Autumn Colors

Today would have been a perfect day to admire the foliage on my way out to a meeting 2 hours away.  But it was raining cats and dogs, and visibility was nil.

Luckily I had some Autumn color inside the car.

The navy-ness of the pants doesn't really come through in the lovely indoor, artificially lit shots (again, damn the rain!)

Cardigan, New York and Company; Blouse, from mom!; cords, Lands' End Canvas; Boots, Madden Girl; necklace, Target.

My closet...

I try not to complain about my house, because a.) I have one b.) it is PAID for!  Of course, you get what you pay for, if you know what I mean.  But among many issues with the house there are two I allow myself to complain about.  (And those two things are not the leaking roof and the fun house floor upstairs.) No. My complaints:  no closets and no bathtub.  None.

This is where I keep my clothes.

An Ikea armoire:

And two bureaus:

Ok.  I am lying.  I also keep clothes in the hamper, the dryer, and on the back of the bedroom room. (That's where things go to die...I mean wait to be ironed.  I took today's dress off of the back of the door.)  But I do not have another season tucked away somewhere.  What you see is what I get to choose from!

She Wore a Raspberry Sorbet

This dress always makes me want an icy berry gelato.

Looking at this picture makes me want a red hot iron. Oops.

Last night I experimented with velcro rollers.  I put them in dry hair for about 20 minutes, and it seemed to calm it down.  I am interested in experimenting more, maybe with damp hair and a dryer.

I'd also like to try this dress with a black cami and leggings, but we will get there when we get there!

Dress, Target; Cardi, J Crew; Boots, Madden Girl.

Spotted

I know I will have to do some pattern mixing with this skirt to earn my fashion blogger stripes. (Get it?)  But for now I am just proud I paired it with something other than black!

(Don't worry about those papers by the way, I cleaned my office this afternoon.)

Oh, and don't worry, I managed to keep some black in the outfit, by sneaking in this hair elastic in.

Skirt, Hand me down from dad's wife S., Jacket; jacket, Victoria's Secret; Shoes, Bass.

Mom on the Run

This is a less bohemian version of one of my earliest outfits.

The Now:

And the then:

I really like the polish the belt adds, and I think the grey pants lighten it all up.

I also like how I look like I am about to take off running in this picture...

Blouse, TJ Maxx; Cardi, Target; Pants, New York and Company; Shoes, Madden Girl; Belt, Gap.

I'm as Corny as...

We took a trip to the corn maze yesterday...

Not a great outfit shot, but couldn't resist posting. Do ham and corn go together?

Cords, Lands' End Canvas Slim Leg Cord; Blouse, LOFT, gift from my dad's wife, S, who also get the photo credit.

Before and After

Before:

But who cares about the outfit??? I got bangs!

After:

And a motivation to get new a contacts perscription.

Last time I had bangs they made me look 10 years younger.  That may still be the case, but since I last had bangs in 2000, I am 10 years older.  So if I look 25?  Not gonna complain.

Cardi, New York and Company; Dress, Lands' End Canvas; Tights, We Love Colors.

In between

I love Fall.  But the weather!  Frost in the morning, high 60s by mid day...What to wear??

I almost pulled out the colored tights and leggings I picked up at Target yesterday (not together of course!), but braved the chill instead. I just am not sure about the whole tights in sandals thing, and since I don't have brown shoes that are closed, that would have been the look.  I am still debating!

Things are calmer this week, and no headache today!  I actually got a lot FINISHED at work today, which hasn't happened in a while!

Skirt and jacket, the Gap; Tee, Target; Scarf, gift from Nicaragua from a friend.

Yawn

Tired AND boring.  A winning combo if ever there was.

I am such a convert to belting that I believe if I had put one on, this outfit could have been saved.  Or at least elevated from mere clothing to an Outfit.  But alas, I didn't even have a belt in me. I did, however, have a migraine.

Cardi, Lands' End Canvas, Stock Room Sale...$22; pants, New York and Company; denim shirt, American Outpost.

Hair's the Story

The hair.  So I am now down to two shampoos per week.  I condition then and also at least once between shampoos.  (Because I can not get it wet and not condition...I would never get the knots out.)  I am not brushing and only comb when it is wet.  No product either, for the most part.  (But the day I teased last week I did use hairspray.)  I need to get my ends trimmed and I have decided to go for the bangs.  (I am also debating a move back to contacts...which is related only in terms of bangs and glasses.)  But I have yet to make a hair appointment, because I have no time.

Anyway...here is how it is looking.  I think I washed it on Tuesday night.  I conditioned it last night.

I feel like I look like a creepy witch in this picture.  I had a good pose going but then got distracted by my neighbor's dog...hence the about to topple over body and whipped around head.  Oh well, I think the movement showed off the sweater well.

Turtleneck, Victoria's Secret; Cardi, Target;  Slim Leg Cords, Lands' End Canvas.  (I was wrong about price...they were $44.50); clogs, Dansko.

End of the Road

Ah...The week has come to an end.  I averaged 5 and half hours of driving everyday but Monday.  I am a true road warrior!  And I am not ashamed to say that this week from hell ended with me crying in the arms of the kids' day care provider.  (She also takes good care of me!)

But at least I had the comfort of new pants and shiny shoes to help me make it through the day.  It's hard to feel tired when you see this when you look down:

And finally, before I crash, I would like to commend myself on this color combo. Not only do I love the gold and navy combo, the blue and green all really worked together.  (And I feel lucky it did, because I didn't get to look in the mirror today and didn't see the whole outfit til these pics.)

Cords, Lands' End Canvas, $49; blouse, Vera Wang's Kohl's line; Jackie Cardigan, J Crew.

Shopping

I had a perfect outfit shot location in mind today, but by the time I could take the picture it was pouring cats and dogs and the location was outside so I didn't stop and do it.  And by the time I got home it was dark and still pouring.  Methinks that come winter we'll be seeing more office bathroom shots!

When I posted Monday's outfit on Facebook I asked folks how often they shop and learned that many of my friends share a trait with me: CHEAPNESS.  And no, not in the tarty fun way.  In the can't bear to give up significant money way.

I've been spending more on clothes lately though, and it feels good.  I still won't spend more than $100 on any one piece and feel like $50 is more my sweet spot. But now that I know what looks better on me, and am really getting sense of what I need and where I would like to experiment, I find I am parting with my money a little more easily.  And having a few places where I am secure in my size has helped with my online shopping.  (As I may have mentioned, the local bricks and mortar stores are very very limited.)

So here's to stimulating the economy!  Tomorrow I will wear a new pair of pants, just out of pure patriotism (which is why I put them on just to vote on Tuesday!)

Transitions

As I suspected, the summer dress easily transitioned to fall.  In the meantime, looks like my shoulders are also trying to transition for the colder weather.  By becoming earmuffs.

Maybe I should have taken the picture before driving to and from Albany for a meeting.  (A drive that was made FORTY minutes longer by poorly marked road work and a detour.

Boo.

I multitasked with my outfit picture today, by also grabbing some wood for the fire while I was out on the porch.  (I had to consciously looooooooower my shoulders for this one.)

The turtleneck under the dress is from J Crew, and I think they called it tissue weight or a layering tee.  Either way it has several holes, one of which popped up (literally, my thumb popped through the fabric) on the third or fourth wear. That pissed me off more than today's detour did.  Luckily, all the holes are covered by the dress.  I usually love the Crew, as you may have noticed, but seriously? Holes?  For the record, I have had a black one from them for longer and no cavities!

Sorry for my incoherence.  I am having a rough week.  On the road 4 out 5 days, late evenings, grumpy kids who miss their dad, dreary weather....blah.  No wonder I looks so ticked off in these shots!

Dress, Lands' End Canvas; turtleneck, J Crew; shoes, Madden Girl

Fall Colors

Since my limited wardrobe really seems to contain clothes I just wear differently according to the seasons, I decided to do a little fall shopping.  That's why the new skirt.

And the boots.

But don't worry.  I will be keeping it real by wearing this skirt through next April.

I am trying to figure out how to wear less all black as the weather cools, so feel free to call me on it when I look like Morticia.

Skirt, Victoria's Secret, $39.50; boots, Madden Girl; tee and cardi, Target.

Inheritance

This sweater is symbolic.  This sweater pretty much sums up my fashion ineptitude.  I have never been able to wear it with anything other than BLACK.  How obvious.

So while I know I have made SOME progress, this is my challenge.

Find a pairing that makes this sweater shine. 

This ain't it.

And also? Dear Lord!  These are my go to blacks pants for fall and winter...But apparently they do NOTHING for me.  Uh oh.

At least I had one thing going for me today...my grammy's necklace.  I can see it on her in my mind's eye...she's eating a chili dog, smoking a Benson and Hedge's and drinking coffee. Or she's playing cards and drinking coffee.  Or she's sitting in the passenger seat of an Olds.  Probably drinking coffee.

Some days?  Thinking about one part of your outfit can make you feel really good.

Pants, Ideology; Sweater, French Connection; Necklace, Grammy! (oh, and I am pretty sure the boobs came from her too.)

Tease Me

I started my day with some good, old fashioned back combing.  It is pretty much the only way I can make my heavy, heavy hair look like I actually DID it, instead of just pulling it back.

The 2 wash a week regimen is starting to make a difference.  My hair seems less dry, and the waves are a little more separate.  And I this is only day two of this shampoo.  It is no longer getting greasy by mid-day on day three either.

Anyway, this is the week I start layering the summer things I didn't get enough of for fall wear.  I don't think it got warmer than 60 today, so the tights were a good call.

I wore this to a board meeting and for a LOT of driving.  Comfy, but pulled together.  A good combo!

Dress, Dress Barn; Jackie Cardigan, J. Crew; Shoes, Naturalizer; pin, thrifted; bracelet, Grandma's; belt, another $7.99 reversible jobbie from the Gap Outlet!


*Port-a-potties by Morrisonville Septic?  Didn't notice they were there til after I posted.   There's a fall festival in town on Saturday at the Tee Ball Field in Wilmington.  Guess whose backyard backs UP to said tee ball field?

Archi-texture

My fear of patterns.  I must tackle it slowly.  And I am pretty sure that even though there are STRIPES!  and CIRCLES! involved in today's outfit they do not count as patterns.  No, just textures.  Oh well.  Can't I get half credit for it anyway?

At least I mixed two colors, neither of which is neutral!

Sweater, Victoria's Secret, $24; Skirt, Gap Outlet, $14.99 (thanks again, Mom!); belt, J Crew; necklace, gifted, Mother's Day 2009.

Blob + Belt = Bombshell

In honor of back to school, I bring you some elementary mathematics...Take one ill defined waist, add belt and full skirt, and you get an hourglass (or at least a few more minutes on either end.)

Thanks to all of you who suggested I could use a wide belt to wear this skirt with a tucked in top.  I was worried about sliding skirtage, but this fabric belt has some quilting, which I think added just enough friction to keep it in place.

See how I tied it all up with gray accessories?  See?  Oh, how much I have learned over the summer.  Maybe I should be giving myself a higher grade than "F" this days?

How about a "B" for belted bombshell?

Skirt, Simon Chang via Fashion Exchange; Sweater, LOFT; Shoes, Madden Girl; Belt, Gap (same as yesterday....did I mentioned it is REVERSIBLE??); Cuff, Tesoros in Austin, courtesy of my employee discount from  my grad student days in retail; necklace, Pink, Saranac Lake.

Like Switzerland...

I had to do SOMETHING to keep this outfit from being 100% neutral!

This outfit is a lot like the weather today...dark and cool and then BAM!  A pop of brilliance!  It is very autumnal, but I honestly would rather be wearing shorts and a tee to this afternoon's pig roast.

Sweater, Banana Republic from long, long ago; jeans, Lands' End; belt, Gap Outlet, $7.99 (thanks, Mom!); boots, Madden Girl, $62 from Victoria's Secret with a 20% off boots code.

After(math)

Today I drove 277 miles for work.  Add my commute onto either end and I could have gone to New York City on less gas.  And all I day I planned to stop along the way and take scenic outfit pictures..Me and a cow, me and a hay bale, me and a tractor...But I was also running late every step of the way.  So it was hello and goodbye Saranac Lake, Canton, Ogdensburg, and Malone!

Here's what I looked like after a lot of time in a car, fun with power tools (I was putting donation boxes us in various places), and one lovely donor meeting:

Pants, Bass; Tee, J Crew; shoes, Madden Girl.

Staples

I did not take a picture today, as I wore the Lands' End Canvas dress about which I have blogged EIGHT times this summer.  And I KNOW I wore it more than that - threw it on afterwork, wore it over a swimsuit,  pulled it on for a trip to the post office on a Saturday morning.  So, I think that $50 was really well spent.

Moving into Fall (though it doesn't feel that way right now!), I am wondering what that season's staple will be...I am pondering the purchase of skinny cords in navy from Lands' End Canvas to fill the slot.  (But since I got bills for school taxes on BOTH of our properties today, I might wait!) And I am planning on wearing this dress with tights, sweaters, and even, perhaps, a turtleneck.

What's been your summer staple?  Anything in the wings waiting for Fall?

Keeping It Simple

It is hot.  This is not a complaint.  No, just an observation.

But it explains the simplicity of this outfit.  Because there was a jacket that really was planning on joining the pants and shirt, but it bailed when it realized it was going to be so warm.

Who could blame that jacket?

This is day three of the new hair experiment.  No more daily washing. No more combs or brushes other than the post-shower one.  I washed Sunday night.  Monday I wore my hair down, Tuesday in a pony, and this morning I wet it and conditioned it.  And I plunked.  Tonight I will wash again, and might even attempt an all night plunking session.  I am surprised it isn't greasy today, but then again I have not run all week, so the lack of exertion (read: sweating) might account for that.

Blouse, New York and Compnay; Minnie Pant, J Crew; shoes, Madden Girl; earrings, my Grandma Jane!