OOTDs: Dressing Up, Wind Whipping Style.

Hi!  Happy Thursday.  :-)  I have been nose to the grindstone, and with great concentration, furiously sewing up my son's suit for his First Confession on Saturday.  I started the project last week, and whenever I could find the time, I worked on the blazer.  I am *still* working on the blazer, but at least the shell is done, I just need to finish the lining.  I am actually insanely proud of the work so far, but I won't exhale until the finished product is being worn by him on Saturday.  Anyhow, wish me luck, and I hope that explains a bit of why I have been away so much lately.

Also, NADA is going on with Boden, sale wise, so there's that, too.  I had plans to do the Boden Weekly (haha) Review Roundup this week, but with the details I need to follow to the tee with the blazer pattern, I realized something had to be given up.

Okay, I do have a few brief moments to show off a few recent dressier outfits I wore in the past two months.  I have definitely been more focused on casual wear, especially since Rex is housebound and I am going nowhere, but there have been a few occasions that required me to give a little more effort than a pair of Turner pants and an embellished sweatshirt.

Day: Friday, January 16, 2015.

Where:  Fairly certain I went grocery shopping with the Angus that day.  This was before Rex got injured (that happened 1/25), and I saw I took photos of him fooling around the house that day, so because I got dressed up and I have photos of him at the house, I have to assume that Harris Teeter was the reason for my "dress up."  LOL. 

Ease of Wear: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  I never know what size to get at J. Crew or J. Crew Factory when it comes to these straight shift style dresses (this one is the Factory Printed Shift Dress).  I always know that the bust and shoulders will be too big unless I get a size 4, but my hips don't lie and are a size 10, so that's what I chose to purchase.  That was a wise choice, but I still could use a half-inch more if I am being honest, I would prefer just that little bit of extra ease.

Cool Factor: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.)  Love this look.  I need to wear this again before it gets too warm (ha, no threat of that here in Southern Canada aka Virginia).

Anecdote of the Day:  Angus made some cute faces when I was taking photos of him that day.  Other than that, nada.

Day: Thursday, January 22, 2015.

Where:  A friend's father's interment at Arlington National Cemetery.

Ease of Wear: (3.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  It wasn't about ease that day, since the occasion called for very formal.  I am glad I had proper funeral clothing, but with the very chilly day and windy weather, I have to admit that I was close to frostbite (especially on my feet) by the end of the ceremony.  But again, more than okay by me, we were honoring a man's service to his country on this day, my cold feet are nothing to complain about.

Cool Factor: (N/A of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.) Again, unimportant.  Not a concern of mine that day.  The look is very proper, very put together, and in sedate coloring.

Anecdote of the Day:  I cried at one point, even though I had never met my friend's dad.  The ceremony was so moving.  I felt honored to be there for her and was in awe of how reverent the military is in honoring their deceased veterans.  And the day, though bitterly cold, was incredibly beautiful, and from what my friend said, she knows that her dad would have been so pleased with both the weather and the ceremony.  :-)

Day: Monday, January 12, 2015.

Where: Subbing.

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  Super comfortable, and the outfit kept me warm.  Let me give a shout out to the J. Crew Factory Harper Double Bow ballet flats.  These shoes fit well on first wearing and have been worn at least fifteen times since I purchased them in early January.  I bought the 9.5, which is my normal size.  They are great for folks who want something pretty but are also flat enough for those of us on our feet all day.

Cool Factor: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.) Exactly the right look for substitute teaching.

Anecdote of the Day:  Everyone loves that collar necklace from Accessorize that I bought when I went to Ireland two years ago.  I have a pattern for collars from Simplicity, so I bet I could figure out how to make the base from a firm fabric (like canvas) and bedazzle it with beads.  Hmm...

Okay, thanks for stopping by!  Hope my next post is sooner than later, as that means the suit sewing didn't do me in...

OOTD/Review: Mint, Mustard, and Grey. And Another Tilly.

Day: Sunday, February 15, 2015.

Where:  My house. Boring.

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) Again with the Turner pants.  I now own them in four colors.  They are up there with my Pure Collection tie-waist trousers (last photo, also worn with *another* Tilly Sweater**, lol) as the best pants ever.  I *do* own traditional pants, with proper closures, but it has been remarkably easier to just wear these ones instead.  (I will give a shoutout to the pants I have made since they are tailored to fit me properly, but I only have two pairs that I have made, so they don't get a bunch of wear.)

The temperature outside is 17 F.  So I am more than happy to wear the current Tilly Sweater, which was one of the sweaters I promised I would wear at this blog post.  I am very happy to report it feels great, it is keeping me warm, and is a wonderful color to wear on such a cold day (gives me the feel of early spring).


**Can Boden give some other ladies a chance at having clothing named after them?  Sophie, Tilly, Laura, Olivia...it is getting boring.  May I suggest Dina? 

Cool Factor: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.) The Nike shoes help up the score, but again, a very basic outfit for a very basic kind of a day.

Anecdote of the Day:  Mardi Gras is Tuesday, but Mr. Dina's parents leave tomorrow.  I love making gumbo, and they seem to like my version, so I will be spending the next couple of hours preparing it.

Tilly Sweater.  Size 6.  Though the carnation color seems to be getting the most attention, it is this light aqua/slightly mint color that is sold out/low stock in many sizes.  I guess they ordered more of the carnation and navy, and ordered less of this mint color.

The 6 fits awesome, hitting right at my mid-hip.  The neck doesn't constrict, and while there is little shaping in the garment, the wool is lightweight enough to be drapey and show a bit of the natural curve my body has.

This view really shoes how lovely the knit is, the scalloped design is a bit unusual, and if hand knit, would undoubtedly be over the top expensive and would have taken the craftsperson ages to complete.  Fortunately for us, a machine can do this and we benefit by getting a sweater that looks more expensive than it actually is.

You can see the dropped shoulder line here.  It is not obnoxious the way some styles have been in the past year or so (especially at J. Crew, much to Gigi's discontent), but it is still present, and if you loathe that detail, stay far away.

I think this is the best representation of the color.  The color is amazing in real life, it seems a bit snowy with a blue/green undertone in it, but the lightest of blue and green.

This is not an accurate representation of color, but I wanted to up the shadows for dimension's sake so you could see the beautiful patterning in the knit.  Also, this wool is super soft.  I am not prone to itchiness when it comes to wool, but I read that others felt like this wool was also very soft and not scratchy, so for you sensitive ladies, this may be your winning knit.


Tilly Sweater.  Navy and carnation are fully stocked.  The mint is selling well.

Okay, have a great day, will be back with one last review tomorrow night (right before the sale ends) of my last wear of the weekend.  (I will be wearing the French Knot sweater!)

OOTDs: Casual Dressy. Or Just Dressy. Part Two of Two.

 Day: Sunday, February 24, 2013.

Where: Clyde's for lunch with my girl.

Ease of Wear: (3 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) I am taking a couple of points off because the dress's skirt kept hitching up on my tights.  It wasn't anything unbearable, but I did notice it.  I wish I could be less OCD about things like this, but I *know* other women have the same hangup.

If it had been a touch warmer, I could have gotten away with wearing the fitted ponte dress (review here, btw) sans tights, but since it was only forecast to be in the mid-50s, I knew it was tights all the way. (As much as I adore the velvet Bella jacket, it isn't super warm.)

The effortless suede boots, once again, proved why they will always be a fixture in my wardrobe.  I love how they can give a little lift (literally and figuratively) to most of my outfits, yet are so very comfortable. 

Cool Factor: (3.5 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.) I think it looks pretty good, but it may be a bit too much "look" for some of you since I decided that a knee length dress and tights and ankle booties worked.  From what style 101 dictates, that combo is tremendously awful on the leg line, creating stumps instead of stems (remember this scene in Clueless?).  I am fairly tall, and most of my height is in my legs, so I am okay with the *stumping,* but I get it if this is not your thang.

Anecdote from the day:  So I was approached by a friend at bowling yesterday who asked if CW and I had been at Clyde's a couple of Sundays ago.  Obviously we had been, but I was very amused that someone had seen us walking to Clyde's that day.  She said she had tried to find us, but because of how many rooms this particular Clyde's has, she had to give up after the first five or six.  LOL.  She supposedly stopped right before she got to the room we were in.

CW loves Clyde's, which if you know this restaurant, is slightly amusing, since she is 4.  Anyhow, I got her the kids' meal with a hamburger, asked for well done, and out comes a very pink center patty.  Guess who didn't care?  Yeah, that's my girl, giving Anthony Bourdain and Andrew Zimmern a run for their money.  However, she won't touch mashed potatoes. 

Day: Tuesday, February 26, 2013.

Where: School Run and Jo Ann Fabrics, but no preschool run that day.

Ease of Wear: (3.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) I had to get over the way the bodice fit (since it runs large through there on me--the review is here, btw), but once I did, and sort of *wore in* the dress, I was very comfortable.  It just took a while to get used to the way the casual pintuck dress felt.

It was very cold, windy, and rainy, though, and I was very happy with my choice of the thick stadium cloth coat (rightly called the Elements coat), thick wool knee socks, and leather boots.

Cool Factor: (3.5 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.) Since I normally am "Miss Pattern Explosion," this very sedate and monotone outfit is out of my proverbial comfort zone.  It is also the first time I tried the whole "knee socks and boots" look that everyone else does so effortlessly.  I really liked the way it came together, but the outfit isn't super special, so 3.5 it is...

Anecdote from the day:  I decided to go to Jo Ann's before picking up Rex from school.  I went ahead and purchased a rotary cutter and self-healing cutting mat (they were 40% off, too!) since I despise cutting fabrics with scissors.  I try to be so careful with the scissors, but I end up making mistakes, and if you sew, you know what a pain in the a$$ it can be to sew on fabric that doesn't follow the pattern properly.  The rotary cutter has taken some getting used to, but I will say that being more careful with that leads to really precise cuts, and can also take curves better, which my scissors cannot. 

CW fell in love with a Japanese girl print flannel cotton and I found a skull print flannel cotton for Rex, so I guess there will be more pajamas in our future.

Day: Wednesday, February 27, 2013.

Where: Body Wrap and Whole Foods Winesday.

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) I am in a "soft as a baby's bottom" jersey dress, a pair of knee socks (hey, no need for full tights!), and small heels.  It is hard to imagine a more comfortable outfit.  It would be a 5, but the Pointed Mary Janes (review here) are not ballet flats, so a tiny bit more of a challenge to walk in. 

I love this dress, and am very glad that it still fits me well, despite having been purchased specifically as a maternity dress (seen here and here on me while pregnant).

Cool Factor: (2 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.)  Not cool, pretty, but not cool.  The knee socks, now that I have admitted to it, bring the score down a whole point, too.  :)

Anecdote from the day:  I love that my hubby is willing to let me take an afternoon off once a month to get a massage/body wrap/facial.  I never realize how bad my back/shoulders/neck feels until after Miss Michelle gives me her very intense (read: kind of painful) massage.  I usually walk out of there feeling like I am walking on a cloud of marshmallows. 

It is always followed up by Winesday, which makes it even more lovely. 

Day: Saturday, March 2, 2013.

Where: Church and then the school auction.

Ease of Wear: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  For a party frock, this is really comfortable.  The sequinned dress (review here) is a stretch jersey with a lining, so it feels wonderful on, with none of that "ugh, what in the world is pinning/scratching me" feeling that sometimes happens with party dresses. 

The least comfortable part of my outfit was the glitter Mona pumps, but even so, I wasn't dying or anything, and managed to stand up in them for at least an hour and a half of the evening.

I wouldn't have minded keeping the pretty metallic trim ballet flats on, though (bottom photo).  I only brought them, though, so I could wear something far less "in your face" to church right beforehand. 

(Yes, I just said I went to mass in the sequinned dress and ballet flats.)

Cool Factor: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.) This is such a cool outfit.  It is really hard to mess up cocktail attire, though.  LOL.

The clutch is from Arbonne (comet cosmetics collection), and was one of their offerings over Christmas time.  Basically, you ordered the clutch and it came with four eyeshadows and a bright red lipstick.  I fell for the clutch first (since it is reminiscent of Alexander McQueen), but appreciated the extra goodies, of course.  Only issue with the clutch is that the chain sticks to my hair, but since I don't plan on wearing it that way (as a handbag), it doesn't even affect me.

Anecdote from the day:  AI went to church before because the auction was in the church's basement.  Since I like to kill as many birds with one stone as I can, I decided that I could wear a sequin, spangled dress to church so long as I wore the coat over it the entire time and wore the flats (I brought the pumps and changed into them after).

Once at the auction, it was A BLAST.  My friend (and Rex's girlfriend's mom) and I hung out and drank vodka-spiked lemonades.  Yum.  Mr. Dina bid on two things, a basket of Chik-fil-A free meal coupons, tees, and mugs, and an after-school class for Rex.  He won both.  (Mmm...chicken!)

My friend told me that the live auction was crazy.  The Robert Griffin, III. jersey went for 1000 dollars, which we totally expected, but the handpainted bookcase that Rex and his classmates made (that was from the day I spent entirely at Rex's school--also Rex and RG3's birthday) went for 900 dollars.  You read that right...a very basic, very diy-looking bookshelf went for almost as much as a jersey from a Redskins' quarterback.  Guess it was good we put all that effort into making it!  Yeep.

Day: Sunday, March 3, 2013.

Where: Bethesda run, which means one thing--LOUISIANA KITCHEN (and their amazing cajun martinis).

Ease of Wear: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  Love how comfortable this outfit is, even though it looks like it should be more uncomfortable.  It isn't fully comfortable since the tights aren't control top and I had to hitch them up every hour or so.

Monica H., my good friend from CA (seen here with me in this post at Winesday), gave me this skirt a few months ago since her wee little hips couldn't fit into them anymore.  I was more than happy to accept her gift, and am glad we are now getting to a point (read: warmer days) where I can wear this, finally.  :)  So thank you again, Monica!

Cool Factor: (3 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.)  Some of you J. Crew ladies are gonna love this outfit, since many of you love this skirt.  Others of you will be all, "yeah, not so much."  Let split the difference and give it a 3.

Anecdote from the day:  Mr. Dina is a terrible parallel parker.  He will give up and drive really far away to find an easier spot to park in, which is no big deal when it is warm and sunny, but on days when it is blustery and cold, it is nice to be closer to where we need to be.  It wasn't that cold that day, but with three kids, and the *perfect* spot nice and wide open, I told him to just let me park the darn car.  If you grow up around here, learning to parallel park is absolutely a necessity (unlike in Mississippi, home of wide parking spaces EVERYWHERE!), so I can get into the tightest spaces imaginable.  Mr. Dina always seems amazed that I have no problems doing so, and to further mess with him, I usually take a bow afterwards.  LOL. 

Anyway, after my (only known) feat of strength, I was more than happy to imbibe the Cajun martini.

Okay, that's it!  You all have a great Friday!  :)

OOTDs: Amelia Island. Plus Shots from the Camera.

Happy Monday, everyone.  :)

I hope all of you are still above water after the craziness of Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales.  They were nuts this year.  I thought last year was crazy, but because of multiple companies offering many discounts that brought prices down by 40-60% off, I think 2012 will take the prize for most savings made by the most people over a five day period. 

With the exception of my dad and my brother, I have bought everyone's presents.  (Well, there is that American Girl I want to get CW, but I am waiting until I get paid on the 20th of December to buy that one.)

Okay, enough about that, and onto the mini-jaunt I made with Mr. Dina and Angus a couple of weeks ago to Amelia Island, Florida.

Mr. Dina had a conference to attend down there, and since he was booking the trip while I was up to my eyeballs in scheduling, errands, and kid-related catastrophes, I decided to ask him to book me on the trip, too.  Had I realized that the trip would be right next door to another trip (the one I currently am on in Mississippi/Louisiana), I might have re-thought my spontaneity, but since I couldn't look back, I went ahead and tried to enjoy myself.  (Chortle.  You all with kids know that I am being sarcastic when I say I tried...the two days I was away were insanely blissful, with just a wee baby's needs on my docket, I was in heaven.)

The weather was slightly dreadful, what with the overcast skies, cool temperatures (low 60s), and high winds, but it could have been snowing hot coals from leaden clouds and I would have still be relaxed, that is how much this time alone was needed. 

First night's outfit.  Our resort had a restaurant at it that was at our doorstep, so rather than drive to one of the other places to eat, we decided to go to the fanciest one and walk instead.  (The resort is rather large, with multiple hotels and condos.  Like the state of Florida, it is spread out.)

This was also to be the only meal I was set to enjoy with Mr. Dina (the other was Krystal, oh, yeah, that's romantic), so I wore the nicest outfit I had packed that night.

Right before we were heading out, I was trying to get a close-up shot of the details of the outfit and my makeup and hair, and Angus decided he would ham it up for us.  LOL.  What a cutie.  ;)

The next morning, Angus and I were on our own, and since I knew the whole day would be spent walking all over the resort and the beach, I wanted comfortable yet bright (yay for yellow), so I threw together a casual look.  The top is Old Navy, the shorts and sunglasses are J. Crew, the clutch is Tulu, and the sandals are from Target.

I added a merino cardigan from J. Crew to help keep the chill at bay.  I wasn't the only person wearing shorts that day, but more folks were decked out in jackets and pants than in tees and shorts. 

I set the self-timer on the walk and then grabbed this photo of Angus and me.  The mossy oaks are so pretty, and the fact they have bent by years and years of wind from the ocean is pretty incredible.

My camera (Sony RX100) allows me to switch modes when taking photos, this one is the high contrast monochrome setting.  I like that it really emphasizes the shape and shadows of the scene. 

This was taken at the boardwalk leading down to the beach.  I took it in the high contrast monochrome setting so the grain of the wood would pop, and I post-processed the image in Picasa using duo-tone (which is how I turned the black to a mid-purple color).

Boardwalk again, another high contrast monochrome setting.  I only processed it slightly, to get the rounded corners in the image (1960's does that).

The camera also takes photos in "watercolor," which is what this is.  I post-processed this image to up the color and add the rounded corners, but otherwise this is how the image looked when I took it in this setting.  The watercolor setting is fun, but probably not for the "serious" photographer.  ;)

I love this shot.  Again, set up with the timer.  I took this in the camera's regular "intelligent" mode, but heavily post-processed it.  If I had to do it again, I would add the 1960's at the end so the photo corners are pure white and not the grey (the grey happens when you add the layer of Holga-ish to the image). 

The other shots from this part of the day are hilarious, btw.  This was the only one where my hair wasn't sticking straight up from the wind. 

The next day we were set to go home, so I wore my boring, yet very practical and cozy, outfit.  For those of you interested in the two-tone cashmere sweatshirt from J. Crew, it is lovely, soft, and unique (the blending of the two colored yarns create a fun, distinctive knit).  It does run a bit short, so if you are long-torsoed, you may want to size up.  (This is a size extra-small and if I were re-ordering, I may get the small so I wouldn't have to pair it with a cami for coverage.)

The beach was warmer the second day, so instead of just playing on the boardwalk, the three of us sauntered down and walked on the shore instead. 

This is really cute, but imagine the next scene...Mr. Dina screaming loudly, "OWWW, tiny, stop pulling my hair...STOP TINY STOP!"

This was on the plane.  Angus fell asleep and I loved the way the light sort of created a halo on his scalp.

Okay, that's it.  Have any of you all ever been to Amelia Island?  I keep insisting that we go back when it is a bit more seasonal (read: warm, sunny, and still), but Mr. Dina isn't so sure.  Convince him that I am right.  ;)

Ladies who love Boden, quick reminder...in five hours the Boden Preview shuts down the 20% off promo (PRV3), so if you were thinking of grabbing something with the extra off, you have until 11:59 pm. 

Boden Weekly Review Roundup: In Time for a Sale.

Hi, all.

UPDATE: Louise (Lou in many of the reviews) just let me know the code: DUAF.  And it works!  :)  Yay.  So until I can get the affiliate link to work, definitely use this code!  If the item you like is not part of the diminishing discount, then use the code WAFF instead, this is the code that comes up when you use the 15% off with free ship and returns coupon in my sidebar.

Thank you, Louise!!! :)

Today is the start of a diminishing discount over at Boden.  I have the link ready to go in the sidebar, but as of 11:46 am (would have been 12:46 pm, but I say kisses to "falling" back), the link is not working.  (In fact all of the links are not loading, including Pure Collection.)  This means that my affiliate program will need to fix it, and when they do, they should be live and active.  Unfortunately this could mean that they don't work till tomorrow, as I don't know if or expect my affiliate manager to be able to fix these sorts of things on Sunday.

There are some exclusions from this discount, likely the most popular items, so if you really are hankering for one of those and need a discount, use my 15% off coupon instead, and it should work just fine (when the linking problem gets fixed, of course).

If any of you are successful in making the link or links work, do let us know!

Alrighty, onward to the review roundup!

Regular Boden:

Cashmere Crew Neck Jumper.  I was able to snag this one in mulberry melange (very deep, dark pink with hints of purple) for around $100 during the last big sale over at Boden (this was a 30% off item during the last "catch of the day"). 

I am very pleased that I bought it.  I love the color, I love the weight, and I love how very soft it is.

From the side.  I purchased this in a size 6, which is my normal Boden size.  Sometimes in their knitwear, I find I *almost* should buy the 4 (the sixties jumper was a squidge too big overall in the 6), but the length, shoulders, bust, and hipline were exactly right this time.

From the back.  The only small issue is the length of the sleeves, which could be a hair longer, but I have the arms of someone who is 5'10", even if my torso is that of someone who is 5'4".  (In other words, I am used to sleeves not being long enough, so it never bothers me anymore.)

I went out to Bethesda last night with the family for a yummy meal of Cajun Food, and since it was definitely brisk outside, I knew that wearing layers was the way to go.  I had a feeling that the wool Oxford jacket by J. Crew (Fall 2007) would be too warm to wear indoors over the cashmere sweater, but would be great as outerwear.  (It was perfection, exactly what was needed for the 50 degree plus 20 mph winds.)
 

I found that the sweater was just thin enough to work under the jacket, but had it been any thicker, I would have had to make a choice--gorgeous sweater or gorgeous jacket?  The jacket is a size 4, and with my nursing ta-tas is a bit snug through the bustline (one advantage of weaning--the oxford will fit perfectly when that happens!).

If you like your cashmere warm and thin, then this would be a great option for you.

Best representation of the color.  It is almost exactly the same shade as the inner part of the enamel button.

This color reads as purple, especially when paired with the Loft pants, which always seem more purple than pink to me.  Either way, pink or purple, I like this shade for my skintone, since most purples are too cool for me.

This is a Boden roundup, I know, but I want to give a big shout-out to the J. Crew Macalister high-heel ankle boots, which I have now worn a few times (stretching them out--the first time I wore them it was sort of painful).  I love them for their elevating powers (3 inch heel) but I also love how casual chic they appear, meaning they can be worn for both "flannel plaid" outings like grocery shopping, and for "jersey dress" outings like a nice dinner out with your favorite significant other.  :)  I sized down to a 9, and am glad I did, the 10 would have been too large overall. (But I have narrow feet, so keep that in mind.)


Cashmere Crew Neck Jumper.  Glad I bough the mulberry in six when I did as that combo is currently out of stock.  All the other sizes seem to be in great shape, so you might be able to pick one up in the next great sale (if not this one, then likely another one in the future--November is a great time for sales).

60s Coat.  I bought this in the preview in a size 6, which is my usual Boden coat size.  I had actually felt that a cream-colored coat was a need in my wardrobe because I had sold another one I owned a while back (it was too big).  I had hoped that this one would be more white than it is, but I don't dislike the color as it is (somewhere between off-white and light beige).

It is all done up and buttoned here, and it fits nicely through the shoulders, waist, and hips (especially the hips as it has a flare shape to the bottom portion).

It appears that the coat's placket is pulling, but I can assure you it is not, it is fairly roomy on me.  I think the placket was made with the wrong buttons, I don't know, I have seen this effect on other people, so I don't know if it is the way the placket looks when this sort of tailoring is done, or if it will straighten itself out as the coat gets more worn in?  If you are a seamstress and can weigh in, I would appreciate it.

I love it opened up, too.  The buttoned-up look is very nice, and definitely keeps the chill at bay, but open, the coat takes on a very cool, effortless vibe.  The shirt is the Jersey crinkle shirt that I reviewed here, btw.  (I also review its sister below, btw.)

The flower on the shirt exactly matched the color of the coat, wasn't my intention, but it gives you another opportunity to see the shade if you are curious (go to the Jersey crinkle shirt item page and zoom in on the red colorway).

We were headed out to Potomac Mills on Friday night, and the coat definitely kept me warm, in fact, I could have taken a long walk in this coat and perhaps even gotten overheated.  The fabric is a lot like J. Crew's stadium cloth, but more nubby and textured (see a close-up of the fabric below).

From the back.  Love how easy the hips are, great for pear-shaped me.  ;)

The waist detail is nice, but would have looked cuter, imo, with two smaller tortoise buttons on either end of the detailing.

From the side.  I think you have to be a fan of military styles to get into this look, the seaming and epaulets may be a bit too much if you prefer more streamlined, minimalist coats.

Detail shot of the fabric and button.  This is a pretty accurate color but I would still say it is a shade darker than this in real life.

Here you can see how the placket appears when it is buttoned-up on a hanger, still a bit wobbly and pulling.

The lining is pretty with a silky mid-purple grey and off-white fabric, plus a mid-pink grosgrain ribbon waistband.


60s Coat.  The coat is nearly sold out in the oyster shade.  The other colors still have some stock, but I doubt this one is going to last long if it makes it to clearance.

Crinkle Jersey Shirt.  I wore this on our way back from Georgia last Wednesday.  I felt so festive for Halloween *sarcasm*.  :)

It was so nice to have such a comfy shirt to wear, though. Combined with the leggings and scarf, I didn't feel pinched or pulled at all in the ten hours it took to drive back home.

I bought in the six, which was the size I bought the floral in (see the above review for more on that one).

Here it is under my quilted vest in a Wytheville, VA Bojangles (mmm, chicken, all fried and artery clogging).  Angus looks like he wants some of that chicken (I just said "no" to that).

BTW, it was snowy for part of our drive...Hurricane Sandy dropped tons of snow in the mountains of WV and VA.

When I got home I took a (so glamorous) photo of how I wore the shirt in an outfit.


Crinkle Jersey Shirt.  This color is all sold out, but watch for popbacks.  One thing I have learned over the years is that if the model is wearing the color in a Boden catalog shot, that color will be the first one to go.  Only rarely is that not the case.


Velvet Henley and Straightleg Chinos.  Lou looks so cute in this layered style.  :)  (To see the chinos, click on the name of the product.)

Spring 2013 Picks:

Classic Denim Shirt.  Every clothing company has done some version of a denim shirt with polka dots, so I guess Spring 2013 is Boden's turn to give us what we want.  I can almost guarantee that this will be very well made, so if you are a fan, get it in the preview.  (The model is wearing this color, so it will be the first to go, as per usual for Boden.)

Fabric Mix Dress.  I am weirdly attracted to this dress, as it looks really comfortable, but very appropriate for work and church.  I don't like it on the model, though.  I am not willing to pre-buy a dress that has this straight of a skirt without measurements, but if you like the way this dress looks and don't have your "birthing" hips to worry about, this may be a preview item to consider (especially if you have a reason for a dress like this).

Cashmere V-Neck Jumper.  So J. Crew has this great 25% off promo going right now and I almost considered buying the pagoda blue cashmere v-neck sweater, but then I remembered that Boden has this one in its preview and for far cheaper (even with J. Crew's 25% off, it can't beat Boden's $148 minus 20% off).  So I will do that instead and wait for the pretty blue jumper to come my way this mid-winter.

BTW, does anyone think it is weird that J. Crew has better promos and coupons than Boden right now?  I never thought that would happen.  Usually by this time in the season Boden has many many things for sale in the 35-50% range, and barring a few unpopular items, it is not happening like in years past.

Spotty Canvas Plimsolls.  If you liked them on Lou here, they will be for sale again come this spring.  :)

Don't forget that the Spring 2013 20% off with free ship and returns promotion ends this Friday, November 9, 2012.  

If I neglected a review that you sent me or you did on your blog, do let me know.  As I was a bit of a jumbled mess this past week, it is very possible I missed something!

I will add the link to the current diminishing discount coupon below, but do be aware that until my affiliate fixes the issue, you will be unable to use the coupon.  Once the link is fixed, I will update this post letting you all know (and probably do a blog post to let you all know).
Shop Boden's Diminishing Discount Sale! Take 20% off all items (some exclusions apply) on November 4th- 8th, 15% off November 9th, and 10% off November 10th + Free Shipping.