OoTD - 1/30 - Walk Off the Earth

Tall Kendall at tallkendall.blogspot.com had this YouTube video of a really cool band called Walk Off the Earth all playing one guitar and singing their song, Somebody That I Used to Know.  I just loved it too and bought it and another one of their songs, Someone Like You, off of Itunes.  When I went over to YouTube to get this link, this was over 43 million views.  Is this what they mean when they say "gone viral"?  

SUNGLASSES - Maurices: $8.00 

COAT w/3/4 SLEEVES - no tags from eBay

FAUX FUR SCARF - Calvin Klein from Ross: $17.99

BROWN CORDUROY PANTS - Victoria's Secret from their website: $52.99

BROWN LEATHER BOOTS - Steve Madden Maxximus

FINGERLESS GLOVES - from Hong Kong via eBay

FAUX LEOPARD GLOVES - Thinsulate from Ross: $12.99

Colorado/Wyoming Shopping News

From the Denver Post:


Penny Parker's column - Goodwill goes upscale with Deja Blue Boutique


Steve Raabe - H&M to open 2nd Denver store at Cherry Creek


Plato's Closet
Apparently, there is a Plato's Closet in Cheyenne, WY that I did not know about.  I knew there was one in Ft. Collins on South College Avenue in the same shopping center as the TJ Maxx.  I don't know if Plato's Closet is a national chain or not.  I think it may be because my sister in Cincinnati mentioned that name to me a long time ago.  Anyway, the one in Cheyenne is on 1637 Stillwater Ave. across from the Target on Dell Range Blvd.  Plato's Closet is a thrift store that caters to teenagers and young adults.  They only carry certain trendier styles and brands. It's not a true consignment store because they pay you cash on the spot or store credit for any clothes, shoes, and accessories that you bring in and they are willing to buy from you.  


H&M is opening up yet another store in Colorado.  According to Penny Parker of the Denver Post edition of Friday, March 2, 2012, the new store will be located on the upper level of the current Eddie Bauer space in FlatIron Crossing.  For all of you non-Coloradians, this outdoor mall is by Boulder.  The store is slated to open this fall.  H&M has roughly 2,500 stores in 43 markets worldwide.  

OoTD - 1/26

BROWN FAUX LEATHER JACKET - Lapis from Ross: around $15.00

ORANGE VEST - United States Sweater

ORANGE BLOUSE - Ann Taylor from Outlets in Loveland

STRAIGHT LEG JEANS - H&M: $31.96

BALLET FLATS - Gap from eBay 

OoTD - 1/24

LONG COVER-UP - Old Navy: $2.50 Going Out of Business sale from their Outlet Store in Silverthorne

BLACK WRAP TOP - Ann Taylor Loft from eBay: $16.56

BLUE JEAN JEGGINGS - Target

3" BOOTS - Madden Girl from eBay: $36.00

NECKLACE - From Hong Kong from China, cheap and gaudy.  I removed extra silver circles from the necklace because it was just too much.

This is my beautiful Australian Shepherd, Zoe.  She is one wild child.  

eBay, I Love You!

Why?

• Price - I call myself a "bottom fishing swooper" on eBay.  What this means is that I troll among the lowest priced items from my search (I always list them in Lowest plus Shipping order) and then dive in at the last 5 seconds with my bid.  I feel that I have gotten some really good bargains on clothes, footwear, and accessories that I really like.
• Accessibility - I live 65 miles from the closest McDonald's let alone good clothing stores.  With eBay, I can search, look, and get a shopping fix 24 hours a day without leaving my ranch and driving a couple of hours possibly in a blinding snowstorm. 
• Quantity - As of right now while I am typing this, there are 6,367,822 items listed under Women's Clothing.  I usually only look at US Only (because shipping from outside the country can take so long), so that bumps me down to 5,233,475 items.  Wah!  That is still a helluva a big store.  There are 1.9 million shoes.  Even for me, that may be more than enough.  
• Variety - Because of the millions of items, you can find it all.  Whatever style you're into, price point, color, pattern, vintage, modern, pre-owned or new with tags, it will eventually show up for sale on eBay.  Case in point:  a while ago, one of my dogs, Bear, chewed up the right shoe of a beloved pair of brown Skecher oxfords.  I had bought the original pair on eBay and started looking for a replacement pair.  The first pair was a pretty old style, so it took a few months, but sure enough one day up popped the same pair in my size and I snagged them in an auction.  If anyone is interested in a left brown oxford Skecher shoe size 10, please contact me.  I just happen to have one extra now.
• Exposure to Different Brands - I love being able to see items from all over the world.  I love discovering new brands that I have never seen before.  And I love being exposed to high-end designers and couture brands that I would never see in the discount stores where I normally shop.  For some reason the Ross Stores that I go to doesn't ever have these overstocked babies on clearance:   

Christian Loubouitin  Venus Orlato Leopard Bootie

• You Can Get the Measurements -I know that trying on clothes is my best bet at getting something that fits and looks good, but of course with on-line shopping that is not possible.  But the nice thing about eBay over other on-line stores is that you can get the garment's measurements.  Say I'm buying a blazer at J. Crew.  A size will be listed and that's about it.  We all know that sizes vary from brand to brand, so unless I'm familiar with how that specific size fits me, it can be a hit or miss.    If it's a miss, I end up sending it back and I have to up pay the postage both ways.  On eBay, if the measurements are not listed in the description, I can email the Seller and ask for them.  So if I am buying a blazer off of eBay, I can know the shoulders, bust, waist, and arm length before I decide to buy it.  I've never had any nasty surprises and I've had a lot of success in fitting clothes this way.  
• Great People - Well.....there was this one time when I did have an unpleasant surprise, but that leads me to the next positive for shopping on eBay.  Back when I first started buying clothes on eBay, and I was still figuring out my measurements and what measurements to ask for, I bought a really cool Unbranded jacket from a Seller in Hollywood, CA.  The jacket came and when I went to try it on, I could just barely squeeze into it and there was no way to close the front.  I was sad because I really liked this jacket and the Seller did not accept returns.  I had already left positive feedback, but I did contact her to let her know that the bust measurement on the listing was incorrect and too small.  Now she didn't have to take the jacket back because I had already rated my shopping experience as positive, but she really worked with me and I ended up only paying for one way of the shipping.  The point of my story is that in my experience with almost 200 transactions on eBay, the people engaged in commerce on the site are by and far kind, ethical and really trying to provide good service.  Most of the Sellers are very motivated to keep there 100% satisfied rating and will try to keep their Buyers happy.    
• I Can Find Talls - This positive thing kind of goes under my "Get the Measurements" bit, but I'm so happy about it that it deserves its own section.  I am 5'10" and have a flat butt and slim hips so it can be very difficult to find jeans and pants that fit and are long enough in most regular stores.  Since getting the fit right can be a pretty tricky, what I do on eBay is search for brands and styles that I know from earlier purchases will work for me.  For instance, I love Victoria Secret's Hipster jeans.  On eBay, I have a Saved Search for them that I run periodically.  It goes out and pulls up all of that brand jeans with "hipster" in the description.  And since the search includes the inseam length, I get only the long jeans I want (crave).  I bought a pair of black twill VS Hipster pants off of eBay a few weeks ago for half the price on VS's website and they are the best fitting pants I own right now.    
• I'm Buying from Americans - Most of the clothes, shoes, and accessories that I buy are probably made overseas.  This is pretty much a fact of life for the American consumer now a days. But I do feel better by purchasing items from USA Only Buyers that I am putting a little money into the coffers of the American middleman or woman.
• I'm Being Green - a lot of the clothes I am buying are used.  Not necessarily "vintage", but just plain used.  So in my small way I am recycling clothes that could possibly end up in a landfill instead of finding a good loving home in my tidy closet.  

OoTD - 1/21 - I've Never Been to Belgium, But My Coat Has

 COAT - Bohemia from eBay:$9.99

BLACK CORDS - French Cuff from Ross

BLACK SUEDE BOOTS - Target

SCARF - H&M: $12.95

SUNGLASSES - Ace Hardware: $2.00

This is a pretty good bargain outfit.  I bought the coat off of eBay from a gal in California.  She said that she bought the coat in Bruges, Belgium.  Not sure where that is, but I guess I could Google it.  I only paid $9.99 and that includes shipping!  I like the close fit at the waist and the swing in the skirt.The black booties from Target fold over and have a silver zipper on the side. I bought them last year on-line and I'm pleased with how well made and comfortable they are.  They have about a 2" heel.  The sunglasses - what can I say? - they were obviously cheap, bought at a hardware store, but I call them my Jackie-O glasses because the are big and round.

The amazing thing about these pictures is the lack of snow on the ground.  Yippee!  We won't worry about no irrigation water for next summer's hay for a few more months.  

OoTD - 1/19 - What I Wear the Most

BATHROBE - Cypress from Ross

SLIPPERS - Rampage from Famous Footwear: 10 buckaroos

This bathrobe is soft and warm, but it picks up hair like nobodies business.  I actually made the tie by braiding three strands of white cord together.  One of my dogs chewed up the old one.

OoTD - 1/17 - All Gray on a Winter's Day

SWEATER COAT - Willi Smith from eBay: $27.00

CORDS - Chadwicks from their website: around $42.00

BOOTS - Aerosoles (Play Pleat) from their website: on sale $55.00

I'm really into monochromatic dressing right now and I don't think it's laziness.  I like to take the same color or shades of it and mix different textures together.  Underneath this sweater coat, I was wearing a lace top, but it didn't occur to me to open up the coat and show that too.  So I had lace, knit, corduroy, and suede.  

My Play Pleat boot from Aerosoles.  I like the wrinkles on the top of the boot - kind of like an elephant foot.

I was going to work, so I put on my vintage Loring mohair & wool coat that I got from my mother-in-law.  The size label says it's a 6.  No way! Closer to a 16 than a 6.  I'm also wearing my fingerless gloves from H&M and an alpaca scarf that was a present to my husband that I glommed onto.  The gloves are not very practical when it's so cold out, but they're cool so I wear them anyways.

OoTD - 1/16 - How I Use To Be a Magician's Assistant

 JACKET - LAL Live A Little from eBay:  $15.98 

TOP - B.L.U.E. from Ross

JEANS - Gap Long and Lean bootcut from eBay

FLATS - Vaneli from eBay 

Excuse me, but have you seen my arms?

 Oh, there they are!

 Detail of the shirt

TOP BRACELET - eBay

BOTTOM BRACELET - Christmas present from my sister a few years ago

If Leonardo Created a Boot?

If Leonardo da Vinci created a boot what would it look like?  Perhaps like this little Italian beauty?

Reedevins Paisley Platform $170.00 on eBay all suede with a 5 inch heel. 

 Guaranteed to make even the crabbiest Mona Lisa smile.

OoTD - 1/9 & 1/10

SUNGLASSES - Liz Claiborne - bought years ago at an Outlet Mall in New Mexico: $10.00

WHITE SHIRT - Merona - thrifted

BROWN JACKET - French Cuff via eBay: $8.99

TROUSER JEANS - Nine West from Ross
(And no that cord is not coming out of my butt, but from the old Christmas lights above.)

 BROWN/COPPER FLATS - Vaneli via eBay

 BRACELET - old, purchased from a street vendor in NYC years ago with my cuz, Dana

LEOPARD RING - eBay

 BELT - TJ Maxx: $19.99

BLACK FLARE JEANS - Gap Outlet in Silverthorne: on sale for $25.00

SILVER & WHITE RING - H&M: $5.95

SILVER BRACELET - vintage Monet given to me by my mom years & years ago

Shopping Haul 1/4 - 1/6

Calvin Klein faux fur scarf : $42.00 for $17.99
Thinsulate faux leopard gloves: $32.00 for $12.99

It must have been Buy an Accessory Day.  This scarf is so soft and has a bright gold lining.  There's a slit in one side so that the other side can go through and you don't have to tie or wrap it.  The gloves have a rich sheen.  Can't wait to wear them together!

Marshalls - 5 pairs of socks, Chinese Laundry, Urania,

and Cabot & Sons: $16.00

Maurices - long hair braid w/feathers: $8.00

Ulta - L'Oreal Paris Lineur Intense felt tip liquid eyeliner $9.00

I am a sucker for thick cozy socks. Steven Tyler look out!  I have my first hair feather.  A gal I was talking to recently had a small one braided into her hair by a hair stylist.  She said she leaves the feather in and washes her hair and styles it.  I thought I'd give this one a try.  I also read that fly fishermen are having to pay higher prices for the feathers they use to make ties because so many are being used for hair accessories.  I really recommend this liquid liner.  I had some in black and got this Earthen Rock Brown.  Try the felt tip and not the brush.  It lasts all day.  

 Blue jeans, straight leg, regular fit 29 x 34: $31.96, 

Fingerless gray gloves: $5.95

Long blue zip hoodie: On sale $10.00
Silver and white ring: $5.95

Long gold and jade necklace: $7.95
(Not shown) - Basic black tank: $5.95
(Not shown) - Black ruffled scarf - $12.95

My first trip to an H&M!  I went to the one in Denver that opened last November.  I got there a little early and window shopped their displays.  The store was bright and clean and young skinny shop kids were running to and fro.  I didn't know where to look or start first.  The music was loud and distracting (I'm not such a multi-tasker like this generation), but then they played some songs I liked and I got used to it.  It was so much fun to see who the other shoppers were and what they were wearing.  I saw a group of three middle-aged ladies like me and we looked at each other furtively and a little sheepishly out of the corner of our eyes like "Are we allowed to be in here?"  I say, "We got the money to spend.  Go for it!"

Being the H&M virgin that I was, I got on their web-site ahead of time to scope out what they might have there, directions, etc.  I signed up for their emails and got a coupon for 20% off of one item.  The sales girl let me use it on the most expensive item which is why the price on the jeans is a weird $31.96.  Also, about the jeans.  When I got home there was a slip of paper in the back pocket about damage to the jeans.  There was a hole in the right seam down the leg that I hadn't even noticed!  I got them sewed up fine and I would have bought them anyway because it is hard for me to find the longer lengths, but I would have asked for an additional discount.

I would definitely go back to H&M.  It met my expectations, was a fun shopping experience, and I loved the prices!  

 TJ Maxx - black & white Guess belt with rhinestones: $45.00 for $19.99

Dolce Cabo micro-suede faux fur jacket: $80.00 for $39.99 on sale for $29.99

I've been wanting what we call out West a buckle bunny bling belt.  The ones with tons of rhinestones and sparklies on them cost about $80 to $100.  I saw this Guess belt and really liked the pattern underneath the bling and the price.  This was one of my favorite finds.  

So that was my shopping lollapalooza.  Three days, six stores and $211.14 with tax.  When I got home, I had some stuff in the mail that I bought off of eBay, but that's another posting . . .

What Do Fashion & Food Poisoning Have in Common?

Thankfully, absolutely nothing.  


Here it was:  2012.  The start of a new year.  I had a nice dinner with friends on New Year's Eve at one of the three fine dining establishments in our town.  A few days later into the new year, I went on a fun trip to the big city with shopping, dining out, and even a massage.  Then into the big, big city for a visit to an art museum and another good restaurant.  


I come home.  I eat some bad leftover holiday ham and the wheels fall off and into the ditch goes my new year.  Notice, I said holiday ham.  Yep.  Note to self: ham from Christmas 2011 should not be eaten in 2012.  In my defense though, the ham was given to me by a friend (and yes she is still my friend) and I froze it before thawing it out and eating it the next year.  This works for wedding cake on your one year anniversary, but not a meat product.  Also, the ham tasted really, really good.  It was cured, salty and coming apart with a fork.    


I am not a child of the depression.  I am not that old.  But I am a child of the axiom of "Finish your food.  Don't you know that there are children in Africa that are starving.".  This is not the first time I have botulised myself.  I have eaten bad macaroni and cheese found in the back of the fridge, put fouled tomatoes into a casserole and unsuspectingly chowed it down, and ordered chocolate cream pie at a restaurant where I saw the pie sitting out on the counter, but did not put two and two together before it was too late. Somehow I have not gotten it into my head that it is okay to waste food if that food is going to turn on you and try to kill you.  Bingo!  My first resolution for 2012.


And you would think that I would never again touch food that has twisted my guts and laid me low for days, but that is not the case.  I have absolutely no aversion to any of the above mentioned items.  Give me a week or two and a ham sandwich on Wonder bread with a generous swath of mayo will sound just fine.


I can not end this post without a grateful shout out to my husband, Scott.  I feel so fortunate that almost fifteen years ago when we said our vows that I did not go with any of the newer make your own kind because the good old traditional "for better or for worse" sure came in handy during this digestive crisis.  I know this is T.M.I., but it is one thing to have diarrhea and it is one thing to be vomiting.  Put the two together when you have no control over either and you feel so weak that you can't hold your head up.  That is when you need a true friend to hold that bowl, keep your fanny positioned on the toilet, and tell you that you will indeed survive this ordeal. Kudos to you sweet hubby.


So, hopefully this bump in the road is behind me.  I can actually get caught up with my new blog and continue posting Outfits of the Day when I am not in the same stinky pajama top and bottom (but they did match and the bottom's were soft and cozy and a great deal from Lucky) for fifty hours straight.  

OoTD - 1/4 & 1/5 - Catching Up

TOP - Piano via eBay (black tank from H&M underneath)

PANTS - brown cords from Victoria's Secret (their website)

BOOTS - Aerosoles 3" black & mink (their website)

I was at the Westin Hotel in Westminster going to an opening reception at a conference.

I like this top because it is smocked at the top, bottom and the sleeves.  It's pretty thin so I wore the tank under it.  The colors and pattern are artsy and it will go with a lot of other stuff I have.

TOP - ???don't know??? - (eBay)
PANTS - black cotton from Victoria's Secret (eBay)
BOOTS - Aerosoles (their website)

Yep, I'm still at the Westin.  I was going to a banquet that night.  This top
was a lot of fun with the floppy poet sleeves.  I have long arms and sometimes
it is hard to find sleeves long enough, but not with this baby.  When I was eating
dinner and I reached for something on the table, I have to use my other hand
to hold my sleeve up so it didn't drag across my food!  The boots are gray
with 2 1/4" heels and very comfortable like most Aerosoles.  

OoTD - 1/2 & 1/3

How fun!  I'm blogging!  I'm a little late to the dance.  I wanted to start at the beginning of 2012, but I had a problem getting Blogger to work with my browser and had to install Google Chrome a couple of times.  Also, I have been on a trip for the last three days.

I am blogging for something to do this winter when I can't be working outside.  This is a fashion blog of my own personal style.  I know there are a million-conjillion fashion blogs out there, but this is what I am interested in.  I want to post pictures of my Outfits of the Day, shopping hauls, and raves and rants about things in my life or what I see.

As a caveat right up front, I am not a photog type of a person.  I am interested in clothes, not photography. My camera is an old and therefore crappy 3.2 megapixels thing.  If I get into this I may buy a newer camera and try to take better pictures.  It's kind of like the chicken or the egg.  Do I spend money on a better camera in order to take better pictures and therefore get more followers, or wait and if I get any followers then buy a better camera?  I don't like the word "followers".  Sounds like I'm starting a cult.  I prefer "viewers". Since I don't expect to get more that one or two viewers, I'm not going to worry about it for now.  I don't mean to be pessimistic, but I feel a bunch of freedom thinking that I can post what I want and ramble on and on and no one is going to see it!

On to fashion.....

I'll try to give some background later about me and why I dress the way I do etc., but right now I'm excited to post a picture so I am going to go see if I can do it.

Hey!  There I am!  That was easy-peasy.  This is my Outfit of The Day from January 2nd.  I was going to work.  I am wearing:
GAP blue/black jean jacket (I like it because it has a zipper in the front and not the usual snaps), a short sleeve shirt with pleats (I don't know the brand.  It is in the wash and I'm too lazy to go down to the basement right now and look.) FRENCH CUFF - black cords, SKECHER black ballet flats with blingy rhinestones on them

I am going to a larger font.  There, that's better.  I am middle aged and my eyes are going.  


The devil may be in the details, but the details are definitely in design.  I will try to post some close up pictures too of the detail of  some of the items I wear and why I like them.  Also, I am not going to go over and over my posts.  I tend towards OCPD (notice the "P".  This is intentional.  OCD and OCPD are two different disorders.  Please Google this if you are interested, but this blog is about clothes not mental health.  Although it should improve my mental health by giving me something to do that is way fun.  


Anyways, you may find some errors in my blog, but I am writing quick and dirty without much thought (as you can tell by now).  I will however, at least try to spell check and proof read a little because I don't like to read anything with misspelled words sprinkled through it.  Also, I will not be swearing (or hopefully not too much) in this blog.  That seems to be the "in" thing with some of the other blogs I've looked at.  I don't like to be reading along and all of a sudden have an F-bomb lobbed at me.  I can swear like a sailor (ask my husband), but I think it is ugly and don't feel good about myself after I've done it.  


OoTD - 1/3

TOP - Micheal Kors
CARDIGAN - Maurices
JEANS - Gap Long & Lean
BOOTS - Kenneth Cole

This is my "artsy" pose or is it "Hey! There's something on my boot!"

I like this top because it has gold studs around the neckline.

The knit cardigan has attached lace around the hem that looks 

like it is multiple layers.

I was cold so I added this leather and shearling vest from TELLURIDE CLOTHING  that I bought at a thrift store in Ft. Collins for $20.  It's hard to tell but the boots are leather harness boots like Frye's but they have a round not square toe.  I bought them used on eBay.