lalala... oooh! clothes!

New Dress

2011-02-20T14:44:00.000-08:00

Ross was having a crazy good sale a few weeks ago and I walked out of there with 5 dress for under $30. This was one of them. I like it. It definitely draws attention to my fuller figure, but it has a nice slightly retro sexy vibe, too - but not too over the top for church! My mom gave me this necklace for Valentine's Day, and these shoes drive my husband crazy every time I wear them. Also, I've said it before and I'll say it again - why would anyone wear pantyhose when nude fishnet thigh highs are an option? They are so much cuter and make me feel a lot sexier than hose ever did!

Bright Red Streaks

2011-02-17T10:53:00.001-08:00

I decided I wanted to add a little drama to my look, so I put some bright red streaks in my hair:
Now I work part time for the local school system, and they're pretty lax about this type of thing so I wasn't worried about it. However, I'm also on the substitute teacher list and I do try to dress pretty conservatively when I sub - but I hadn't gotten called in a couple of months. Since doing this to my hair I've gotten called 5 times in a week and a half! I only ended up subbing 3 of those days, but I did find pretty good ways to camouflage it and still look quite stylish!
The whole outfit was one of my recent favorites!

Happy Hour!

2011-02-17T10:43:00.000-08:00

So, my husband took a job with an awesome firm a couple months ago and one of the perks is that they do a happy hour once a month at a local restaurant. Its a super casual workplace, so I didn't dress up to go and meet him there, but I wanted to look stylish and hip since we're almost 10 years older than a lot of people who work there! (he's one of the senior developers, a lot of the employees are fresh out of college) First of all, I looooove this coat. My sister gave it to me years ago and I get compliments on it every single time I go out in it! This coral necklace also got compliments from a couple of the designers there!

Retro

2011-01-30T11:09:00.000-08:00

I enjoyed wearing this outfit, thought I'm not as pleased with it seeing the pictures. The dress is from Ross and I got it for about $8 on sale! The jacket is from TJMaxx, and I got my seamed fishnets off amazon. Not sure where I got the shoes, I've had them for awhile. I looooove this purse - another TJMaxx find!

Back... kind of.

2011-01-25T16:37:00.000-08:00

So, I don't know when I'll start posting again regularly. I'm not comfortable in my own skin at the moment because I weigh so much more than I want to, but I'm loosing it slowly. I'm currently training for a 5K in March (and then maybe a 10K in May), and I have a swimming lesson this week so I can learn to swim laps for exercise. I've also been doing pilates every day after my run. And, my New Years Resolution was to track my calories every day this year.

Anyway, I did really like this outfit, so I figured I'd actually post it!

Skirt: Josphefine Chaus Petite, thrifted
Shirt: At Last, thrifted
Boots: Arturo Chang, TJMaxx
Thigh High Socks: Sock dreams (they're the same green as my skirt!)
Necklace: thrifted

Church and craft fair

2010-10-04T17:49:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I went to church, out to lunch with the fam, and then to a quilt show and arts and craft fair. There's so much gorgeous jewelry and hair accesories at the local craft fair that I always like to dress with those pieces in mind so I won't be tempted to buy too much more! This was the first time I'd worn this fascinator - I bought the supplies with this dress in mind! The dress is a twenty-one thrifted piece, and I really like it. I also love that in cold weather I have a reason to wear my nude fishnets more often - seriously, they are a million times more comfortable and stylish than pantyhose! The necklace is a tiger's eye strand doubled and twisted, and I added my faux suede purse and platforms to complete the outfit. (I will admit I took lower heels for walking through the fair.)

casual day

2010-10-01T15:42:00.000-07:00

Usually when I go out I'm kind of dressy, either for work or for church... but yesterday my son was home from school sick and then I had to take my daughter to her violin lesson so I ended up out and about in jeans, a t-shirt, and my retro glasses - I got these frames from Zenni Optical and I love them - zoom in on the picture to see a closer view, I added the crystals myself. This retro-styled t-shirt was from a thrift store, and the jeans are the Faded Glory jeans I nearly overlooked in my snobbish search for jeans a couple weeks ago. Looking at this picture, I think I have an hourglass figure that won't stop! Seriously, jeans and a tee end up looking pretty va-va-voom on me when I'm curvier like I am now!

Fall transition

2010-09-29T20:11:00.000-07:00

I got this dress this summer in NYC at a closeout store, the label says "Oleg Cassini Collection" but if that is true I would be shocked beyond belief! Anyway, I wore it a lot this summer and now that the weather is cooling off I figured out a way to take it into fall by adding a fitted long-sleeve top over it. As a bonus, it makes it work appropriate by covering all the cleavage this dress shows! I know its not the most flattering cut - the empire waist hits right at the widest point on my torso, but its really and truly as comfy as a nightgown while looking professional so I will continue to wear it occasionally. Probably pairing it with heels would slim out my silhouette but my feet were still sore from all the walking in 4-inch heels I did yesterday! I'm still obsessed with this flower fascinator from Target, I think I'll be wearing it a lot this fall!

:)

2010-09-28T20:24:00.000-07:00

I got tons of compliments on this outfit all day - okay, okay, Melissa, you convinced me that a belt over a blouse is the way to dress up any outfit! I loved that this outfit was a nice bridge from summer to fall - yellow summer top, black accessories that moved it into fall. I even had someone post on my facebook page asking if it was me they'd seen in town looking so ladylike and retro! I really love my new fascinator - $10 at Target!

The necklace makes it!

2010-09-21T18:38:00.000-07:00

I've had this top for awhile, but just haven't worn it much. However, I noticed that one of the necklaces I got at the famous Maurice's sale last week matched it perfectly! I think I'll be wearing it a lot more now! My husband and I went out for brunch and ran a couple errands the other day while the kids were in school and this was my date-day outfit. Love it! Straight cut dark wash jeans, high heels, cute purse cute top and matching necklace - what's not to like?

Church Outfit

2010-09-21T18:31:00.000-07:00

Eh, this outfit was okay. Nothing particularly special. I was wearing a new fascinator that I made this week, but didn't get a good pic of it. Nothing too exciting going on with this ensemble!

Improved dress

2010-09-17T14:00:00.000-07:00

I've had this Fashion Bug dress for a couple years, and it was always too long so I finally cut about 4 inches off. It was almost too much, but this is a much more flattering length for me. I have freakishly large calf muscles and so dresses that hit right at the widest part of my calves make my legs look super thick. (my calves are super-thick, but not the rest of my legs - they're just normal-thick! I often wear really high heels, partly to visually stretch out my calves) I really like this dress, I think its very flattering to my hourglass figure. I walked around all day feeling like Christina Hendricks! I wore a blue beaded necklace and simple threader earrings, it was extra fun picking out my jewelry today because I re-organized it last night - I now have a set of hooks on the wall above my jewelry box for long and bulky necklaces - I have them arranged by color and so its functional and quite pretty!

I got a haircut today, which I badly needed! I had been planning on letting my hair grow out into a shaggy, longer pixie cut - more Audrey Hepburn than Morena Baccarin. However, I have very thick coarse hair, and so it just takes too long to style at that length - its a lot of work to get it NOT to poof up during the day. So, the super-short works better for me. Ta-da!

LOVE this jacket

2010-09-17T13:39:00.000-07:00

I got compliments on this outfit with and without the jacket. Without the jacket, I was told that I looked like I had just stepped out of Anthropologie - a store I looooove but can't afford (except for pieces from there I find at thrift stores). When I put the jacket on, people told me I looked hot! Funny, since it covered a lot more skin than without! I also had a fascinator in my hair, but had already taken it out when my husband took my picture. The skirt is from a little boutique on the Outer Banks that went out of business last year and I got the jacket at a wine festival where there was a leather shop set up.

UGH!

2010-09-17T13:33:00.001-07:00

I wore this dress to work and when I looked at the pictures when I got home I was horrified. I definitely weigh too much to wear it right now. In fact, it looked so bad I cropped the picture so all you can really see is the top and my awesome necklace (one of the ones on sale for $1.99 at Maurices).

Easy day, easy outfit...

2010-09-14T19:30:00.000-07:00

Why is it I feel the need to wear easy outfits days when I'm really busy (like yesterday) and days that are really easy (today)? Today I worked a half day, then came home and did our annual business taxes for the state we're incorporated in and the state we live in (six month extention, due tomorrow), then my husband and kids and I had a snacky-snack dinner and watched a movie. Other than having to do the taxes, it was a lovely day! Tomorrow I'll be back to rushing about as usual - Etsy shop, work, take my daughter to violin lesson, church activities. Whew!

So, this is a basic dress from Fashion Bug, my absolute favorite jacket, my faux suede studded purse and Seychelle heels again. I also wore my amber earings, one of my new bracelets that had some amber charms on it, and a fascinator. Every time I wear a fascinator, tons of people comment on it. I think they've come back into fashion, but it hasn't trickled down to my rural neighborhood yet so everyone is surprised by it.

busy day!

2010-09-13T16:46:00.000-07:00

Today I had a dentist appt (UGH!), went shopping with my sister (YAY), then I needed to go to a PTA meeting for work. This little dress was perfect for all of them - everywhere I went people stopped me to tell me how cute it was. I got a fabulous new bracelet and a bunch of gorgeous necklaces at Maurices - they had an amazing sale where a ton of jewelry was marked down to $1.99 each - some of it was originally $20 or more! I also got some new sunglasses - aren't they faboo?!

Autumn Church Outfit

2010-09-12T14:33:00.000-07:00

I got this sweater and this skirt earlier this week while thrifting, the skirt is just perfect autumn colors! I love how swingy it it, too. I liked the interesting neckline on the top, however its one of those sweaters that weirdly stretches throughout the day, so by mid-afternoon it looked awful and baggy. I don't know that I'll wear it again, but I think this skirt will go into regular rotation! I paired this outfit with a brown-and-cream fascinator and my amber earrings and I loved they way they looked with it! Also, my brown Seychelles heels and a faux suede studded purse.

Hmmmm....

2010-09-12T14:17:00.000-07:00

I got several compliments on this outfit, but I'm not sure how much I liked it. The pink plus a cutesy sweater was almost too much, I think. My day turned out kind of craptastic, I went out to lunch with my mom and grandmother and my kids (which was lovely!) but when we came out of the restaurant it was pouring rain - which meant I didn't get to go to the outdoor quilt show I was excited about all week, and I didn't get to go for a bike ride, either. My mom and I went thrifting instead and I found NOTHING. What a bummer!

nowhere to go

2010-09-10T06:31:00.000-07:00

Tonight I'm hosting a birthday dinner for my mom, so my family is coming to me. I don't think I'm going to leave the house at all today, so no cute outfit - I'm hanging out in a housedress. But, I will share with you a picture of a GORGEOUS vintage Lisner necklace I found at a fleamarket last week:
Google "vintage lisner necklace" and just look at a few of them! I love it - most are very sparkly and have leaf and/or flower motifs. Beautiful! I think I will definitely be looking for more Lisner pieces.

LOVE this dress

2010-09-09T11:28:00.000-07:00

I absolutely totally adore this dress. I got it at a thrift store this week, I used to have a black/red/white Asian styled dress but it got so faded I had to get rid of it. Now I have another one, and I like it even better than the last! The brand is Beyerwear Too, which I have never heard of - but this dress is fabulous! I paired it with my black and white heels, a black camisole, and my black and red fascinator. Love it all!

I'm back!

2010-09-09T03:05:00.000-07:00

So, I haven't posted in forever, and it can be boiled down to three reasons:
1- My husband was working out of state M-F every week from May-Aug. No one to take my picture each day!
2- Since my husband was gone, I've not had time to blog because I've been single-moming it.
3- I've felt really faaaa-aaaaaat lately and when I do get a picture taken, I totally cringe at it. It sucks. BUT, I'm going seriously hardcore on loosing weight now because we're having a photographer come do family portraits for us at our house in November and there is NO WAY I'm spending hundreds on pictures I can't stand to look at. So, I must get back to the weight I'm comfy at - which is sadly 25-30 lbs less than I weigh now. So, working out every day + super-light eating = cute Jen soon!

I liked this outfit, I felt like a bad-ass! And it is HARD to feel like a badass when you are a stay at home mama!! The top is thrifted and I can't remember the brand and its in the dirty clothes basket in the other room, where my husband is sleeping, so it'll just have to stay forgotten. The jeans were a lesson in why snobbery does not pay off. I needed a couple pairs of jeans to get me through till I can fit into all my faves again, and Monday (while the kids were in school) I decided to on an epic journey to find some. First, I hit the thrift store and tried on several "good" brands - Eddie Bauer, Banana Republic, Battery Park... and none of them fit right and/or felt good. Then I tried Target. I like their new style system - different cuts, different fits. However, even their "short" sizes were too long. I am NOT that short - I'm 5'4" - but even with heels I would have had to hem the pants. And what is the point of spending only $20 on jeans if you have to go home and spend time sewing them?! Finally, I tried on a couple pairs at Walmart and they were perfect! The faded glory $12 petite straight cut jeans were EXACTLY what I wanted. Go figure! I got one black pair and one dark blue pair. The boots are thrifted, too - I love a good 4 inch heel!

The picture totally washed out my face, which was a shame since I loved my makeup today! Do yourself a favor and go buy an eyebrow pencil NOW. They are amazing! I never used one because I have fairly heavy brows, but its so easy to get the perfect arched-look using the pencil! I love it!

Happy Anniversary

2010-05-23T14:57:00.000-07:00

My husband and I celebrated our 9th wedding anniversary yesterday. It was actually earlier in the week, but he was traveling. My parents offered to watch the kids so we could go out to a movie and we jumped on the chance! I love this shirt, but seem to always have trouble pairing it - then I realized that the ribbons on it match this skirt perfectly, and these sandals also pick up the moss green in the skirt. I didn't wear the shrug the whole evening, but I think it did look nice. And, I wore a sparkly headband in my hair - I really love the way it looks!

Spring-y Church Outfit

2010-05-17T05:19:00.000-07:00

This outfit just shouted springtime to me! I got lots of compliments on the skirt. Because of the ruffles on the front of the shirt I went simple with my accessories - threader earrings and a faux-pearl bracelet.

like it

2010-05-14T19:23:00.000-07:00

I like this outfit, the top is a little revealing for daytime wear, but it was such a pretty summery day and I didn't have to go to work so I figured I could get away with it! I brought the shawl in case I got chilly or self-conscious, but I never actually wore it. I loooove these sunglasses, and this necklace that my sister made for me.

Happy Mother's Day to ME!

2010-05-10T11:25:00.000-07:00

I got this dress at a thrift store for $4.00 - its an Ann Taylor Loft dress, my size, in perfect condition! I think it looks very Michelle Obama, don't you? It does make my tummy look kind of big, but I still love it! I especially love the shirring and little bow at the waist. I accessorized with dangly green stone earrings and a simple family pendant necklace.

dressed in 10 minutes!

2010-05-07T19:14:00.000-07:00

Today I ended up getting dressed in 10 minutes, including makeup and hair. Obviously, my hair needs basically no attention now, which is a huge timesaver! I felt very chic, even though I'd been rushed. (I had to take my son to the doctor for a strep test and the opening they had available meant we had to leave within 10 minutes of me getting off the phone, and I was still in my nightgown!)

I love this skirt, even though its a juniors, so it doesn't nip in at the waist enough. As long as I don't tuck in my shirt you can't tell, though. These are also my hands-down favorite shoes so far this spring. I have just enough southern culture in me that I really struggle in the spring - I don't feel good about wearing light shoes before Memorial Day (silly, I know), and since these are black with white accents they go with most of my summer-y outfits, too.

sundress season

2010-05-06T11:01:00.001-07:00

We're coming into sundress season! I love wearing sundresses, but I struggle with how to pep them up a bit. I think I did a good job of that today - I'm wearing a bracelet and two necklaces from Viva Beads that my aunt gave me for Christmas. The beads are pink, purple, and green so they matched this green dress.

Field Trip day

2010-05-05T19:44:00.000-07:00

I went with my daughter's school on a field trip today to a local organic farm. We planted potatoes and had a picnic next to a lake - it was lovely! I didn't get to wear any of my awesome shoes, I figured the only appropriate footwear was either sneakers or mudboots. But, I wore this amazing shirt that my sister got me at a thrift store. I never would have thought I'd be in love with a camo-animal print-floral shirt, but I am!

My new haircut allows me to really show off long earrings, and I love these. A friend got them in Afghanistan for me, the only thing I don't like about them is that they are really, really heavy. I'm still loving my new haircut - I've gotten tons of compliments on it! The only negative comment I've gotten is from a man at church tonight - he said, "You know, Jennifer, now you have 'teacher hair.'" WHAT? An edgy pixie is what I'm going for! Everyone else has told me that the cut really showcases my eyes and face and that the cut really suits my personality. My daughter's teacher told me I looked fierce!

Ta-da!

2010-05-04T18:33:00.000-07:00

I did it! I decided it was silly to wait to cut my hair till I reached some magical number on the scale, so on the spur of the moment, I went and got it cut today. I've had long hair, I've had short hair, but I've never had super-short hair like this! I love it!! A couple years ago when I cut my hair short, everyone said I looked "cute" and it really annoyed me. So far, I've gotten a ton of comments from friends that I look "hot" - much better! Several people have also said that this hairstyle matches my personality - and I take that as a definite compliment. For a long time I was defined by my long hair - by other people and myself. Now I get to re-invent and explore other facets of my personality! Oh, and my husband looooooooooves it. He can't stop kissing my neck!

Master Thrifter

2010-05-01T20:10:00.000-07:00

I so rock - on Friday I had awesome luck at the thrift store! I found a gorgeous purse for Library Girl (my sister), I got an absolutely gorgeous Ann Taylor Loft Dress in perfect condition, and I got this rockin' purse that I love so much I had to switch all my stuff to it the moment I got out to the car!

The outfit is one I've worn before, and I love it. The headband got me several compliments from strangers throughout the day.

Oh, and a brief update on the Fit Into Your Skinny Shorts challenge - I didn't even weigh myself Friday morning... I was not on-plan this week and I know I didn't loose any weight. But, we've had a warm weekend and pulling more shorts out of my closet to try on was definitely the push I needed to get hard-core. We're going to the beach in five weeks. If I can loose about 15 lbs in that amount of time, I'm going to treat myself to a pixie cut right before we leave for the beach. I'm excited!

from okay to fab

2010-04-27T12:37:00.000-07:00

So, this morning I put on my black jeans with applique, a striped mens's style shirt, a black camisole, and this fabulous wide black lacy belt. The outfit looked okay (yes, this is another pair of pants that will fit better after I finish the Skinny Shorts challenge!), but not great. I have to go into work tonight, so I switched the jeans out for a lacy black pencil skirt. What a difference! I love it now!

Church Outfit

2010-04-25T14:38:00.000-07:00

I like this dress, and this is a much better picture of it than the last time I wore it. I also LOVE these shoes - so cute and retro! And, I'm wearing a necklace that my sister, Erin, made for me.

You can see that my hair still has some waves/body from having it in pincurls the other night... I'm still loving those pincurls!

fit into your skinny shorts - FAIL

2010-04-23T17:05:00.000-07:00

Yeah, this week I failed. Oh, well. I'm up half a pound from last week, but that still leaves me down a pound a half from the week before. I had my period this week, okay?! Cut me some slack! I'm back on slimfast now, it'll be okay. If I do (WHEN I do) get down to my college weight (-25 lbs from now) I'm going to chop my hair off into a pixie cut. I want it, look how freaking adorable I am with my hair all pinned up! But, I need to have the pixie body before I have the pixie cut.

I may have had a bottle of wine to drink tonight. You be the judge. But, seriously - I do look super cute with super-short hair, right? My only concern is that that I'm a bit too Rachel Maddow with short hair and glasses - I love her, but I hate being told I look like people.

pink!

2010-04-21T18:23:00.000-07:00

Today I paired this black dress with pink fishnet tights, a pink cardigan, and a long necklace with pink, purple, and green beads. I liked this in theory, but I think the pink tights draw too much attention to my weird hugely-muscled calves. My hair still had great body and loose curls from doing pincurls the night before last!

curly curly curly

2010-04-20T15:51:00.001-07:00

I did pincurls in my hair yesterday after taking a mid-afternoon shower, leaving them in until this morning and boy did they take! Check it out:

My outfit today was pretty cool - I realize I'm starting to get into a rut of wearing black pants/skirt and my black shrug together a lot, so today I swapped out the shrug for a black poncho. I like it.

Fit Into Your Skinny Shorts challenge, week 1

2010-04-18T19:41:00.000-07:00

Well, for an update... I lost two pounds! However, I'm guessing that this weekend I gained it all back so I'm going to have to be ultra-good all week to have continued improvement. (Too much good food and family time this weekend!)

This is the outfit I wore on Saturday to go out with my family and visit my Grandmother. I was in the mood to wear a long hippie skirt (this is an enwrapture skirt, I love them!) and then I added the top because it matched the purple in the skirt... and there was a very chilly breeze so I added the shrug. Probably the shrug was my least favorite part of the outfit, I think it looked better without - but it was just so darn chilly I couldn't go without! I also wore my wedge sandals again, I think they work better with shorter skirts, which I'll keep in mind for the future. I had washed my hair the night before and french braided it. I loved how this made my hair look when my hair was waist-length, but I'm not liking it as much with my hair the length it is now - I definitely prefer the look I get from sleeping in pincurls!

OMG, I have legs!

2010-04-16T16:47:00.000-07:00

I am not a tall, leggy woman by any stretch. I'm 5'4" and am right between wearing petites (often a little too short) and regular pants (always a little too long). I have muscular legs, too... So, of course I've always wanted to have long slim legs. It may never happen for real, but wearing a short skirt and wedge/platform shoes does help give the illusion of it! I love this dress, and while these shoes are not particularly comfortable they do give me a lot of height and visually lengthen my legs so I like them a lot!

what a week!

2010-04-14T19:43:00.000-07:00

I've been working on taxes all week and thus have been crazy-stressed and worried. I haven't been able to eat much this week, so I think my first week of the Fit Into Your Skinny Shorts challenge will be pretty successful. I just wish I'd lost weight by hitting the gym instead of the taxes.

I really liked this outfit! Maybe its because I wear black so much, but wearing white was kind of exciting today! I love the crisp white headband and the crisp white shirts and the kicky white sandals... I do wish that I didn't have such a huge melon head, though - I don't wear headbands as often as I'd like to because of it. I feel like it accentuates my giant forehead. But, other than that I liked the whole ensemble! And, my daughter wanted to join in the picture. Since she has a broken arm (the cast is behind me) she's wearing a hand-me-down button up shirt from my son with her cute little skirt.

Church Outfit and shorts that FIT!

2010-04-11T18:16:00.000-07:00

This was my church outfit today, a J.Jill skirt (thrifted), a camisole style top (thrifted), my favorite Seychelles shoes (thrifted), and a long necklace that I don't have any idea where I got. I think they all worked together nicely.

And by switching out the heels for sandals and the skirt for a pair of bermuda shorts, it transitioned nicely for the afternoon. These are Dockers shorts that I got at the thrift store last week. I needed a couple pairs of shorts to get me through till I can fit into all my skinny short again, and I'm alway struggling to find shorts that are modest but stylish. I'm not even crazy modest, but I do prefer to have some shorts that do not require me to shave my bikini line first, you know?! I usually go with mid-thigh length, but I decided to give this length a try... I'm not decided on if I like it or not yet.

Fit into Your Skinny SHORTS challenge

2010-04-09T07:16:00.000-07:00

I participating in the Fit Into Your Skinny Pants challenge - but since we're coming up on summer I want to get back into my skinny shorts! Here are the before pics, and they aren't very flattering! It was freezing cold outside this morning, too, as you can probably tell from my body language and expression.

These shorts are from Old Navy and are a size 4. I love them so much I have them in two colors, and I'll be so happy to be wearing them again this summer!

I'm using www.fitday.com to track my calories in and out each day. I'm starting at 147.2 lbs, and I'd like to get back under 130 by June 1st. I'm setting up my exercise, too. I'm going to be really good about doing my HIIT walk/run with my dog at least 4-5 mornings a week, do my hardcore weightlifting 2-3 times a week, and try to do 3-4 other workouts: cycling, hiking, aerobics, yoga, etc.

Crazy!

2010-04-07T19:12:00.001-07:00

My daughter sometimes comes up with wonderful crazy outfits - and today was an awesome one! She has a hand-me-down hawaiian shirt (she needs button up shirts right now to go over her cast), purple shorts, and a leotard skirt with sparkly butterflies on it. She picked it all out herself and of course I took her to church in it tonight - she got lots of compliments on the skirt!

Again, like it

2010-04-07T19:05:00.000-07:00

Again, I like this, but I'm not IN LOVE with it by any means. This is one of my favorite tops - its from Old Navy. The skirt was thrifted and its... okay. I'm not sure if I think its not flattering or I just don't like the size I'm at right now. I rarely wear more than one necklace, but I went with two that both have hematite in them and liked the way it looked - especially with a black and gray outfit. You can see the second-day pincurl leftovers - lovely soft waves that give my hair lots of body!

My hair will look a bit different from now on - I've gone back to henna-ing it as of today. I did a henna color treatment on it and now its got very warm tones with red highlights in the sun. I love it! (I did it after the picture was taken, you'll hopefully be able to see a difference next time I post.)

Like it

2010-04-07T19:01:00.000-07:00

I liked this outfit, I really like the red/black/white combo. The heels are super sexy, but the dress is modest enough that it balances out for work. I know its a little kitchy to have the red belt, shoes, necklace, and trim on the purse... but I still like it! To me, this looks very retro. The dress is from Fashion Bug (I replaced the belt, it was black), I made the purse, and the shoes were thrifted. Oh, and my sunglasses are prescription glasses - I LOVE having them!

OMG - Pincurls!

2010-04-05T18:47:00.000-07:00

So, I totally, totally am in love with pincurls right now. I watched a youtube tutorial on how to do them last night and tried it out - with great results! First of all, I look freaking adorable with pincurls in! Last night I barely dampened my hair, put on a scarf, slept in them, went for a run in them this morning, then took them out. The curls loosened quite a bit during the day but were still looking great at about 7pm when my husband took picture of my outfit. Tonight I washed my hair and put them in when my hair was still damp, so I'm expecting an even better outcome tomorrow. I figure that the curls will probably last at least 2 days, my hair holds curl really, really well. It only takes me about 15 minutes to do pincurls all over my hair, too! I've been in a total hair funk the last few weeks, so this is just what I needed. One of my favorite things so far about the pincurl look is that the curls look really, really natural because there's slight variations in all of them. Most curlers give such a uniform look that its obviously artificial curls.

On to my outfit for today... I just stayed home and did housework today, so I didn't really dress up - but this was the first time I paired this tank with this skirt and it matched beautifully. I'm usually not one for pairing dark blue and black, but I think this works. I'm also not one to let my bra straps show, but it worked fine in this outfit, too, I think. Anyway, this outfit was comfy and perfect for doing light yardwork and housework today. And, of course, my hair looked fabulous!!

Happy Easter!

2010-04-05T12:15:00.001-07:00

So, I haven't posted much because my daughter broke her arm last week. I've been alternately stressed, sad, and sleep-deprived since then. She's doing much better now, and I even took apart the plain blue sling they gave her and made her a pretty sling to match her green cast:

The kids' Easter outfits were purchased pre-break, so I was happy the dress still worked - it slid over the cast fine!

My outfit was not very exciting. I found this dress at a thrift store a few weeks ago, and I altered the white jacket - it used to fall strait and be boring, so I added the runching.

from frumpy to fabulous!

2010-03-30T11:26:00.000-07:00

When I woke up this morning I felt so frumpy and dumpy. I'm one of those women who gains and looses the same 10-15 lbs every few months, and sadly I'm at the higher end right now. UGH. So, to make myself feel better I put on one of my absolute favorite outfits, and luckily I'd slept in foam curlers last night so my hair looked great, too. Whew! I feel a lot better now! Its warm but crazy windy today, so now that I'm home from work I've changed the skirt out for jeans since I'm taking my son to his first t-ball practice. I'm really, really hoping the Barenaked Ladies album arrives via UPS before we leave to go to practice!

Yesterday I trimmed my bangs, and I'm actually kind of liking them. I always wore bangs growing up (I have a freaking huge forehead), but my husband says he hates bangs. However, he tells me how cute they are on me pretty often, so I guess he's either gotten used to them or decided I'm the exception to the rule. Anyway, I've been wearing my bangs long and side-swept, and this is a bit of a bolder look - but I think I like it!

Cute outfit

2010-03-27T10:18:00.001-07:00

I like this outfit - it was good for running errands on this pretty but chilly Saturday morning. I love the little bit of purple in this skirt, and I bought the skirt a year ago but have never worn it because its too short - not appropriate for work and too short to be comfortable in when I'm out running about with the kids. But it works great over skinny black jeans!

A messy up-do is my favorite hairstyle right now:

Love, love, love

2010-03-20T17:18:00.000-07:00

I absolutely love everything about this outfit: the kimono style dress with touches of turquoise, my peacock feather headband, my wooden and turquoise bead necklace, the funky shoes, how it looks with my jacket all zipped up... everything!

Interview Outfit

2010-03-20T17:16:00.000-07:00

I think this outfit really looks better in person...

church last week

2010-03-20T17:08:00.000-07:00

I'm only a week behind on posting pictures...!

This is what I wore to church last week, I rather like this outfit. The skirt is gorgeous, I got it at a thrift store. The tuxedo top is from Ross, and the shoes were thrifted. I liked pairing the more stylish and edgy leather jacket with the modest blouse and skirt. Nude fishnets finished the outfit out nicely, I thought.

Love the pictures!

2010-03-12T13:46:00.000-08:00

Okay, I'm convinced - I will be doing my pictures outdoors if at all possible from now. Just the difference between the last pictures and these is astounding.

I like this outfit - the top is made from a '30s reproduction fabric, the brand is Vintage DCC Missy and my mom got it for me at a thrift store. The jeans are from Old Navy, and the boots are Laredo. The denim jacket is Halogen, and it was thrifted, too. Its too small to button up, I think it looks okay not buttoned, but maybe it just looks to everyone like I'm wearing a too-small-coat?

I wore my hair up in a messy bun with one of the gorgeous hairsticks my husband makes (and we sell on our Etsy shop!) and with a fake piece that has blue hair. It matches my hair perfectly, everytime I wear it people who know me freak out a little about me having blue hair. What's funny is that people are so shocked, but when my kids were little I did have pink and blue ends on my hair! Since I'm working now I don't anymore.

Job Interview

2010-03-12T07:52:00.000-08:00

So, I have a job interview on Monday for a job I really want! Its for an event coordinator at a local (huge) university. My mom works in another department at the University and she says the event coordinators that her department hires are always young fashionable women. I'm hoping this outfit will fit the bill! Its shiny black slacks, a tuxedo jacket with shiny black trim, a tight gray shirt (no collar, runching on the sides), and black heels. My sister says I should wear the heels I wore to church on Sunday instead, and I can't decide if they would draw too much attention. I'm hoping that this outfit says stylish and sophisticated, my husband liked it but said it was almost too sexy, and it does have fitted trousers and a fitted jacket - but there's basically no skin showing anywhere... what do you think?

Compliments galore!

2010-03-08T13:08:00.000-08:00

I got tons and tons of compliments on this outfit today! I think that pink and brown are a good color combination for me. And everyone went nuts over these shoes! I found them at a thrift store last week for $3.50, and I love them though I find them hard to walk in. Much harder than regular heels! They are Bolaro brand, my shirt is Rampage (thrifted), the skirt is B. Moss (thrifted), and the jacket is Gap (consignment store) - however, looking at the picture I don't think this style jacket is very flattering on me. I'm still loving my nude fishnets, too!

LOVE these shoes!

2010-03-07T18:50:00.001-08:00

So, the shoes really make this outfit. The dress is from Fashion Bug, I'm wearing thigh-high hose, a black leather jacket when I was outside, and carrying a black leather purse. But, the shoes, oh! the shoes! I got them at a thrift store on Friday for $2, and I don't think they'd ever been worn. They are a little tight on me, but I'm hoping they'll loosen up a bit with some wear. Since I wear a lot of black and gray, these will match tons of my outfits! they are more of a winter and fall style shoe, but I'm hoping to get to wear them a few more times before the weather really gets warmed up.

By the way, I did henna on my hair yesterday and it was quite a flop. Usually I get a really nice warm red sheen when I henna my hair, but this time it turned out as a warm dark brown - maybe half a shade darker and a touch warmer than my natural color. I like the color fine, but am bummed I don't have my sassy red highlights.

Dancing the night away

2010-03-07T18:42:00.000-08:00

On Friday night the kids, my sister, and I went to a local bluegrass jamboree and it was so much fun! We danced and danced and danced and had a great time! I wore this sweater dress (another thrifting find!) and these leggings/thigh highs that Erin gave me because they didn't work for her. They definitely rolled down unless I wore my garter belt - but it was fun to go out dancing wearing garters! I was trying to show them off in this picture, but my daughter had to jump in - somehow garterbelts are little less sexy when worn by a woman with a 4 year old hanging on her leg. I'm not really sure what I think of these leggings that leave part of the foot exposed... I can't decide if they're too close to stirrup pants! They were comfy, though.

Another thrifting succes!

2010-03-04T14:58:00.001-08:00

So, if you're wondering why 90% of my outfits the last few weeks have been boots, skinny jeans, and sweaters - this is why! This is what my yard has looked like since mid-December. BUT, its supposed to get into the 60s next week, so maybe I'll actually see grass again soon. And then I might get to wear skirts, dresses, and high heels more often! These are truly ugly snowboots, btw, but my other black boots got a hole in them (I got them for $4 at Goodwill last year and wore them constantly this winter, so I definitely got my money's worth!) so I'll be wearing these until the snow melts. My usual A.N.A. jean leggings, a nice lacy camisole top (thrifted, Rampage), and a wonderful soft, warm orange sweater (thrifted, J. Crew) that I just got this weekend. The ugly boots are from Walmart. I am wearing an awesome necklace my sister made me - a snitch!

Master Thrifting

2010-03-01T20:49:00.000-08:00

I have seriously become a Master Thrifter the last couple of years! I found two gorgeous sweaters, a beautiful sweater dress, and a vintage slip this weekend. This was one of the sweaters, and I really love it. I need to find some way to make it a little more exciting, but its good for times when I need to look more professional. Though I probably shouldn't pair it with skinny tight-ass jeans again, especially when I'm giving a presentation at local PTA meetings. (oops!) I did get one comment from someone I was meeting for the first time, but who gets emails from me through the system, about how she wouldn't have guessed I was "so young!" I don't think I am that young, though - I'm 30. Not old, mind you, but not a youngun' anymore. You know? This sweater is a B. Moss, the jeans are A.N.A., and the I have no idea what the boots are and am too lazy to go dig them out of the closet now... I'm loooking awfully hippy in this picture, but I'm working on it. I hit the gym this morning and am working on loosing weight.

By the way, how in the world do those of you in glasses get pictures without glare on the lenses? (Erin at Work With What You've Got, I'm looking at you!) I have the anti-reflective coating on mine, but it doesn't seem to make much difference!

Shopping day

2010-02-28T14:56:00.000-08:00

I had such a fun day yesterday - my mom and I took the kids and went to visit my grandmother, then the kids and I visited my in-laws where my husband joined us and we all had dinner together. I love being near family! I was going for hip-young-mama with this look, but walking around downtown and catching glimpses of myself in mirrors I think I looked more like an angry-suburbanite. Oh, well... You can't see in this picture, but my hair was up in a very messy bun and when I went out I had on a black leather jacket and black purse, and my black boots have 4 or 5 inch heels. It just all kind of came off as bitchy, somehow... and not in a fun or cool way! Maybe it was all in my head, though, because my mom, my grandmother, and some random woman at a store all complimented me on this outfit! I looked for a long time to find a tiered shirt that didn't add 20 lbs to my frame, and I really love this one. The shrug worked perfectly with it since its sleeveless!

My daughter, on the other hand was adorable and insisted on being in the picture with me. She really loves strips obviously!

New Church Dress

2010-02-28T14:37:00.000-08:00

I got this dress because it seems I've got tons and tons of sleeveless dresses and very few long sleeved dresses. (Btw, yes, I know the full outfit shot is an awful picture - I was in a hurry this morning!) I'm shamelessly in love with wrap dresses and this one falls nicely on me. I got it at a thrift store and its a Walmart brand dress, even though usually I try to stick to nicer brands I just couldn't resist. The v-neck is a bit deep for church, so I put it over a lacy slip and I think it looked quite nice. The necklace I'm wearing was my Mother's Day present last year - its a silver figurine of a mother, father, and two children - perfect! Looking at the full-length picture I'm thinking I may need to shorten the dress - it would look cute hitting just about the knee, wouldn't it? I'm still LOVING my nude fishnet thigh-highs. Seriously, they are one million percent more comfortable than pantyhose, and more stylish, I think. Believe it or not, I wore flats today. I love these flats:

Mardi Gras!

2010-02-21T15:01:00.000-08:00

My husband and I went to a Mardi Gras fundraiser for the private school our daughter goes to. We didn't stay very long, but it was so much fun to get dressed up and go out! I hadn't worn this dress since 2002, and I wish it had not been quite so tight on me, however I guess I should count it as a win since I've had two kids and nursed for 5 years since '02. LOL My mom lent me the mask, which I thought went beautifully with the dress. The dress is such a unique shimmery-bronze color that I didn't know how I would find a mask to match it, but the orange in this mask really looked great, I think.

My favorite accessory

2010-02-17T16:53:00.000-08:00

At the moment, my favorite accessory is this headband:

So far I had worn it just with a black dress, letting the headband take the attention... but after putting on a green sweater this morning I realized it would look great! My mother- and father-in-law got this headband for me when they were visiting NYC a couple months ago. You can find lots of similar ones on Etsy, though.

This outfit is a basic work outfit for me... knee-high boots because there's still about a foot of snow on the ground, skinny jeans (since I have to wear boots), a button-down shirt left untucked, and a warm sweater. I like it okay, I wish I'd gotten the skinny jeans (from A.N.A. at JCPenney) one size larger, these are somewhat obscenely tight. I was wearing a diamond pendant necklace, but after deciding to add the headband I felt like my face was too cluttered with threader earrings, glasses with a thick frame, headband, and a necklace. I'm still liking my haircut, though I trimmed a few of the longer layers again myself this morning. There was too much of a separation between the shortest and longest layers in the front, so I trimmed the longer ones. I'm also growing my bangs out a bit... I'm thinking I'd rather have some jaw-length layers than bangs. Luckily, my hair grows crazy fast so it shouldn't take long.

sometime I dress in color

2010-02-17T16:47:00.000-08:00

I realize, looking through this blog, that I tend to dress primarily in black with an accent color or two. But I do occasionally wear color! Here is a fine example:

And I know its not necessary to match your shoes and purse anymore... but I like it! So shoot me! This jacket is one of my favorites, I got it last year at Marshall's. I saw it and decided not to spend the money, even though it was only $17 or so, but a couple weeks later I still couldn't stop thinking about so I went back and luckily found it! It makes me feel like Kaylee from Firefly. :)

I also got my hair cut, just a trim and some layers for body. I quite like it!

Mixing patterns and layers

2010-02-15T11:57:00.000-08:00

So, I'm still working on finding ways to mix patterns. This top and this skirt (purchased several years apart!) have exactly the same colors, so I decided to pair them with black skinny jeans and a small black shrug. In theory I like this, but the fit on the shirt isn't very flattering. Its actually a breastfeeding shirt from Motherhood, left over from my breastfeeding days. Breastfeeding shirts are usually rather un-fitted and have an extra layer underneath so your stomach doesn't show while nursing - thus making them a bit bulky.

Happy Asian New Year!

2010-02-15T11:48:00.000-08:00

My in-laws invited us over for a Valentine's Day/Asian New Year dinner the other evening. I felt like this shirt was very appropriate - red is traditionally wore for Chinese New Year and the shirt has Asian characters all over it. Its layered over a black sundress, black leggings, and black boots.

snow days abound

2010-02-11T14:04:00.001-08:00

So, school was cancelled this entire week, which means that I didn't go to work, either. Other than my one day out running errands, I've been hanging out at home. T-shirt and jeans, housedresses, and (gasp!) track suits. But, I did wear a couple of my favorite t-shirts this week!

LOVE this outfit

2010-02-10T16:30:00.000-08:00

Finally, FINALLY I have a picture that actually feels like me! I swear, almost every picture I end up looking shorter and heavier - I think part of the problem is that my husband is a lot taller than me and thus ends up taking pictures with a downward angle... But anyway, I love this outfit and I love how it looks on me! The jeans are A.N.A. jean leggings from JC Penny, the dress is Ronni Nicole Petite (thrifted), the shrug is Cotton Emporium (thrifted), and the boots are Steven Madden (thrifted). My sister made the necklace for me, and I love how perfectly it matches the dress!

The Walkaway Dress

2010-02-03T17:09:00.001-08:00

This is a very well know vintage pattern, known as the Walkaway Dress because you can start making it in the morning and walk away in it that afternoon. And that's exactly what I did today! I altered it a bit from the original pattern - made the skirt shorter, made the torso shorter, instead of a button at the waist I did a ribbon-tie.. I just love it! I think I'm going to start making them for our Etsy shop. I love the full twirly skirt!

One solution!

2010-01-29T09:32:00.000-08:00

I found a way to spice up my sweater-over-skinny-jeans look yesterday - I added a dress under the sweater! I like this outfit okay, this sweater has never been a favorite of mine, but it worked okay here. I was very warm while running errands yesterday - we got a ton of snow last night so I probably won't be posting any going-out-outfits for a few days!

By the way, this is my favorite purse at the moment. I love it!

My go-to winter outfit

2010-01-28T13:59:00.003-08:00

Warm sweater, skinny jeans, and boots are my favorite outfit this winter! I wore the outfit on the left yesterday and the outfit on the right today... even though I always get compliments on the red and other colored sweater, I felt like the outfit was too boring, so today I tried to add a little excitement with a big necklace and funky hairdo. I'm not sure if I succeeded - it still felt a little boring (especially paired with a gray wool peacoat), but I did get several compliments on my outfit today.

Any suggestions on how to further spice up the sweater and skinny jeans combo?

I bought this necklace at a local arts and crafts festival and I looooove it. It matches this sweater particularly well!

And I did two buns in my hair, held in place with maple hair prongs:

Work

2010-01-26T17:39:00.001-08:00

I really liked this outfit, but again the picture is not very good! I'm going to have to start seriously working on getting better pictures. Its a dark-wash A-line denim skirt, black textured sweater-tights, purple leather shoes, a black sweater, and a big chunky necklace that's silver with pink and purple beads. I had my hair pulled back in a black headband, but decided after seeing this picture it was a little too harsh with the black glasses, so I ditched the headband and wore bangs for the rest of the day.

Newscaster costume

2010-01-26T17:37:00.001-08:00

A friend of mine is writing/filming/directing comedy sketches to put on youtube, and I played a newscaster! This was my outfit:

Not that great of a picture, my 5 year old son took it for me!

first toe in the water

2010-01-24T15:40:00.000-08:00

So, one of the big trends now is mixing patterns... and I have such a problem doing that! So, I decided to put one toe in the water and wear patterned tights with this patterned dress. I think it turned out pretty cute!

I got the dress at a thriftstore and I like it except for the fluttery sleeves. I have broad shoulders and muscular arms (I do hardcore weightlifting), and I feel like sleeves like this broaden my profile too much. Maybe next time I'll pair this with a shrug. I also added a black camisole top under the dress so it wouldn't be so low-cut for church, and that also broadened the look of it.

Housedress

2010-01-22T14:04:00.000-08:00

So, on days when I'm in at-home mode, I alternate between housedresses and track suits. I much prefer wearing a housedress, though - so much cuter! My definition of a housdress is a non-confining dress that is long enough to not be obscene while I'm bending over to pick stuff up off the floor while I'm cleaning. I find dresses to meet this standard at thrift shops fairly often, so I usually only pay about $4/dress. I got this one a few weeks ago and today was the first time I wore it. Its actually quite a pretty dress, and I could easily pair it with heels and wear it to work during the summer! But since its winter now, I wore a sweater/shrug with it for most of the day:
And I also wore my hair up in a bun using one of the fabulous hairsticks my husband made me! You can buy them on our Etsy shop.

General

2010-01-22T10:13:00.000-08:00

Today I'm in the process of cleaning house, so hopefully by this evening my living room will look nice enough to take pictures in. So, till then I'll share some generalities about what I like...

MAKEUP: I loooooove wearning makeup, and even though I've been wearing makeup regularly since I was about 13, I found this tutorial VERY helpful!

Makeup in 5 Minutes Part 1
Makeup in 5 Minutes Part 2

Though, I will admit that in my profile pic the only makeup I'm wearing is lip gloss. I have a few different levels of makeup. For days I'm a stay-at-home mama, I just wear moisturizer and lip gloss. Days I'm running errands, I usually wear foundation or tinted moisturizer, cream blush, mascara, and lip gloss. For days I'm working out of the home, going to church, going out with my husband, etc I wear foundation, cream blush, eye shadow, black eyeliner, white eyeliner on the lower water line, mascara, and lipstick. I used to wear contacts on days I was out, but I don't do that much anymore now that I have glasses I really love.

SHOES: I adore high heels. The higher the better! My favorite style is super-high-heeled peep toes. I have pairs like that in brown, red, and cream right now. I also love super high heels with an ankle strap - I have two black pairs like that. During the winter I tend more toward boots. I have a couple pairs with really high heels, but also a couple pair with low heels that are more reasonable for bad weather days.

JACKETS/COATS: This is a real weakness of mine! I have a ton of jackets... thank goodness for thrift stores! I have several leather jackets that I absolutely adore: one black short jacket, two short brown jackets, one long brown jacket, and one long red jacket. I also have a wool pea coat, a wool dress coat that's long, a down jacket that's short, a mini-trench raincoat that's black, a cropped denim jacket, and a regular denim jacket.

NAIL POLISH: I used to always, always, always have my nails painted bright, funky colors... but since having kids that has just not been maintainable. Now I keep my fingernails and toenails super-short and keep either clear or sparkle nail polish on them. When I'm wearing sandals and peep-toes a lot during the summer I make sure my toenails are always sparkly and pretty!

Other new glasses

2010-01-22T10:00:00.000-08:00

Here's my other new glasses! I'm loving www.zennioptical.com a lot - I got several new pairs of glasses for less than one pair of glasses from my optometrist would cost.

Re-inspired!

2010-01-18T07:08:00.000-08:00

So, my sister started a fashion blog and has re-inspired me to start blogging about fashion again!

First of all, here's her blog - go check it out!

Secondly, probably my biggest fashion-related change the past few months has been getting new glasses! I have these glasses in red and in black, and I think I'm going to give up contacts for awhile.

No, I don't normally go all-red like in this picture! This was taken Christmas Eve and I'd just gotten the red scarf as a gift. And, the awesome tree necklace - which my sister made for me. (We have an Etsy shop at www.birnamgrove.com - you should check that out, too!

I also have to say that I will also start featuring some of my daughter's awesome outfits on this blog. She's four years old and has amazing fashion sense - much more adventurous than mine!

mia

2009-06-05T06:47:00.000-07:00

Sorry I haven't posted in so long!

I've had computer and camera issues, and with the busy life of parenting and working part-time, this was the first thing to drop off my list of to-do. I still am enjoying thrifting and finding cute outfits to wear... but haven't been documenting them. My "real" blog is Photogrove, and I haven't even been updating that much lately.

I'll try to get back on this over the summer! However, I don't know that my summer fashion choices are all that exciting... I've bought about a million sundresses to wear. After years of not being able to wear sundresses due to being a breastfeeding mother, I'm relishing getting the chance to wear them again!

boots with a skirt!

2009-01-11T17:44:00.000-08:00

I've never really worn boots with a skirt before, but I've always thought it looked great when other women did it... So, I tried it out today and I really liked it! I think the boots look good with a "heavy" skirt, like this tweed.

date night

2009-01-11T17:42:00.001-08:00

My husband and I had a casual date night the other night... I really liked this outfit. I think it looked better in person than in the picture - I ran into a friend from high school (I graduated 11 years ago!) and she went on and on about how great I looked! What a nice little boost! I really love these boots, I'll proably be wearing them a lot the rest of the winter. Its really hard for me to find boots that will fit over my freakishly huge muscled calves. Seriously - about 90% of boots I try on do not fit.

purple

2009-01-11T17:40:00.000-08:00

I really like purple, and I love courderoy jackets... so this outfit was very fun for me!

more shoes!

2009-01-11T17:38:00.000-08:00

Theses shoes are the best find I've had in a long time at a thrift store - maybe the best find ever! I got these for $1!!! They're made in France and they are the softest leather I've ever felt...

whoops!

2009-01-11T17:02:00.000-08:00

Well, over the holidays I neglected my poor little blog... But I've got a bunch to update tonight!

These are some boots I found thrifting. My hubby loves pointy shoes, and I'm trying to find more because they help lengthen the leg visually. I have very stumpy legs that could benefit from some lengthening!

more pink

2008-12-17T19:39:00.000-08:00

Well, I'm not as thrilled with this outfit. I truly have probably tried on close to 100 pairs of pants this month to try to find some that fit my waist, hips, and thighs all at the same time, and this is the pair of khakis that won. However, the looser cut of the pants and the light jacket and the ruffled shirt under add too much bulk to my frame, I think. I think I'll try to wear these slacks with a more fitted top, and this jacket with more fitted pants in the future.

fabulous new skirt

2008-12-17T19:37:00.001-08:00

I just love this skirt! Its such a fun mix of contradictions - its a traditional tweed, but its bias-cut and has a slight flare. Plus, it has a bit of pink in it and I've been in a pink-mood this week. Its not the most flattering length, but I think it would look better with higher heels. I wore these because I was going out for a date-night with my husband right after a super intense workout at the gym and my calf muscles couldn't handle my super high heels!

Churcy-centered day

2008-12-14T20:05:00.000-08:00

We went to church this morning, then back to church tonight for a musical performance and potluck. I wanted to be dressed appropriately for church, but also comfortable since I'd be in my dressy clothes all day and be wrangling my kids all day, too. I think this fit the bill pretty well. These are the same pants from yesterday, but I washed and dried them on high heat so they shrank just a touch and they fit a little better (I still have a majorly gap-y waist, though). The shirt I found at a thrift store last week and almost didn't try it on, but I'm very glad I did! And, I'm again doing the red boots and red purse - I just love the way they pep up an otherwise plain and sensible outfit.

Night out

2008-12-14T20:02:00.000-08:00

Last night my sister and I went to a local singing performance. I knew I'd probably run into several people I knew in high school, so I wanted to look snazzy. I like this outfit! The pants are new (on clearance at Target for $6.50). I have this major problem with finding pants that fit... My waist and hips are about a size four, and my thighs (thanks to weightlifting) are a size 8. I'm trying to figure out if I can take in the waist of these pants myself, or if I'll just mess them up. (I'm quite the seamstress, but I don't do a lot of clothes.)

do my shoulders look fat in this?!

2008-12-11T19:29:00.000-08:00

So, I'm very into weight-lifting. I've been lifting since June and I do hardcore weight lifting - not barbie dumbells. I'm talking 115 lb barbell squats, doing rows with 25 lb dumbells in each arm, 80 lb lat pulldowns... so, pretty serious. And I LOVE the definition I have in my shoulders and arms now. (I'm slightly less thrilled with my big muscular thighs, but I think as I loose more bodyfat I'll be happier with them.) Anyway, usually I like the way clothes look now that my shoulders are wider than my hips, BUT this shirt really makes me look boxy and huge-shouldered. I love the fun, funky print and I especially liked pairing it with my fun galoshes... but I'm just not sure if its really flattering to my upper-body shape... I'll have to ponder this one.

Sorry I haven't been updating as frequently! With Christmas approaching, my time is getting divided up more than usual - I make a lot of the Christmas gifts we give each year.

Church to Date!

2008-12-11T19:25:00.000-08:00

I managed to find an outfit that with just a very small tweak, goes from church-appropriate to hot-for-date-night! The shawl conceals how crazy-deep the v-neck is, and I got compliments at church on my outfit. And, on our date, my husband was enthralled with my sexy dress! Success all around! I would have liked to have worn some open-toed high heels, but it was about 20 degrees and really windy, so I went with these shoes that would keep my toes a bit warmer.

another pair of pants GONE!

2008-12-11T19:23:00.000-08:00

So, I love the idea of these pants - I know that wide leg and high-waisted is kind of an offbeat trend... but I think that once you've had a couple of kids, they just become "Mom Jeans!" So, I wore them the other day, and then put them in the box for goodwill. With regular jeans I think the outfit would look okay, but it doesn't really "pop!" - you know?

Christmas Portrait

2008-12-06T08:33:00.001-08:00

First of all, isn't my husband unbelievably HOT?!

Secondly, we did include the kids in the most of the pictures, of course, but I don't think I want to share their pictures here. Plus, in those pictures you can't see my sexy red shoes! We all wore red and black. (If anyone remembers, this is a different red top than I had originally planned on wearing, but I found this one at a thrift store yesterday and felt it was more winter-y.)

a re-do

2008-12-02T20:20:00.000-08:00

I like this shirt/scarf combo so much last week I decided to wear it with jeans (instead of trousers) today. I like it this way, too - dressed down a bit, but a nice way to wear jeans without looking the least bit sloppy.

really - it was better in person!

2008-12-02T20:17:00.001-08:00

Boy, I look like a huge dork here! I think the messy bun doesn't photograph well... plus, I have anti-glare lenses, but something about the angle my hubby photographs me at always gets a ton of glare! I liked the way that the shoes and purse picked up the red in the shirt. And these are the same slacks as in the previous picture, I'm hoping this is just a bad angle and I don't always look this hip-y in them! LOL

not as harsh as it looks!

2008-12-02T20:13:00.000-08:00

I don't think this outfit looked quite as harsh in person... I like the combination of grays and blacks. The shirt is black, the sweater a medium gray, and the slacks are a very dark gray. With black boots.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-28T17:25:00.000-08:00

This is what I wore to the reunion at my grandmother's house and then to dinner at my in-law's. I really love this shirt - the ruffles and short sleeves make it pretty hip, I think. Plus, you can never go wrong with red shoes - especially with a high heel on them!

typical look for me

2008-11-28T17:21:00.000-08:00

I like this look, its professional but still youthful (I think). Fitted slacks - flat front, of course - untucked striped button down shirt, and a v-neck sweater. And boots with a heel. These pants were a fabulous find - $3.50 at Goodwill for fully lined Gap wool slacks!

another "love it!"

2008-11-25T20:22:00.000-08:00

This outfit was great - its not the best picture, though. The top I'm wearing has lace along the v-neck and the scarf has lace stitching all over it. I thought this outfit struck the perfect balance between sweet and business-like. I had been searching for a nice pair of basic khakis for several weeks and had not planned on getting a pair with pinstripes, but I really like these. Though my hubby said, "Wow, the alternating dark and light stripes make the fabric almost three-dimensional looking." to which I snarkily replied, "Yeah, I really want to add more depth to my thighs!"

sexy!

2008-11-25T20:12:00.000-08:00

I love this outfit, I felt really sexy! It was my day off and I went out shopping and ended up having a horrible day... but it sure wasn't the fault of this outfit! I got the red bag at a thrift store last week and I'm pleased with it. I know its not necessary anymore to match your bag with your shoes, but I love doing it - especially when they're a nice contrasting color with the rest of the outfit. I was going for messy-curly with my hair here, but it seemed to have come out more frizzy than anything else! LOL

the shoes make it!

2008-11-24T09:15:00.000-08:00

Don't they? I just LOVE these shoes! So does my husband, and even my four year old son told me he loved my shoes this morning! I also really love the look of this necklace, even though I've had to repair it four times since I bought it last month... but this time I got my hubby to fix it and I think he did a better job than I did the first three times. I wish I'd had time to do something more exciting with my hair and makeup, but I overslept.

hate it!

2008-11-21T20:28:00.000-08:00

This was not the outfit I had picked out or put on this morning, but in the process of tossing one of my cats off the bathroom counter so I could do my makeup, she grabbed my (new!) shirt with her claws and tore it. I was quite upset. I ended up settling on this outfit - maer inly because it also matched my new labyrinth necklace which I really had my heart set on wearing. I thought that the textured tan shirt and brown pants would be a nice backdrop for the necklace and that a red sweater and red boots would punch up the look a little... but its just too soccer-mom-ish for me. I looked for a red zip-front sweater hoodie for months to replace the one I lost last year, finally found this one this week, and after wearing it once I'm left wondering, "Did I always look like such a big dork in hooded sweaters?!" I'm thinking this outfit would have looked about a million times better if my jacket had been a bright red corderoy blazer. Live and learn, I guess - now I have a new item to look for at thrift stores! The purse is a recent find - its really soft yummy leather and was only $2 at goodwill!

Even if the outfit sucks, you have to admit that the necklace is pretty awesome!

power suit

2008-11-19T18:26:00.000-08:00

Okay, I don't know if this really qualifies as a power suit... but I like it! I was actually planning on wearing a black skirt instead of pants, but then saw it was going to be 18 degrees this morning and decided to go with the slacks! I had a conference to go to today and I wanted to look very professional. I really, really love the piping on this jacket. I got it at Target a couple years ago and I think this is the first time I've actually worn it! I'm tempted to wear it with my white tuxedo ruffed shirt under it, but I think it might be a little too over the top that way.

I also bought a new hat today, and got a pretty pin to decorate it. Its nice and soft made out of fleece so it can't get bent out of shape. Plus, it is super warm! I think the pin dresses it up enough so that it looks a bit dressier than a fleece hat normally would.