Reading Machine

Last day before boss lady gets back into town, so I have one last push to tidy and sort! And I'm doing it in jeans, dangit.

I'm beginning my second book in the same number of days. This Kindle is gonna kill me. Wow, reading has melted my brains. Sorry, all. I got nothin'.

I'll do better tomorrow.

Jeans: Gap Always Skinny...Sweater: Gap...Scarf: Target...Shoes: BCBGeneration via Ross

Good Mornin', Good Mooooornin'.

We've been watching a lot of Will and Grace reruns lately. And Debbie Reynolds is easily one of my favorite guest stars. And I had to tell my guy why her entrance into a scene singing "Good Morning" was funny. He's such a kill-joy musical-hating music-snob. Thank goodness most of the rest of his musical taste is agreeable.

Pants: Gap Really Skinny...Tee: GapBody...Cardigan: Gap...Scarf: Gap...Boots: Target

First Freeze!

Houston got it's first freeze of the season last night. And, of course, I spent my morning wandering around Boss Lady's house with an exterminator. As in we have critters in the walls. And trudged around for 45 minutes looking for holes in the exterior. I am SO COLD.

I'm mad I forgot a hat, but glad I grabbed gloves. I also added a belt and grabbed a trenchcoat on my way out. Gooooooooood decisions.

Skirt: Gap, thrifted...Turtleneck: Gap... Blazer: Gap...Tights: Gap... Shoes: Steve Madden via Ross...Necklace: J Crew Outlet

Awesome. Thanks, Reynauds. And that's WITH gloves.

I have a good photo of the squirrel jerk for tomorrow... I watched him building his nest in a downspout.

Longest. Days. Ever.

I worked today, but I wore jeans today, dangit. It's the Halloween Party at Valhalla, the grad bar, tonight and I decided to stay home, but I just snapped a pretty rockin' picture of my Guy and Bromance as... well, you'll see.

Jeans: Gap Perfect Boot...Button down: Gap...Blazer: TInley Road via Piperlime...Shoes: Naturalizer

Kip and Uncle Rico are waiting for them at the bar. Magic in the making.

I think I'll dress up for normal Valhalla Sunday tomorrow. Happy Halloween Weekend!

Weekend Recap

I think I need to invest in a new sewing machine, which breaks my heart. A few weeks ago, I was tailoring a skirt and BAM! Something jammed and the wheel won't turn more than halfway. Nothing is visibly stuck in a gear. My machine is an early 80's gem that is built into a table, but the repair cost is too high to justify right now. So I might buy a little Singer for my alterations for now and cough up the cash for repairs when I get into projects of more substance (not likely to happen while my Guy is still in school and we're still living in 520 square feet. Alterations are all I have room for). So, that's on the docket for today: locate a new machine because...

My thrift finds this weekend are magic. And I want to wear them ASAP. Namely my ridiculous rodeo-print wrap skirt. And the fruit skirt from a few weeks ago.

Aaaaanyway, this weekend has been nice. Friday I got home super late, so we ate burgers from our favorite dive (It's called Lucky Burger- you can order a side of fries or fried rice. And the sweet Taiwanese owner lady knows my name). We watched PCU with a friend and zonked out early.
Saturday morning was lazy and wonderful and my Guy started on cover letters and CV revision for job applications. I left around lunch to thrift with a girlfriend who won a French Horn job at the San Antonio Symphony. It was my first time to this place called "The Guild Shop"- it. was. insane. I will spend the entire time it's open one day and just sift through the jewelry. I didn't even touch it yesterday, there was too much. And everything is in a case, so you have to take a number to go through it with a volunteer. We hit up the Salvation Army afterwards. HUGE, but the prices were awfully high. I found a leather skirt, but put it back. $19? I don't think so. I'll wait until green tag day. The evening was spent watching Halloween-y movies at Bromance's place. Taco dip and Chex Mix. I stuffed myself silly.
And today is chill. I'm taking another girlfriend up to the most 80's thrift store ever and we're hunting for costumes for her. This is the most social I've been in ages.

Saturday:

Jeans: Gap...Button down: Target...Shoes: Naturalizer...Bag: via Buffalo Exchange

Halloween-y Movie Night:

Seriously, how silly is this? Dress: Thrifted...Tee: J Crew Outlet...Belt: Gap...Shoes: Chacos

 Sunday:

Jeans: Gap...Tee: J Crew Outlet...Cardigan: J Crew Outlet... Bag: via Buffalo Exchange...Shoes: Chacos

Enjoy the rest of your weekend. Rest up and I'll see you tomorrow!

Compare and Contrast

This is totally shallow and I know it, but I popped into Buffalo Exchange last night for funsies and came across a rockin' grey skirt with pleating and waist detail. It's designer, but I don't remember what, and its 'spensive for resale ($26!)... I put it on hold and wore my closest match that is already in my wardrobe so I can go back and compare the two. Is the newbie as awesome as I think it is? Or is it close enough that I can be satisfied with what I have already? The catch is that I really love the new one, but the back zipper needs a little work, and is it really worth it at $26?

Aaaanyway, I wore basics so I wouldn't be distracted by anything other than the lines of each skirt. My Guy is heading out of town for a convention this weekend, so I really shouldn't be spending, but I really do think I like this skirt.

Told you this was shallow and ridiculous. Guess that happens every once in a while.

Skirt: Banana...Tee: Gap...Cardigan: Banana...Shoes: Le Sportsac via DSW...Belt: Target...Necklace: DIY

Rubbermaid

My work world is filled with boxes. Still. My boss has been moved in for months now and we're still shuffling and shuttling things between the office and house. We have empty unpacked Rubbermaid tubs everywhere from when things were in storage between moves (she spent 3 years living with her daughter and grandkids while searching for and renovating the "right" next house) and somehow we still don't have the correct type of storage. Did you know it is wildly difficult to gauge what style of tub a whole bunch of legal sized files will fit in? I bought and returned two poor selections. Thank goodness Target is just down the road. I now have 3 stuffed full file drawers worth of file folders jammed into 6 enormous plastic bins with lids. Where will we store them at the house? I dunno. But I'll guarantee we'll try 3 or 4 closets before deciding they belong back at the office.

Pants: Zara...Tee: Banana Outlet...Cardigan: J Crew Outlet...Shoes: Steve Madden

My very bad haircut growing itself out- do you like how one side got a thick, ledge-like set of "layers". No blending and movement here- just a top and bottom layer (the bottom gets stuck over my shoulder and leaves me with this delightful one-sided medium cut. Grow, top layers.

My beautiful porcelain shard pendant from Beijing. This is from the same girls my sister buys all her pearls from, too.

Quick-change

My Guy and I got to spend time with a really good friend for the first time in ages yesterday evening. Of course, I was in crud pants at work (I'm the new MR-16 lightbulb changing guru... Those bad boys get very hot very quickly.) and I was told partway through the day that dinner plans were in place. Leaving me with the following timeline:
5:45 convince boss that I need to move along.
6:05 arrive home to "pee the dog" as we say.
6:15 my Guy arrives home from school, frantically tug on a nicer looking skirt
6:20 use the flat iron to toss strategic waves in my hair so I don't look like I have air-dried half-combed hair
6:25 feed dog and race out the door for a 6:30 dinner reservation.

I was dang close to making it on time. I chose all the right back roads to avoid congestion.

So: part 1 and part 2 of the day-

Pants: Gap...Blouse: Banana, thrifted...Cardigan: Gap...Shoes: LeSportsac via DSW clearance...Necklace: DIY

DIY long strand necklace with Michaels cheapie beads. Interest in a tutorial? 

Same blouse and sweater...Skirt: China-made during my visit to see my sis...Boots: thrifted...Belt: thrifted

I am SO GLAD I changed into a skirt- the restaurant was one we'd never been to and I know our friend's MO- he's a picky eater of Americana staples (think steaks and potatoes), prefers finer dining and a killer cocktail. Dinner in chinos was not going to cut it. My Guy put on a button down vs. the plain tee he had on all day. Let's just say it was good choices all around because the food was excellent, the dining room was quiet enough for conversation and we looked like we fit into the crowd. I even got a "ma'am". And I kinda liked it.

And one more "hooray"- these boots fit properly around my skinny calves. I came to the conclusion that I would cheerfully buck up real monies to buy a nice slim riding boot and then these puppies came along. And THAT is why you stalk your resale and thrift stores.

Lookin' Good for Tennis Golf

My Guy's bromance exposed us all to something dangerously addictive: Tennis Golf. Well, we call it Beer Golf, but here's the details:

Whack a tennis ball with a golf club to an agreed upon target in a field. Give it a random par. Drag a cooler of crappy canned beer and drink. Repeat until you're feeling done.

Let me preface all of this by mentioning that this group of friends and fellow golfers are Grad students and Doctoral candidates at an institute of higher learning ranked in the top 20 in the States. And we putt tennis balls around campus like a bunch of tipsy goobers.

Naturally, it was the final day of the 21 Day Challenge and I needed to both look my best and remix one last time. For the first day in AGES, we had a reprieve from the heat with spits of rain, so I was weirdly chilled- return of my teal cardigan! I am a jeans and oxford button down girl at heart, so I went with what makes me feel most comfortable in my skin today. I may not have been dressed to my fullest potential, but I felt good.

Button down: Target...Cardigan: Gap...Jeans: Gap Real Straight...Shoes: Nine West Outlet

Earrings: J Crew Outlet... Oh, hi Frizz.

My Guy's "adopted" little sister, Roo.

Tomorrow we are heading over to Roo's place for the Composer Party to kick off the new school year. I looooooooove cookouts and potlucks.

See you all tomorrow evening, with drool all over my face and coleslaw on the front of my shirt. Because I'm a glutton.

Coming out a-Head

Terrible pun. Sorry, guys.
Let's be real here. A fedora at the office will never be functional. During cleaning day, neither will a feathered plume, a pillbox hat, a birdcage veil, or a wide-brimmed sunhat. Today's challenge was to adorn my noggin, so a headband, perhaps? With little jersey flowers? DIY cuteness and head adornment, I win at life today. It's Friday, thaaaaank goodness. I'm going to keep getting this enormous house ready for my boss' return, then retire to the Grad bar for evening cheap beers as the sun goes down.

Pants: Gap...Tank: Gap...Blazer: Gap...Belt: Banana Republic...Shoes: DSW

DIY headband...Earrings: Banana Republic

 I'm a walking Gap Ad. Eep. To be fair, I worked there part time for 2 years. It was only natural.

This headband was super easy to make. I cut long strips of jersey, folded them in half and started using a running stitch along the raw edges, pull them tight to make the fabric wavy and let it coil, tacking the fabric to itself occasionally to keep it's form.

Enjoy your Friday evening, I can't wait to have some time tomorrow to spend in my closet looking for a fabulous outfit involving my Sunday Shoes.