Sunday, January 20, 2013

Down to YOUR vote, Internet

All right, people. The morning after I wrote my last post, I went ahead and ordered those frames I loved so much. They arrived on Saturday morning and I'm ... kind of in love.

My first reaction, upon seeing them, was "They're so small!" It's true. They're downright puny compared to the large frames I tend to go for. Then I tried them on. And... after a few minutes, I started loving them.

The same thing happened to my husband. His first reaction to them (mind you, he was all numb and unhappy after getting a wisdom tooth removed) was, "Coooooool. But I don't know if I like them more than the ones you already have." Then I wore them for him again this morning. And his new reaction? "Okay, they're hot."

I mean, they're totes a new look. And I don't yet know if I'm ready to move away from my current look. But I might be. And if I am, I think these are the specs with which I'd like to do it.

To wit:


This is what I look like right now (after a long trip to a huge mall with my husband, parents, and one-year-old daughter. Tired!). Prada glasses are awesome, life is good.


These are the Ray-Bans. Ohmigod, I like them even more in photos. Sorry for the distance. Since they don't have real lenses in them, they were reflecting the computer like crazy. Anyways, ahem. Me likey.

Also, remember! Aqua surprise!

Admit it. I'm so attractive that you don't know what to do about it.

... I mean, right?!

So what do you guys think? Style Nation, my future look depends on your opinions! Leave a comment letting me know! 

On that note, there're so many cool specs things coming up in the near future! Stay posted!





Wednesday, January 16, 2013

It's like they KNOW me!

People, evidently Ray-Ban has my number. I was up late at night Googling Clubmasters (my absolute favorite type of frames that I've never actually tried on but desperately want) and suddenly I came across these:


Dark frame (it looks black in the picture, but is advertised as havana/tortoiseshell) with aqua inners?! WHAT? Does that not seem like my perfect frame?!

I found a website where I can buy the frames for not too expensive, so... I think I'm gonna do it! If I don't like how they look, I can always send them back and learn my lesson.

WHAT DO Y'ALL THINK?! 

Sunday, January 13, 2013

... the skin graft man won't get you

Outfit posts have been a non-issue recently, as my whole family has come down with some sort of illness. Baby Boots got a bit of a cold right before Christmas, then I got a little sick, then my husband got super sick, and then Baby Boots and I got super-sick again. I lost my voice completely on Thursday (still taught two classes!) and missed work on Friday. Baby has gone to the doctor a couple of times and is doing okay - just seems to be a bad cold: neither of us have the super-flu, thank goodness!

Anyway, I wanted to write about something that's been dear to my heart for over half my life: tattoos. What are your thoughts, people? Many of my friends, acquaintances, colleagues, etc., etc. have tattoos, including my two dearest friends. Lots of bloggers whose style I admire (Sal, Raquelita, to name a couple) sport at least one beautiful tattoo.

Let me get this out there:

I. LOVE. TATTOOS.

I come from a socially conservative family, to whom the idea of tattoos is anathema. I'm also quite afraid of pain. I don't really think I'll get inked anytime soon, but I've been half in love with the idea since I was fifteen. At that age, when I was first really in love with India and Hinduism, what I most wanted was an OM tattoo. Something like this:


I didn't know where I would put it, but I loved the idea of having one. Of course, a couple of years later, everyone and their mother had an OM tattoo, so I was turned off the idea.

In recent years, I've thought more and more of tattoos and placement and whatnot. When I first got into walruses a couple of years ago (my favorite animal!), I was really into the idea of a very small, realistic walrus tattoo on my lower back (right side, around where the kidneys would be, I think). But then again the issue is: do I really want a walrus on my skin for life? Maybe not.

I liked the idea of an ancient Athenian owl tattoo (nape of the neck) to kind of symbolize my love for Greece and my husband. It would pretty much be a reproduction of this:


I didn't find a good version on Google, but a colleague of mine has THE EXACT tattoo that I dreamed of, so that's a bust. 

Because of my studies and my love for Sanskrit literature, I thought of getting a favorite verse or two in Sanskrit to commemorate my Ph.D. Also on my back (for some reason, the right side, middle/lower back is what I'm all about). My favorite verse looks like this:

आलाने गृह्यते हस्ती वाजी वल्गासु गृह्यते |
हृदये गृह्यते नारी यदीदं नास्ति गम्यताम् ||

It's from the Mṛcchakaṭika ("Little Clay Pot") by Śūdraka and it means: "An elephant is to be grasped by the rope; a horse is to be grasped by the reins; a woman is to be grasped by the heart: if that isn't the case, leave it alone." For some reason, that verse has resonated with me since the moment I first read the play my first or second year of grad school. Sigh. Memories. I was really close to getting this one upon defending, but I was pregnant. So, nope.

Finally, my new favorite things in life are cherry blossoms. And I love the idea of getting the image of cherry blossoms inked on my body (don't know where yet). Something like this?


I love the rich, pink color on this style. And I love the juxtaposition of flower with branch: I would definitely want that.


I love the delicacy of this. But I like the idea of starker contrast: dark brown branches, dark pink blossoms. Color of the top one, aesthetic of the bottom? I don't know. Some ideas.

I don't know why the idea of a tattoo appeals to me so much. I like the idea of committing to something so strongly that it's etched on my skin. I love ornamentation, as you all know: jewelry, pretty things - I guess I kind of consider a tattoo a form of really, really permanent jewelry that you really gotta love. 

What do you all think? Do you have a tattoo? Would you get one? 







Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Christmas present!

Hi, y'all!

Soon enough you'll see my new boots, I promise. It's hard to get a picture after work, though, what with the baby wanting to take a nap on me as soon as I get home. I might have to do the iPhone in the ladies' room soon...

Anyway, my husband surprised me with a beautiful Christmas present a couple of weeks ago. We had noticed this particular piece in the window about a week or two beforehand and he was so smitten with it that he took the baby on a road trip to Brookline [not that far] to get it for me (thereby giving me a few blessed hours of sleep/work/shower time). On Christmas morning he made me close my eyes while he put it on me. The baby didn't care.

What do we think of my fun office?

Gorgeous, no? I wore it to my family's celebration later that day and my mother put it beautifully; she said, "It's so delicate, but - at the same time - bold." I think that's a great way of expressing it: it's so delicate and pretty and girly, but, WHAM! It makes a statement.

I actually asked my husband for another specific necklace way back in October or November, which he promises he ordered as WELL. It's kind of in the same vein, but a little rougher/harsher. We'll see if it arrives and I can show it off as well!

All right. Time to open my office door so that I look welcoming...

Necklace from Mattei Galleria in Brookline, MA

Monday, January 7, 2013

Tap...tap...is this thing on?!

Uh, HI!

You guys, this is unheard of. I'm so sorry for taking forever to catch up. Trust me, this little internet space is still really on my mind. I'm just so ... everything. Tired, overwhelmed, overworked, busy, stressed, etc.

And it's the first day of school after winter break!

So, how's it going? How were your holidays? We had a lovely couple of weeks vacation chez Boots. Baby Boots turned 1 two days after Christmas, and that was AWESOME. We even had a little party. With daycare friends! Eeee! I can't believe I have a walking one-year-old...

I've been very contented, style-wise, which is probably why I don't post anymore. I have a buttload of new clothes since, like, September, that you haven't seen and they've been getting a good workout.

Oh. I bought a new pair of Fryes.

Yup. My fourth pair. I'd hate myself if they weren't so magically delicious. My husband came home unexpectedly early from work the day they arrived (after WEEKS of waiting!), when they were still on my bed and he would've had a mild discussion about finances had he not fallen in love with them on sight. They're pretty amazing.

So, yeah, that's what's been going on. I hope to start posting for real this week, yo. Let's make it happen!

Pinky swear?


Could you mistrust a face like this?!