Plus Size Curves Ahead!

Boot Angst

2012-01-31T10:55:00.004-05:00

I love these boots. I also love these boots. BUT. I've ordered, and sent back, some other Viva La Diva boots that just fit like crap. I don't know what the issue is, because I'm getting the same size every time, 8EEE. They've been way too large (as in long) lately, even though my boots that I have remain perfect. My feet aren't suddenly a size smaller. Bleah. I just threw on whatever I could find today, even though I'm wearing the dreaded boss-hated leggings. My grandmother is in the hospital (nothing serious, just a fall), and I'm a bit worn. A big pop of pink was what I needed to cheer me up a bit.

Cardigan - Avenue, Shirt - Simply Be, Leggings - Walmart, Boots - Sole Diva, Necklace - Handmade.

Sorry, but you need a better dress.

2012-01-30T11:12:00.000-05:00

Jessie (Vanderbilt Wife) suggested on Twitter that I talk about the SAG Awards plus size dresses. She thought there were some good dresses. I must confess that I didn't watch the awards. I trolled the internet this morning, looking at dresses. And...I'm once again depressed by plus size "high fashion". Or at least what some ladies chose to wear. First the great, with my Glee girl Amber Heard.

Adorable AND va-va-voom.

Then the close, but not quite with Octavia Spencer. Her coloring is so beautiful that she could wear any color, and she goes for silver and that overly large skirt? You WON the SAG award! You can do better than decent.

Close. but no.

And then we hit the no. A lot of people thought this was lovely, and maybe in comparison to what she's worn to past award shows it is.

No. This could be so much better and non-blah.

BUT. Melissa McCarthy is justifiably famous for Bridesmaids. Are you telling me there is not a single designer that wants to be the one to put her on the OMG best-dressed list? Someone put her in this for a TV headshot for her show Mike and Molly. Can that same person come back and dress her?

So pretty!

Is she looking for options? Are you a plus-size woman looking for fancy dress options? BUY THESE INSTEAD. Or get these designers to make you something and name drop their lines all over the place, Melissa! YOU ARE FAMOUS NOW, SO DRESS LIKE THE GORGEOUS WOMAN YOU ARE. And Octavia, wear some freaking color. First of all, you both (and most plus-size women) have great racks. Show them off! Breasts make everyone happy! Wear an empire a-line, like these first two, or go full sexy and wear the super-sparkly body con third dress. IGIGI is sizes 12-32 and Monif C is sizes 14-24.

IGIGI Samira Cocktail Dress

IGIGI Leigh Lace Dress

Monif C Samantha Party Dress

Jovani also has a bucket load of beautiful dresses, ALL available from sizes 0-32. Long to short, they have hundreds of dresses (literally, hundreds of evening dresses) that celebs could pick from. Just drop their name! The moral of this post is: Being plus-size doesn't mean you have to wear a sack and be happy with it. There are more and more upscale plus-size lines every year. Find them. Wear the hell out them, and be proud of your fantastic curves!

Jeans and Links

2012-01-27T16:42:00.001-05:00

My boss has recently declared that as long as we don't have a meeting on Friday, we can wear jeans and boots. (This is a big step for her.) I went all out with the necklace layering, something that I still feel unsure about until someone compliments me on it (my sister, this morning) then I can cope with it. For some reason, I'm always convinced that I've piled on way too many necklaces and I look silly. My hair needed a day without gel, so I went with double headbands instead. Just to make you all cry, I've never had split ends, but I pride myself on having very healthy happy hair. So I never blow-dry and I haven't done anything chemical (perms, dyes, etc) in five or so years.

As for links, I've really grown to love Hilda, the plus-size pinup drawn by Duane Bryers. He reportedly did about 250 different paintings of this character for calenders/playing cards/drinking glasses/etc. They've shown up on Pinterest a lot lately, and I just found a tumblr of them!

If you don't follow the Bloggess, you should. Odd, sarcastically funny, and often willing to talk straight about mental illness, she is the humor voice for a my generation-ish of odd dorky people with mental problems (aka me!).

Alice Bradley (Finslippy) has an excellent post that Sally linked to today. On the off chance that anyone reading me doesn't read Sally, check out this fantastic/horribly true post. "As a young woman, I was certainly the least intimidating creature on the planet, and as such I was prey to unwanted attention from men, attention that ranged from annoying to truly scary. I know there are people who dismiss the idea that such attention is upsetting--after all, isn't it flattering that strangers think you're attractive? But it goes far, far beyond that. It was endless and exhausting and I don't think it has a thing to do with how pretty you are. In fact I often felt the comments would come fast and furious on the days I felt particularly bad about myself, like I was giving off signals or hormones, like they could smell my weakness." She talks about being glad she's in her 40's now, and wanting to be intimidating to avoid the pervy/unwanted attention that the average woman endures everyday.

Tiny style and big compliments

2012-01-26T08:40:00.003-05:00

My niece is a little fashionista. Her favorite shoes are these sparkle heels with bows. And she has the OOTD pose down! She picks out her clothes based on whether she thinks they're cute. And sometimes, she thinks that wearing her brother's hand-me-down underwear along with three or four layers of shirts and leggings/skirts/pants is cute. She's got her own taste, like she should. But that little face makes the most bizarre outfits adorable, and I want her to know that she is always beautiful to me. So no matter what she wears, I make sure to tell her that she's pretty and smart and strong every day I see her. Because every little girl needs to have kick-ass self-confidence. And if her Auntie believes in her, I think she'll keep believing in herself.

Brought to you by a loving Auntie, who is pretty sure that her niece is cuter than your munchkins. But don't worry, I feel bad for you about that fact. And I would never tell them that. Out loud.

Plus-size calves love Sock Dreams

2012-01-24T08:33:00.002-05:00

I love the idea of OTK socks (over-the-knee). But my calves are 19 inches at their widest point. Target socks don't fit that. At all. Sock Dreams, however, has a whole plus-size section. AND they tell you how wide the socks stretch. They do play a little fast and loose with the term "plus size", but you can find some great OTKs if you look. Their socks are more expensive than a big box store...but they fit! (And they're much nicer/better made than what you would buy at Target/Walmart.) These are thigh-highs which stretch to 24 inches, but over my leggings that just won't fly. The most tempting thing about Sock Dreams, though, is that they have basic free shipping and that it's super quick. I ordered these on the 19th and got them on the 21st. I live in VA and they ship from Portland!

Long-sleeved tee - Mossimo, Sweater - Avenue, Leggings - Walmart, Socks - O Marled, Boots - Viva La Diva, Necklace - Handmade.

Bits and Pieces and Nails and Socks

2012-01-23T08:43:00.001-05:00

Two weekends ago, I bought a brand-new set of living room furniture for the upstairs. It is completely gorgeous, and had the added benefit of making me feel like an actual grownup. I got a big couch, a nice chair, and a loveseat (or as my niece calls it, a love chair). I have banned the munchkins from using markers while sitting on them/eating on them/wearing shoes on them. Due to awkwardness and previous spilling, I've also banned my sister and mother from drinking wine on them. You can think I'm harsh, but I spent almost a paycheck on beige corduroy, and I'm going to try and keep them clean for at least a month!

This nail polish is by Zoya, and it came in my Birchbox for January. I'm not fantastically excited about the color - I generally like much darker or just a hint of color - but so far I haven't had any chips, and I'm three days in. This is a miracle! My sister says it's due to the Sally Hansen top coat she used, but I'm just happy they didn't chip immediately.

Mia and Tia, I know you both will be completely enviously of my lovely fluffy socks from Sock Dreams! They're the Space Dyed Terry Shorties, and they are so nicely warm and adorable.

Sweater - Target, Pants - Lands End, Socks - Sock Dreams, Shoes - Earth Spirit, Nail Polish - Zoya, Necklace - self-made.

Covering the bottom

2012-01-20T09:53:00.002-05:00

I have two pairs of cords (from Simply Be) that fit my waist and my hips. These jeans are baggy, and unless I want to strangle-belt them, they tend to sit fairly low. As in lower than my underwear. Now, seeing as how I want to keep my job, I figured a nice long tunic was required. And since I might be going out tonight (with my sister, whose beauty is completely annoying) I even slapped some makeup on! Fancy Erin, here for your viewing pleasure. But my feet are tired, so you get Crocs.

Sweater - JMS, Jeans - Avenue, Scarf - Send the Trend, Necklace - Hand-made, Shoes - Crocs.

Repurpose

2012-01-19T08:44:00.001-05:00

It was a sad closeup...

I know I must have some readers that are as super-white as me. I'm sort of sad that I don't have cute freckles, but with dark hair like mine, you don't often get freckles. I'm in front of our outside door and yes, we haven't yet taken down the Christmas window decoration/flag thing, so that's Mary, Joseph and some doves peeking over my shoulders. I almost never wear this industrial necklace (self-made!) even though I do like it, simply because it dangles fairly low and thus requires a low round neckline. But this looks pretty good! I got the best compliment on this necklace from a random old redneck man, by the way, who recognized my re-purposed washers/little gears and thought it was pretty.

Sweater and Boots - Simply Be, Pants - Denim 24/7, Jewelry - Handmade.

New Book Blog!

2012-01-18T15:15:00.001-05:00

I'm a former librarian, with a BA in English with a concentration in English with an Interdisciplinary Concentration in Medieval and Renaissance Studies and a Masters in Library Science. But I don't talk about books much here. Maybe because I started it as an OOTD blog. Anyway, I decided that I want to write about books more, so BOOM! New blog: time is always time. Go there to read author reviews, book reviews, and to find out what the blog title means.

Vestalicous

2012-01-18T10:22:00.000-05:00

I wanted to buy a vest online this weekend, but resisted. Good thing, too, since I had totally forgotten about this one in my closet. (That tells you how much I wear vests.) I painted my nails last night a pretty sparkly purple, but they chipped overnight (which I fixed) and again this morning. I am completely incapable of keeping nail polish on my nails. Particularly the dark vivid colors I like. When I can reconcile myself to spending the money, and have some fancy reason for it, I might try the new gel manicures.

Gracey, are you proud of me? My necklace has several little orange beads in it! It was a lovely late Christmas present (from Mexico) from Mia.

Vest - I cut the tag out, so I don't have a clue!, Shirt - Lands End, Pants Denim 24/7, Necklace - pressie from Mia!, Shoes - Dexter, Hair - newly short.

Half Gone

2012-01-15T10:11:00.002-05:00

Sooo...I got about half my hair cut off and slightly layered. Despite my eyes being closed, I am not, in fact, dead.

It was a combined effort over two days by my little mama (the cutting) and my sister (the layering). I think it looks rather leonine, which is fitting since my star sign is a Leo! I got bored of my hair being so long. See, I'm essentially lazy, particularly with my hair. Looking back at my blog pics for the last month it had just been scraped back every day into a bun or a braid of some sort. And the braids were lovely, but my face really does look the best with my hair down. So I took the plunge and got it whacked off again!

Even if I start hating it, my hair grows very fast. Compare my hair last January to December!

January 2011


December 2011

Birchbox!

2012-01-11T08:37:00.001-05:00

I've decided this cardigan is my equivalent of a puffer vest.

So, Birchbox is fancy beauty samply company. You pay $10 a month and they send you 4-5 samples of fancy schmancy stuff. I read about it the Wall Street Journal while looking up other stuff, and I was intrigued. (A better article is the NY Times one.) $10? I spend that much every month on beauty stuff, and definitely not fancy stuff. The company is woman run, and considering I just got my first box, I thought I would show it to you. When you sign up, you fill out a beauty profile so they know what kind of samples to send you.


The inside of my Birchbox!

Pretty, huh? I got a mini Larabar in Cherry Pie, that pretty nail polish (Zoya brand in Kristen, a bluish gray), a teeny-tiny lip gloss in the brightest pink ever (Jouer in Birchbox Pink, which is supposed to go on sheer for one coat, but I didn't try it yet), a Juicy Couture perfume sample (alright, but not exactly my taste) AND my favorite haul, the one I would have happily paid all $10 for VMV Re-Everything Eye Serum. A full size bottle of this serum is $80 for 30ml and I got 12ml along with everything else for $10?! Craziness and fantastic.

Every month has a theme and January's theme was new beginnings...not truly expressed so well in my box, but I do love it. Also, if you buy any item from any of stuff sent out January (not just what was sent to you in your box), you get free shipping. If you buy over $50, you get free shipping. Any other way, it's a whopping $5 flat fee.

So go on, if you like getting little fancy samples in your mail for the price of a nice lunch every month, sign up. Trust me, you're nice and you deserve a treat! Click on the link below to sign up (and give me some points)!

http://www.birchbox.com?raf=h5whx

3 apples high and poorly conformed

2012-01-10T08:41:00.002-05:00

Look! Non-shiny today!

I am such a munchkin! Much like Tia, I am only 3 apples high. Unlike Tia, who appears to have nice normal length legs and arms, I am...oddly conformed. After my dad called me a dwarf one too many times, I seriously tried to explain to him that I wasn't a dwarf, I just had short legs and short arms (and a large head, which is totally his fault), but my torso was totally a normal length. My dad looked at me and said "Darling, that IS a dwarf!" (Technically Achondroplasia dwarfism) And he was totally right. I'm a 5 foot 4 inch dwarf. Sort of. In a non-offensive way.

Simply Be has their Spring/Summer line up online, and I'm full of fierce clothing desire. It's all marked up, so really I should be hitting the sale area for winter bargains. But, you know, spring in England isn't really that warm, so there are plenty of cardigans and such in the line! Too tempting!

Cardigan - Simply Be (sold out), Shirt - Avenue (sold out), Cords - Simply Be, Shoes - Simply Be, Jewelry - present.

Monday is my least favorite of all days

2012-01-09T10:46:00.002-05:00

Sunday is never, never long enough. All day I will be tired and horribly surprised that I have a whole week ahead of me. (Except not really because I get Lee-Jackson Day off. Yay, Civil War generals!?) Also, my face has gotten so dry that I have patches on my cheeks that I had to exfoliate with a sister-homemade Buffy bar (except replace shea butter with lard + ground rice. seriously.) And the patches are only just starting to go away after a few days, even with using Vitamin E oil on my face every day as well. I have very sensitive, very dry skin, and winter really does a number on it. I think I'll have to start taking Vitamin E capsules again. I'm still shiny, but I'm not wearing makeup until these patches go away.

Cardigan - thrifted, Short-sleeved sweater - Target, Pants - Lands End, Shoes - Earth Spirit, Jewelry - Handmade.

Sudden cold appearance

2012-01-05T08:39:00.000-05:00

I don't always boogie, but when I do I look serious about it.

Bleah. I was struck down in the middle of the day by sickness. A great many bugs are making the rounds in my office. I think I have a bad cold/sinus issues. After the fever hit (and stayed), I decided to go home. Totally not fair when today gave me good pictures, but nothing good to talk about.

My little helper was pretty excited.

Sweater - JMS, Corduroys - Simply Be, Boots - Avenue.

Sweaters = T-Shirts

2012-01-04T08:20:00.000-05:00

My brilliance makes me smile.

Gracey, I thought of the perfect reason for short sleeve sweaters for you! Warning: I am a dork. I was seriously so excited when I thought of it in the shower that I may have squeaked a little in joy. THEY ARE WINTER T-SHIRTS! I love layering, but even layering the average t-shirt under a cardigan can leave you chilly in the winter. BUT! If you layer a short sleeve sweater under a loose, button-less cardigan (my favorite kind)...you have instant warmth without super-puffy layers! I also have new indigo blue corduroys from Simply Be, which is equally exciting considering the fact that we took a nose-dive straight into coldness as soon as January started.

Sweater - Target, Cords - Simply Be, Boots - Viva La Diva.

Boldly Going Into the New Year

2012-01-03T13:10:00.003-05:00

Some people cure shiny faces with powder. I appear to revel in them.

It's a little like an old Star Trek uniform, isn't it? One of Uhura's miniskirted ones, not TNG style. Don't worry, it is a tunic sweater, not a dress from Whores R Us. It was a lovely Christmas pressie from my parents, and my jewelry was from an aunt (a copper tree of life set!) This is at work, so you see the edge of my lovely cubicle (which is slowly being covered in randomness, like the star you see "for general awesomeness"). Normally, I would have chucked the belt that came with the sweater, but I decided to let Tia be my style icon, and belt up high under my bosom. I'm liking it! Also, if you are one of my male readers, that send me the occasional email about how happy you are to find a pretty plus size blogger? I very much appreciate you, and only worry that you will stalk and kill me a little bit!

Sweater - Lane Bryant, Pants - Denim 24/7 ponte pants, Boots - Viva La Diva.

Tiny yet stylish

2011-12-26T17:53:00.000-05:00

I've lazed in bed all day, but I couldn't resist posting a picture of my niece. Only six, but with the style judo of someone much older, Miss Ellie threw together this outfit for Christmas Day, and promptly struck this attitude when my sister asked her to pose for the camera.

And lest you doubt her fashion blogger prowess, please note that all her clothes are thrifted, right down to her boots! Ellie picks out her own clothes to wear, according to her moods, veering from fashion plate to hippie flower child to tiny hobo to regular Wal-mart kid within the week. I'm thinking about borrowing her verve AND her moxie. Luckily, though, I won't have to borrow the boots since I have a similar pair.

almost Christmas!

2011-12-19T15:15:00.001-05:00

Last day of work before Christmas break! Yay [Kermit flail]! I went for comfort rather than style today - as if I'm normally a Cosmo fashionista...but still, jeans instead of more dressy pants and a drover style shirt rather than something more worky. The little necklace you can't really see is my skull (a personal non-favorite of my little mama). At the moment it's on a black silk strand, instead of the red braid below. Also, over the months, the gold has aged a bit, so it's now acquiring a rosy-gold/copper patina in places. I personally like this even more than the plain gold! Also unseen: I have my hair up in two mini-buns, aka what my office calls my Princess Leia look (even though hers were over her ears BUT ANYWAY). It's mega cute and pretty non-professional. My niece has a similar hairstyle that she likes and we just call it her kawaii hair.

Top - Simply Be, Under-tank - Hanes (dyed purple), Jeans - Avenue, Shoes - Earth Spirit, Jewelry - JewelMint, Send the Trend, and sister.

So excited for Friday!

2011-12-16T08:45:00.000-05:00

Yay! Friday! It's been such a long week. [Cue frantic smile in above picture.] One week of work left and then Christmas vacation for me. I have mostly everyone's presents - I'm only lacking a few things for the munchkins. I love shopping for other people. The only problem is that when I find that wonderful present for someone, I immediately want to give it to them. I'm not big on waiting, but I actually started shopping in November this year, so it's been really hard on me not just flinging presents at people so I can see their faces.

This red sweater is about as Christmassy as I like to dress. I'm not an elementary teacher, you know (no offense intended). Red or maybe green (and not both together) is enough for me. I have to stop the little mama from getting me overly Christmassy shirts, or just sigh and wear one on Christmas to make her happy.

Jen says this is a flip - two strands of hair twisted over each other, not a true braid. I've also seen it described as a rope braid.

Sweater - Avenue, Pants - Denim 24/7, and yes, I did put on jewelry and shoes later.

a big ol' rope of hair

2011-12-15T10:52:00.000-05:00

Yes, I am this pale. And! This is my actual eye color, often disguised by how squinchy my eyes get when I smile/when I'm tired and look snarky. A light blue-gray, the same as both of my grandfathers had. No one else in my immediate family has them. This sweater is my one exception to cap sleeves, which I hate, because it's not really like they're cap sleeves. Just little sleevelets, really. I would buy another, but the only other color is Aqua (ick, turquoise).

Little full-length photo to reassure you that I still have a body.

See, big rope of hair. This is a Dutch braid (aka an inside out French Braid). I might need to get Jen to check and see that my hair is still growing out all even. I don't really get split ends, but I had layers (not such a great idea with my hair and my laziness in hairdos) and I'm still growing them out.

Sweater - Simply Be, Undershirt - Mossimo, Pants - Lands End, Boots - Avenue, Necklace - self-made.

Let's discuss the word of the day

2011-12-14T13:20:00.000-05:00

The word of the day is labyrinth! Labyrinths have been walked as spiritual meditation (solo and in groups) since the medieval ages for certain, although we know they were used by Egyptians, Greeks, and Cretans. I have on a labyrinth necklace, designed to match the one on the floor of the Chartres Cathedral.

To jump topics, but not words, one of my favorite fantasy movies (as a child and now) is the 1986 Jim Henson directed Labyrinth starring David Bowie (and his package). I have actually seen Michael Moschen, the man who performed as David Bowie's hands for the crystal ball contact juggling, perform in person! And yes, it was totally awesome, even though he wasn't David Bowie. The movie Pan's Labyrinth is equally fantastical, but also batshit crazy and scary. That's what you get from Guillermo del Toro.

sparkle-less

2011-12-13T14:27:00.000-05:00

Slightly fuzzy picture today, but let's concentrate on how I forgot about EBEW and didn't wear sparkles! Oh, the tragedy! I didn't even realize it until I saw Mia's post. It seems like I've had to reach for several of the EBEW posts, but I could have totally nailed the sparkle/sequin one. At least I have my watch necklace on to console myself and make me feel a smidgen cooler. It was a busy morning - I had to do my own hair and everything, says the lazy girl. (When my hair is braided, it's a sign that my little Mama or my sister has had time to do it for me.) I know my mama at least loves it down, but wearing headphones almost all day at work (so the quiet doesn't drive me mad) would mess up a "casually wind-tossed do", and my hair gets naturally frizzy over the day as I run my hands through it. A bad habit I know, but better than heavy drinking, I hear.

Sweater - Avenue, Pants - Lands End, Booties - Viva La Diva, Watch Necklace - Amazon.

yes I live in this cardi

2011-12-12T09:04:00.000-05:00

It's been a few days since I posted, and I didn't even think to look at my blog to see what I wore last. Which is why I'm wearing the same cardigan, and all black again! I do seriously love this cardigan (they have it at Simply Be in black and purple now). It's very soft with the rounded "stud" embellished shoulders to give it character. And the silvery gray is just gorgeous. As you can tell, I didn't check my necklace before snapping pictures, though! So very tangled up...

Gracey was sweet enough to include me in her post today about large calves and finding boots to fit them. (sidebar: if you don't read Gracey's blog, start. She's awesome, and even orange hating shorties like me get tons of great ideas from her.) ALSO, the name of our (me and my sister's) etsy store has changed. We are now Stitch and Bead, rather than Birnam Grove. You can even friend us on Facebook!

Cardigan - Simply Be, Tank - Calypso, Pants - White Stag.

Don't you wish you were smug like me?

2011-12-08T13:23:00.000-05:00

The message for today: Don't shop anywhere online but Amazon, eBay (rarely), and Simply Be. Simply Be comes in clothing sizes 10-28, and shoe sizes 6-11 (with some 5s and 12s), widths Standard - EEEE, and Calf Width Slim to Extra Ultra Wide. I just had a couple of disappointing experiences with Avenue, a company that makes the best seamless panties, but is highly questionable on other items. Pantyhose were much too short (despite me being firmly within the size guidelines), shirts were much too large...unless you can shop at the store, I wouldn't suggest it.

BUT! Simply Be has served me perfectly every time. Free shipping and returns, always. The only boot brand ever to fit my calves (Viva La Diva - and they're super comfy too!). With the exception of the Glamourosa 2 Button Detail Tops, nothing has ever shrunk. Nothing has ever fallen apart in the wash. The sweaters all keep their shape. It's just...quality clothing. Pricier than Avenue or OneStopPlus, but well worth it, since the pieces last, and are really nice. And not boring nice, but awesome nice (particularly Joe Browns stuff). At the moment, I would like the Bird Print Tee. Flutter sleeves and thigh length!

Today's outfit - Cardigan - Simply Be, Shirt - Avenue, Pants - Denim 24/7, Necklace - JewelMint.

Friend is a four letter word

2011-12-02T09:45:00.000-05:00

I know you've seen these shoes of mine a million times. BECAUSE THEY ARE ADORABLE! Gray felt with little extraneous brass buttons! Seriously, how much cuter could they get? And I'm smiling! Fun times for all. Are any of you on Spotify? My blog post is a Cake song, a truly fun band. Come friend me on Facebook (with a little note that you follow my blog so I don't go "I don't know this person! No friending!), and we can share music!

Cardigan - Simply Be, T-shirt - Avenue, Pants - Denim 24/7,

Jewelry - Send The Trend. (Or maybe JewelMint.)

Here's leering at you, kid

2011-12-01T12:56:00.000-05:00

Instead of a cranky look OR a smile, today we have a leer. It's...close to a smile? Anywho, I'm surprised my dad let me out of the house in these pants. Looking at them, they are too short, even with flats (and my dad has serious issues with people's pant length, oddly). These must have been a pair of petites. I have a short rise, and plus size pants, especially, seem to have long crotches. But evidently my legs needed that extra inch or two. The things you learn from pictures!

Dutch Braid

Sweater - Redoute, Shirt and Pants - Avenue, Shoes - Dexter, Necklace - Send the Trend.

Long time coming...and yet not that great.

2011-11-30T14:45:00.000-05:00

I don't know what it is, but lately all my pictures have been severely CRANKY-FACED. If you go back in the blog, you'll see that I can actually smile. And that I don't always look cranky and/or drunk. It's bizarre, because I've been sleeping well, but you wouldn't know it from my face.

This is a fishtail braid, in my pretty shiny hair. Seriously, I'm thinking about just cropping out my face until I relearn how to smile in photos and replacing it with photos of my hair.

Sweater - Simply Be, Pants - Lands End, Necklace - Birnam Grove.

Birnam Grove Rises Again!!

2011-11-22T13:16:00.000-05:00

I do look happier sometimes. Really.

Birnam Grove is the name of our Etsy store (mine and my sister's). Not only are we totally back up, we now have a Facebook page (go Like us!), we also have a Twitter feed! We also have our Thanksgiving Cyber deal going on: 10% off everything with the coupon code CYBER. I make the jewelry, and my sister does the sewing.

Here's one of Jen's beautiful quilts (Gracey, it has orange!):

$100, pre-discount.

And this is one of my necklaces:

$15, pre-discount.

Awards from Mia!

2011-11-21T12:52:00.000-05:00

Real life cranky face

Mia of Reading in Skirts awarded me with two awards! I feel so special, like an actual people person, and not a misanthrope with a blog!

Here are the rules:

Link back to the blogger you got the award from

Write 7 random things about yourself

Fill in the question form below

Give the award to 10 other blogs and let them know

7 random things about me:

If I am not actually at work, I am tremendously lazy.
I suffer from epilepsy, depression, and anxiety/panic attacks.
I am fat. And I don't really care what you think about it.
I love to read more than I love to do almost anything else.
No kids are cuter than my niece and nephew. Except maybe little mixed race babies. And little boys with super-thick glasses. But, my munchkins still top the list. Despite this, I never want to have kids of my own.
I sit cross-legged in my chair. At work, at the dinner table, I even lie in bed cross-legged sometimes.
The only person I have ever hit is my sister, but I have an incredibly violent temper. I'm just a complete coward.

Question Form:

Name your favorite song: "The Way It Goes" by Gillian Welch

Name your favorite dessert: The brownies with peanut butter icing that my sister makes me for my birthday.

What pisses you off: Smug bastards. People who think that because they've gotten over a fight, you must have too.

Your favorite pet: I don't really do pets. As in, I don't see any point in them. [Cue everyone thinking I'm a bad person.]

Black or white: Definitely black. White makes me nervous and prone to spilling.

Your biggest fear: That I will wake up and years will have gone by, that I've forgotten due to amnesia or something. Also, having to go to the bathroom while people can hear me.

Best feature: My fantastic rack.

Everyday attitude: Judgmental and snarky. Other than that, I'm a ball of sunshine.

What is perfection: Taking a nap on Sunday afternoon. Eating candy in bed. Watching a movie in the middle of the day. Basically, being incredibly lazy.

Guilty pleasure: Mocking ice skaters on tv? If I enjoy it, I don't really consider it a guilty pleasure. You should hear me defend reading Nora Roberts.

Give the award to 10 5 other blogs and let them know!
I give these awards to:
Gracey at Fashion For Giants
Carly at Smaggle
Reiko at God's Favorite Shoes
Cammila at Dressed Up Like a Lady

and Erin at Work With What You've Got.

Double Dutch

2011-11-18T14:52:00.000-05:00

We were in a rush this morning, and the full picture I have...well, kids, I look drunk. And sort of angry about it. Now, if I wasn't on so much medication for my various conditions, and could have a nice screwdriver, I would look pretty darn happy. But morning, with the busyness and the depressing news, tends to make me look all grumpy-faced. But you do get a braid picture today: Dutch braids to be precise, and a website link. My sister has been watching YouTube videos of braids ever since my niece decided that she wanted fancy braids. Jen likes CuteGirlHairstyles, which has both a YouTube channel and a website. [Yes, Dutch braids are inverted French braids.]

Orange is wrong

2011-11-17T08:29:00.000-05:00

Our university has a night game tonight. I'm not wearing school colors. I...have an intense hatred for orange. INTENSE. Along with teal, it is my least favorite color. Ever. Thank the Lord our colors aren't teal and orange; I would have to slit my throat. (Sorry, Gracey, Mia, Tia. Sometimes color hatred happens.) Jen did another braid on my hair this morning, but it's a little bumpy, due to my hair not being quite long enough and also being so very thick. It's pretty awesome having my own live-in beautician. I might even start sporting nail polish and properly groomed eyebrows...

Top and Pants - Simply Be, Scarf - liberated from little Mama's closet, Jewelry - self-made.

Preeety Braid

2011-11-16T09:07:00.000-05:00

There's a distinct reason that I prefer my hair long. When it comes to my hair, I'm all thumbs. I can do excellent buns. And ponytails. And that's about it. I have very thick, wavy, and somewhat coarse hair. All of my Native American roots came out in my hair, not my supah-white skin. BUT! My sister has moved back into the house (divorce upcoming, no more to be said), and Jen is a whiz with hair. Witness the fishtail braid she did this morning for me!

So pretty! Apparently, it is also easier to braid the hair of a 30 year old, than a 6 year old. My niece is prone to wiggling, as all munchkins are. Also, I love this sweater, even though it can sometimes make my tummy look poochy if I mis-adjust the bottom. (Why a band at the bottom, Avenue? Really?) Dolman sleeves are my not-so-secret love. As is the color grey.

Top - Avenue, Shawl - swiped from little Mama, Pants - Denim 24/7, Shoes - Dexter, Necklace - JewelMint.

Chronicle Happy Haulidays!

2011-11-14T08:29:00.002-05:00

So, this is the second year that Chronicle Books is doing their Happy Haulidays giveaway! If I win, I would get all the books on my list (here), one of my commenters would get all these books, AND the charity of my choice would get up to $500 worth of books (they can choose their own). The charity I've chosen is First Book, a charity that provides books to kids in need. They've distributed over 85 million books so far! The books I've chosen are a mix of books for me and my family. And I got it right up to the limit almost! It's a random drawing, but in case I win, you would have to comment on this post to win a duplicate set!

Cake Simple

Recipes for Bundt-Style Cakes from Classic Dark Chocolate to Luscious Lemon Basil

By Christie Matheson Photographs by Alex Farnum

$19.95

This would be for me!

Ask Click and Clack Answers from Car Talk

By Tom and Ray Magliozzi

$16.95
My dad loves them, so this would be a present for him.

Little Bits Quilting Bee

20 Quilts Using Charm Squares, Jelly Rolls, Layer Cakes, and Fat Quarters

By Kathreen Ricketson Photographs by John Paul Illustrations by Robert Shugg

$24.95
My sister quilts, so this would be a present for her.

Mastering the Art of Beading

Essential Tools and Techniques Every Jewelry Maker Must Know

By Genevieve A. Sterbenz

$27.50
I make jewelry, but I always need to learn more!

Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey

Desserts for the Serious Sweet Tooth

By Jill O'Connor,Photographs by Leigh Beisch

$22.95
But the rest of us need this book!

Sukie Iron-On Craft Pad

New and Improved

By Darrell Gibbs,and Julia Harding

$14.95
The kids (and my sister and me) could have some serious fun with this one!

Made Especially for You

Labels for the Kitchen

$14.95
Since I want to do some homemade Christmas gifts, these labels would be perfect!

Art Nouveau Box of Labels

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

$15.95
Ditto for these labels!

Dumpling Dynasty Journal

By Fiona Hewitt

$9.95
This is just too cute.

Pyromaniac Journal

By Yoshitomo Nara

$9.95

This is equally cute in that cranky child way.

Anne Taintor 2012 Wall Calendar

$13.99

My sister needs the 12 month wall version...

Anne Taintor 2012 Engagement Calendar

$15.99

and I need the weekly!

Ramayana

Divine Loophole

By Sanjay Patel

$29.95
The kids both loved this animated movie.

Chicken and Egg

A Memoir of Suburban Homesteading with 125 Recipes

By Janice Cole,Photographs by Alex Farnum

$24.95
My sister keeps thinking about getting chickens....

Moleskine® Volant Notebook Extra Small Ruled

One each of Grey, Purple, Red, Sky Blue, Blue, Pink, Green, Black

$5.95 ($47.60)

The best little stocking stuffers!

The Ivy and Bean Secret Treasure Box

Includes Book 1, Book 2, Book 3, and a Cool Secret Surprise!
By Annie Barrows,Illustrated by Sophie Blackall

$19.99

This set and the one underneath would be for my little niece, Ellie.

Ivy and Bean Boxed Set 2

Books 4, 5, and 6 Boxed set

By Annie Barrows,Illustrated by Sophie Blackall

$19.99
For Miss Ellie!

The Whitby Witches

By Robin Jarvis

$17.99

My nephew Killy loves Harry Potter, and is an amazing reader.

The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Junior Edition Boxed Set

By David Borgenicht,, Justin Heimberg,,and Robin Epstein

$19.99
Killy also loves science, while being a worrywart.

This Is My Best

Great Writers Share Their Favorite Work

Edited by Kathy Kiernan,and Retha Powers

$16.95
This would be for my sister.

My Mom, Style Icon

By Piper Weiss

$18.95

And this would be for my little Mama.

Moleskine® Passions Recipe Journal

$19.95

For my sister, the excellent cook!

Moleskine® Reporter Notebook Pocket Plain Soft Cover

$24.00 (2)

One each for the munchkins, to draw and write in!

The Best Casserole Cookbook Ever

With More Than 500 Recipes!

By Beatrice Ojakangas,Photographs by Susie Cushner

$24.95

Total of $493.29

Watercolor pretty

2011-11-10T08:17:00.000-05:00

I have cranky face because the TV was talking about Rick Perry. (Dyed-in-the-wool/womb Democrat, here.) I love this shirt, though. It's very watercolor pretty. It was a thrift find of my little mama's. She has very eclectic thrift taste for me, and only sometimes hits it on the mark. Other times, I am apparently supposed to dress like a 80's business drag king. I...don't know. I always rave over the stuff I like, but I think she's actually just messing with me. "Let's see, two good things, an awesome shirt that is slightly too small and will therefore be mine, and a pile of random pieces I pick up with my eyes closed. That'll teach her not to come in, and sit out in the car reading!"

Shirt - A.N.A., Pants - Denim 24/7, Shoes - Viva La Diva, Jewelry - selfmade.

Sun rise in the East, goes down in the West

2011-11-09T08:26:00.000-05:00

I look very adventuresome in this outfit, don't I? This is my 6 month work anniversary. Theoretically, now that I've been in my job for 6 months, I could apply for other jobs here at the university, but seeing as how I actually like my job, I think I'll stay. My little sister's birthday is coming up next week (Tuesday!), but she's going to get her present from me tonight for various reasons (excited now, Jen?). I've been looking around Pinterest (follow me!), and pondering what DIY crafts I might make for Christmas/Holiday pressies. You know, men really ruin present making. Other than food stuffs. Why do they have to do that?

Tip: Listen to Hugh Laurie's album Let Them Talk. Because it's awesome.

Cardigan - Simply Be, Tank - thrifted, Pants - Cato Woman, Shoes - Earth Spirit, Jewelry - JewelMint.

Uptown Downtown Purpletown

2011-11-08T08:19:00.003-05:00

I love these footless tights...but I don't wear them. Because AH! skirts above the knee! See, I tend to sit in a cross-legged pose...in or out of a chair. And that's just not conducive to wearing a non-maxi skirt. But, for EBEW, I will keep my knees together today, or at least try. Also, I shaved my legs for you people! And not with my handy dandy Intuition razor. Nope, I didn't have a spare head. So I used an old fashioned pink Bic. And promptly mangled my legs like I was trying to off myself via tiny slashes to the legs. I need the little wires across my razor to keep me from butchering myself!

Shirt - B'leev, Skirt - Fashion to Figure, Tights - I have no idea, Shoes - Dexter, Jewelry - self-made.

Boots are my friends

2011-11-07T11:07:00.000-05:00

Viva La Diva is my best friend

This picture is a little overly bright, but it shows off how I can tuck in, (yes you read that right) tuck in my pants to these awesomely wide calf boots. We have an all-staff meeting this morning outside in a tent (don't even ask) and I knew I would need warm feet, so I popped these babies on. Because when my feet are cold, I am sad and bitter. Really. It's pretty pathetic. It's not my most business casual outfit ever...but we have to go meet in a tent! Outside! With no heat!

Boots - Viva La Diva (Simply Be), Cardigan - Simply Be, Top - Avenue, Pants - Lands End, Necklace - Self-made.

Oh sweet mystery of life at last I've found you!

2011-11-04T09:29:00.000-04:00

Zip-up pants that fit both my waist and hips!

An oh-so-flattering picture.

Simply Be WOW Cords. They have an elasticized waist, so I don't have that huge gap at my back that I usually do. (The joy of have an hourglass figure with almost 10 inches difference between waist and hips.) That's what I'm showing off in the picture, not my pale lower back. (Oddly enough, the WOW jeans did not fit at all. It was actually ridiculous how poorly they fit. 20 - way too large, 18 - way too small.) Mine are a little long - I should have gotten the petites, but the regular were on sale for half price. They are a beautiful chocolate brown and so nice and warm! They're styled just like bootcut jeans, but they look nicer in corduroy.

Top and pants - Simply Be, Watch Necklace - Amazon, Shoes - Earth Spirit.

I have boots! That fit my legs!

2011-11-02T08:36:00.000-04:00

My watch necklace is still working. And it totally works to wear my new dark brown boots with my black/red outfit. If you disagree, you can curse at your screen. I was just so excited to get them that I had to wear them!

I wear these with the shearling turned up under my pants.

I am now a Viva La Diva boot/shoe convert. THEY FIT MY CALVES. I have very large calves, and it's not just a plus size thing - so does my little (older) sister. Muscular, thick calves. (More muscles on Jen, more chunky on me.) It is like fighting a twelve-armed devil to find boots that fit. But take a look at the boots below (another Viva La Diva find). They fit my calves with enough room to tuck a pair of regular jeans in!!

Cardigan, Shirt, Boots - Simply Be, Pants - Avenue, Short Necklace - Handmade, Watch Necklace - Amazon.

The jewelry makes it

2011-11-01T10:07:00.000-04:00

I was cold all day yesterday, hence the big sweater. I love pockets; they give me somewhere to put my hands so I don't look so awkward! Often, my jewelry is itsy-bitsy, so you guys don't get the full loveliness of it. Today you get an actual picture of my pretty jewelry I made (pieced together) with my own little hands! (We have updated our shop on Etsy again, for the holidays, so if you like the jewelry I wear - take a trip over to our shop!

Halloween (aka Black/Red)

2011-10-31T13:04:00.000-04:00

I like dressing up for Halloween...but not excessively. I also like Tim Burton, and his copious use of stripes and red/black (also black/white, but I was working with the tights I had). Twin buns are a hair-do I love (while not being professional enough for regular work). I even have on my little gold skull necklace. I am totally outclassed, though. Two of the girls I work with came dressed as the two men in our office -- spot-on!

I celebrated Halloween last night by reading my favorite horror story, "1408" by Stephen King, which is in Everything's Eventual. It's just...twisted and odd, without King's usual goriness. It's reminiscent of those creepy dreams you have where everything is off. I love the movie as well (not just because of John Cusack), but it is different.

Sweater weather {again}!

2011-10-28T12:56:00.000-04:00

Comfy cozy and finally Friday. Is it time to sleep all weekend yet?

Sweater - Joe Browns (Simply Be), Pants - Denim 24/7, Shoes - Dexters, Jewelry - home-made.

soft

2011-10-27T11:36:00.000-04:00

I just can't wait any longer, so today you're getting a DivaCup review! (Needless to say, I am pleased.) I am also pleased with this cardigan, which I can't believe I haven't worn in weeks. It's so soft! Like a baby's blanket! You are getting a super short OOTD post today, but hop on over to the DivaCup Review. (CAUTION: includes talk about periods and other girl stuff)

Cardigan - Simply Be, Shirt - JMS, Pants - Denim 24/7, Shoes - Mossimo.

Product Review: DivaCup! [Gory period discussion]

2011-10-27T11:35:00.000-04:00

So, you may ask, what is a DivaCup? Well...it's a silicone cup that you can use during your period instead of tampons. Basically, you put it up in your vagina and it holds the blood from your period until you empty it. How often you need to empty it depends on your flow. Think of it like a tampon. If you have a really heavy flow, and you need to change a super plus every 3 hours - empty the DivaCup that often. You can wear it for up to 12 hours without emptying it if that works, too. You need to replace it around every year or so, depending on use/wear.

There are two sizes: Size 1 - for women under 30/who haven't had a vaginal/caesarean birth and
Size 2 - for women over 30 and/or women who have had a vaginal/caesarean birth. (This one is slightly bigger.)

REVIEW:
I turned 30 this year, but I decided to err on the side of a Size 1. Definitely the right choice. I haven't had any problem getting it in, but I don't know if I would be as comfy with a bigger one. I've heard online, and from my sister (who uses a DivaCup as well), that it takes a period or two to get used to it. I'm not even done with my first period using it, and I'm a total convert. I wore back-up light pads the first few days, but the only leakage I've had was very slight, during the heaviest part of my period, and equal/less than using a tampon. Basically, if you're cool with your body, and you want to be green - buy it. It's super easy to use.

Pros of a DivaCup

You use less trash. Seriously, do you realize how much trash you accumulate during your period? Between the pads, pantyliners, and tampons, my trashcan is always full after my period. Not this time. And I feel sort of guilty about all the other times in retrospect.
It's cheaper. WAY cheaper, even though it seems expensive at first. You can buy it on Amazon for around $26. If you get a $6 box of tampons every month (we won't even discuss pads/pantyliners at the moment), that makes $72 a year. $72 minus $26 is $46 and that could stay in your pocket.
No icky dry tampon feeling. You know how a tampon will suck the moisture right out of your entire vagina? Yeah, the DivaCup doesn't do that. At all.

Cons of a DivaCup

You have to be comfortable with your body. This isn't like a tampon. You are putting this up in there with your hand, and then giving it a little twist to make sure it's fully open. You will have blood on your hands.
If you're at home and you take it out, you rinse it out. If you're in a public restroom, you wipe it out with toilet paper. Again, bloody hands.
Taking it out in the morning is weird. And a little cool if you're odd. It is full. FULL. You have to be a little delicate easing that sucker out, cause your toilet is about to be full of blood.

What you REALLY need to know

Yeah, the stem? Cut it all off. It will poke out of your vagina otherwise, and you will think "WTF, this isn't comfortable at all!". Cut the stem off as close as you can to the cup (without cutting the cup, obviously) and it will fit so much better.
Occasionally, when you are putting it in, and you are twisting it to make sure it's all nice and open to catch all the blood, it will make a sound like Tupperware. It will mostly do this when you are in a public restroom and other ladies are in there too, but really...that noise is much louder in your head. They can not hear your vagina suck in your DivaCup. They will hear you if you laugh about it, though. FYI.

Red Flags

2011-10-26T08:39:00.000-04:00

Today, I'm wearing red not because I like the color. I'm wearing red because the university I work for has designated today (Oct. 26) as Wear Red Day.

Red Flag Campaign.

Wear red to show someone in an abusive relationship they are not alone.
Wear red to remind people to look for relationship red flags.
Wear red to show that [students] say something when we see red flags in friends' relationships.

What are some red flags in a relationship? (If these worry you, read the link. Thoroughly.)

A Blamer
Resentment
Entitlement
Superiority
Pettiness
Sarcasm
Deceit (intentional and unintentional)
Minor Jealousy
A Rusher

I love you guys and I want all of you to be in HEALTHY relationships. Get help if you need it.

IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT.

B & W

2011-10-24T16:49:00.000-04:00

Sometimes it's the little things. Today, all the comments were on my "Halloween" necklace. It's just simple deep red beads that I need to restring, that I thought were a nice little contrast to all the black and white I wore. But they got all the attention! And days like today are the reason I always try to put on a necklace and earrings, because accessories do get noticed (by women).

Jacket - Simply Be, Top - Jessica London, Pants - Lands End, Necklace - self-made, Earrings - thrifted.

Cozy + Classy

2011-10-24T08:14:00.002-04:00

Sundays are my day for classy cozy. Comfiness + pretty details; like the flattering color of this shirt and the nice drape of it. In a perfect world, all t-shirts are cowl necks, simply because I look so nice in them. I also know someone was interested in the DivaCup, although I can't remember who at the moment - I'm starting my first week using one, so expect a product review at the end of the week.

Shirt and Earrings - Avenue, Necklace - self-made.

Coziness shall be mine

2011-10-20T13:43:00.000-04:00

This morning it was in the 40s, but according to the windchill it felt like the 30s. Hence the big, comfy sweater. Do any of you use Spotify? I am completely in love with it. Not that I've shelled out for the premium service. I only use it sitting at my work computer. But I love it, and I've even found some bands that I now love (like Beirut). It's so much more convenient (and cheaper) than iTunes. Although I might be listening to an 80s mix at the moment...the only thing more likely to make me bop around in my chair is The Offspring.

Sweater - Simply Be, Pants - Denim 24/7, Shoes - Dexter, Watch Necklace - Amazon.

Schizoid Weather

2011-10-19T11:54:00.000-04:00

(Disclosure: I have a fairly full-blown anxiety disorder/depression exacerbated by my epilepsy medication, so I feel free making mental illness jokes. Also epileptic jokes. Unless you fit in this category, you are a horrible person. That's just how it works.)

It was in the 70s yesterday, and it's supposed to be in the 50s today. WTH! I feel like Mother Nature is a bit bipolar here in the mountains. And of course, my office is equally bipolar; if the weather is hot, it'll be cold outside, and vice versa. This makes planning for the week impossible. (Not that I have that kind of dedication. But I like to pretend I do.)

Book recommendations : Self-published Kindle authors Nicole Hamlett (just starting her series) and Lindsey Buroker (fairly well established). Really, my Kindle is the best way of finding these self-published gems, as well as odd little publishing houses that you wouldn't find in a big box store. I usually Lendle the first in a series/one by an author, and if I like it, then I buy. It's the online library, dude...try it, you'll like it.

Top - Avenue, Skirt - Urban Nomad, Leggings - Walmart, Necklace - Thrifted, Earrings - self-made.

Pendant Watch

2011-10-18T09:56:00.000-04:00

I went for a little deceptive leg lengthening today. By tying the shrug right under my chest, it accentuates my (relatively) smaller high waist and makes my legs look much longer than they are. Usually, I wear my pants a good deal lower than my "natural" waist (re: the smallest part of my middle) because I don't feel like having a foot long inseam or more. But this makes my munchkin legs look quite long!

I'm also wearing my new and beautiful watch necklace! It hits me underneath the bust, and makes me feel very old-fashioned in a cool, British way. [Said the Anglophile.] I have a problem with watches, same as my grandmother; we're both a little...magnetic/electric, I suppose? Anyway, we have problems with watches dying when we wear them, and shock ourselves a lot. In college, my friends wouldn't lend me watches. I actually haven't worn a watch for over a decade, and I'm hoping that having it dangling around my chest, rather than strapped to my wrist, will keep the watch going longer.

Shrug - Simply Be, Tank - Simply Be, Pants - Lands End, Short Necklace and Earrings - Self-made, Watch Necklace - Amazon.

Soon to be in my tummy....

2011-10-17T12:56:00.000-04:00

Today at work, for charity we're doing a dessert bonanza type thing that I'm helping to run. Think 20 desserts that everyone tastes and votes on. You pay $3 to get in and taste/vote, local business have given us some gift cards to give to the winners, and all the $$$ goes to the charities. Great idea, and tasty too...but I didn't want to walk around the rest of the afternoon with a uber full tummy showing. If this wasn't a time for a tunic, I don't know what is.

I ended up swapping out the necklace for a bracelet after photos, because the necklace kept disappearing into my cleavage. Distracting to say the least.

Top - B'leev, Pants - Denim 24/7, Shoes - Dexter, Jewelry - Self-made.

Super-warm

2011-10-14T13:12:00.000-04:00

I love this sweater tunic to pieces and this is only the second time I've worn it. It's the ultimate in warmth, and it comes with pockets! And it is finally the weekend, and I'm really hoping no one in my church will die this week (3 deaths in 3 weeks), and all I want to do is sleep and watch tv.

My life is pretty simple, but if would be nice if it were even simpler. Or if I could just crawl inside a college dorm room without having to go back to college or see people in real life. That's the misanthropic introvert talking. Is this a part of "our generation", the desire to live our lives alone in small warm womb-like bedrooms with all the latest gadgets? Or is it simple laziness? Or is this just a result of it being Friday?

Top - Mossimo, Sweater - Simply Be, Pants - Denim 24/7, Necklace - Avenue, Shoes - Dexter.

One Book...

2011-10-13T13:04:00.000-04:00

One book that changed your life: Tam Lin by Pamela Dean, the best ballad retelling set in 1970's America at university with English majors.

One book you have read more than once: Every book I've read and liked.

One book you would want on a desert island: My Kindle! Or if I have to pick, then either Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen or Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte.

One book that made you laugh: Everything by Jasper Fforde.

One book you wish had never been written: The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd. Her book The Secret Life of Bees was so good, and then her second book was such an interminable trudge that no one at the library I worked at was able to finish it.

One book that made you cry: Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery. When Matthew dies....

One book you are currently reading: Boneshaker by Cherie Priest, a neat steampunk historical re-imagining.

One book you have been meaning to read: Pirate King by Laurie King, the new Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes book.

One book you wish everyone would read: Revelations of Divine Love by Julian of Norwich.

(This meme started by former college roomie, Vanderbilt Wife)

T-Rex Arms

2011-10-13T12:47:00.000-04:00

I have short little arms. And legs. But a normal torso. So yes, I am the tallest dwarf. But this makes my preeetty 3/4 length sleeve top up here come down to an inch above my wrists. And yes, I just need to cut off a bunch and sew it up so it fits better, but I was in a rush. And the color was just too lovely to go on and pick out something else.

Top - Avenue, Pants - Denim 24/7, Shoes - Simply Be, Jewelry - Self-made.

Epaulets ahoy!

2011-10-12T10:45:00.000-04:00

Evidently my new cardigan feels like being fancy; hence the epaulets and general sleekness. I am feeling exhausted lately, and it's been showing in my clothes (aka the outfits I don't show - thrown together with pissed off sleep face). I'm happy it's fall, don't get me wrong, I just wish I was getting up an hour later. Also, an annoying person I know is being annoying. But - great (new to me) British show Luther has started it's second season! Why are most British shows so much better than our crap tv? Are we really that annoying and stupid as a nation (see all reality shows and most "comedy" shows), or do they only show the best on BBC America? Probably the latter, but still, it makes me feel very sad to be not-British. They win automatically anyway for Doctor Who.

*Asshat expression not required

Cardigan - Simply Be, Shirt - Avenue, Pants - Denim 24/7, Necklace - Send the Trend, Shoes - Crocs.

Never near the face

2011-10-09T18:35:00.000-04:00

With my coloring (supah-white with rosy cheeks) this...greeny-yellow color could never be worn near my face, for fear of questions about when my attack of bilious plague was going to be over. BUT. I actually quite like it as a skirt.

I promise I have hands.

If I add a black tee-shirt and blazer (listen, with short arms, most blazers are too long), then the color is allowed to pop on it's own, not contrast weirdly with my skin. My niece and nephew were very complimentary about my necklace, too, telling me how I could use it as a weapon if I needed to. I have friends that call this my bondage necklace, and I admit, it does look a bit like a leash. But I like the fact that it's a combo between a choker and a big statement necklace. The neckline of this top wasn't looking right with some of my other "big" necklaces, but I wanted something dramatic. The chain on this is thin and light enough that it lies flat while also offering a big POW.

Skirt - Urban Nomad, Top - Walmart, Blazer - Walmart, Shoes - Dexter, Necklace - JewelMint.

Snark face

2011-10-07T15:23:00.000-04:00

"Snark face? Why whatever do you mean, lovely Erin?"

Take a loooong look, my dears.

This is the face you make when your father takes 8 blurry pictures, then goes inside. After you look at the pictures on the tiny camera screen, and get him back outside (because your little mama, lovely though she is, can not take a decent full shot to save her life), your face realizes that you're tired of taking pictures and really, you would just like to go back to bed instead of going to work, and you should have belted this sweater anyway, because while it's super comfy, it does tend to make you look a bit blocky in photos, and why won't Daddy just tell you when he's taking a picture, not just take it whenever so you have 7 shots of you talking and moving and closing your eyes and only one that's even halfway useful, but even that one is odd because of the SNARK FACE!

Sweater - Avenue, Shirt - ANA, Pants - Lands End, Crocs, Jewelry - Self-made.

Bits and Pieces

2011-10-06T10:53:00.000-04:00

I didn't quite end up with any full shots that I liked today, so you get accessory shots today.

I like the idea of big necklaces like this, but I actually have precious few plain shirts to wear them over. My tops tend to be exciting within themselves. And as much as I like the idea of full-on boho, I also dislike a cluttered look. Hence my problems with/lack of pattern mixing. Don't get me wrong, I like the look on other people, it's just when I do it and look in the mirror, I think "Really, were you drunk when you thought this would work?"

This bracelet is terribly hard to get a good shot of. It seems to absorb light. The metal isn't quite this dark, more of a medium gray rather than a soul-sucking black hole gray. Here:

Much better.

And some adorable little Dexter flats to finish it off. Seriously, go to Payless and get some Dexters. You'll be glad you did.

Top - CMC , Cardigan - Avenue, Pants - White Stag, Shoes - Dexter, Necklace - selfmade, Bracelet - JewelMint.

tonal differences

2011-10-05T12:37:00.000-04:00

subdued

I like this photo, and I like it in both tones...although the more I look at it, the more my face turns into random disparate features. It's like when you repeat a word too many times and it becomes meaningless. Something meaningful is Sal's post today about diversity in the clothing industry, or the lack therof. As a short little plus size supah-white (sounds better than cracker or albino!), I think it would be awesome to see people like me in everyday ads, not "special" inclusive ads. WTF, ad-men! Take a look around, and see the pudge! I love my curves, I'm not dieting them away.

bright!

Fun With Scarves

2011-10-04T08:27:00.000-04:00

You know you like it.

Tia had such a wonderful use of a scarf yesterday that it inspired me (helped me get out of a boredom rut). I know, not very colorful, but what with my hatred of certain colors, and love of gray and black, it just seemed to fit. (Seriously, it could be the most beautiful scarf/dress/whatever in the world, but if it's turquoise/teal/orange/neon/the wrong shade of brown/or a combo that includes one of the dread colors, I will NOT have it. Because I am old and cranky.)

This was a in-between poses shot that just came out too too great. I love the way the scarf is floating through the air! I've been wearing my hair back in a french braid or a bun lately, because with all the work I've been doing on the computer it's just easier. While I personally am not a big fan of how I look in a french braid, it seems to inspire mucho compliments. Weird, isn't it? How something you dislike on yourself ends up being something that other people admire? I think the french braid hair is admired just because it shows off how thick and shiny my hair is, while disguising it's tendency to frizz and go half wavy/half stick straight if I don't pay attention.

Gorgeous scarf

What do you feel eh about that other people love on you?

Scarf - Send the Trend, Top - JMS, Pants - Denim 24/7, Shoes - Simply Be.

I'm QUALITY, baby!

2011-09-30T10:32:00.000-04:00

I love super loose flowy tank tops like this, although I always have that slight fear when I put them on that people will think I'm pregnant. But the comfort level helps me get past that. People, I have made a decision. I am worth non-crappy clothes. SO. I unsubscribed from the sale emails for OneStopPlus.com and Avenue.com. This doesn't mean I won't go into an Avenue and buy stuff now and then, but only after I try it on and decide it fits well and is worth the money. I am going to spend my hard earned dough at SimplyBe.com because their clothes have always fit me, and are made well (and maybe a little because they're British).

Has anyone else decided to stop buying stuff just because it's cheap and almost good enough (major issue for me) and decided to only buy the good stuff? (Mind you, my good stuff isn't super fancy, it's just regular people good stuff.)

Top - Simply Be (Glamourosa), Jacket - Gap, Pants - Lands End, Shoes - Dexter, Earrings - Fashion to Figure.

The joys of short sleeve sweaters

2011-09-29T11:34:00.000-04:00

I don't like the early morning. It's not really this dark outside when I leave for work, but this is the way it photographs. If we don't use the flash, it's not as focused (Not that I'm blaming anyone, DAD). Unlike Gracey, I've never thought short sleeve sweaters were silly. But then again, my mom loves them and has a kajillion of them. So maybe you have to grow up with them to fully accept them. They keep your trunk warm, without making you overwarm. This one has the two-fold benefit of being a short sleeve (practically no-sleeve) sweater that's also a tunic sweater. I wanted to be put together because I'm going to a wake tonight. (And all merriment ceases as everyone is forced to face their own mortality.) It's not for a close friend, but for a woman in my church that I knew, so I do need to go.

Sweater - Simply Be, Pants - Lands End, Shoes - Dexter, Bracelet - JewelMint.

Sepia...

2011-09-28T10:50:00.000-04:00

Top - Simply Be, Leggings - Walmart.

What do you do when the best pictures are the darkest ones? Take them up to sepia tone! Seriously, you got this or pictures of me with a shiny shiny face. And I don't feel the need to slap some powder on just to make you happy/look like a human being not covered in lard. I also feel the need to lay down a few truths on you, plus-size children.

TRUTH 1: Simply Be has the best quality plus-size clothes (sizes 10-28) of anywhere I've shopped.
TRUTH 2: They're consequently more expensive than One Stop Plus and Avenue.
TRUTH 3: I deserve some nice stuff, dammit, so I just need to buy less stuff and buy it from Simply Be.
(SAD) TRUTH 4: I still can't find a pair of jeans to fit, not even from Simply Be. I'm too cheap at the moment to order bespoke jeans online.

Does anyone else have some truths to lay down?

Poor Little Mama!

2011-09-27T08:37:00.000-04:00

Before the incident

Yesterday morning, after we got to work, my little mama went to shut the (sliding) van door after getting out her bag...and shut the door on her hand. There was blood, there was horror, and there was a little mama saying she would be fine once we (I) bandaged her up. Now, my mama is my mama. She's in her sixties AND OUGHT TO KNOW WHEN TO GO TO THE DOCTOR AND WHEN SHE IS FINE. So I bandaged her up (4 cuts on 2 fingers, one pretty deep), all the while asking if she was sure we didn't need to go to the doctor. Guess where we went 7 hours later? To the doctor's office in our home town, where we waited. She had eventually realized she would need a tetanus shot, and that one cut might "need a stitch or two". Turns out, after all that time, stitches aren't really an option anymore. She got her shot, a round of antibiotic pills, and two fingers bandaged up like two puffy marshmallows. Moral of the story: Your parents want to go to the doctor about as much as children do. So you'll just have to make them, by invoking how stubborn and annoying it is when THEIR parents do the same thing.

Today

Bad news makes me frowny

2011-09-23T08:17:00.000-04:00

Rain forced pictures inside this morning, and the Today Show was on in the background. Now, I don't know about you, but I have a hard time looking happy when I hear them talking about some perv who was arrested for having tons of kiddie porn.

This shirt is new and fantastic. It's Joe Browns, from Simply Be and even though it's simple, it's great. It's just a really well made shirt. The seams are perfection, the material is super soft and comfy, the 3/4 length sleeves aren't randomly at my wrist bones...and yes, it's now sold out and off the site. But, based on everything I've bought from Simply Be, Joe Browns and Angel Ribbons are QUALITY. And actually well sized, so don't leave yourself wiggle room, buy according to their sizing charts, not your "usual" size. (Except the jeans, I haven't found a pair of jeans to fit my body type, extreme hourglass, at Simply Be yet.)

Top - Joe Browns, Pants - Avenue, Shoes - old and thrifted.

Fore!

2011-09-22T08:24:00.000-04:00

I look a little foreshortened in this picture. It was shot down a slope by a taller person...so I look a little munchkiny. In reality, my legs are so, so long...as long as the legs of a 10 year old child, at least. I love this top, but I need the straps taken up a bit. Remember, designers! Just because a woman is plus size, does not mean that she is tall. Or that she randomly has a great expanse of room between her shoulders and where her breasts start. It's a little over a hands-length for me between my shoulders and my bra. Not double that. I have it pinned today, but I really need to make my little mama sew it up for me. (Bad things happen when I try to sew.) This is a better look at the top.

Top and Cardigan- Simply Be, Pants - Denim 24/7, Shoes - Mossimo, Necklace - Self-made.

New shoes!

2011-09-20T08:49:00.000-04:00

This is the face of boredom.

(It was raining outside, hence the odd little photo on the stairway landing.) My brogues came in from Simply Be! Looking at wikipedia, what I have are technically monk brogues. They are fantastic! They have plenty of room in the toebox (a miracle for my wide feet!) and are thoroughly adorable. I might have to put in a thin insole. We'll see at the end of the day.

I can wear cute little socks with these and keep my feet warm this fall and winter. (If you're curious, I wear a 8W. Of course, in some brands, I have to go up to a 8WW, but in these cute little Viva La Diva brogues, a 8W affords me plenty of room.) They are faux leather, with a heel of less than 1/2 inch, and made in China. And yes, the buckle is adjustable.

Top and Pants - Avenue, Shoes - Viva La Diva (from Simply Be), Necklace - handmade, Bracelet - JewelMint.

I was not compensated in any way for this review.

Weekend Bonanza!

2011-09-19T10:09:00.000-04:00

Yep. I wore this cardigan on Friday and then again on Saturday. But I got so very cold on Friday, that I decided to wear it over it a nice warm turtleneck when I went up to see my Nana. It kept me much warmer this time, happily. I'm still unhappy with all the jeans I currently own, but I haven't taken all my measurements and bitten the bullet to buy the bespoke jeans yet (lots of alliteration there).

On Sunday, I hadn't really planned well, so I tore through a few outfits before settling on this one. I wore my black faux fur wrap/shawl out of the photo, which I have never had anyone say anything bad about. As a matter of fact, I get compliments every time I wear it, and questions about whether it's real. Looking at my shoes, I realized that I have lots of sandals now and dainty dress shoes; but not that many shoes that cover my entire feet (like these clogs). I'm going to have to get on that. Particularly shoes that I can wear socks with.

Saturday : Turtleneck - stolen from my dad a long time ago, Cardigan - Avenue, Jeans - Avenue, Shoes - Crocs, Jewelry - self-made.

Sunday : Top and Pants- Avenue, Shoes - thrifted several years ago.

It got really cold

2011-09-16T13:44:00.000-04:00

Doesn't it look like I'd be toasty warm in this? NOT IF IT GETS REALLY COLD OUTSIDE ALL OF A FREAKING SUDDEN. Tearful sob, and slight face-palm for not just keeping a jacket in the car. Seriously, it has not gotten warm at all today. Usually here in the mountains, it's a bit chilly in the morning, and then it warms up by afternoon. But not today! Ok. Let's look at my new pretty purse. BTW, I believe this is the only proper shade of brown for leather bags. It took me forever to find it in a store (TJ Maxx, of course, for $25) because apparently handbag designers prefer shades that I would categorize as "ugly" and "wrong".

My shoes are very cute little suede-like moccasins (that really need to be stretched, particularly the left foot), but I am full of joy that it hasn't rained today, allowing me to wear them. Also, I went to Books-A-Million during lunch for a sale, so that was fun, too.

Cardigan, Shirt, and Jeans - Avenue, Shoes - Payless, Purse - TJ Maxx.

Photos lie

2011-09-15T08:53:00.000-04:00

I am not pretty in pink today, whatever this photo may say. This first photo gives you an idea of what I look like today. But my pretty new cardigan is red.

See? Red.

Except it doesn't quite match the color of the catalog picture either. It's actually a heathered red. It's very pretty and I do like it. I just can't seem to get an accurate photo of it. It's very light material, t-shirt material, which makes it a great layering piece. Plus, it's so utterly girly that it's just fun to wear.

After my complete jean disasters over the last year, I have found an online company that does custom-made jeans (http://www.makeyourownjeans.com) which I am thinking of using. Ponder it, children...bespoke jeans for around $50! They make red jeans, too, Gracey! I could be super happy like you! Theoretically, they would fit both my waist and my hips. Has anyone used them/heard anything about them?

Confuzzled

2011-09-14T08:34:00.000-04:00

quoi?

Apparently this morning I was a mixture of confused and puzzled. This = confuzzled. But! My hair is getting long again. I have wacky Helena Bonham Carter hair today (all haphazardly piled up on my head, even though that requires either 5 million bobby pins or a claw clip...guess which one I went for?) and my new Simply Be waterfall khaki cardigan! My black one is so super comfy that I knew I had to get another, and luckily, I both like the khaki color and it's trendy for the fall. Speaking of which; it's actually turning into Fall here in the mountains!!! I'm a wee bit excited.


hair. i have it.

Top - Avenue, Pants - White Stag, Cardigan - Glamorsa, Shoes - Dexter, Jewelry - Self-made.

EBEW: Colored Shorts (Sorry, no pants)

2011-09-13T08:36:00.001-04:00

bitch face.

Look, it's Miss Cranky Face! I...dunno. I looked my (medium) hardest to find red pants, but I couldn't find any that fit both my hips and my waist. And silly me, I like my pants to fit me everywhere. Without a huge amount of tailoring. I totally agree with Sal's post yesterday about loving your body, and realizing that it's the clothes that are the issue. I've lived that way for years! Also, I tend to assume that people who argue with me are always wrong. See any connection? BUT. That doesn't mean that I can't viciously hate clothing companies for not being able to make a pair of pants that will #$#$@#$ fit me. Also, any color I got on my vacation has immediately disappeared and I am once again the color of copy paper. This is not my best EBEW submission, but it's as good as it was going to get today. I have a closet full of fall clothes, and no fall yet.

happy face.

Tank - Jessica London, Shorts - Avenue, Shoes - Dexter, Necklace - JewelMint.

Being an adult is not cool

2011-09-12T16:21:00.000-04:00

Not being on vacation is not fun. I got to work and suddenly had to go on a field trip. Or the adult equivalent thereof. True, this was a surprise because I forgot about it, but still. I was consoled by my cute hitched-up skirt. This outfit was picked out by my sister as a birthday present this year.

Down in Florida, I went to an Avenue store and got this cute little necklace that I had been admiring online on sale. (I also got the bright pants I'm going to wear tomorrow for EBEW.) I got several cute things in Florida, but I'm most proud of the fact that I DIDN'T get a sunburn!

Shirt and Skirt - TJ Maxx, Necklace - Avenue, Shoes - Dexter.

I'm at the beach and you're not.

2011-09-07T15:55:00.000-04:00

(Unless you are.) Are you an adorable, tiny, inexplicably cranky-faced munchkin who's being buried in the sand? No? Good. My blog is much too adult for my niece to be reading anyway. I'm in Destin, Florida with my family, and it is GORGEOUS. It was rainy the first few days, but now it's perfect.

Booty shot (for Tia, whose booty is fantastic, unlike mine)

I'm even going to give you a bonus shot of my nephew, who has decided that he's going to grow his hair out. This means that his hair has hit Beatles levels and will soon take over the entire house. (Seriously, look how big this kid's head is. He's 7! He got stuck though, both my sister and my brother-in-law have big heads.)

You can see the surf behind him. They have this complex system of colored flags for when you can go in the water (red = NO, and then there's purple and blue and yellow and green). Today was a "moderate" surf day, with warnings of marine life. In the ocean! But comparatively, the surf was like a super mild day out on the Outer Banks, which is where we've spent a lot of summers.

FBFF - Falling for Fall

2011-09-02T08:59:00.000-04:00

September 2 - Fall trends. Name your five favorite fall trends and how you plan to wear them this season. Sadly, this post has turned into "how Erin spent her hard earned money". So these trends better live up to their hype! Cause I'm wearing them anyway, kiddos.

Cardigans

Oh my lord, how DON'T I plan to wear cardigans? I am a layering fool, and cardigans are my crack. I have a black cardigan from Simply Be that I've been wearing all summer in my frigid air conditioned office, so I went on and bought a khaki one for the fall.

Cloaks (and other drama filled outer wear)

I already have a few cloaks and pashminas (even a faux fur one!), but I got a full hooded black one from SendTheTrend.com.

Girly Girl

Like my girl, Jessie, I do like the occasional bow, so I'm going to wear some frou frou items this winter that will also keep me warm.

Androgny

BUT. I also like to be hardcore! (Stop laughing, Jen.) I've been on the lookout for a pair of oxfords that would fit and not make my wide feet look fat. And looking at the Simply Be website, I realized that what I actually wanted were brogues! These are on the way, and I will be devastated if they don't fit. For at least an hour.

RED!

You know I love it. And it's totally a fall color. Even Harper's Bazaar says it's a fall "in" color. Plus, I bought this red cardigan that's totally girly. So that hits 3 trends at once!

Naked Face

2011-09-02T08:35:00.000-04:00

NAKED FACE!

I feel more put together when I wear makeup. And less shiny. But I'm lazy. I wear makeup to emphasize my eyes, which are obscured a bit by my glasses (which you almost never see on here, because I haven't gotten around to buying a new pair that have the anti-glare coating, so my current glasses shine like the sun). Also, my eyes are in reality more of a blue gray, rather than the slate gray they appear.

The magic photo-illusion pants! Regular striped pants that look like complete craziness in all photos. And my new Dexter flats! With big girly bows on them, and super comfy insides. By the way, I'm going to Destin, Florida tomorrow, SO YOU'LL GET VACATION PICS OUT THE BUTT NEXT WEEK. Cause we have wifi in the condo, and I have the cutest niece and nephew.

Top - Fashion Bug, Pants - Denim 24/7, Shoes - Dexter, Earrings - Fashion to Figure.

Flowers in my hair

2011-09-01T08:12:00.000-04:00

Yay! My hair is finally long enough again to use my flower hair ties! It's girly-girl time!

I promise, these pants are a dark heathered grey, not faded black like they look. But my necklace is even more awesome than it looks.

I love this industrial style bolt necklace from JewelMint.com. CERTAIN adults in the family do not, but it is such a pleasing length. I can play with it all day long!

Have I mentioned how much I love Dexter boat shoes? I just bought another pair of their dress shoes at Payless (along with some American Eagle moccasins), but their boat shoes make me happy.

Top - JMS, Pants - Denim 24/7, Shoes - Dexter, Necklace - JewelMint.

Watch out Destin...

2011-08-31T13:04:00.000-04:00

Looming, I look even shorter.

So, we had been planning to go to the Outer Banks (specifically Avon, North Carolina) this next week for our family vacation. House booked, time scheduled off from work...HURRICANE! Apparently, the houses on OBX are fine, they just don't have any power...and the roads to the islands are all broken and in the ocean...and the usual ferries aren't running. SO. We thought, no beach vacation for us, until my sister saved the day! We booked our condo today and we'll be in sunny Destin, Florida, next week! The most important bit for me will be not burning my skin off; therefore, I'll be using some self-tanner to bring my skin tone up to "average white person". I've burned a bright pink in Destin before (on the second day, with sunscreen) so I'm going to do my best to avoid that this year.

Top and Pants - Avenue, Shoes - Target.

It is possible that I am a superhero...

2011-08-30T08:57:00.000-04:00

Or at least I frequently pose like one. Arms on my hips, feet shoulder-width apart. The dippy look on my face can be excused by the early time of day that I take these pictures at, but the superhero pose...well, that's just come about naturally. And maybe because I can't find anything to do with my hands. If I'm not being a superhero(ine), then I'm either balling my hands up into fists or flicking out my pinkies like a deranged tea obsessed Brit. Needless to say, I can't seem to control my hands in pictures. IDLE HANDS MAKE BIZARRE PICTURES. It's a lesser known proverb. I can stand straight, mostly smile or at least not look wonky all the time. But some part of my body has to express the unease I still feel at having my picture taken almost every day, and that seems to be my hands. Does anyone else have this problem, either with their hands or another body part?

Top - Avenue (thrifted), Pants - Avenue, Shoes - Target, Earrings - self-made.

Matte.

2011-08-29T09:11:00.000-04:00

I discovered (on Pinterest) that I love the look of matte nails. I got myself some flat matte black nail polish from Avon, and my sister got me matte red nail polish (with sparkles! matte WITH sparkles!) from...um...Revlon? that was on sale somewhere. We did my nails yesterday. I love the look, but I need to get a matte top coat (and I have a list of types to look for), because I've never been able to keep a manicure for more than a few days without a top coat. But matte nail polish is ridiculous! I did the dishes - it chipped. I TOOK A SHOWER AND IT CHIPPED! Now I know why people often have a shiny tip a la french manicure, so that their tips don't immediately chip. I decided to go with a very simple outfit today, since my nails might be a bit outre for a conventional office.

Top - Avenue, Pants - White Stag, Shoes - Dexter, Ring - JewelMint.

FBFF - A closer look

2011-08-26T08:35:00.003-04:00

August 26 - Visual FBFF sponsored by Ashley Getting Dressed. We're
doing an upclose and personal look at a favorite clothing item.
Instead of just photographing it as part of an OOTD post, show us the
little details, the things you can't see from a far-away shot.

Okay, I'm fudging a bit here. I needed to wear maroon for a "tailgate" lunch thing at work today. (Lord, save me from the "fun" bits of working at a university!) But, I do love this top. It's so fancy! I did try to take a picture of the center decoration, but all I got was truly scary photos of my chest attacking the camera. CAUTION: GIANT CHEST APPROACHING!! RUN WHILE YOU STILL CAN!! IT'S COMING STRAIGHT FOR YOU!! So, I decided to just post this pretty pic of the intricate embroidery and faux jewels on the sides of the collar. They really don't get shown off nearly as much as the center piece, anyway. I don't know if it's the color, or the decorations, but this top makes me think Edwardian. Which is silly, an Edwardian lady would NEVER get caught in something like this. [CORRECTION: After looking online, what I really meant was the dresses designed by Charles Frederick Worth, who was more Victorian.]

Also, these shoes are very adorable. Not very comfy, being all plastic, but very adorable with their flowers.

Top - Venezia, Pants - White Stag, Shoes - Avenue, Earrings - homemade.

I love long tanks and I cannot lie

2011-08-25T11:29:00.000-04:00

I know, shocker, huh? But I love this exact silhouette of tank top/tunic. More of a tank tunic really? Anyway, I love them. All the comfort of a tank, with all the sweeping DRAMA of a tunic. (You knew I would have to say it, Gracey!) I dearly love uneven hems, along with neat arms (or no arms, I guess). I don't like plain t-shirt arms, or cap sleeves, and so I firmly believe that I look bad in them. Give me a flutter sleeve, a dolman sleeve, or no sleeve, and I'm a happy camper.

I've never been really bothered by the "plus size arm" thing. You know, where all women are now supposed to have arms like Michelle Obama's, and if you don't, you should feel ashamed and hurriedly cover up? Screw that. I cover up with my cardigans (which I do love) when I'm cold, not when I feel society is appalled by my non-ripped arms. Hell, I'm the color of a piece of paper and I walk around in tank tops! I think we can safely assume that I'm not really one for society's rules.

Besides, we all know that I dress for my comfort rather than other people's viewpoint. But, all things equal, isn't this new top the most adorable thing? I love the intricate design on it. (Which I probably should have saved for FBFF, but I just couldn't resist wearing it any longer.) Also, our dog decided that this outfit was very enthralling. Although, due to her tiny size, it was no doubt the shoes that attracted her. She does have a bit of a shoe fetish, always sniffing and checking out my shoes when I'm taking pictures outside.

Tank - Simply Be, Pants - Lands End, Shoes - Dexter, Jewelry - homemade.

Erf-quake and the golden lasso

2011-08-24T08:24:00.000-04:00

Woo-hoo! First earthquake yesterday. (Or as my niece says, erf-quake.) It did practically no damage around here, so it was mostly just "Holy crap, our building just shook! Let's evacuate!" and waiting around outside for a half-hour. I have decided to celebrate by wearing off-white linen pants and seeing how long I can make it through the day without flinging food all over them.

I don't wear this necklace nearly enough. It is both like a gold bolo tie, and also makes me think of Wonder Woman's golden lasso. As you can see, below I'm striking my best (not really that good at all) Wonder Woman pose, with my hands on my hips.

Top and Pants - Avenue, Shoes - Dexter, Necklace - JewelMint.

It's WORKING!!

2011-08-23T08:19:00.000-04:00

Lovely gray hairs showing!

The hideous rash all across my chest is being slowly foiled by hydro-cortisone cream! (I know that is just what everyone wanted to hear at 8:15am, but I'm really happy about since I don't have that many high cut shirts.) In other news, there was a wreck on the interstate last night, and it took us 1hr to go approximately 3 miles (we were just trying to reach an exit!). The dog is once again excited by morning pictures, even though today was briskly chilly. Since she has a brain the size of a dessicated pea, we never know exactly why she's excited, though.

Top - Sag Harbor, Pants - Denim 24/7, Shoes - Target, Jewelry - Self-made.

I won't show the horror

2011-08-22T08:37:00.000-04:00

Okay, it's not that horrible, but I wore the same locket both nights of the melodrama (which went great! let's see how this coming weekend goes) and the combo of nervous sweat/stage lights sweat and the cheapo metal used in necklace gave me a rash. Right in the middle of my chest, where you can see it in all but the most high necked of tops. So I've been slathering on the anti-biotic cream and just generally leaving it alone. I got this top a month ago, but I hadn't worn it yet. It's pretty, yes, but high on my torso. The bottom hits me just under my natural waist, and it turned into a belly-revealing top with every pair of pants I tried on. Of course, now that I'm thinking about it, I could wear it with a SKIRT. [Way to limit your thinking, Erin.] Anywho, I decided to layer it over this jersey dress and that works perfectly. The reason I bought it is that it's (a) super-cute and (b) has such a neat longer back. This top is hopefully going to get more of a workout during the fall, as a layering piece. [Durr, I could layer it over a nice pink camisole I have! Why do I only have brains when I'm writing my blog and not getting dressed!]

Top - Fashion to Figure, Dress - Chico's, Shoes - Avenue, Earrings - Homemade, Necklace - Send the Trend.

Wordless Sunday

2011-08-21T15:51:00.000-04:00

Clothes and shoes - Avenue

Ch-ch-changes!

2011-08-20T09:44:00.000-04:00

SO. You might have noticed that I completely changed my template. And oh, I don't know, what was that other thing? Oh, yeah. RENAMED MY BLOG. That's right, chickies. It's Plus Size Curves Ahead! all the way now. I had been thinking about changing the name for a couple of months now, but I couldn't decide on a good one that wasn't taken. (I'm looking at you, Curvy Girl Chic, for stealing the best one!) The url is still the same (cause I'm lazy, and didn't want to alienate my precious few followers). BUT. Library Girl wasn't really working for me anymore. I don't work in a library anymore (haven't for a few months). I'm 30...can I really get away with a blog self-identifying as a "girl" rather than as a woman? Also, it's obvious that I'm plus, I'm happy with it, and I'm a super curvy hourglass plus. So, I fiddled around with names for a few days, and came up with the new one. And as for the layout, the old one was just so dark! I like the dark, I wore almost all black this week. But I don't want to make you strain your eyes just trying to look at my blog. So I went light and fresh, with a subtle background of books as a nod to my library/English major background.

Change. It's good for the soul. Or at least the website.

A little bit (over) tired

2011-08-19T08:14:00.000-04:00

See those super tired eyes? It's been a long week, kiddos. And melodrama performances start tonight. There's one tonight, one tomorrow, and then we repeat next week. IF it doesn't turn into a steaming pile of poo. [We have been having a major problem with forgotten lines and forgotten songs.] There will be much makeup applied to my under-eye bags before the performance tonight.

Shrug - Avenue, Top - Simply Be, Leggings - Faded Glory, Crocs - Lily LJ Plaid.

Odd, but Phenomenal

2011-08-18T08:57:00.000-04:00

So I went to my concert last night and it was great! I highly advise all of you to go see Gillian Welch if you're lucky enough to be in a city on the rest of the tour. In case you didn't click on any of my myriad links leading up to the concert, Gillian Welch (the band) is made up of Gillian and her partner David Rawlings. As for what their music sounds like, Gillian joked last night that they were the acoustic version of slowcore. And yeah, their songs are bleak, but when I describe them, I say they're alternative bluegrass. Their setup last night was just the two of them on stage with their instruments. And they are two people with the least stage presence I have ever seen -- but they are oddly hypnotic to watch. Because they're making the music for themselves as much as for the audience; they are musicians rather than performers. David makes truly odd faces and movements while playing, Gillian mostly looks off into the distance or down at her guitar -- it's oddly intimate to watch while also completely unrevealing. They've played together for decades, so the two of them rarely look at each other while playing, and they also rarely look at the audience directly. But they play the shit out their songs. Gillian sings a low alto and David a high tenor, and when their voices blend...it's eerily beautiful, almost fey. But they're both bonily awkward onstage. It was just the oddest, most enchanting juxtaposition to watch. And if I had the money and time, I would follow them around the country like a Gillian Welch Deadhead.

Top - Avenue, Scarf and Pendant - Send the Trend, Pants - Lands End, Shoes - Target.

Ballerina Chic

2011-08-17T10:46:00.000-04:00

Note the big happy smile.

I'm going to see Gillian Welch tonight!!!!!! (I'm a little excited.) Tickets for my dad and me were his birthday present last month, and the concert is finally here. I decided to wear something utterly comfy that would look nice enough for work as well. I love this little dress, but it is super high in the front. So leggings were most definitely required, even if I didn't have the tendency to sit cross-legged in my chair at work. I'm really happy with these Crocs now; key word being now. I had ordered them off ebay, because they're my favorite (discontinued) style (Lily). They came from China, and I don't know if they were labeled with the wrong size or what, but they were really, really tight. So until I got my shoe stretcher, I would wear them and be all cranky. Then I stretched them out for 2 days each, and they actually fit now. I'll probably continue to stretch them every month or so, just because rubber isn't exactly the most giving of substances.

Tunic/dress - Mai Tai, Leggings - Faded Glory, Shoes - Crocs, Jewelry - Handmade.

My JC look

2011-08-16T08:28:00.000-04:00

So, thanks in no small part to Gracey and Sal, I have become a dedicated scarf lover. This one is HUGE. Also, possible impending change coming up; I'm thinking of renaming the blog. I don't work in a library anymore. I got my MLS, I worked in libraries for over a decade total, but now...I don't. I'm pondering some names, so you might see a change soon.

Look, I'm the Woman in Black! (I love Johnny Cash. SO MUCH.) This look is also known as the "I'm tired already and it's only Monday and this is a super busy week, oh God, oh God, help me" look. Perhaps you've worn it yourself. I am trying these Bass shoes again, though. They're very cute, and (for me) they were expensive sandals ($30 on sale). Everyone swears they're long enough, but they feel a little short. And I can't stretch they because they have nothing to stretch! I think I just need to get used to them. So they get a day, and then they go back if I can't do it.

I know, this picture implies that I have plenty of room at the front. Try taking a picture of your feet in sandals.

Top - Avenue, Pants - White Stag, Shoes - Bass, Necklace and Scarf - Send the Trend.

Sunday/Monday - It's a two-fer!

2011-08-15T09:07:00.000-04:00

I'm so fancy!

Check me out, wearing (fake) pearls! I went super nice for church yesterday. I love this dress. It makes me think of a sundress version of Elizabeth Bennett. I hitched it up so you can see that I'm wearing shoes. Otherwise, it almost brushes the ground, even in my little heels. When FTF said maxi dress, they weren't kidding! (Or maybe it wasn't designed for munchkins?)

Yes, I know I'm wearing the same cardigan.

I actually went with a racerback tee today. I had to use one of those weird little plastic strap holders, though, since I don't have a racerback bra. Apparently they're really hard to find in a 40DD for some reason (stupid bra manufacturers, I'm looking at you). I just got an email from OneStopPlus about a bra sale, so I checked and out of all the categories, racerback is not one of them. I did a search and came up with ONE. And it's a maximizer. Bleah. Still, at the moment, they have free shipping and returns, so I might try it out a couple of bras.

Speaking of trying out, I'm trying out a new shampoo and conditioner; John Frieda's Frizz Ease Hydrating line. I just always have little frizzes everywhere, and it drives me bonkers. I refuse to waste time straightening or blowdrying my hair when I like my waves. (Also, I'm notoriously bad at doing my hair.) So, we'll take a week and see how it goes.

Kindle it up (aka books to read)

2011-08-14T17:37:00.000-04:00

I got some good pictures today...but my camera cord is at work! So you'll get a double dose tomorrow. I was one of those people who spent months saying "Who needs a Kindle? I like to hold the book in my hands, to smell the pages and feel the weight!" But my sister and her husband each got one and they were pretty cool to play with. And then to celebrate getting the job I have now, I bought myself a Kindle. AND I GOT ADDICTED. It's just like those dippy ads say; it is like reading a book, no backlight weirdness. Plus I got a neat case that has a light, so I can read in bed at night. Plus, there are some super neat writers out there self-publishing on the Kindle. Like Lindsay Buroker who has 7 Kindle e-books available. If you buy all of them, it'll cost you a whopping $10.45. And they're great! I got started on her through Lendle, a Kindle borrowing service (Dude, use it!) and ended up just buying everything. Timeline-wise, Encrypted is first, but publication-wise, The Emperor's Edge came out first. And now you say, "That's great, Erin, but I didn't click on that first link, so WTF does she write?"

I'm glad you asked. She writes a mixture of steampunk/magic fantasy; like if Gail Carriger's books and Terry Pratchett's books had book babies. She has strong female characters and strong male characters (literally and in the sense of fully realized). The villains aren't simply stock villains, either. They're horrible people and you want them to lose, but they are fully fleshed out. She also manages to marry steampunk with magic extraordinarily well (says the reader who's suffered from some pretty poor tries). From what I've read, she started with the fantasy and the steampunk came along second. It's not overt, titled steampunk, either, which is usually how you can find the crappy ones. It's fantasy with some really cool mechanical devices...oh, wait, that bit would be steampunk!

So, moral of the day - read Lindsay Buroker. You'll be glad you did.

Finally Friday

2011-08-12T12:40:00.000-04:00

This tunic is supposed to be a dress. Of course, if it were a dress, I would be flashing my butt every time I did anything but stand up stick straight. And I'm only 5'4"! Imagine if a tall person tried to wear this...(Gracey, do you want a shirt?) Hence the required leggings. I got a shoe stretcher a few weeks ago, and have been stretching out some of my tighter pairs. This tight pair of Lily Crocs have been made much more comfy by a full day or so in the stretcher. (It really helps that it not only stretches the length but also the width.)

"Dress" - Pure Energy, Leggings - JMS, Shoes - Crocs, Jewelry - Handmade.

Pirate or lazy person?

2011-08-11T12:58:00.000-04:00

My little mama doesn't like this outfit. But she's not happy that I told everyone that on Twitter. See, my mama knew from the start that these capri pants are actually pajamas, and I think that might have put her off. I came out of my part of the house, she saw me and went hmmm. In a mom tone of voice that let me know immediately that she didn't think this was an appropriate work outfit. And okay, it might be stretching it a bit, but it's all black, the jewelry is all brass, and the sandals are fancy (even if they are flat). I think the belt is what tips me over into pretend pirate. I just wanted to define my waist, but this loose belt is so much like a whip that when I looked at the picture I immediately thought pirate!

Of course, the lazy person argument can be made as well. To which I say; just look at all this fancy jewelry! And I actually styled my hair! Is that the work of a lazy person? To which you might reply: Hey, lazy person, why didn't you put on some makeup so you didn't look all blotchy like you knew you would? And I say: Come on, I'm not a miracle worker here. I get up really early, and I even shaved my legs today. So be happy with what you're getting. You get makeup or shaved legs on a work day, I don't have time for both. (And the people at home say: Why does the strange pirate lady talk to herself so much?)

Top - Avenue, Pants - Target, Shoes - Avenue, Jewelry - handmade and upcycled.

neutral

2011-08-10T21:55:00.000-04:00

Here I am to save the day...in pale grey and black. I was feeling a bit...bleah, after the stress of pattern mixing coupled with a long melodrama practice. So today got the neutral stick. And I was reminded again of how I like this shirt theoretically, but how in reality it's still a bit itchy. It needs to go in every load of laundry for a while until it gets older and softer. I can't wait for next Wednesday - I'll see Gillian Welch in concert!! But up till then, it's super busy melodrama practice time, because we have our performances August 19, 20, 26, and 27. I should probably memorize my lines and songs, huh?

Shirt - Avenue (as well as the tank underneath), Pants - Avenue, Socks - Target, Shoes - Target, Jewelry - handmade.

EBEW: Dots and Stripes and Flowers, Oh My!

2011-08-09T11:43:00.002-04:00

I am a trifle uncertain of this. I don't mix patterns. Not ever. I'm just not comfy doing it. But I went through a couple of handfuls of tops and skirts to create this and...I like it. Now I just need other people to tell me it's okay and not weird! My little mama, who doesn't mix patterns either, (see, I was raised not to!) made a face when I showed her this, but she's made faces at plenty of my outfits. My dad said it was great, but he's a dad! He always has to say that! So. Pattern Mixing = stressful, but possibly fun?

Tank - Avenue, Skirt - Torrid (very old), Shoes - Target, Jewelry - handmade.

Wordless Sunday

2011-08-07T19:57:00.000-04:00

Dress - Avenue. Shoes - Born. Jewelry - handmade.

Seeing friends

2011-08-05T21:04:00.000-04:00

I went to a street festival during lunch, simply to see some close friends that I hadn't seen in months. They had a tie-dye booth, and very sweetly gave me shirts for the munchkins. I also got my little knitted purple elephant that my dear Katy had made me! There will be a photo on Monday (I forgot to take one, and she has to live at the office so the munchkin doesn't make off with her).

Red is one of my absolute favorite colors for accessories. It's just such a great POP of color, that I decided to use it in all my accessories today! Since I had a grey dress as a background, I figured it would work great. (Oops. I just realized that my bangles are plain brass with not a hint of red. That'll teach me to write without looking at the picture.)

Since I am woefully behind on movies, I just watched The Green Hornet tonight. And while it might not be an excellent film (clears throat stuffily), it's a great superhero movie and super funny. There is some crass humor (it's co-written by Seth Rogen), but my 62 year old mom thought it was funny.

Dress - Joe Browns, Simply Be Shoes - Dexter Necklace - Send the Trend pendant (restrung)