Cabin Fever

Like many of you in the Midwest and the Northeast I am not leaving my home today. In fact, I really can't. I opened the front door to my apartment building and was greeted by 16 inches of snow. Therefore, I used this snow day as a low stakes opportunity to try out an outfit idea (and because SME is also home I didn't have to snap my own photos using a timer).

silk dress - Edme & Esylte/Anthro (eBayed)
sash - self made
cardi - Ann Taylor
tights - LOFT (remixed)
maryjanes - New York & Co.(remixed)
amber earrings - The Corcoran Gallery, DC (remixed)
necklace - Urban Outfitters

I bought this dress on eBay last summer to wear for my anniversary and it worked out great. It especially worked out great because I had tried on the dress in Anthro the summer before. eBay buys are often successful when its a brand/size that I know for sure works for me and they are most successful when I was actually able to try on the item.

After layering the GAP sweater over the Twinkle Twinkle dress two weeks ago it occurred to me to experiment with more summer/silk pieces for the colder parts of the year. I also have been inspired by L.'s belting with sashes and scarves especially since I'm reticent to invest in belts when I'm weary of my midsection and not quite sure how to incorporate them into my repertoire.
That's where the sash came in. The dress was designed with a blue sash, but the eBayed dress did not come with one. When I went to the fabric store to buy blue silk material I also found a burnt orange that matched some of the specks on the dress and liked the contrast better. But does the sash work on the outside of the cardigan? The cardi is a bit roomy (despite my efforts to shrink it)--I should have bought a PM instead of a PL and I suspect the sash would look better if the cardi was more snug. There was some bunching that happened sometime between getting dressed and taking photos, which I fear could be worse if I actually wore it out and about. Hmmm.

Are their any reformed beltphobics out their who have embraced it? How about those who were especially worried that belting would be the most unflattering thing possible to the midsection/belly area?

detail of light blue and amber accessories

Paring Down: Case Study #1

Cowl neck sweater - LOFT (remixed)
Long-sleeved tee - LOFT
Sweater Skirt - Moth/Anthro (Ebayed)
Leggings - Phylo (MILed)
Boots - Capelli via Marshalls (remixed)
Scarf - Gap (gifted)

The hardest thing about paring down is getting rid of some pieces I absolutely love. Some of them are because they no longer fit and some of them are because I have either never really worn them, no longer wear them, or wince when I put them on. In an effort to figure out what is salvagable and what is not, I'm going to be wearing hard-to-part with pieces over the next few weeks to see how it goes. This was a test case.

First of all, I hate this sweater. I love the color and the neck, but it's really too long and too wide for me on the part that exaggerates my pearness. Widening me also makes me look shorter and that's already getting to me this time of year as winter boots keep me down. I have kept it because I haven't been able to find a suitable replacement. I also am attached to it as loungewear--it looks great with clogs and yoga pants for running errands on a Saturday when I'm also going to the gym. For now, it'll stay.

But I love the skirt. I remember lusting over it at the store and then I purchased it for cheap on eBay. But I've only worn it once and that was yesterday. I have had difficulty styling it--I do not own red or yellow, and the purple/garnet tops I own do not go with the shape of the skirt. Brown and black make it look blah. A red shirt and a long gray clingy cardi would look great, but I currently own neither. They would not be bad wardrobe additions, but there are things that I need more: boots, shoes, trouser jeans, and a blazer. But here is the reason I'm going to part with this beloved piece: I was uncomfortable in this outfit all day and it was the bottom as much as the top. The length of the skirt and how it sits on my waist isn't flattering. I need at least 3 more inches of height and a different wardrobe for the top. As I mentioned in my Friend Friday dialogue with LHdM, if I regret an ensemble I'm self-conscious and off my game. Therefore, I'm saying au revoir to the skirt--but with a kiss on each cheek.

What pieces did you hold on to the longest even when you knew it was time to let go? (Wow, that sounds like a dead relationship).

Addendum: I am resolved. The skirt has got to go. I tried:

But its still how the skirt sits on my waist and lays against my bum.

And the suggestions about a black top worked the best (if you ignore the flash on my chest):

...but when I paired it with a gray cardi it made me look frumpy and wider again. I realize I loved the idea of the skirt in the world of the forms, but when I put it on my body (twice removed from the Platonic ideal--not thrice, that is what you are seeing in the photograph, a representation) I do not like it.

A Late One

1. Dress - Floreat/Anthro (eBay-ed)
Tights - Assets/Target
Boots - Ann Taylor Loft (Remixed)

You really don't want to see my face in these photos. These were taken on Friday, when I was about to run out the door for the first day of a two-day conference and I'm already exhausted. I'm not exactly crazy about how this dress fits me--it's tighter around the hips but has a lot of room at the top. I usually stick to a-line shapes, but I thought I'd give a different shape a try. Either way, it was an eBay buy and since I'm stuck with it, I've decided to make the best of it. The next time I wear this dress, however, I will wear opaque black tights instead of micro-fishnets.

Between attending the conference and driving around some visiting scholars, I attended a grant workshop, wrote frantically, and attended a job talk.

2. Cardi - Ann Taylor Loft

Scarf - Boutique (remixed)
Earrings - Corcoran Gallery, DC (remixed)

In the past 30 days, in addition to teaching, I have presented a 20-minute paper on my dissertation research, given two public responses to a visiting scholar and a faculty member, respectively, and composed yet another response to a paper that will be discussed in a working group at a conference this weekend. While teaching this quarter the writing has come in stops and starts. Even though I've felt a little insane lately, I am writing easier than I was a month ago.



I've also been attending job talks and have been seeing a lot of black and gray, which has had me musing about what sort of suit I would wear if I finish the dissertation and am lucky enough to land an interview in this horrible market.  I wonder if I could pull off the following Talbots ensemble? Perhaps in black/gray instead of olive?

Just out of curiosity, I mentioned that the Anthro dress I bought via eBay didn't fit as well as I would have liked. If I had tried it on in the store I probably wouldn't have bought it. Fellow eBay-ers, is there anything that hasn't worked out well for you or that you've outright regretted? I bought a really horrible pair of Banana Republic jeans a few years ago. When they arrived I thought that the seller had mis-represented them, but after I compared what I got in the mail to the photo on eBay I realized I was the moron and had put on my eBay goggles.

boot straps...

my new boot straps from ebay.......

EBAY TREASURE ON ITS WAY- CHLOÊ-STYLE

Won this Chloè -style vintage demindress on ebay a few days ago. I had forgot that I was bidding on it, and was very surpriced when I received an email; You won this item on ebay". Bought it from Rumi behind the blog Fashiontoast.
Vant denne Chloè-lignende deminkjolen på ebay for noen dager siden. Hadde glemt at jeg hadde lagt inn bud, og var overrasket da jeg fikk mailen " You won this item on ebay". Kjøpt fra Rumi bak bloggen Fashiontoast.

CRAVINGS: CLOGS

Blogger Rumi is wearing her hot clogs from Miu Miu.. picture: Fashiontoast
Clogs from UGG, kr 1600 n.kr from Shoebaloo...
This summer I want a pair of clogs to style with a pair of jeans or a white romantic dress. UGG, kr 1600 from shoebaloo. Ugly, but cool.

My Chanel

My Chanel 80s flashdance sweater arrived yesterday, and Im so stoked. Its oversized and supercool styled with a pair of skinny jeans and pumps! Can you guess where I bought it??? he he... right! Ebay it is!!! Lots of bidders on this item, and I never thought I would win- but I did. might be a fake, but oh so cool.

todays outfit

Saturdays outfit:
Wearing what? Cardigan from Ebay, customized leather gloves , orange "Happy"nailpolish from TL design, black top from Fifth Avenue Shoe Repair, scarf H&M,

GRRRR....Sing Hallelujah!

My vintage knitted cardigan arrived yesterday- and Im so much in love with it!!!!!! Gonna live in this during the winter........ GRRRRRRRRR!!!

Hey Mickey!

My Mickey Mouse vintage tee arrived today- and I was about as happy as Mickey to get my "new" t-shirt.
I "won" the item a week ago- and cute ebayseller Kim did sendt it as a gift like this:)could it be any better..?

Say hello to my little friend......Skeleton

Just won this Skeleton pendant necklace on ebay a few minutes ago! Bought it for 8 dollars only. The seller normally never ship ouside Australia, but I was lucky. Hopefully the seller will ship it fast..........

I got mail

Normally my mailbox is full of bills, but lately I have received nice stuff bought on ebay. This vintage silver studded sweater arrived today. Put a bid on it before I went to sleep a week ago, and was surpised when I woke up as a "winner".... im no more an ebay-virgin!!! he he.....

Ebay virgin!

Yes its true! Im a virgin! I have never bought anything on EBAY, but I have got a challenge. In a few days I have to do a scoop as an Ebay Deal Hunter. Any tip to do the best scoop?

Im hunting for vintage bags from Dior, dresses from the 80s and special items & accessories...

Tro det eller ei, men jeg har ALDRI kjøpt noe på Ebay, jeg har ALDRI en gang gitt et eneste bud på ebay- men jeg har ALLTID siklet misunnelig på alle kuppene venninnene mine har gjort på Ebay. Nå er det på tide å bryte jomfrudommen- jeg er nemlig blitt utfordret i konkurransen Ebay Deal Hunters- så nå er det ingen vei tilbake...

Har noen tips til hvordan jeg skal gjøre det beste kuppet? Hvilke feller bør jeg unngå? Noen selgere du anbefaler ? Noen du advarer mot? Eller noen linker du vil dele?