Overly Hip

I’m not sure how many more trends I could be wearing. Leotard, check. High-waisted, full skirt, check. Bib scarf, check. Glasses, check. Oxfords, check. I spent the evening with Beefy’s very hip sister, so maybe I was trying to keep up?


Leotard, Mirella. Skirt, Jack BB Dakota. Oxfords and belt, thrifted. Scarf, vintage.

She’s over ten years younger, so I won’t even try.

Sometimes I Look Like Ass

I thought I’d spend Sunday sweating at home, but I was asked to help clean up The Drama Workshop’s flooded warehouse, instead. It turns out the work was mostly done by the time I got there, but at least I was dressed appropriately. (And the warehouse basement was much cooler than my house.)


Tank, No Boundaries. Pants, part of my USMC uniform (I cropped them that morning). Shoes, Champion (thrifted).

Saturday Day and Night

I had an unexpectedly satisfying Saturday. I had planned to rent a car to join the Tristate Hiking Club for a hike at Clifty Falls, but woke to pouring rain and abandoned my plans. Instead, I:

- Finished watching Rocky Horror Picture Show
- Completed two projects from my DIY list
- Repaired some jewelry, using my trusty glue gun
- Worked out
- Tended the right-of-way strip before my neighbors reported me to the city, again. (It’s a $200 fine to have weeds in the right-of-way area. I know this from personal experience.)
- Blogged
- Drank two pots of coffee at College Hill Coffee Company
- Read two plays – Out of Order and Three Tall Women
- Visited the Newport Aquarium. (I have an annual pass.)
- Ate dinner at Habanero and drank my first Dos Equis
- Watched Down the Road at Falcon

I wore this for my daytime activities:


Hat, Betmar. Black tank, Kimchi & Blue. Striped tank, Express. Owl necklaces, vintage. Skirt, No Boundaries (thrifted). Boots, Dan Post.

(Yes, my hair is wet. And it felt lovely, too, since I still have no air conditioning.)

For nighttime, I took off my hat and donned my olive sequined jacket.

DIY Inspiration Pages

I often drool over an item in a magazine only to realize I could make it myself. Sometimes another blogger’s creations will give me inspiration of my own. I seem to bubble over with ideas when I’m stuck on the bus or in a meeting, but forget them all when I have rare free time at home.

My solution is to keep a DIY list in my style notebook.* I list projects I’ve invented or stolen. (When I'm away from home, I jot ideas in a smaller notebook, to later transfer to my list.) I add inspiration pictures or sometimes whole pages from magazines. With my ideas tucked safely away, my mind is freed to dream again.

Today, my Saturday morning plans were rained out, so I opened up my book and completed two projects. I sewed a piece of broken jewelry to a beret and made a new owl brooch.




How do you organize your ideas?

*I don’t think I’ve properly documented the rest of the style notebook. Stay tuned!

Tickets Still Available!

You can still win tickets to Red, Pink and Blue. The first three readers* to leave a comment telling us what the Red, Pink and Blue stand for win a pair of tickets to the event. See you there!

*Please only participate if you will be able to attend the Cincinnati-area event, next Friday. Thanks!

Jiggety Jig

Home again, home again!

But maybe not so glad to be here. The weeds are out of control. The A/C repair man rescheduled to next Friday. My laptop power cord quit working. The house is covered in cat hair. I’m tempted to run off, again.


Shirt, Converse One-Star (thrifted). Skirt, Herman Geist (thrifted and shortened). Sandals, Gianni Bini. Bag, Coini (thrifted). Necklace, gift.


Photos by Beefy Muchacho

Business Traveler

I did some rare business travel this week. It doesn’t matter where, since I almost never left the hotel and dressed only for a dry, constant 67 degrees.

Monday


Suit, Moda International. Blouse, Mushka by Sienna Rose. Brooch, self-made. Shoes, Linea Paolo.

There was some confusion on what to wear on the first day. I erred on the formal side. I’ve been mistaken for a hotel employee in this suit in the past, so I tried to break up the conservative look with a colorful blouse, quirky brooch, and khaki slingbacks.


Tuesday


Bolero, Express (swap). Dress, Ann Taylor Loft. Shoes, Two Lips. Necklace, Kenneth Cole Reaction.

Ah….that’s more like it. I feel more like myself in this ensemble. A dress, contrasting colors, pattern mix, and funky shoes are my signature.


Wednesday


Jacket, Charlotte Russe (overdyed). Dress, London Times (hand-me-down and shortened). Necklace, World Market. Shoes, Linea Paolo. Purse, Caprice (thrifted and vintage).

By this point, I’m pretty tired. I’m also tired of the gorilla pod and no remote. (I’m using the camera’s self-timer with so-so results.)

For a casual dinner Wednesday evening, I briefly considered the ensemble below right, but instead just repeated Sunday’s outfit.


Thursday


Sweater, I Heart Ronson. Dress, Ann Taylor Loft. Brooch, my grandmother. Shoes, Two Lips.

I only had a few hours of meetings before flying back home. To travel, I swapped out the brooch for a belt and pulled on my trusty cowboy boots.


So glad to come home to kittens and the Muchacho!

Win Tickets to Red, Pink and Blue

Are you a Cincinnati-area fashionista interested in schmoozing and strutting at Red, Pink and Blue? Even better, would you like to do so for free?

Send in a photo of your red, pink, and blue outfit to be published on WhatIWore2Day. Your outfits will be put to a community vote and three winners will receive a pair of tickets to the charitable and fashionable event from CincyChic. The deadline for submissions is noon, Friday, 6/18. Winners will be announced by Sunday night.

Photos should be sent to whatiwore2dayblog at gmail dot com. Be sure to include your name and a link to your website (if applicable).

Observatory

Meegiemoo suggested that Beefy and I visit the observatory for a photo shoot. I’m so glad she did. The observatory was absolutely lovely (and fascinating). We’ll be returning for a full tour.


Sweater, I Heart Ronson. Dress, London Times (hand-me-down and shortened). Bag, Caprice (thrifted and vintage). Necklace, vintage. Boots, Dan Post. Belt, thrifted.


Inside the big dome and outside the little (historic) dome:


Photos by Beefy Muchacho

Analagous

At one time, I would have shied away from an analogous color combination, like turquoise and olive. Now, I find the color clash intriguing.


Jacket, Dex (swap). Dress, Moth. Owl brooch, swap. Purple flower brooch, Beaded Garden. Earrings, Ali’s Boutique. Boots, Dan Post. Bag, vintage.


Photos by Beefy Muchacho

Summer Wardrobe Capsule Challenge Recap

It’s over! Jane’s fourth Wardrobe Capsule Challenge is complete. I made it through the week with five garments and unlimited accessories. Here are my six looks:


Maryeb asked how I choose the items in a wardrobe capsule. This is my fourth capsule, and I think I’ve got a good process.

1. Choose a dress. The right dress can give you three different outfits when worn as a dress, skirt, and top. The dress I used this time didn’t work well as a top (because of the empire waist), but my faux-Missoni dress from the first Wardrobe Capsule Challenge was super versatile:


2. Choose your color palette. I usually choose the color palette after the dress. Since the dress will be my workhorse, I want to ensure it looks good with most of my other items. I went for a pastel palette, anchored by navy, for the spring challenge:


3. Choose a bottom (or two). I add at least one skirt to my capsule. It can be worn with a top or over the dress. If there is room, add another skirt or slim jeans. (I prefer jeans with a slim/skinny cut so they can be worn under the dress for a fourth outfit.)

4. Choose a top (or two). The tops I choose depend on the time of year…but I use at least one blouse. A blouse can be worn as a simple top or layered under or over a dress. In the winter, I also added a sweater to my capsule. For this summer capsule, I chose a ruffled tank top in addition to my blouse.

5. Choose a cover-up (or two or three or…). Jackets, cardigans, and vests are essential toppers in your capsule. They can hide lumpy layering or competing waistlines. In a pinch, they can double as a top. Adding a topper to a previous outfit can make it look like one you’ve never worn before.

When I follow these guidelines, the result is a capsule that easily clothes me for the time period. I often have “left-over” outfits that I don’t get a chance to wear. You can see previous Wardrobe Capsule Challenges here:

Spring 2010
Fall 2009
Winter 2008

Skirt and Tank

I wore my last two items of clothing properly for the final day of the Summer Wardrobe Capsule Challenge. Accessories were “free” and I’m continually amazed at how a few large accessories (scarf and boots) can totally change the look of garments I wore earlier in the week.


Skirt, Eddie Rodriguez. Tank, Julie’s Closet. Scarf, vintage. Belt, Claire’s. Boots, Dan Post. Bag, World Market. Cuff, Epcot Morroco. Earrings, Urban Oufitters.