Having Fun

I was lamenting over the sad state of my blog to a friend — and she said to just do what was fun. So here's me having fun with it!

turtleneck — Basic Editions (thrifted)

sweater — Jackie Chalkley (thrifted)

pants — Express (Express*)

boots — Pierre Dumas

*I really did buy them in a real store,
but I still didn't pay full price! 

My boots are really cool (and nice and warm), so they deserve a close up. Browns and blacks like my sweater.

What worked? I was proud of my jewelery picks — I didn't go crazy and keep piling piece after piece until I was so weighted down that I could barely get out the door. No. I managed to keep it simple with just a necklace and earrings that were in the same color family as my shirt, pants, and boots.

What didn't work? Well, it was kind of boring being in browns and blacks from head to toe. But I don't think that I'd change it. It was comfortable, and I have actually worn this outfit several times this year already. Wait! Maybe, that's what's boring about it ... 

 

Trivia Tidbit: I actually wore this sweater with rolled-up cut-off jean shorts and black tights a few years ago to see the very cool Loring Cornish Mosaic House in Baltimore, Maryland (back when wearing dark tights with shorts in the dead of winter was all the rage). Seriously, what else would you wear to an art exhibition but the latest trendy style? I thought I was right on point until I saw my pictures, that is. You know it must have been bad, since I have the memory of what I wore permanently etched on my retinas, even without having saved a picture.

Look!

Up in the sky! It's a bird. It's a plane. No. Not Superman.

 sweater — Old Navy (Old Navy)

dress — Rag (thrifted)

shoes — Dansko (Dansko Factory Outlet)

Just Kari, trying to find a way back to her blog. I've missed it, but life has been just crazy hectic lately and something had to give.

But I still make so many mistakes in my outfits, or fit outs, as one ELI* student thought the saying was. I used to board international students in my home — a wonderful experience, if you don't mind having strangers (that you may or may not get along with) sharing your living space for two months or more.

* ELI - English Language Institute

Take this outfit, for example. I was pretty happy with it when I left for work, and I got a fair number of compliments. But now, looking at the pictures, it seems like the proportions are off. What say all y'all (if there are any all y'all left reading this — I had all of one view today, and frankly, I was surprised at that one)? Maybe it's time to retire skirts that fall above the knee?

Back to the blog. What to do? I can't post unless I have something to say. But having something to say, and then saying it well, takes so much time. Time that I haven't been able to find much of lately. But then I think that the main reason I started blogging was to give me more confidence in what I wear and how I felt about myself so maybe I should just post pictures. But then I think some more, and I end up thinking it's kind of weird to just post pictures of myself.

 Agggh. What to do? What to do?

I'm going to link up to Patty at Not Dead Yet Style for Visible Monday, because I'm a bit more visible today  and because maybe all the great ladies over there can help me out with this age-old quandary.

Plane Clothes

I wore plane clothes the other day. (Actually it was more like several weeks ago now. I am so far behind in posts!) I really do have more current outfits that are of more springy-type clothes, but I wanted to post this before it looked too hopelessly wintery.  It's ummm ... shall we say, interesting?

shirt — Hot Ginger (thrifted)

pants — Gap (Gap)

boots — DSW

Say what you will about this outfit, it definitely wasn't plain ... these plane clothes definitely could not and would not be confused with "plain clothes."

Needless to say, this outfit was waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay outside my comfort zone. I took a short break to visit my parents before I started my new job, and wore this on the plane. It was the perfect outfit for the plane — very comfortable, and it dealt with all the weird temperature changes that you go through at the airport. It's another one of those polyester tunic tops that is so comfortable (similar to the one here).

But then I got back from visiting my parents, had a few more days at my old job, and would you believe that I actually wore it to my last day of work at my old job? Yes, I did. Oh my ...  (I figured that I would go out with a bang and make sure that everybody noticed me. LOL.)

And notice me, they did. One of the ladies at work, when she saw me, went, "Woohoo GIRL! Look at you!" It kind of made me feel good, but kind of silly too.

Honestly? I regretted wearing it to work, because I felt a bit too VISIBLE — as if I was trying a bit too hard. It was a perfect outfit for the plane, but not so perfect for work ... It just really wasn't me. Maybe if my top was a little longer? Where the length falls is right at the widest part of my thighs, which is a fashion no no. Or maybe if my leggings were not quite so tight (although that would probably defeat the purpose of leggings ...). And then my biker boots ... I dunno. (I wanted to wear the army boot style, but I wasn't that crazy), and don't know what other kind of shoes would look okay with this.

I dunno ... maybe this outfit needs to be relegated to the youngster pile, which bums me out a bit, because I really like all the different pieces to it, and it was OH. SO. VERY. comfortable.

Thank you all for the good wishes about my new job. I absolutely love it! I have been super busy learning all sorts of new stuff, doing training, and I even had two business trips to New York.

Linking up to Patti at Not Dead Yet Style for Visible Monday. I'm not dead yet, and I was awfully visible (awful being the operative word here LOL). Thank you Patti for your Visible Mondays! Such a wonderful community of women.

Ch-ch-Changes

Lots of changes lately, including this color change to my blog. Not sure yet what I think about it. It probably just needs to grow on me a bit.

As for me? I'm not sure that I've changed all that much. In fact, Here's something I wore a couple of weeks ago.

shirt — Trnka (warehouse sale)

pants — London Jean (Victoria's Secrets)

boots — Trumpet by Wanted (DSW)

And now look! Here's an outfit from over a year ago ...

Pretty much the same, huh?

I still gravitate to the same old same old that I always have ... I'm still the same old same old person I always was — part goofy, part nerdy, part silly, part serious, part cold ...

Brrrrr .... it's been cold this year

But yeah, I have changed ... it's all a part of growing up and growing older . 

Changes

Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the stranger)
Ch-ch-Changes
Don't want to be a richer man
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the stranger)
Ch-ch-Changes
Just gonna have to be a different man
Time may change me
But I can't trace time

I watch the ripples change their size
But never leave the stream
Of warm impermanence and
So the days float through my eyes
But still the days seem the same
And these children that you spit on
As they try to change their worlds
Are immune to your consultations
They're quite aware
of what they're going through

 

I can't believe that David Bowie wrote Ch-ch-Changes in 1971! Geez, that was even before my time! (sort of, but not really ... I was in 7th or 8th grade ...)

Speaking of change ... What do you think of the new layout? I went from mustard yellow to pale blue. Is it too pale?

Linking up to Patti at Not Dead Yet Style because it's Monday ...

Visible Monday! 

A Heavy Heart

Bombings and shootings are starting to seem all too commonplace — and it's not just that, it's the way these horrific events are touching each and every one of our lives. I don't know. I just don't know. It's just overwhelming. I wore an old racing T-shirt to work today, and when I got home, I went out and ran 2 miles. It wasn't much, but it helped me deal with the sadness a little bit better.

a college campus, 

a meet and greet your representative,  

a movie theater,

a church,

a grammar school, 

and now the finish line of a road race. 

I wore an old racing T-shirt to work today, and when I got home, I went out and ran 2 miles. It wasn't much, but it helped me deal with the sadness a little bit better.

My daughter also ran today, and her words hit home for me, "Today I ran 3.25 miles. I ran because I could. I ran for those that couldn't. I ran for all of those killed and injured yesterday in Boston. I ran for all of those runners who worked so hard to get to Boston and did not get the chance to finish."

Image by Aaron Bouvier Design https://www.facebook.com/aaronbouvierdesign

Love and prayers go out to all who have been affected by these horrific and senseless acts of violence everywhere.

Brand New

I've got something that's brand new! Can you tell what it is?

shirt — Old Navy (Old Navy)

pants — Impressions Lifestyle (older than dirt, can't remember)

shoes — Thom Mcan (Kmart)

I'll give you a hint ... I'm not wearing it. But my somewhat conservative outfit should give you a clue as to what it is.

Give up? I got a brand new job! Woo Hoo! and Woot! Woot! And yes, I am over the moon!

Not only is it a job, but it's an amazing job. And not only is it an amazing job, but it's doing exactly what I want to be doing. And not only is it doing exactly what I want to be doing, but it's also good pay, great benefits, great people, and the office is close by. Really close by. 

I started on Monday, and it just feels right — like I'm where I belong. For this girl, who never felt like she fit in, this is the most wonderful feeling. I have been floating and grinning and beaming and dancing and skipping for the past couple of weeks. I'm not sure if I mentioned that I'm excited about it, but in case I didn't — I am excited and thrilled and ... well, I think you get the idea. LOL.

Linking up to Patti at Not Dead Yet Style, because I'M.NOT.DEAD.YET! Oh no, I'm NOT! I'm also linking up because it's Visible Monday, and my jumping around these past few days has made me very very visible.

 

Shopping for Labels

I have fallen in love with these polyester tunic tops. They are super comfortable, and they still look somewhat dressy — at least I think so ... YMMV. LOL. (I wore a similar one here, and look for a few more up in the coming days.)

shirt — Suzie in the City (thrifted)

sweater — Amanda Smith (thrifted)

pants — RockStar (Old Navy)

belt — (thrifted)

boots — Kirkland Signature (Costco)

It really is a tunic style, but I thought it looked much better tucked in, don't you?

It looks pretty dorky with it not tucked in! A completely different look.

One of the reason that I bought this top was because I loved its label (being comfy was an added plus!).

Not because it's a "name brand" — I don't much go in for those, but because I'm always on the lookout for cool labels.

So what was so special about this label? My mom's name is Suzie (short for Suzanne), and she was the one who got me hooked on saving clothing labels. She would make these pillows out of the ones she collected. Each pillow was unique and the labels she used would reflect the person she was making the pillow for. My pillow had a Crazy Horse label on it to commemorate the time I rode a crazy horse as a geology student on field camp.

Linking up to Patti at Not Dead Yet Style for Visible Monday, because it's almost Monday!

Happy Work Week everyone! Stay Visible!

True Love

No. I didn't find it ... I wore it, and on Valentine's Day no less. I kid you not. My cardigan was a case of True Love.

I'll say it again. True Love. On Valentine's Day. Snort.

shirt —Gap (thrifted)

cardigan — True Love (thrifted)

pants — London Jean (Victoria's Secrets)

boots — Hayley by Faded Glory (thrifted)

necklace — thrifted

I was trying for a monochromatic color look, and I wanted to do the red family because ... well, because it was Valentine's Day, of course! I pulled this cardigan out to wear, when I saw that the label read "True Love," I just had to wear it.

It wasn't a true monochrome look ... I should have switched out the black shirt for a bright pink one or a deep red.

Unfortunately, I don't work in the kind of place where I can play around with what I wear all that much. My goal, dress wise, is to look "conservative" so I tone down what I wear accordingly. It's kind of strange. I can wear jeans day in and day out, but a lot of chothing choices are simply out of the question.

I'm totally exhausted these days ... I've had parental health issues, I've been job interviewing, and I went through the most traumatic house appraisal ever, and then there has been work. Still no vacation or sick time, so if I take any time off, I have to make up by working 10- to 12-hour days. I seriously don't know if I am coming or going these days. Just trying to hold it together these days.

Linking up with Patti at Not Dead Yet Style for Visible Monday. 

Wearing Lime Green

I've been trying to amp up my style a bit at work lately, and really, to just put a little more effort into what I wear. 

shirt — Old Navy (thrifted)

skirt — (thrifted)

boots — Chinese Laundry (DSW)

necklace — JC Penneys

This was a pretty straightforward outfit, but one that was still somewhat outside my comfort zone. Can you guess why? Hint ... it's not the length of my skirt (like here) or the height of my boots (like here).

Stumped? This time, it was the color of my shirt! You know, like the color of limes and Granny Smith apples? ... (Really wondering why my clothing choices these days remind me of food ...)


Lime green is definitely not a color that I typically wear. For one thing, it's a bit brighter than what I typically wear, especially during the mid-winter. And second, I always thought it was too much in the yellow family for a redhead. I'm thinking that I may have to revise that thinking.

Linking up to Patti at Not Dead Yet Style for Visible Monday, because

you can't really hide 

when you're stuck inside

so look real keen and wear lime green! 

LOL. (It's dorky things like that that keeps me more visible than I want to be ...)

Teenage Clothes

Yeah. I wore this to work — all day long, boots and all. How cute am I with the great big boots? LOL.

shirt — Coldwater Creek (can't remember ... older than dirt)

skirt — Her Majesty (thrifted)

boots — Kirkland Signature (Costco)

And I really did wear the boots all day long! It's been cold and rainy and slushy in Delaware, so I needed to wear something that would keep my feet from getting soaked while I slogged through the parking lot. (I get in so late that I end up having to park way out in jabip land ...)

Once I got into the building and up to my desk, I had planned on taking the boots off and wear these shoes. (I even carried them into work ... but then they sat in a bag under my desk all day long. Smack head.)

 

Anyway, the boots were just so warm and comfy that I couldn't resist keeping them on my feet (it's like wearing slippers!), and let me check ... Yep! They're still on. LOL.

 

I know  ... I know ... the mules / clogs / slides are not much better than the boots (fashion-forward style wise), but my shoe choices have to be very practical these days. I work in a huge building — in a manufacturing production plant, and my desk is at one end of the building. The people I work with are at opposite ends of the building. (Think of a T-shape ... I am at the base, and I have to constantly see the people at each end of the T during the course of the day.) And when I say my building is huge? I mean that I basically have to pack a survival kit before I set off to see them, so comfortable walking shoes are a must.

Besides the fact that my feet do not do all that well in extended walks in heels, I also have to go into the warehouse and into chemical labs, and 6-inch (okay, 1-inch) heels don't go over real well in those environments. You can't exactly jump out of the way of a forklift at a moment's notice in heels. Well, you could ... but the aftermath wouldn't look too pretty.

I was really happy with the way this came together. (very sorry about the crappy pictures — I really need to ramp up my camera skills because you can't see the colors at all!). The shirt is actually brown with black trim, the boots were brown, my tights were black, and then my skirt was mustard yellow with another kind of a brown. Anyway, the colors really worked well together. The bottom of the skirt is a really cool beaded fringe, which you can see better here.

I got a lot of compliments on this outfit. In fact, one of the older men in my office (I shouldn't say "older" because I'm probably older than he is) came up to me and told me that I looked like a teenager. I gasped, and looked at him horrified, and shrieked "OH NO!" in my old lady voice. He said, "No no no ... That was a compliment." LOL.

I can't think of anything too much worse than being an old lady who is making an obvious attempt of trying to look young. (Well, I can think of something much much worse — having an appraiser come through your house. But that's a story for another day.)

Mint Chocolate Chip

Yes. I regret wearing this outfit. (Can you tell by the pained expression on my face?) Seriously. I look like a bowl of mint chocolate chip ice cream! If not that, maybe an Andes chocolate mint?

dress — Old Navy (Old Navy)

jacket —Gap (thrifted)

boots — Enzo Angiolini (thrifted)

In case you can't tell, I'm the one on the right (the yummy stuff is on the right ...) (and yeah, I'm wearing that jacket, again!)


This was another disastrous outfit, and in some respects it's worse than the one I wore here. Why is it worse? Because I actually did wear it to work. Ack! Too wrinkled. Too short. Too ... ACK! (fill in the blank) ... (I left the jacket on ALL day! and not because I was or afraid of forgetting it. See here. LOL.) To be fair to myself, I did get a fair number of compliments... but more than likely that was because I wore it on a gray and dreary day, and the colors were bright and cheery.

I'm not sure if this is salvageable, but I'm going to try — I just love the color! I think that if I wore it with heavier tights, I could get away with it being too short. Or maybe I just need to cut it off and wear it as more of a longer sweater?

What have you regretted wearing to work?