How I wore it: smoothie date!

I'm not going to apologize profusely AGAIN for being out of touch for several months. I'll just apologize a little, but with the caveat that I think this is the new me: I don't want to give up blogging yet, but I don't think I'll the most regular cat as I continue...

I'm now on summer vacation, which is lovely. The school year was tough on a lot of us, and the end of the school year was tough on my school. However, it was bittersweet, as I watched the seniors - the group of kids with whom I started working at my school - graduate after our four years there together: I was even asked to hand out some diplomas, so that was super-special for me.

Now that it's summer, some plans are afoot. I've been biking a lot (more to come, as we're off to pick up our bikes from their yearly tune-up in a couple of minutes!) and working a fair amount on a huge document that I have to edit for work - I'm getting paid extra, don't worry! I've read some Sanskrit, but I'm saving the bulk of it for when we go to Greece next week. Oh, yes! We're going to Greece next week for PRETTY MUCH THE REST OF THE SUMMER, so that should be a thing. We didn't go last year, for almost the first time, so Baby Boots and I will have a much-needed catch-up (my husband went over New Year's). We have a wedding to go to, dates to go on, and walks to take, so I hope to be documenting more on the other side of the pond, since I have a ton of new clothes to show y'all.

But let's get back to today. This morning, I went on a smoothie date with a beloved colleague: she just started working at our school last September, but we quickly became friends. She's not an American citizen, so her visa situation is a little iffy at the moment, but we decided to make the best of it and get some smoothies (and take a long walk, and end up at my place to snuggle my kitty) while we at least were in the same city. Since I knew I couldn't be bothered with biking or anything, I thought I'd go fancier than my usual grubby outfits these days (I'm not wearing all the stuff I want to pack to Greece to keep it fresh):

Blast from the past, huh? All stuff I used to wear a lot before - and maybe even in the same iteration! God, this grey top (a tunic, but tucked into my skirt today) used to be a favorite, huh? About five years ago, I wore it ALL THE TIME, especially when my leggings craze kicked in (that seems to be going strong, still). While I still get a thrill every time I see this tunic in my dresser, I must admit that - while I love it - I rarely wear it these days. Just goes to show that even old favorites can fall out of favor a little bit.

On that note, I've noticed that my own tastes are changing for the moment. While I still like good waist definition as much as always, I've been gravitating toward more relaxed silhouettes, some examples of which I'll be packing to Greece. I don't know why - it's not the most flattering thing on me, but I think as I get more comfortable with my body, I'm more curious to experiment with shapes that I like, but that I've just never liked on me. It should be interesting... 

Oh, see my new glasses? I got them about a month and a half ago and never documented them for you! I LOVE THEM and so does everyone around me, but I'm still working on how to make them really sing on my face. Wear my hear up more? Down more? More stuff? I don't know right now, but I'm loving them all the time. I think that - while I had a nice break with my Ray-Ban Clubmasters and there's nothing to say I won't go for them again in few years - my face just looks better with an all-around thicker frame. You'll see them in more detail, I'm sure, in the future. Thanks, Warby Parker! 

Well, looks like it's time to get ze bikes! Bye for now!

Grey tunic: American Apparel, remixed

Linen skirt: Gap, remixed

Houndstooth shoes: Target, remixed

How I wore it: she comes in colors

Hello, all!

While enthusiasm is again high, let's see what I can do here.

I stayed home from work yesterday to take care of a minorly ill Baby Boots. Today we had a baby-sitter, but I had to rush home from work in a cab (no biking, and it was perfect weather, too! Boo!) to make sure the baby-sitter could get to her rehearsal on time...

Anyway, since I realized I wouldn't be biking, I decided to go in a pencil skirt - I don't know. This combo spoke to me and I went for it:

Those were not the pajamas Baby Boots was wearing when I left the house this morning

I decided to pull on my newest Fluevogs and wear a color combo that I enjoy, dark blue and forest green (the first time I wore this anchor top, I wore it with my dark green pants). In terms of tights, the best ones I could think of were these royal blue dealies, which I'm not sure how well that worked out, but oh, well. 

I don't really like this grey cardigan I'm sporting (despite being made with some silk!), but it gets the job done. I think I ordered it last year around this time, or maybe even later in the spring/early summer because I've always wanted a plain, light, grey cardigan. This one checks all the boxes, but it's very unstructured/non-stretchy (it's hand-wash, too, so it never really "snaps" back into shape after getting washed). It's super unflattering on me, but it's one of those things that I bought more for usage than for style. Because of that, I don't mind scrunching up the sleeves, which I tend to do all day long.    It looks awful buttoned, let me tell you that for darn sure...

Anyway, that's it on my end. I'm a little distressed, personally. Right after I wrote my post the other day, I got an e-mail from my contact at the university where I want to teach offering me some part-time Hindi courses...that meet in the morning. So I can't really take them without quitting my job, and it's not worth it for two sections. GRRRRR.

Hopefully my Warby Parker free trials (supposed to come tomorrow!) will make me feel better about everything. I think you'll be surprised by the ones I chose to try on...

Grey cardigan: Gap (online)

Anchor tank top: J Crew Factory (online), remixed

Green pencil skirt: Old Navy (online), remixed

Blue tights: Gap (online), remixed

Boots: Fluevog, remixed

How I wore it: second day at school

Yay for Friday! I will admit to having been at an emotional/psychological low point over the weekend, but this week really picked up: I got my hands on some books that I've been wanting for YEARS (I spent way too much money on them, but they're MINE. As soon as they ship from England.); I've been reading some really delightful Sanskrit; my draft for the talk I'm giving next month is going well (I think); I discovered a band that I didn't know (The Devil Makes Three) and I'm loving listening to them. Life...is pretty rad.

Today promised to be the last nice-ish day before it gets snowy and deadly cold again. So I decided that I'd wear my new Fluevogs again, but this time with a more unusual pant silhouette:

How good is Baby Boots' mustard sweater?!

Despite my having turned on every light in the house, you still can't tell that I'm actually wearing my new Fluevogs, but I promise you I am. I liked wearing my short new boots with my forest green ankle pants - I think it added some much needed balance to these particular pants. I love them, but they're definitely not the most flattering article of clothing I own. In the mirror, I think they look great, but when I see photos of myself, it's...not great. Especially, as usual, my generous thighs. I think the boots balanced out the whole shebang. 

The striped top with the charcoal cardigan was just a bit of fun and nonsense. 

While we're on the subject, my Fluevogs continue to get more and more comfortable, although they by no means are the shoe I'd choose to take a long hike in. Today I had a "normal" winter day: I walked a couple of miles from home to the train station, then (after a full day of work) from the school bus stop to daycare, then from daycare back home. I was definitely ready to get the boots off my feet by the end of the day, but there was no pain at all. The leather, I hope, will mold around my foot and be like buttah soon. 

Funny story: I have a couple of colleagues who are big Fluevog fans. I showed one of them my new boots today and she fell in love - she's planning to copy me and try to get a pair over the weekend...

All right, mes amis. I'm off to lounge in bed, as I have to be up early tomorrow... Happy Friday!

Charcoal sweater: Gap, remixed

Striped top: Old Navy (online), remixed

Green pants: Old Navy (online), remixed

Boots: Fluevog, remixed

How I wore it: school début

Hi, all! Woof, what a week. I feel as if I'm doing a thousand things at once, between preparing for next month's guest lecture, working on an independent study (badly) with a student, doing my job, and maintaining some sanity. It's ... not working.

After the past couple of weeks' bad weather (bitter cold and/or gross precipitation), I decided that this week I would début my new Fluevogs to work. I had a couple of reasons: a) I wanted to show them off and b) I wanted to ensure that they were comfortable enough to wear on a typical work day.

So today was the day! I wore a very warm and textured outfit that called for a neutral boot with a pop of color:

As usual, my color's all skewed. Dammit, poor camera-->computer skills! At least y'all can see the outline of the boots and the fact that I'm wearing a textured, nubby skirt along with a wooly sweater. 

As much as I love this sweater, its short length is awkward for me. The modesty top I wore underneath (a brownish tube top, in fact) can sometimes create a weird juxtaposition with the length of the sweater, so it makes me look pot-bellied. The other issue is, of course, since the sweater is so thick, it's not the streamlined shape I tend to prefer. Oh, well. I did enjoy the outfit, though.

The boots held up pretty well. The instep is still an issue and, while I wouldn't say that the shoes are small on me, they definitely...press on my foot. I think a couple more wears will make them perfect, although I feel a little foolish, as one of my cardinal rules (especially with Fluevogs, as I've been burned before) is to not leave the store without the shoes being absolutely perfect. But they did hold up well after a long walk to the train station and they were fine throughout the day. They have a bit of a tendency to eat my socks, but we'll see how they hold up...

Here's a more flattering look at the whole look, despite the weird angle and glasses-reflection:

I...think my fatigue is coming across in these pictures. I'm sorry that the boots look like amorphous dark lumps at the bottom of my legs. I swear that in real life and in my iPhoto they looked really good. 

Oh, well.

Pink sweater: Old Navy, remixed

Olive tube top: Express, remixed

Skirt: H&M, remixed

Grey thigh-high socks (yes, that's what I'm wearing): American Apparel, remixed

Booties (I promise): Fluevog, remixed

How I'm wearing it: 26 dollars in my hand

Hello, all! As I type this, I'm waiting for my husband to get home from Greece. He's been gone since the first and he has been very missed by the ladies of the household (myself, Baby Boots, and Amalía the cat). My parents left today after six days of helping me take care of the little one and myself, as I got sick - as I do the first week of classes of every new year - and lost my voice, resulting in missing work yesterday.

I'm slowly getting back to normal - I can talk with only minimal effort - and after a day spent in my PJs yesterday, I was looking forward to throwing something together (and wearing make-up!) in order to welcome my husband home. I decided to go with the unexpected and new:

Okay, so although the original photo itself was clear, it doesn't export clearly. Boo. Anyway, the new aspect is, of course, the new Fluevogs and the thermal shirt (which I've worn a bit - you just haven't seen). The unexpected, of course (I think), are the formal shorts! I haven't worn these since before I got pregnant, I don't think, so that would be early 2011? All right-y then. 

It's weird: since I tend to wear such softer pieces now, I feel a little odd in this get-up, but I also love it. I tend to like that sort of modern Dickensian orphan look (a lot of the arty boys at school dress like this) and I think I pull it off better than I used to because of my own confidence and love for all the pieces I'm wearing. It's a little colorless - maybe a pop of color in the tights (and the lips!) wouldn't come amiss I don't know how my husband will react to this when he sees me. We'll find out, I guess! 

I figured out that my Fluevogs' instep issue isn't too bad. It's hard to get them on, but once I wear them for a while, I forget that they ever felt tight and I feel fine. I'm glad for that, as I can't wait to wear them to work when the weather gets nicer (or at least, the temperature gets out of the teens in the morning). 

As for the hair, while I privately think I could've gone way shorter and less shaggy, I'm so happy that I can still put it up. That's really my default and I think Cheryl, my stylist, could tell. 

And that's all, folks! Hope you're having a nice, WARM, weekend and wish me luck in welcoming my husband home!

Thermal grey shirt: Threads 4 Thought, bought at Whole Foods

Grey tank (underneath): Old Navy (online), remixed

Shorts: Gap, remixed

Grey sweater tights: Gap, remixed

Boots: Fluevog Keatons, remixed

How I wore it: blargh

Hiiiiii, all.

So today I had to go back to school after a lovely winter break. My husband is still in Greece and my parents arrived yesterday to help with Baby Boots, so - as I bunked with the little one - I had a tough night of sleep, due to being nervous about her waking up in the night and being tense about school starting again.

It wasn't freezing when I left the house, but the wind picked up soon after and made it brutal the rest of the day. I was pretty layered, but it was wonderful to get back home after a long day back at work.

Today I wore a pretty similar outfit to this one, but I changed around some elements and added some stuff I got for Christmas, namely a navy sweater and a Sherlock Holmes-themed infinity scarf (gift from my best friend!).

Please enjoy this awful bathroom mirror selfie:

Magical.

You can't tell, but I'm wearing dark blue sweater-y tights and my grey thigh-high socks (just a little over the knee). My new cardigan is a navy Ralph Lauren piece that my mother gave me for Christmas. It's long-ish, which I like, with big gold buttons. I was glad to have it with my short little Old Navy blue dress. 

Oh, here's a close-up of the awesome scarf from my best friend. It has some lines from The Hound of the Baskervilles (does it shock y'all that I was a huge Sherlock Holmes fan as a kid?). I took this selfie in the morning and texted it to my friend, as it was my first wearing of it. I. Love. It. I didn't take it off all day:

Even more magical.

Isn't it amazing? I'm pretty sure it's from Etsy, but I don't know which store (I'm pretty sure I've seen it somewhere and wanted to buy it). 

Anyway, that was my first day back. Despite the fact that my mom barely noticed that I had chopped off a bunch o'inches from my hair, every single person at work commented on it, teachers and students. So there you go...

Happy Monday!

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle scarf: Gift from best friend

Navy blue cardigan: Ralph Lauren, gift from mom

Blue dress: Old Navy (online), remixed

Sweater tights: Gap, remixed

Grey thigh-high socks: American Apparel, remixed

Boots: Frye, by way of Country Outfitter, remixed

How I wore it: starry night

First outfit post of 2015! Woo!

So life is a little lonely here at the Boots household because my husband left yesterday for a nine-day trip to Greece to visit his family. My parents are coming on Sunday to help me out with the little one when I go back to work, but during these next couple of days, I've been trying to plan a lot of activities.

Today I went to visit a friend of mine from high school who happens to live in the next town over. She has two little ones, a five-year-old and a three-year-old, so they're perfect playmates for my newly turned three-year-old. I had a fun outfit planned that I had worn practically identically last weekend and I planned to wear it with cowboy boots, but in the last minute, I went with my new 'vogs. How could I resist, as the colors went perfectly?

... I know, right? Their shape is dreamy. You'll get a close-up in a sec. I got this tunic at the same hipster store where I bought one from the same company (FluffyCo) some years ago. Now that I'm so into leggings, I find myself gravitating towards tunics once more. Yay? Anyway, I liked the galactic print on this one. I wore this whole outfit with a new sweater (Christmas present from my mom), but you'll be seeing it soon, I promise. 

So now let me show you what you're really here to see:

I know, right? Even thought I firmly believed myself to be done with buying new boots as of my holy grail of Fryes, I gravitated toward these on the site back in the fall. They had other colors then, a gorgeous olive and a swoony purple, but now these are the ones left. They are a dark brown leather, with that more distressed spats-like bit, and then the denim under the zipper. They're called the Keatons. And we are very much in love. They're technically a men's boot, but I don't care. They're a tad bit tight on the instep, but I can already feel that getting better. Mmmm. I love them so much. I also got rid of two pairs of boots that were past their prime in my closet, so now I have more space! Why, it's almost justifiable to spend $300 on new boots that I don't need! Mmm, I don't care. These are awesome-sauce. I love how non-clunky they are, so they create a nice line with the rest of the leg. 

And the baby likes them, too, so who am I to argue?

Star tunic: FluffyCo, by way of a store in Somerville (Magpie)

Grey leggings: Calvin Klein, by way of TJMaxx, remixed

Boots: Fluevog Keaton

How I wore it: Brrrrr!

You guys, today we woke up to 18 degrees. It's probably the coldest it's been all season. I guess that's not bad, as it's December, but, man, was it hard to be outside today. I have to be outside quite a lot on a normal work day, as I pick up Baby Boots from preschool and get there and back home on foot. And, if it's not raining, I walk to my commuter rail station (about a mile), so… lots of layering for me today!

I decided to take advantage of what seems to be the only day this week that it won't rain and wear a tried and true outfit:

I bought this maxi dress in the summer of 2010 and it's still going strong. It's a little stretched, which can be an undergarment problem (as it's got a racerback), but as I wasn't going to wear it without a thousand layers, it wasn't too big a deal. I decided to pair it with an old purple cardigan and the light blue boots my husband bought me in Spain in the spring of 2011. I've worn this particular dress with these particular boots A LOT over the past couple of years and the combo never fails to make me happy. 

However, as it was freezing both indoors and outdoors for much of the day, I layered a semi-new (to the blog, at least) vest over the whole shebang:

Pardon the douchey expression…

I bought this neat-o asymmetrical vest off Zulily the year before last. It's Desigual! A couple of bloggers I love (Sal and Sheila, for starters) are big fans of Desigual and I've always admired their designs. I also like that it's a Spanish company - what can I say? Sometimes I'm very chauvinistic… Anyway, a colleague of mine turned me on to Zulily and the day I joined, they had a sale on Desigual stuff, so I bought myself this vest. It's super snuggly and all those colors means that it either goes or clashes with everything, so I'm always safe with it… 

Today I decided to wear my clothes with a set of Chilean jewelry I've never featured:

Like all my Chilean jewelry, this pendant-earring-ring set was bought for me by my father on one of his many trips home. This rock, known as "piedra cruz" [cross stone], is native to Chile and, as you see, seems to look like a cross when cut. Neat, huh?

I've been continuing to try to treat myself with more kindness and not beat myself up about my winter hibernating body. Are y'all respecting yourselves as well?

Happy Monday!

Vest: Desigual, via Zulily.com

Scarf: Urban Outfitter, remixed

Purple cardigan: gift from my mother, by way of Lord and Taylor (New York), remixed

Striped maxi dress: Gap, remixed

Blue boots: gift from my husband from a store in Madrid, remixed

Jewelry: gift from my father

How I wore it: snuggly

Hey all! Today I wore an outfit that I had already worn in a slightly different iteration over the weekend. I'd been looking forward to it all week and little wonder:

It's all my favorite elements in one outfit! Grey, black, leggings, and boots. Man, a couple of years ago, I would've just called it a day and worn this every day. I don't think the proportions are perfect - as much as I like these loose sweatshirts, they are a little unflattering, but, hey, at the end of the day, comfiness is important, too. Maybe the sweatshirt is too long for the short dress, too. Stuff to think about… 

Also? I came to a realization last night and this morning. And this might be too personal, so I'll give you a chance to not engage for a sec…

Okay, so here it is: I'm sick of hating my body. Now this is not a mindblowing realization. God knows, Sal makes a career of telling us why/how we shouldn't hate our bodies. But honestly? I've been in a weird grapple with my body for over twenty years. That's tiring, y'all. And another stupid thing? My body isn't objectively problematic. And that sucks. It sucks that I have this perfectly fine body that I obsess about because of stupid things such as my mother's criticism when I was younger or the fact that I can't bike because it's fucking cold outside and I'm scared of biking too late at night. I mean, yesterday I had an unpleasant evening - TMI alert - I had my first mammogram. Breast cancer runs in my family on both sides and my doctor wants me to start getting checked now, as opposed to waiting till later (results came back normal: yay!). So, although I wasn't scared per se, I was anxious about the repercussions of all of this. I decided that I deserved treats. So after the appointment, my husband and I drove to the grocery store and stocked up on treats I like: roasted corn snacks and yoghurt-covered raisins. So I ate some of those, had a small dinner, and generally felt boss about life. A couple of hours later, I felt fat and gross for having eaten yummy little unhealthy-ish snacks as well as dinner.

So, screw it. I'm done. Or at least, more honestly, I'm going to try to be done. My body is capable of wonders: it walks me a couple of miles a day to go to work and get my daughter. It is capable of biking without tiring for hours. It grew a person. It enjoys intimate time with my husband. I shouldn't hate it anymore.

Who's with me? 

Grey sweatshirt: Old Navy (online), remixed

Black dress: Old Navy (online) remixed

Leggings: Old Navy (online), remixed

Grey boots: Frye Paige Cuffs, by way of eBay, remixed

How I wore it: profesh

Hi all!

Woo, I disappeared for a few weeks there, didn't I? Stuff got a little bit busy and then it was Thanksgiving and then I was busy and trying to rest and…whatnot. Hi.

How were your Thanksgivings (for my American reader(s))? Mine was nice. I had a five-day break, but it felt short. Today we went back to work, but just the teachers, as it was Professional Day.

After four (out of five) days of wearing leggings, I decided to damn the haters and just wear my teal corduroy jeggings with a sweatshirt and call it day. Even though I didn't, I wanted to feel as if I could curl up and take a nap anywhere at a moment's notice:

Yikes. I mean, I know that leggings aren't pants, but still. You know what, though? Screw it. I was super comfy and cozy all day today and got lots of compliments on my bright "pants." I think on a real day, I wouldn't dare to wear this sort of outfit - my legs are far too weirdly-shaped (thick and curvy up top and then tapering down low) for such a short, non-tunicy top. Oh, well, win some lose some…

How do we feel about it being December…?

Grey sweatshirt: Old Navy (online)

Pink striped tank (underneath): Gap

Teal corduroy jeggings: HUE, by way of Lord and Taylor (Boston), remixed

Flats: Target, remixed

How I wore it: mismatching yeti

Today the skies opened and it rained all. Bloody. Day. Long. Even though my department was meeting a potential part-time hire today, I decided to embrace the weird and try out my early Christmas present…

…See, I'm helping chaperone a bunch of high-schoolers on a trip to Quebec in February, so I requested some hard-core winter boots from my parents for this coming Christmas. Based on Sal's recommendations in the past and the fact that almost every New England woman wears them between November and, like, March, I decided to go with Sorel's Joan of Arctic line. Although the temperatures were never that frigid today, between the pouring rain and the rawness of the day, I decided to just do the wacky:

… I wasn't kidding

Um, so yeah. I decided to just throw on my new standby, the buffalo plaid dress, and a sweater on top, but for some reason I really wanted to mix patterns (or clash hideously, however you see it), so I pulled on the Fair Isle leggings, as well. Add my paw-like boots and, um, I have a look, all right. 

… True story, I loved it. 

I don't know, I just felt like a BADASS all day long, stomping around in my big-ass boots, different patterns and colors all over the place. I don't know, it just worked for me. I mean, I fully recognize that I look eccentric at best, but screw it: I felt like a million bucks.

Here's some more clowning around, courtesy of Baby Boots and me:

Monkey see, monkey do…

Happy Monday, folks!

Sweater: Gap, remixed

Buffalo plaid dress: Old Navy (online), remixed

Fair Isle leggings: Old Navy (online), remixed

Boots: Sorel Joan of Arctic, via zappos.com

Fine leather goods

So many pretty things today, people!

First off, I took Baby Boots out for a walk in her stroller while my husband had to do some work. Since I knew she wouldn't be running around (we were running errands), but rather tucked into her "buggy-ride," as she calls it, I decided to pull out some new-to-her accessories:

Why, yes, those are little red baby cowboy boots. Why do you ask? 

This summer, we all went to Estes Park, Colorado to spend time with some college friends of mine. One day, just the three of us were walking around the town and we got Baby Boots these, er, boots on a whim. I have a slight issue with the fact that my not-even-three-year-old is wearing a shoe with a slight heel (I feel like one of those moms on 'Toddlers and Tiaras'), but she loves them and insisted on keeping them on when I kept on asking her if they were comfy today. She stomped around the house happily. 

… And let's admit it, they're adorable.

But please don't tell my mom.

I was very excited to come home from work yesterday because I knew something special would be waiting for me. When I started really getting into the Style Nation, I started noticing one particular company being name-dropped a lot when it came to bags: The Cambridge Satchel Company (linking to US site). I've always drooled over their bags - and the assortment of colors! - but the price and the pounds sterling kind of intimidated me. Well, wouldn't you know it, Gilt Groupe, of which I am a member, had them on sale last week. As I may have mentioned, I'm trying to be fiscally responsible these days, but my husband encouraged me and after thinking long and hard about color, I went with their trademark "fluoro" 15-inch "batchel":

source

Their official site doesn't have it in the color I got it, but that's the model. My color looks more like this:

source

Now that's bright! I practically glowed in the dark when I wore it tonight on my date with my husband.

Speaking of which, this is what I wore on my date out for gluten-free Italian food (I ate a whole pizza by myself. I'm disgusting):

Forgive the face: did I mention I ate a whole pizza?

It's the return of my OTK crimson Fryes! My favorite of my Fryes! And my short-ass buffalo plaid dress! Honestly, I was feeling this outfit. It was snuggly and warm enough for walking around before and after our gargantuan dinner, but I also felt chic both for the baby-sitter (one of my advisees) and the restaurant. Win-win! 

Anyways, I hope you're having a lovely Saturday night. I'm trying to train my daughter to go to bed without me gently holding her to sleep every night and I can hear her tossing and turning and whimpering in her bedroom, so I might have to go deal with that…

Sweater: Old Navy (online)

Buffalo plaid dress: Old Navy (online), remixed

Grey leggings: Calvin Klein, via TJ Maxx, remixed

Red boots: Frye Shirley OTK boots, via endless.com, gift from my husband, remixed

How I wore it: leggings enthusiast

Today we all took a bike ride to central Cambridge for a playdate between Baby Boots and one of her good friends from daycare (who now attends a different center). It being a lovely day, us being on our bikes, and me becoming a typical Cantabrigian lady, I decided to come out to my daughter's friend's parents as a leggings lover. Woo!

Dat face, though…

Some fun patterned leggings (the same ones I wore here for my foot selfie last month), a hipster dress (uh, shirt), and colorful short boots, and I'm all set. For my ride, I just pulled on a hoodie and a vest and was warm and cozy in the 50+-degree weather. I was between wearing these boots and tall grey ones (my original grey Fryes), but I decided to go for the contrast, especially as I had blue on my shirt, as well. I don't know. I dug it. 

And that's me! How have your weekends been? I have two more days in which to write comments and go bike-riding, so I'm in a pretty good mood…

Grey patterned dress: FluffyCo, bought in Magpie, a store in Somerville, remixed

Grey Fair Isle leggings: Old Navy (online), remixed-ish

Blue boots: a gift from my husband, bought in Madrid, remixed

How I wore it: new beginnings

Hello, all! Today was a day full of new accessories and new-ish (new to the blog, at least) clothes in general. Sometimes there's nothing like wearing new(-ish) duds to make you feel as if all is right in the world.

I bought this awesome buffalo plaid (we know how I feel about this pattern) dress online at Old Navy a couple of weeks ago and wore it once before (not documented). When I first got the dress, I planned to wear it the way I did today, but that first day, the weather was too warm and sunny for boots. Today? Right on point:

Pay no mind to the play mouse at my feet…

Baby Boots is such a ham. She loves having her picture taken and now insists on posing with me and holding my hand for the camera. 

Anyway, so that's my new dress. It's fun, huh? It's also short. I mean, thank goodness I've gotten so into leggings lately, because DAMN. I felt a little inappropriate today between my short hem and my tall boots, but -

Oh, what's that? The boots? No big deal. JUST THE SAME BOOTS THAT I'D BEEN LUSTING AFTER SINCE NOVEMBER OF 2008 AND FINALLY GOT LAST MARCH. 

I don't know where to link to, as I've told this story a bajillion times (I think), but the boots you see above are pretty much the reason I'm so obsessed with boots. On election night of 2008 (six years ago today - did you vote?), I came across these beautiful Frye lovelies in an Urban Outfitters where my friend and I were killing time before going to a party. Not knowing anything about boots (or Fryes, for that matter), I looked at the price and hurriedly put the boots down, although knowing in my gut that I'd never seen such pretty boots. Wouldn't you know it, they were limited editions, never to be made again. There was much mourning. A few years ago, Sal talked about setting a saved search on eBay when looking for a particular item, so I decided to try my luck. After years of getting e-mails from eBay about Frye Paige boots in size 10 appearing, I finally spotted this pair - my pair, in my size - for sale this past spring. After a tense auction, I won them, and here they are. I love them so much. In a perfect world, they would've been new (gently used), but whoever owned them before took amazing care of them and they're almost perfect. The leather is this buttery, soft pebbly leather that's just so good. The grey is perfect. You…see why they started my boot obsession (or compensation?), no?

I didn't get a picture of the back, but this is the full cuff detail (these are the now-disappeared Paige Cuff models, after all):

Frye Paige Cuff (Slate) - Casual Women's Boots   (see more cuff bangles)

I love that contrasting buckle on the back.

Mmmm, so anyway. I really liked this outfit. 

But, I also have to think about my outerwear choices now, as we set the clocks back on Sunday morning and now I come home after the sun sets. I want to keep bike commuting as long as I can and I don't want to feel unsafe biking home just because it's 4:30. So… I bought a really reflective running jacket. Aaaaand a new helmet, just because it was there:

Upon arriving at work. I am such a Fashion Babe, no?

The jacket is neon, obnoxious, and VISIBLE. The helmet? Ahhh, well, it's an indulgence. I've had a deep love for the Union Jack ever since I got super into the Who in college - there was a time in my life where I had a Union Jack somewhere on my person at almost all times. I'd seen this helmet around for some time now and I'd always resisted it because I had a perfectly good, serviceable bike helmet already. Well, on Saturday I went to a fancy bike store (which mostly serves twee biking ladies) to look for reflective outerwear. Since they didn't have quite what I wanted (I got my jacket at a City Sports), I decided to drown my disappointment in an indulgent new helmet. My husband thinks that I'm being a disloyal Argentine; I think I'm showing off my love for Quadrophenia. 

So, whaddaya say? Today I felt great having all this new stuff to enjoy. Do you ever feel like that?

This was the take where we yelled "Cheeeeeese!"

Plaid dress: Old Navy (online)

Black leggings: Hue by way of Lord and Taylor (Boston), remixed

Grey boots: Frye Paige Cuff, by way of eBay

How I wore it: remember…?

… Remember how I used to work in a school where I had to dress in skirts/dresses and hose every day? And no boots, just closed-toed shoes? Because… ladies?

Well, I decided to channel that yesterday and today for parents' visiting weekend at my work. I wish I had gotten a photo of yesterday's outfit, but my camera lost battery power just when I was about to shoot. So you'll have to make do with today's slightly more sedate version of "CLASSY POWER TEACHER"!

Behold:

Remember THIS photo location?!

Yup, an old pencil skirt, a drapey black tee, fun patterned tights, and old grey flats. Not the most inspired outfit, but sort of fun to look like a (semi-) responsible adult again in my wacky little progressive school.

Baby Boots continues to be sick - she actually got a full-blown cold last night - so we spent the rest of my day taking care of her and the rest of the weekend looks as if it'll be much the same. Alas. I'm just hoping I won't have to miss work on Monday…

Happy weekend!

Black tee: Gap, remixed

Pencil skirt: Banana Republic, remixed

Grey patterned tights: Gap, remixed

Grey flats:Adi shoes, ℅ CSN Stores (now Wayfair, I believe), remixed

How I wore it: COLOR!

Woo, it's been a stressful week. Baby Boots got sick on Tuesday morning and we've been scrambling to stay home/miss the least amount of work possible/get sitters. I stayed home on Tuesday, my husband stayed home yesterday and today, and we got a (PRICY) sitter for tomorrow, which is a big work day for both of us.

The weather has been pretty yucky this week - Monday was my only bike day. Since I spent Tuesday in harem pants and an ugly Beatles tee and yesterday I had to help out the cafeteria workers (every teacher and his/her advisees does this a couple of times per year), I've been dressing pretty messily. Tomorrow, Friday, I have to pull out all the stops for parent visits, but I decided to look cute today, too, and defy the rain gods:

What's up with my legs always disappearing on the blog? Time to turn more lights on.

Now that's colorful! I have owned that bright pink corduroy pencil skirt for two years (when I did a whole Old Navy autumn spree that I still haven't fully documented), but I've not been too creative in styling it. In fact, when I was planning to wear it, I was thinking of wearing a black/white buffalo plaid button-down, although I was grumpy from my lack of creativity. However, I had seen a Glamour article in which a stylish lady paired a striped oxford shirt (quite similar to mine) with a bright orange pencil skirt. Inspiration struck, and boom.

It was a pain to keep my shirt tucked in all day, but I was really happy with the look. One of my colleagues liked the whole look and I got a lot of positive comments on my bright skirt. Yay!

Remember these awesome boots? That I've owned for four years? They're still going strong, although they've sort of become my most beat-up boots (at the end of the day, I'll always love my Fryes most). I wore them in the rain and they got super-stained (nothing a little leather-cleaner can't fix). However, the sole of the left boot started peeling off and I think it's time to bite the bullet and get new rain boots (my old ones bit the dust last year) and to purge these guys from my wardrobe, as much as I love them. I don't think it's going to be worth getting them fixed and I now I have my beloved similar Fryes and I could afford to pare down my boot collection a fair amount. So, bye-bye Steve Madden boots. I loved ye well, but I love my other boots weller and it's time to say good-bye. 

Well, tomorrow I have to teach two classes while being observed by my students' parents and then have, like, a thousand conferences with them. Wish me luck!

Grey hairband: Urban Outfitters (online), remixed

Striped shirt: J Crew Factory, remixed

Pink skirt: Old Navy (online)

Grey tights: Gap, remixed

Boots: Steve Madden, remixed

muted mixing

Sorry, all, for not having posted in a while. It's been a little stressful both at work and at home and I've found it difficult to get motivated to take pictures after work. It should get better this week!

(I mean, I got a new buffalo plaid dress that I DIDN'T DOCUMENT! And it's so cute! You'll definitely see it.)

Yesterday, Friday, was the end of a week full of glorious, unseasonably warm weather. We'd had heavy rainfall on Thursday, so I celebrated Friday's weather by - as usual - bike commuting. Along with my new buffalo plaid dress, I also got grey fair isle leggings (all from Old Navy. Again.) and yesterday I wore them under a short black dress. Confused as to what to do about shoes, I decided to wear my houndstooth slip-ons. It was all a little krazy klown, but by the end of the day, I dug it:

What do you think? Masterful pattern mixing or the output of a deranged mind? 

Anyways, my husband just took Baby Boots out for a walk, so I'm gonna watch some TV and strum a little ukulele.

Happy weekend!

How I wore it: it's Johnny's birthday!

So today, as I knew I wouldn't be biking because of my faculty meeting, I planned something a little special. And the fact that it was John Lennon's (would-be 74th) birthday was icing on the cake.

Meet my 2013 Christmas present(s) from my husband!

Under the sweatshirt is a Beatles tank. Duh.

So those are my cowboy boots. Um, I love them? I never knew that turquoise fleur-de-lys cowboy boots would make me go all mushy inside, but they do. I basically peer-pressured my husband into buying them for me - he's not a big cowboy boot fan, but he loved these, too. They are super-comfy, but since they basically are the highest heels I wear on a regular basis (sad), after a long day, my feet do get a little tired. So far I haven't branched out a lot beyond wearing them with jeans or leggings, but I did wear them with a fancy eyelet dress for graduation last year. It was intensely cool. 

Every single other element of my outfit is from Old Navy online. A few years ago, I only owned one thing by Old Navy and now the majority of my wardrobe is from there. The shift happened when I got pregnant: I didn't want to invest a lot of money on maternity clothes and this seemed like an easy solution. Since then, I've basically come to rely on their sales, my coupons, and their online reviews. I tend to only buy stuff that's reviewed so I can see what runs big, small, etc. I've only had to send one thing back because some of their sizing is wacky - other than that, it's been a big success. I try to buy pieces that are basic and wearable and, hey, I don't spend a lot of money! Win-win.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed meeting what may be my favorite pairs of boots ever (I know, I say that a lot). Happy Thursday night!

Grey sweatshirt: Old Navy (online)

Jeans: Old Navy (online), remixed

Cowboy Boots: Corral, by way of countryoutfitter.com, gift from my husband

How I wore it: heart on my shirt

Today was my first day back at work since Friday (we had our first mini between-term vacation, for students to chillax and for teachers to write grades and comments) and I was not feelin' it. I had a very cute outfit planned, what with boots and tights and skirts and whatnot, but the weather has been warm and humid (not to mention, this morning, rainy), so I decided to wear something a little less…sticky. I didn't bike, as it was pouring when I left my house (natch, it stopped two seconds after I stepped outside, but I had already resigned myself to saving money by taking the school bus, so…), but I managed to get a long bike ride in on Monday and a couple of minutes in yesterday. Not too bad!

Here's my "back to work and thrilled about it" look of the day:

Tilt! Also, these shoes look way greener on iPhoto!

Of course I was already at work when I realized the date (October 8th) - John Lennon's birthday is tomorrow and here I am wearing a Beatles t-shirt in advance. Oh, well. It's not like I don't own other Beatles tees. (By the way, Baby Boots and I are both sitting on the couch as I write this, watching 'Yellow Submarine,' her new favorite movie. I'm a great mom.)

I cuffed the crap out of my black jeans because: a) I really like the look of cuffed pants and oxfords and b) these jeans are ridiculously long on me. I bought them in "tall" over the winter because they didn't have them in regular (and I couldn't wait, as these were replacements for another pair and life without black jeans is no life for me); I figured it wouldn't matter so much, as I tend to wear boots so often. I honestly didn't think of cuffing them until today. I'm so glad I did! 

The weather is supposed to cool down a little the next couple of days, so I'm looking forward to wearing boots again and introducing y'all to one of my favorite pairs. Ever…

Beatles tee: Old Navy (online)

Black jeans: Old Navy (online), remixed

Green oxfords: John Fluevog, remixed

How I wore it: song 2

Just like yesterday, I decided to go with a tried and true classic for me again today: a colorful dress, tights, and tall boots. And, oh boy:

… am I glad I did!

I can't believe I've had this dress for four years. It's been so wonderful for me. It is probably, quite simply, my favorite dress. Every time I wear it, I feel like a super-star and someone says something nice. 

The boots, ah, the boots. I've had them for about a year and a half, but haven't featured them except for once. Although I wear them a lot. 

Tonight the whole family is off to have dinner with friends, so I wanted to be cute, but comfortable for the whole day. I think I pulled it off, by golly!

So, question, Style Nation: This dress says that it's dry clean only, but its lining is polyester and its shell is 97% cotton and 3% spandex. Should I risk washing it by hand/delicates or should I just bite the bullet and send it to the cleaner's? What do you think?

Red dress: Calvin Klein, by way of TJ Maxx, remixed

Grey tights: Gap, remixed

Boots: Paige Riding Boots, by way of Country Outfitter, remixed