Boden: Pretty Jersey Dress, Easy T-Shirt Dress, and 30% Off!

Hi, all!

Happy Sunday!  I know many of us have tomorrow off and I hope for all of us it means incredibly lovely weather.  :-)

Boden had started a 30% off sale on Friday, but because I work Friday, I didn't have a chance to do anything more than a very basic announcement over at the blog's facebook page.  I actually can sit still for a few minutes this morning, so I thought I would get a couple of reviews done (only one with photos, though), and let you all know more about the sale.

First the reviews!

Pretty Jersey Dress.  Size 6 Long.  This is a very old school Boden kind of dress.  Of course I bought it.  ;-)  I am pleased that they are willing to still have some of the styles that brought many of us to their company initially.  (For some of us as early as 2004!)

The jersey is a cotton/modal and very comfortable.  There is actually less need for a stretchy material in this dress since the style is a bit loose (that gathered skirt is attached to a loose waist--it doesn't even cinch in at my waist, it appears that way, but that is because the tee portion is a touch fitted).  The only reason I could see any of you all needing to size up is if you are incredibly blessed in the bust department.  I could have sized down to a 4, but I like how this style looks loose, so I am fine with the 6.

The length is wonderful for teaching, it hits right above the knee.  If it fell any longer, I would definitely look pretty frumpy.  I do not recommend going with a longer length unless you are taller than 5'7".

The pockets are deep and generous, and held my phone and my ID all day. 

I wish I had straightened out my skirt before taking this photo, that bump of fabric above my bottom is from not fixing it before taking the photo.

You can see the looseness in the bodice here, nothing big, but because it is a stretchy knit, it is completely unnecessary ease.  Again, don't care, but if you hate excessive ease in knits, this may not be the dress for you.

If you are long-waisted, this style may be too short-waisted for you.  I have a short torso, so this waistband is actually at my real waistline, but I totally get and understand why those with longer torsos would prefer something less "babydoll" in silhouette for themselves.

The print is a pretty little abstract dot print, with a true dark olive background.


Pretty Jersey Dress.  There are plenty left, but most are on backorder.  Mine came before my expected date, so maybe yours will too?  The blue is selling well, so if you like that color, bear that in mind.

Easy T-Shirt Dress.  I ordered the 8 Long in the white shade.  I should have ordered the 10 Long in order for it to fit properly and well.  It is NOT a jersey t-shirt dress, it is a full on woven rayon dress.  UGH.  Dumb, Boden.  Many of the reviewers are like, "you say t-shirt dress, and that means we are expecting something stretchy, knit, and more casual."  I actually like it in the woven rayon, but my hips need more material in a woven material.  Rayon knit means I sometimes can size down since it is so stretchy, but in this style, I thought I would do a size 8 to have it look more like it looks on the model.  Grrrr.  Dumb, Boden.  ;-)

Anyhow, it fits in the 8, but barely, and the pockets become non-functional.  And there is the completely expected shrinking after washing, so I have to send the 8 Long back.

Having said this, though, the dress is nearly sold out in the white shade.  So if you love it, and it's in your "WOVEN size" in stock, then grab it.  I see there is a 10 L on sale today, so I grabbed it, but I am going to be honest, I am not holding out hope it will work for me.  I suspect that one will go back, too.


Now the sale info...

So the sale is pretty basic, 30% off everything that is current season.  It does not apply to clearance stuff, and this is the sale I like for buying items that will NOT be 30% off in the clearance sale when that rolls around in early July.  (Most of the time items that don't get to 30% off are the ones that are very popular during the regular season, you can tell those by how little of the items are left in stock right now.  The Rose Dress would be a good example of this.  When it goes in clearance, it might get to 15% off, which is about the regular "sale" price during the season.)

The sale ends midnight tomorrow night.

The link below will get you to the sale, but remember to use the code 2Z7C to receive the 30% off.

Boden: 20% Off Clearance...Plus Two Clearance Dress Reviews.

Ottoman Shift Dress, on sale for $66.24

Hey you all!  How have you all been?

May has been great, raining constantly (barring my daughter's First Holy Communion Day, thank goodness).  I have been wearing a ton of Made by Me items for this month, as a bunch of us on Instagram celebrate our "memade" (shudder at that grammar, btw) outfits every day. 

Recently I chose to buy some very nicely reduced work jersey dresses from Boden from clearance.  Alas I missed both of these with the extra 20% off, but I will say I was happy enough with the price I paid (clearly as I have already worn both!).  (To fit in the "memade" month, I wore both with made by me circle scarves.)

I will get to the info on the extra 20% off at the bottom of this post, so if you don't need these reviews, that's where that 411 is. 

The Ottoman Shift Dress was a bit hit from last fall at Boden.  I actually know, in real life, a French lady who purchased this and has worn it to pick up her kids from school.  She pointed to it, smiled, and said "Boden."  I winked back and said I could probably never wear it (big ole hips) and called it a day.

But then I tried this Ottoman top after buying it from my friend after she decided she wanted the smaller size, and realizing how much I love the fabric, I decided I should give this shift a try after all since it is so stretchy.

I purchased the shift in a size 8 Long, and it turned out the size was more than big enough.  In fact, with the cotton jersey being a bit less "bouncebackable*," I maybe could have gone with a 6 Long, but I think with multiple washings, plus the fact that I work in a conservative environment, makes the 8 the best choice, even if it means I will have a bit of a saggy Sally dress at the end of the work day (only a bit, and only at the back bit).

Plus, those darn pockets!  They are amazing.  Especially if you are a teacher (can hold a phone, pencils, kleenex, you name it). 

*Bouncebackable--totally a word.

This picture shoes how it has gone a bit saggy at the back, right under the bum, and at the elbows.  But, really, truly not that big of a deal.

The cozy comfy more than makes up any negative I can muster about the lack of bounce back it has.


Ottoman Shift Dress.  There are plenty in this color and the orange/pink available.  If you think you like this style, but are unsure of the fit, this extra 20% off time is a good time to pick one up.

Louise Ponte Dress, on sale for $55.20

Size 8 Regular.  I tried the 6 Regular, too.

This dress does come in a long, and though I normally buy the longs, this one was set to hit at my lower kneecap and I wasn't really digging the thought of this shape skirt at that length on me.  It would have been fine for the modesty requirements at the school, but honestly, this one is fine, too.

The 6 regular fit, but it was like a glove.  And this ponte, though lined in a very soft and thick jersey fabric, shows everything.  The 8 regular is a much better choice for my frame.

If you look at the models on the page, even they have wrinkling throughout, so I know that at least I am in good company.  :-)

The dress did have bouncebackability, so that gave it some points, fabric-wise.  The ponte is thick and warm, and the color combo is so beautiful together.

The back view is weird.  I don't mind the zip, but I wonder how much nicer it would have looked without it.  The 8 fit fine enough that I could keep the zip zipped up and pull it over my head (though that day I did unzip and step into it, as evidenced by the fact that it didn't make it all the way back up).

The colors, btw, are true to color for what I see on my monitor versus the actual dress.

The seam at the waist does fall as a slight curve.  It could make one look a bit "with child."  Even fully sucking in, I felt like there was a big old arrow to my tummy, and I actually rather like my belly (lol, what an odd thing to type), unlike my poor bottom, which bears all my body wrath.  ;-)  Just a thought to bear in mind if you worry about your waist silhouette.

Louise Ponte Dress.  There are virtually no sizes left in both colors.  So despite wrinkles, weird colored zip, and some tummy bits, it is a popular dress.  The Louise of What Lou Wore 365 doesn't own it, sadly.  I hope that changes one day.  I personally think she would look amazing in the darker blue version!

So this clearance extra 20% off lasts until Sunday night.  I will likely pick up an item or two.  There are a TON of leftovers from last summer, so you can even shop for what you need right now.

There are always popbacks, so if you check a few times over the weekend, you may catch an item you formerly thought sold out, is now back in stock.  If an item is low stock, though, remember that it means there are five or less of the item available.

Okay, that's all for now.  I hope you have a great weekend, and enjoy (sale) shopping!

The below link is the banner the affiliate gave me, but it is 20% off (to dream of 25% off!):


For non-clearance items, you can use this link and code:
15% off plus free shipping and returns with code 3K9M, valid 5/1-5/25

Boden: Fall 2016 Preview! And a Couple of Picks!

Textured Knit Skirt (here) and Textured Knit Top (here)

Before I start in on the Fall (Autumn) 2016 Boden Preview, I wanted to let you all know what I have been up to in my life.  :-)  As you may remember from last year, I made a full suit for my son for his First Holy Communion.

Well this year was CW's turn, and I made her a very fancy pants lace dress for her First Holy Communion.  Hers, though, is mine cloaked in lace.  I knew I wanted her to wear my original 1980s dress (which was also handmade for me), but it was needing an update.  At some point, I will write up a post on it since it took nearly as long as it took me to make Rex's suit, but it will be a bit.  Still working a lot, still sewing a lot, and still running around a lot.  I make amends with the blog every couple of weeks, but it definitely doesn't feel like enough.

Okay, so onto the Boden Preview.  When CC first mentioned it in the comments in this post, I went immediately to the site and nearly sobbed over the boring.  I was all, "that's it, they have officially determined they want nothing to do with the Boden they used to be, and I may just have to sit in a corner and sew up some happy dresses in Swedish folk prints instead."  (Which I probably still will do, lol.)

Today I realized I hadn't gone back, and they definitely updated from that first visit.  There are some really cute items, and I actually have a basket full of items.  I haven't done that in years!  That doesn't mean I will pull the trigger (don't love the way they charge cards for preview orders), but I know that I will likely want a few things this fall from them.

There is a code for 20% and it is 5D9T.  I don't get affiliate commissions on preview sales, so I know I can legitimately give the code.  :-)  (I can only give current season codes that the affiliate program gives me, I have one right now, it's in the sidebar and the bottom of this post.)

My picks list is short, but mainly out of necessity of time, which I only have spare bits of in each day.  I hope that you all will add your favorites to the list in the comments!

I obviously love the Textured Knit Top and Skirt at the top of this post, but I hesitate trying it myself with my pear shape.  I may give it a go, but I will probably hold off for the time being.

High Neck Top (here)

It's kind of weird, but so is my style.  I love the severe cut, and would definitely pair it with sleek pants (think cigarette shape) or a cute knit a-line skirt (tucked in, of course).  It also has pockets (!!!).

Mia Top (here)

This is a pretty little mid-century inspired silhouette with a fun print that isn't too wild.  It has a design in the back that reminds me of the back of my Martha dress (review here), and so maybe this is this year's name for the Martha of the past two years?

Fab Fit Tweed Blazer (here)

I love the Moon collaborations with Boden.  I own a few items from this partnership, and I adore them.  They wear well, come in beautiful shades, and are well priced for the craftsmanship and fabric.  This year's blazer is very modern-looking with its especially pointed lapels (they thinned them out, too).

Floral Ponte Dress (here)

I am always such a sucker for a border print, and in a ponte, well yum.  Body forgiving fabric, in a green ponte, with a border print?  Well, I am sold.

Hannah Seam Detail Dress (here)

I don't about this shape for me personally, but the pockets and the print are awesome.  The print is wee little birdies (that from far away read as an abstract).  Swoon.

High Neck Dress (here)

Sister to the High Neck top (above), this is just as beautiful, and because this color combo is more sedate, it is also more appealing to more people.  I am almost 110% sure my body shape wouldn't work with this style, but if it ends up coming up in the reviews it fits pear shapes well, I will definitely bite.

Lucinda Knit Dress (here)

It is the updated version of the Amelie Dress (see it here on me) that I know many of us loved.  This is super cute, but the colors are pretty blah, and I already own more than enough grey knit dresses for ten women, so I will say no.

Mia Knit Jersey Tunic Dress (here)

This is the second appearance of a Mia in this picks post.  :-)  I don't think this especially looks like my style or what I expect from Boden, but I dig it and want it.

So there were no accessories or shoes on show for us, and with the expiration of the 20% off code happening in a few days time (the 13th is the last date you can use it), I don't think they will have any on show for us this time around.

For those of you interested in current season styles/discounts for it, below is the link to the current sale.  You have to use code 3K9M to receive the 15% off, though.

Boden: Three Reviews. And 25% Off!

Hi, all!  Happy early Tuesday.  For once Boden decided to throw a sale starting on a Monday.  I seem to only ever have time to computer work done on Mondays, and the last few sales/new arrivals came on other dates, or I didn't find out about them until after my "free" time had been used.  (Well I am publishing Tuesday because I didn't get my post done before class last night, humph.)

This is one of those diminishing discount kind of offers, so the 25% off now is set to last until Thursday, replaced by 20% on Friday, and finally ending with 15% by Sunday.  This is usually a good time to pick up items you think will sell out before they get to a further reduction (or if they pop back in clearance because they are popular items, in clearance they will still only be between 20% and 25% off). 

The items I am showing off in today's review post are okay popular, so I don't think you necessarily have to grab them at 25% off, but if you have some particular need for them right now, or you'll wear them a ton, then there may be a chance you would want them with the 25% off.  The Richmond shorts are especially versatile and well done, so I would happily buy them again with 25% off (and am thinking of another color, tbh).

I also am showing off a clearance item that will not be reduced further by the 25% off, as clearance items are excluded.  Having said that, they are really awesome little booties, so they may be something worth it to you, if you actually wear booties enough to justify them.

I have placed a link to the sale in the bottom of this post and in the sidebar of the blog.  It will be switched to the 20% off version provided by the affiliate on Thursday.  :-)

Janie Dress and Keira Stud Ankle Boots.  Size 6 Long and Size 40.

So I decided to buy the Janie dress after seeing a colleague in hers for months this fall.  She wore it all the time!  I didn't love the colors from the fall, and even if I had, they were sold out super early.  When this grey version came out in the spring, I was interested, but I also knew that the price was a bit prohibitive, especially considering I can easily sew a dress like this up.  But it went into one of the bigger sales, and I believe I bought it for around  30% off, which when considering cost per wear (all my jersey dresses get worn a ton, and I keep them for years), I decided made it a better price.  I chose the long because it really is quite short in anything but the long, especially since my school has a conservative work dress code.  The 6 was because all the reviews said to size down, and even though I was concerned it would be too tight at the hips, it fit fine.  I don't love the skirt shape, I do wish it was a touch fuller, but it isn't awful, either.  :-)

The Keira Stud Ankle Boots came out this spring, and though I detest the studded flats and heels from Boden this year, these booties are so awesome.  But again, the PRICE!  It went into clearance quickly, and they held one of those extra % off weekends, which brought the price to a much more reasonable amount.  Now that I have them, I probably would pay more as they are very nicely made and can be worn for hours while teaching.  I only had the option of the 40, and I have other booties from Boden that are 40, but sometimes the size 40 will be too small for my (J. Crew sized) 9.5 feet.  These are great in the 40, just narrow enough for my narrow feet, and just long enough.  The 41 would have been too big overall.  

The pockets are fab, and very much fit a phone or a badge, etc.  The fabric is a bit thin, but very soft.  I wish it was a thicker ponte, but that would likely increase the price, and make it a bit less comfortable.  There are zippers (exposed) at the shoulder seams.  They are meant to be edgy, I guess, but like the studs on the booties, they are paired with something so much more subdued that I definitely don't read it that way.

The booties are pull on, so if you don't like that style, definitely don't buy them.  I find them easy to get on and off, but my feet are very narrow (like AA narrow), so that may be why I find it easy.

I haven't washed the dress yet, so I am concerned the length will get shorter.  That would be a bummer as that would mean I could only wear it to school when it is cold enough for tights.  We'll see.  :-/

Janie Dress and Keira Stud Ankle Boot. The Janie is selling well in all the colors, but the black version is the most sold out.   The Keira Stud Ankle Boot is low stock across the board, but it has been like that the whole time since I had my eyes on them all those months ago.  I guess only some people bought and now they just linger... ;-)

Richmond Shorts. Size 10 6".  These shorts!  I had plans to make a pair of black shorts, but often my sewing is a bit of "ooh, shiny," and I will put off the practical in favor of bright beautiful printed dresses, and colorful skirts, etc.  It may happen, but now I have a pair of shorts that fit so well I might just "forget."  The Richmond shorts fit so much better on me than the Bistro shorts.  For comparison, here I am in last year's shorts.  I like the Bistro, my goodness they are comfortable, but they run very large, especially in the waist and leg.  I don't want to go down to an 8 in the Bistro, because as is so often the case with Boden, it may mean the shorts are just on this side of too tight, but the 10 is pretty darn loose.

The Richmond shorts, though, fit perfectly in the hips, legs, and leg openings.  Though the waist is still gape-y, the waist measurement is around 34.5" (and where it hits on me I am closer to 33", it is about two or three inches below the waist).  I think the key is the legs and leg openings.  Because they are a closer fit, it feels like the shorts will stay up better.

The shorts are made with this very nice cotton sateen with stretch, and the cotton is substantial.  These feel like they will last a very long time.

I chose the 6" length as my inseam is 34" long.  The 4" length only ever works on me if the shorts are of the "skort" variety, with a very large loose leg opening.  The 9" works, but I personally feel I look dowdy in my longer shorts and only wear them if I will be doing a long day of hiking or traveling. 

Richmond Shorts. Black is less popular than the other colors, but I can assure you that if you find your right length and size, you'll wear them constantly, no matter what color.  I love these so much.

The 25% off sale goes for a couple more days, it ends Thursday.  I think I may bite on one or two items, but I am still seeing a lot of basic tees, striped crap everywhere, and little eensy weensy dotted items.  I need more oomph from Boden, and all I see is items I already own, or don't really excite me.

I lol-ed at a recent comment from my Instagram.  I had placed the outfit in the #bodenbyme category because the shoes were from their 2012 season, but the dress was made by me.  One of my favorite blog friends wrote that she had hoped the dress was a new arrival from Boden.  Come on, Boden, my made by me stuff can't be more you than you right now!

OOTDs: Spain!

Last Day, Barcelona, at Playa de Sant Sebastia

Hi, all!  Hola! 

I am glad to be back from Spain, I did have a lovely time, and I really do want to get back (especially to see the finished Sagrada Familia in 2026), but I was beat by the time we got home.  :-)  I have more travel type photos to share later, but since this is more an "ootd" kind of blog, I know those can wait.  (I know, I know, I haven't really been all that great at the ootd lately.  Ha.  But I am trying to get back! Hand on heart!)

Okay, so though I started with the above image (one of my favorites from the trip), I am going in order from the first day traveling on the plane (from Philadelphia to Madrid), followed by Madrid, then Barcelona (and day trips), and finally the trip from Barcelona to Philadelphia.

I knew I would have to wear super comfortable clothing, but I also didn't want to wear clothing that was shlumpy, so I tried hard to meet my needs for cute and comfy right in the middle.  I did choose to use three main colors, a deep teal/aqua, grey, and black.  I only brought two pairs of shoes, and that turned out to be more than enough.  In fact I brought just enough, and we had room left over to bring back souvenirs (including the "top" from the top photo up there).  I bring more than this to my trips to Mississippi and Louisiana.  I think I am going to try this capsule kind of thing again. It was great!

Day: Monday-Tuesday, March 28-29, 2016.

Where:  Travel to Philadelphia from Alexandria, then the flight from Philadelphia to Madrid, and finally Madrid (with a nap for me at the hotel).

Ease of Wear: (5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) Made the tunic so I could wear it with the Madewell leggings without showing off my bum.  I did this so I could basically wear pjs in public.  LOL.  I barely slept on the plane, but still felt danged good because I wasn't pinched at all in the outfit.

Outfit Details: Coat, Anthropologie; Tunic, handmade (used New Look 6240); Shoes, Clarks (find them here at amazon.com); Sunglasses, J. Crew (here); Leggings, Madewell.

Anecdote of the Day: I had a sinus infection before leaving town (yep, that's my third illness of 2016, after the Pink Eye of January and the Strep Throat of February), so I had antibiotics and strong cough medicine to take with me on the plane.  I was very tempted to just go when we arrived in Madrid, but I heard the doctor in the back of my head reminding me to not overdo it, since that was likely what landed me with a third illness this year.  (She called it having a suppressed immune system, sigh.)  So while the rest of them went sightseeing, I slept for four hours instead.  I felt much better after waking up.

INSTAGRAM HERE.

Day: Tuesday, March 29, 2016.

Where:  Madrid.  Mainly the Museo del Prado.  This was after I had my nap. 

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) Again, super comfortable.  Very few of these outfits, btw, are anything but comfortable.  One or two might be described as a bit less comfy, but nothing dramatically uncomfortable.

Outfit Details: Coat, Anthropologie; Top, J. Crew; Shoes, New Balance for J. Crew (they have this cute pair in gold and ivory right now); Pants, J. Crew; Sunglasses, Ray-Ban (I think these are the same from amazon.com); Necklace, Stella and Dot, Bag; Travelon (buy the same one from amazon.com).

Anecdote of the Day: The Museo del Prado had free hours between 5 and 7, if I am remembering correctly, and though I would have preferred to spend more time there, we got quite a bit more of the "must-sees" done in that time, so yay for small things.  I would have thought it would have been more crowded, and though there were a lot of people there, it didn't feel overwhelming. 

INSTAGRAM HERE.

Day: Wednesday, March 30, 2016.

Where: Continued Madrid sightseeing, including the castle and the Museo Reina Sofia.

Ease of Wear: (5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) I made this dress a while back and I think I forgot to give you all the blog post I wrote on it for Fabric Mart.  Anyhow, the dress is wonderful and fits so well, plus the knit fabric (from Halston Heritage!) moves and drapes beautifully.  It also has pockets.  :-)

Outfit Details:  Dress, handmade (used Ottobre Magazine 05-2015, read more about it here); Shoes, Clarks (find them here at amazon.com); Sunglasses, Ray-Ban (I think these are the same from amazon.com); Tights, probably Spanx, but I can't remember; Necklace, Stella and Dot.

Anecdote of the Day: This was day one of MANY many miles walked in Spain.  Most days we walked 10-12 miles.  Angus was in his buggy or on my back for the most part, but the older two were forced into walking the whole amount.  That said, we ate and drank very well, so though I didn't lose any weight, I definitely didn't gain any (and I ate a lot of very high calorie foods and all my beverages were of the vino category).

Madrid, btw, is where my mom was born.  She is Spanish only by birth (she is German/American), but I know that your birthplace is still important, and it was nice to see the city she knew as a little girl.  I was quite taken with Madrid.  It is apparently a very big city, but it felt small, and that was appealing to me.

INSTAGRAM HERE.

SECOND INSTAGRAM HERE.

Day: Thursday, March 31, 2016.

Where:  Madrid to Barcelona, and then a lot of sightseeing in Barcelona (including a frightening funicular trip--my first of two terrifying rides up mountains while in Spain). 

Ease of Wear: (5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) These pants were made by me to fit extremely well and do well on travel, so it was a no-brainer I was going to bring them.  I wrote more about the process of making them here at this Fabric Mart post.

Outfit Details: Top, J. Crew; Shoes, New Balance for J. Crew (they have this cute pair in gold and ivory right now); Pants, handmade (used McCall's 6901); Sunglasses, Ray-Ban (I think these are the same from amazon.com); Bag; Travelon (buy the same one from amazon.com).

CW, by the way, is wearing one of my favorite mini Boden dresses ever, the Sweatshirt dress.  It is still available, but it is out of stock in most sizes in this color.

Anecdote of the Day: We walked so much that day, and I LOVE walking, but by 6:30 pm, I was done.  This is the first time in my life where I can remember actually wanting to stop.  We had to keep going, but at least we didn't head to another museum.  I think the kids and I would have revolted had we continued.

We ate dinner at a hole in the wall, and this British couple was sitting near us, and very quickly identified that we were from Virginia, based on our accent.  I was stunned.  People in Wisconsin think I am from the deep deep South, but people in Mississippi think I might as well be from the Bronx.  Turns out they had lived in Harrisonburg, VA, and knew the accent of "us" very well.  Yeah.  Good for them.  They may be the only people who can do it outside of Virginians.  :-) 

INSTAGRAM HERE.

Day: Friday, April 1, 2016.

Where: Figueres, Spain, which is a small city outside of Barcelona fairly close to the French border.

Ease of Wear: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  The pants are the same ones from the day before, and so still comfy, but stupid me only brought the rain jacket (not pictured, well except I am holding it in my hand in the courtyard at the Dali museum) and not the Anthropologie knit coat, so I was a touch cold all day.  I drank wine to make up for it.  Ha.

Outfit Details: Top, J. Crew; Shoes, New Balance for J. Crew (they have this cute pair in gold and ivory right now); Pants, handmade (used McCall's 6901); Glasses, Bebe eyewear; Scarf, MoMA (yep, it's Jackson Pollock inspired; apparently you can buy anything on amazon.com, including this).

CW's rainjacket is the Pack-Away Rain Mac from Boden.  It's wonderful, and does truly and easily pack away and was exactly the right layer for her that day and others.

Anecdote of the Day:  To get to Figueres, we ended up on the fast train to Paris.  I was very very tempted to see Paris, so I threatened to stay on the train with CW.  But I did want to see the Dali museum, and it was worth it.  There were hordes of French teenagers everywhere, too, so it kind of felt like I was in Paris, anyhow. 

INSTAGRAM HERE.

Day: Saturday, April 2, 2016.

Where:  Barcelona (mainly Gaudi sites besides the Sagrada Familia) and La Rambla. 

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) The tunics CW and I are wearing are made by me, and they were super soft rayon knit from Joann's, so they felt wonderful, but mine kept riding up a bit on the jean leggings.  Ding down for that. 

Outfit Details: Tunic, handmade (used Kwik Sew 3463 for mine and Kwik Sew 3958 for hers; I wrote more on my original make of this pattern here); Shoes, New Balance for J. Crew (they have this cute pair in gold and ivory right now); Leggings, the grocery store...seriously; Bag; Travelon (buy the same one from amazon.com); Necklace, Stella and Dot.

Anecdote of the Day: I loved this day.  I was stoked to take it all in, and though the trip to get to the Park Guell was a bit of a bear, once we got there, it was very lovely, and I dug the mosaics everywhere.  The view was great, too.  We decided to walk (of course!) to the next Gaudi site, and it took us through these darling streets with cute shops and restaurants.  It was hard not to fall in love with Barcelona that day.

We ended up having to go to Zara to get the kids some shoes (they complained theirs were too small), so we found some there in the sale section, and because it is Spain, and it is Zara, of course I had to peek in the women's section, too.  I ended up with dos vestidos (two dresses--more like tunics on me, of course).  They were both on sale, and when I checked the American price, I realized the price I paid in Spain was much better.  Woo hoo!  The cashier was super handsome, too.  (Not that this matters, wink wink.) 

INSTAGRAM HERE.

SECOND INSTAGRAM HERE. 

THIRD INSTAGRAM HERE.

Day: Monday, April 4, 2016.

(There is something and an ootd for Sunday, but the dress is under wraps until late April as it is my April make for the Fabric Mart blog.  You can take a peek at it here at this instagram.)

Where: Barcelona, mainly the harbor/beach, and a very very long walk to the Sagrada Familia.

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) This is one of the two dresses I bought from Zara.  I decided to wear it under the skirt as a top, but if I hadn't gone to Sagrada Familia that day, I would have been tempted to wear it on its own.  Sure it was short, but I *think* I can get away with it. 

Outfit Details:  Dress, Zara (here, I did buy it for about $23, btw, but it sold out here at the higher price, it is worth it, though the back button is a bit flimsy); Shoes, Clarks (find them here at amazon.com); Sunglasses, Ray-Ban (I think these are the same from amazon.com); Tights, Boden; Necklace, National Trust UK.

Anecdote of the Day: So that beach there that I am posing at?  It has a nudist beach there in the summer (though unofficially).  No nudists there while we were there, but that would have made for an interesting discussion with the kids had we ended up there by accident in the summer.  :-)  Angus is really vocal when he sees bare chests, declaring that those people are "naked, Momma," so I imagine he would have been very loudly exclaiming over the nakedness surrounding him had this been the case.  Instead we ended up nearly getting killed by an errant skateboarder who acted like we were the problem (yeah, no, you were skateboarding DOWN the stairs).  I would much rather see naked people.

The Sagrada Familia is certainly interesting from the exterior, but the interior was so beautiful, I nearly started crying upon entering.  I rarely have moments like those, but I felt the love and passion all the artisans had poured into its creation, and the fact that it was made for Catholics to worship in made it even more special and spiritual.  I just wish we could have gone to mass there.  (We went to Monserrat on Sunday instead, also a very spiritual place.)

INSTAGRAM HERE.

SECOND INSTAGRAM HERE.

Day: Tuesday, April 5, 2016.

Where: Barcelona to Philadelphia, and then the car drive to Alexandria.

Ease of Wear: (5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) The shorter length of the Gaudi top (purchased on the day we visited all the site) didn't ride up with the leggings the way the tunic did, so it was super comfortable.  And considering I was on a plane with three children for eight hours along with a very surly flight attendant crew (not surly to us, just surly/complainy in general), I was very relaxed and at ease in it.

Outfit Details:  Top, Gaudi inspired, made for the museums that showcase his work; Shoes, Clarks (find them here at amazon.com); Leggings, Harris Teeter.

Anecdote of the Day: I could have stayed a few extra days, but my body thanked me for returning to normal by insisting I sleep non-stop for days upon return.  I was going to bed at 8 every night for a week.  I am still very much hitting the hay as soon as I can.  I do want to try and get more walking in, even more than I already do, since I love the benefit of eating and drinking well in return.  :-)

Okay, that's it for now.  Thanks for reading.  :-)

BTW, Boden has both rolled out a collection for April and the Icons.  The Icons are nearly sold out, but the new stuff for April is still around and I have a code for 15% off below and in my sidebar.  I want to talk more about it, but I really wanted to get this post up instead.  I am sure Boden doesn't care which I do.  LOL.

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