11-14 November 2015: Retro

I was on a big retro kick last week!  I think it was inspired by my new coat. I was super excited to post this last week, and then things went haywire before my trip. A week later and I finally feel like I’m on an even keel again. Today’s snow storm helped. Those pics will come soon!

Loft Sunkissed tee, Loft skirt, Loft cardigan, owl socks, Mickey necklace, Avengers charm bracelet, Clarks shoes

Yes, the pink owls picked up the pink cardigan, ha. And yes, it was warm enough for bare legs several times last week.

anthropologie Elevenses coat

SWOON. I had unneccessary stress that morning, and it was finally in the upper 30s, so I went for it.

Dotted sweater, Garnet Hill jeans, Bucky Winter Soldier necklace, Hawkeye bracelet, Naturalizer heels

Love this sweater, which makes me feel like Lana Turner. New necklace, too – it’s actually magnetic and I should be able to swap in Black Widow or Hawkeye, but I can’t quite figure out how to get the magnet out, ha! So Winter Soldier it is.

Loft sweater, plaid skirt, tights, Clarks

I picked this skirt up at consignent awhile back and it’s finally cool enough to wear it! It feels super 40s and awesome to me.

We nerded out at the library again, too. We hosted a mini-Comic Con, complete with full size Tardis, with Batman, Batgirl, and some Jedis teaching classes. I love working with nerds. ❤

22 August 2014: Let it Go!

I got sick on Tuesday – I have a shot I took in the morning but frankly, I look ill. Then I slept Wednesday and was out of it on Thursday and totally forgot to take a picture. So we’ll just skip those days. I can’t even remember what I wore on Thursday.  Pink, maybe? Sandals? Whatevs. We’re moving on. To today, the most humid day we’ve had possibly all summer long. So why wouldn’t I wear snowflakes?

Modcloth Winter Wanderland dress, snowflake necklace and bracelet, Keds Champion

Today we hosted a Frozen singalong at the Library – you guys, it was adorable. We were worried about getting too many kids, and we did, and we had a overflow plan in place and we chose not to use it. OOPS. Lesson learned. But we had about 180, 190 kids and parents and grandparents there and it was so noisy because kids kept talking but the moment songs started, they belted them out. I loved how many dads and grandfathers were singing Let it Go, their voices really stood out in that song. I’d been nervous, but the moment Do You Wanna Build a Snowman? and they all burst into song, I knew it was going to be great.

And once a good 50-60 cleared out after Let it Go and the remaining kids had room to dance along, too, it was even better. Parents were thrilled, I got amazingly cute pics of kids in costumes (lots of Elsas, several Annas, one awesome Sven the reindeer) and one dad commented that it was their best family memory of the summer. ❤ ❤ ❤

And I’ve been singing Love is an Open Door for the last 5 hours.

Anyway, now that I’m vertical, here is last week’s Project 365 entry:

10/ A frog optical illusion on our desk – thanks to mirrors, it projects an image of itself through the hole. A patron commented that this was just another thing that would have gotten us prosecuted as witches.

11/The Vietnam Moving Wall

12/The best peach custard in the whole world.

13/Wildflowers growing on a street corner

14/Crazy roofed house. This place was amazing – fruit bearing trees, vintage swings, hidden gardens and lovely art deco fencing.

15/Lemon Meringue Pie Muffin for Lemon Meringue Pie day. OMG AMAZING.

16/Playing fetch with my Bingo Baby!

5 and 6 August 2014: 1957

I knew I was going retro yesterday as I got dressed. I consciously felt 1950s. I added the red cardigan because I was inspired by lovely clear red flowers the day before and thought the colors would go well together.
I was halfway to work before I realized that I’d dressed myself like a 1950s midwife and that’s why I thought the colors would look good together.

Norma Kovali shirtdress, JCrew Jackie cardigan, Dansko sandals

But hey, better shoes, right? I had a patron come up because she loved the dress and wanted to know where I got it – I had to admit, Walmart.com. She looked crushed, but rallied – this year? Nope. Many years back. She went away sad, ha.

Anthropologie Here and There tee, Sag Harbor skirt, vintage key necklace, Aerosole wedges

Yesterday a coworker and I drove around the northern part of our state, visiting libraries and getting ideas for tech storytimes and summer reading. We hit three libraries, 5 departments and it was quite fun and educational. And we had lunch in the 1957. Check out this diner!

(My cherry phosphate and her chocolate milkshake)

We were in the kitchen/dining room; there was also the blue booth room and a 50s bar room. The food was delicious and the decor so freaking cute. Am I wrong for unironically wanting a pink kitchen like this? Or at least the blue dining sets? I loved it.

14 and 15 July 2014: Polar Vortex

When I was getting dressed yesterday, I asked myself if I wanted long sleeves. Because we’d be lucky to hit 70. I loved this taste of autumn.

 

Spark a Reaction SRP shirt, Bennetton miniskirt, Harry David sandals

Yep, we have multiple SRP shirts this year – this is the tween option. I figured it was about time I wore the other one.Was it weird to match the yellow sparks to my skirt? I dithered a lot, but my denim skirt just felt blah. I love the cut and fit of this skirt, and it makes me excited to wear it as Snow White to Disney this fall.

To build up our mojo for the last 3 weeks, my department took a two hour break around lunchtime to hang together, eat popcorn and candy and watch Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. It was a lot of fun. Except that I ate Dots and popcorn for lunch and half of dinner.

 

Gap tank top, Old Navy Flirt capris, JCrew Jackie cardigan, vintage gold pin, Forever 21 necklace, Forever 21 gingham hairbow, Keds Champions

I was so cold walking to work! A cardigan didn’t really cut it. I loved it, though. I took a 1.66 mile walk at lunch and then read in the park for awhile, and then took a 1.33 mile walk home through another park and it felt great.

It’s funny – for a long time after I got this cardigan, it was so bright that I had a hard time wearing it. (My coworker’s comment about blinding him didn’t help, I suspect.) But now I don’t bat an eye, ha. I love how it and the tank hit on these capris, too. Perfect retro-y lines.

 

19 and 20 June 2014: Lullaby of Broadway

This is one of those outfits I hope my mother doesn’t find. I was pushed for time and the skirt I planned to wear didn’t work with this top and then I remembered the shorts I got last year and figured that if our male parttimers could wear denim and khaki shorts to work, I could rock some tap pants. And then I added heels.

Sorry, Mom.

anthropologie Novelty Collar tee, Loft shorts, Hue socks, Naturalizer Mary Jane heels

Apparently my hair stays up when twisted and not just braided! Things you learn when running 5 minutes late and just needing it to do something.

Forever 21 cross back skater dress, ANA tied cardigan, XO Crown necklace, Keds Champion sneakers

And apparently on Friday, I felt like continuing the dancer trend. I don’t know.

Okay. These shoes. I declared it Summer of the Navy Ked awhile back – end of May, maybe? Certainly before The Fault in Our Stars came out. Let’s just get that fact down. I had declared it Summer of the Ked early. Because I saw TFIOS opening weekend and damn it all if Hazel Grace Lancaster didn’t spend 90% of the movie in navy Keds. But I did it first, I swear. It’s documented!

This happened with my first pair of Converse, too. I got the cutest pair of pink high top Converse in the spring, and then a few weeks later Hilary Duff came out with A Cinderella Story and there she was in all of the promo posters wearing MY shoes.

Clearly I am very good at predicting things. I just wish those things weren’t so visibly teen movies. It was annoying when I was 23 (I didn’t wear them much after those posters, damn it) and head shakey now that it’s ten years later. SIGH.

6 June 2014: DDay 70

Today is the 70th anniversary of the D-Day invasion. I’ve been facebooking links to info, articles, archives and news broadcasts all day, ha. So it’s no surprise what I dug out of my closet to wear.

 

Abercrombie and Fitch sweater, vintage 40s skirt, vintage heart brooch, Aerosole sandals

The skirt is part of a skirt suit – the top is the same fabric, as is the belt, but it’s much too big now. And, also, obviously it looks quite costumey to wear them together! The skirt is too big, too – I safety pinned it to a slip to keep it up safely, ha. But I love the drape and length….most of my midi skirts are stiffer and have a shape, and I love this hang much better.

I got this in college at an amazing little vintage store (where I also found this 50s party dress) and I think I’ve only worn it once or twice, for American Girl parties at work, but maybe I can bring the skirt out again. Not too often, through…it is 70 years old!

22 May 2014: Malt Shop Model

I like to read a lot of malt shop books – basically YA written during the 1950s. Anne Emory, Beverly Cleary, Rosamund du Jardin, etc. The latter has a series about twins Pam and Penny Howard and Pam once wore a lime green sweater with melon skirt. Um, it had to be done.

 

Free People beaded cardigan, Harry David shell, Merona skirt, vintage sweater clip, Kenneth Cole Reaction heels

It was a bit too warm out for this heavier cardigan, so I ended up taking the sleeves off and wearing it like a shawl with the sweater clip, which was perfect for the temperature.

I also had time this morning to practice wedding stuff. I decided to try my eye makeup plan and see if I’m also allergic to my MAC shadow, my liner and my mascara –  I am not! No itchy burny eyes! Huzzah! It seems to be barely there, maybe I need to practice a heavier hand, but I think it’s a little more noticeable than nothing?

I also tried more hair stuff. I tried rolling it in my curlers while my hair was wet, letting it set a bit, and blow drying – nope. Complete and total fail. Except my bangs, which did curl, in the total opposite way of what I wanted. Awesome.

So after I ran my errand, I attacked it with my curling iron again. Last time, I tried to follow the advice of YouTube people and totally failed. This time, I just tried to replicate what I did with my curlers, and it worked a tiny bit. It gave it a bit of wave, anyway. But I think leaving it down and heavy will be too hot, so I don’t know what to do. 😦 I tried pulling it back and leaving curly/wavy bits in front, but that looked weird. Maybe I’d be better off with my hot rollers – I’d have tried them except I have misplaced the pins, sigh.

I was going to wrap it tomorrow morning for hairband curls, but I’m doubting the wisdom of leaving it down for dancing. I’m probably going to end up with a side ponytail, maybe tucked through, maybe with a flower. I wish I knew fancy ways to do my hair, it makes me sad that I don’t.

19 May 2014: Hobbledy Hoy

I realized after my last post that having Kurt and Blaine sing Let It Snow in my sidebar probably wasn’t helping matters. It’s now updated to a cover of Nonono’s Pumpin’ Blood, which I am using as my getting ready for summer mojo building theme song this year. I also added some Flickr integration, though that may change.

Anyway, I’m feeling pretty retro again lately. I spent the weekend rereading The Cheerleader, by Ruth Doan MacDougall, which is a beloved favorite of mine about being a teenager in 1955. It’s not sentimental or stereotypic – more Mad Men than Malt Shop. And then last night’s episode of Mad Men – I get up early to watch Monday mornings from an iTunes download before work. I was so engrossed in it that when I changed bras because my usual wasn’t a good fit for this top, I forgot to go back and check if the snowflakes were seeable through the fabric.

I’m saying that they blend in with the floral pattern, but I may be deluding myself.

Max Studio blouse, Tahari skirt, XO crown necklace, anthropologie hairband, Sketchers flats

I don’t often wear maxi skirts, but this blouse just screamed for it. I had pulled it out when my red cardi was on the doorknob and I was surprised by how good the two look together. Basically, this outfit came together exactly the way I pictured in my head, yay!

Modcloth Goodies!

I got my Surprise Sale swag awhile back, but I guess you can tell there were no standouts because it’s taken forever to post. In fact, what pushed this post was the amazing dress I bought in the last sale. Remember when I said I wouldn’t spend more than $20 on a DisneyBounding item? I, um, meant after this.

Winter Wanderland dress! Isn’t this amazing? I got a large, because it was the last one, and a medium would have fit better in the chest, but whatever. It’s sparkly snowflakes. And that means I get to dress in the spirit of Elsa, and that is awesome.

Also, we’re doing a Frozen sing-a-long in August, and I am set, outfit wise. I was feeling a tiny bit of buyer’s remorse (it was $109, I got 30% off, and then I had a credit and further discount, but still. It’s not super wearable outside of certain circumstances), but once I got it on, it was hard to make myself take it off again, hee.

The shoes, though, that is sad:

Best of Times Heel in grey

These are exactly the shoe I’ve been wanting for ages – retro, ties across the top, two tone. Sheer perfection. Except they are too wide. My foot doesn’t come close to touching the top of the shoe, and the footbed is so hard it hurt just walking around my apartment. I am so, so sad. I guess I could try inserts, but I don’t think these are meant for me.

And now the spring Stylish Surprises:

Hello, ruffles. I look like a wood nymph. I don’t think it’s me. I’ve been too lazy to give it away or bring it to the consignment store. Also, I want it to work, so, there’s that. But I don’t think it does.

Since the apparel was $10, my parents ordered me one, too! This is what I got from them. MORE RUFFLES. I think I actually like this one a lot. I think it’s a bit big, and I’d sort of like to sew some fake straps to make me feel like it won’t fall down, but I do sort of like it. Thoughts?

This is my entire haul:

 

I’ve never really been a Tom’s sort of person, the square look never looks right to me, but I fell in love with these lace shoes. And despite trying to stretch it for days, they are too small. So I haven’t done anything with them, either, but I need to. SIGH.

And this scarf. Cowl? It’s very very weird. It’s hollow, like a cowl, but it’s long, like a scarf. I do not know how to wear it!! I can bunch it and wear it as a cowl, but it makes me giggle. See?

 

11, 13, 15, 16 April 2014: Craaaaaaaaaash

Saturday, we had our first 80 degree day. It was lovely! (Well, to be fair, I spent the entire day on the couch rewatching the sixth season of Mad Men. I did take a walk at 6pm, though, when the temperature had dipped to 78 and it was lovely.)

Monday, which I had off, it snowed. A lot. (Well, an inch.) It’s so cold again, it sucks. (I did drink tea and watch Frozen while it snowed, though. I mean, my hold had just come in! What else was there to do?)

Anyway, clothes.

 

polka dot dress, Me Too ballerina flats

My coworker brought this to the last clothes swap and just handed it straight to me instead of adding it to the dress pile. Thanks, J!

Zara floral tunic, Old Navy Flirt capris, White Cliff flats

This was Sunday at work, the day before snow, when it was still moderately warmish outside. Half Megan Draper, for the Mad Men premiere, half knocked up at Coachella.

Anthropologie Noon and Night dress, Anthropologie cardigan, anthropologie belt, Kate Spade necklace, Hue tights, Crown Vintage booties

A nearly full anthropologie outfit! I’ve been meaning to try this dress paired with grey. My Airport Greetings cardigan from Modcloth was a better color with the tights, but this had the drape I wanted, so it won out.

 

 

Forever 21 peter pan collared sweater, Old Navy sweetheart skinny jeans, scarf belt, vintage flower brooch, Modcloth wired hedband, Aerosole wedges

My dear and darling friend bailed on Wednesday Morning Workout AGAIN. And then she bailed on the lunchtime walk. I was ready, man. I managed to put something together that would be easy to modify for dancing, and all I needed extra was converse. Oh, well. I think it came out super cute, and I love this belt. It’s always bigger than I remember, so it does best in lowrise belt loops.

Also, my other coworker and I took a lunchtime walk instead – right to the consignment shop. She finally bought the most amazing Fluevog shoes and I put some sandals on hold. And then went back to try things on after work, because work sucked today and I needed some retail therapy.

 

 

 

Thoughts on the top? I think it emphasizes my pear shape too much. I’ve been low-level searching for a lavendar dress to wear to Disney World as Rapunzel, and I thought this would do instead, but I ended up not liking it very much. But check the red shoes!

 

Ahhhhhhhh, I love this dress! Esley brand. They just got it in, so it was $25, and I love the colors and I adore the piping. And the collar! So adorably mod. I put it back, but if it’s still there in a few weeks, I think I want it. Maybe not. The pockets are placed at exactly the right place to add volume, which is annoying. Thoughts?

I did buy the red sandals, though. I’ve been wanting bright colored sandals for a few seasons now, and red is totally my color.

Oh, right. And snow pics: