Tardy and acquisitive and opinions

Hey, y'all -

I'm pretty embarrassed by how delinquent I've been in blogging. What with the schedule of school/husband's work/daycare, things are always in a mild state of chaos at home. On top of it all, my mother was in town and my dad came in yesterday for a few days, as Baby Boots caught a bad cold from daycare and everyone's pitching in to help while my husband is busy at work and I'm busy writing grades and comments (second long weekend of the year!). Anyway, hasn't been conducive to me taking pictures of my - admittedly - AWESOME outfits. That's the irony of it all: I've been really feeling my outfits lately - and have some even MORE new threads to show off - but what with being remiss in taking photos...alas.

Oh, and I haven't been reading anyone. I've barely been ON the internet. I'm just horrible. I thought about giving up blogging a few times, but I would miss it too much. I'm hoping to get back in the swing of things ... soon. I don't know when. Perhaps when Baby Boots isn't hacking so much?

In the meantime, I've discovered things about myself when I'm stressed:

• I stress eat. A lot. I was losing baby weight, but I think I undid all the good work with gluten-free cookies bought yesterday. 
• I could look of pictures of glasses all. Day. Long.
• Etsy and I are becoming BFFs. 
• I enjoy looking at pictures of boots on the internet.

Shocked?

Some things that I've become disturbingly into during this past grading period:

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I've had a hidden fascination with cowboy boots for about 10 years due to my high school best friend, who would ROCK her cowboy boots with a cute skirt [hi, Sido!]. And over the weekend, there was a giveaway and I saw that there were turquoise cowboy boots with fleur de lis embroidery (on the back) and I have a $10 coupon and shipping is free and...I can't stop thinking about them. Style Nation, what say you? Should these be my twelfth pair of boots?

I've also gotten intensely into this:

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I really want to get one of these beautiful pendants with the Arabic carved onto them - the stone is supposedly ruby! But which one? I kind of like A because it's so subtle, but B is so striking... What opinions do you have on these? 

In other news, I have mysteriously acquired $200 worth of credit toward a fancy optician in the Boston area. And I'm planning to basically go nuts. I love my current Prada glasses, but I think now that I basically got this gift dropped into my lap (since - as much as I'd like to buy all the things I'm featuring - I don't really have extra money to spend on things, I'm planning to ask my parents for the difference as a Christmas present), I'm gonna go nuts. I'll try on my fantasy glasses and, if those don't work out, will just go crazy for amazing frames. 

In other news... I'm thinking a lot about my future. I don't want to share too much, but let's say that I'm starting to sniff out bigger and better things. We'll see what happens.

So that's what's been up with me. How about y'all?

How I wore it: home from work, work from home

Greetings from the second day of my first 4-day weekend of the year [at least six more to go]! I might be miserably unfulfilled in my work life, but DAMN, do I love the schedule. Anyway, the first five-week unit of the year has ended, which means that the students get four days off and the teachers get four days off - to grade and write comments. Well, at least we get to do it from the comfort of our own homes.

Anyways, Friday was a beautiful day, warmer and sunnier than it had been for a while, thus amping up the feeling of celebration felt by all the teachers and students. I decided to try to look classy:

Well, hello! That's fun, right? My workhorse red skirt with my beloved red wedges, my new favorite tank top and a cardigan my mom bought me last year which I've been wearing constantly, but never featured here. I was inordinately pleased with this ensemble and even got a few compliments (one from a stranger!) on the cardigan. The funny thing is that on the train to work, a sociable and garrulous man pegged me immediately as a schoolteacher. I guess I have that look, no? 

Since I pick up the baby from daycare, after taking photographs, I immediately change into comfy clothes for logical reasons. I had my favorite newish pants ready to go:

I kept the tank on

I ordered these awesome Indian saffron "harem" pants on Etsy, from this vendor. The cloth seems to be really from India, as it has the same exact smell as some cloth that I bought in Pune in 2004. The pattern on it is legit Sanskrit too, singing praises to Krsna and Radha. Both the waist and the legs are elasticized, and the overall impression is that of a dhoti (which is, of course, a masculine garment). Anyway, these pants are perfect for home wear and have even taken over my Athenian Nepalese pants with regard to their place in my heart.

So that's what it's been like chez moi. I've already written the comments for my good class and tonight and tomorrow I'll be working on the comments for the, um, other class. I only have nine students in that one, though, so it shouldn't take too long... 

Why, how do you spend YOUR days off?

Work outfit:

Striped cardigan: Ralph Lauren, gift from my mother

Grey tank: H&M (Athens), remixed

Red skirt: Dickie's brand, bought in a store called Guacamole in Philadelphia many years ago, remixed

Red wedges: CL by Laundry, by way of DSW, remixed

Home outfit:

Grey tank: same as above

Saffron "harem" pants: bought from BellyBeads store from Etsy.com

How I wore it: tones

I'll be honest. I thought about today's outfit for a while in advance and had a certain idea in my head as to how it would look. As usual, the execution was pretty different from the intent, but I still liked what happened and - most importantly - it worked well with today's weather. Most of my footwear  choices are based on weather, as I have to walk short - yet significant - distances on the days that I pick up Baby Boots from daycare:

Grainy! But without major photo adjustment, it's all a dark blur...

As I was saying, as it was raining, I knew I wanted to wear my awesome rain boots. Which automatically meant either jeggings/leggings (not for work) or a skirt/dress. Since the dress I wanted to wear was black and my boots are navy, I decided to go with teal stockings. The green/teal infinity scarf and green corduroy blazer just seemed like obvious choices. 

So apart from the black dress, all my other colors were in different tones of blue and/or green - there was a lot of clashing, but I think it all worked together in a symbiotic whole .What do you think?

Smug!

Although the dream look was a touch more soigné than the actual execution, I ended up liking this. I felt collegiate and snuggly. A perfect combo.

It's late. Good night!

Black dress: Old Navy (online)

Teal tights: Gap, remixed

Navy boots: Steve Madden, remixed

Green blazer: Gap, remixed

Green scarf: Old Navy (online)

How I wore it: the Mondays

Right. I'm going to try to write this in, like, two minutes flat. It's about an hour later than I like to go to bed and I'm exhausted.

... But I really liked today's outfit:

I'm pretty sure I look like a black block with a blue-ish cardigan, but that top? Is really a nursing top that's a flutter cardigan and "tank top" beneath all in one. Super convenient. Note, also, my enormous necklace - not in the mood for a scarf! 

Here's another angle:

How's everyone's school year going so far? I have a decent class and a crappy class and both are on my last nerve today. I'm, in fact, seriously thinking of moving in another direction with my life. We'll see...

Nursing top (black tank and teal cardigan): Japanese Weekend

Black pants: Ralph Lauren (stolen from my mother), remixed

Black flats: Me Too, by way of DSW, remixed

How I wore it: walking in the rain

Rather originally, I hate the rain. I hate going out in it, I hate getting my clothes/hair/bag wet, I hate wearing glasses in the rain, I hate umbrellas, the works. I've been known to say that I'd much rather have "rain days" off over "snow days." Today dawned cool and rainy here in the Boston area, but I needed to do some shopping, I was in the mood to do some walking, so I threw on some contacts, squeezed myself into my jeggings and rain boots, tossed on a new tunic (bought yesterday), and called it a day.

And damned if it didn't look as if I had stepped out of my own 2010/2011 school year...

Admit you've always wanted to see the clutter of my bedroom...

It barely rained (I also wore my dorky, yet incredibly trustworthy raincoat) and, more importantly, it was a fun little outing with my family. Much-needed, too, as yesterday we'd spent the whole day in the car running errands and shopping for little doodads here and there.

One of those doodads is the tunic you see in this picture. We went into one of our favorite pretentious stores in Somerville, Magpie, just for fun, and came out with a baby blanket, a bib, a nightlight, and this "dress." All day I basked in the glow of buying just a little too many things for myself, all unexpected (I also bought myself a new phone case and lots of stuff for Baby Boots.). 

Anyway, I like the top because - hey - grey tunic! And it has birds of prey and cool colors (that match my humidifier and baby rocker!) and it feels like a comfy sweatshirt and it has pockets! Bam! 

Although my tried and true skinny bottoms/tunic top lifestyle is a little hard to maintain at the moment, both because of work and in terms of nursing my child, it was a bit of a thrill to dress like this again. I've missed my "uniform!" 

Grey printed tunic: FluffyCo, bought at Magpie on Davis Square

Blue jeggings: HUE, by way of Lord and Taylor, remixed

Rain boots: Steve Madden, remixed

How I wore it: the kid is a dork

Helloooooo!

Folks, it has been a hectic month over here. My husband was out of town for three weeks, which meant that my parents were IN town in order to help me juggle work and Baby Boots' schedule. The school year started with a bang and I have been staying up late almost every night (or, "late," but by my standards, quite late) preparing for next day's lessons/tests/etc. My classes are okay: as usual, I have one awesome class and ... the other class. The other class is making me rethink my life choices, though, which is great. My husband and I are making difficult and exciting decisions about what and where we want our lives to be in the near future and it's kind of all I can think of.

I've been wearing awesome new outfits. Have I documented any of them? Nooooooooo.

So my parents left yesterday and I had today off, so I decided to put on some comfy threads and hit the road with my Baby Bjorn in order to do some grocery shopping. Since my parents are gone, I decided to revel in the freedom and privacy of having my home to myself again and take a picture of my really, really basic, really, really boring outfit.

You're welcome:

There's ... a lot going on here.

While this photograph is ridiculous, I kind of like it. For one thing, I'm wearing a Who t-shirt. I love the Who and I bought this tee in Athens on my last full day there. It's the perfect color and shape and size and it's a photograph that I've always loved of my second favorite British fab four. What else do I like about this photo? My crazy hair? Don't know if I so much "love" that, but as I've been growing it out, I've been very cavalier about styling it and I'm kind of enjoying that. Every time I came home this month, with my hair all over the place, my usually-über-critical mother would exclaim how awesome it looked. Yay? What about my "I don't give a crap" face? Well, hell, I'm kind of digging that too! It's how I feel a lot of the time. 

Honestly? The only thing I'm not feeling in this photo are those navy pants. Every year I say I'm going to get rid of them and I never do and then I see a picture of myself in them and I'm like, "Oh." So baggy and misshapen. 

Well. It's late. More professional-type outfit tomorrow.

¡Buenas noches!

Who tee: Pull and Bear, bought in Athens

Navy pants: Gap, remixed

Birkenstocks: bought in Tip-Top Shoes (I think?) in New York, many moons ago, remixed

Inadvertent hiatus

PEOPLE!

I seem to have taken September off from blogging. My husband is out of town, my parents are staying with me, I'm dealing with a full work load, not to mention finagling all the family's schedules between work and daycare and all that fun stuff. When I get home, I don't have any privacy to take photos. Pity, because I have some lovely new clothes (thanks, Old Navy!) and outfits going on.

But we'll have to wait. I'm enjoying my family too much.

See you on the other side!

[By which I mean a little under two weeks or so]

How I wore it: song 2

Today was our second and last full day of faculty meetings. We have to go in tomorrow for departmental stuff and on Tuesday for new students' orientation, with real classes starting on Wednesday.

After yesterday's fancy look, I decided to tone it way down today and go in a new direction, wearing a bunch of new clothes that I bought on my second-to-last day in Greece. I LOVED how I felt in this and it's much closer to what I want my aesthetic to be (haven't I always called myself a rock n'roll nerd?):

Vaguely pissed look optional!

When I was in Greece, I noticed that a lot of the Fashion Babes were wearing tight, distressed light blue jeans with simple white tops. So I decided to get my own. They're already a little looser than I'd like (and the leg isn't as tapered as how the girls wore them), but I freakin' heart these jeans. I've never owned distressed jeans and, yes, I feel like a tool for buying pre-distressed clothes, but holy God, did I feel like a rock star today. The simple grey tank along with the pops of color with my scarf and new watch just added to the whole thing. Granted, maybe it's not the most fashionable/flattering look ever, but I felt so, so great in this. I used to have a pair of light denim flared jeans that I loved until they fell apart: I think these will be a great replacement, especially as I won't be wearing them to work on normal days (my students do not need this side of me); perfect weekend wear. 

 Yay for rocking out! Do you have any outfits that make you feel like a million bucks for no apparent reason? 

Infinity scarf: Old Navy online (remixed?)

Grey tank: H&M Athens

Distressed jeans: Pull and Bear

Brown sandals: gift from a friend from Costa Rica, remixed

Watch: La Mer collections

How I wore it: band on the run

Hellooooooo!

I am about to COLLAPSE, people. Today was my first day back to work: a full day of frantic walks to and from the train station (about 15 minutes from my work); faculty meetings; and rushing to pick up Baby Boots from daycare. Woo! Not to mention, reconnecting with old friends and colleagues and meeting new faculty and staff. It's a little past 9 PM, I need a shower, my husband's not home yet, we have dirty pots and pans everywhere, I'm about to collapse, BUT? The baby's at least asleep.

Small victories, y'all.

So, as is my wont for first days, I decided to fancy myself up a little bit: dress, shoes, contacts... you know the drill:

Don't mind the playpen to the left...

We've seen all this before, n'est-ce pas? I feel of two minds about this look. On the one hand, back in June I was ready to toss this black dress, as I've had it since the summer of 2007 and it's getting thin and pilly and misshapen and ugh. I'd also ordered a new black dress from Old Navy, but it's a little short and the buttons, which are great for nursing, tend to pop open, so... not a real replacement in that I can wear it to work. So I held on to it. And I'm glad I did, especially when I put it on this morning. I love the drape and shape of this dress and I'll probably wear it till it's literally falling about me in tatters. 

On the other hand, these last couple of weeks I've been trying to better hone my personal style and...I don't know, this seems so basic and boring but it also seems so me, ya know? While I kind of want to move in a new direction, there's something just so right and satisfying about this look for me. Baby steps! 

All of that being said, though, I was marvelously comfy and it was the perfect outfit for my crazy, on-the-go day. Hurray for the tried and true!

Scarf: Old Navy (online), remixed

Black dress: Gap, remixed

Black modesty top (underneath): Glamourmom, by way of Isis Maternity, remixed

Buffalo plaid flats: American Eagle by Payless, remixed

Unexpected: a story with pictures

Yesterday I went into the Fluevog store looking for these boots:

I was attracted to their rocker look and the cool color, although I have a couple of pairs of boots - if not several - that are blue. I was also interested in them in black:

Once in the store, I didn't like the look of them in person so much, so I decided to try on this decidedly fun pair of oxfords that I'd seen last time I ventured inside:

My husband didn't much like them, so I decided to try them on in another color - I've wanted saddle-type shoes since I was a teenager...

So my friendly 'Fluevologist' brought me the two pairs of shoes and one more that I hadn't asked for:

... Well, I fell in love and went home with them. Green shoes! And they came with three sets of laces: the white ones you see in the picture, brownish ones, and matching green ones (which are clearly the ones I'll be using). I can't wait to wear them to work. 

All photographs from the John Fluevog website

The boots are the Truth Genevieves

The tapestry and black and white oxfords are the Terra Omegas

And the pair I took home are the Radio CBC (for women) in green! 

Chillaxing

Wow, it's hard for me to think that in 48 short hours, I'll be getting ready to arrive back in the States. This has been a strange vacation and I'm very happy to be going home, although sad to be leaving Greece, which has become an adopted homeland. Today I celebrated our last weekend in Greece by shopping. Because? I'm classy that way.

More on that another time, because my first Greek shopping excursion was a couple of weeks ago, before we left for Sparta. We went to downtown Athens to our favorite neighborhoods (Monastiraki, Plaka) for some sedate walking and hanging out. I insisted on stopping in front of every store in the Monastiraki flea market that looked as if it might sell the colorful, flowy pants that every single Athenian girl seemed to be wearing this summer and last; my Holy Grail: harem pants.

After some aimless wandering, I pulled my husband into a hippie store, called, appropriately, The Hippie Shop. It sold everything from brightly colored blankets and prints to pants to ... vaguely South Asian-inspired decorations? In short, it was the kind of goofy, faux-Eastern store that would have not been out of place forty-something years ago. My kind of place. All the women who worked there looked ethereal and had nose rings (she wrote, jealously).

The pants that I was interested in were one-size: not elastic, but rather huge in the waist in order to be folded/tied according to one's preferences (see here for instructions). I would've loved an elasticized waist (and elasticized ankles, for the complete look) because of laziness, but I love the two pairs of pants I picked up.

The first pair is a more staid, "have people over while feeling comfy and casual" look:

Head cut off because I apparently don't know how to pose for photos anymore

Fun, right? These pants are pure cotton and love and so, so comfy. I actually wore them last night for the exact kind of scenario I described: my husband's best friend came over for dinner and hanging out and I just chilled with my comfy pants and a nursing top. No prob!

The second pair is a lot more fun, in a "I can only wear these around the house" type of way:

Woo! It's made of patches of what (is made to?) look like sari cloth. God knows how authentic they are, but they make for a lovely technicolor dreampant when I look down: I wore them all day today around the house and I lurved them. 

[On a side note, how amazing is that basic grey tank? I bought it today at H&M and am indignant at myself for not having owned it earlier...]

I don't think these are 'harem pants' in the technical sense, in that the ankle isn't tapered/elasticized, but they're exactly what I was looking for, so I'm stoked. 

In the meantime, does anyone else have a problem with the term 'harem pants'? I know it's a pretty accepted term in shopping for this kind of garment, but...should it be? Maybe it's my degree in area studies; maybe it's the perennial reading of Said on Orientalism, but... I think the usage of the word 'harem' adds an overly Orientalized (in the Said sense)/eroticized aspect to what is a simple piece of fabric. Anyone else have any thoughts? Am I overthinking this? 

How I wore it: lesson learned

Greetings, all! I can't believe that I'll be in the States in four days! I mean, in less than two weeks I'll be back at work. Le sigh.

Anyways...

Yesterday was the second biggest holiday in Greece, Assumption, the 'Easter of the summer.' It's kind of a big deal for my in-laws, as it's also the name day for women named after the Virgin Mary and my mother-in-law happens to be one. So, as always, we got up early, went to church, and ate like hogs (after a relaxing interval at the beach).

I wore a maxi dress that I bought at Old Navy in April or May and have worn several times since. It's long, soft jersey, and has an empire waist: normally I'm not into empire waists, but they've been my post-partum saviors. I felt pretty awesome -

- OH. Oh, dear. That...was not as flattering as I thought. I guess the jersey didn't hide the tank top underneath and... huh. No. I promise on all that's holy that I'm not as wide as that dress makes me look. Granted, I'm not WAIFISH right now, but, dude, that dress is not flattering. Okay. Figured it out.

both photographs by my husband. He got my feet!

Good God, that's worse. At least the color is nice, no?

Also, I just found out that it's an article of clothing I have to hand wash. OH HELL NO. 

I...might be leaving it in Greece. Or ripping it to shreds. Any suggestions, Style Nation?

Blue maxi: Old Navy (online)

Aqua nursing tank: Glamourmom, by way of LactationCare.com remixed

Orange sandals: Nine West, remixed

How I wore it: Chalkdust and church

Today the gang got up early in order to hit up a local monastery for church services. I wasn't originally planning to go: in fact, two weeks ago, I came to the decision that - apart from important, "family" events (Easter, Christmas, Assumption) - I was going to start curtailing my church-going activities drastically. However, as the monastery was a short drive away, my husband was worried that Baby Boots would get hungry and cranky without me, so off I went [she got neither hungry nor cranky]. This is what we wore:

As usual, my husband [the photographer of this fine pic] cut off part of my feet. He also didn't warn me that he was taking a picture. This is the only shot of my whole outfit which showed some foot. You're welcome?

Hey, remember when I only used to wear this skirt with black or white? Not this summer: I've been rocking it with different colored (nursing) tanks and this fun scarf (yet another early summer Old Navy purchase). Damn, I look twelve in that picture. Sorry, where was I... 

Another photo by the incomparable Mr. Boots. At least I look like less of a goober, despite my lack of feet. Also, I just noticed that my daughter and I have identical skeptical expressions on our faces. Family!

Uhh, I don't really have much else to say about this. Upon coming home, I changed into schlumpy comfy clothes and, a few hours later, we hit the beach. Ta-da! 

More later, I'm sure...

Patterned scarf: Old Navy (online store)

Crimson nursing tank: Glamourmom, via LactationCare.com

Striped skirt: Gap, remixed

Orange sandals: Nine West, remixed

I'll send it along...

Folks, folks, folks (look at me with all the posting!)! I've gotten another offer from the nice people at eShakti to give you another offer, valid till August 31st (holy crap! I'll be back at work by then!)! In case you're not familiar with this charming online boutique, it stocks beautiful dresses, skirts, and other items of clothing from sizes 0-26, all customizable!

If you enter promo code CH27KZS, you will get 10% off when you shop! The code can be used as much as you like until the end of the month and can be combined with other online offers. It cannot, alas, be used on items in the overstock category. 

What would I use this discount on? Well, although it's totally not my style and I suspect that it would look awful on me, this dress has caught my eye:

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And it comes in lots of colors! 

What would you choose? Take a look! 

* Disclaimer: With this promo code, I will be given credit in the form of gift cards with each sale made. That being said, I've had only good experience with the customer service of the good people at eShakti and would not pass along this offer if I didn't think it was worth it. So if you shop and I get some coupons, rad. If you don't, that's cool, too. 

Oh, my

I'm not really in the market for new things. I'm in an acquisitive mood, mainly because the end of the summer, and Greece, and back-to-school, and paycheck and whatnot... However, while both my husband and I got good raises in our respective jobs, we also have a child. And that child is starting daycare in a few weeks. So... apart from fun little things (watch on sale, birthday earrings, etc.), I'm really trying to spend less money. Everything I buy has to hold up to the Baby Boots test and also to the "is this an extravagant purchase or something really useful?" question.

That being said, I came upon these yesterday via an old student's Facebook page:

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I'm not the hugest fan of booties (I have my workhorse grey booties that stumpify my legs every time), but these are wedges (which, in fact, is not a style that I've ever really...worn), so they won't stumpify. These booties make me want to make up wonderful autumn outfits that feature green and tweed and pencil skirts. These booties make me want to be a better teacher simply for the clothes that I would wear with them. I can't stop typing the word "booties" and now I can't stop saying it in my head. Gross.

Not gross? They're Toms, so buying them would make me feel marginally less guilty about spending money. And my parents have reminded me that they owe me a birthday present. 

Decisions, decisions...

Quick earring fix

My husband and I decided to go on a date tonight. Before last month, we hadn't had a date night since long before the baby was born. Now, of course, one of the lovely things about being in Greece is that we have at least two eager baby-sitters who all but shove us out the door when we even start to make mention that we might want some alone time. Ahhh, grandparents. We went on a date last month, a little before Baby Boots' baptism; it was the first (of so far two) Athenian outing I had: a nice dinner on the top of Mount Lycabettus. Tonight we went to "downtown" Sparta for dinner out. My husband wanted some alone time with me. I wanted to wear my new earrings. Date night!

I also wore my new shorts, but I won't be showcasing those because I'm not sure where my camera is. Also, I didn't style them perfectly, so I need to work on that a little. I will say, though, that after about five minutes of me bitching that I felt "weird and uncomfortable wearing shorts and my thighs are too big and are you sure I look okay" I forgot all about how infrequently I wear shorts and was comfy as hell all night. Well, you'll see them soon, I'm sure.

In the meantime...

watching TV in the background

... now THEM'S earrings! I adore them. Despite their length, they're light and wonderful. I have the feeling that they'll be worn a lot at work. And once Baby Boots gets over her urge to grab anything within reach.

Speaking of which, our date was cut short because, when we called the house to check in on her, my dad-in-law told us that she had eaten well but seemed a little restless. We made the executive decision to go home instead of getting dessert and came home to a wailing, unhappy baby who wanted her mom. 

I'm not sure if we'll ever go on a date again.

Birthday loot, 31st edition

Greetings from Sparta! It's currently 108 degrees and we have no A/C here. Both the baby and I are doing GREAT, let me tell you...

As some of you may or may not know, August 6th (yesterday) is my birthday and yesterday I turned 31. Woo! Let this be the year that no one mistakes me for a student at work!

Since July kind of sucked for both my husband and me (deadlines to be met, no outings to be had, etc., etc.), my husband decided to make my birthday SPECTACULAR. And, boy, did he deliver.

First, he drove me into Sparta for some shopping. He first indulged my impulse purchase of shiny hairpins...

... then we went into my favorite jewelry store and I picked out a suitable birthday present...

 ... and then he surprised me by picking up the tab for a pair of shorts that I desperately needed (I don't tend to wear shorts and I hadn't bought any since...2002? 2003? I don't even know)...

All of these will be delayed gratification, though, as my hair is still a little too short to stick a decorative hairpin into (although, by God, I will try); the earrings need to be taken out when Baby Boots is not in the vicinity; and the shorts popped a button while I was trying them on (I'm gonna ask my mom-in-law to sew it back on. Nope, I can't sew buttons. Shut up.). Still, totes worth it.

After a short rest, we went here...

source

... for a trip to the beach with Baby Boots and then a late dinner by the water. I ate this:

source

... It was delicious. After a late candle-blowing ceremony on homemade flan, the day ended. It was one of the best birthdays ever! I can't wait to show you the results of the shopping. Also, I went shopping last week in Athens. I have two words for you: harem pants.

Stay cool!

Simple gifts

A couple of years ago, when I was working at the crazy school where I had the insane dress code, one of my best buddy colleagues showed up to work wearing a beautiful watch, of a kind I'd never seen before. If I remember correctly, the watch itself was simple, but the strap was wrapped around her wrist a few times and some charms were hanging off it. Although I've worn the same watch since I was eighteen (the simple steel one you see in most of my photos - most recently), I was immediately drawn to the unique style of my friend's watch. I asked her the brand and she told me and I promptly forgot about it.

Fast forward to January or February of this year, while home during maternity leave, I'm on my husband's iPad incessantly (while I nurse Baby Boots) and I stumble across this website. I immediately recognize both the style and the name from my colleague of about two years ago (how could I forget a simple name like 'La Mer'?! Aren't I supposed to be a French teacher?! By the way, I'll be teaching some French this year). I browsed through the entire collection and fell deeply, madly in love with the wrap styles and the ones with the charms and the studs and everything. I can't link to all the watches I love, so I just urge you to go to the site and browse. I'll wait.

Okay?

So anyways, I've always been a one-watch kind of girl, but in late 2010, my godmother gave me a gorgeous Esprit watch which I wear every once in a while and I have no problem alternating it with my usual steel, despite the concerns I wrote about back then. For the past months, I've kind of wanted a new watch that would fit me a little better: I love the white one, but not for every day. I've had the steel Fossil since Christmas of 1999 and I'm a teensy bit over it. However, the idea of even dropping a little bit of money on such an unnecessary purchase gave me pause - I have two perfectly good watches, not to mention a cell phone; I barely wear a watch during my downtime with Baby Boots; what's the point?!

So anyways, yesterday I read my daily e-mail from Gilt Groupe and wouldn't you know it ... La Mer watches were on sale! Bam. Done.

When I get back to the States, I will be the proud owner/wearer of this:

source

Choosing a color was difficult. I dithered between pinks, purples, greys, chained models, and black. I asked my husband for help. In the end, he liked this one the best, as the color jumped out at him as something very "me." I liked the fact that the watch face was round, as I tend to prefer that shape over square/rectangular. And, as you can attest, I love teal/turquoise-y notes, so I think this watch will be perfect for punching an outfit up. Also, before I became a full-time teacher, I always wore bracelets, but I find them uncomfortable now because of writing on blackboards (or, in the case of my school, whiteboards) and grading and computers and whatnot [and, as I always wear a watch, having them on my left hand was unacceptable]; now, with this funky watch, I'll still have some wrist decoration! 

I'm very excited. 

From the age of 18 till now (almost, gulp, 31), I've obviously gone from considering watches utilitarian only to also decorative. What side of the fence do you fall on?

How I wore it: baby baptism

Hi, all! Oh, it's nice to be doing this again...

Anyway, although it's just past midnight for me, it's still Monday in my brain. So when I say "yesterday" I mean Sunday. So, yes, "yesterday," we had Baby Boots baptized into the Greek Orthodox church, just like her father (and mother!) before. The only Orthodox baptism I've ever seen has been my own, which doesn't really count, because it wasn't the classic "kid gets baptized" ceremony, but rather "unwilling adult gets dunked." I'm told it's different with babies.

Anyway, the ceremony took place in a convent a few hours north of Athens (road trip!). The convent is dedicated to Saint Nicholas the Younger (I...don't know who he is) and it consists of three nuns. The abbess is pretty much a spiritual advisor to my mother-in-law and she was the first person that my husband and his mother turned to at the very difficult time of Baby Boots' dramatic birth. Some members of the family firmly believe that the baby's continuing good health are all due to the abbess' prayers and the saint's intervention. We thought it only fitting to have her baptism there.

Anyway, I don't want to get too much into the ceremony because I won't do it justice, but the baby behaved like a champ, enjoyed the attention from her relatives, and looked adorable in her baptism outfit. Here she is with her proud father:

Now, THAT is an outfit. It involved: a dress, a cap, socks, shoes, an under-cap (because the baby was smeared with oil), underwear, and a slip (again, the undergarments protected the fancy dress from the oil). As soon as we got photographs and went to a local taverna for lunch, we stripped her down to her underwear layer. It's still Greece in July, after all. Oh, and I'm forgetting the fancy diamond-and-white-gold cross she got, too. FANCY!

I didn't dress up nearly as fancily as my daughter, but I liked my own look, too. My husband was kind enough to snap some pictures of me several hours after the ceremony, when I already looked more than a little disheveled:

That green maxi is one of my Old Navy purchases. It's empire waisted and has a deep V neckline, which is perfect for a nursing mother. The straps are actually braided and knotted in the back, so I bet I could adjust the neckline enough to make the modesty tank top underneath unnecessary. Then again, I don't take chances in church. I even had a little scarf over the whole shebang in order to cover my chestal arena. 

I was very comfortable for the whole day, especially considering that it involved multiple nursing sessions and two long car rides, not to mention standing around in church for about an hour. However, I can't wait to wear this dress again and dress it down for a nice, normal, "hanging out in Greece" look...

He was making me laugh with funny faces. I'm as easily amused as my almost-7-month-old daughter.

Blue nursing tank: Glamourmom, ordered via LactationCare.com

Green maxi dress: Old Navy (online)

Orange sandals: Nine West, remixed

If there's anything I can do...

You know how yesterday I mentioned that I haven't really been online? Well, checking my e-mail, I discovered that you, my lovely readers, have been given an offer from eshakti, a fabulous online boutique that lets you customize many, if not all, of your orders! Although I was late to finding the e-mail offer (it had been sent to me on Friday), it's still valid until July 31st (that's next Tuesday!), so check it out!

If you enter promotional code CH27KZS (not case sensitive) while ordering, you will get 10% off your order! Doesn't that sound fun? The store is having a 40% off sale as we speak and you can use this code on the items on sale, too! While you can use this coupon multiple times, it's not applicable for their overstock category. 


I don't do much clothes shopping for myself these days for a multitude of reasons (still a little self-conscious about my postpartum body, need access to the chestal arena, etc.), but one dress that caught my eye (and it's on sale) is this little number: 

source

Droooooool, am I right? I might still buy it... and, despite not being applicable with the coupon, a certain denim maxi I saw in the overstock category (empire waist! Easy nursing access! In a slightly larger version than my pre-baby size so it won't make me feel bad about myself! On sale!). Oh, and I'm in love with every single dress in this category... Damn it, eshakti! Now I want to shop again. 

So, good luck! Have fun!  

Who are you? Who, who? Who, who?

Oh. My. God. Internet, I've missed you so much. Not just you, Style Nation. But all of the internet. My husband and I have been in Greece for almost three whole weeks, but we've only gotten a reliable internet connection as of ... yesterday. This means that I've not updated (duh), read no blogs (I'm literally MONTHS behind on all my favorites), and barely even checked my work e-mail.

Damn.

So, what's new, guys? I'm in Athens. Life is good. The baby is loving all the attention she's getting from her paternal relatives and she also got baptized today.

Some observations from the past few weeks months that might be of worth:

• Baby Boots is eating solids now! It's very exciting. 
• I ordered a bunch of cute clothes from Old Navy that are suitable to nurse in and will even be showing them off on this here "blog" soon, as soon as I remember how to take photos and what a blog is. 
• A few weeks ago, I ran out of my regular black eyeliner and so I went to Sephora and bought what seemed to be the new version of it (also in black, still called Perversion). I freakin' hate it. It's as waterproof as they say and, even with make-up remover (which I never used to use), I end up pulling off a few eyelashes every night in an attempt to get the stuff off. It also burns my eyes like crazy when I put it on, which doesn't seem ideal in a cosmetic that you put near your eyes. Anyone out there got a recommendation for a good, true liquid eyeliner (like the kind with a little brush) in black? With minimal to no burning of the eyes? 
• I can put my hair up! Granted, it takes about a gajillion bobby pins, a little alligator claw pin, and a tiny little elastic (to put up the tiny lock of hair that counts for a "ponytail"), but it's up, all right. 

You have no idea how much it takes to make that hairstyle stay in place. Oh, there's my baby.

Aaaand that's about it. I'll tell y'all about Baby Boots' baptism tomorrow and even SHOW YOU MY OUTFIT! Crazy.

How I wore it: debutante

So yesterday (Sunday) was Baby Boots' first introduction to the world of birthday parties. We were all invited to the 1st birthday of a little boy whose parents work at my school. It was an outdoor barbecue/picnic; Baby Boots was the youngest baby there, but she was also definitely the cutest, and I'm totally objective.

She also behaved like an angel, which made us unreasonably proud.

Anyway, for a simple party with kids and coworker mommies, I thought I'd put on my new favorite "good" outfit. It involves a nursing tank and my new favorite jeans - it's not that exciting.

... EXCEPT:

TURQUOISE JEANS, PEOPLE! Could I be any happier?! I think not! These are from the Gap, with their whole "colored denim" campaign and I am in love. I think the style is "sexy boyfriend" or some crap like that, but all I know is that they run big and are a little high-waisted, which is perfect for the self-esteem of a new mom like me, as I was able to buy my normal size. They're a tad stumpifying, but I don't care. I love them so, so much. Of course, with a long tank, I've made my torso a little too long and my legs a little too short, so I'd consider tucking the shirt in next time. ... Or would that be too retro? Decisions, decisions.

When I wore variations of this outfit (plus sweaters and scarves and whatnot) to work, I would fancy up the jewelry a little more, but Baby Boots has begun to grab quite effectively, so I decided that it was safer to wear simple silver hoops that, if pulled, will pop right off. 

That's my story and I'm stickin' to it!

Black tank: Glamourmom, by way of Isis Maternity, remixed

Jeans: Gap (online)

Sandals: Nine West Athens, remixed

How I wore it: see you in September!

Today was the last day of school for the kids. Hallelujah. I mean, I still have to go in tomorrow for graduation and a couple of days next week for meetings but (nerd alert) I kind of love faculty meetings. My colleagues are an awesome bunch. Anyway, my day was very difficult and consisted of watching 'Pan's Labyrinth' with one class and the 5th Harry Potter movie (en español, of course!) with the other.

What? I'm an awesome teacher.

Today I decided to retry an outfit that I'd worn on a balmy March or April day and wanted to recreate. It involves my current favorite t-shirt and an old workhorse. However, I didn't really like the results head-on as much as did the results in the mirror:

BOXY!

Yeah, no. This outfit isn't coming from a place of yes as much as I'd thought. I love the colors together and have no complaint with the leg- and footwear, but I think the proportions are off. The tee is too long and blousy to wear with this particularly clingy and pencil-esque skirt. It makes my torso look eight miles long, too. 

Oh, well, back to the drawing board.

Can you tell it's been a while since I posed? Check out those stiff shoulders!

All my complaints being made, though, I'm glad I looked somewhat fancier for the last day of school (although the fact that I wanted to wear tights is a sad state of affairs). Oh, and one junior girl said she liked my outfit. So... there you go? I even wore contacts! I'll definitely be dressing fancy tomorrow for graduation where it's actually somewhat required. We'll see what I'll be able to whip up...

Blue tee: Old Navy Maternity

Red skirt: Dickie's brand, bought from a store in Philadelphia (Guacamole), remixed

Grey patterned tights: Gap, remixed

Red wedges: CL by Laundry, by way of DSW, remixed

How I wore it: happy June!

It's the last week of school for my students and the weather has celebrated by being in the mid-50s and raining. I mostly feel for the seniors, who will be graduating in soggy weather. Poor things. That being said, I was delighted for the excuse to pull out, with no exaggeration, LITERALLY my new favorite sweater, which I ordered a couple of months ago.

You see, I've been really into ordering online from Old Navy. I started doing so for cheap, presentable maternity wear, and then started doing the same for nursing tops, and now I just can't stop. I was actually in the market for a plain, serviceable grey cardigan, but I got into exploring and something called a "blanket sweater" caught my eye. The reviews all remarked upon how sturdy it was and what good quality it showed, so I ordered it and fell promptly in love. And it IS like snuggling into a blanket, no matter what the outside temperatures are. I've mostly paired it with black:

And today was no exception, as I just put it on with black pants and a black tank. Not feeling particularly creative. The photo doesn't do my epic hair justice. I've been playing a lot with pulling the bangs back, but today I just let it loose and it looked kind of awesome, but my 3:30 PM style wasn't really reflecting that.

First outfit post of many months! Yay! I look forward to posting more! 

Enormous sweater: Old Navy

Black tank (underneath): Glamourmom, by way of Isis Maternity

Black pants: Ralph Lauren, stolen from mom (remixed?)

Grey booties: Aldo, remixed