OOTD: Nancy and CW Come to Winesday.

Day: Wednesday, June 10, 2015.

Where:  Winesday with my darling daughter.  Pete (my bro) usually goes with me, but he works out in Manassas now, so this means I have to find alternate people/transportation to get to this event.  He still comes, every once in a while, but not this week.

Ease of Wear: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  Even though I mentioned that there was a pencil skirt lining on this dress in my review last year, I forgot about that and when I put it on tonight, I was all, "wuh?"  Sigh.  Should've remembered.  It worked itself out and stretched out, but still.

The Cole Haan sandals (have had them for years) held up well, especially considering we took the bus back from Winesday.  The bus stop is about one mile from my house, so not super close.  :-)  I have to take public transportation if I don't have a ride, I am a super lightweight when it comes to alcohol.


Outfit Details:  Dress, Boden; Sandals, similar style Cole Haan here (I can't find an exact match like mine from this year); Necklace, Uncommon Goods; Sunglasses, Anthropologie.

Anecdote of the Day: I wore my Nancy Dress because Lou has been talking about #bodentwins over at her Instagram account a lot lately.  When I saw her in her Nancy Dress yesterday, I knew my chance was here, so I took it.  I also plan on wearing this dress that @kdot1990 wore a few days back (probably tomorrow).  I never thought I would get into Instagram as much as I have, but it is more fun than I expected it to be.  :-)

Speaking of Instagram, my Instagram of this outfit is here.

Okay, you all have a great night!  We'll talk soon!

OOTDs: Three Celebrations.

Before I start, two things to let you all know about.

1. I have completed my first blog post for the Fabric Mart blog.  Eventually you will see all the pieces I made for that blog post dissected here in separate "made by me" files and in a special packing post, but for now head on over to see the pieces I slaved over the past week.  :-)  I love the end result, and am very excited that I have these for my trip to Mississippi in a couple weeks.

2. Boden's 25% off sale ends tomorrow.  For more information on that one, please do check out this post.

Onto celebrating!

Mr. Dina didn't intend to make this look like a catalog shot, but it turned out that way.  He probably thinks he is a "photographer" now.

Day: Saturday, November 8, 2014.

Where:  Rex's baseball team's championship win celebration.

Ease of Wear: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  The party was at 3 at a local Italian restaurant and even though I ate well (although that time--weird, right--hard to decide, late lunch or early dinner), I didn't feel like I was being pinched or pulled, so I would give this one a thumbs up for comfort. 

The New Balance 620 shoes are a recent purchase.  I have to say even though J. Crew has been falling down style-wise for me of late (too blah and not enough color), their shoe collaborations are awesome.  I took these in a 9.5 and they fit perfectly true to size.

Cool Factor: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.)  This one is pretty cool.  For me.  :-)

Anecdote from the day:  Since I spent all of last weekend celebrating, any moment I had free at the house was sewing.  It was a weird situation to be in, I far prefer to do all my sewing at home for an extended time (cocoon-like and hiding away), but this put me in a different frame of mind.  I didn't dislike it, but my hyper-focus had to be shut down, which was a little unnerving.  It was probably good for me. 

Day: Sunday, November 9, 2014.

Where:  Mass and El Paso for my dad's birthday dinner.

Ease of Wear: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  This dress was made by me, so it fits perfectly, so that made it very easy to wear.  That said, the Naturalizer booties were not my best choice of footwear for that night, though (see the anecdote for more on that).

Cool Factor: (3.5 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.)  Nice, but very buttoned up.  The scarf is fun and the boots put a fresh spin on an outfit with a tailored sheath, but it is still very conservative.

Anecdote from the day:  I suffer from weird hip pain in my left hip, and it flares up once a year without fail.  I have had this since the very end of my pregnancy with CW and it makes walking very difficult when it comes around.  It usually is around for a week and then disappears.  This is why choosing booties was probably not smart.  This was the first night I experienced it, btw, and have been in a bit of pain since then (though it gets worse at night than during the day).

I haven't seen my brother in ages he has been working so hard.  It was good to just be able to sit and chill with him.  He is starting a new job, so we are very excited for him.

And how cool is it that the Berlin Wall has been down for 25 years?  I remember when it came down in 1989.  Since I had been there many times as a girl (my dad's dad lived in Berlin and that is where my mom's mom is from), the idea that the horrible barrier was gone was truly uplifting.  (One more cool fact--my mom's mom and my mom's dad met during the Berlin Airlift!)

Day: Friday, November 7, 2014.

Where:  Dinner out with my besties from high school.

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  This one was very easy to wear, the only bummer was the scarf which I needed to keep warm.  I think it looks fine and definitely helped keep the biting cold winds from my neck, but blah for style in this particular outfit.

Cool Factor: (3 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.)  Necessity is the downfall here.  I just don't love the scarf with it and can't see beyond it.  Really glad I still have this Boden dress in my wardrobe from all those years ago, I still love it as much as when I first bought it.

Anecdote from the day:  I love that I can still hang out with my friends from high school.  They are some amazing women.  I can't get over how much more I laugh and let loose around them than I do with other adults I have met since then.  I don't know what it is, but it is just easy to be fully me around them.  Maybe I feel less judged by them?  I also let my hair down around my kids and my brother, so maybe the "no judgment" thing is a huge part of it.

Okay, that's all for now!  I hope you all are having a great Wednesday!

OOTE: Argyle and Lodden.

Day: Wednesday, January 15, 2014.

Where: Winesday at Whole Foods and El Paso Cafe for my brother's birthday.

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) For such a pulled-together look, this was surprisingly comfy.  I felt like I could have easily worn it the whole day and not needed to change my shoes, tights, etc. 

The tights were necessary since it was so blasted cold that day (and has been since, barring the lovely weather we had on the 20th).  I purchased those tights from Boden last year and they are popular enough that Boden brought them back for fall 2013.  It can be difficult to find proper thick sweater tights here in the States.  A few places sell them, but they are very expensive.  Target sells sweater tights now, which I was pleased to see, but at $12, they are still relatively expensive for tights.  (And they got a run right away--in the upper leg, which I could fix with clear nail polish, but still!)

The shoes are the much beloved Leather loafers which I reviewed here.  Most worn pair of shoes in my closet, hands down.

Cool Factor: (3.5 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest--for both outfits.)  Some of my JCA friends will immediately recognize the look, which is why the post is titled Argyle and Lodden.  Both the dress and shirt were styled together in the J. Crew Paris Catalog (September 2007).  Obviously I couldn't wear it the way the lovely Vanessa Lorenzo did in the photo, but I could at least do half of the look.  :)

Not cool, btw, just pretty. 

If you are a fan of the shirt, and you sew, you can grab the fabric here at B&J fabrics (Liberty of London Lodden).  I won't be making anything else from the fabric (I was able to buy the blouse on ebay), but I could see the print looking very pretty in a full skirt.

Anecdote from the Day:  As per our usual, my brother and I went to Winesday that Wednesday.  We found out our favorite host (there are five stations) has the same birthday as my brother (along with Martin Luther King, Jr., of course). 

After that we enjoyed ourselves at our favorite Mexican restaurant, El Paso Cafe.  And as we always do, everyone took a moment to wear a sombrero, including yours truly.

Alrighty, you all have a great night! 

OOTE: Jade, Gold, and a Sprinkle of Coral.

Gotta love a wonky picture on a wall.

Day: Saturday, June 22, 2013.

Where:  75th Anniversary Gala Dinner and Mass.

Ease of Wear: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  Yummy and easy fitting, I would be hard-pressed to find an evening wear piece more comfortable than this lovely silk dress from Anthropologie (Flickering Slip Dress).  I had purchased this while pregnant in 2011 and never did find an occasion to wear it until I realized I needed something summer appropriate and dressy.

Because I had to go to mass before the gala, I knew that I needed a cover of some sort, and this gold jacket from J. Crew was exactly the right shade and structure to complement the dress.  I had found this dress on ebay years ago for a song, if I am remembering correctly this jacket was fairly expensive when it was first rolled out by the Crew back in Holiday 2007.  I couldn't find the info on it in my *very quick* internet search, but I did find this photo.  If I have a moment later, I will look at the catalog and update this post.

Cool Factor: (3.5 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.)  The outfit is pretty cool, even if it was worn for a Catholic Church's anniversary, which in some circles of cool would be the uncoolest event ever.  Don't care since I think the fact that the church is that old is pretty darn awesome.  ;-)

Didn't think about it while dressing, but the colors of the church are represented in my outfit.  For the 50th anniversary (which occurred while I was in school there--same one my kids go to, btw), they repainted and redecorated the interior of the church in jade, gold, and burgundy.  You can see photos of the interior here at this post.  I think I must have subconsciously worn the color combo to honor the church.

Anecdote from the day:  The table we sat at for the dinner had other fans of the drink at it, and one of the men had even snuck in a bottle of Scotch whisky.  OMG, that's a good man there.  He had little wee drams with him, one for each of us, and proceeded to pour shots from the bottle for all of us.  I usually don't love whisky, in fact I only drink it to join in toasts, etc., but this time the whisky was delicious, tasted a bit of the peat bog the distillery is located near, and since the smell of peat burning in the Scottish countryside is one of my favorite scents ever (no, I am not kidding), I was immediately in love with the drink.  This man was my best friend for the evening.

Yes, the photo of my brother and me above shows that we may have enjoyed ourselves a bit.  Some of the other guests enjoyed themselves even more.  Hee.  ;-)

Okay, that's it for now...Boden should have their new line up and ready to go sometime later today, I think.  My affiliate site has no coupons, etc., available right now, which makes me think that there will be something on offer soon enough.  Will definitely keep you all updated. 

OOTD/Review: Boden Fabric Mix Dress.

Day: Wednesday, May 29, 2013.

Where:  Winesday.

Ease of Wear: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  The Boden Fabric Mix Dress review is below, but it bears repeating that this dress is stretchy, soft, and comfortable, all while looking like it would be far more unpleasant to wear.  I would even go so far as to say one could wear it to an office with a semi-professional atmosphere and get away with it.

And one more big ole shout-out to my girls, the Greta suede wedges.  I wear them constantly in the summer and they still look lovely and still are super easy on my feet.

Cool Factor: (3 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.)  The necklace gifted to me by my sweet NYC friend Marietta is definitely the coolest bit of this outfit.  Second time I have worn this out and about and just like the first time I wore it, I had a ton of people compliment the necklace.  :-) 

I personally think it is cool that this dress looks like a skirt and top combo, but I am kind of cheesy like that.

Anecdote from the day:  We had to bring Angus and CW to Winesday, which isn't ideal.  They were fine, but lemme tell you all, it is way easier drinking wine, picking girls out for my brother, and lol-ing at only things siblings joke about without the rugrats along for the ride.  It seems less appropriate with them there, especially me pimping out my bro.  ;-)

Review:  As I promised in yesterday's post, I am trying to at least get the posts published that I had in the queue last week that feature the Boden dresses that are in the 30% off sale (which I discussed at this post).  I wasn't sure if the fabric mix dress was in the sale, but it turns out that this color is in the sale, since this color is still part of the "current" line.  The other colorways are in clearance, but if you like the other colors, then you are in even better luck since those are a full ten dollars cheaper than this color combo.

I bought this in a size 6 Long and I was totally freaked out that it would be way too tight in the hips, even with the stretchy jersey skirt.  Well, I had no need to fear since the skirt is very stretchy, but also made of a nice heavy fabric, which hides the lumps and bumps better than thinner jersey can.  Had I chosen the 8 Long, it would have been too large on top, and I really must say the fit in the top in the 6 is spot on for my frame (and the extra detailing at the neckline gives my bust more "form").

The one issue I had with this dress is particular to me and my shorter torso/high waistline.  As I have mentioned in the past, my height is in my lower half, if my top half matched my bottom half, I would be 5'4" tall.  This dress does have a bit longer bodice, which most taller women need.  Because this dress has an elastic waistband and a fairly loose silhouette on top, this makes the longer bodice less of an issue for me since it makes it look like the top is supposed to be blousey.  

I do like the fit of the dress, but if you are a bit more shy about your curves, especially on bottom, you may want to size up, even though I prefer the fitted look.  (If you look at the third photo you will see how my hips and bottom curve there in the skirt, and that bothers me not one bit.  There was a time, though, I would have thrown this dress in the return pile because of that curve there.  Since I have become more accepting, even appreciative, of what I have naturally, I wear all my fitted clothes with pride.  Of course if I truly look like a bowling pin, I may be less inclined to show it all off, but I don't see a bowling pin here.)

The colors of this dress are definitely blah, but sometimes a blah colored piece of clothing, in a great design, can really do wonders for the accessories worn with it.  Maybe that is why that necklace got so much attention?  ;-)

Okay, that's it.  Have a fabulous night...we'll talk soon!

P.S. Pure Collection has started their summer clearance sale.  If you are a fan of their line of clothing, now may the time to jump on their offerings.  (Their cashmere is so soft, J. Crew gets a lot of love for theirs, but hands down, Pure is my favorite cashmere purveyor on the planet.  They have a lot of non-cashmere, especially in summer, lovely silks and fine linens are sprinkled alluringly through their collection.)  A direct link is below.

OOTD: Striped Silly. In Hats.

Day: Friday, May 17, 2013.

Where:  Sushi Lunch.

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)   The stripe jersey maxi skirt from J. Crew is so so so comfortable, super soft and exactly the right weight and "flowiness" for summer weather.  I thought this skirt was a new arrival at my local store since I didn't remember seeing it on jcrew.com.  Well, it was there, but it sold out super fast.  There were a handful at the Pentagon City store, at full price, but since I know I wear maxi skirts/dresses constantly, and don't quite know how to sew stretch jersey fabric yet (it is supposedly kind of difficult for a newbie), I figured I could bite on this one and not feel too bad about it.

Cool Factor: (3.5 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.)  I am wearing a fedora, a striped maxi skirt, and a clutch.  I suspect the cool hipsters have moved on, but I will happily stay in 2010 when this look was cool. 

Anecdote from the day: I have the best brother (no girlfriend, people!).  He took me to sushi buffet for Mother's Day.  And he bought sake.  And he drove.  :) 

Angus is smiling in the third photo because I gave in and gave him that fig newton he was waving at me in the second photo.

Day: Saturday, May 18, 2013.

Where:  Church/Dinner Out/Shopping at Burlington Coat Factory.

Ease of Wear: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)   Can't go wrong with the LouLou Dress (review here) for pure pretty combined with ease of wear.

The Penny Loafers (I will do a review in the next BWRR) have been comfortable from day one, with no break in period needed at all.

Cool Factor: (2 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.)  I am wearing the loafers out of necessity, since they are patent leather and repel rain well.  I don't think this combo is especially cool.  In fact with all the grey and tan in this outfit, I look a little muted.  For me, that is definitely unusual, but it suited my mood and desire to be unfussy (for once).

But clearly I can't stay away from the color completely, look at those hats I tried on at Burlington.  LOL. 

Anecdote from the day: It has been a long time since I have gone to church without the kids, but when Peter (that's my single brother in the photos from the last outfit) wanted me to join him on his hunt for a professional interview suit, with a stint at church and dinner beforehand, I gladly said yes.

I must say that I picked the wrong mass for Mr. Dina to miss since the priest started off his sermon talking about how God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit were like characters from "The Lord of the Rings."  I have only ever seen the movies, but Mr. Dina is a HUGE LOTR freak and would have no doubt sat there riveted by how well the priest connected Pentecost with one of his favorite book series.

The hat trying on session was fun, I told Pete to find me the most ridiculously over-the-top hats and make me try them on...I ended up really liking that light blue straw cloche with silly feathers, though.  :)

Okay that's it for today, hope everyone is doing well!

BTW, I have been positively bad about giving you all information on Lands' End and Pure Collection these past few months.  Nothing really important is going on with Pure right now, but Lands' End is having a sale that is exclusive to us who carry their coupons on our blogs.  I have updated the sidebar, but it is also below if you would like to save an additional 20% off anything in Lands' End Sale/Clearance Sections.

OOTDs: Mardi Gras and Ash Wednesday.

Subtitle #1: Lots and Lots of Purple.

Subtitle #2: Mardi Gras--Not Just Mardi Gras.

Subtitle #3: Review of the Boden Pointed Mary Janes.

There's a lot here, you all.  :)

Day: Wednesday, February 13, 2013. (Today!)

Where: Ash Wednesday Mass.

Ease of Wear: (3.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) Well, it was comfortable enough, but let's be clear, wearing a pencil skirt with a pair of low heels all while trying to juggle the world's largest man baby (he refuses to sit during mass so I have to take him on mini-walks up and down the back part of the church) is not super easy.  If there was no largest man baby (pictured in photo #1), this outfit would rate a 4.

Cool Factor: (3 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.) Perfect for church on Ash Wednesday, so definitely not cool, but very much appropriate.  And that works for me just fine.

Anecdote from the day:  I have spent the day feeling annoyed at everything, but since my Lenten promise means I can't moan about those irritating things for forty days, I guess I won't spill my guts here, but they involve skirts that don't fit (not the teal one above, though), "me first" DC area drivers, broken zippers on a new Boden dress (grrr!), and my husband.  ;)

 Day: Tuesday, February 12, 2013. (Daytime.)

Where: Rex's school (TWICE!), and Party City.

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) It is a pair of leggings combined with a mid-00s empire line tunic (so stretchy and manmade) plus a pair of purple ballet flats.  I am not wearing pajamas, but they would do well in a pinch for sleepwear.

Cool Factor: (1 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.)  Ain't gonna lie, this is the world's least cool outfit.  Well, maybe not the least cool in the world, but for this blog, this is pretty bad.  LOL.

I have worn this top before, but that was four years ago, so it was only a few years out of style back then.  If I hold onto it just. a. little. bit longer, I bet it comes back into style.  Or not. 

I hold onto it because we celebrate Mardi Gras, if it we didn't, this top would have been in the donate pile years and years ago.

Anecdote from the day:  What didn't I do in this outfit?  Seriously, yesterday was the perfect foil for my blog's title.  I felt like if there was ever an overabundance of things accomplished in one day's time, this would be that day.

Started off by dropping Rex at school,

then watched a dvd on my new sewing machine while I waited in the car until I was needed at the school,

then I went into the school to help his classmates and him paint a child's bookcase for the school auction,

after which I headed home to feed Angus,

which then led to going to Party City to get Rex a balloon for his birthday and Mardi Gras beads for his classmates,

then back to school to give his classmates a cupcake and the beads,

and finally heading home.

Then I went to work out at the gym with my brother...

And then...

Day: Tuesday, February 12, 2013. (Night.)

Where: Rex's Birthday dinner at El Paso Cafe (with a bit of celebration tossed in for Mr. Dina's bday, Mardi Gras, and the restaurant's 21st birthday).

Ease of Wear: (3.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  I love Boden's silk jersey dresses.  This one is a favorite of mine, and definitely one that is perfect for the Lenten season.

Cool Factor: (3 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.)  Much like the Ash Wednesday outfit, it was exactly the right outfit for the occasion.  I didn't have the right tights to wear with it, but as it turned out, the night was pretty warm, so even the peep toe heels were okay.  I think with tights and some killer boots, this outfit could have been bumped up a half point, but I was with family, and they don't really care what I wear (even though I wish they would!).  ;)

Anecdote from the day:  I think it is so cool that so many wonderful things happened on Rex's birthday.  I know they were all coincidental, but I think he liked having all these interesting and unusual occurrences on his special day.  And as his mom, I was pleased to see him having such a great day. 

Pointed Mary Janes.  The Pointed Mary Janes are another great example of what makes me love Boden's footwear, year after year.  For a fairly decent price, Boden uses great materials (usually all leather construction) to craft classic, yet punchy colored shoes.

I have fallen so deeply in love with my Sixties Heels (last worn here), that I determined that if Boden issued another pair of shoes that reminded me of the sixties heels, but in new colors, I would definitely be purchasing.  So when I saw these in the Spring preview, I bit on the eucalyptus shade, which you can see here is a mid grey-green done in patent leather.

You can also see that the fasteners are pop-button, but they stayed nicely secured through the day, which surprised me.  (Happily surprised, of course.)

The shoes fit well in the 41.  I normally am between a 40 and 41, but the larger size works better since I think this shoe runs small and narrow for a Boden shoe.

From the side.  The heel is not very tall, and there is plenty of room in the toe box, so I found it to be very comfortable.  It is also a very pretty shoe, ladylike and pristine. They are currently on deep backorder in the pink and silver colors, but fully stocked in the green shade. This means they are unlikely to do a second order of the green ones, so if you see the stock box head to "pink/low stock" that means once it sells out, that's it. (Not that this will happen any time soon, though.) I have a coupon in the sidebar for 15% off with free ship, however you click here, it will have the same effect (I finally learned how to really embed links properly!).

There's Angus wearing his "My first Mardi Gras" shirt given to him by Mr. Dina's parents.  You can't really find things like this around here in the DC area (even though there are celebrations all over town, it isn't celebrated by everyone like down where Mr. Dina comes from). 

What's better than a day full of events tailor-made to make you happy?  Ice cream, of course, and a small sombrero.

Mr. Dina's head barely fit into the hat.  That's saying something.  As said in the awesome movie "So I Married an Axe Murderer," "that boy's heed is SO big ... it has its own weather system."  Ha.

We are always wearing sombreros on this blog.  I think we should buy my brother Peter one to wear all the time, he looks so good in it.

And finally, the ubiquitous shot of Dina having had two (!!!) yummy margaritas.  Mmm.  Margaritas.

Okay, that's it, you all have a great night.  :)

What did you all do for Mardi Gras?  Do tell.  I always enjoy tales of overconsumption.  Please tell me that at least some of you had two margaritas, too.