Up close...then far away!

Okay, this post might end up being a little strange.  Pictures mixed with earnest prose.  You are forewarned.

I realized that I mostly do two kinds of outfit shots.  Closeups (from about the waist up, focusing on my face), and full-length.  "Duh," you're thinking, "Those ARE the basic shots."  But I'm still new to this whole idea, so sometimes the obvious hits me like a ton of bricks.  This concept of attractiveness being focused on (a) the body and (b) the face, is what our society is built on.  (By body, of course, I mean T&A and legs.)

But what about the fact that looking through pictures on my blog, I love my hair more than my face and my wide little feet more than my body (fantastic bosom excluded)?  My hair is super thick and wavy.  It's finally back to it's natural color, dark brown with silver strands and the occasional golden brown strands.  To me, my feet are normal size, but looking at the pictures over the last year, they ARE on the small size compared to the rest of my body.  They may be wide, but I don't try to jam them into shoes that emphasize that.

I could simply fill this blog with pictures of the features I find the most attractive.  Or I could try to find beauty in every part of my body.  If you've read this blog for more than a few posts, you've noticed that I have issues with my photographed smile.  I don't like it, not at all.  My mouth naturally tilts down, and I have fairly round cheeks.  To me, when I see my smile on here, way too often I look either snarky or my face looks faaaaaat.  (You have to drawl out the word for maximum effect.)

Tomorrow, I'm going shopping with my sister.  I'll be looking for some "boyfriend" style jeans.  I have issues with jeans to begin with.  I (might) have small issues with the fact that my sister is very beautiful.  She's always been the pretty one AND she's also just as smart as me.  But Jen hasn't ever felt truly comfortable in her skin, thanks to our society.  At different points in our life, I've had more belief in my own beauty than she has.  And Jen has always been the most beautiful person I've met in person.  But I don't even smack her around for it.  It's like I'm a saint!  Okay, I've rambled enough about this without really saying anything.  We'll talk again.

Lumberjack shoes!

Get them here!

I know, you thought they would be big, burly boots, didn't you?  But these little red and black plaid shoes are like tiny lady-like versions of a big, 90's grunge-listening lumberjack!  And they're all comfy squashy inside since it's all rubber.  No hard plastic to bite into my feet or faux leather to eventually rub off.  When I like a pair of shoes, I wear them until (a) they fall apart or (b) rub my feet raw, at which point the shoes go to Goodwill and I vow to never buy shoes like that again.  I have a sordid shoe buying history.  Mainly, I'm not very good at it.  But the Crocs help, especially these cute new ones that don't look like a large plastic marshmellow ate my feet.

I went all out with the red and black today.  The peek of red at my chest: a bandeau I got online so I don't have to worry about flashing my bra at people when I lean over.  (Plus a little pop of color never hurts, with as much black as I wear!  I also got a purple one, OF COURSE!)  I even had on a red head wrap, but it was a little too small for my head, and I didn't want to keep readjusting it all day long.  So I went with a simple black one instead.

Dress - George
Shoes - Crocs

Grape Expectations

Yep, I went with a pun.  At least it was a literary one.  I've been waiting for my new Crocs to come, and they finally came!  I've also switched shampoo/conditioners, and I think my hair looks better.  It was looking a little flattish (for me, at least) and dull.  AND I got some little bandeau tops to use as help with my tops that are just a little bit too low-cut.  So much fun stuff waiting for me when I got home!

This dress is one of the items that I overdyed back in August.  It used to be beige, but now it's a lovely purple.  My favorite color in life might be blue, but it's looking like my favorite wardrobe color is purple!

Dress - Venezia Jeans
Top - A.N.A.
Leggings - Faded Glory
New Crocs, baby!

Way back when (a double post)

Yes, I am this pale.  I will get paler as the winter comes.

I try to keep up to date on here, but I just didn't manage with these photos.  Last Friday, I wore a simple grey t-shirt and black pants. 

New shoes are coming.  At least the web says they're coming.

 I'm having an issue finding pants lately, because what I want are semi-dressy drawstring or elastic-band style pants.  I don't want zippers.  I want pants that flow, that are as comfy as pajamas, but that look pretty and nice.  Without looking like I'm an old lady.  I need to hit up the local hippie clothing stores, maybe get some Thai fisherman style pants.

On Sunday, I had to sing three times during church.  With the Praise and Worship team, for Offertory with a friend, and with the choir.   I needed a certain level of comfy combined with a certain level of pretty.  Luckily I had this super long triple strand of faux pearls from a sale to double wrap around my neck for some sophistication points.  (In my head, I need lots of points.)

+ 10 Sophistication points!

And yes, I rocked a different pair of black pants.  I have pants that aren't black.  One of them (the gray Gilligan and O'Malley) I even wear!  You can't tell, but I'm wearing my black sequined flats for fun.

And a final bit of cuteness (no, not Ellie), Jen and I in Sunday finery for a new Birnam Grove picture on Etsy.

Pretty sisters, pretty jewelry, pretty clothes.  PRETTY!

Bronzing

I went with all black clothes, with bronze accents this Saturday.  The belt and the jewelry add a little pop.

Big Girl Socks

Yep, I've got my big girl socks on.  They're a WHOLE lot different from big girl panties.  I liked the touch of purple with the otherwise all-black outfit.  I ordered a mess of socks like this from Sock Dreams last week when it got cold.  AND THEN IT GOT WARM AGAIN.  Stupid weather.  But I knew I was staying inside all day at work, then coming on home, so I put them on to combat the AC.  You'll see the others pop up soon, in olive, gray, and a dark red. 

Bangles!  Layered in black and silver and metallic enough to stick to our desensitizing magnet!

A closer look at the socks.

This is what the top of my tunic looked like.  Isn't that GORGEOUS?!  All fluffy little flowers!

Tunic - Ummm...TJ Maxx
Pants - Gilligan and O'Malley
Socks - Sock Dreams

That's my dress and I'm sticking (with) it

This dress looks strangely familiar, doesn't it?  Almost like I have another like it...in black...and in brown.  (Full confession: if the other colors were cute, I would have them all.)  I love this dress.  It's actually long enough to be a dress, but it works over leggings as a longer tunic as well.

Bottlecap belt!  You have returned from the depths of my belt drawer!  So jauntily low-slung and tummy-pooch concealing!  Homemade jewelry that I put together from that pile of massive chains and such that were on sale at Maurice's!  Joy truly was mine yesterday.

Dress - JMS
Leggings - Faded Glory

Shopping!

Jen and I went shopping today, and I pulled in quite a haul!  I actually found tunics that come down past my butt! (Go TJ Maxx!)  I picked up some chains at Michael's, and then we went to the mall.

We went to Maurice's and we hit the ultimate jackpot.  Lo and behold, they had most of their jewelry on sale for $2, so we scooped up handfuls and handfuls.  I ended up with $200 of jewelry for $30.  I'll take most of it apart and reconstruct it, but some I'll keep like it is.  Here are the two sheets of tissue paper they wrapped it all up in.

Weekend Clothes

Fall has come to the mountains.  At least, the last few days have been cold.  Saturday, it was not only cold outside, it was super-chilly INSIDE too!  The A/C at work is seriously out of control.  I tweeted that I had packed on the layers, and I wasn't kidding!  I had thrown on the little stirrup socks (Sock Dreams!) just for a little kick, but sadly the nylon gave me little comfort.  It did hide the goosebumps.

Shirt - Faded Glory
Tank - men's tank, dyed by me
Pants - Gilligan and O'Malley
Shoes - unknown

"No, Mr. Bond.  I expect you to die."  Uncontrollable eyebrow.

Today, I bucked up and dressed like a responsible person who knows that it will be much colder than it has been in months.  I wore long pants and a jacket.  Aren't I the smartest 29 year old you know?

I also wore some awesome jewelry that I threw together.

Long dangly earrings and a little pendant with scraps of dictionary paper featuring the word Intrepid.
  Look, the little pages really flip!

Jen has a little bit more tan than me.

Pants and Top - White Stag
Jacket -  Travelsmith

Fat and bloated; but with great jewelry

We all have those days (PERIOD DAYS) when we're bloated, ladies.  Handy hint: wearing jeggings MAKES YOU FEEL VERY VERY FAT on one of those days.  Like everyone but me hadn't figured this out!  Luckily, my outfit concealed my bloated tummy, but I still felt all icky.  Luckily my chest looked great!!  And so did this necklace, another find at the flea market ($3!!!), on a costume jewelry table.

All the fashion mags keep talking about (that I want to wear) are tunics.  "They're so flattering, so versatile..."  So freaking UNAVAILABLE at any shop I go to!  All I want is a tunic that comes down past my butt and DOESN'T have an elastic band around the bottom.  Is that so hard?    If I did have such a tunic I could wear it with leggings or my jeggings.  The few "tunics" I can find (and I'm using the term loosely) have the dreaded elastic around the bottom.  Because all plus-size girls like to draw attention to the wideness of their hips!  So, I've just been buying mini-dresses.  Or in this case, using a super-soft nightgown!  With the cardigan on, it's not readily apparent that it's a nightie.  The jersey fabric helps disguise it, too.  In case you haven't noticed, Gilligan and O'Malley has become one of my favorite new brands.  I would gladly be a shill for them....(crickets chirping in the dead silence).  Oh, well.  I'll just keep wearing their sleepwear out in public.

Cardigan - Torrid
Dress - a nightgown from Gilligan and O'Malley

Jeans - Source of Wisdom
Shoes - thrifted

Black and green

This jewelry is made from beads that I got this weekend at the flea market for a veritable STEAL, I tell you!  Seriously, a great price from a very nice man.  Enough beads for $12 to make a super-long strand that loops over MY gigantic head three times with six beads left over to make these cute little matching earrings!  I usually don't do matching earrings, but this necklace seemed to cry out for them.

Jen and I both wore black yesterday.  We were the girls in black, sisters of a shared color for once!  (Jen is about a bajillion shades tanner than me, as is most of the world.  She got the tan coloring of our Native American ancestors (on both sides) and I got the super thick hair.

Here's another photo of the beads...such a gorgeous color!  I had to snatch these up as soon as I saw them on the table.  I love this pale green glass.  And no, they are NOT jade.  But I can pretend they are!

Dress - Faded Glory
Leggings - White Stag
Shoes - thrifted, all labels rubbed off

Ramble Ramble Ramble

There are many things OTHER people love that I see no reason to like.  And of course, there are many things I love that YOU may not.  (But you should.)  Because I have the time, here is a rambling list of things I dislike:

1. Pets.  Yes.  I said it and I meant it.  I don't like dogs, I don't like cats, I don't like birds.  Pets take up too much energy for creatures that smell funny, poop where they wish, and will not grow up to be people who take care of me when I am crazy and feeble.  That's what my sister's kids are for.  EXCEPTION TO THE RULE: I like horses.  My dad is in the horse business, so I first rode by myself when I was 6.
2. Reality tv.  EVERYONE says: "Oh, I HATE reality tv, except for..." and then they list off a billion shows.  Unless cooking shows on the Food Network count as reality tv, I DON'T.  And I secretly think less of you if you do.  (This comes from someone who watched the ENTIRE run of Seaquest, including the giant shark, mermaid, and underwater ghost episodes.  It's not like I'm highbrow.)
3. High heels that look so gorgeous, but (a) don't fit my wide feet or (b) are so uncomfortable.  Why can't my feet look cute and not hurt in a way that makes me want to punch people in the face?  WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY?????
4. People who don't read books.  I don't understand you.
5. Hipsters.  You are not cool.  Everyone who is not a hipster thinks you are incredibly annoying.  JUST LIKE THINGS ALREADY, STOP POSING AND BEING "IRONIC".

Things you SHOULD love:

1. Webcomics! Specifically;  Questionable Content, Templar, Arizona, FREAKANGELS, and xkcd .
2.  My sister!  Seriously, she's like, the coolest girl I know.  Even if she is all old and short and stuff. (20 months older and an inch shorter.)  Visit her style blog, even if she hasn't updated it all summer.  She will soon!
3. Bookstores and libraries.  Dude, stop being lame and read already.

Never pose with a munchkin

Feast your eyes upon it, baby!

I love my niece,  really.  She's more like me than anyone except my mom.  But in terms of sheer cuteness...she takes the whole cake.

I looked pretty good in this outfit.  But did you notice?  No!  Your eyes went straight to that disgustingly cute little moppet, who said "I want to be in the picture with Auntie!"  Hmph.  Looking all tiny and adorable...Her head's humongous, you know.  Just like me, her grandpa, her mom AND her dad.  AND her brother.  A whole family of pumpkin heads except my mom.  Do you want to see more?  The little wretch isn't even posing here.

None of your children will be/have been/are this cute or will ever be.  Sorry.  Snicker.  I love my Ellie-belle.  (And my Killy, but I have no photos of him from yesterday.)

Yesterday's outfit-
Blouse - Faded Glory
Tank - A Tag Above
Pants - Gilligan and O'Malley (see post for further ravings about these pants)
Jewelry - self-made

And now today, it was chilly.  YAY FALL!  It was a big day at church, as we welcomed back an interim pastor that used to be a full-time pastor here.  It was actually cool enough outside (and in, with all the air conditioning) to warrant this light sweater. 

You know how magazines say to  part your hair the opposite way for fullness and volume?  Apparently they actually mean if you have wavy hair is that you'll get weird curls and odd flatness.  I'm definitely not doing that again.  I have a hard enough time doing my hair anyway.  (Hairdo incompetent person here!)  I'm sticking with the part Nature gave me, and the hairstyles my stubby little fingers can manage.

Sweater - Faded Glory
Pants - JL Studio
Shoes - Mossimo
Jewelry - self-made

Low battery...

My camera batteries died today, so I only have a blurry, horrible cell phone picture of today's outfit.  But it was such a good outfit that I had to post about it.

This is another of the shirts I dyed purple.  It's the racer-back tank top, as a matter of fact.  I really wanted to wear it, but I had to figure out how to wear a bra with it.

Visible bra straps always equal TACKY to me, and not in a fun way.  I had a three-pack Dollar General knock-off of those little "Strap Perfect" bra strap controller things, so I decided to try one.  Lo and behold, it worked!  The 3-pack was only $1.50, and it was well worth it.  (This picture is the closest I could find to what I have.)

These plastic things are almost tougher than steel, and it is hard to get the thing attached.  But $1.50 to turn my regular bra into a racer-back?  No question about it.

Cardigan - Torrid
Shirt - Hanes
Pants - White Stag
Shoes - Mossimo

I'm walking here...

My daddy tricked me into walking toward him in this first picture.  "Hey, it didn't take the picture..." CLICK.  *evil laugh*

Look at how wee my feet look!  I have on my black sequined flats, and for some reason today they were monstrously uncomfy.  But luckily, I keep a spare pair at work.  I love my belt, but about half-way through the day I just got all squashed up by it.  So I went without it, and it looked fine.  No picture for you, but trust me and just try to envision it.

Dress - Faded Glory
Leggings - Danskin
Belt - Target (house brand)
Shoes - Mossimo (Odell)

earrings

necklace