February Freeze, vol. 7: (dress)ed down

     I've been procrastinating on wearing the really difficult items in my closet. I felt like this dress would be just too much for work or class. However, when my friend and I decided to go out for an early dinner on Saturday, I figured it was the perfect opportunity to wear this.

 Calvin Klein strapless dress, (Ross, old)

chambray pullover (passed down from Mom)

navy-and-green leatherette colorblock belt (Forever 21)

      I'm not very comfortable wearing strapless dresses or tops, so I layered on a chambray pullover. (What on earth possessed me to buy a strapless dress? Can we say, impractical?) It also gives the dress a more casual feel. I added a belt to balance out the full skirt with a well-defined waist.

   The very full skirt is a different look and feel for me, but I love the print, color (the tag says it's "electric pink") and the length actually makes it suitable for work. I think it would look really cute with a buttondown tied at the waist, a red cardigan, or even a different belt.
    My friend and I went to an Italian restaurant, and there was a basket of warm, crusty-on-the-outside, fluffy-on-the-inside bread. Empty carbs with a slathering of butter=<3. I was reminded of comedian Jim Gaffigan's discussion of bread, especially when we ended up chomping our way through most of a second basket. Let's just say I needed to loosen the belt a bit on my way home ...

variations on a shirtdress: 2 looks

Have camera, will travel: An animal-print scarf reinvents a basic shirtdress. Add jewelry souvenirs from your travels and comfortable shoes with a hint of color.

Obligatory awkward pose

Samoa wooden earrings, gift from E.K.M.

I keep my crazy on the inside: Layer a fun top underneath the shirtdress and leave it partially unbuttoned. Add paillette-and-chain earrings because you can never have too many paillettes ...

Claire's earrings (gifted)

    I actually dreamed up a few other variations but didn't have time to photograph each one. I'm so glad that I didn't pitch this little dress in the donation bag ... I haven't had enough fun with it yet!!
 
Click here and here for some other ways to style a shirtdress!

eau de omelet

   My cherished cold weather has vanished, leaving behind ultra-humid, sticky weather and dour gray skies. :( It was so hot Tuesday morning that I needed to sit in front of the fan to finish my bowl of oatmeal without overheating. It's definitely not as bad as the humidity I experienced when visiting India a few years ago, but nevertheless an unwelcome change from the cool tradewinds we usually enjoy.
    My teacher friend invited me to assist with her reading class on Tuesday -- they had read a story about dinosaurs having a brunch, and they were making omelets to extend the activity in a fun way (and squeeze in some procedural writing). I read two of the groups a related story while my friend and her co-teacher presided over the butane burners and helped the other students make omelets. The warm weather made the skirt a smart choice, and I couldn't resist the cheerful red to brighten up a glum-looking day. The kids were polite and enthusiastic, and I had fun. The only problem? My clothes and I smelled like omelet after that.

 Ralph Lauren buttondown (Macy's)

CK pencil skirt (from outlet)

Forever 21 leatherette navy & green belt

 
    My favorite part of this outfit is the green belt. I saw my friend take a good look at it, then she didn't say anything. She was either thinking, weird -- doesn't Carrie know red and green is only for Christmas?!??, or, she was awed by my fun sense of color and temporarily speechless. :D
   The long weekend has thrown off my schedule, but I'm planning the usual Try-it-out post for this week. One of my (as yet unstated) goals for this blog in 2012 is to bump up the accessorizing by taking more outfit photos that feature purses. (Only happened once in 2011, so things can only improve!) This week I'll be building an outfit around a purse I received as a Christmas gift from my friend R. I love having friends who remember what you need (in this case, a clutch purse), then get it for you for Christmas ... I don't have that talent, but I do admire it in others!  ; )

impromptu

     I've been remiss on Try-it-out Tuesdays, but I have no excuse now that classes are over!
     I found this shirt at Goodwill, and there were so many things I liked about it. The lavender color, the print, and that it's silk. The deal-maker? It's crinkled silk (I love things that don't need ironing).
    The one thing I was iffy about was the length. It is a petite shirt, but it rides pretty high even on short-waisted me. The proportion looks wrong with pants.

Rafaella top, thrifted; CK pencil skirt

    I didn't want to wear jeans to work today (which rarely happens), so I seized the opportunity to experiment. I threw this together and really liked it. :)

taming the flutter

    For my first Try-it-out Tuesday, I wore a Calvin Klein pale pink top with chiffon strips and beading. It's very girly, and not quite my style. Evidence for the latter -- it's been hanging in my closet since, giving me reproachful looks.
    Black and darker colors such as navy are my comfort colors (I still feel strange wearing an outfit that doesn't include one of these), so I decided to pair this shirt with my Volcom shirt jacket. I liked that the shirt jacket added a touch of toughness to tame the flutter.

     Blogging my outfits has made me realize just how much I wear jeans. Probably too much ... I'm thinking about challenging myself to not wear jeans for a few weeks in the spring. :)

Try-it-out Thursday: it's not easy being green (and red)

     I decided to continue my exploration of color, and since the holidays are coming up, I just had to take on red and green. I thought mint would be a fresh alternative to the forest green usually associated with Christmas.

          Can you tell I'm still giving this red cardi a lot of love? :)
          Today I met the group of first-graders I'll be working with for the next 5 weeks, and they're kind of adorable. :) Our Green Thumb Club will be growing lettuce and beans, and learning science along the way. I'll admit I've never grown anything from seed before, but I've got my fingers crossed that this will work out. :O (The kids actually applauded when I announced at the start of the class that we were going to grow plants).
         Next week I'm hoping that we can start our bean plants, so I'm trying to sprout some beans in a zip bag. I put the zip bag on a windowsill that gets some sun, and I can't help checking them multiple times a day. I know that's such a kid thing to do, but I'm excited about seeing that first itty-bitty sprout!
        An excerpt from today:
        Me: What plant can we see outside our classroom? (a large tree)
        First-grader: A pumpkin!
       Happy Thursday!

double florals & next time, I'll just stand

    Next week's rule-breaking challenge over at Clothed Much is double florals. I pondered my options quite a bit before settling on this combination. I don't own many florals, and what I do own is more on the abstract side.

   I tweaked something on my camera settings, and while I like the effect, it's not very good for showing the outfit's actual details (see second photo). I didn't have time to figure out how to untweak the settings, so here I am using the unsophisticated stretch-your-arm-out photographic method.
   Speaking of unsophisticated, I was such a klutzoid when I met my adviser to plan my spring class schedule.  First, I accidentally banged the metal chair into the metal desk, which made a sound so loud that people on the fifth floor probably heard it. Then at the end of the meeting, I put the chair back very awkwardly as I juggled my notebook and backpack. I felt like I was doing a comedy routine, except that implies planning and an intention to entertain. Me? I was just trying to deal with a chair. Oh well. At least I looked good.

         The Mr. does not understand this sweater -- he thinks it looks weird. My cousin, however, complimented me on it. Given that my cousin has possessed distinct opinions and preferences regarding her clothing since the age of 3, I'm more inclined to trust her opinion.
     What item of clothing do you love that baffles the men in your life?

progress and paillettes

    I have to confess that I'm rather pleased with this outfit's photo shoot. After doing some Google searches and Internet reading, as well as poring over the camera manual, I think my self-timer photos are just an itty bit better. (But if you don't see any difference, that's OK! :) ) I think it might have to do more with the process than the results right now. Nonetheless,  I was happy enough to make these photos EXTRA LARGE. You're welcome! *kidding*

CK top (purchased at Macy's)

    I've decided that I need to nail the indoor photo shoot before I venture outdoors. I want to make sure I feel comfortable with the camera and setting up shots before I venture into public. I know I'll already be anxious enough about people gawking, so I don't want to be stressed out about the technicalities as well.
    This shirt is off the beaten path for me in both color and embellishment. I suppose that's why, when rifling through my closet, I always pause and think, "That is such a neat shirt!" then pass it by ... to wear something not as spectacular. Something I enjoy about this shirt is the little details, like the panels of a different fabric, the rolled sleeve edge, and of course, that glimmering silver bib.

Paillettes -- a no-no before noon?

     I think I need to stop avoiding this shirt. So I wore it to today's 9 a.m. class. (I wonder if paillettes are like alcohol, and are not to be indulged in before noon? Oops.)

Mother of pearl ring (family heirloom); jade ring, previously loved by C.L.; silver ring (craft fair)

For once, I'm not doing something strange with my hands.

Try-it-out Tuesday: big prints

     Both cameras are out of commission, but I wasn't going to let it stop Try-it-out Tuesday. MacBook Photo Booth to the rescue! :)
     Today's challenge: break the no-big-prints rule for petites. I get the logic, but I LOVE certain big prints.
      I understand why I don't want to wear daisies as big as my head, but I figured this particular print could squeak by because it's more abstract and graphic -- lines and swirls vs. daisies. So instead of people thinking, "WOW! Those daisies are as big as her head!" they're going to wonder, "Is that big red swirly as big as her head?"   
     I picked up this top at Saver's a few years ago for a mere 99 cents. It appears handmade, and the Asian-inspired big print reminded me of the splashily printed dresses and men's shirts popular in 1970s Hawaii.  When I started this blog, I dug this out of my fabric pile: I wanted to figure out a way to wear it. Beside the big print, there were some other challenges. The top is boxy, on the short side, and has side notches.

         Some tucking-in was definitely required.

     I just managed to tuck it into a pair of jeans. I couldn't resist adding my fuchsia belt because I figured fuschia falls right between dark blue and red.
     It tucked much better into my higher-waisted pencil skirt. I think it works better with the pencil skirt because less of the top is showing; the big print is restricted to a smaller area of my body.

Thrifted top; CK pencil skirt; Old Navy fuchsia belt.

 

 

I think the red swirly might be BIGGER than my head.

    Because I love this top, I'm planning on rocking it. But I'm interested in hearing your honest opinion -- is the big print overwhelming? Is it OK with jeans, or should I stick to the pencil skirt? Or should I just walk away the next time a similar top calls out to me from the thrift store racks?

Try-it-out Tuesday: starting points

     Pre-blog days, my clothing choices were often dictated by two key criteria: 1) is it ironed? 2) Does it match something that is also ironed?
      This Tuesday, I decided to challenge myself. These shoes and necklace are recent purchases, and I wanted to experiment with building an outfit based on these key pieces.

     I loved the colors and drape of this necklace when I spotted it while browsing the Macy's clearance section. It's very different from my other necklaces, which tend to be on the dainty, understated side. Since I'm still searching for my style, I'm not sure whether this necklace is really "me." But it looked fun and different.

     I couldn't really figure out what colors/style of top to wear with this necklace, so I wimped out with a basic black T and pencil skirt.
    On a whim I added the fuschia belt, another recent purchase. No, I don't believe in wearing all of my new purchases at once, but I wanted to see how it looked with the other colors.

    I'm excited about finding these shoes! I literally own one black pair of comfortable sandals for work, so these will be a great alternative. I think the pewter color is just a little different and pretty.

  

     I kind of like the light in this last photo, and this is the best sitting-on-the-ground photo I've taken yet. Just don't ask what I'm doing with my hands, or whose mess that is in the background ...

Try-it-out Tuesday

I have never considered myself a pink girl, but ... there was something about this shirt. I liked the chiffon streamers and the hint of sparkle. Thing is, I'm not sure what to pair it with. With the white it's a little too pastel-y for me.
Check out the pretty little details below (I gotta work on focusing properly when using a mirror):

 I used a self-timer for my photos today, and I'm pretty happy. (Although it puzzles me that the camera only offers 2 timer options: 2 seconds or 12 seconds.) Also feeling like a pro for adding those nifty little labels to the first photo!

confidence boost

J. Crew striped T (XS); Calvin Klein pencil skirt (size 2); gold belt (old), Unlisted shoes. 

       I’ve been on the low-rise wagon for a while, but I’ve fallen hard for this pencil skirt. I wore this outfit to get some papers notarized and get fingerprinted for my new job on Wednesday, and I felt GOOD. I felt the goodness even spilled over to the people I interacted with – they seemed to respond to me with a lot of positivity. Or, maybe I just felt more confident and more comfortable. 
      These shoes are glorious, but I didn't wear them on Wednesday. I just didn't have my sensible black sandals on hand when I cajoled the Mr. to snap a few photos.
      I am enamored with stripes, and I picked up this T for less than $8 when they were offering 40% off sale items AND free shipping. (Side note: I filled out a J. Crew survey about my purchase, and mentioned my appreciation of the free shipping. I was thrilled to receive an e-mail reply, thanking me for my comments.) This T is a little too sloppy and shapeless on its own (maybe the next time I can size down to XXS?) but it tucks nicely into the skirt.