February Freeze, vol. 2: stalking pays off

     I love silk, especially silk with colorful pretty prints, but I love a bargain more.

  Trina Turk top (Nordstrom Rack)

      Red cardigan (JJ Basics, previously loved)

      Amrita Singh "Marion" earrings (HauteLook)

      6-strand red lucite bead necklace (eBay)

      Tweed jacket, FCUK for Sears (gifted)

Cheesy dating/flirting books (gifted - thanks, Sis!)

     Therefore, I stalked this shirt at Nordstrom Rack, waiting patiently for the price to drop and keeping my fingers crossed that no one would snap it up in my size. At last, the price tag sprouted a 65% off sticker, and I ended up paying a grand total of $17.
     (Cue upbeat romantic music, as Carrie and her silk shirt dance out of the store).
     One of my favorite kinds of love stories. :)

     I love silk, but at the same time I don't wear my silk shirts enough. I think they're a little too fancy, but then it's heartbreaking that they just hang in the closet while the T-shirts get to have all the fun.
     From the topic of stalking, it's a short hop to thoughts of Valentine's Day (or is that just me?) -- which is what inspired me to add a red cardigan for some pink and red fun.

    

    

February Freeze, vol. 1: embellished purple shirt

   I picked an easy piece for my first February Freeze outfit post. Layer a cami underneath, jeans, red earrings and gold jewelry ... done and off to class.

 
     Then my instructor showed up wearing a fabulous cream swing jacket. And I realized how much fun it might be to wear this top with a cream blazer. White and cream are not usually colors I gravitate to, out of practical fears of getting them irreparably dirty, but one of these days I need to get out of my black/navy/denim comfort zone.

 Top: India, gifted
Amrita Singh "Marion" earrings, HauteLook
gold and amethyst ring, wholesaler
gold-plated hammered ring, craft fair

Try-it-out Tuesday: walking in rainbows

     I find that some clothes make me smile when I look at them. This boys' buttondown is one of those items. I always think of it as my "painter's shirt," probably because of the multi-colored stripes.

Old Navy sweater

Kenneth Cole Reaction boys' buttondown (Ross, old)

Banana Republic Factory store petite trousers

 
     I decided to increase the color fun and wear my new sweater. I love the cheery green hue and that it is made up of different stitches. The one thing I'm a little iffy about is the fit -- I'm considering introducing it to my dryer for a little shrinkage. I feel the torso is a bit baggy, and the sleeves a little too long.
    I've been on a green and red kick lately (despite the strange look I got the last time I wore the combination), so I added red jewelry to top off the look.

Amrita Singh "Marion" earrings (HauteLook)

        While I've always enjoyed color, I usually don't pile it on -- so this was wonderful fun. I felt a little like a mad scientist in the color lab!! I do think the striped shirt pulled the look together. Although it doesn't have green stripes, it includes red, and I think that made this outfit look a bit more cohesive.
        Do you agree with my rationale? What rules do you follow when you play with color?

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!  ; )

off to the races

     My second eBay purchase arrived last week. I bought two necklaces, and was excited about the bold pop of color this 6-strand bead necklace would add to my outfits.

    On Friday, I put it on, looked in the mirror, and said to myself: whoa! Compared to my other jewelry, this necklace is gargantuan. It reminded me a little of those enormous flower garlands they use to bedeck winning racehorses. Definitely out of my comfort zone. I ended up putting on my shirt jacket to tone down the necklace.

Volcom shirt jacket

    I think this will be a favorite piece over time, but I need to get used to wearing it. Looking at the photos helps me see that it's not disproportionately large, and I'm also liking the color variation in the beads.
    I'll be styling the second necklace soon, hopefully this week. And if you're thinking about my self-imposed budget ... not to worry! I'm taking a break from eBay for the time being so I can enjoy my beautiful new jewelry. :)
 

a happy ending

        Today was my big presentation for storytelling class. My topic was Hans Christian Andersen. He wrote "The Princess and the Pea," "The Little Mermaid," "The Ugly Duckling", "The Snow Queen" and many other stories. While many of us are familiar with the basic outlines of his stories, it's surprising to read them in their original form! The language is beautiful, and his imagery is almost cinematic.
         It wasn't mandatory to dress up for the presentations, but most of us did in some way or another. Andersen often made paper cuttings while he told stories, so I thought this dress would be perfect. The print is reminiscent of his paper cuttings (a very elaborate creation of his is shown below).
    

       Looking at this photo makes me realize that these tights are definitely the wrong length for me.  I suspect they're supposed to be capri length on someone of average height. They were a necessity, however, for surviving the air-conditioning. I'll be looking for an affordable, longer pair sometime.
      It's a big relief to be done with my presentation! All I have left is an informal reflection that's due Sunday. I'm really happy to be done with my first full-time semester. It was intense and rigorous at times, but I'm glad that I did well and stayed focused. For next semester I'd like to think about having some kind of schedule to keep myself on track with readings and a way to organize my papers better.

Goodbye, ponytail! I'm excited about getting my hair cut tomorrow.

     For my next post, I'll be reviewing two pairs of boots. I'll be keeping one pair as a birthday present to myself, so I'll be trying both pairs on with different outfits to help me make a decision. I hope you can come back and help me decide! :)

behind the camera: Christmas colors

Foster Botanical Garden. One of my favorite places to walk around with the camera. :) If the weather and my schedule works out, I'm planning to take a photo walk there on Saturday ...

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!

Try-it-out Tuesday: the versatility of red

    Way back when (OK, maybe a year or so ago), I thought black or brown were the best colors for things like shoes, jackets, or anything you would end up wearing often. I figured it matched everything and no one would notice how often you wore it. Color was pretty, but seemed impractical.
     This cardigan has changed my mind.

JJ Basics cardi, AE camisole.

    While I've paired this camisole with stripes before, I like how pairing it with red makes the bright colors in the camisole's floral print pop. (Florals might need to be added to the list of surprisingly practical items too!)

Forever 21 flower ring

    For a dash of whimsy I added my flower ring (a garden can never have too many flowers, right?) I also put on faux-pearl studs from Forever 21 and a classic pearl pendant.

Pearl necklace (previously worn by mom)

      Happy Tuesday! What's something you once thought was impractical, but now can't live without?

Try-it-out Tuesday: mixing brights

    The original plan was to participate in the red and pink fun happening in honor of Rule Breaking Mondays at Clothed Much. Alas, a quick scan of the closet told me that it wasn't going to happen. I hardly own anything pink, for starters.
    Plan B: figure out how to wear a scarf and play with some bright colors.
    The biggest problem with wearing a scarf was how to pull it off without looking irredeemably foolish, as the temperatures are well into the 80s right now. I decided a light chiffon scarf would be a good way to introduce scarves into my wardrobe.

   I wore this outfit to class, where I usually wear two jackets at a time to deal with the frigid, bottom-of-the-library-so-it's-on-full-blast AC.  I figured the scarf would be functional in this environment. I stowed the cardi and scarf in my bag during my walk to class so I didn't have to worry about heatstroke. (Yay for tropical-weather-friendly layering!)

You've got mail!

    I love the look of pins on a coat, cardi or jacket, but I never do it. For a smidgen of cute I added my Moomin pin at the last minute. (I'm not sure what a Moomin is, but I do know they have a TV show, star in books, and for a brief time had their own store here).

    Note to self: remember to comb your hair before shooting photos ...   :O

Try-it-out Tuesday: more, or less

    I've hit the midterm doldrums. The evidence? I woke up this morning with no clue about Try-it-out Tuesday.
    I opened my drawer, noticed this tunic I've never worn, and decided to start there.
    About a year ago, the Mr. helped me pick out some work clothes, and this was one of the pieces. While I liked it,  I was never sure how to wear it, so it got tossed into my drawer.

Alfani tunic; Beau jeggings

       While you know I love big prints, this fell into the "overwhelming" category. I added my Volcom jacket to make the print less overbearing.

Volcom Day Dreamers shirt jacket

     I liked that I still got a healthy dose of print down the center and that the shirt hem let the patterned edge peek out.
    So that covers the "less" part mentioned in the title ... now, on to more.
    My Amrita Singh earrings arrived Friday, so I decided they might add a great touch of color.

Red bangles, India; silver bangles, Amrita Singh

   And just for fun, I added red and silver bangles. I normally wouldn't wear big print + fancy earrings + bangles, but Try-it-out Tuesday is supposed to help me stretch my style a little, right?

  

it's in the mail

I had enough Hautelook credit to cover my purchase of the Marion earrings from Amrita Singh. The ruby color is pretty, and I'm looking forward to adding some color to my earring collection. These earrings are listed for $75 on the company's Web site, but I scored them for $19. I haven't had much luck with purchasing clothing on Hautelook (nothing beats trying things on for yourself), but they offer some great deals on jewelry.