Super Fast Catch Up

Hi!  Here's what I wore on Thursday of last week!

Trying to utilize my surroundings in the pose...

See?  Using my background!  New poses!  Yay me!

And no boots!  Shoes!  Aren't you proud?

Okay, here's a proper, well-behaved pose that shows off the outfit.  And the outfit is:

Black floral top, Anthro (a gift from my StepMom and Dad)
Black tank, Target from a zillion years ago
My "grown-up" jeans, Tahari from Marshall's
Black heeled shoes, Aerosoles
Necklace, Lia Sophia (Rip. Off. Sorry.)
Earrings, Target

Okay, bye!  Gotta dash...

Inspired By Audi

The whole reason why I started this side project blog (my full-time blog is over here), is because I was inspired by the gorgeous and fabulous fashion bloggers I've found on the Internet.  From coast to coast, these ladies make me excited to get dressed every day.

Today's love-in is for Audi at Fashion For Nerds.  She went out and bought herself an EPIC Marie Antoinette wig, JUST BECAUSE.  And that, my friends, is today's lesson.  Sometimes, you just have to treat yourself with a little something-something, just because you want it.  Not all the time, lest ye go broke.  But every once in awhile, you deserve a treat.

I have a big (although not as big as Audi's) wig, too.  I bought it to wear for 18th Century costuming, based on a recommendation from my buddy, Lis:

Dress and hat by my bestie, Laura.  I also helped with it, but she did the lion's share of the work.

Wanna see a close-up of the wig?  SURE YOU DO:

That's my My Space face.  Sorry.

Do you guys own a wig or two?  I own a couple, all for various and sundry costuming uses.  Here's the one I wore last year, to be a "twin" with my bestie, Cindy:

And yes, people actually thought we were sisters.  All because of the wigs!  Well, and because we're the same height and weight...

Viva la wigs!  I hope Audi has as much fun with hers as I do with mine.

Baby Steps

Today's outfit represents the babiest of baby steps.  Let's start with the outerwear, necessitated by the SNOWOHMYGAH we had this morning:

My epic, Sherlock Holmes-esque coat of awesomeness.  From the faux Target, aka the Salvation Army in downtown Mpls.

Now for the baby stepping (please excuse my asinine expression):

See it?  It's RIGHT THERE...the pink tank top!  Yeah, I know, who cares?  Well, I do - normally I wear a black tank with this outfit, but today I busted out the pale pink one for a wee bit of contrast at the top.  Ta-da!  Viva la difference!  Or something.

Moving on - what is that I spy to my side on the Biggest Bookshelf In The World?  Could it be another one of my random collections?

It is.  It's my snowglobes-from-other-peoples'-vacations collection I mentioned last week.  And below it is my crazy-old collection of VHS tapes.  Remember those?

Wee Steps Toward Fashion:
Tunic top, Forever 21 via my buddy, Ashley
Pink tank, New York & Co.
Black leggings, Express
Black boots, Isaac Mizrahi for Target
Black beaded necklace, antique store in northern WI.  Originally, it's from Germany.

I'm It

Megan Mae tagged me to give up 7 Random Things About Myself.  Fortunately, I'm a pretty random person, so no problem!  And thank you, Megan, for thinking of me.

1. I collect snow globes from other people's vacations.  I have amassed a large collection that lives (where else?) on my big-ass bookshelf.  Whenever my friends and family go away, they bring me back a little piece of the action - either in glass or plastic.  What can I say?  It makes me feel loved.

2. I love horror movies, but I hate torture porn (be looking for a future post on this topic).  Saw, Hostel and their ilk make me sick, not scared.  They keep raising the bar on depravity - and gross disgusting-ness is not horror.  Horror movies are flicks like Scream 4, which I am sooooooo seeing in the theater.

3. Not only am I afraid of the dark, I fear:  sharks, bears, lions - anything that can knock me off the top of the food chain; bees, wasps, or anything that stings; being impaled; having my eyes gouged out; heights; enclosed places; and clowns.

4. When I'm having a really AWFUL day and I need to feel comforted, I'll wander the aisles at my local Target.  Its sameness, orderliness, and inexpensive goods just makes me feel better.

5. The only (common) food I won't eat is green beans.  Bleah.  Even the smell of the growing in the garden makes me ill.

6. For me, the scariest episode of The X-Files wasn't the one with the backwoods, inbred killer family (Home).  It was the one about the preying mantis thing that "hid in the light" and turned people into zombies (Folie a Deux).  Gah!  So creepy...

7. I watched all sorts of hippy-esque PBS shows for children back in the 70's.  Sesame Street, of course, Electric Company, 3-2-1 Contact, Captain Kangaroo, Mister Roger's Neighborhood, and my FAVE, Vegetable Soup.  It was an upstate New York production, and I'm fairly certain everyone involved in making the show was stoned out of their minds.

Unplanned

Today's outfit is not what I had planned.  First of all, the weather has been warming up, so I was going to wear sandals.  As in, NO BOOTS.  But then... the temperature plummeted down to 35 degrees this morning.  *sigh*  So it's back to boots for the time being.

I was also going to wear a completely different dress.  Until I found a hole in the back.  *sigh*  However, it is fixable.  And I have the needle and thread to do the deed.

Anyway, here is what I ended up with:

That's the suede trench I got from a Wilson's Leather clearance sale back 4 years ago.  I don't love the fit - it's a size too big - so I tend to wear it hanging open like that.  Otherwise, I look like a linebacker, which is only cute for, well, linebackers.

This is the dress that started it all.  What do I mean?  I used to only buy dresses for specific purposes.  But with this one, I bought because I loved it, and it was on sale.  Now whenever I find an inexpensive dress that fits great and makes me happy, I buy it.  I can always find an occasion to wear it - or dress the dress down, like here.

The one problem I've had with this dress throughout the last umpty-ump years I've owned the thing - it's too low cut.  I tried pinning it, but it always made the draped front hang funny.  So then I'd futz with it all day long.  Finally, about a month ago, it occurred to me to just layer the damn thing over a cami.  Yeah.  I AM that slow.

The Unplanned Outfit:
Sage-colored trench coat, Wilson's Leather
Mauve and purple and black patterned dress, Dayton's from back in the day (it's Nine West)
Black tank top, Target from a zillion years ago
Black knee-high boots, my Grandma Mac
Silver and pearl necklace "pile," Nu Look Consignment in Minneapolis

The random side benefit of the dress?  It's really, REALLY stretchy.  So it always fits!

I'm Blue

Today's outfit was inspired by my need to wear something akin to jammies.  Why?  Because I'm sick.  AGAIN.  GAH.  WHATISWRONGWITHME????!!!!!?????

Anyway, moving on.  To the outfit!

To the jammies!
Blue and black patterned tunic/dress, Macy's clearance rack this winter
Leggings, JC Penneys
Black knee high boots, my Grandma Mac
Black and silver draped earrings, Target for just $8!

Apropos of nothing, I used to collect gargoyles back in the (gothy) day.  I amassed a few, and most live on my ginormo bookcase.  See?

This little stoney is from some wee reclaimed architecture store in Boston.  Aren't they cute?

Awwwwww, so sweet!  So plaster-y!  I still keep my eyes open for cute new gargoyles, but I don't see them around as much.

BTW - I'm wearing this dress as a tunic over leggings NOW.  But this summer?  I will so wear this with bare legs and strappy sandals.  It's juuuuuuuust on this side of decent.  One inch shorter, and I'd be in panty-flashing territory, and NO ONE WANTS THAT.

Try, Try, Again

My last two days' worth of teaching-appropriate outfits have been met with mixed results.  And thus?  I am trying again:

The 411:
Black blazer, Target clearance rack 4 years ago.
Pale turquoise draped top with long sleeves, gift from my parents
Grey striped pants, Express
Black sport shoes, Nike outlet store
Hammered silver hoops, gift

This looks plain black, top and bottom, but it's not.  The jacket has silver sparkly threads running through it and pant are actually charcoal with a white pinstripe.

Speaking of the jacket, it's an oldie but goodie by Isaac Mizrahi for Target.  The front is nice, but the back kicks ass:

I love the slits in the sleeves and the huge kick pleat.  Very structural and fashion-y, yes?

My shoes are dance shoes from Nike.  They are hugely comfortable, and plain enough to work for... well... work:



So what are you wearing today?

Boy Repellent

While yesterday's pants are boy-approved, today's dress is very anti-boy.  Every guy I've ever dated, worked with, talked to, passed on the street hates this dress.  Perhaps it is scary?

RAWR!  Dress is coming to get you!  Then again, maybe not.  I don't know, I kind of like it:

It's cute!  It's swirly!  It has a fun print!  It's also high-necked and over-the-knee, so no skin flashing for the boys.  Sorry boys.  I like it.

Furthermore, this outfit is classroom-approved.  Comfy enough footwear, no cleavage, business appropriate.  Perfect!  Although it may piss off the boys in my class...
Brown fitted blazer, purchased FOURTEEN YEARS AGO can you stand it?  It's from Dayton's, it's a Dana Buchman, and I got it on huge clearance.  Sadly, I don't wear it very often.  Which is why it's lasted 14 years.
Dress, bought on sale at Dayton's, too.  But not as long ago.  My dress theory?  When you find a dress on sale that fits you perfectly - buy it.  Trust me, you'll find a reason to wear it.
Brown boots, JC Penneys
Gold hoops, Target

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go terrorize some boys...

Rather Dull

Today's outfit filled a very specific need.  It had to:
a.  Be comforable and non-constricting, all the way down to my shoes,
b.  Look professional, as I was teaching real estate class today,
c.  Be in NO WAY offensive to my students - seriously, they can be a bit judgemental, yo.

The resulting ensemble, however, is less than inspiring:

YAWN.  So boring...

For real and for true, this is putting me to sleep.  Oh well, work it anyway:

The oh-so inoffensive outfit:
Blue velvet blazer, hand-me-down from my StepMom
White cami, New York & Co.
Black pants, Fashion Bug
Black dance shoes, Nike from an outlet store
Black beaded necklace, antique store in Wisconsin

The best thing about today's look are the pants.  My boy loves these pants, because of the pockets on my rear.  He likes the view:

How YOU doin'?

Not Britney

Today, Jason (co-host of the Buzz) said I looked very Britney Spears.  And thus?  He started singing "Hit Me Baby, One More Time."  Sigh.  What do you think?

I guess it's the sweater vest.  At least he didn't tell me I looked like Mr. Shue from Glee:

Huh.  I guess I don't get a Britney vibe from this:
Purple v-neck, Express
Sweater vest, consigned from Clothes Mentor in Edina
Black pencil skirt, NEW!  From Target, Mossimo and only $19.99
Black boots, Circa Joan and David from Macy's
Black sequin hoops, JC Penneys

Here.  Fine.  I'll Spears it up a bit.  Oops!  I did it again:

And of course - hit me baby.  One more time:

Quik Pix

Do you hate it when businesses misspell names?  Like Kwik Trip?  And Toys R Us?  Yeah, me too.

This is my attempt at an artsy-farsty outfit.  Black underpinnings!  Funky over-dress!  Long necklace!  All I need is some beat poetry and a beret.  Except I look bad in most hats.

Bee Tee Dubs, I love this dress.  It's soft and comfy and sports a crazy pattern.  See?

Crazy-ass plaid.  What's not to love?
Black turtleneck, thrifted this week from Savers
Plaid dress, thrifted 4 months ago from the same Savers
Black leggings, JC Penneys
Black boots, Circa Joan & David from Macy's
Silver tassel necklace, garage sale