Super Outfit

It is customary to wear your team colors the Friday before a game.  And one might argue that this Friday is the most important of all Fridays.  In the past I have had an uncanny way of inadvertently wearing the color of the opposition.  But today I am wearing lots of green and blue to show my support of the Seahawks (who are playing Denver on Sunday for those of you not in the football frame of mind). 

I am not completely sure if what I am wearing passes as official team colors of College Navy, Action Green, or Wolf Grey.  But this is not important since I am wearing the colors in spirit.  This is where

fashion, team sports and superstitions intersect.  Go Hawks!

philosophical pants

Do people even use the phrase wear the pants anymore?  Like, “she really wears the pants in that relationship.”  I’d like to think that for most relationships these days both parties figuratively share the duties of wearing the pants.  I mean, jeez, it is exhausting making decisions all the time.  Isn’t that one of the bonuses of a long term relationship - that you take turns making decisions (and taking turns wearing pants?)?

And it has come to my attention that I own many pants.  And a large subset of these are gray pants.  The last count is about 6 pairs.  They are like my version of the black shoe phenomenon that many women have where each black shoe is needed for a different situation or outfit; From the outside, it just looks like the woman has way too many black shoes.  But she knows what she is doing. 

[a sample of my pants in their natural environment]

And if one adds “pants” to the end of most words, it makes it better.  Banjopants, squirrelpants, funpants, underpants.  My personal favorite is crazypants. 
 

And, have you ever thought about the plural sense of the words pants?  You can own one pair of pants or you could own 23 pairs of pants.  The word is impervious to changes in volume. Though I guess if you were one-legged, you could modify a pair of pants to be a pant.  But then, one could wonder what the difference is between a  pant and a skirt.  They would essentially be the same thing.

FYI: DIY

I found this downloadable image and framed it for myself.  I mean, this is the perfect mesh of Die Hard and DIY.  I mean - he is holding a glue gun.  Ridiculous.(http://www.clonesnclowns.com/2013/10/11/diy-hard-printable-redecorating-final-part/)

But, that is not the focus today.  What I really want to talk about is that I purchased a gold bracelet from Forever21 (I HAD to go, I had a gift certificate – thanks Laura!).  I was enamored by the weight and feel of it, but not the color.  I am more “Team Silver.”  However, I’ve seen many DIY projects lately that use nail polish and I thought I would have a go at it. 

Other than the smell that permeated the house, I love the result.  It is shiny and seems more durable than acrylic paint would have been.  It is a cheap way to update a cheap metal jewelry item.

 

 

My tie, my tie, my lovely lady tie

If I want to look like a man, (or like an Olive Garden employee (as the love of my life reinforces as he asks for breadsticks this morning)) I can.

 

Do you think it is a bit sexist that a man cannot fashionably dress a bit womanly? Women can get away with a manlier look – we have boyfriend jeans, sweater vests, loafer shoes, short hair and remember the 80’s fad of big shoulder pads as a way to show authority and confidence? I think it is clear that we still have gender issues because it is cool/cute/harmless when a woman wears a tie but it is sexually strange/creepy if a man would wear something feminine.  Why is it bad if someone wants to be feminine?  There is definitely some meat in that issue.  I also find it somewhat interesting that when someone dresses as the opposite sex, they generally choose to wear the most uncomfortable symbol of that sex – for men it is typically ties and suits, for women – heels, pantyhose and a bra.

As you can see, the pattern on this tie is phenomenal (thanks Katie!).  What is also amazing is that some men wear ties every day.  I am not sure how they do it – the tie wanted to get in my oatmeal, my tea, on my computer keyboard, and in the sink every time I washed my hands.  I think that I may need to get myself a tie clip.  THEN I would be cool.

I am bert

Even though I would rather be Ernie, I have come to the conclusion that I am really a Bert. 

Today’s outfit is inspired by Bert – that loveable dorky uptight paperclip collecting guy: turtleneck, sweatervest, slacks, striped socks, and funky/ugly Keen shoes (Goodwill find!).

And on a related side note, you see extra creepy costumes that people have made.  Why do things get all wrong when they are translated from muppet to human?

goodwill 101

 

Today, I had a sunny afternoon to myself and the energy to put in some time at my local Goodwill.  I have come to realize that I have some practical “rules” about thrift shopping. 

• Eat something first.  You make better decisions.
• Preferably go alone.  You make better decisions. 
• Have a rough game plan.  This time I was hunkering for dress shirts to go with a new tie, a gray slip, winter dresses, and knit skirts.  This gives you a place to start when you first get in the door.  Of course, I rarely stay on plan.

• Give yourself plenty of time.  You want to wander and touch everything.
• Wear easy to slip off shoes and clothes that are not annoying to take off and on and off and on. 
• Grab lots of items that peak your interest (patterns, softness, color, buttons, snaps, certain brands) and always try it all on.  Generally only 25% of items that you try on will actually look great.  
• If it is itchy, do not purchase it.  You will never wear it.
• If it the wrong size, stained, or ripped, put it back.  Mourn the fact that if it was perfect it would have changed your life.
• If it is dry clean only, shake your fist at the universe and put it back.  (Unless you go all crazy and decide to gamble/handwash it because you got to wonder if it got here because someone already tried to handwash it.)

• Leave when you are not able to figure out what you have looked at and what you still need to look at.  You have been there too long and it is time to leave. 
• You are now ok not to visit again for like 1-1.5 months.
• Go home and wash everything.  Go through your current closet for items that are annoying or can be replaced by your new items.  Donate them (circle of life).

FYI - I was highly successful this time with a pair of pants, a skirt, a few sweaters, a pair of shoes and a bunch of shirts.  Stay tuned!

history

"Those who don't know history are doomed to repeat it."
--Edmund Burke

My mom [emotionally ambushed me and] gave me several boxes of memorabilia to go through during my Christmas holiday visit.  I rediscovered numerous priceless photos of me in various awkward stages in my life.  Here are a few samples:

 [I believe this to be my 7th grade photo.  It is pretty much amazing.]

 [This is my 11th grade photo.  I am not sure about the tie-died look but my hair style is adorable.]

 [This is evidence of one of my childhood skills of sleeping in the car.  Perhaps this is like 4th or 5th grade.  The reason I include it is because I am wearing my favorite sweatpants and sweatshirt outfit of all time.  The sweatshirt was split in the middle - gray on one side and blue on the other.  The sweatpants were similarly split in color, but just the opposite.  I remember declaring that I will wear those sweatpants forever and that jeans are stupid.  I mourn the loss of those sweatpants.]

[And, I have to end with a fuzzy photo of me and my French horn.  Maybe this is 5th or 6th grade? If you somehow thought that perhaps I was popular... you were WAY off.]