Weekday update #42: 80 degrees today!

Okay, better camera, but still need to figure the darn thing out. Everything in life requires work, I mean everything. Anyhow, my shots look nice, thanks to C. I totally jacked hers up. But remember, I'm new to this whole blogger world so you've just got to be a little understanding. As I practice, the shots will get better and better. So I'll stop obsessing now and talk fashion. Let's see, it's 80 degrees today and I thought linen was the order of the day. It's one of those items you either love or hate. Especially if you have a wrinkle phobia. If you do, don't wear linen. It took me about a month or more to get over the wrinkles. Now, I see it like I see my hairstyles. My attitude now is more so, "am I bothered!"

I know talking about wrinkles, sounds petty, but you'd be surprised at how this bothers some people. I work with a woman, not C, though her initial is C also! And she actually wears a different outfit to drive to work in so that her linen won't get wrinkled by the seat belt. This makes no sense to me, because at some point she will have to sit down. But it makes sense to her, so there you have it.

(Newport News linen skirt suit; Zara sleeveless turtleneck; Michael Kors belt; Stuart Weitzman sandals)

close up of Kors belt

What can I say, I am all about lace this season. And this one had me at first glace. I have a feeling that we will have a long and beautiful relationship for a long long time!

Love is most definitely in the details.

Weekday update #41: Geisha Sandal

Again, Gigi's comment below provides such a poetic description of what I would otherwise call my short-legged shuffle. :) The truth is, when one is as vertically challenged as I, one learns very early on to work with high heels. These shoes are actually amazingly comfortable despite their look. The sole is padded and decorated with a Japanese motif. Maybe that's where Gigi got the geisha idea. There is another element of this outfit that is Japanese though. The shirt component here is actually a dress with a shinny silk skirt that I bought when I passed through Japan a few years ago. This morning, I tucked the dress bottom into the skirt you see here to avoid looking too done up for work. The double layer worked very well to keep me warm in the slightly cool morning air.

Okay, so I'm getting a better camera tomorrow. Actually, I already have it, but don't really know how to work it so I'm taking pictures of my dog for the moment to get it just right. At some point, I'll deck him out in outfits too. I'm sure he'll be thrilled. HA! Anyhow, I titled today's post "geisha sandal" because as C moves around the office, her walk is with very tiny, yet swift steps. Like a geisha! She has on cool but rather intimidating mules. The vamp is a braided fabric strap and the wedge heel appears to be lucite with a hollow middle. She's brave, I would so fall in that shoe. But my reasoning of bringing up the camera was to mention that I really want to capture the details of C's outfits on this blog, as they are AMAZING. I also wanted to post her other pic, just because the shoe detail was much better, but now that I have a newer camera, there will plenty of time for that. Baby steps.

(Diane Von Furstenberg skirt suit; BCBG tank; vintage belt; Victoria's Secret hosiery; Stuart Weitzman leopard platform sandal)

Weekday update #40: Spring Is Around The Corner

I was going to wear an orange dress today in honor of C, but then saw a photo of some new "IT" girl in jacket and jeans, pumping gas. Since it's still a tad cool, just a tad though, I opted for the "IT" girl pumping gas look, instead. I can wear orange on Monday.

(Calvin Klein jacket; Banana Republic t-shirt; thrifted jeans; Spanx hosiery, Stuart Weitzman oxford heels)

I have a pair of black jeans that gigi loves and comment on every time I wear it. It's one of the few pairs of jeans that I can tolerate because it stretches and doesn't feel tight around the thighs. But it's impossible to wear it under thinner dresses, which is the way I prefer to wear my jeans, because all the details at the waist, such as pockets and belt loops, show awkwardly through the dress material, forming weird shapes. Finally, I've found a solution, Japanese jean leggings, the perfect child that inherited the best of both contributing parents. The waist stretches and fits smoothly like a pair of leggings and the leg portion has the weight and texture of a pair of jeans. Best of all, the length is just right for my height. Gigi didn't even notice that this was not the same pair of jeans she saw before.

Weekday update #39: The Sista' and the Traveling Leather Jacket

This morning, my last minute husband informed me that we'd be meeting some "big time interior design" clients of his for dinner. Whatever that means, they sounded like very interesting and artsy people. So at the last minute, I had to put together something that would take me from the office to dinner and not look too boring. Luckily, the weather has warmed up to a spring-like 65 degrees. Yeah! That opened the door to those sleeveless dresses I have been waiting to wear. This particular one has a shiny black silk bodice with a large bow, which is connected to the chiffon skirt that looks like a separate piece. Being a fairly lazy dresser, I am all for two-in-one constructions. Fearing being cold in the office and looking too simple, I decided that an extra layer would be a good idea and, what do you know, this lace vest was hanging right next to the dress. Just the right size to fit snugly over the dress and let the bow come through the collar. Another serendipity moment? I think so.

Upon C's suggestion, I decided to tell the real story behind this jacket. Enjoy!...

I bought this jacket in 1997 for $60. I remember it well, as this jacket has been with me through some good and bad times. Back then, there was a vintage boutique in my neighborhood called "The Dressing Room." I loved to walk past the shop just to see their display windows. The woman who owned the shop did a lovely job of making what was once considered old, look so new. While attempting to view her display window, there was this damn ladder in the background impeding my view, thus forcing me to go inside to have a better look around. The ladder belonged to the handy-man that was fixing a busted shelf over the register. After squeezing around his poorly positioned ladder, I accidentally knocked down a leather jacket. I reached to retrieve it and while putting it on the hanger, noticed it was really awesome looking. I walked over to the wall mirror and tried it on. As soon as I placed my left arm inside, I knew it was too small. But not by much. I was going to try it on anyway, all the while praying that the handy-man didn't see me fighting to squeeze my fat arse in and out of this damn jacket! Once I was free, I walked it to the counter where a pretty brunette (the store's co-owner) rang me up and told me that I had gotten myself one fine piece!

I took it home and ran into the house to show my husband my find. While trying to explain why I bought the jacket, he barked, "you mean to tell me you spent $60 on that old arse jacket?! You can't even fit it, you're too fat. I could have used that money at the Falcons game! You do stupid sh&! sometimes." Let's back up shall we...

I've read and seen countless stories regarding domestic abuse. Countless. But no one ever told me about the horrors of emotional abuse. Not ever. In 1996, I married an emotionally & mentally abusive man. That relationship damn near took the life out of me. I will spare you the details as they are not necessary to my point, which I will get to in a moment, I promise. Now, moving back to that conversation with the EX, I said, "Whatever, you have no idea what you're taking about. I will wear this jacket, one day..."

Fast forward if you will to 2001. I am officially 275 lbs. lighter (250 of those lbs. being HIS!) and headed to the local coffee shop one brisk Sunday morning decked out in my $60 vintage leather jacket, and looking lovely as hell if you ask me! ^_^ While ordering a biscotti and a coffee, a beautiful blonde (clutching a stroller containing her doppelganger) taps me on my shoulder and says, "excuse me, but did you buy that jacket at The Dressing Room?" I was stunned. "Yes I did, but that was some years ago." I said. "Oh, about 5 or so." She said, while directing her eyes toward the stroller. "You see, that was my jacket and I absolutely loved it. I didn't want to get rid of it, but after I had her, I knew I would never get back down, so I put it in the shop. Me and a friend owned that shop together, but I sold out a few years ago. I'm glad to see it went to a good home, you wear it well." "Thanks!!!" I said, and went about my day. Still relishing in the fact that my dumb-bum ex husband didn't know what the hell he was talking about.

This is the last time I'll have you scroll forward the tape, I promise! But wind on forward to 2004. My current bf and I (already 2 years into our relationship, mind you) were headed out to a Harry Connick, Jr. concert. On that moderately chilly night, I donned my trusty leather jacket. As I walked into the living room, my bf says, "HEY! I know that jacket." I'm like, "no you don't, I got this thing years ago, long before I met you." "That jacket was in my ex-girlfriend's shop, The Dressing Room." I couldn't believe it. He did know this jacket. He went on to say, "how did you get it, cause I was there when this homely, older black lady bought it. It was kinda funny, cause she didn't know I was watching her from my ladder trying to squeeze into it!" "That was YOU on that ladder, you've got to be kidding me! I'll have you know, that 'so-called' homely, older black lady was ME, dufus!" He cocked his head to the side, looked me up and down and said, "wow." Then, after another short pause, "WOW!"

(vintage leather jacket; Brooks Bros. button down; Lulu Guinness studded scarf; Victoria's Secret - Body by Victoria pants; Michael Kors pumps)

Weekday update #38: Anna Sui

Not much to say really except it's warming up nicely and I'm trying to wear all my wintry items while I can. Today's look is my tribute to Anna Sui.

(thrifted beaded collar; Victoria's Secret silk tuxedo shirt; vintage skinny belt; Banana Republic leather skirt; Nordstrom hosiery; Nine West "cowboy inspired" boots)

Sadly, the waist details, the best part about this dress, can't be seen in this photo. Essentially it's a silk trimmed piece with buttons that makes the dress looks like two very fitted pieces. When I bought this vintage dress, the label read "secretary wool dress." I had no idea what that meant, until I saw glorious Joan on Mad Men. I don't know if there is a specific type of dresses that the Mad Men wives worn (I guess those involved more puffy skirts), but the secretary dresses are perfectly awesome!

Weekday update #37: Lovely Rita Meter Maid

I encouraged gigi to get this suit she wore below based solely on description. Boy, was my advice sound! :) Doesn't it just look amazing on her? Me, on the other hand, had trouble getting excited about an outfit this morning. Dreaming of chiffon and lace, sunlight and flowers, I woke up to sub-zero temperature. What? Aren't we in March? I reluctantly browsed through the sweaters and decided on one of the softest, thickest, and blackest, like my mood. Not one to dwell in such a dark place, I brighten it up with a vintage fifties dress and the yellow BCBG I seem to be wearing a lot this winter. Maybe subconsciously I have always been trying to bring on the sunshine. Let's hope tomorrow will be a dream come true type of day.

You know I had so much fun invoking Joan Jett yesterday. I felt so powerful and I don't know, cool perhaps. I would not have even thought of her had it not been for the 'ole Ipod. So I decided to try that serendipity thing that C's always raving about. And since I had no idea what I wanted to wear today, I once again let a song inspire me. This morning, I chanced upon the Beatles "Lovely Rita." So Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, today's outfit is for you!

(Brooks Bros. skirt suit; pearl necklace; DKNY hosiery; Michael Kors lace up boots)

Weekday update #36: Snow Day!

We finally got snow in Atlanta, but alas, it's gone. Typically, we get a light dusting like every 5 years if we're lucky. But this time, some places saw up to 4 inches! I know those who live in snowy areas are just shaking their heads, but know that for me (a Georgia native) it was a huge deal. I just wish it could have lasted 72 hours at least. But just 72 hours.

Anyhow, when it's this cold, I like to wear leather. I use it as my excuse to be able to make my 8 minute trek to work. I'll use just about any excuse to wear anything leather if it's jazzy enough. While getting ready, I was listening to my Ipod on shuffle. By the time my make up was done, I was rocking out to Joan Jett! Joan, today's outfit is for you! "So put another dime in the jukebox baby..." :)

(Stelle by Gilber Gilmore jacket and vest; Brooks Bros. button down; Victoria's Secret leather leggings; vintage chain link belt; Cole Haan g-series boots)

P.S. - As a side note, C looks even prettier in person today. I just love this photo of her. It's soooo sweet, yet sneaky!
Gigi always gives me way too much credit for my outfit when she is the one rocking leather pants on a Monday! Lacking her endless layering skills, I tend to stick to my tried and true jacket and dress combination. Truth be told, for me, everything revolves around the dress. The jackets are bought and worn simply because I can't get away with walking around in shoulder-bearing dresses all day, at least not at work. Over time, I've grown to love the jackets too. Especially the ones with little details, like the white piping on this one. It makes me feel very fifties housewife. Although only in looks. Thank goodness, I don't have that "charmed" suburban life.