007 New Year's Eve

Black dress, need to look at the tag! Black, sequined sandals, Nine West. Chandelier earrings with black feathers, Claire’s.

I wore this to the James Bond themed New Year’s party at the Know Theater. This dress is a touch too small, so it tends to creep up my thighs. I tugged at the hem at regular intervals. I also wore my giant underpants to be sure I wasn’t over-exposed.

I’m not sure what I think of my eye make-up. It was much heavier than normal. I can’t decide whether it looks whore-ish or cool.

Shopping on New Year's Eve

Black wrap sweater, Bloch. Black A-shirt, Target. Wine velveteen skirt, Delia*s. Black leggings, Target. Black boots, Jennifer Moore. Shorter necklace, Urban Nomad. Longer necklace is an old belt.

I persuaded Mikey to accompany me to the mall on New Year’s Eve. It was crowded, but the sales were incredible. This turned out to be a great outfit when the line for the dressing room at New York and Company was long and slow. I found a mirror at the back of the store and stripped down to the skirt, leggings, and tank top and tried clothes on over my layers. There was no getting around the long line to the register, however.






Denim jacket, Forever 21. Blue silk scarf, Thailand.

Festive, Darn It!

Sheer blank tank, Mossimo for Target. Black tank (beneath), Moda International. Dark jeans, Express. Red sequined scarf (worn as a belt). Black pumps, Michelle D. Red beaded earrings.

After tonight’s show, the Quandary cast is going out to B-Dub’s for a little holiday cheer.

Grocery Shopping

Navy blue sweater, Target. Black, long-sleeved tee, Target. Jeans, Dollhouse. Brown clogs, Gap. Red silk scarf with rose print, from a flea market in California. Shorter necklace, Urban Nomad. Longer necklace is a belt I’ve had a for a few years.

I actually felt like changing out of my pajamas to go to the grocery store and buy the fixings for our Christmas dinner. The scarf stayed on my head for only a few minutes. I have an oddly shaped head (no shelf in the back, above the base of my skull), so wrap-around style headgear creeps off in not time. *sigh*

Little Brown Sweater

Oatmeal wrap shrug, Banana Republic. Striped shirt, Forever 21. Brown pants, Body by Victoria. Brown booties, Style & Co. Earrings, Express.

Here is another shapeless shirt reined in with a sweater. I love lightweight, semi-transparent shirts, but they are usually lacking structure. I wonder why I didn’t think of topping them with sweaters long ago! I guess I picked up the idea from constant browsing of Wardrobe Remix.

Outfit by VS

Cropped sweater, Moda International. Black top with lace overlay, Moda International. Black and white tweed skirt, Moda International. Black pumps, Michelle D. Cameo earrings, vintage.

This is the second time I’ve worn this sweater. I hated the outfit I created with it the first time. I am loving it today, with my booty skirt. Maybe that’s because the entire outfit (sans shoes and earrings) is from the Victoria’s Secret catalog.

Like my faux tan? Courtesy of L’oreal’s Sublime Bronze. No stockings required.

Fishnets and Pearls

Pink collared shirt, Moda International. Black, short-sleeved sweater, B. Moss. Black skirt, Steppin’ Out. Black fishnet tights, No Boundaries. Black boots, Jennifer Moore. Faux pearl necklace with starburst, Newport News.

I was sick yesterday. After watching movies all day, I felt well enough to play “fashion show.” This outfit was one of my creations. I really like the way the gauzy skirt contrasts with the crisp shirttails, slutty fishnets, and heavy boots.

Today is No Head Tuesday because I had to take this photo before I did my hair and makeup. You don’t want to see what I look like when I first wake up!

Me and My Calvins

Black silk knit shrug, INC. Peacock blue tunic, Daisy Fuentes. Black camisole, Cuddle Duds. Dark jeans, Calvin Klein. Black, sequined scarf (worn as a belt), from some hippie store at the Dayton Mall. Hoop earrings, Nine West. Silver acorn pendant with rhinestones, Express. Black pumps, Michelle D.

Since our office went to “business casual” dress, we no longer have “casual Friday.” However, jeans on Friday are still common. I thought I’d join the casual crowd today with my pair of ancient (5+ years) Calvin Kleins.

I used a paintbrush today to secure my twist because I couldn't find a black hair stick. Artsy, huh?

Meow

Black wrap sweater, Bloch. Textured leopard camisole, Express. Brown suede skirt with cutouts, Target. Brown fishnet tights, No Boundaries. Brown boots, Nine West. Earrings, World Market. Leopard print scarf. Fracas perfume.

The two leopard print pieces are ancient. I bought the scarf around 1997 and the tank in 2000. Both used to be part of my “clubbing” attire. I also had a sheer, leopard print, button-up, collared shirt, but I think I finally gave it away to Goodwill. I really wanted to wear it this morning, over the cami and under the sweater, but settled for the scarf instead. I rarely regret cleaning out my closet, but I did today.

Vampire

Black, zip-up blazer with ribbon detailing, Moda International. Red silk wrap blouse with ruffled neck, Newport News. Black, lace top cami, New York & Company. Black, pinstriped pants, Forever 21. Cameo, vintage (from goodwill.com). Black, round-toe pumps with cutouts, Etienne Aigner.

I didn’t realize until after I took this photo that my ensemble looks rather vampiric. I vant to suck your blood! All I need is a pair of fangs to complete the look. Seriously, I’ve worn too much black lately. I tend to pull on black (and red) when I can’t decide what to wear. It always looks sharp, if a bit dramatic.

And speaking of drama, by blazer and blouse are “almost famous.” I was in the world premiere of the musical “The Gospel According to Tammy Faye” last June. We mostly costumed ourselves. I wore the blouse as a drag queen and the jacket as a member of the jury. Can you find me (and my famous duds) in the photos?

Thai Skirt

White, button-up body suit, Moda Intenational. Red, silk skirt with gold embroidery, Thailand. Indian brass earrings, World Market. Red pumps, X Appeal.

This skirt is gorgeous, but tough to wear. First of all, even though the skirt is adjustable to accommodate different sizes, you have to be thin to wear it. Otherwise, the fabric puckers and pulls. It isn’t meant for Western bodies. Even my modest curves tend to pull the skirt from its columnar shape. I spend a lot of time checking myself out in full length mirrors and windows to smooth errant bulges. Second, what do you pair it with? I’ve only come up with two options: white shirt or black sweater. The skirt is so flashy that a simple top is best. I originally bought matching fabric to make a blouse, but that would be much too costume-like. Instead, the extra fabric is now a hanging on my living room wall. Finally, the waist is a little strange. Because it fastens with a wrapped length of fabric, the skirt has a “paper bag” waist. (Remember when that was cool? Big baggy jeans cinched in with a tight belt so that the excess denim flared above? I’m dating myself here.) It may be retro, but I’m not a fan of the “paper bag” waist, so I try to disguise it by blousing my tucked-in shirt or covering it with a sweater. Again, maintaining the look requires constant adjustments. Ultimately, the skirt is more a conversation piece than a wardrobe basic, but it’s a souvenir of my deployment to Thailand in 2002.

Quite fittingly, I'm having Thai for lunch!

Warm Day in December

Black, short-sleeved velvet blazer, Forever 21. Pink, cowl neck tank, New York and Company. Black slacks, Nine and Company. Heart necklace, girlshop.com. Black pumps, Michelle D.

Hooray, today’s high is supposed to be 57 degrees! I’m taking advantage of the opportunity to wear short sleeves, lightweight pants, and pumps. I’ve got a black velvet scarf to wrap around me if I get too cold at work.

This will probably be my standard hairdo for the next few weeks. We are performing every night, so my hair is getting sprayed and curled every night, so I have a big pouf head every morning. Twisting it up and securing it with a stick tames the crazy hair cloud. You wouldn’t want to touch it though; it’s crunchy!

Audition Day

Green sweater, George ME. Jeans and belt, Dollhouse. Silver earrings, Target?

I’m off to an audition for the soundtrack of a new musical. I suppose it doesn’t really matter how I look (just how I sound), but looking nice definitely helps my confidence.

Jacket Quandry

Red velvet mandarin-collar jacket, Newport News. Brown tweedy skirt, Newport News. Beige lace and sequin overlay camisole, Moda International. Brown and gold-tone necklace, Target. Brown boots, Nine West.

I like this jacket, but I’m not sure how to wear it. Collar up or down? With a skirt or pants? Buttoned or unbuttoned? At the end of the season, I’ll provide a gallery of outfits built around this jacket and you can vote for your favorite. (It's also interesting to see how my summer color has faded over the months. I'll be ghostly by March.)

Holiday Potluck

Red satin blouse with tuxedo detailing, Express. Gray flannel pants, Express. Beaded silver and black belt, The Limited. Indian silver earrings.

We had a holiday potluck for our group at work today, so I dressed in my festive best.

Mostly Brown

Pink, button-up bodysuit, Moda International. Brown tweed trumpet skirt with embellished hem, Newport News. Brown scarf, Jay Jacobs. Gold earrings with dark brown crystals, Express. Brown tights. Brown pumps, Target.

These have to be the most uncomfortable shoes I own. I think the problem is that they are a little wide, so my foot slides down the steep instep and my toes are jammed into the end of the shoe. However, the shoes are super cute and the high heel makes me look long and lean. I wear them anyway and just bear the pain.

My Favorite Pants

Multicolored tweed jacket. Chocolate brown pants, Body by Victoria. Pink, sequined camisole, by Deep Los Angeles. Cross necklace with green stones, Target.

I wear these pants quite a bit. I bought them from the Victoria’s Secret catalog around February 2004, in preparation for my transition from the military to the business world. I started wearing them when I began my first civilian job, in August 2004. Since then, I’ve worn them at least three times a month. Assuming I paid about $60 for them, after 28 months, I’m down to about 70 cents per wearing.

They’ve held up well too. The inside button on the waistband is coming loose and one of the leg hems has come partially undone, but no one can see those things. The bottoms of the legs have salt stains from wearing them on the city streets in the winter, but they are hardly noticeable.

The only beef I have with these pants is that they are cuffed. I usually wear heels. I quickly learned that cuffs + heels = danger. I can’t tell you how many times I caught a spiked heel in the cuff and went tumbling. Now, I only wear thick heels that aren’t likely to find their way into the cuffs. I’ll never buy another pair of cuffed pants.

Blue Velvet

Blue velvet blazer, New York and Company. Long, beige wool skirt, Casual Corner. Lace overlay camisole, George ME. Multi-strand faux pearl necklace. Rhinestone and pearl chandelier earrings. Brown boots, Nine West.

Here I am, with my boobs hanging out again. I don’t know why I have so many low cut tops. There certainly isn’t anything to reveal down there! I spent the afternoon in a meeting with the grand poobahs, constantly adjusting my neckline to keep my bra out of sight. One poobah in particular kept staring at my exposed flesh, but I tried not to let it bother me.

Today it did not get above freezing. I was warm enough in this long wool skirt and velvet blazer under a thick wool 3/4 length coat. I also wore a very cute hat (must get a picture of it) to protect my head from the icy wind. A fuzzy scarf kept my décolletage toasty.

Red All Over

Red, button-up bodysuit, Moda International. Red and orange tweed pants, Moda International. Red bead necklace, George ME.

Monochromatic outfits are supposed to be chic and slimming and all, but I find them kind of boring. What would really make this outfit exciting is an orange shirt (the pants have orange in them) but the only orange shirt I have is a Halloween tshirt. It isn’t seasonal or work appropriate. *Sigh* At least I’m boring in a lovely shade of red. I do love red, even if it’s all I’m wearing.