Try-it-out Tuesday: striking {out?} & questions

     One of my goals for blogging is to develop my style completely -- not just the clothes, but the shoes,  accessories, and makeup. Makeup is somewhat daunting. The rows upon rows of products, the infinite colors, and sometimes the eye-popping price tags ...
    During my blog reading lately, I've really been admiring the bright lips other bloggers have been wearing. I decided to give it a try on Saturday night. Below I'm wearing lipstick from Nuance (Salma Hayek's new cosmetic line) in Paprika.

    The Mr. called it "striking," but he wasn't sure if he liked it. I felt the same way -- every time I looked in the mirror, all I saw was my very bright mouth.
    My Saturday night photos don't convey how bright the lipstick appeared (I did blot it heavily and then apply Burt's Bee's Red Dahlia tinted lip balm over it). See the photos below for a better idea of the color:

Not blotted

       I also realized that bright lipstick is an entirely different creature from lip glosses or tinted lip balms -- careful, precise application is a must. I didn't notice any feathering or bleeding, but I wasn't wearing it for very long. Do you use a lip liner? A lip brush to apply? And any tips on how to wear a bright lipstick?  (I kept my eye makeup neutral here -- not that you can tell from the photos. Related question: how do you get your makeup to show up in photos?) Lastly, do you prefer a bright lip with certain types of outfits or colors? If you have advice, I'd love to hear it. :)
     Happy Tuesday!

happy Monday, vol. 2

   3 things that have made me happy lately ... :)
1. The novel "1Q84" by Haruki Murakami. I requested it from the library -- I was probably #70-ish -- and here it is. Let's talk about not-so-great timing -- these are the last few weeks of school, when everything is due. If I can't finish it by the time it's due (which is likely, given its size), I might have to break down and buy a copy so I don't interrupt the reading flow.

 “This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness.”

 -- Dalai Lama 

2.    I really enjoyed hearing the Dalai Lama speak on Sunday. He was funny, wise, down to earth, and a staunch believer in our ability to create a peaceful world. This event ate up quite a bit of my Sunday, but it was worth it. It was a sold-out event: while the speech was scheduled for 1:45 p.m., doors opened at 11, and attendees were advised to arrive early. I got there about 10:45 a.m. and only stood in line briefly before going through the individual security gates -- I heard folks who came later waited in line for up to 45 minutes.
      His Holiness discussed how compassion is a deliberate choice. I also found a lot of value in his observation that we need to see an event that we find troubling or disruptive from different perspectives and at a distance. He referred to his own nation's troubles, saying that he believes a good thing -- the unity of today's Tibetans -- arose from their troubles with China.
3.   Musician Jake Shimabukuro. There was a stellar lineup of pre-speech performers, including Michael McDonald and some of Hawaii's best musical artists. Jake Shimabukuro premiered his composition "Playing with Less" via video. I've never listened to Jake's music before, but I thought it was a beautiful piece of music and the thoughts he shared were wonderful. It's not been released on the Internet yet, but hear his rendition of "Hallelujah" here. Or hear his rendition of one of my favorite songs, the Beatles' "In My Life, here. (Can you tell I'm a new fan?)

lessons in boldness

    I put this outfit together on Wednesday, and realized it's a promising sign of style progress. As my profile blurb notes, I'm trying to become a "pencil-skirt rockin', artfully accessorized woman."
I looked at this, and thought, hmm ... not bad. :)

 Merona buttondown, previously loved by E.I.

pencil skirt, Calvin Klein outlet

necklace, eBay

belt, Old Navy

      First off, thanks go to Katie of Hems for Her for inspiring me to pull out my pencil skirt. See her workin' that skirt here and here. It is so inspiring to me to see a teacher dressing with such confidence and verve. I've been guilty of sporting the tee and jeans look in the classroom a lot, but I'm realizing that how I present myself is key as well. If I put all that thought and care into my lessons and relationships with students ... why not show students how much I enjoy my work by dressing with pride?

    I have to admit that I almost chickened out on wearing the colorful necklace. I was headed for a work meeting and wondered if this necklace was too much. But then I decided that if I wanted to wear it, I should wear it. To me, it elevated the whole outfit from ho-hum professional to fun yet polished. Looks like I'm learning how to have fun with my accessories, one eBay necklace at a time ...

Try-it-out Tuesday: turquoise pants & double cardis

    I was thrilled to find these pants at Ross the other week. They fit great, are amazingly soft to the touch, and are a perfect length -- just a bit of excess at the end that can be scrunched or folded.  

   Velvet Heart jeggings, Ross, $22.99 

gray Banana Republic cardigan, previously loved by Mom

Joseph A. cardigan, Macy's

 Fossil "Mystic" necklace, Macy's

     Ever since then, I've been determinedly pinning outfit ideas on Pinterest. I'm excited about pairing these pants with neutrals (black, gray, white),  patterns (stripes, florals) and punchy colors (red, blues of every shade, purples).
   It's gray, overcast and chilly here, so I decided to double up on the cardigans for some layering fun. 

   I'm pleased that I've finally become a member of the Bright Pants Club! I feel really comfortable with this color, so I think these pants are going to be well-used.
   Happy Tuesday!

happy Monday, vol. 1

     I try to make gratitude/remembering my blessings a daily activity. A fun way to extend this into my blog life is through my new feature: happy Monday. I'll be sharing 3 things each week that make me smile! Here we go ...

1. Sesame Street's Yup Yup Martians ... the Mr. and I were having a serious conversation on Friday and somehow I managed to work in this Sesame Street reference. Having grown up in another country, he didn't get the reference, but that didn't curtail my enjoyment. :)



2. My friend K and I are going to see the Dalai Lama on Sunday! I've read a few of his books, so I'm excited to hear him speak. Another person who I would love to see is Thich Nhat Hanh.

3. Chocolate -- giving it (bunnies), getting it (Godiva strawberry and raspberry chocolates), and, uh, eating a whole bag of it by myself (Rolos).

   Happy Monday!

ruffles and pleats (again)

  The best way to figure out how to wear something out of my comfort zone? Wear it with everything, and through trial and error find a combination that feels comfortable and looks good. On Tuesday I paired my pleated midi skirt with a ruffled and patterned top. It's hot enough here to break out the shorts, but this is a more fashionable alternative to the tee-and-shorts look I've succumbed to in the past. 

Spying on the neighbors? :)

Lush pleated midi skirt, Nordstrom Rack clearance

blue Bandini, Ross

top, Forever 21

belt, Ross

Indigo by Clarks "Plover" sandal

     The verdict? I still think I like this skirt best when paired with a graphic tee. However, it was kind of fun to see how it looks paired up with a girly top. Next up: breaking away from the navy blue and pairing this skirt up with other colors ...

Little Facts

 

1. The Body ... well, when I read this, the first thing that popped into my mind was "body of knowledge." Occupational hazard, I suppose, of free-lance editing academic journal articles. I've figured out that editing journal articles is a fun way to learn and get paid for it.
2. Peeve: people who don't know when to stop talking. Like the guy in my history of libraries class who is always talking to his friend in an undertone while the teacher is saying something. Is it just me, or is that rude?
3. Allergy: I am allergic to people who complain of boredom. I was raised to entertain myself, so I don't think I'm ever really bored. I always suspect these bored people of lacking some inner reserves. (I don't know what's in that inner reserve, exactly, but I think theirs is empty!) I also suspect that their bookshelves are empty, or that they *gasp* don't own or borrow books.
       I am also horribly allergic to grass. Which means that while most people are sniffing delightedly at the air after the grass is cut, I'm cringing and trying to remember whether I took all of my allergy meds.