Wednesday, April 6, 2011

How I wore it: simple gifts

People, my life has been so BORING the last few days. I mean, yeah, poor me, I take my days at my leisure, but it's taking its toll on me. A neighbor today asked me how my job search is going and when she saw the look on my face, she quickly changed the subject. LALALANOTTHINKINGABOUTITLALALALA. Plus, the dissertating is going slowly - I made the first few corrections that my advisor suggested, but now I'm just playing the waiting game. Will I really finish in July/August? We shall see. 

So, as you can imagine, when my husband asked me to get some salad stuff today at some point, I jumped at the chance to put on clothes that are neither for the gym nor for sleepytime (yes, I wear PJs all the time when I have nothing better to do at home). However, because my two stops were merely TJ Maxx (yes, again; more on that in a second) and Trader Joe's, I didn't exactly bring it:


... See what I mean? I actually think that if I hadn't worn boots, this look would've been much cuter, much more "New York Herald Tribune!" [if you get that reference, let's be friends]. But the weather continues to warm up in tiny increments and the wind was fierce, so boots it was. Just alternating blocks of grey and black on me. I have to admit, for all its simplicity, that grey t-shirt I'm wearing is one of my favorites. It's got the perfect proportions of loose/not baggy that one always wants in a good, soft t-shirt. I bought it at American Apparel when I first moved to Boston in, gulp, June of 2008. 

... At the same time, folks, spring is slowly but surely moving into the Boston area. Yesterday I woke up to about 60 degrees (grey and rainy and then rapidly going down twenty degrees in the course of the afternoon) and today there was a hint of spring in the air when I took my run. I even changed things around and played my special spring album: I usually never deviate from running to Lady Gaga (you tell me: is there anything better by which to get motivated than the first few moments of 'Bad Romance'?), but today I had to play George Harrison's penultimate solo album, 'Cloud Nine,' from 1987. As you all know, I'm a devoted Beatlemaniac and an even more manic George Harrison fan. My big brother had this album, probably bought when it first came out in the 80s, on cassette. I heard it every once in a while through him - we shared a room until about 1987/1988. When I rediscovered my love for the Beatles with a vengeance, in high school, I inherited many of his tapes, as he had graduated to CDs by then and was finishing up college. Anyway, I inherited his cassette of 'Cloud Nine' in ninth grade and first started listening to it in the spring of that school year, the rare beautiful New York spring, when it's just warm enough to wear a light jacket or no outer layer at all and the trees are all fuzzy with buds, but no leaves, and Central Park is the only place you want to be on a Saturday morning in April or May, even though it's a long walk away. This album, with its wonderful songs - 'Fish on the Sand', 'When We Was Fab', 'Breath Away From Heaven'... all of them, really - was the soundtrack to that spring. And ever since then, I've associated it with that season (just like I associate 'All Things Must Pass' with winter because I got it for Christmas later that year), even when I grew older and got the CD and whatnot. Wow. That was a lot of information I just wrote up there. Well, today I listened to 'Cloud Nine' in most of its entirety during my run. And thought of spring. Is there any particular song/album/artist that you associate with different times of the season? 

Woo, now you know a little more about me. Probably more than you ever wanted to know, eh?

Anyway, on my way to Trader Joe's today, I stopped by the neighborhood TJ Maxx to check on something that I'd kept on my mind since my excursion on Sunday. And I went ahead and bought it:


White jeggings, people! Are we ready for this? I'm not a big fan of white - actually a huge hater of white, to tell the truth. After eight years of having to wear a white shirt to school almost every day (we had casual Friday at my school), I kind of swore off white when I hit college. I have precisely two white t-shirts, which I almost only use as layering tops, except for the hottest days of summer. I'm convinced that white is one of the least flattering colors (shades?) out there for me. But in the last few years, I've been gently intrigued by white jeans, for all seasons. And when I saw HUE jeggings in white (for $7.99!), I figured it was a good gamble to try. Since so many of my boots are colorful, they'll show up well with these pants and they'll be nice and cool to wear during the summer on the plane ride to and from Athens, for example. ... Assuming they don't look awful, which is always a distinct possibility with me and white. We'll see!

I also went ahead and bought The Hunger Games at TJ Maxx as well, by Suzanne Collins. Has anyone ever read it? I know I'm older than the target audience, but I've been intrigued by the series for months and was planning to take it out of the library. But finding it on the way to the cashier at the store, I thought it was a sign and snatched it up. Anything I should know, Style Nation?

So there you have it, folks: boring outfit; rambling about my favorite musician; white jeggings; and a young adult book. GLAMOROUS!

Grey t-shirt: American Apparel, remixed
Black jeans: Bulldog by Urban Outfitters, remixed
Grey boots: Frye Paige Huaraches, by way of endless.com, remixed

14 comments:

  1. Well, good tunes do tend to have distinct memories attached to them. I'm very curious about these white leggings...interesting experiment. Bought Hunger Games for my granddaughter, but haven't read it myself. I've heard some grouse about historical inaccuracy, so if you are stickler about that it could disappoint you. Overall I've heard more good than bad about the book.

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  2. I'm totally ready for an outfit with these jeggings. Being a slob born of other slobs, I was raised to avoid white.

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  3. Thanks, Terri! I'm a stickler for historical/mythical inaccuracy when it's something I really care/know about, but otherwise we'll see. I honestly have no idea what to expect from this book - something tells me it'll probably be sold soon after I finish, but you never know.

    Oh, Cassy - now I'm worried about the white factor. I tend not to spill too much (same can't be said for my husband), but of course now it'll probably happen.

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  4. The Dreamers?

    I've lost some respect for Hue with their spelling of "Jeanz."

    I know Chelsie's a fan of The Hunger Games, and I read the first one and liked it enough to request the others from the library. I just appreciate any girl protagonists who aren't simpering and utterly devoted to the idea of love (cough...Twilight...cough).

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  5. Ooh, Katie, I'll accept 'The Dreamers' because it is the secondary source to the movie I'm thinking of! Let's be friends! Oh, and HUE definitely made us hate one word more than "jeggings" and that would definitely be "jeanz." I feel embarrassed OWNING "jeanz." Anyway, we'll see how 'The Hunger Games' goes...

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  6. I'm almost 40 and I loved the Hunger Games. I don't know how people could complain about historical accuracy since it's set in a post-apocalyptic world. Just suspend reality and enjoy the story.

    and white jeggings? Not ready for that!

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  7. Well, I'm glad to read a good review. Thanks, meegiemoo (I'm also unsure about historical accuracy being relevant here). As for the white jeggings, we'll see! I want them sort of a canvas against which to showcase my other clothes/accessories.

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  8. I'm curious about the white jeggings! I love the look of white jeans but am very nervous to try them myself. Mostly because I'm a slob. I'll stay tuned for your stylings. I haven't read the hunger games but defintely know what you mean about music and the memories it generates :) I like your t and jeans ensemble. This is a go-to for me when I don't want to worry about what I'm wearing. I love a perfect tee!

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  9. I love the boots with this simple outfit! And can't wait to see what you do with the white jeggings.

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  10. People, the jeggings are ON MY BODY. And I don't hate them. Stay tuned for pictures tonight, I hope. And Allison and Sal, thanks for the kind words on my boring outfit. :)

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  11. I could be corny and say this simple outfit left me "Breathless" but that's bad even for my cornball sense of humor. Honestly though, love the outfit - gray t-shirts are my favorite! - and it's perfect for this time of year in our neck of the woods. (I wonder what it would have looked like with your blue specs, too, for just a fun little pop of color - or would it look out of place? I dunno.)

    I am a staunch supporter of white jeans; I think they look both classic and fresh especially in the summer so I can't wait to see what you do with the jeggings.

    PS: If Breathless ever comes to the Brattle we should go see it! I automatically like anyone who will indulge my love of old movies. :)

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  12. Hmm. I should say I automatically like anyone who will indulge my love of old movies *and* (possibly excessive) time spent combing the racks at TJ Maxx. Haha. (BTW, if you haven't been the Maxx in Newton is crazy good.)

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  13. I too cannot wait to see the 'jeanz' (who in marketing thought THAT was a good idea?). For some odd reason I thought white pants, your red/pink dress and blue boots. I don't know where it came from or if it would even look good. Welcome to the mind of an over worked grad student.

    Also, I'm with you on the music.

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  14. Red, DINGDINGDING! Good job. I haven't seen the movie in ages, although I actually own it... Also, I didn't even think of wearing my blue glasses with this outfit! Oops! We'll see what your reactions are on today's tunic. :)

    Miss B, nice ideas! Yowza! We'll see how it goes! I have some stuff up my sleeve beforehand, though...

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