Mr. Marbles

I always feel a bit like a ventriloquist's dummy when I wear a bow tie, but I do it anyway! I don't do androgynous dressing too often and I'm usually pretty girly, but lately all I want to wear is pants. I feel like I go through this every year when it starts to get really cold. I wear pants for two weeks, get sick of it, decide to suck it up and stop whining, and then start wearing skirts and dresses again. Hopefully soon.

Sweater - thrifted Target sample

Oxford - f by faconnable (inherited from aunt)

Bow tie - from a going out of business tux rental place

Jeans - Target

Shoes - Nordstrom brand (little boys)

I'm still refusing to wear socks (my sworn enemy) though... it's not that cold yet.

Plaid and polka dots

Last night was bore, bore, boring. I had to mail a bunch of etsy orders and the post office was nuts after the holiday weekend. I also unpacked from the weekend and did a bunch of laundry and a bunch of hand-washing of "new" vintage stuff. My entire upstairs is draped in clothes drying on towels (some of it I didn't want to chance throwing in the dryer.) Eh, it was boring but at least I was semi-productive. 

Glasses - thrifted vintage American Optical, lenses replaced

Scarf - thrifted vintage

Oxford - thrifted Juster Woman

Jeans - Earnest Sewn

Shoes - Plenty by Tracy Reese

I let myself "sleep in" until 6:30am yesterday because I was wiped out from the weekend yet couldn't sleep Sunday night. But today it was back to early morning yoga and it's nice to be back in the routine again. Gosh, 16 year old me would be so disappointed I'm not doing radical things on a Monday night. Laundry and getting up early to exercise, the life of a 31 year old.

Photo booth (59) and Hello, darkness

Saturday night... another wedding for the photo booth. And it was crazy warm out (like 70 degrees). So, I know I said "wedding season" was over, but somehow I'm working every Saturday this month except for Thanksgiving weekend. Eh, extra money is always good.

Dress - Donna Rico
Watch - Michael Kors

Necklace - Disney Couture

Shoes - Nine West

Adorable skull necklace...

Today... it is snowing. There was a 50 degree temperature drop and now it's suddenly all wintery here.

Cardigan - thrifted Target sample

Polo - from when I was a bev cart girl at a golf course

Tie - vintage via www.stephaniegeisler.etsy.com

Shorts - thrifted Express

Tights - Target

Shoes - Unlisted by Kenneth Cole

Tie detail:

Nate started a new schedule for work today, so now he has to be there at 6am every day (he manages a group home for disabled adults and a new guy moved in who needs some extra assistance in the morning). So I'm going to try to get up at the same time as Nate and just do some yoga before work (I've always wanted to be one of those people who exercised in the morning instead of the afternoon). Today was the first day, and while it suuuuuuuucked getting out of the warm bed, it was nice once I did it. Plus I had extra time to get ready and even emptied the dishwasher too! We'll see how long this lasts before I quit and just sleep the extra hour and twenty minutes!

Suck it, Mariah Carey

Yesterday afternoon a 2nd grade girl at my school asked me if I would sign her yearbook. So I did. Then she said, "Well, since you got to sign my yearbook, I get to sign your cast." I told her it wasn't the kind of cast you sign, but she insisted (and she only wrote in Bic pen, so I can wash it off if I want.) So here is my boot:

I told Nate that now it looks like I named my boot "Mariah" and so I kept referring to it as "Mariah." Since I dislike the boot, I was mostly saying bad things about the boot like "I'm so sick of Mariah!" I started to feel bad, like I was talking bad about the cute 2nd grade girl. So, I started referring to the boot as "Mariah Carey." Which is how my aircast became officially known as Mariah Carey. 

Scarf - thrifted vintage

Polo - from when I was a bev cart girl at a golf course

Shorts - thrifted Express

Right sandal - J.Crew

I tried out wearing only one tall sock because it's supposed to be hot today... I thought the asymmetry would bother me, but it doesn't. Aaaaaaaaaaaand just because...

What? If I had to pick a Mariah Carey to replace my boot, it would be Mariah Carey on rollerblades from her "Fantasy" video...

Also, I assure you:
  a.) I am not now nor have I ever been a Mariah Carey fan.
  b.) I am no longer on pain meds, I swear.

I'm not really sure how this post happened... I guess it's just how my brain works.

Mr. Banana Grabber

Today I am dressed like a fried egg. Or a half-peeled banana. Depending on your preference. Or maybe like a really highlighted sheet of paper.

Glasses - Prada

Sweater - J.Crew outlet

String tie - thrifted vintage

Skirt - thrifted Liz Claiborne

Sandals - Faryl Robin

Oh hey, twisty sandals! I missed you all winter!

Oooh, the elusive jacket photo! What a treat! And in keeping with the slightly-burnt-egg or slightly-overripe-banana theme, it is brown!

Jacket - thrifted vintage College Town

Apparently this jacket was made for college students? Which I am certainly not. Sadly, it has been NINE years since I graduated college. Hey, I'm old, get into it!

Sparkle Motion

Glitter sweater - thrifted Express
Polo - from when I was a bev cart girl at a golf course
Tie - thrifted vintage
Pants - thrifted (no tags)
Shoes - MIA

Oooh, I am made of sparkles! And look how pretty it is when I accidentally take a blurry photo!

The blurry one reminds me of all those inspirational tumblr pictures with random quotes and motivational sayings on them. Some of them are cute but a lot of them are just ridiculous. So I made you some ridiculous (and rude) ones...

No, not YOU, dear blog readers. YOU have fine haircuts and are excellent dancers, I'm sure! Sorry, I'm a snarky bastard... what can I say? I felt like making glitter insults today. The heart wants what the heart wants. And my heart wants to give your heart a complex.

Little Lady Fauntleroy

This dress is obviously awesome, but I don't wear it very often... the tent shape of it is just not too flattering, so I threw on a shrunken blazer to give it some structure - much better!  And motorcycle boots because with heels I felt like the prissiest, fanciest Little Lady Fauntleroy on Earth and I just can't do it today!

Blazer - thrifted JH Collectables
Dress - Anna Sui for Target (clearance)
Tights - DKNY
Boots - thrifted Colin Stuart

Yes, I wore my hair down for once and I'm sure work will be full of lice and puke today, just to teach me a lesson. Ahhhhh!

Just me and the Colonel

Who rocks a string bow tie? Just me and Colonel Sanders.

 Oxford - Polo Ralph Lauren (hand-me-down from aunt)

String tie - thrifted

Pin - thrifted

Cuff - thrifted

Cropped pants - Target

Sandals - Dezario

 I felt like the eagle riding a motorcycle pin was a necessary addition to combat the overly preppy polo shirt.

I love string ties! I also have a cream one, a bright green one, and one I haven't worn yet that's navy blue and some sort of a commemorative souvenir from a horse competition? I'll bust it out soon. It's awesome.

Hopefully I do not frighten off Mohawk Boy with my southern gentleman style today. That was my way of telling you I have another date tonight. Subtle, no? No biggie, we're just going to go eat pizza and spaz out over the fact that Fransisco Liriano threw a no-hitter last night against the White Sox. Yesss. Cute boys and baseball, life is good (even though the Twins in general are sucking so far this year)!

P.S. I added a tag to indicate days I biked to work. I don't want to focus the blog too much on biking, but I also want people to be aware that it's easy to bike in a variety of outfits and you don't have to make a whole production out of it and buy all this special gear. I'm not gonna retroactively add the tag to past posts, but will do it from now on (I bike pretty much every day it is not supposed to rain all day).

Idle Threats

A guy I am dating (Mr. T) left his tie at my house a few weeks ago, so I accused him of pulling a George Costanza "leave-behind"... He forgot to get it when he was here last weekend too, so now I am holding it for ransom and making idle threats against it's life to entertain myself (and him).

Jean jacket - DIY, originally from Target

Oxford - Target
Tie- belongs to Mr. T
Cropped pants - Target
Shoes - Jessica Simpson

You can see the really cop-out DIY for this jean jacket from last year here.

So Mr. T sent me a photo of this ant (!) he welded for me...

And now he has been making idle threats against it's life and sending me photos of it in the microwave and other dangerous situations.. so this weekend, hopefully there will be a peaceful resolution to our hostage situation. I'm pretty sure I'm coming out ahead in this scenario!

Lazy Monday

This is what my hair looks like if I don't put any product in it and don't diffuse it to make it curly and then brush it for the first time in about a year. I do not do anything with my hair, like ever... but this week, I'm gonna play around and try a few things! It's going to be weird. I actually like my hair like this, cause I'm a big fan of a mess.

Glasses - Prada

Bow tie- thrifted vintage
Shirt - thrifted from boys section
Cropped pants - Target
Socks - Target
Shoes - Miss Me

I don't know why I like these weird socks so much. One of the 4th grade boys just told me they made me look like a vampire. Good point, they do look like dead flesh, but I love them! OK, nothing much to say today. I clearly stayed up too late last night. Some friends came over and we spent the night drinking champagne, eating cookies, and watching the Oscars!

P.S. Look at my right index finger. This weekend I was walking and started to slip on the ice so I went to brace myself on the huge snowbank on the side of the sidewalk. I didn't fall but when I pulled my hand out of the snowbank, my finger was bleeding LIKE CRAZY! I think there was a broken beer bottle buried inside the snowbank and it CUT THE TIP OF MY FINGER OFF! OMG, my life is so strange sometimes.

No Color Day

It's the last day of Spirit Week at the school where I work and today is "Color Day" where every grade from K-12 is assigned a ROYGBIV color. Since I work with the whole school (in the nurse's office) I decided to wear all neutrals today, so as not to pledge my allegiance to any grade in particular or hurt anyone's feelings. Last year I wore turquoise, since technically no one had that color and the year before I wore head-to-toe silver and grey.

 Polo - from when I worked as a bev cart girl at a golf course

Sweater - GAP
Vintage tie - gift from my ex-boyfriend's mom, it's from a church rummage sale in S. Dakota
Shorts - Paul & Joe for Target
Tights - TJ Maxx
Shoes - Michael Kors

Zee best skinny tie everrr and shoes (which have awesome hexagon shaped heels!)

I went to the Hollidazzle Parade last night with my special needs client Daniel. We've gone every year for the past 9 years! Daniel LOVES Christmas. He was in an after-school and summer program that I ran for special needs teens and when I got a different job, I started working with him one night a week, just because he was my fave and we got along so well! Singing carols is his favorite thing on Earth and when he was turning 17 he didn't want us to sing "Happy Birthday" to him. He taught us to sing (to the tune of O Christmas Tree) "O Seventeen, O Seventeen, How lovely are you, Daniel." It was amazing. Anyway, I am usually kinda bah about Christmas until Daniel and I start rocking out to Christmas music and go to the Hollidazzle Parade and see all the kids who are so excited about the parade and Santa. Ok, now I'm finally ready to do some Christmas shopping.

Janine

Whenever I wear these glasses, I feel like Annie Potts (Janine, the receptionist) in Ghostbusters. Ghostbusters 2 actually because she has brown glasses in the first one and black glasses in the second one.

Glasses - thrifted vintage American Optical, lenses replaced

Cardigan - Daisy Fuentes

Pearls - thrifted, garage sales

Bow tie - thrifted

Oxford - Target

Shorts - thrifted Express

Shoes - Target

Necklace and bow tie detail:

Hey Annie Potts. You are awesome (and don't even get me started on how much I wanted to be you as Iona from Pretty in Pink. Who am I kidding? I still do.)

The wimpiest cadet

Hmm, life has been pretty boring around here lately... kinda on purpose. After my summer of too-much-fun, I'm back to eating sensibly, exercising, and going to bed early. Sewing, cleaning, crocheting. I'm 29 going on 50 and I'm okay with that. I wish it would stop raining all day, every day so I can bike to work a few more times before it is totally dark in the morning. Although, I don't mind taking the bus... there is great people-watching on the bus.

Hair scarf - scrap of leftover fabric from a costume
Dress - thrifted
Ribbon tie - eBay
Belt - thrifted
Watch - Michael Kors
Socks - ? Target?
Shoes - MIA

Belt detail... I found three of these at one thrift store, the other two are red and have different shaped buckles! $1 each!

2xTue (Two Times Tuesday)

Last Tuesday, worn to Four Nights in Loring: Local bands. Local music. So basically you go to the park and throw down some blankets, a local band plays a show, then they screen an outdoor movie that has some local connection. This week I saw Communist Daughter and Raising Arizona, and had a picnic with a few friends (um, is cheese and crackers, gummi bears, and a box of wine considered a "picnic"? I guess so, since we were sitting on a blanket.) 

Hair scarf - thrifted

Dress - thrifted, shortened

String tie - thrifted

Bangles - thrifted, flea markets

Shoes - Dezario

This Tuesday, I should be going to the park again tonight, but it was canceled due to tornado warnings... so I'll be heading to my friend Mike's house to escape the storms by watching baseball and playing board games... which is too bad, because this seems like a good "picnic" outfit!

 Hair scarf - thrifted

Dress - thrifted, handmade

 Shoes - Madeline

Last night's concert was amazing! Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros put on a great live show... they even got the entire outdoor crowd to sit down for the final song... which was quite a feat!

Taking "Old school" to a whole 'nother level

One of my high school students said to me "Miss Christine, what ARE you wearing?" to which I replied "Yeah, I got a little old school style today."  He informed me "You taking that to a whole 'nother level, old school?!?  More like one-room-school-house style. Little house on the prairie style." This is also one of my students who is constantly asking me to take him shopping, cause in his words "Girlie got styles for miles." Oh my, I'm gonna miss these kids this summer...

Dress - thrifted
Bow tie - thrifted
Socks - Target
Shoes - Bakers, like 10 years ago

It is the last day of school! Huzzah! I love this job, but after the past nine months, my patience is running thin. After seeing 4,500ish students this year, I just can't muster up any more sympathy for your paper cut. It's me time. Time to get selfish. Time to fall asleep by the pool mid-day and sip beers watching baseball at night. Bring it on, summer.

Green like the outfield, brown like the baseline

Let's pretend I'm giving this doubtful look to that errant curl on the side of my head that is reminiscent of a kewpie doll, instead of to the construction dudes just outside my living room window.

Bow - thrifted

T-shirt - Target

Sweater - Old Navy

Skirt - thrifted Target SAMPLE

Tights - Target

'60s shoes - thrifted

I was pretty excited about these shoes when I found them at the Salvation Army for all of $3... but vintage shoes are a gamble... they could potentially come apart at any time (which has only happened to me once, and luckily I had extra shoes in my car).  Sometimes the glue used to hold on the soles just dries out after like 50 years (who knew?) Luckily I know a good cobbler... well I know one good but not cheap cobbler who is so odd and talkative that he gives me the willies... and one old cheap Lithuanian cobbler who is mean, like The Soup Nazi (but I think he retired?)

Fantasy baseball draft tonight (yes, I love baseball that much!) I'm excited for all the yelling and fighting, plus last year I got 2nd place out of 10 teams (unfortunately I lost to the boy, which he never lets me forget so I have to beat him this year!) Seven months of baseball!  162 MN Twins games! Ahh, and it will be time to PLAY baseball in the park soon! Hooray!

Green accessories make all the difference

We interrupt Sparkle Week to encourage you to buy more Thin Mints:

 Taking a little intermission from the glitter today, the sequins will resume tomorrow.

Dress - necessary objects via TJ Maxx

String tie - thrifted vintage clip-on

Bracelet - thrifted

Belt - thrifted

Tights - Betsy Johnson via TJ Maxx

Shoes - Michael Kors

Look! I remembered to take a few detail shots for once:

Hooray! Horse belt!

I have my book club meeting tonight. We read Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout, which won the Pulitzer Prize for 2009, and is pretty meh (well, maybe the last 40 pages will redeem it? I still haven't finished, but I have an excuse! I'm also reading The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon, which won the Pulitzer in 2001 and is awesome and like 700 pages, so I haven't been to motivated to finish the book club selection.) I'll finish it up today. I'm excited anyway, our book club meetings are so fun and it is my friend Matt's birthday tomorrow so we are surprising him with cake and playing games after the discussion!

Wow, I'm a nerd. I could talk about books all day long!