Christmas Eve, the Catastrophe.

Part One. 

Setting: The house, 5:15 pm.  Mr. Dina is running around trying to get the kids ready for church, which is at 6, and if we. don't. leave. right. now. it will be nearly impossible to find someplace to sit (see part two of this Christmas Eve story--to be published later).  I am running around trying to find the Christmas offering envelope so we can put our offering into it.  I am also suffering from quite possibly the WORST pms ever.  I am feeling 15 again, except instead of having my dad to take care of everything when I feel like complete crud, my advanced age and station in life means that I have to take care of everything, regardless of how I feel.  D'oh to growing up.

Do I find the envelope?  No.  Is it worth it in the end?  Definitely not...as attempting to find the blasted envelope instead of just creating a new one with our Family # on it caused my now infamous (at least in my family) meltdown supreme. 

I had dressed oh, so pretty.  I felt like spun sugar on top of a white cashmere cloud.  I felt sparkly, light, and fresh.  It helped my PMS tremendously to be so dressed up and ready to go.  Then the incident occurred.

See what I mean?  This pic (and the two below) were taken before the incident.  Part two (of the three part saga) will show my sad, scowly self in a different look. 

The jacket is the luscious Boucle de Souffle jacket by Elevenses (Anthropologie), size 6.  I had desired this jacket for months before I was able to grab it the one morning that it was on sale (sold out on sale almost immediately).  The skirt is the very pretty Golden Bubbles Pencil Skirt and in the end, the very reason I just couldn't take it anymore on Christmas Eve.  I took it in a size 8 (which is my pre-vanity sizing J. Crew pencil skirt size, I take a size 6 in the double serge wool pencil skirts, fwiw).  The tee is the drapey sequin tee in heirloom pink in a size extra-small.  The heels are an ancient pair of Coach leather pumps in gold.

P.S. You can totally tell that this is pre-meltdown as Mr. Dina seems happy and not worried about the mental state of his wife.  LOL.

Boucle de Souffle open.  The drapey sequin tee is the perfect top for the bubble skirt...it has a similar tone, and the visual differences in texture are interesting, not jarring.

From the side. 

I adore winter white/cream for dressy events in the winter...something exceedingly elegant about the color in such a dark time of year.

So why did the skirt cause me such a rough night?

1. I am PMS-ing.  Strike one.
2. I can't find the BLASTED offering envelope.  Strike two.
3. While bending down to look in my purse for the darned envelope, my left side seam SPLITS right open.  Not the right side seam, not the lining seams, no just the entire outer fabric LEFT side seam.  Strike three.

I start balling.  (Which I continued to do off and on until we get to part three of this saga--you all will enjoy the absolute perfection of why I stopped balling like a weepy little girl). 

I know it isn't me, that indeed it is the workmanship of the skirt (really, J. Crew?  the lining is completely intact, in fact in great, perfect shape, yet the outer seam is ripped?  really?), but I can't help but immediately think--I am such a fat, horrible, bloated cow of a woman who can't even find the darn church envelope.

Now, a whole week late, I am actually cracking up over it all, but at the time, it seemed just terrible.

Part two and three will be published later today, with part two showing the alternate skirt/outfit and the details of my awful time at church, and part three will show what outfit ended up making me feel a whole lot better and the awesomeness of the presents in conjunction with the night's events.

Have you all ever had something like this happen, you know a set of events, that when put together, make for such a dramatic time?  Any other great wardrobe malfunctions out there?  :)

Talk with you all soon...

This One's for You, English Tea...Or How I Wore the Goldwyn Dress in the Fall!

I was just over at English Tea when I saw that she had purchased the incredibly beautiful J. Crew Collection Goldwyn Dress for a mere 20 dollars and some change. Good for you, girl. Nice!

I did not purchase my Goldwyn Dress for 20 dollars, but I did purchase it for 80, which is more than half off its original price. When I saw it in the May 2009 catalog, styled very simply with jeweled sandals, I was sold. Except that I wasn't. I could not justify the 185 dollars it cost, no matter how darn cute. But when it went to 99 dollars plus 20% off, I jumped right in. I was torn between a size 6 or 8. In the end (and this is how it works out sometimes), only a regular size 8 was left.

And it worked out just fine. I could maybe nip it in at the waist and shorten the straps, but in general, it looks perfectly nice on me in this size.

I wore it for our (8th) anniversary on October 13, 2009 (yes, I am one month late...figures). I also took pics of me wearing this, while doing the dishes (putting the dishes in the dishwasher) for my blog, Mid-Century Mom, but those aren't quite ready yet (but when they are...they will be funny)! (Hey, all I finally published the post!!! 11/15/09.)

J. Crew's Goldwyn Dress on a Date by dinagideon featuring J Crew

Here is the polyvore of the outfit. I wore navy Cole-Haans because they are kinda (said quietly so the kids won't hear) sexy, but I think next time I will wear something a bit "strappier." In my defense, it was sorta chilly out that night...but I feel like the navy is too harsh of a contrast for me to wear these pumps (regardless of how sexy).


Here it is without the cardigan. The navy pumps look pretty good here. LOVE pockets on a girly girl dress...so special.


Here is the whole outfit, belt, cardigan and all. Just no purse. The purse sat out of the pic. Next time, definitely going with a clutch. :) LOL. It is so hard to go anywhere with a clutch anymore, kids and all their little things (yes, I know, I was on a date) don't fit in clutches.

The contrast in the color of the photos is from the lighting. In the first photo, only the ambient light plus the flash were used. The second photo has extra lighting from the lamps, etc. plus the lighting, so the second photo is "warmer." The first probably shows the color of the dress more accurately.

I plan to respond to the comments from yesterday's posts later today!!! Seems blazers are my good friends. I like Ms. Eden and Mr. Schoolboy a lot more now. ;)

Boden Hotchpotch Dress Love!

I have some sort of cold or virus. Yuck. It is so bad that Mr. Dina was willing to take Rex to preschool and take care of CW this morning.

I am feeling *slightly* better...less aches, etc., but you can bet your bottom dollar that as soon as Rex goes down for his afternoon nap, I will be in my lovely bed taking another nap, too. My cold may make me all flushed looking and my hair is a fright, but at least I don't have any under-eye bags from not getting enough sleep. :)

This is an outfit I wore subbing two or three weeks ago. Boden does Hotchpotch prints every season, and it basically means that they take two discordant prints in a similar fabric and mesh them together in one seamless outfit. I have seen them take more than two print to make a hotchpotch item, but I tend to only buy the ones in two prints...the visual overload of three or more is a bit jarring.

Another thing about their hotchpotch items is that the prints are either in complementary colors (like yellow with purple or orange with blue) or they are in similar color schemes (which is what this hotchpotch dress is in--navy, green, and ivory).

Untitled by dinagideon featuring Cole Haan shoes

Items in this set:
Bodenusa.com dress, $138
Cole Haan shoes, $150

As you can see from the polyvore, the main print is a navy, green, and ivory ivy print which is enhanced (in my opinion) with a bib and shoulder and elbow fabric of navy and white small floral print.

The shoes are my beloved navy patent Cole-Haans. I love you, Cole-Haan patent pumps, and once momma starts to feel better will definitely show you off again...promise. :)

Here is the dress on me. I bought a 12 regular (which is an 8 regular here). I usually buy regulars in the dresses from Boden because I prefer the top half stay shorter and the length is usually fine. However, that said, I could have gone with a 10 long, but such is life. And now I believe all sizes are getting close to being sold out or are on a very long backorder. If your size is available, I say go for it. Here is the link to this dress on-line (I don't think the polyvore link is working).

Also, all but one of my items are still available for sale over at Cash from my Closet (the citron felted wool skirt has a potential buyer). :)

Have a great day, all!

Cerise Bistro Pants...A Bright for a Bright Day!

So I decided that I would wear more color than I did yesterday, and hoo-boy, these pants certainly fit the bill (wait for it--the color is coming).

The look I created includes: The Bistro Pants in Cerise (J. Crew 2009), Zoey Whisper Lame top in champagne (J. Crew winter 2008), Allesia Peep-Toe Heels in root (J. Crew winter 2008), Seersucker Jacket in tan/metallic (Banana Republic sometime in 2006), a Fossil Watch, the ladybug yellow necklace, and a mohair muffler scarf in ivory.

The link to the polyvore is here: http://www.polyvore.com/cerise_bistro_pants...bright_for_bright/set?id=7158069


No, you do not need to adjust your computer...the pants are that bright. The color is so delicious, though, like a beautiful ripe tomato in summer. With the flash, the color appears even more saturated. Also, I should mention, these pants are so comfortable, and with heels, they are the perfect length!!!

I went for a more subtle look with the heels, top, and jacket. The necklace is a punch of color for my face, but is not too much color (because then I would look like a clown--yeah, that's the look for me).

The reason my hair looks stupid? I had just washed it and it is still wet...don't worry, it dried fairly soon (and no, I never blow-dry, pool does enough damage to my hair)!

I think I may want to try another top with these pants...any suggestions? I love the look I created but don't want to be limited to just this top.

I am glad these pants are this color. I cannot wear this color anywhere near my face...outside of purple, this is the worst color for me. However, they look great as pants. In fact, a male teacher at my school said he really liked my pants! How sweet! Usually it is only the women who notice my outfits.


Here is the outfit without the jacket. I actually like it better without the jacket, but I knew I had to wear something over top (it was only 40 degrees outside when I left for school).

By the way, I reviewed these pants and more in this post: http://mysuperfluities.blogspot.com/2009/02/pants-pants-and-more-pants.html

I am a Big Fat Copycat!

You know it--I LOVE the Paris catalog from Fall 2007. I love it so much that I did a blog entry about it in February. You also know that I have promised to continue posting pictures from this catalog in the future. You also may know that I am obsessed especially with page 15 of the catalog, in which the ethereal Vanessa Lorenzo is wearing a red peacoat sweater, an ivory top, a double-strand frog necklace, a red wool hat, and tan cords.

I loved this image so much that I went out and tried to replicate it the best I could. So I own most of this outfit (top was sold out when I tried to buy it, and the cords are a wee bit different). I have been walking to school so much lately that I cannot wear this. Or should I say, I will not wear this...I do not want to ruin any of these pieces. By the way, the shoes are the Dandelion print flats from last January (2008). So since I drove today, out came the outfit. I get the silliest joy in my heart when I get to wear this to school. And I always get compliments...especially for the frog necklace and the hat!

Oh, and yes, goofy me is trying to tip my hat the way Vanessa did in her shot. Try not to end up on the floor 'cause you are laughing so hard. :) (Which I totally give you permission to do--I mean, if I can make fun of me, you certainly can...)


Here I am with said shot in my hands. Rex is so cute hugging my legs. :) I may not be in Paris, but I feel like I have a little slice of heaven right here on earth!


Here is a close-up of the pieces. You will also notice that I am wearing the orange cluster ring. I wanted to give it a whirl today. :)

By the way, I do this every so often...the whole take a look from the catalog and try to recreate it thing...more to come!

Let's see if I can make an outfit for work that I will wear to walk home later...

So I am faced with this dilemma a lot--what to wear that will look nice (enough) and will still be okay for a walk home (I sweat). My answer today was to wear my faves, the J. Crew Matchstick cords in black, the lovely gold-striped (not the one in the polyvore) tee from Winter 2007, the warm and beautifully colored merino Lea cardigan, and the scattered-boule necklace. I only wore the peacock heels for the photo. I really wore my very practical tennis shoes that you all saw in a previous post. Now if I were some sort of super-human, I would have worn those luscious heels again...but, alas, I am not!

I am wrapping the cardigan and necklace up in a bag before I start walking...I would hate to ruin it while on my way home...

Set can be found here: http://www.polyvore.com/striped_teal_black_light_orange/set?id=6808126


I really like the way it turned out. The colors seem nice together, and the overall fit is slimming. The necklace is a bit of fun, too. It has its detractors, but I am a fan. This tee is one of my all-time fave J. Crew pieces...I always get a lot of compliments when I wear it and it is the right weight and size to feel really good in all day long!


Please ignore my face (making a stupid one), but look at Rex's hands...he was about to hug my legs when Jim shot the photo. I saw that and smiled. I figured it would make someone else smile today, too! And goodness me, don't we all need that on a Wednesday?

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!

My Beautiful Pink, Green, and Brown Outfit...Friday the 13th Evening Out with the JCAs of DC!!!

So all of us fabulous JCAs of the DC area got together to watch Confessions of a Shopaholic on Friday night. One of the things we promised to do was get dolled up in our finest J. Crew duds. We looked so nice!!! I saw a Lexington jacket, the gorgeous orange/white houndstooth Greta coat, a yellow herringbone ecole jacket, and much more. I decided to wear my Maggie jacket in camel (not shown in these pics), my Fresco cardigan, my Teagan blouse in ivory (camisole definitely needed with this shirt), my lovely Dojos by 7FAM, my patent belt in root, and my patent Allesia heels in root. I think the outfit pulled together quite nicely. I love the overall feel I get from this outfit...I feel vaguely French and while casual, it has a dressy undertone.

The cardigan, for those of you who wondered how it fit, if it stretches, and how the color looks on me can see all three answers here...it fits well when it stretches out a bit, which it does (thank goodness), and I believe paired with the ivory top looks nice with my fairly light (not quite Casper the friendly ghost but almost that pale) complexion. I do have dark blonde hair so I couldn't answer how it looks with lighter hair until this summer when the sun has had its lightening effect on my coif!


Here is a close-up of the print next to my skin. I believe pairing this print with a solid is the only way I can wear this print properly. The print by itself would be to close to my complexion to work 100%. That's okay! I would never wear it by itself, anyway!

I did purchase this print in the silk tank, but again, I will pair that with other solids, like my cardigans and jackets...

Oh, and those of you who were concerned with the print not matching up when this is buttoned can see it doesn't really stand out at all!!!