Black and White and Red

As some of you may know, Big J and I have been trying to stick to a healthy diet with more fibre than we usually get.  Apparently women need about 25 grams of fibre and men need 35. 

So we've been at it for about a couple of weeks now - eating lots of healthy fruit and veggies, legumes, whole wheat, brown rice.  The best part is the fruit and the worst is the lingering odour of fish - we're also trying to eat less meat.

If anyone has a good solution to getting rid of cooked fish smell let me know!  In the meantime, since it's summer, we're going to try to cook fish outside on the barbie.

I don't feel any different on this diet, more full perhaps -  I already ate fibre and fish regularly but hubby certainly feels better.

I haven't lost any additional poundage since May so will have to either step up the activity level or reduce the fuel intake.

But, I am losing size I think - see that red Liz Claiborne belt in the photo?  I can actually fasten it one hole smaller now.  (I didn't, but could if I wanted to).


Today's outfit is all black and white prints with the red belt for the colour pop.

The skirt is the same Esprit one I wore back in February.  This time I added a sleeveless ruffly top, the polka-dotty scarf from Spain and a red belt.

Can you see the plums in the tree?  They are the small orange ones and are almost ready; they'll be a tasty addition to the diet.  We bought 2 plum trees years ago and get a big crop of fruit - enough for friends and neighbours.  They are in different parts of the yard so the fruit is ready at different times - makes for a longer yield period.

Like many of my skirts, this one is a touch big - I don't like tightness around the waist so tend to move up a size sometimes, but the floaty-ness was great for today's muggy weather.

Another Paisley Print

So our good weather looks like it's here to stay.  I've wanted to wear this skirt for a while now, but it's (in my mind anyway) a sunny day item. 

It's one of a slew of skirts that I got at a liquidator's for $8.  It was the print that first caught my eye.  It's a dense to sparse paisley print.  The top half is a tight jam-packed not-quite-sure-where-to-look print which slowly changes to a more relaxed, spaced-out one.

It's also a full semi-circular skirt which I prefer in the summer - cooler usually. I wore it with my sparkly top and locally-made necklace:

I actually had a red cardi overtop most of the day and when I got home, I thought it would've actually looked better with my red slip-ons.  What do you think? 

Hey - I've changed my Links page too - separating the fashion linkies from the other ones.  It's easier now to tell which link parties apply to your post.

So it being Monday, I'm linking to:

• Visible Monday !
• Monday Mingle

Black, Cream and Zebras

So after reading Patti of Not Dead Yet Style's Agonizers post yesterday, I decided who cares that everyone is going hoseless - I am more comfortable with hose.  I hauled out the nylons I bought that hot day of the thick tights.  I think I was the only one on the train in hosiery - everyone was bare-legged - except the men of course  :D

It's surprising what a thin layer of nylon will do in preventing friction.  I was much more comfortable and less self-conscious too.  Thank-you Patti for that wonderful post.

I really didn't know what to wear today so just went with a basic black and cream colour palette.  A ruffle tee and cream cardi over my pull on skirt.  I tossed a scarf over a necklace and was done.

The scarf is another one from the defunct True Value Vintage.  It has teeny tiny Fortuny pleats and a wild black and white print with mustard coloured zebras!

There was another pleated scarf in the store that same day in blue tones which I didn't buy and then when I went back the next day it was gone !  She who hesitates is lost.

The scarf was wound tighter around the neck during the day, but on the way home I undid it for some air.

Bright Yet Dark

It is 9 months and counting before we are all laid-off; although it's sunshine and cloud-free skies outside, many people are downright gloomy on the inside.  And so we come to today's outfit.  It's a mix of bright and dark - perfect considering.

I really wanted to wear this magenta tank, but it seemed overly bare for work, so I put a sleeveless black tee under it and then a short cardie overtop. I liked how the tee made a smooth waistband for the skirt (the skirt actually has belt loops).

The tank was only $3.00 ? new a few years ago at Old Navy - yes, Old Navy, but I liked the colour and the satiny-ness, and the little ruffles, and the elastic at the waist.  I thought it would be good for a hot day, with a tee underneath; but then, just in case I put a scarf over it all.  Not sure if it looks better with or without the scarf.

What do you think? Trying out another poll. Thanks for participating!

Ruffled Denim Skirt

I'd completely forgotten about this skirt until today.  I found it while rummaging around in the closet for something to wear.  It's an Ann Taylor Loft skirt that I found several years ago.  

I must admit that I love Ann Taylor clothing.  All the items I have fit very well, no gaping, bagging or sagging.

What caught my eye on this skirt were all the details:

• a ruffle - but not just any ruffle - this one has stitched down pleats
• peak-a-boo trim
• lace

It was hot enough to go tightless - so you see actual legs for once.

Originally I was going to go beltless like this:

But it felt very long-bodied so not having an appropriately coloured belt, I added the scarf.

Which one do you like better? I'm trying out a poll. Thanks for participating!

Too Hot in a Bad Way

It thundered and lightning'd last night and rain fell.  Big J had to rush out in the middle of the night to put all our patio furniture back under cover.  So no wonder this morning when it looked a bit grey out that I wore something for cooler weather.  BIG. MISTAKE.

It was way too hot.  I did have a tank on under the sweater; it's a sequined one which I mainly use for interest at the neckline area:

The office is air conditioned but when I went out at lunch it was so hot in the tights that I went and bought some pantyhose.  But when I got back to the cool climes of the office, I didn't bother changing.

These shoes are the culprits for some of my footwear being the wrong size.  When I bought them, I went 1/2 a size up due to the pointyness of the toe.  Then the size just stuck in my mind and I bought more shoes which turned out too floppy. Now I don't bother with the size and just go by fit.

The photos are done in the "rustic" grape area again for the shade.  Rustic in this case means old and in need of paint!  We actually have kiwi too and it looks like the plants are finally going to bear fruit - they say it takes 9 years after you plant them to get fruit.

It's Monday! so this post is linking to:

• Visible Monday
• Monday Mingle

Silk Feeling Polyester

Today being Friday, I thought it safe to wear something a little more casual.  My favourite hot weather clothing is a longer skirt with some room to move.

Today's skirt is no exception.  It is actually one of my favourite longer skirts - I think it was the colour which first caught my eye, but the fit and flounce have made it a regular summer staple.

I have no idea about the label - it says Net Girl; it holds its shape well and is thick enough that you don't need the extra layer of a slip. And I love how it is almost a circle skirt except that the waist/hip area fit.

I wore it with my refashioned vest, although the original plan was to wear it vestless:

We're allowed to have one half of our foot (either heel or toe, but not both) uncovered at work so I wore these slip on Bare Traps.  They are from a liquidators; not super cheap at $30, but I've worn them enough times over the past few years to justify the price.

And the scarf is that coveted "100% Silk Feeling Polyester"!  I jest.  I had no idea it was supposed to feel like silk - it doesn't.  But I wonder if someone has bought the scarf thinking it was silk?

See how weavy, thick and burlapy it looks in the photo?  It is actually quite light, soft and floaty.

So, not sure if it is because I looked weird or what but this outfit got a noticeable amount of second glances this morning.  Perhaps it was the sunshine.

Green Flippy Skirt

I attended a co-worker's "retirement do" today.  There were other retirees and some people who had gotten laid off earlier in the year.  I noticed that the people who are no longer working are in great shape!  One person lost 15 pounds (since February)!  The computer industry is very sedentary so it seems that not having to work allows time for other activities - something to look forward to.

It was a bit windy for my outfit, but the weather was too nice for my usual thick solid tights and fall clothing.

This skirt I got when I was in a green-buying phase.  It's a light floaty flippy floral skirt with a bit of a ruffle hem.

I like this light-ish shade of green - it's summery but not overly bright.  Nothing wrong with bright colours, but sometimes you just want to wear something more subdued.

So now that I've done 2 days without a scarf, I thought it would be okay to wear one again.  Not sure if there is too much going on around the neck area.

And finally Big J has been moving our patio furniture around so here is a sitdown shot:

The seat cushions were super cheap - $6 each at Jysk, so we bought 3 for the bench and another 4 for the chairs.  This type of quilted with a button cushion is normally quite expensive up here in Lotusland.  They are well padded too and have not lost their shape over 3 summers of use.

Without Optical Brighteners

It's the 4th of July and I am still in a fall frame of mind.  Today's outfit reminds me of the forest - the dark browns and greens - wood nymph colours.

The woodsy top is another find from the mercadillo.  It's sleeveless and v-neck - perfect for those hot balmy days in Spain.  Not so good for north of the 49th.  I layered it with a tank, a sleeveless Ann Taylor shirt and a jacket overtop. I am trying another no-scarf look so filled up the neck area with necklaces again. 

The top I think is German or Austrian or something. 

The tag says "nur flüssiges waschmittel ohne optische aufheller verwenden von links waschen und bügeln feucht in form ziehen"

which when plugged into the translator means: "only liquid detergent without optical brighteners use of wash and iron inside moist form in draw"

Probably because of the beads and sequins:

It wasn't hot enough to not wear the jacket, but had I taken it off, you would've been able to see the wonderful thick-waistedness of the tube waist skirt!:

A Scarf-Free Day

It being a short week due to the stat holiday, I thought it would be a good opportunity to try out NOT wearing a scarf.

After reading Patti of Not Dead Yet Style's posts on 80's and 90's fashion, I was inspired to haul out an old blouse from that time period (80's methinks) for today's outfit. 

I've always liked this blouse and could never bring myself to donate it.  It's a double-breasted blouse with tucks in a lovely colour combination of charcoal, black and red.  The print almost looks cartoony.  And it has nice covered buttons.

I was trying to not wear a scarf today and instead did a mish-mash of necklaces at the neck.  I think it looks okay.

I wore it with my New Year's skirt, the grey jacket from Sears, and the same shoes from the swanky lunch.  The shoes are actually Naturalizers! I know right?  lol-shoes.  They are from the N5 line which are supposed to be contoured to the natural shape of a woman's foot making them more comfy I suppose.  

They are part of the haul from the A+N Shoe Sale that happens once a year.  I am not one for outrageous heels or super fancy shoes, but people have gotten $800 shoes there for 19.99.  I think these ones are only about $90 normally.

I found a video featuring Jacqui Cohen (of A+N) talking about the sale from last year and you can see some of the fabulous shoes that are available.  This year, they had 100,000 pairs of designer shoes!

Big Brown Multi Scarf

It looked like a grey day.  It looked like it would rain.  It looked cold.  But no.  I had waaaay too much clothing on today: tank top, t-shirt, long-sleeve, scarf, jacket AND a coat.  It was hot.

The scarf is my new (not really new, just never seen on the blog before) thrifty item.  It was normally $20 but I got it for $4.  There was a blue one too, which looked like it would go great with denim, but I got the brown.  It's one of those prints that is often called "multi".  It is really just a big piece of fabric frayed a bit on the ends.  But I like it.  It's light and goes with a lot of stuff, and it's big.

I sometimes wonder why I wear scarves so much.  Is it a crutch?  Is it like Linus' security blanket?  Could I step out of my comfort zone and go for a week without wearing a scarf?  Hmmm.  I feel a personal challenge coming up ....

Snake Print and Fish

Aaaarrrrrrgh!  This is a bit of a rant post.

Have just spent half an hour talking to someone at the UPS call centre.  We were not home to receive a parcel yesterday and I called last night to have it delivered today between 9am and 4:30pm.  When it didn't come, I called at 5:15 and was assured by a nice lady that it had been put on the truck in the morning and should be arriving tonight before 7:30pm, and if not I could phone to have it delivered at a specific time.

I knew deliveries stop at 7pm, so called again when nothing came.  This time the call got routed to the Philippines and the CSR said there was a problem with my address.  I told him it was always the same driver and he knew our house.  Then he said the package never made it onto the truck that day - this was contrary to what the nice lady said earlier, so I asked if the item had been put on the truck in the morning how could it not be on the truck now?

So much discussion later: do we live in a house?  yes.  there is only one door.  the address is right on the front gate.  in big numbers.  - I was told someone would phone between 9am and 11am tomorrow!  I asked about the 2 day delivery since it was the 2nd day now and was told that it was delivered just I wasn't there to receive it.  How could it have been delivered if I don't have it yet ?!?

So long story short - if it doesn't come tomorrow, we won't get it until Tuesday.  Aaaarrrrrrgh!  I expect too much.

Today we had a lovely sushi lunch at work so I wore something with a bit of room for expansion - the altered by me snake print skirt.  My plan was to wear it with a big overtop but at the last minute I decided to go with a belt and t-shirt.

Just made it before the rain started full blast.

The belt came with the pair of jeans which got turned into a bag. It is actually quite blingey so I kept it for accessorizing.  I don't have a closeup, but I think you can click on the pic below to upsize it:

Polka Dotty Butterflies

Finally a relatively hot day!  I'd actually hauled out thicker clothing the night before, the usual thick black tights, layers and such but woke up to bright sunshine so switched out to something a little cooler.

This dress is yet another Sears outlet item which must have been priced incorrectly when I bought it.  I got it quite a while ago and yet saw one in the outlet for about $5 more just recently. The print almost looks like butterflies ...

It's a bit thick looking in the photo because my slip was too long so I wore it strapless dress style.  I actually tried wearing it normally with the lace showing, but it just looked like the slip was too long - perhaps if it had been pink or orange instead of dark blue ...

The strange thing about this dress is that it has a weird tie on the side.  Really not sure what it's for - definitely not for holding the dress together.  I am considering cutting it.

I threw on a scarf too - I very rarely step outside sans scarf, it's like other women with lipstick.  I wore another dollar store necklace - you never know if it's going to be too hot and you have to remove the scarf.

I hope these dollar store jewellery items are safe - they probably are not, but at least I don't chew on them.

I also wore my blue cardigan again in case it got cold.

Does it look like a cape?

Last winter, I wore this dress with thick black tights - you would think such a minor change would scarcely be noticeable, but it looks 100% better with the white tights. 

Grey, Green and Loafers

After yesterday's wildly hypnotic skirt, I wanted to project a more professional look.

The grey jacket is a new item in this outfit - it is from the Sears outlet $9 and today is the first time I've worn it.  I love the Sears outlet and am not sure what clothes shopping will be like without it.  Rumours are that Sears will be replaced by either Nordstrom or Macy's, both good stores but I doubt the prices will be as low.

The jacket is a nice light weight, with room to move and hides all manner of figure flaws.  Luckily Big J noticed that I hadn't removed the tags! 

The blouse has quite a V-neck and I had a horrible time trying to find a scarf which would go.  Finally went with a dollar store necklace and a scarf which had some of the same colours.  Terri of Rags against the Machine was writing about a buying mood and this blouse was one of several greenish items I got last summer.

  
The shoes are yet another pair from Spain from several years ago.  Loafers are a lot more popular in Europe than they are here.  You see them on both men and women, especially with jeans - although the younger set are wearing converse-style canvas shoes now.

btw: I've added a "How To" page to the blog - this is just a listing of useful (methinks)  fashion-related info that I've found while reading/surfing the interwebs.  There's not too much right now, but it will surely grow.

Slightly Hypnotic

The sun is holding up today, so another spring-ish outfit - I know right? it's summer actually. 

 

We went out for dinner at the Keg which is a local steak restaurant.  Big J was very good and had a salad topped with grilled chicken.  I succumbed to a succulent steak.

 

 

Looking a little pained - the teeth (or lack) are still bothering me.  The mary janes are from Spain from maybe 7 years ago.  I love this style of shoe - reminds me of being a student for some reason.

 

The skirt is quite memorable so I've only worn it a couple of times.  On top of a crazy hypnotic print, this skirt is also asymmetrical and has an over-flap. 

 

You are getting sleeeeeepy ....

 

Not sure if I like the grey tights or not - they don't quite clash but seem a little solid looking for such a floaty skirt.

Today's post is linking to:

• Visible Monday
• Mannequin Monday 
• Monday Mingle