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. :)

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?

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.