It Takes Two, Baby . . .

To get this 30 for 30 done!

Outfit #28:

Still figuring out how to pose in the new living room . . . low expectations will be appreciated.

Cardigan: Ann Taylor Loft. Cable Sweater: Gap. Dress as skirt: Alex Evenings. Heels: Bandolino.

There it is! I knew I would find the light eventually on that sunny, sunny day when I took these. I was completely thrilled with the way this outfit came out. I mean, it's an outfit completely in three colors and I got to wear my lovely dress as a skirt again, which I love . . . but I really like the way it looks! It might just be all about that cardigan. That color of purple just makes me want to leap for joy! (Which I did in some of the shots. That reeeeally doesn't look as good on the outside as it feels on the inside.)

Outfit #29:

(Warning: do NOT try to adjust your contacts, your eyes are not the problem. I am NOT in focus in these pictures.) Why, you ask? My camera was set on manual-focus mode from a strange project the day before I took these pictures. It wasn't until I loaded them onto the computer that I realized they were all blurry . . . so stop looking before the blurriness gives you a headache, and enjoy the extra-focused detail shots of my back wall's artwork! Hah.

Scarf: Target (gift). Cable Sweater: Ann Taylor Loft. Belt: Husband's. Jeans: Old Navy.

I am thinking it's time to give up on my hopes of becoming a pro photographer. Between the 100% blurriness of the subject of these pictures and the fact that not even one pose from the day caught my shoes (so I have no idea. Sorry.), that dream is dead.

Okay, it was never my dream. Also, it might be easier to do this right if I were standing behind the camera and took a chance to look at the pictures before shutting it off. Hindsight, eh?

If I can bring myself to it in an hour, I might post the last post. Huzzah! Then you will get to see the . . . interesting outfits I find myself in since the 30 ended! Maybe I'll reflect on all this before the next challenge. Maybe.

I added a couple of accessories this morning so I would be more appropriately dressed, color-wise, for Fat Tuesday. Purple, green, gold:

Yes, I took this in the kindergarten classroom where I was subbing while they were in PE. Don't judge, please.

Happy Mardi Gras, all!

Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny [Navy] Polka Dot . . . Blouse

I did not own anything polka dotted until last night. Crazy? I agree. But then, on a trip to my new favorite thrift store, I discovered that Monday is 99 cent clothes day!! WHOA. Okay, not everything for 99 cents. Just certain things, though the pieces that I loved the most were correctly tagged. Including this adorable little sleeveless blouse! 99 cents. For two shirts, a skirt that's way too long and I'm excited to try hemming (I'll show you later), and these awesome shoes: $5. Yup, this will have to be a weekly event.

Not a great shot, but the only one where you can really see the polka dots.

I feel so grown-up in this outfit!

Sweater: Banana Republic. Blouse: Thrifted Ann Taylor Petites. Pants: Ann Taylor Loft. Shoes: Thrifted Stage 1.

Did you notice the maker of the blouse? I swear I didn't just pick up every Ann Taylor item I could find, but one is Ann Taylor and the other is Loft! Too funny. Also, these shoes were $2. That completely blew my mind. I was keeping my eyes open for some cute flat or heeled oxfords, but instead I saw these cute little menswear-inspired beauties. Bonus that I almost can't believe: they're very comfortable! WHOA! (I'll let you know if I still think that after wearing them at school all day today.)

So happy Everybody, Everywear polka dot day, (obviously the reason I was looking for spots. Thanks for helping me end up with this lovely tank, EBEW ladies!) happy Mardi Gras, and have a great day, all!

P.S. Right. The 30 challenge. I am not finished, and I have not posted every day. My plan is to post the rest of my outfits this afternoon/evening. In real life I have finished, so this posted outfit isn't cheating for me, I promise.

On My Own

If you know the piece of musical theatre majesty from which my post title borrows its name, you know that it's a very dramatic, sad but strong piece of music. It's all about, 'without him the streets are bare and everywhere the world is full of strangers, etc.'

This post is not like that. But without my him, I don't realize things like the fact that this flower was too much. At least, there. Without the necklace? In the hair? Pinned onto the sweater further in and off the collar? All probably viable options. So anyway, I see that now and I'm sorry if you have to cover it on your screen in every picture because you can't stand how too-much it is. I hope you don't get a smudge on your computer that way.

Sweater: NY&Co. Cable sweater: Ann Taylor Loft. Skirt: Ann Taylor Loft. Boots: Ralph Lauren via DSW.

I love this sweater. And this challenge really made me realize how much. I bought this sweater from a wonderful, fashionable friend a few years back, as she had purchased it and planned to return it. I bought it for its original price, and now could not be happier what that decision. (Nikki - if you want to keep picking out clothes for me, buying them and making me buy them off of you, I would be fine with that.)

Also, what do you think of this skirt? I like its versatility, though I didn't really get that much use out of it during the challenge. I think that's because when I walk, it tends to sort of gather between my legs in front - like in the first picture - especially when I'm wearing tights. This gets annoying, plus it tends to ride up just a bit when I do that. Does anyone else experience this with certain skirts? Anyone with any suggestions, please let me know.

: P

View From the Driver's Seat

Yes, these pictures were taken in a parking lot. Yes, I put the camera on the driver's seat and used my little remote to take them. Why the bizarre location? I have no tripod, and I took these the day after my husband left for deployment. Looking back, I'm honestly shocked that I thought of my outfit pictures when I left for work that morning. So anyway, brace yourself. The result is some kinda weird pictures.

Sweater: NY&Co. Button-up: Ann Taylor Loft. Scarf: "India Store" in England. Trouser pants: Ann Taylor Loft.

I can't remember where I got either these shoes or socks, but I wanted to show them off. Happy, eh?

Sorry that this is basically a non-post. I am feeling completely incapable of creativity this weekend.

We All Get a Little Bit Weird Sometimes

Last night, I got to chat with my hubby. For around thirty minutes! WHOA! I was amazed. And mostly relieved. Prior to that chat, I hadn't been able to get in contact with him for probably 48 hours. And before that, just for moments at a time. But last night we had a really really great talk, (basically im-ing. His computer's current internet capabilities haven't been supporting skype or other actual voice conversation) just about the time that I was about to break down in frustration and whatnot.

Oh no, no breakdown necessary. And today, I got a little text to my phone from him. I can't respond, I can't call him; the best I can do is email and hope he gets it sometime. But I am amazed at how even just little snatches of contact really carry me through. Tonight, I don't plan to stay up until all hours waiting to see if he gets online, I'm okay with waiting until tomorrow night or the weekend. And I'm pumped about it.   : P

A note to my fantastic friends on here: many of you have called me lately. And I know that allll of you are extremely busy, and are making a special effort to keep me taken care of with all the contact. And I just want to let you know that it kind of works the same way with you as described above. Every call is worth so much to me, and makes my life many many times more delightful, and I really appreciate it. Plus, I just think you're neat and like to chat! All my love to you guys.

So how about an outfit post, eh? I'm a ways from done with the 30 for 30, after all. Here goes.

Somehow I got this long tucked-in ponytail with a teeny cute part on top.  Ponytail Plus, I think I'll call it.

Button-up: RL childswear via Plato's Closet. Long-sleeve: Ann Taylor Loft. Belt: NY&Co. Chinos: NY&Co. Socks: Hanes.

Please keep in mind that this was an outfit intended for receiving furniture delivery, hanging pictures, and basically lots of elbow grease in cleaning EVERYthing. I would never wear this in front of students or to church or anything, but I felt pretty put-together given the itinerary.

I have to say, I had a LOT of complaints about my 30 items, even by the time I was posting them. But one thing I have been very pleased with all along the way was the amount of casual items I had to work with. I always could always find a pair of jeans and a comfy shirt on Saturdays or lazy days. Thank goodness!

Gotta Go, Gotta Go, Gotta Go Go Go

Welp, time for another post, I guess. I am a little drained today, and I don't have a lot to say about the outfit I'm posting, so this should be short. The day we took these pictures, we were with a couple family members, and in a BIG rush to get going on the day, so I didn't really stop to check that I didn't look completely bizarre . . . so that's why I do. (Kind of a running theme here, eh? I'll start to learn from that sometime here soon.) Just trust me that these poses made some kind of sense at the time.

Vest: Target (Gift from my momma/sissy. I have a bad Target.) Shirt: H&M. Jeans: American Eagle. Flats: DE Boutique via DSW.

These are intentionally goofy poses.

This is me not realizing my husband was photographing yet. Cool.

Note: if you noticed that the song I referenced in my title was the jingle to a commercial for laxatives, ten points for you. Sorry for invoking such an awful shared cultural memory, everyone.

Such Great Heights

My husband, like many kind people who take pictures for us style bloggers, has had his struggles with composition. By which I mean, in many early shots my feet were out of the shot, but you could fit another me in the frame above my head. Or he would stand straight up and point the camera slightly down to fit my shoes in, which, of course, foreshortens my whole body making me look more short and stout than reality does. (Instead of crouching a bit, like one might see a professional photographer do.)

Today's pictures are an attempt to fix that issue.

Look how full-length I am!

Sweater: New York & Co. Button-up: Ann Taylor Loft. Scarf: "India Store" in England. Denim trousers: Ann Taylor Loft. Shoes: Bandolino via DSW.

Framing problems? Solved. Foreshortening issue? All better. Husband's proclivity for taking silly pictures, rather than outfit-post ones?

Incurable.