Dressing under the influence (of other bloggers)

Have you seen all the beautiful ways that Style Underdog has been remixing her 6 pieces? She takes such simple items, adds the perfect accesories and shoes, and voila- remixing magic. It's still warm today, but hopefully not hot, and I am trying to channel SU's awesome looks with strappy studded sandals and a long linen scarf to punch up an otherwise T-shirt and jeans combo.

I guess that's not really fashion/style related, but since I'm trying to be thrifty with my clothes spending, I hope that I don't compensate the shopping ban with buying loads of artisan ingredients, as food is our biggest expense after rent. I'm about 1 month into the GAAD, but so far, I haven't really noticed. Waves, who is also participating in the GAAD, wondered whether she'd get more interested in buying other things. Her blog and LyddieGal of Chic on the Cheap posting of the NYTimes article got me thinking about budgeting my other kinds of spending, especially food. We don't eat out often, but I usually run to the grocery store on the way home 3 times a week to pick up last minute meal ideas I have. Yesterday we sat down (after inventorying all the food in our pantry, fridge, and our CSA box) and listed all our dinners for the next 7 days, and then our shopping list consisted only of those items we needed to make those dinners (plus our snacks, breakfast, lunches). It was heavier than I expected, but it worked well. And when 7PM came around, we didn't have our usual, "What do you want to eat for dinner, honey?" circular discussions.
And our dinner was delicious.

Shirt: Copper Key
Jeans: Levi's, skinnied by men
Shoes: Tahari
Scarf: UO

Weekend duty

Is it really August 10? Do I really have to start teaching less than 3 weeks? Are there really over 100 unread items in my reader from 4 days away from my computer? (deep breaths...)
No remixed 6 items today, as we've had airport/plane drama the past 24 hours and I am currently trying to work in a hot NYC apartment, with not much on. It may have to be this way if the weather stays hot. But I will try again tomorrow, when my desire to interact with the real world comes back.
Blokey and I were in Chicago, one last time this summer, for our lovely friend's wedding. It was a lovely outdoor backyard affair, and I was a bridal attendant (since we were mixed gender, it seems like bridesmaid is not the right word. Plus, the whole married thing). Thanks to your feedback, I bought a fat, vertically ribbed grossgrain ribbon and used that to "lower" my waistline about 1 1/2" (ideally, it would have been 2", but it did the trick). I tried satin, but that was too slippery. You can kind of see the results here.

Photo courtesy of Anne. The man to my right was tactfully cut out because he faces re-election this year. The drink is a fancy lemonade plus soda water.

I also gave myself the best backcombed hair "pouf", a la Snooki* (my fellow Jersey girl) hairdo. I would have gone profesh, except I always hated people doing my hair, including hairdressers. I think it worked out OK.

The key was first blow drying moused-up roots, while bent over, backcombing the front, and then lots of hairspray.

Anne and I also took WW pics, but those are for later.

Finally, the lovely and generous bride gifted us a beautiful key necklace. I own almost no jewelry, making this a welcome addition to my sad need to accessorize. Also, she really knows me, because I don't usually go for very girly pieces. This had just the right amount of "hardware" elements to make it awesome for everyday, and teaching.

image source

It's currently baking in my bedbug oven (yes, we own a Packtite), following an emergency stay in an [uncompensated] airport hotel, as United Airlines couldn't get us on a flight back to NY after canceling our Monday noon flight, until Tuesday at 7AM. Stay classy, corporation.

*I've never seen her in action, as we don't have a TV, but I've read about her as a cultural phenomenon.

Only day 5

Only day 5, originally uploaded by Cohabitating_Closet.

It's only day 5 and it's hot again (93 degrees), and I am at a loss for what to wear. I have loads of cute combos in mind for when it's not so sweaty, but for today, I threw on a pair of dance shorts under this tunic dress, and tied a scarf about my hair, which looks like I've been working too hard to care. I call this the "Good Enough for day 5" outfit.
I've been so knee deep in my current project that I've descended into ditz-land. I can't find my cell phone charger and now I must run to the nearest store to buy one (every time I do this, I find out my phone has been made obsolete and that I can't find a replacement. Here's hoping that this hasn't happened yet.)
I'll be taking brief break the next few days from this project and blogging, as we have a full weekend of wedding rehearsal, wedding, then we are doing a memorial service for one of Blokey's relatives, and I thought that more socially normative clothes would be better for these events.
Hope everyone has a lovely weekend!

Dress: AA
Belt: free from an eBay suit
Flipflops: Havianas
Scarf: via eBay

Needs necklace

Needs necklace, originally uploaded by Cohabitating_Closet.

Today is a hot day, the first in a series of deliciously cool days since the start of August. I knew my 6 would be a challenge on hot and muggy days, so this is attempt number one to stay cool but look mixed up.
This outfit was way cooler in my head than in the picture. I bloused the tunic with a satin ribbon as a makeshift belt, but doing so may have unfortunately lifted the bottom of the hem to the widest part of hips. And I originally had on some combat boots, because I was going for a Tank Girl thing, but then it was so hot I threw on the hardcore sandals. But now it looks like a whole lot of leg, which the bathroom mirror did not demonstrate.
Oh, and this outfit shows me that it wouldn't kill me to buy a few necklaces. I usually am not a huge fan of jewelry, but a chunky black or silver bead thing would make this look better. Maybe I can grab a few off a street vendor next time I'm in the city.
But that's OK, I'm just writing and staying cool today. Hope you all have a lovely Wednesday.

Tunic: AA
Shorts: UO, via Ebay
Shoes: Tahari, via DSW
Undershirt: stolen from fella
Ribbon as belt: M&J Trimmings

Remixing, day 3

6-3, originally uploaded by Cohabitating_Closet.

So the light looks different in this picture because it's very early for me to be awake. In the summer, I tend towards a vampiric schedule (it's all Blokey's doing). Then to get on regular people's clocks, I have to do some marathon staying up. We have to fly out early for a friend's wedding this Friday and I'll be busy with bridsmaidy things all weekend. I told Blokey last night, "Do we suffer now or suffer later?" I meant sleep deprivation but he smirked at my guilt stricken, Protestant ways.
On the agenda today: buying grapes, cutting 450 words from this darn manuscript, syllabus-ing, doing laundry (he will carry, I'll follow), and getting veggies from the CSA. Including 2 lbs of potatoes. Carb heaven....
I really like this skirt, but it works better with a belt in the belt holes, because of the fit. Luckily, I have the rest of the month to fix this.
Also, didja hear about In Professorial Fashion's Wonder Woman conference? You should totally participate, because it's gonna be the tops! The cat's pajamas! The bee knees!

Top: Copper Key
Belt: thrifted, via Beacon's Closet
Skirt: Muji
Boots: Born, via eBay
Bag: Brooklyn Industries

Day 2

This outfit was inspired by Tanya of What a Nerd Would Wear and her participation in the 30x30. Layering a shirt under a dress in the summer? Genius.
I was going to wear leggings with this, but I figured with the covered arms, I could probably get away with the shorter skirt. I think this outfit with some grey tights and black boots will kill it in the fall. I am also wearing a short slip for added modesty.
Thanks for all your supportive words about this month's challenge, and my CTS symptoms. So far, so good. I will be away from the computer all this coming weekend (wedding and in-law stuff) so I will get much needed rest. But this darn behemoth of an article needs to Get Off My Desk soon, as I will be working on my self-evaluation for reappointment soon.
Two vaguely related things:
1) My school will be selling Alta Gracia sweatshirts in the fall. I don't need new sweatshirts, but maybe my family members do. I will definitely be supporting this. They are $34.98 for a navy blue hoodie. Reasonably priced and ethical production? Yes, please.
2) Germain Greer wrote a review of Nicolas Kristof and Shirley WuDunn's Half the Sky (HTS). I've skim read the Kristoff/WuDunn book in bookstores (and I skim his columns) enough to get a feel for its schtick- which is "look at the suffering of these third world women." Germaine Greer's review is right on, because I do believe what HTS does is good in its intention, but it doesn't go far enough. No one like sex trafficking, gender based violence, or death during childbirth, but calls for more charity should go hand in hand with calls for critical evaluations of the role that the First World plays in perpetuating these atrocities- namely global inequality and poverty.* According to Greer, the authors don't do this, but rather paint the US as some kind of magic solution for everything, even though sexual violence, domestic violence, sex trafficking, and poverty for women are important problems here too. But Ms. Greer said it better than me, so I highly recommend you check out her review. (Also, Karl Pilkington once baked bread with Germain Greer, which you can watch here).

Dress/tunic: AA
Skirt: Rodarte for Target
Shoes: BC Footwear
Scarf: via eBay

*What came to mind for me was the 1997 East Asian Financial crisis. The US and bunch of other countries with investors that wanted to engage in more foreign investment pushed a bunch of countries in Asia to adopt more open rules on the flow of money in the early 1990s. When Thailand suffered its speculative bubble and then a currency crisis, the U.S. refused to bail it out, wanting to "teach them a lesson." When the IMF finally gave them a rescue loan, there were many strict conditions on how Thailand could spend its money, including limits on education, state employees, and banking rules. Poverty increased and the growing middle class rapidly shrank, and within 1 year of the IMF reforms, prostitution and sex trafficking increased throughout the region. In famous for its sex work industry, often involving young girls. However, in 1999, Madeleine Albright criticized the Thai government for allowing for so much child prostitution, drugs, and AIDS problems to continue (see Naomi Klein, The Shock Doctrine, p. 344-345). I am not trying to say the Thai government is blameless in this situation, but if we are trying to learn about the situation of Third World women, I think that this should start by learning the role that U.S. and EU foreign policy plays in limiting and creating the parameters for economic opportunities in so many countries.
Thanks for reading and I'd appreciate your thoughts about this.

6 by August

Two things on this blustery and Pacific Northwest like Sunday:
1) I have picked out my 6 items for August. (I am following in cooler footsteps then myself, like the very cool Style Underdog. If I keep reading your blog, will get to be as edgy chic as you someday?)
I may cheat if it gets really hot (I am assuming that it won't be above 90 degrees for 3 weeks, like in July). I am already cheating because I mostly work from home, and no one sees me, and I may sometimes still wear PJ like clothing for the bulk of the day (but I do try to go out everyday), and I didn't include workout clothes (ew). I won't have to worry a
I have to cheat during the wedding I will be attending this Saturday, and during a week long trip abroad the third week of August. I will try to bring as many of these items as possible, but we're going to be touristing, flying 7 plus hours, and I'm going to be pretending to be an early English nanny to my friend's toddler, so I will have to be flexible for that.

I am going to see this as an exercise in accessorizing, as I don't do that as often as I'd like. It seems I've gone with the "summery prep" as my theme, even though I don't like to think of myself as a preppy person. (I'd prefer to be edgy and dark). I'll have to mix it up with some more rugged shoes/belts, etc. Here they are:

L-R: JCrew summer cardigan (thrifted), Rodarte for Target striped boatneck, Copper Key* black blousey top (via ma), slouchy Levi's jeans, skinnied by me and cuffed for summer

L-R: Muji military style skirt, American Apparel grey tunic**

2) It seems I've developed the early stages of carpal tunnel syndrome. Evidently, obssessively working at your computer up to 12 hours a day (OK, throw a substantive amount of blogging/reading/messing about on internet on there) ain't' great for the wrists. Neither is playing guitar, yoga, or sewing- AKA top recreational activities for me (I thought all my downdogs and attempted crow poses were supposed to strengthen my wrists?). I lost feeling in my left pinky finger on Thursday after a (low intensity) jam session with Blokey. Ouch.

Solution: go to Ikea and buy a better desk (with adjustable height and one of those great drawers for my keyboard) and then judiciously wear super sexy wrist braces. Jog more for a while instead of yoga. Make Blokey play the guitar to accompany me when I want to sing (folk and country, exclusively).

Oh, and make a conscious effort to step away from the keyboard.

This one's for you, A-Dubs. My braces will give me superpowers.

*This is the junior's brand of basics at Dillards. This is what my ma likes to buy me, since she also wears junior's clothes, to accommodate her slenderness. She turns 59 in December. Brat.

**This may be cheating since I usually wear shorts/tights/leggings under this tunic. I don't mind the shortness, but I live in a neighborhood where if I walk around in something noticeably short, my path oft gets interrupted by the attention of admiring men. So I just play it safe.

Shirt: Rodarte for Target
Scarf: via eBay
Belt: off a pair of H&M pants
Jeans: Levis, from Macy's, skinnied by me
Shoes: Eastlands via Alamo (Chicago)
Wrist braces: Futuro, via Duane Reade