is a bit loud, but it works for the occasion. There is a close-up of the print in the next photo. The jeans are levis. Simple and easy to wear. The shoes are J. Crew...Savona suede flat in yellow and purple from Winter 2007. The headband is also J. Crew from Winter 2008.


I love this pic. Mr. Dina (my hubby) did such a nice job. You can see the print on the shirt, plus the headband, and all those Mardi Gras beads.

I didn't do a polyvore for this because most of the pieces aren't there, and if you read my blog on a regular basis, you know I don't have the time for the clipper tool.

Mardi Gras, by the way, is not until February 24th, but my hubby likes to combine the party with a celebration of his and Rex's bdays.

Sanibel Crawford Blouse on Me, Last Night 2/16/09 (oh, and this is blog entry #50)!

I really should be blogging about my Mardis Gras Party outfit first, or putting pics of my kids up first, because I did those first, but, eh, who cares! Right? :)

I was inspired to wear my Sanibel Crawford blouse for a couple of reasons: 1. I already had created a Polyvore set with it as the centerpiece; 2. A Bigger Closet did a post on it, so I felt ready to go: http://abiggercloset.blogspot.com/2009/02/sanibel-crawford-blouse-revisited.html; and 3. I needed an outfit for a family dinner at Generous Georges (yummy, family friendly pizza place in Alexandria, VA).

The link to this set is: http://www.polyvore.com/busy_teacher...but_still_fashionable/set?id=6396261

Here it is without the jacket. I didn't like the way the blouse belted on me, so I moved it up to a higher place on my waist, fastened it with a safety pin (can't tell, there is a lot of print here on this blouse), and was sort of satisfied. I think I may be the one person who would have needed a tall in this shirt...the blouse hits at my high hip and I would have preferred more length. Overall I love this blouse. I think it is a fun, dressy piece for when you need something nice but not super-fancy. I think I might try this blouse un-belted sometime, or maybe even try it with my wide patent yellow belt. Hmm...

I LOVE THESE PANTS. Golly. I think they make my figure super-slim...and as you all know, post-partum, that is EXACTLY what I am looking for...

The shoes are Target and they are too cute. The plum nicely offsets the blouse.

I have on a headband from J. Crew, winter 2007. I love J. Crew headbands. I hope they continue producing them...

The coat really does look better than this, but my darling husband (who often takes really nice shots) did not have the patience to really photograph me last night. I tend to wear this coat open or with two buttons buttoned. It is the Marie coat from the fall/winter and is made for stick-insects with no hips. That said, I think the collar and collar are gorgeous, so rather than fight the coat...I make the coat work for me. :)

Of course, having CW pose with me usually helps the outfit look better!

How to bejewel your baby girl...

Just a bit of fun...this post. I was running upstairs to grab something the other night and my hubby took it upon himself to bejewel our baby girl. We have an enormous amount of mardis gras beads in our house (a superfluity, if you will) from Jim being from that neck of the woods (southwest Mississippi) and from our annual Mardis Gras party...coming up this weekend!

So what do you do with these extra beads when you are bored? You make a shiny, sparkly headband for a four-month old. He draped gold beads twice around her head...and it fit perfectly...and she looks so sweet!

I say, "Good job, Jim." It is a little odd that my very male husband came up with this...but whatever...more power, man!


Here she is from the side...you can see how it is draped twice. :) Have fun if you try this yourself!