PINspiration: toughen up

   I was so excited to buy this skirt a while back, but I am still mystified as how to wear it. I think this is my favorite outfit yet, though. The tee and the belt toughen things up a little.

  Yoshitomo Nara tee (Y2K, old)

    Lush pleated midi skirt (Nordstrom Rack)

    brown belt (Ross?)

     I had this pin in mind:

 

                                                                                   Source: thesfstyle.com via Carrie on Pinterest

 
     I wore this to run a few errands and I added wedge heels for some much-needed height:

  Indigo by Clarks "Plover" sandal (Clarks Outlet, $29.99)

    And now I can enjoy that absurd feeling of accomplishment that comes from using or doing something I actually pinned. :)
   Happy Friday!

spring break: a late roundup

This spring break roundup is a bit late, given that it's Thursday (*sigh.* Where did the week go??) But here it is ...

 spring break = cookie break  :)

Reading:

• "Persuasion" by Jane Austen. I'd read "Pride and Prejudice" and "Emma" quite a few years ago, but this is my first time reading "Persuasion." Every time I read Austen, I think, why don't I read her novels more often? She has such a wickedly sharp sense of humor and her characterizations of people are perfect. Added bonus: you can watch the film adaptation afterwards!

Also borrowed from the library: "Purple Cane Road" by James Lee Burke (mystery is not really a genre I read much, but he was highly recommended by a friend)  and "The Knife of Never Letting Go" by Patrick Ness.

Hoping to watch (guess who hurried down to the university library at the last minute to snatch up some free DVDs before spring break?):

• Once
• Lust, Caution

Baking: 
Instead of frolicking on the beach and partying until the wee hours, I'm spending some quality time with my oven. :)

• peanut butter-oatmeal chocolate chip cookies (pictured above) from The Brown Eyed Baker. I've been a longtime reader, but this is the first recipe I've tried. I added a dash of cinnamon, and substituted a chopped-up dark chocolate bar and peanut butter cups for the chocolate chips. They came out pleasingly chewy around the edges and soft and tender in the middle. And since there's oatmeal in the dough, you can eat it for breakfast, right?
• I know that pumpkin is a flavor associated with autumn, but I'm hoping to bake a batch of pumpkin muffins before spring break is over ... :)

Try-it-out Tuesday: crazy pants

     Things I love about Ross: the variety and prices.
     Things I don't love about Ross: finding something great ... in the wrong size.
     Exhibit A: these possibly fantastic pants, which I could only find in a medium.

Polo?/Ralph Lauren? shirt (free from Mom)

Double Take tie-waist palazzo pants, (Ross, $12.99)

red lucite 6-strand necklace, eBay

    

     I spent quite a bit of time fussing with the ties to ensure that the excess fabric wasn't lumpy or bunched up. After I finally got it tied to my satisfaction, and put on the shirt, and necklace, and focused the camera ... the camera battery died. So I had to get undressed, put the battery in its charger, and kill some time. This would have made me a bit grumpy on most days, but I had freshly baked cookies to nibble on while I waited, so it was OK. :)

     These pants are as comfortable as pajamas, and they kind of remind me of the hakama I wear for aikido. (Yes, that is a strange reason to like an item of clothing). The only problem is that they're too big. I might consider checking the other Ross in town to see if I can find the right size. Or maybe there's a way to take in some of the extra fabric?
    Anyhow, I've decided that just as every woman needs a LBDD (little black dress with a difference), she should also own a pair of "crazy pants" -- statement-making bottoms. Do you own a pair?
    Happy Tuesday!

best. search. EVER.

Today this popped up in the list of searches that lead to my blog: 

beautiful women posing barefoot

Google, you know how to make my day. :)

Try-it-out Tuesday: style redemption

     Sunday marked four years since the Mr. and I went on our first date. We decided on a whim to go out for dinner. The Mr. is not particularly sentimental, so I was surprised that he wanted to go back to the same spot where we ate dinner four years ago. However, they were closed (which shows how often we venture out on Sunday nights).
     We ended up at a open-air bar in Waikiki, eating overpriced tacos, beans, rice, and chips out of styrofoam containers and drinking overpriced wine and beer. We watched the tourists strolling by below toting their shopping bags and snapping photos of each other. Then we went home but were too tired to open the bottle of pink sparkling wine I had got for the occasion, so we went to bed. Not quite the romantic night most folks dream of, but you know what? It was just right. :)
     I remember what I wore on that first date: a black V-neck top with a white camisole under it, jeans, wedge sandals, and not even a bit of makeup.
      I figured Sunday was time to redeem myself sartorially from that rather simple start. I knew this look was a hit with the Mr. when he grabbed my camera and started taking photos.

     

dress, Old Navy

D&Y scarf worn as belt, Ross

sandals, Target

22K gold ring, worn as necklace, India (gift)

green bangles, India

silver bangles, Amrita Singh on HauteLook

    P.S.: the scarf as obi belt is what qualifies this as a Try-it-out Tuesday post. Oh, and the fact that I straightened my hair, put on foundation and eye makeup, and tinted lip balm -- which all together made me feel pretty glamorous. :)
   Happy Tuesday! 

sweet: life, lately

      Random photo of malasadas, which are kind of like big puffy doughnuts (minus the hole) 
rolled in sugar. Heavenly when hot -- and so well-loved that Shrove Tuesday around here
 is also known as malasada day ...

• Remember when I blogged about an important Friday night a little while back? I took my nidan (second-degree black belt) test for aikido and passed. I was a little disappointed in myself for being so nervous (which caused the Mr. to grumble "you're never happy with how things turn out"). Which is not true, but it is true that I am my biggest critic. Anyhow, I'm  excited about the progress I've made in aikido -- it still surprises me to realize that it's probably been 11 years since I started my studies.  I am very thankful for the kind and patient instruction and support I've received from my teachers and fellow students. And I'm really thankful the pressure's off and I can just enjoy class again!
• I'm busy teaching spring break intersession this week for 3rd and 4th grade. We're researching Hawaii's endangered animals, and I'm really pleased with how the students are doing. I'm also pleased to say that there has been no barfing, biting or pooping (all of which occurred during our last intersession program over winter break, when I was working with kinder and first grade). The increased work schedule is why I skipped Try-it-out Tuesday this week, but I should be back on my regular schedule next week.
• I've been having a difficult time sticking to my budget, so much so that I'm thinking about ditching the $30 a month deal. I seem to do better with a budget of $0. (???) I'm not sure what that says about me as a person, but my wallet can vouch for the truth of that.

a tale of two dresses

It was the best of finds, it was the worst of finds ...
I may have spent my budget for March (and April, ahem) on these two dresses.
I went to Ross recently and could not believe the gorgeous dresses they had. I also tried on a Tahari purple dress and a Vivienne by Vivienne Tam black-and-white striped knit dress, but these two were the top contenders.

Laundry by Shelli Segal color-blocked silk dress

• I'm not sure whether the bright color-block print on this dress is really me, but do you know what's got me hooked on this dress? The silk and the way it feels when I'm wearing it. It just feels luxurious. The neckline and bare shoulders would likely require a camisole and a cardigan to be added if I wanted to wear this to work.
• SIZE & FIT: The dress seems to flare out at the bottom and I'm not sure whether that's a good thing.
• As much as I love the silk, this might be a return based on the fit. 

Calvin Klein double-zipper sheath

• I've wanted for a while to add a LBDD (little black dress with a difference) to my wardrobe, and this Calvin Klein sheath dress fits the bill. The zipper detail is fantastic (and I don't even really consider myself someone who likes zipper details).
• SIZE & FIT: I wish that Ross had a 0 because I suspect it may have fit better. While taking the photos, I decided to try it on with a belt. I'm not sure whether that choice is making you smack your forehead and shout, "No! No! Don't ruin the great line of the zippers!" I think taking up the hem just a bit would help with the overall look, too.

 Yeah, I'm not sure why I'm posing barefoot next to a pair of shoes, either.

Belted

• THINGS I LOVE: the zippers, and how you can adjust them to give the dress a different neckline. After looking at the photos, I realize I might need to apply a little strategic tape or a pin to keep the tucked-in fabric from shifting.
• This really appears to be a dress that could take me from work to happy hour with a change of shoes, accessories and neckline. (Alas, after work my first inclination is to change into a baggy old tee and shorts, then lounge on the couch with a bag of Cheetos and a soda, but let's pretend my life is a little more glamorous than that). 

So right now, I'm planning to return the Laundry dress and keep the black one ... what do you think? 

green, navy & enamel: yes, sir!

     The whole time I was wearing this outfit, I wished I had worn white jeans instead. I think the green and navy would have really popped against the white! But it was still kind of rainy, and I have a horror of getting my white jeans dirty.

     Merona navy short-sleeve buttondown (previously loved by E.I.)

green sweater, Old Navy

enamel necklace, eBay

     I wore this with the collar buttoned, and was surprised that it wasn't uncomfortable -- I always thought it would be. I added the necklace because I kind of remembered that Elaine of Clothed Much had dressed up a buttondown with a necklace and it looked fantastic. I looked up the post after I wore this outfit and realized, oops --  she recommends belting a sweater/cardigan to avoid a manly look! Just call me sir, I suppose ...

red stripes = a new neutral?

     It was an out-and-out gloomy day on Tuesday -- rainy and overcast. The night before, we had some of the loudest thunder I had ever heard in my life. I spent the day wearing socks and drinking hot tea while I did class work. Then, I went to work, and it was quite a day. On Tuesdays we have the biggest group of students staying for the afterschool program: about 60 first graders. Add in the fact that we were down a teacher and had to rejigger the schedule at the last minute; that the kids were bouncing off the walls from the rain and from indoor recess; and that I managed to lock myself out of the classroom and had to squeeze my last set of students into my friend's class. Good times, right?? :)

Striped boatneck top, Ann Taylor (previously loved by mom)

Joseph A. cardigan (Macys)

      So even though I didn't have the most cheerful of days, I was dressed cheerfully, and that counts for something. I get excited about chilly weather because it lets me double up on the long-sleeved tops. I've always wanted to pair the crazy scribbles on this cardigan with some straight-edge stripes. On a warmer, drier day I plan to pair the cardigan with my black-and-white striped skirt for more pattern-mixing fun.

Try-it-out Tuesday: into the sunshine

     So for this Try-it-out Tuesday, the experimental aspect isn't in the outfit, but in the photos. Look, folks, this is not the usual bedroom wall backdrop! :)
 Unfortunately, my yellow, white and gray animal-print cardi didn't photograph well. Or, more likely, I didn't fiddle with the camera settings enough. It was very sunny at times which is not optimal photo conditions. But I'm happy that I managed to sneak in these photos while taking a walk through one of my favorite gardens. Of course, the one day I decide to sneak some outfit photos, there were TONS of people roaming around -- there was a wedding going on!

In the gazebo

Orchid conservatory

Yellow, gray and white animal-print cardigan (Macy's)

black tank (H&M, old)

Simple leather sneakers (6pm.com)

     Kind of a ho-hum outfit, but I was dressed for traipsing around and taking photos. I scored the sneakers for $16.99 and have been wearing them a lot -- they have arch support, which makes them amazingly comfortable for such a lightweight sneaker.

Spider lily

Orchids

Happy Tuesday! :)

 

behind the camera: fire & water

Foster Botanical Garden, Honolulu

     
     Tonight's a big night for me. If all goes well, I'll post about it next week. :)
     Wishing you a weekend full of beautiful things and the time to enjoy them! :)

   

February Freeze roundup

     What was February Freeze, you're probably thinking? Well, I decided to wear those great things in my closet that never get worn. The truth is, while I own LOTS of clothes, there's a select few that regularly go through the wear-wash-iron cycle, while the rest hang around the closet, sad, lonely, and actually really lovely.

outfit 5 1/2

      Missed my original posts? 

See 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 5 1/2, 6, 7 or 8.

    
      For a short month, I think I did pretty well -- I wore 13 not-loved-enough items.
      Some thoughts:

• Wow, I own a lot of blue.
•  I love prints (the bigger, the better!), and that's OK.
•  I like to buy dresses, but I'm not so great about wearing them. 
• To not be afraid of bold jewelry. Starting to love that red necklace!
• White is such a refreshing change from the usual denim and black. 
• I had fun doing this challenge, and overall I'm pretty happy with this month's outfits, probably because I spent less time wearing my usual tee and jeans and forced myself to take style risks.

Favorite outfits: 2, 4, 5, 5.5, and 7.

Style stretches: 2, 5, 7

Classic: 4
Simple yet put-together: 4, 5

Which one is your favorite?