Happy Holidays, from our family to yours!

More posts coming, I promise.  For now, everyone enjoy the holidays with those you love!

Heads up on Columbus Day Sale

So if you've been thinking about trying simplybe.com and haven't yet ... here's your chance.

Just go here and use promo code 9430!  It will get you 30% off everything (and if it doesn't work, let me know and I'll ask questions of them).  The offer is valid through 10/11 at midnight.

Here's one of my favorite simplybe.com outfits (which looks better both in person and with a better photographer). You can still find the mix-and-match blazer, but the skirt is now sold out. Lots of great stuff, though! Just be patient with the shipping, the items are imported from England. But they're so worth it!

Shameless (albeit unpaid) Product Plug

So, have y'all noticed I've been growning my hair out?




To me, this is long. I've basically had one form or another of a pixie cut for like, 8 of the last 10 years, so I'm still re-adjusting to the concept of hair. And I forgot about something that comes with long(ish) hair that always annoyed the crap out of me.

Post-shower tangles. This surely isn't just my problem? Am I washing my hair completely wrong? Is it because my hair is so fine in texture yet thick in abundance that washing it is like putting 45,000 nanofibres through a dishwasher with a hamster on speed? I dunno. Hopefully I don't just sound like a naive dumbass now ... although it wouldn't be the first time.

Seriously, this post-shower-head photo is devastatingly typical...




I tried to double-mirror the back of my head in there for full impact. You're welcome for the coming Cthulhu nightmares.

Anyhoo, I decided to try a detangling brush, and people, PEOPLE I AM IN LOVE! Sorry, John, you give me unconditional love and support, but this brush has given me something no one ever has before - consistently pain-free, quick post-shower hair brushing!

This little baby - this little baby is my forever friend now!

Because look at this!




In a matter of pain-free moments, my hair was tamed!!!!

So yeah, if you don't have this problem and it turns out I'm just a hair-washing simpleton, ignore this post.

Sometime I might veer even further off-track and extoll the virtues of Death Wish Coffee's Valhalla Java. Dammit, it's 11:30 pm? I gotta wait six hours before I can brew a cup.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Bargain Hunting

As I've probably made clear in earlier posts, I love a good bargain. Sometimes I happen upon them easily. Sometimes, though, I have to work for it.

For example, this this dress...





I saw this dress a couple of months back and fell in love with it. It's cute, it's dressed up, it's comfy, and it's semi-casual. A perfect Friday dress for a office with a "no jeans" policy. The only problem? The price. I've done my best to edit out the website info, but the place I first saw it was here:




I did not want to pay $130. I love the dress. Were I not trying hard to budget, I would have paid it. But I just couldn't in good conscious.

Before you pay full price for something like that, check google. I'm serious. I googled the designer and the name of the dress, and look what came up!




Factor in that Macys.com also typically has coupon codes on the front page, I got another 25% off on top of this lower $103 price. Not to mention there's usually a free shipping or similar deal. Macy's has got your back, man!

So a dress that cost $130, I got for $77.25. I felt much better about that. And I get compliments on the dress every time I wear it. I had to let the hem down a bit. But even the $5 investment in thread and hem tape didn't come anywhere near the price from the other seller. Which would also have to have been hemmed.*

I did the same thing when I got married ... 11 1/2 years ago? YIKES! My dear friend found the perfect shoes for me (wish I had a pic, but I'm geographically separated from them right now), but they cost over $200. At that time, there was no way I could afford a $200 pair of shoes period, let alone a pair I'd only wear once. But I googled! Took sifting through 8 pages of results before I found a good hit, and snagged them for $98 bucks. With search engine optimization, and people realizing you can virtually bargain hunt so lowering their prices more often, that kind of thing is way easier today, thank goodness. Still... If never hurts to take some time to really hunt for that deal, okay?

Now go forth and find great stuff at more acceptable prices!


*Google is also handy for those websites that don't list the hem length. If you can find the dress on another site, you might just find more about how the dress fits, hem length, etc. So the original website had the hem length, while Macy's didn't. I still knew what I was in for with that short of a hem, though, and that I'd need to add an inch. For that, though, be sure you know how that designer usually works. I know that Michael Kors includes a lot of leeway in its hems, so I knew I could add an inch without a problem so long as I added some hem tape. Had I been unsure of the designer, I wouldn't have chanced receiving a dress with a 1/2 hem that I couldn't extend.

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An Experiment - So Far, Good Chemistry

So you always see those "wardrobe rental" sites online, and there's a plus-size specific one, Gwynnie Bee. I finally decided to try it out, for several reasons:
- I like clothes
- I don't have time to shop anymore
- I like lots of clothes
- I don't like to spend a ton of money
- I like so many clothes
- It seemed like a good way to try various things I wouldn't usually try, with the option to just ship 'em back for free if I don't like 'em.
- I like ALL THE CLOTHES
- It's always in my newsfeed, appealing to my love of clothes

So I signed up for a month-like free trial. Once you sign up, you go through their closet and and pick out things that look interesting. You can prioritize stuff you really like and want to try. The first three things I got - which mind you, you pick yourself during sign-up - I didn't like. They weren't on my priority list, but that was okay, I wanted to try new things. So I tried three new brands and they didn't work. It reminded me of my soul sister once saying in a dressing room, "Wow, that's you, but in a good way!" The three rejects were admittedly me, but the "me" I tried to shove into storage years ago, because it should all be good now, dammit! Anyway, I digress - I sent those pieces right back, and got three new outfits.

Here is one of the new pieces I got, and crimeny, I love it!



* Sorry for the airport bathroom pic.
** Sorry for the shoes, not what I'd usually put with these, but I'm up for a lot of walking today.

So this one is a Sandra Darren, which I've never tried before, but I'm not adding to my "YAAAAASSSSSS!!!!!" list.

Really, I love this! I was a little worried. In the pictures, the skirt looked shorter. And given my height (I am finally beginning to stop claiming 5'10", because let's be real here, I'm older and I've shrunk, so that takes some serious rounding up now), it's still a reasonable length. Right at the knee. I can totally do right at the knee!

I got two other pieces that were brands I've never tried before. You'll get pics of those later on workdays. This baby came on vacation with me because it's comfy and cute and all the things. Not that the others weren't, but I only have so much room in my suitcase, and very specific looks in mind for this trip. I'll try to do more pics as the week goes on, but I am on vacation, folks!

I'm still going to wear this one some Friday, though. And I'm probably not sending this one back to Gwynnie Bee, I think they made a sale.

Oh yes - If you like what they send, you can buy it at a reduced price. So that's nice! Plus you have access to their "retired from circulation" pieces for a reduced price if you're a member. They do all the dry cleaning before you get it. So if the idea of wearing something someone else has worn before squicks you out, this is probably better, actually, that what 50 other people have tried on in a dressing room (I always wash those before wearing, because that does skeeve me out).

So, two successes - a new brand, and a new mode of shopping!

What a good day!

Wait, "good???" Hell, I'm on vacation now, what a GREAT DAY!!!!!!

(Did I mention I'm on vacation? Cause I am. WOO HOO!!!)

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Summer Special

You might get a couple of posts this morning because I have spare time, and I want to use it telling people about fabulous things! Because I'm that way.

First, I've been talking about dressing for hot weather. Well, here's another great hot weather find.





This cool little yellow shift dress is current on sale for under $17(!!!!!) from simplybe.com! And if you aren't a yellow fan, they also still have it in navy.

I totally think, though, that y'all should try yellow. It's a very underrated color, and works on more people than you'd think. Especially this nice bright yellow. Kind of like green - the pale greens don't work on everyone, but a nice, vibrant green usually does.

I just put it with a long necklace I've had for years (that's a PEAR! Isn't that cute?) and nude wedge Cole Haan's, and yay, I'm ready for the hot blazing day!

That said, I'm wearing this to work, so I'm also taking a white, pin-stripe jacket I bought 2-3 years ago.





This jacket is long-unavailable, but a nice, white and tailored jacket looks great with this dress (since the dress is less tailored, you definitely want the jacket to take up the slack for the more "I'm a business person!" moments). However, Simply Be has this crisp white jacket, which would look great with the dress, methinks.

Added bonus - I also wore this dress and jacket combo earlier this summer, but with a black belt instead of a necklace (not good to over-accessorize), and black pumps. I'll try to recapture that magic day sometime, because it gives the outfit just a slightly different, but more polished look. I just wasn't in a belt mood for outfit-trotting-out number 2.

Long story short? Summer's hot, but you can be cool.

I think I was too tired to really make that last sentence work. Dammit, come on coffee, help me write more goodsly!

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Semi-Sick Day

Like a lot of folks, I have migraines.  While I don’t have as many triggers as I used to, I still have several – dehydration, going too long without eating, lack of sleep, overheating, barometric pressure changes.

I have a point.  I promise.

Today it rained like crazy, after days of crappy and humid heat, followed by two sunny, mild days. So guess what happened.

Thankfully it was a weekday – if it’d happened on a weekend, I would have slept through the initial warning signs too far to recover.  As it was, I slept through the auras, but I woke up while it was still just “pain over the right eye.”  So with a migraine pill, a bottle of propel, plenty of caffeine, and some salt (I hate pickles for breakfast, don’t judge), I managed to head off the full-bore deal.

Why should you care?  Because it directly impacted my sartorial choices for today.  You see, like I’ve alluded to in previous posts, I use clothing for lots of reasons – as an armor, to reflect my mood, to gain respect … Today, it was a costume.  If I dressed crisp and bright and happy, I’d be more likely to act like I was crisp and bright and happy.

And hence, we get this:

As an added bonus, since it’s almost Independence Day, I look extra patriotic!  Woo hoo!

I started building around the pants.  Because whose mood isn’t brightened by red pants?  These are the Kady fit ankle pants from Eloquii.  They are comfy and fit quite nicely. Which again, is a helluva mood brightener.

With red pants, though, you want the rest of the colors to be low key.  So I went with a white, sleeveless, overlay blouse, also from Eloquii.

The jacket?  An out-of-circulation denim blazer I’ve had in the closet for years.

I like the blouse more than I hate my arms, so here's a jacket-less photo.

Anyway, put it with a pair of low-heeled blue wedges similar to the denim blazer color, and boom. Mic drop. Done.

Well, I guess not quite.  The collar of this blouse just screams for something fun, doesn’t it?

I can’t find this necklace online anymore either, but here is the gist- It’s a statement necklace without an overpowering statement.  The gold sparkly part with the subtle color of the “gems” still gives some substance without being overwhelming.

So I may not have felt well today, but I good ‘nuff costumed up to have a good, productive work day.

After all, as much as I want to feel crisp and bright and happy, I don't want to feel overwhelmed.  

Hot Weather Sucks

So, we're in blazing summer now.  Even though I'm a summer baby, summer and I do not completely get along.  I'm a wimp when it comes to heat.  But barring a move to the Antarctic, I'm gonna have to deal.

It's hard to look professional when you look like you're doing a riff on Ted Stryker landing in Airplane!  So when it hits triple degree heat, you want short sleeves, light cottons, etc.

So here's a sampling of how I've been coping.

The Whimsy Wrap Dress from Kiyonna.com. Paired with the Solar Orbit Necklace from Thinkgeek.com (because I'm a geek, in case you'd somehow missed the obvious signals, but it's subtle geek - I mean, it's a nice, colorful necklace, right?).  And Ardent pumps from Aerosoles.com.  Comfy, light material, professional.  Love it.

Here's I've got a long-sleeved, tie-neck shirt from Eloquii.com, but it's a comfy, light cotton.  Not hot at all. I paired it with a nice navy pencil skirt from Simplybe.com's career wear section. With once again, shoes from Aeorsoles. 

I didn't do a lot with jewelry on this one - with the tie neck, I didn't need a necklace, so I just did earrings.  Cute earrings!  Unfortunately, I can't link them because I don't remember when or where I got them.  Bah!

Anyway, shifting on - Black can be hot in the heat of the summer, but it can still look nice. Unfortunately, these specific pieces aren't available anymore - this is an old Joanna Hope peplum top from Simplybe.com, and an old Lord & Taylor printed pencil skirt.  The top is a light jersey and the skirt cotton, so it still stays relatively cool.

  Finally, let's shift one last time.

Both pieces are from Eloquii.com.  The white cotton tie-waist blouse is, naturally, light and airy and comfy.  The textured blue column skirt is just awesome.  Both pieces are simple, but just detailed enough to not be boring.    

Huh.  and I just realized, I did a LOT of blue in this post, so I'm going to throw one more in after all to mix it up a bit.  And this mixes it about as much as it can possibly mix it...

The dress is a Suzi Chin for Maggy Boutique I picked up on clearance a few years ago.  The asymmetrical cut waist, and all the bright colors - Yeah, it's loud, but it's summer!  And it's fun!  And I totally wore it on a Friday, because that's when you can be most fun at work in the summer, if you don't have any crazy meetings.  The shoes, by the way, are Uggs.  I swear.  Uggs.  Who knew they made sandals, and who knew they'd be cute?  They're the Char two-piece sandal, if you're interested.

One more thing?  My legs are typically just one shade off of chalk-white.  They're embarrassing.  I can even be sunburned horribly on my arms and back, and my legs will be all, "no thanks, we enjoy our ghostly pallor and creating uncomfortable complexion dichotomies, so yeah, go away sun."  And they throw up some kind of incredibly complex and heretofore unknown to man sun-blocker so effective scientists are still trying to reformulate it 44 years after its discovery.  (Did I take that joke too far?  Oh well.)  So this day, I tried out Sally Hansen leg makeup.  It works!  And it didn't rub off on anything, but still washed off with just soap and water later.  Good stuff.

I'll try to not let so much time pass before my next post.  I'm also going to try to find a better mirror (or at least clean this one), so bear with me.

Business Travel Part 4 – Time To Go Home

So you almost didn’t get a picture today, because I overslept by an hour, packed my hotel room in a flurry, hopped in a cab thinking I’d be 5 minutes late for my morning meeting and … Apparently the metro is closed in DC. Did y’all know that? I didn’t. You can imagine was the uptick in motor traffic was like then.

Thankfully, when I showed up at 9:25, everyone was understanding, and I wasn’t even the last person there. Doesn’t that automatically make it better? It should. Someone codify that.

And I kid. I’m a professional, but oversleeping and being late like that (I typically build in plenty of time for DC traffic, which would have saved me here) was pretty unprofessional. So I apologized (and meant it – that part’s important), and then got down to business so I could minimize my disruption as much as possible.

There, professional, non-sartorial advice today. You’re welcome.

Now back to this blog's intent … Here’s my travel-day, business meeting dress.




Not knowing I’d oversleep (which makes dresses handy), but knowing I’d have packing, cab ride, meeting, meeting, cab ride, airport sitting, airplane sitting, driving home … I wanted comfortable. In other words, it was not a suit-wearing day. Not that suits can’t be comfortable, but there’s just a natural uprightness I feel when I wear them, like I costumed to be a badass.. But these were informal meetings and there was a lot of “active” time. It was another comfy dress day. I don’t know why, but dresses can just be infinitely more comfortable than a suit on a plane. Of course, I still bring a jacket (not in the picture because I didn’t need it), because you never know what meeting rooms and planes are gonna do temperature wise. Doesn’t matter if it’s June, plan for layering.

If you went to the link, you already know that this is another Eloquii. I’m kind of in love with Eloquii right now. You can find career wear that’s got just enough edge to stand out (but not inappropriately so) in a fairly conservative industry. Remember this post? Also an Eloquii. Plus, they have a lot of great sales, which does not suck at all.

The cut of this dress is actually pretty simple, and very comfy. The tie waist gives it the right amount of shape. And I never tie tie-waists too tight, because then I not only get uncomfortable (which defeats the purpose), but I also look kinda ridiculous. It’s a relaxed professional look, don’t make it tight and stodgy!

So there ya have it! I’ll take a couple of days respite now to get my act back together (and see if I can seek out a new selfie stick so I don’t end up posting a ton of bathroom pics, because that just seems gross), and more posts next week!


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Business Travel Part 3 - Yeah, I Don't Blend In

Today was a very sociable day, and a picture day. Seriously, so many pictures, some expected and some not.  I may even end up in a very respected industry magazine, which for a geek like me, will rank up there just below the time I received a thank you credit in a book in the same line as my favorite economist. And ... yes, I should should stop with that line of geekdom now.

Anyway, knowing some of the pictures were coming, I wanted to be sleek, but still comfy. And of course, again, I needed something that packed well.

Today, I went with a nice gray wool.  A light wool, though, so I didn't look ridiculous in June.  I have an Eloquii suit that really, truly, did the trick today.

My picture (I really need to up my detailed selfie game) doesn't do the jacket justice, so here, go to this link and have a closer looksy.  Now on the website, the model didn't turn the collar down.  Of course, it looks awesome on her.  She's a model, so duh.  I did turn the collar and lapels down, because I wanted to bring some more attention to the blouse and my "I could be a 1950s housewife and rock it, but I choose not to" pearls.  Were I wearing a more staid blouse, I would have popped the collar like a good 1980s frat boy and worn it like on the website.  Damned if this jacket doesn't work really well both ways.  It's a great, tailored cut, and the almost peplum-like detailing where you'd expect pockets is visually interesting in a good way.  

The matching skirt for the jacket is here, by the way.  

And Eloquii is doing a 30% off sale with a promo code (on the website), so check stuff out, the work wear is solid enough to be professional, non-standard enough not to get stodgy, and very well tailored.  

The blouse, alas, is long gone from sale racks unless you find it on ebay.  Which is a pity.  It's just a simple chevron Jones New York tank I picked up on clearance a few years ago, but the thing is so comfortable and so well cut, it deserved a bit of highlighting in the ensemble.   Plus, because it's almost jersey-like but 95% polyester, I don't think it's possible to wrinkle it on the wrinkliest day of the year with an electrified wrinkling machine (to paraphrase Homer Simpson, which I probably do too often).  

Anyway, total effect, if I do say so myself, is professional, solid, sleek (especially with my still-kinda-new-but-already-beloved-bangs), and eye catching.  

I mean really.  With my height and stature, I ain't blending into any crowds.  I may as well make the most of it.  

Business Travel Part 2 - Conference Time!

Tonight will be short, because I did my "laser-focus to the exclusion of all my surroundings, including an appropriate bed time" in getting some work done, so tomorrow is already looking to be a day of coffee and Monster energy drinks without finely crafting a blog entry of perfect humor/savvy/sartorial importance.

Let's get to the pic and some practicality:




(And as you can likely tell, it took me all of one day to break my damn selfie stick. At least the hotel has a full-length mirror.)

So when you're out of town on a trip, you want stuff that packs well. Duh, of course you do. You know what packs really frickin' well? Denim.

So this, my friends, is a denim (okay, technically "chambray") suit. Be sure to check your dress code policies because you get something like this. Some businesses don't allow denim in any way, shape, or form. But I'm am not thus constrained, and even if I was, I'm conferencing, baby, so I have freeeeeeeeedom to denim the hell out of it. This little baby is another Tahari ASL you can pick up at Macy's for a reasonable price.

You know how Tahari usually runs on the big side? If you do go for this suit, go a size smaller than your usual Tahari even. I did, thinking I was buying a suit for 10 pounds from now, but it fit perfect.

I put it with comfy shoes, because you just never know when you're going to end up taking a walk to the CVS a few blocks from the hotel. Like I did. There's not always a lot of suitcase room on business trips - you want to conserve space for conference binders and any work you had to bring with you. So I made sure the shoes I packed were "I can go a few blocks" walkable.

These are Spring Steps, the Lorka style. And holy crap, they're awesome! My only advice? If you're like me and shoes with the zipper in the back rub your ankle a bit, these will hit the rub spot. It's an easy fix, though - cut some small patches of moleskin (you can find it in any CVS or Walgreen's or whoever there's a "stuff for your feet like insoles and wart medicine" isle), and put those on the sweet spot on the back of your ankle. With that quick fix, my feet in these shoes are invincible. Invincible, I tells ya! And no one is going to notice.

As an aside, as you may be able to tell, I recently cut my bangs. Hell, I wish I'd done this a while ago. I can now part my flat, stupid hair in the middle and not care if it just hangs there, because I no longer feel any pressure to make it puff it artfully around my face so my cheeks don't look Godfather-Brandoesque and my forehead doesn't look like a billboard. That shit took work, people. This is a "part it, flat-iron the ends, and I'm out" kinda haircut, and I'm enjoying it.




My stick straight hair finally has purpose and meaning! Huzzah!

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Business Travel

So now is when I unceremoniously announce that the interview series has concluded. For a week now, I have been in a new position at a great company with really amazing people, and I'm incredibly blessed and lucky. I'm not kidding. As I drove into town the night before my first day, there was a friggin' rainbow over the city. Just try to tell me that's not a good sign.

The last few weeks have been a whirlwind. After four post-Memorial Day days on the new job, I am out of town for a conference. So how about we talk travel/conference business wear? Travel needs to be comfy, conference (depending on the formality) can be very daunting. And traveling light can be a challenge. So why not?

Let's start with travel, especially when you know you have a meeting at the end of the taxi ride.

Since I've been up since 3 am (love early flights), I wanted some comfort today. But I also had a 3 pm meeting. Of course, I ended up calling into the meeting, but I didn't know that starting out the day.

The Igigi dress from this post is beautifully comfortable. I wore it with a denim blazer I bought from Lane Bryant several years ago and Cole Haan wedges (because again, comfort).

By the way, airlines are nuts right now. It doesn't matter what you're used, to, plan extra time. I was very close to getting booted on my flight for being late Even though I was only 10-15 minutes behind my typical schedule. There goes the $30 extra I paid for priority boarding. Blergh.

So, about six hours after getting up, I was still doing okay. I was relaxed and comfy and feelin' awesome about being in one of my favorite cities (I love DC, I just do). I may have been tired and slightly sick, but I still had my sass on.




The sunglasses? Why yes, the devil(ish attorney) wears Prada. Discounted Prada sunglasses because I can be cheap, but Prada nonetheless.

Unfortunately, whether it was due to dehydration or lack of sleep, the sass dissipated and was replaced by migraine/queasy city Before lunchtime hit. I managed to avert a full-blown migraine, but it still kind of shot the day as far as being anywhere near other people. I ended up calling into my first meeting and sitting in my room with a cooling pack and a Diet Coke (sweet, caffeinated elixir of the gods), and getting some work done.

So my apologies - by the time I got to outfit picture-taking ... Well, this is what you're getting.




I may be worse for the wear, but my dress and jacket still look great. I wish I wasn't slouching though, so you could better tell how great. My mom was right, as she usually is. Standing up straight makes a huge difference.

Anyway, the rest of the week? I've got two conference days, then another travel day. So the next two days will be suits, and the day after that, another dress for travel. More to come.

In the meantime, please forgive the obvious "blergh" of today's posting.

In case you are unsure of the definition of "blergh," it's this:




PS - With the new job, I will not have regular access to my photographers (i.e., whichever family member I can shake down for pics before they go to work/school), so you'll be seeing a lot of the selfie stick. I'll do the best I can to get shoes and everything in the outfits as I can.


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Interview Series - Part 4 - An Old Favorite

Okay, so like I said in an earlier post, I'm actually losing weight.  Figures, don't it?  So, while I started this blog wearing a 26/28, I'm now in a 22 (plus the occasional 20 and 24, depending on the brand and cut).  So while I've gotten a few new pieces for interviews, I decided to grab an older one I had in storage for the last few years.

This interview was with a rather large corporation, and I wanted to look professional and pulled together, but not too traditional (hence the deep purple rather than a typical navy or black).

Damn, I love, and missed, this suit!

It's a size 22 Tahari, which I put with a Swarovski necklace and earring set, and my faux croc Aerosoles.  

And believe it or not, the suit was just slightly loose.  

I love the detailing on this suit.  Here's a slightly better closeup so you can see the cool pleat and side sweep of the jacket.  

Just another example of, just because you want to look completely professional and crisp, you can still play with tradition a bit.  

Completely unrelated, but Simply Be is doing a workwear sale today!  Lots of choices for under $50!  Check it out here!  

Simply Be is also doing a sale on Joe Brown brand apparel.  It's a fun weekend brand if you're interested.  If you go down that line, I recommend ordering a size up from usual, I find they run a little on the small side.  

Date Day!

Last Wednesday, in honor of our 11th anniversary, John and I went on a day-long date. It was nearly a week late, but we got there. :-)

And I just wanted to dress up. I don't get an opportunity often to dress up in a non-business-related context. We went antiquing in the morning, had a nice lunch, then went to see Batman v. Superman.*

So this is what I did.




Michael Kors dress from Nordstom Rack. (Because why pay full price? Seriously unnecessary.) Plus a clearance silver/gold knot necklace, and my 3-year-old (and still perfect) neutral Cole Haan wedges! I felt awesome.

Here's a milestone for me, too. The dress was shorter than I would usually go. I generally like hitting at or slightly below the knee. This was close to 2 inches above the knee. And the world didn't crumble to the tears from glimpsing a slight bit of my thigh. It was incredibly affirming to someone who has always hated her legs.

Now, as promised in my last post, the hair. I didn't just perm in the 80s because everyone did. I permed because my hair doesn't typically do a damned thing without 9 pounds of product Otherwise. I have extremely fine (and completely straight) hair, but a crap-ton of it. Guess what that ultimate effect that has! I used to be grateful for static because it at least gave my hair some lift!

But it ain't the 80s anymore, and I now know that I personally look ridiculous with big-ass pageant hair, so that's no longer an option. It works fine many people, but I ain't one.

I found a gadget online, though, that actually gives my hair, I repeat my hair, a nice, long-lasting curl. I present to you, the Miracurl! There are some similar items that don't get reviews as positive (based on my internet research), but this is the one I ordered, and it worked well for me. Because look at it! (And while you're looking at it, please ignore all of the white hair in my eyebrows, and we'll pretend the ones at my temples are just the sunlight coming in through the window.)




It ended up lasting three full freaking days, and may have lasted longer, but I couldn't stand not washing it anymore.

Anyway, that's all for now, and thanks for your patience between posts.


*Because we're geeks, in case no one had noticed yet, and indiscriminate between Marvel and DC. Our last date was to Deadpool, I've thoroughly enjoyed all Avengers-related properties, and I am deciding whether I'm going to Wonder Woman opening night or waiting until the crowds die down so I can enjoy it in relative peace. I grew up on comics, okay? Tons and tons of comics. Probably literally. We had bushel-boxes full of them everywhere. I grew up with the best parents.

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Interview Series - Part 3 - the Phone Screen

So as you know, I'm pretty diligent on virtual interviews (see part 2). Well, I even get dressed up for phone screens. Not as much, but I do. I still want to feel awesome. I am doing a psychological trick on myself here. If I dress up, I feel good, and if I feel good, I sound better on the phone.

So this is what I did.





I really, really enjoy this blouse from Eloquii. You can find it (on sale!) here.

For the type of job I applied for, I wanted to sound polished, yet personable and approachable. So I costumed up.

By the way, the hair? I finally found something that actually curls my uncurlable hair! That's DAY 2 CURLE, PEOPLE! That's unheard of for my stick-straight, "9 pounds of product just to get it not to stick straight to my face" hair! I'll post about it in my next post, so you can see Day 1.


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Interview Series - Part 2 - Giant Floating Head

*Quick Note - So, when I'm doing this interview series, I'm only hitting fashion prep. Obviously, there's a helluva lot more prep you need to do. For example, know your company, know the culture, know the job expectations, and if possible, know about the folks on the interview team. If you feel the company is worth working for, then you should feel the company is worth researching. Otherwise, what are you even doing applying?

Now, back to the fun stuff.

Today's interview was pretty cool. It was a virtual interview done via webcam!

"Awesome!" you might think. "I only have to nice nice from the waist up, sweatpants, here I come!" you might think.

Yeah, don't do that. You'll just feel more confident and professional (in my opinion) if you treat it like you're right there in person, and do you really want to feel like you're doing an interview in stained pants and bunny slippers? Didn't think so.

I wanted to feel like a badass today. But a socially acceptable badass. So I went with a navy pantsuit with some cool detailing, a soft yellow tank, and some subtle, but still distinctive, jewelry. The suit, by the way, is from Eloquii, and I link to the pieces below. Currently, these pieces are even on sale with a discount code. The tank is very old and unsinkable, but pretty easy to replicate because of its simplicity.




I wish the detail on these pants showed up better. But they're basically sailor pants! Wide legged, cool buttons on the hips. I swear, I never ever tuck shirts into pants (round protruding belly fears), but these trousers make it look good!

And the cool double breasted jacket? It's tailored just perfectly to go with the more wide-legs on the pants. It may be double breasted, but it doesn't button shut, and that's okay. I don't want to look stuffy today.

They're not in the picture, but I even wore heels. They're an integral part of my "badass warrior" costume, after all.

So that's a lot of detail, considering that with the small square webcam screen, I don't know that the interview panel even saw this much:




I think I was just a giant floating head. But I have a huge bobble head anyway, so maybe this will best prepare them for the overwhelming cranial presence I'd bring to the job. (Seriously - I have to special order hats.)

And by the way, I did not cock my head that way during the interview. That's just for the purposes of "look at my earrings!" For jewelry, I went with a simply Y necklace, which latches by actually passing the bar through the circle. I paired it with small drop earrings, with a silver circle on the top and gold on the bottom. Just close enough without being obsessively "matchy." While not pictured, I had my wedding and anniversary bands on, as well as my kids' birthstone rings stacked with a posey ring with an inspirational saying.

I also wore more makeup than usual. I don't typically wear eyeliner, and I've got far more mascara on than usual, as well as more foundation and a darker lipstick. But It doesn't look severe, does it? Since the camera tones it all down, I ended up doing much more makeup for this than I ever would in person. Although I just realized, I should have covered the rash on my neck better. Dammit. Ah well.

Now do I care that the interview panel saw, at most, a headshot, even though I got all dressed up? No, I don't care. I dressed the way I needed in order to feel (and therefore, more likely perform) like my best and most confident self, which meant going full armor. And that's the point.

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Interview Series - Part 1

So let's start this bluntly. Interviewing always makes me nervous because I worry that the first thing people will see when they meet me is my size. I won't belabor that, though. If you want to see what feeds that nervousness and why I respond through fashion, read this older post. My point is, when I'm meeting people for the first - or very important - time, I want them to notice not my size, but my presence.

Most of the time, folks will pick a standard "uniform" for an interview - dark colored suit, neutral top, small earrings, small pendant. And there is nothing in the world wrong with that. It's just not what I personally am every day (Neutral? Me? Hahahahaha!); I feel dishonest being that low-key.

So when I interview, I do my best to play to the tenor of the potential employer, but still put my own spin on it. Last week's interview was with a wonderful, established law firm with a solid reputation. Now was not the time for "funky" or "quirky." Now was the time for upstanding and traditional. Still, I wanted my spin on it.

Now, please forgive the photography. I was out of town and taking this picture in the hotel mirror. I did not have access to my normal photographer (a/k/a my teenaged daughter).




I think it hit the blend pretty well on the head here.

What's solid and traditional? It's a black 3-button black suit (my lovely Tahari brand again!), neutral nails, and low-heeled, un-fussy Aerosoles.

What's my spin on it? First, it's 3/4 sleeves with shiny gold buttons (I think I'm part magpie). And hopefully you can see this, the very end of the pencil skirt is lined with about 4-inches of pleating. It's subtle but distinctive. I also didn't do a white or cream top. Instead, I went with something that, in person, is actually more the color tone of the necklace I'm wearing. As for that statement necklace, I obviously chose not to do a simple, quiet pendant. But so it wouldn't be overwhelming, I wore one that wouldn't be thicker than a double-strand of pearls, and I matched it to the top (I swear, the photo is skewing the color).

I think it was an overall nice balance of playing to the audience but letting my personality out. I'm happy with the effect.

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About to Get Back in the Swing

I promise, more will be coming later, but I have to point out a couple of sales going on right now! 

First, Aerosole's! Their pumps and heels are on sale! I own Domino, Head Role, Starring Role, and Marine Corps, and they're awesome. I'm considering Ardent next.

Also, Igigi is currently doing 50% off the sale rack and last chance sections. I own the Gianna blouse in houndstooth, the Erika blouse in floral print, and the Eden pants in white. I can personally vouch for all of them. I also have a friend who bought the Madelyn dress in teal blue rose, and it looks fabulous on her!

Finally, Kiyonna is doing 20% off, with no minimum order. I can vouch for the flirty flounce wrap dress (oh, who's that in the customer pic section? That's ME from this summer!), the essential wrap dress (travels very well and looks very polished), the Ciara cinch dress, the Mademoiselle lace dress, the Feminine Frills lace top, the Femme Fatale faux wrap, and the Caycee twist top (one of my favorites for weekends and casual days). And if you have something formal, the friend I referenced in the last paragraph also bought the Screen Siren lace gown, and holy cow, it's stunning on her!

More to come! I'm going to hit y'all with some thoughts I've had with the election, with technology, and with stereotyping. Because I occasionally soap box.

I'm also going to do an "interview" series. Hopefully lots of posts on that one. :-)

Later, folks! Possibly even later today, but had to point out the sales first!

Brief hiatus

So yes, I've been on a brief hiatus, and will be spotty for a bit, but I will be back on a regular schedule soon.

In the meantime, enjoy this faux suede jacket from Ashley Stewart. Ashely Stewart is usually a bit more casual or "let's go out!" than I choose to go, but I do enjoy the cut of their jackets. They sell pretty much as far from the spectrum from a boxy jacket as you can get, which I love. This one in particular, I really enjoy the cut of this jacket. It's the second faux suede jacket I've picked up there. They're a nice little break from the polyester blend norm.




Since the suede was a nice neutral color, I put it with black straight cut pants, a black tank, and some nice neutral suede wedge ankle boots. And a neutral necklace, of course. I felt like with the black and tan, adding a color would have been too much.

I'll be back with more regular programming later. I didn't want you all to think I'd disappeared, I'm just making some adjustments! I'll post as I can in the meantime.

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Back in Action!

I've talked about the company before, but yeah, here's another reason why I love igigi.com...




I saw this dress on igigi ... oh crud, I can't even remember how long ago it was. But I couldn't snag it before it went out of stock.

But igigi, bless 'em- It has a back in action section! This is the second time that I've missed something the first time around but was able to pick it up later.

So now I have my Antonia dress!

I love this color, too. It's nice and versatile. I didn't have to go with neutral shoes and a coral necklace. I almost went with neutral jewelry and red shoes. Or I have a cute pair of orange wedges. Maybe next time. I'm just tickled I got another shot at the dress.

And as a total aside, you got a nice view of an entirely different part of our house, one of our family photo walls! I'd like to say I'm specifically trying to shake things up, but honestly, I switched locations because Monday was our son's birthday and there's a giant Hot Wheels Ultimate Garage in my typical photo spot. (My son turned 8 on his 2nd birthday hahaha Leap Day joke.)

And...that's it today! Nothing deep, all fluffy fun!

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How Anna Nicole Smith Set Me Straight (a/k/a Cheryl Tiegs Can Shut Up Any Time Now)

This is another "bear with me" post.

So, Cheryl Tiegs criticized Ashley Graham for being a successful and gorgeous size 14 model and landing Sport Illustrated because her appearance "glamorizes" a supposedly unhealthy example. Because she believes Ms. Graham should have a waistline less than 35 inches (which she does, actually - 30 inches according to some sources, so way to pay attention, Cheryl).

Cheryl Tiegs' first statement made her sound willfully ignorant. Her second "clarifying" statement on the matter sealed it with superglue that she is willfully ignorant, and suffering from some serious "thin privilege." She stated that she just wants everyone to be healthy, noting that anorexic, bulimic, and overweight people are not healthy. Why is this ignorant? Well, you could say something was either inappropriately added to or missing from her incredibly bad attempt at back pedaling.

What's superfluous (if you want to go that route)? "Overweight," because she's first listed two legitimate medical conditions and equated them to weight that may or may not cause, or be a symptom of, a health condition. What's missing (if you want to go that route instead)? I'll tell you what's missing - underweight. And it has risks, too.

However, Ms. Tiegs, who at 5'10" and 120 pounds (I'll even go as high as 123, per this source) was technically underweight at the peak of her modeling career, benefitted from her small size (please, someone tell me that wasn't popular in the 1970s and 1980s so I can laugh in your face) so of course she would never have seen it as an issue.

Let's do some math. Per the height/weight chart I linked earlier, Cheryl is/was 9 pounds under the lowest weight in her 5'10" range. By the same chart, Ashley is 8 pounds over the highest weight in her 5'9" range. I know from personal experience that those weight ranges can be bull$hit (see below), so I'm certainly not going to hold either of them to it.

Yes, both underweight and overweight can be dangerous. But at the same time, they can both also be healthy. Seriously. For example, even though I fight fibromyalgia, I have consistently beautiful blood pressure, stellar overall cholesterol levels, and the good cholesterol levels of someone who spends two hours a day in the gym. And I'm beyond overweight and somewhere six states over from obesity.

While researching for this post, I found an article where Ms. Tiegs mentioned she once got as high as 170 pounds. She says, "I was not at a healthy weight for someone like me." That's right, Cheryl. For someone like you. For someone like me, 170 pounds is uncomfortably underweight.

I have a deep and abiding lack of patience for willful ignorance, and that's what Cheryl Tiegs has consistently displayed throughout this whole kerfluffle (kerfluffle is a seriously underused word, by the way). She's taking what worked for her and, intentionally or not, projecting it onto the rest of the world. She doesn't want to know what's good for anyone else, she's just going to slap onto everyone what's good for her. And that projection, that willful ignorance, that narrow-minded type of role model, was what made my younger life hell. All I saw in the 1980s were super skinny models and actresses, it felt like every girl and young woman in the world weighed 120 pounds tops, I had well-meaning people (friends' parents even) tell me, "You have such a pretty face, if only you were thinner..."

And I focused on those height and weight charts like you wouldn't believe. I remember in the late 1980s the height and weight chart said I should weigh, top range, 165. And I fixated on that f*cking number, never ever, even once, being able to reach it. My freshman year of college, I got to a point where I barely ate, passed out in choir, managed to wriggle into a size 10 skirt and blouse (although everything else I owned was a 12), and still weighted 167 pounds. That number haunted me because it was 2 f*cking pounds too much. And of course, it wasn't sustainable. I started putting on weight.

My first semi-wake up call (it honestly didn't fully kick in until my early 30s, but the first cracks appeared here) came via Anna Nicole Smith getting tapped to model for Guess Jeans. I was no longer at "fainting weight" (which should never ever be an actual thing). I miserably went home one weekend and Mom put that Sunday's Parade magazine down in front of me, and there on the cover was an article about Anna Nicole Smith. "Look, she's a size 14, like you, she has the same measurements as you. And she's a model."

And I then had something to cling to, someone who finally made me feel like I might be almost normal. Unfortunately, I was still an unsure, awkward, anxiety-ridden kid, and while it made a crack, it didn't completely break down the crappy self-esteem wall.

That wall didn't fall completely until my early 30s. I lost so much weight that I'd lie down and feel like my shoulder blades were cutting through my skin. And I still weighted 172, still wore a size 12, sometimes a 14. My first marriage had ended and I wanted to be the best role model possible for my then 4-year-old daughter, so I was doing a lot of self-reflection. And there it was, I finally realized that this was me, and it was more than okay, it was awesome. I purposefully put on three more pounds so I'd be more comfortable. There it was - at 175 my back pain was still controllable but my weight wasn't uncomfortably low. I felt great. And I realized I'd settled in at a clothing size slightly smaller than the Guess model who'd made me finally start feeling like I might be beautiful about a decade earlier.

And this is what I looked like at 175, 10 pounds over what the stupid 1980s weight chart wanted me to be. And I felt amazing.



*Me, being amazing in my 30s

What the hell was I thinking In my teens and 20s, thinking that some stupid number or ideal overruled what I was?

That's another reason why I'm reveling in my now. Am I in fibro pain? Yeah. But do I feel awesome otherwise? Hell yeah. You've been reading this blog, right? I feel awesome. I look awesome. I am awesome.



*Me, being awesome last Thursday.

I tell my daughter to never focus on a number, focus on where you feel like you glow and your body feels like a good fit. That's all that matters.

I'm sure Ashley Graham feels great. And she damned well better, she's incredibly beautiful and confident and so stunning it's not fair. I'm sure Cheryl Tiegs feels good, and good for her, because it works for her. Hell, look up Tess Holliday, that woman is achingly beautiful, as well as a size 22 supermodel, and it so very works for her.

Cheryl Tiegs, however, and so many others like her, need to stop forcing their ideals regarding "health" on others. Ashley Graham is no more unhealthy for weighing 170 than Cheryl Tiegs is for weighing 120.

In the meantime, I hope that Ashley Graham on the cover of Sports Illustrated or Tess Holliday in some ad campaign helps some young girl or mature woman go, "Hey, we wear the same size," and that the girl or woman realizes that generally being awesome is the most beautiful thing ever.

And if we could just all stop judging each other based on size now, that would be f*cking lovely.

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Another "Statement"

I cannot say enough about statement necklaces (when used wisely).

Like on February 9, when I'm wearing an otherwise tame outfit, a statement necklace can get just the right amount of oomph. I just have to make sure there's an appropriate style matchup.




Once again, CLEARANCE TAHARI SUIT! This time a pantsuit. But I digress.

I had a black pinstripe suit, a black faux wrap top, and I needed something to give just enough of a "perk up" to the outfit, like a "just perfect" jolt of coffee. In other words, a too subtle solitaire pendant would have been 1/4 teaspoon of Sanka flakes in warm water. But something bright and glittery with tons of colors would have been like a 7-espresso shot Mocha latte with a 6-ristretto chaser. I needed middle ground.

(By the way - I'm farm-raised, and part Swedish, two things that guaranteed a life-long love of coffee so thick it can be poured on pancakes, so there's the background on those analogies.).

This was perfect. Different shades of blue progressing to black, in sleek, geometric designs. That, my friends, was the perfect cup of Sumatran blend with just enough cream and two Splendas I needed for the outfit.

For the sake of argument, by the way, I tried on the February 9 necklace, and indeed, it was far too much and too unstructured for clean-lined pinstripes.

For a non-coffee analogy, a statement necklace doesn't have to scream to make the statement. A strong authoritative voice will do just fine, thank you.



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Did I Mention Clearance Racks Can Be Amazing?

Because clearance racks can be amazing.




Another Tahari from the Dillard's clearance rack.

I know I'm safe with Tahari when I go clearance. I know the feel, I know the cuts, I know they flatter. That's how I avoid the "there's a reason it's on clearance" trap, which usually ends in frustrations, attempts to return, and trips to Good Will in hopes someone can benefit from my bad choices.

So once you know you have a cut and style and brand that works for you, you should be in safe clearance land.

And since Tahari, I know well, I can wait until they hit clearance for up to 1/4 of the original price. Then it's just a matter of the right accessories.

Boo ya!


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Date Night!

For Christmas, my daughter gave us a coupon for free babysitting so we could go to dinner and a movie (plus one movie ticket, because she's cool).

Tonight (or this afternoon, rather, because we're old and too tired for late nights), we're cashing in. We're going to do some shopping that does't involve toys, see a movie with an R rating, and eat steak without panicking about paying for steak for four. Ah, bliss!




I dressed up for my husband (and for me). I so love this man, it's unreal. We will hit 11 years this April, and I not only am just as giddy as the day we married, but I love him even more every year.

Long boot cut jeans from Lane Bryant (current style unavailable), and the Caycee Twist Top from Kiyonna (although this color isn't currently available). Plus a statement necklace and neutral wedge boots. When we go outside, instead of a jacket (it's hitting 60+ today!), I'm to wearing this nice bulky Lane Bryant sweater (no longer available).

More importantly? I am just damned happy. Seriously, I've got a good life. I have a great job, a loving family, amazing friends, and I know life is good.

Like I've said before, I am currently losing weight. It seems to be taking hold this time, and I'm admittedly happy about that. I've lost just around 30 pounds, although I have a heckuva long way to go yet.

But you know why I'm happy about that? Because my knee is hurting less, my back is hurting less, my fibromyalgia is already feeling a bit better. And the promise of less daily pain is moving closer from it's place in the far-off horizon. That's making so happy I could cry.

What I realized this weekend is, 95% of why I'm happy is not related to "because I'll look better." I will have access to a better variety of clothes, and that's awesome, but I'm not really worried about a smaller waist, small hips, less puffy face, nothing serious along those lines. As a matter of fact, I'm even slightly (although not significantly) worried about the weight loss from that standpoint. For example, without weight puffing my face out am I going to get jowly? Are my 43-years' worth of wrinkles finally going to really show?

I don't know if it's because I've finally reached a level of maturity where the vanity doesn't matter (which is doubtful, because come on, I started a fashion blog, I've obviously got some vanity going on) or what. But something has changed in the last couple of years, and apparently solidified in the last couple of months. I went from "I'm overweight, but still pretty" to "I'm pretty." Period.

And I feel pretty not even because of my looks (although thanks to my parents, I really had great genes to work with), but because I find something great and to be grateful for in my life every day; every day gives me hope, gives me confidence, makes me want to be a better person. I know I have flaws and/or eccentricities in both my body and my personality that I can embrace and love and work with.

If this weight loss turns out to be a false start, that's totally okay. I'll be disappointed because even this simple shave off the top of the pain levels has been tremendous, but... I will be okay. I love myself. Possibly for the first time in my life, I really, truly love who and what I am (not in a selfish, narcissistic way, I don't believe people like that truly "love" themselves, but that's another topic).

This doesn't mean that the daily grind never gets me down. It can. But it never means that above it all, I'm not happy. I am. Sometimes I'm just also tired and grumpy, or I'm down and need something to cling to so I can remember the "happy." And I never, ever, unlike in my misinformed youth, think that "If only I were thin, this would be easier." Because I know it wouldn't be.

I've been thin before. I was so thin that when I'd lie down, I felt like my shoulder blades were cutting through my skin. It didn't make me even the tiniest bit less insecure, less anxious, less scared, or more content. So if "thin" doesn't make it better, "fat" certainly doesn't make it worse.

And now, enough of this. I love you all, but I love my husband more. So ciao now, I'm going on my date. :-)

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Another Casual Friday

I don't really have anything new to say, I jut really liked my casual Friday.




NYDJ trouser jeans, my Simply Be textured mock turtleneck, Lane Bryant leather jacket, Tommy Hilfiger laceless oxfords, and a long chain/bead necklace to break up the blank white space.

You know I used to be scared to ever wear a blouse that even hinted at popping out underneath a blazer? Even that teeny tiny white line by my left hand would have freaked me out. I don't know what I was thinking.

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Be Unexpected (a/k/a "SAUCY!")

So, I pulled out a gray suit today that I haven't worn (okay, been able to wear, I'll admit) for a few years.

I used to always wear it with black and white. Or if I was feeling saucy, red.

Same with a pair of nice gray wool pants I used to own. "White shirt! Oooh, I think today I'll do a red jacket instead of my black jacket, bwahaha! Look at my sass!"

And there's nothing wrong with that. It's just ... Expected I guess?

Now that I've got this suit back in rotation, I'm not wasting any more opportunities with it. I mean, gray is a neutral, dang it! It pairs with nearly everything (except brown, unless someone can enlighten me about why I'm wrong, and that's okay, because I'm eager to learn new stuff).

What I'm sayin' is, there's a ton of options with gray. But you usually just see a few standards with it - black and white, or if someone's got their sassy pants on, red. The very occasional pink or bright blue.

So instead of any of the above, I present to you ... GREEN!




(I am thrilled to have this suit back in rotation, by the way. It's an Anne Klein I got on sale when the design was being discontinued, so the whole suit cost about $60, and I lurve me some awesome deals, bwahahahahaha I say again!)

TL;DR - PLAY WITH COLOR AND HAVE FUN!

Bonus tip - Notice the tie neck blouse? No necklace required. Yet the rest of the look still remains uncluttered enough, you can wear a more playful earring than usual.





I typically don't wear an earring this big and dangly to work, but I am today because:
1) my hair is long enough now I can pull it off without my ears screaming "LOOK AT AND VALIDATE ME!" and
2) I'M FEELING SAUCY!

Oh, and most importantly, they're still not overwhelming because of the overall jewelry restraint.

And yet SAUCY!

Damn, I'm such a rebel.

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