I Hate Pants

Blazer, Charlotte Russe (overdyed by me). Cowl-neck tank, Ann Taylor (thrifted). Skirt, Talbots (thrifted). Headband and bracelet, Forever 21. Pumps, Pulse. Bag, Prague (thrifted)


Or maybe I just hate THESE pants. Or maybe just THESE pants on ME. I’m currently too plump to be comfortable in them. I’m glad I had time to change my clothes (and retake my picture) before I left the house this morning. Otherwise, I would have been hating my pants all day.


I flipped the lead picture so that I could give my pants the stink eye.

Black Lace

Lace blouse, Newport News. Purple cami and rose bracelet, Forever 21. Skirt, USMC Service uniform (altered). Pumps, Delicious. Bag, Naturalizer (thrifted and vintage).

Some people say that black lace is cheap and tacky. I don’t care; I still like it.

I wore this skirt and blouse together once before. I like the combo better with the purple tank than the pink.

Black and White Monday

Flutter-sleeved sweater, Ann Taylor. Zebra dress, Jones New York. Belt, little boy’s section of some department store. Slingbacks, Audrey Brooke. Watch, Louis Arden.


I was tickled to see that Work With What You’ve Got had a Black and White Monday too! However, she added a splash of color with her bag, while I carried my black and white purse. (I forgot to get a picture of the purse with the outfit today. The link will take you to a close-up, but older, shot of the handbag. I’m also carrying it in one of the below pictures.)

Today’s is my favorite way I’ve worn this dress so far. I like it even better than the ensemble with the pink obi.

Grandpa

And this is why you so seldom see pictures of me on the weekend:

Fedora, Cappel’s. Tee, Gap. Skirt, Mossimo (circa 1998). Skimmers, Meijer.

I have to wear a hat when I wear my glasses on sunny days. Otherwise, the glare is just too much. Mike hates my fedoras. He calls them “old man hats.”

I laughed when Allie told us that those of us past the age of twenty-one should stop wearing our “tattered denim minis.” This one has far too much history for me to give up. I wear it at least once a week during the warmer months. If it lasts until I’m 41, I’ll wear it still.

Stripey Socks

I suppose this is sort of a day-to-night transition.

Jacket, Dex (via swap). Dress, No Boundaries. Boots, Playhouse. Bag, Payless. Socks, Sock Dreams.


I demurely slouched my striped socks so that only a band of gray showed for an afternoon of lunching and shopping. I met Londyn at the Greenup Café and then we went to the Gap clearance center. It was my first time and I did not like it (the clearance center, not Greenup!) Although it didn’t smell like a thrift store, it looked like one. The set-up reminded me of Goodwill, except that Goodwill’s prices and merchandise are better. It was as crowded as Valley Thrift on a holiday, but, again, the payoff wasn’t there.

I think the Gap’s clothes are boring and Old Navy’s are cheap looking, but was hoping to score a funky Banana Republic piece. I was disappointed. The most interesting thing I found was a short-sleeved, navy blazer, by BR. However, it was missing all of its buttons and was still $30. I did buy a BR belt for $5, but considered it more of a consolation prize than a score. Londyn did a little better.

I erased the afternoon’s disappointment with a nap and a bout of housecleaning. By the time I headed to College Hill Coffee Company for some internet time, I was feeling downright perky. I disregarded the suspicion that I’m far too old for knee socks and put my stripey socks on display. CHCC is a funky kind of place and I was in a funky kind of mood.

Gettin My CPW On

Purple (it's hard to tell!) sweater, Forever 21. Dress, Isaac Mizrahi for Target. Belt, Luxury Divas. Boots, White Mountain. Bracelet, Urban Outfitters. Bag, Payless

I don’t think this dress cost more than $35, but I’m determined to bring the cost per wear below the current $8.75. I plan on pairing it with lots of sweaters this fall.

Oh, and here’s a secret: I can’t zip the dress up by myself. The bodice and sleeves are so fitted that I can’t pull the zipper up the top four inches in the back. If I can’t find help, I just leave it unzipped. No one can tell once I’ve thrown a jacket or sweater on top. If I DO find help, I have to be sure that I have someone lined up to get the dress off again, or I’m stuck.

In Search of Blue Booties

Sweater, Takeout. Tee, Charlotte Russe. Jeans, M Denim. Boots, Playhouse. Headband, Target. Kitty cat, Sammy.

I’m off to the library (picking up Momo* to reread) and Target. Although the official release date of the Sigerson Morrison line isn’t until 10/12, the shoes are available online, so I thought I’d see if the blue booties I’ve been lusting after were at my store.


Unfortunately, they were not. Now I’m in a quandary. Do I wait and see if they show up at my store? Do I order them online? Do I check other Target stores in the area? Or should I forget them altogether because they are too trendy?

*If you’ve ever read Momo, I saw the story performed as a modern dance piece by the studio I used to dance with in Okinawa. Because the narration and program were in Japanese, I had no clue (other than hearing the word “Momo” spoken a few times) that I was about to see one of my favorite books interpreted as a dance. By the time the Men in Gray came on, though, I was thrilled to recognize the story. The performance was simply amazing.

Brello

Sweater, Body Central. Skirt, Newport News. Pumps, Delicious. Silk scarf, flea market somewhere north of San Diego, CA. Sunnies, Hawaiian Tropic. Bag, Prague (thrifted). Leaf pendant (obscured by the scarf), thrifted.

Last time I wore brown and yellow, I received some amusing comments. The color combination reminded one person of M&Ms and someone else of something far less savory. Let’s hope the M&M (or even the public transit conductor) association won out today.

Second Blogoversary

Cardigan, Moda International. Blouse, Newport News. Skirt, Talbots. Slingbacks, Linea Paolo.

I can’t believe it’s been two years. I never thought this project would go on this long – or that I’d be able to come up with a different outfit each work day. In fact, I never intended to avoid repetition at all. That just sort of happened along the way. The exception to the rule is my blogoversary, on which I wear the inaugural ensemble. I’m curious as to how many years it will continue to be wearable. I did have to replace the shoes last year.









2006, 2007, and 2008
Thanks to all of you who visit and leave kind comments. I get three times the number of clicks per day that I had a year ago, and I have no idea how many of you are viewing through a reader. (I read all my blogs through Google Reader, myself!) I am also inspired by the similar blogs many of my readers maintain. Who knew wardrobe blogs would become a phenomenon? (WAY better than the “what I ate for lunch today” bunch, if you ask me.)

Stay tuned for recaps of the outfits you loved, and those you loathed, along with some other Year Two highlights.

Renovated Weatherbee

My vintage Weatherbee coat is all fixed up and ready to wear this fall! I finally got rid of the pesky dust stains (it had been hanging in a basement for so long that dust had settled and marked the shoulders and collar) with a drycleaning. The lining had also “grown” during storage and hung a full inch below the hem of the coat. This weekend, I folded and stitched it up, while watching an episode of Greatest American Hero. I’m ready to put in into rotation with my Bebe coat and my plain, Casual Corner topper.

Yes, I have a surfeit of outerwear. Just wait till you see the fabulous, vintage winter coat I scored last May! (I’ve been dying to wear it ever since.)

Vamp

Sheer shrug and rose bracelet, Forever 21. Cami and dress (shortened), NY & Co. Maryjanes, Two Lips. Cameo, shopgoodwill.com.

I must confess to having gorged myself on teen supernatural fiction lately. I started with the Twilight series, dabbled with werewolves in Moon Called, returned to vampires with the House of Night series, and expanded to fairies with Tithe and its sequel. I blush every time I retrieve another book from my library hold list. What must the librarians think of this old lady walking out with yet another young adult novel bearing dark, but suggestive, images on its cover? Ah, well. My shame isn’t enough to stop me from continuing to consume mental junk food. It may be drivel, but it makes the bus ride go quickly.


I don’t know what I’m doing in that last photo, but it was too funny not to post.

Gravy

Dress, vintage (via swap). Belt, The Limited. Fishnet tights, Simply Vera by Vera Wang. Peeptoes, Charles David. Earrings, Meijer. Clutch, Apt 9.

I got this dress from a swap. I thought it was a great trade! I sent off a backpack and got this dress in return. I have to thank my friend Karen for teaching me the blind hemstitch so I could properly hem the dress after I hacked a few inches off.

I know I wore gray and navy last Monday, but I really like the combination. I call it “gravy.”

Legs

Dress, Sele. Cardigan, Moda International. Obi, Sugadaminka. Tights, Chinese Laundry. Lace-up pumps, Isaac Mizrahi for Target. Watch, Raymond Weil. (Pictured below: Coat, Bebe.)

Recipe for Legs That Go On For Days:
- skirt, tights, and shoes all in the same, dark color
- short hemline
- high, emphasized waistline
- high heels

Combine and enjoy. Best served immediately.

Blazer

Blazer, stolen from New Gate (Hi, Karen!). Dress, Lipstick. Tights, Target. Boots, White Mountain. Necklace, thrifted. Bangle, NY & Co. Bag, Wal*Mart.

This was a wonderfully inexpensive outfit. The boots, at around $20, were the priciest item. The blazer was the least expensive: free!

I tried a messy side bun today. It was a bit unkempt when I left the house this morning, but got much messier after being smooshed against the orthodontist’s chair and then shaken during aerobics. The trauma just added to its charm, in my opinion.

Cool Start

Dress and owl brooch, thrifted. Blazer, Forever 21. Tights, Hue. Boots, Nine West. Bag, Payless. Earrings, Panagea. (Pictured below: Leather jacket, Wilson’s. Scarf, World Market.)


This morning was so wonderfully fall-like and cool. This is the first time this season that I haven’t felt silly wearing tights. I’ll be sick of legwear by March, but, for the next few months, I’m looking forward to colored, patterned, and layered hosiery.