not falling for it

shirt, TeeFury

Halogen skirt, Nordstrom Rack

scarf, Groopdealz

      Blogs and Instagram have been awash recently with chatter about pumpkin-flavored-sweater-wearing-boot-donning everything. It's been hot, steamy, and a bit stormy around here, so it's not something I can relate to.
      Something about October that I can relate to is that Halloween is around the corner. I've decided on a Halloween costume, but it will entail sewing an aviator cap and thrifting a pair of overalls. I suppose I could take the easy way out and buy an aviator cap, but I don't like the idea of spending money on something that wouldn't be used later. (Although you could turn that around and say I'd be wasting valuable time sewing something for one-time use.) I'll probably make the cap out of cotton vs. pleather -- breathable fabrics are a must in this climate! 
      Last week was Spirit Week at work, so I wore my best PJs to work on Monday and this loud outfit on Tuesday. It was Mix and Match Day, and some kids went all out - wearing two different shoes, having a pigtail on one side of their heads and a bun on the other, etc. I'm a little shy about pattern mixing at work, but I did get a compliment that this was "chic." I ditched the scarf on my desk about an hour into the day, because it was just too humid and warm.
  

  
     Today kicks off my first official day of a long-awaited fall break! I plan on going in to work a day or two, because my room is in dire need of reorganizing and I'm meeting with colleagues. The weekend was pretty blissful - it was so freeing to enjoy Saturday and Sunday without having to prep for Monday. For this week I hope to do some reading, finish up a few crafts projects, catch an early-morning aikido class, do some work stuff and run errands, and get my Halloween costume ready.

love and houndstooth

  tee, Ross

Halogen skirt, Nordstrom Rack

       I think this is a cute outfit, but I also think I picked the wrong day to wear it. First off, I wore it to a training. Being out and having a sub in my room for the day is always a little stressful - I have to make sure my sub plan is written, copies are made, and the room is cleaned up a bit  (i.e., I have to throw my massive pile of papers into an empty file drawer and then close it). Then I have to figure out how to navigate to and from the training site, which is always an adventure since I work in an area that I'm not yet familiar with. I always get to trainings slightly out of sorts and that never bodes well for feeling good in my clothes.  Add in the fact that trainings involve interacting with a roomful of people I don't know, and I didn't feel really confident or comfortable in this.
       Nevertheless, after looking at the photos I still like the mix of the graphic and houndstooth. A belt might be a great addition the next time around.
       I think my style motto just might be, "speak softly and wear a loud outfit," as mentioned here.
What would your style motto be?

the endangered joys of snail mail

New York and Company chambray shirt, thrifted

Halogen skirt, Nordstrom Rack

necklace and rings, Forever 21

        You are probably tired of seeing this skirt and shirt, but I'm not tired of them yet ... so here they are again. :) Looking at the photos, one thing I would change next time is to knot the necklace to make it a little shorter - I think a shorter length would be more flattering.
        Recently, I sent a small gift and a letter to a friend for her birthday. She e-mailed me yesterday to thank me, nothing that "you are my only friend who writes letters anymore, and it's such a blessing." Truth be told, I think I enjoyed writing the letter as much as she (hopefully) enjoyed reading it. There's something wonderful about sitting down with a pretty card or good stationery, a reliable pen, and ordering my thoughts, feelings, and experiences for sharing. E-mail is fast and cheap, but it doesn't compare to the joy of sending and receiving snail mail. There's nothing like taking a moment to trace the familiar lines of a good friend's writing and find out how they're doing.
        Many years ago, extensive written communication was a given - if you read novels set in certain time periods and places, the characters often exchange notes and letters daily. People also kept detailed, daily journals - it's been such a treat to get a glimpse of some of my favorite writers' day-to-day experiences. I wonder what we will use to get a similar glimpse into the lives of today's greatest artists and thinkers - Facebook statuses? e-mails? tweets? blog posts?
        Thinking back to my intermediate-school days, I marvel at how many letters my sister and I exchanged with friends. I can't remember what we wrote about, but I remember that they were written on folder paper, often meticulously penned in a glittery rainbow of ink, then carefully folded for in-person delivery. Do today's middle-schoolers still do this? Or have Facebook messages and texts supplanted the allure of glittery pens and secret folding techniques?

     
      When was the last time you wrote or received a "snail-mail" letter?

Try-it-out Tuesday: the adjective-generating outfit

        Punky. Obnoxious. Zesty. Zingy. These are some adjectives that this outfit brings to mind. This houndstooth skirt has been styled very demurely until now, but I think this is my favorite outfit with it so far. Perhaps my new motto should be, "Speak softly and wear a loud outfit"? 

essential tee, Gap, $4.19

Halogen skirt, Nordstrom Rack

necklace, craft fair in Seattle

      My friend described my tee as "va-va voom" yellow, which is, admittedly, more fun to say than neon yellow.

  
      I'll admit to not thinking much about which pair of glasses best complements an outfit (I go with the old brown ones most of the time), but the bold black frames seemed like the only choice for this outfit.

           Three ways I've worn my houndstooth skirt: with jade accessories, with lace, and with an embellished tank and red cardigan.

knockoffs: what do you think?

tee, Banana Republic Factory Store

Halogen knit skirt, Nordstrom Rack

pounamu (greenstone) necklace, New Zealand

jade bracelets, gifted

      

      I've been wanting a long pendant-style necklace lately, and wasted time did a little research on eBay and etsy to consider my options. Then I remembered this necklace and a few others I picked up on my trip to New Zealand, and realized I didn't need to buy anything. Yes for shopping my closet!

  
      I saw Kendi wearing this necklace recently, and liked it. I then proceeded to waste more time do a little research on eBay to see how much it might cost to purchase similar materials and make my own. However, I've decided to hold off on buying materials until I complete some of my unfinished projects.
    A question occurred to me: What do you think about creating your own knockoff of something you admire but can't afford? Do you think you are "stealing" from the artist in some way by creating your own? Is the right thing to do to save up your pennies to buy the original, or go for the immediate gratification of crafting your own? I can understand both viewpoints. I think artists deserve to earn a living from their creations, and that the price often (justifiably) reflects an investment of creativity, skill, experience, and materials. But at the same time, my budget can't stretch enough to accommodate my wish for an armful of Chan Luu bracelets (are they out? Who cares, they're still pretty) and other pretty but pricey baubles. 

Try-it-out Tuesday: houndstooth and lace

"Pacific" lace tee, Hollister

Halogen skirt, Nordstrom Rack, gift

White House Black Market blazer, thrifted

leggings, Macy's

belt, Old Navy

Dr. Scholls Allycats booties, HauteLook  

        Pattern mixing is still a mystery to me, but I find that sticking to black and white helps me look more cool vs. circus escapee. (Speaking of pattern mixing, Cori of La Vie Petite gave some great tips here.) It was pouring and chilly the day I put this together, so I started with the leggings and boots since that's not something I can wear year-round.

      

       I wore this lace top for last week's Try-it-out Tuesday, and I'll be doing a lot more remixing for February and March, as I've signed up for a two-month shopping ban with Tanvi. I am excited about maximizing what I already own, getting creative, and saving some $$ in the process.

new classic and conversation closers

Halogen petite ponte skirt, Nordstrom Rack, gift

embellished tank, Macy's

JJ Basics cardigan, passed down

     I've been having fun getting dressed lately - maybe it's because I feel so much more relaxed with nothing to do but enjoy winter break. Evidence: I wore my houndstooth skirt for the first time to get dinner with sis and a cousin last week. Since it's the holidays, I added a sparkly tank, pearl accessories, and red cardigan - but knotted the tank at the hip so it looks laid-back vs. stuffy.
      Random news: I've realized that telling people that I'm studying library sciences is a conversation closer. The average person just has no conception of what librarians really do (and no, I don't take classes in Advanced Shushing and Reshelving). At the most, I get a blank but pleasant look and an "Oh, that's nice." I need to think up a 10-second soundbite that makes my future profession accessible and interesting without sounding pedantic or snooty.