Curvy With A Side Of Confidence

Fall Plaid

2011-11-03T22:40:00.001-04:00

I like plaid. Correction, I LOVE plaid. Part of this love may come from going to a school that has a whole day devoted solely to the school's tartan, or part of it may be that I have always adored the pictures of my grandmother in plaid wool skirts from the '50s. If it were socially acceptable and economically feasible, it is likely I'd wear kilts, plaid button-ups, and tartan scarves year round. Either way, I love plaid, and autumn weather just screams plaid.

On the day I found out I was pregnant, I did two things: I went shopping and bought this outfit, and I peed on a stick, forever changing my life. *LOL* My honest first reaction was to be excited and nervous all at once and then I (and I'm not proud of this) thought about this outfit and was a little bummed. I was so proud of this $6 - yes six dollar - outfit. Unfortunately, it is not a summer outfit (wool in summer - *shudders to think*) and surely I would be too big to wear it when it finally did become cool outside. Who would ever see my wonderfully cheap find?

Well, if you live in the northeast, then you know that things here have become cool pretty darn quick. We even had our first snow! AND, if you've been pregnant or known someone who was pregnant then you know that not everyone has a big belly at five-and-a-half months. Thank the heavens, because these two beauteous things lined up for me and I could, in fact, wear the outfit I so looked forward to showing off.

Besides just loving this $4 skirt for its plaid pattern, I love that it hides my in-the-middle tummy. Don't get me wrong, I am super excited to show off a round baby bump, but - unfortunately - it looks neither round nor baby-bumpish at the moment. I'm at a weird stage where pants and tights don't fit, shirts hug weird areas I didn't know existed, my belly is at least 10" bigger, but people are still shocked when I tell them I'm pregnant because I don't really look pregnant, just like I've gained a little weight. The pleats of this skirt are super helpful in making my belly a little less odd looking and a little more ambiguous, and for that I am grateful. Turns out there is a really big difference in how people treat you when they learn you're pregnant and not that you just gained two sizes (not that I agree with it, but I've definitely noticed the difference).

Nonetheless, here I am, dressed for fall and super excited to show off some new maternity dresses, when this belly develops a little more. In the meantime, I'll leave you with my best news yet. We are having a girl :) Watch out world! Lock up your thrift stores, I've got a new shopping buddy! LOL

Hello World

2011-09-29T12:27:00.001-04:00

Surprise, I did not fall off the face of the planet! I can't believe it has been around three or so months since I posted. Then again, looking at my life recently, I sort of can.

Why have I been MIA for so long? Well world, it is because I am pregnant! :) I am now in trimester two so I'm feeling a little better, but for the last three or four months the idea of getting out of bed, dressed, and standing in front of a camera just added to my already terrible nausea. My husband and I are super excited because we honestly thought we wouldn't be able to have children, and despite some minor complications, everything is going so much better than expected. I still don't have much of a belly to sport, you can only see my rounded abdomen when I'm in my undies, but I have a feeling it won't be long before I can't hide my belly any longer. Of course, I'll have pictures to share.

Our first picture of our baby! We get a new one on Saturday!

Besides constant morning sickness, back aches, swollen feet, exhaustion, and so much more pregnancy fun, I have been MIA because I started a new job. You may remember my post about my interview here. Well, I got the job and the job is wonderful! It is a very difficult job, but exceptionally humbling. I work in a social services agency that sees thousands of homeless and struggling people a year. Our agency attempts to assist these individuals in becoming self-sufficient. I have been working 40+ hours per week and bringing things home with me, but that is not the hard part. The hard part of this work is going home to my loving husband, my house, my food, and that closet filled with clothes and shoes, knowing that our agency couldn't help some of those people who are starving, homeless, jobless, and alone. These are former engineers, former lawyers, former mill men that lost their jobs and lost everything.

Since I started working there, my whole perspective on poverty has changed. I've learned that poverty is different for each person. Each person's experience with it is vastly different from the next. The claims that tons of people take advantage of the system are just that - claims. These people would not be in poverty if they had a better solution, I guarantee you that. I grew up poor, but because of my mother's social capital we were blessed to be able to move out of that position. I am now realizing that not everyone has the same social resources. I think I knew that before but I didn't realize how many people really have no one to which they can turn, and to be completely honest it has made it hard for me to pop on here and talk about my clothing. My coworker put it really well one day at lunch. He said, "I watch all these people eating lunch, laughing, and just being free and I want to say, 'Hey, don't you know there are people out there with cancer!'" We both laughed but we both knew what he meant. It's hard to try to help these people, to watch them struggle, and to feel like no one cares. But the truth is, just because someone else is struggling and I'm embracing what I do have does not mean I don't care.

I want to give more credit to style and fashion blogs than it seems I have above, because I think that fashion bloggers care more than most people. Clearly we are here to motivate, inspire, and build confidence. We've learned that sometimes laughter is the best medicine, and we've shared embarrassing and frustrating parts of our lives just to entertain others. Ofttimes we come together for a bigger cause. So what have I learned these past few months on my journey back to this website? If life is about helping others, it is equal parts about enjoying and embracing the lovely things you are blessed with (yes, this includes that closet full of clothes). However hard it has been recently to maintain this balance, I have to remind myself not that I earned or deserve what I have, but that I should appreciate it because it really could be gone at any moment, despite my "right" to it. I needed to remind myself of why I do this and what I want to accomplish with it. I had to realize that not all needs are physical; a very large portion of needs are emotional are developed by sharing. More than anything, I needed to find my voice again to share the big news in my life and the things I care about deeply.

So that's what I've been up to, how about you? :P

Sentimental Heart

2011-06-27T15:06:00.001-04:00

Fun·i·ver·sa·ry/ˌfunəˈvərsərē/ Noun : The anniversary of something significant (e.g., the anniversary of when a couple started dating) that is celebrated every year with much fun and merriment. See also June 27th or Dana and Brian.

Dress I am wearing this evening. It's a cotton with a silver tone that doesn't seem to photograph too well, but it is insanely comfortable.

Tonight is Brian's and my "funiversary," which is a term that Brian coined for every June 27th, the day we made it "official" that we were dating. Brian and I met in high school right before I graduated. Sparks flew when we ended up sitting together (at a friends house), watching Monty Python and the Holy Grail and Brian slyly asked to hold my hand. Close to a month later (just two months before I left for college) Brian and I started "officially" dating.

Coach bag that Brian bought me as a wedding gift.

I know not everyone is lucky enough to meet their soul mate as early as Brian and I met. I know this because I have watched countless friends go through the trials and tribulations of the dating world. It has made me realize how incredibly blessed I am to have found Brian and still to be together. It hasn't always been easy but eight years later here we stand, as in love as ever and just as happy as we were at 18 and 17 years old. I am so thankful to have found my best friend and partner.

First Christmas gift from Brian; a silver heart with "Brian" on one side and "Dana" on the other, to which he has an identical copy on a key-ring.

Tonight we will be celebrating, as we do every year, by going on a date and having a little fun. I have been wanting to see Mr. Popper's Penguins (it was my favorite book as a child) and also X-men First Class (we are both nerds) and it just so happens they are playing together at the drive-in. Last year we celebrated by going to the drive-in and we had such a good time that we've decided to go again this year. I know it will be a blast and I'm so excited to have some one-on-one time with the love of my life.

For you, my dear readers, I wish the same joy and happiness. I hope you have or will soon find someone who makes your days brighter. Be it a friend, spouse, life partner, or pet, a little love is a beautiful thing to have in your life. :)

Suitcase Review & Vaca Advice

2011-06-24T16:52:00.001-04:00

So now that you have heard all about my vacation, it's time for me to review my pre-vacation post on packing. What did I use, what didn't I use, and what did I need? If you haven't already read my packing post, you can read it here. Let's get started.

My packed suitcase, before I left.

Shoes and Bags:

I brought five pairs of shoes and in reality I only used four. I never wore the silver heels. Honestly, I only had one outfit planned for the silver heels and the occasion never arose to it. In the future, I will only take shoes that can be worn with multiple outfits. Those heels were just a waste of space.

As for bags, I brought two and only carried one. I had the opportunity to carry the other bag, but the shear laziness that takes over during vacation made changing bags seem ridiculous. Also, everything I had went with the brown bag, so there really was no point in changing.

Accessories:

I brought five necklaces and I only used four. Somehow I knew I was only going to use four but I packed my silver heart necklace anyway. I also packed four pairs of earrings and I used them all. Funny thing is, I'm not usually an earring kind of girl, but I've been trying to incorporate them more and more. I packed four sets of bracelets and only ended up using two. The other two I just wasn't feeling. Although I over-packed jewelry a little, I liked having the choices in the morning and they took up barely any space, so I would probably still pack as much as I did.

Clothing:

I brought four dresses and wore only three. Our plans were too free form for a maxi dress. I never knew when we were headed to the beach and with the waves as high as they were, a maxi just seemed impractical. The only time I'd pack a maxi again would be if it were just Brian and I and we were more set on our plans.

I brought two skirts and only wore one. The second skirt was part of the silver shoes outfit and at the end of the day, if I can't mix and match it, I won't wear it. Next time, I'm only bringing interchangeable items.

I brought five tops and only wore three, but mostly because I had no big accidents. It was a miracle to make it through vacation and only have one spill on my clothing. With 3 little ones around, I thought for certain I would need back ups. I was lucky I didn't but I think I would still keep the backups in future trips, just to be safe.

I brought three vests and only wore two. Two of the vests were gray and although their shape is different, I always opted for one over the other. In the future, if things I'm packing look very similar, I'll pick the one I like better and just take it.

I wore both pairs of shorts that I took. I actually washed them and wore them several times. It's really nice and a new thing for me, being able to have shorts that fit and are comfortable. They were great for the ocean and even better for traveling in the car.

I also wore every swim suit I brought. I don't know about you, but the idea of putting on a wet swim suit is awful. Having three to shift around was great. I wore one exclusively to the beach and two in the pool. I never had to put on a dripping wet suit and the variety made spending lots of time in a swimsuit less mundane.

I also wore my variable dress. You know, the one I am afraid to try around the people I know. I bought the dress in Mexico a few years ago and it was perfect for the warm weather. It's a little see-through so I wore a white tank and a pair of Brian's white boxers under it. I have been looking for a light weight white slip for years and haven't found one yet.

I wore the belts, the sweatshirt, and the cardigan. I also packed an additional long sleeved white half-shirt on a whim and it came in rather handy. Next time I head anywhere sunny I will definitely pack some light weight long sleeved shirts. I am so susceptible to the sun, it's better to be safe than sorry.

All-in-all I used 84% of what I brought (42 of 50 clothing items). That's pretty good considering all the places I had to take into account. In the future I'll cut out things that are not interchangeable (aside from special occasion trips, such as weddings) and multiples of things (such as a second gray vest). I will also pack more light weight long-sleeved shirts (if I'm going somewhere sunny), as I am prone to burning.

As for vacation advice, I learned a few things this vacation. Mostly about vacation planning, what to expect out of vacation, what normal daily things you tend to cut out, and what the end of vacation really means. The things I learned are:

Relaxation on vacation is walking in the sand.

One, decide what you want from your vacation in advance. Do you want adventure, relaxation, or just some time away with the family? Knowing what you want in advance will help influence where you go and what you do. I tend to overdo it on vacation, so if I want relaxation I have to put myself somewhere that there isn't a ton to do.

Baltimore, I wish we had researched our hotel a little better. Maybe some other time.

The second thing I learned is research your hotel well. In the future I'm going to stick with the brands we know and like or I'm going to go with top rated B&Bs. We tried a new hotel chain this time around and it was beyond terrible. For business trying a new hotel is no big deal, but when you want comfort it's better to stick with what you know. B&Bs tend to be a good choice as well because the minimal amount of guests gives each guest more attention.

Three, your makeup bag is useless. I brought most of my makeup and brushes. I barely wore any of it. At most, I wore the same eye shadow the whole time, mascara, and lipgloss. My foundation didn't look right on my recently burnt skin and I opted for more SPF coverage than foundation can give anyway. No one was there judging my makeup so next time I'm packing a lot lighter in that respect. Also, perfume only serves to attract insects when you are at the beach; you don't need it.

It doesn't seem like it'd be a hard adjustment from the beach house to home, but it is.

Lastly, give yourself a bounce back period. If you can take vacation from Friday to Sunday, don't go on vacation from Friday to Sunday. Give yourself at least one day of rest and relaxation. Don't force yourself to do anything on that day (after all it's still vacation), just take the day to leisurely prepare for the inevitable work week ahead. Don't try to get all the laundry done or the suitcases unpacked. Order pizza and don't worry about running to the grocery store. Your vacation will seem longer if you give yourself a little time at home to unwind after vacation. The unpacking will be there tomorrow, the grocery store will be there tomorrow, but your last day of rest will not.

All in all, I think I did pretty okay when it came to packing. I over packed a little, but between Brian and I we only used a regular and small sized suitcase and toiletry bag. Next time, I'm going to aim for just the regular suitcase or two carry-on sized bags. There is a beauty in packing light and yet still feeling comfortable in what you are wearing. Good luck to all of you that will be doing the same this summer. I hope I was able to help a little.

Vacation Part Three

2011-06-23T15:30:00.002-04:00

After a terrible night's stay and a little time wandering around the Inner Harbor, we left Baltimore. That's right, we left and instead headed to Gettysburg.

Gettysburg, PA is the most charming little town with a very rich history. It is exactly what we needed. We stayed at the absolute most charming Bed and Breakfast called The Brafferton Inn. If ever you go to Gettysburg (which I would recommend) stay at this B&B. The breakfast is fantastic, the location is awesome, the rooms are comfortable, and the staff is so nice. They made sure we were comfortable and that this part of our vacation was all about relaxation. They even upgraded our room the second night to a room with a Jacuzzi tub, and they moved our luggage for us while we were out!

The Brafferton Inn

Inside the Inn.

One of our lovely rooms.

Our first night at Gettysburg, we ate at a tavern called the Springhouse Tavern in the basement of the historic Dobbins House. This place was suggested to us by our B&B and it was wonderful. The whole tavern is candle-lit and the atmosphere is something from a fantasy novel. The food was fantastic and they even had a small museum that gave the history of the house and its use in the underground railroad.

Tour walking past the Dobbin House, where we had just eaten.

Our only full day (Friday) in Gettysburg was spent shopping and wandering around Lincoln Square. There was so much to see and so many vintage shops to peruse. Brian bought a really nice old tie, and I walked away with two lovely silk scarves along with two old army leather bags for my bicycle.

Outfit of the day, Dress- Old Navy, Vest- Old Navy, Necklace- Brian's Nan

I wasn't worried about the sun because the streets are lined with awnings and we were in shops most of the day. (Shoes- Payless)

Vintage scarf I bought in a thrift shop for fifty cents.

Another vintage scarf I bought in a thrift shop for fifty cents.

Perfect colors for summer.

After a long day of shopping and the warm weather, we went back to our room to take advantage of the AC. I made a quick outfit change (as I had totally spilled something on my dress) before we went and got Chinese and then came back to relax a bit before bed.

Finally dared to wear my Mexican dress. It was so comfy! Dress- Merida, Mexico, Shoes- Payless (American Eagle), Belt- No Clue, Necklace- Brian's Nan's, Bag- Gabriel Brother's.

The next morning, with much sadness, we left the B&B and went up to the Gettysburg National Cemetery and East Cemetery Hill. The National Cemetery is where Lincoln gave his famous Gettysburg Address, so stopping there was a given. The weather was nice, but still a bit sunny, so I opted for a cardigan. The Cemetery and battlefields were not as busy as I expected, which made wandering around taking pictures really pleasant.

Gettysburg National Cemetery. Lincoln gave his famous Gettysburg Address little ways away from this spot.

Outfit of the day, Dress- Target, Cardigan- Taget, Shoes- Payless, Bangles- Forever 21, Necklace- Forever 21

The cemetery was serene and there was a very nice breeze.

East Cemetery Hill, overlooking some of the battlefields.

After leaving Gettysburg, we decided to take the long way home. Old route 30 to be exact. We have always been the type of people to take the back route and stop a thousand times, so this was no different. We stopped at a yardsale where I picked up a dress and lace camisole. We also stopped at an antique store where I picked up a hat (I love vintage hats).

Oh the things you will see when you take the back way.

Our last stop before home was the temporary Flight 93 Memorial. The actual memorial is not finished yet, but looks like it will be very nice. They had a temporary museum set up (in the bunker that the FBI used while investigating the crash site) that was very moving. Every person who died in the crash had a biography and every phone record from the flight was there for anyone to read. Brian and I spent two hours reading the information and looking at photographs. If you live near PA, it is a very touching place to stop.

The Flight 93 memorial in process. The wall represents the path of the plane, which crashed just beyond the wall in the field.

Finally, we made it home and covered our living room in the remains of our trip. We picked up our puppy, who was excited to see us, and passed out in our own bed. Sunday we spent time with our fathers and even caught a show in Pittsburgh, which made our vacation seem a little longer. All-in-all it was an interesting trip, perhaps not as relaxing as we had hoped, but a vacation nonetheless.

Vacation Part Two

2011-06-22T15:00:00.007-04:00

Here is where vacation got interesting. Brian and I decided to leave the family at the beach and venture off on our own. We wanted a bit of relaxation time without interruption, and we had both never been to Baltimore. A lot of our friends kept telling us about the Inner Habor and how much we would love the National Aquarium, so the plan was to take off Wednesday and slowly make our way to Baltimore.

Luggage prepared for the next leg of our trip.

On our way out of Virginia Beach, we stopped at First Landing State Park. If you've never been there, go. It's got a very nice little museum (it's free) about the 1607 landing of the Virginia Party on Cape Henry. There is no major development on the beach there and the water is a lot more gentle than Virginia Beach itself. We spent some time going through their museum and then walking along the beach before we popped back in the car and headed to Norfolk, Virginia.

First Landing State Park. There were a ton of barges out on the water.

The weather in Norfolk was beautiful. The sun was out and little fluffy clouds dotted the sky. We stopped here to see the Navy ships. With a LOT of Navy history in my family, it only seemed fitting. We saw the USS Wisconsin, which seemed unreal - it was so huge! We walked all around the outside of the Nauticus (a Naval museum) and then popped back in the car to head to Williamsburg. If we ever go back, we are going to take a cruise that they offer around the Navy ships. If ever you are near Norfolk, I would suggest stopping to at least see the USS Wisconsin. Even if you aren't into Naval history, the size and placement of the ship will floor you.

The USS Wisconsin next to the Nauticus Museum. It's huge!

Me with the Lone Sailor statue. Shirt- Old Navy, Vest- Old Navy, Shorts- Old Navy (cut off by me), Necklace- Forever 21, Bracelet - Don't Remember, Shoes- Payless.

Lone Sailor looking on his ship, ready to depart. (Or at least that's what I was going for).

If it isn't already apparent, I'm a history nerd. Along with being a history nerd, Brian and I are obsessed with walkable villages and cities. For this reason, Williamsburg is by far one of our favorite places. We went there on our honeymoon and because we knew it was along the way to Baltimore, we planned on stopping on our way out of Virginia Beach. Unfortunately, it was a little late in the day when we got there, but we were still able to go into our favorite shops and gardens. We ate a late picnic lunch, made friends with some horses, and admired the skittles board we keep planning to replicate, all before heading toward Baltimore.

Our favorite shop in Williamsburg; the Scottish Shop.

One of the horses we made friends with.

A lovely garden in Williamsburg.

An idea I may incorporate into my own garden.

The Governor's Palace in Colonial Williamsburg.

Our last quick stop before Baltimore was mostly made by accident. We were supposed to connect to some road in D.C., but we ended up at the capital. We decided to take advantage of this little stop to see the White House at night and the Boy Scout Memorial (as Brian is an Eagle Scout). The Congressional picnic was in full swing, so we were stopped by a temporary fence 10 yards away from the normal South Lawn fence. It was still neat to see the White House at night. On our way back to the car we stopped at the Boy Scout Memorial and we were both impressed at how nice it is and all of the detail incorporated in its design.

Quick stop in D.C.

Party at the White House. Seriously.

Brian on one of the benches of the National Boy Scout Memorial.

Finally, we made it to Baltimore. And here is where things got really complicated. We had booked our hotel through Hotels.com and were staying two blocks from the Inner Harbor. When we arrived, we were informed the parking was in a public lot across the street and would cost us in addition to our hotel room. We weren't happy about it, but what can you do? We grabbed our things and took them to our room. The room was gross. The bed was terrible and on our way back down to move our car we got stuck in the elevator and then in the stairwell. Needless to say, after our long day we were frustrated, tired, and very, very upset. We ended up having our room moved, but the second room was as bad as the first. We spent all of the next morning calling Hotels.com trying to cancel our reservations. Fortunately, after hours on the phone with them, we were able to cancel our last two nights and left that hotel quicker than you can say "bananas".

The USS Torsk. A submarine that my grandfather's best friend was on before taking charge of the USS Grampus and becoming an Two Star Navy Rear Admiral.

The Inner Harbor in Baltimore. The National Aquarium is on the left.

Chasing down ducks.

Outfit of the day. Dress- Gabriel Brothers, Shoes- Payless, Cardigan- Taget (Mossimo, I think), Necklace- Claires, Bag- Gabriel Brothers.

We spent that morning at the Inner Harbor. We went to the Aquarium (which WAS really awesome), the giant Barnes & Noble, and just walked around a bit. While we liked the Inner Harbor, it seemed as if a lot of what was there is stuff we have here in Pittsburgh, so we don't really regret our next decision.

Tune in tomorrow to see what we did next! Not to leave you all hanging but I don't want to overload you with too many pictures at once!

Vacation Part One- The Beach

2011-06-22T15:00:00.005-04:00

On our way down to VA Beach, at a scenic overlook.

View from the scenic overlook in Maryland.

Traveling by dananbell featuring cutoff shorts

Our vacation started with a nine-hour drive to Sandbridge Beach (just south of Virginia Beach). Talk about a long drive! I tried to dress comfortable and yet not wear pajamas flat out. Between the AC in the car, the heat of the stops at gas stations, and the eventual sunny beach, I knew it would be hard to feel comfortable in all the environments if I didn't wear layers. I wore cut off clam-diggers, easy to slip on and off sandals, a 3/4-length button down, a tank, and a 3/4-length sweatshirt. My plan was to dress in layers. It worked out really well.

Excuse my lack of makeup and frumpy appearance. It was 5am after all.

The next morning, Brian and I got up at 5am again to watch the sunrise over the ocean. It was beautiful, although the sun stayed hidden behind the clouds. I threw my shirt and shorts on from the day before because it was early I didn't really feel like struggling with my suitcase (which broke as we were loading it in the car). Honestly, Brian, myself, my brother-in-law, and an old lady with her dog were the only ones at the beach, so I didn't feel so bad about re-wearing my travel outfit.

The pool at our beach house.

When we came back to the house, we lathered ourselves in sunscreen and hopped in the pool. I would have shown you my swimsuit (maybe another time) but I was too excited to cool off, and I most certainly wasn't taking pictures of me post-swim. We ended up spending quite a few hours in the pool with my in-laws and my niece and nephews. My swimsuit from Target (the purple suit seen in this post) was perfect for being around a lot of people. It is a little low-cut, but it didn't move once and the halter tie wasn't as annoying as other suits I've had. The only problem with this suit is that it has an inside liner that collects sand if you are at the beach, making this my "swimming pool only" swimsuit.

As you can see, I'm a little burnt.

After swimming for hours and relaxing by the pool, we got dressed and headed out for some crab legs and then to the beach. Unfortunately, it was as I was getting dressed that I realized I was very badly burnt. Even with lots and lots of sunscreen, my very fair-skinned self managed to get burnt. This is something I hadn't really planned for. I didn't want to wear a tank out in the sun because I didn't want my arms to get worse, so I looked through my bag for the thinnest long-sleeved shirts I could find. With a history of skin cancer in my family, I don't really want to take any risks.

I originally put this on for dinner. (Tank- Thrifted, shorts- Old Navy (cut off by me), Shoes- payless, and Sunglasses- Flea Market.)

Realizing it would be sunny on the beach, I added the hat and shirt to protect my already burnt skin. (Hat- Walmart and Shirt- Dots)

Long sleeves at the beach actually work quite well, since the wind coming off the ocean is really powerful and cool. I thought I would be uncomfortable with long sleeves on, but I actually felt more comfortable than if I had worn tanks the whole time. The long-sleeved white half-shirt was perfect for the beach, and I even wore it over a swimsuit one day into the ocean and it worked out quite well.

Butterfly (one of many) at the Wild Life Refuge.

Outfit of the day. Shirt- Old Navy, Skirt- Fashion Bug, Shoes- Payless, Hat- Walmart

The absolutely amazing dunes. They were like mini mountains.

The beach at the wild life refuge. It was stunningly blue.

The next day, Brian and I took a drive down to Back Bay Wildlife Refuge. It was beautiful. It's amazing to see what a beach looked like before all the development came along. The dunes looked like mountains, they had to be close to forty feet tall! We walked around a lot of their trails and along the beach for a while, just taking in the calm atmosphere. When we got back, we took my sisters-in-law up to Virginia Beach proper and we all rode one of those absolutely silly four-person bikes. It was really fun, although I may have worn shorts under my skirt, had I known we were going to do the biking.

I actually bared a little midriff. I hadn't planned to wear this shirt with this skirt but all of my shorts needed washed.

I had just lost my hat to the wind. Don't worry, we got it back.

Our last full day at the beach was spent in swimsuits ninety percent of the time, although that morning I opted for a black tank, shorts, and my sweatshirt to go out and watch the sunrise. Again, it was beautiful and I saw dolphins. Actually, I saw dolphins every single time I was at the beach. It was awesome. I know it's a little hard to see the outfit, but I wanted the sunrise in my picture. Can you blame me?! Isn't it lovely?!

Beautiful sunrise in Sandbridge.

Dolphins! There were a few but they were hard to capture.

Tomorrow, I'll tell you about the second half of our trip and what I wore, so stay tuned!

Vacation - All I Ever Wanted

2011-06-20T17:21:00.002-04:00

Sunrise in Sandbridge.

Hello, readers! I am back from my whirlwind of a vacation, where we visited a LOT of places along the Eastern Seaboard. Aside from a living room filled with suitcases, clothing, and souvenirs, I brought back a few outfit pictures, some vacation advice, and a suitcase review.

Wildflowers in Williamsburg

I'm really excited to share pictures of my trip, my outfits, my mishaps, and what I actually used from that long list I gave you last week. Stay tuned this week! As for now, I'm going to catch up on some blogs I've been missing. See you all tomorrow!

Garden in Gettysburg

Packing For The Beach

2011-06-11T11:00:00.004-04:00

Things have been crazy here. Our air conditioning broke and it has been around 90 degrees in our house. Needless to say, I haven't been dressed in anything I would wear in public (aka, skimpy tank and short shorts). How do I plan to escape the heat for a bit? Head to the beach, of course. Not really the logical answer, but the beach house my family is renting is air-conditioned and it has a pool, so it will work quite nicely.

Beach bag filled with swimsuits, flip-flops, sunscreen, towels, and books.

So, what does one take to the beach? Most of us have separation anxiety when we are removed from our closet. I know I have in the past. Especially when I'm travelling with more people than just Brian. Our limitless options when it comes to clothing, accessories, shoes, and bags make us feel comfortable and, therefore, our lack of options make us feel uneasy. Hence the stereotypical female traveler is portrayed with multiple suitcases that even she cannot manage. I have been that stereotypical female traveler as well as the exact opposite in the past, and my goal is to break this stereotype without being uncomfortable (after all, vacation is about being comfortable). I will attempt to pack clothing I can remix and rewear along with minimal accessories, shoes, and bags. I'm going to be realistic, but the goal is to pack on the light end.

Only taking up half of the big suitcase. Never-mind my purse falling over into Brian's half.

Shoes and Bags:

Honestly, how many shoes can we wear in a week? Or better, how many shoes will we wear in a week? Chances are, it will be hot at the beach, most of what we'll be doing is footwear optional (i.e., swimming, relaxing by the pool, and walking along the shore). Granted, we need shoes to get us from here to there - but once we are there they are coming right back off. When we are wearing shoes, is it really realistic to assume we'll be wearing five-inch heels or boots? Maybe for some, but personally, I'm on vacation, which means my feet are too. Here are the shoes I will be taking:

Five Pairs of shoes. One pair of nicer sandals for the board walk, one pair (my only pair) of flip-flops for the pool and beach, one pair of flats for bike riding or excursions, and two pairs of dressier shoes for our evenings in Baltimore or for going out to a nice dinner.

Bags are a lot like shoes. I would rather take a couple bags (or even one, although I know I would go crazy with just one bag) than take one for each day of the week. I'm definitely a proponent of changing out your bag, but at the same time, I am equally impressed by the carefree style of women who carry the same bag day in and day out. If you are like me, pack two bags that will go with all of your clothing.

In this case, I packed almost no black (except for my swimsuit) so I don't need a bag that goes with black. Just my brown bag and a bright bag to go with everything else. I packed clothing in shades of orange, brown, blue, and yellow, so the orange bag goes with it all.

Accessories:

It's easy to think that the world will stop turning if I don't have a wall of necklaces at my disposal, but I keep reminding myself that with less choices I will spend less time in the house getting dressed and more time on the beach enjoying the waves. A few simple pieces that go with everything and that capture different lengths and styles are all I need to vamp up any outfit.

Five necklaces, four bracelets, and four pairs of earrings are all that are going.

Clothing:

Clothing is where it gets tricky. It's the beach so one would assume it's going to be hot. I am not going to pretend that I'm okay with wearing the same sweaty shirt from yesterday throughout vacation. Vacation is meant to be stress free, and I certainly don't want to stress about whether or not I smell bad. I also know that the forecast is variable. I always check the weekly weather before I head out, and this time I was disappointed to see Virginia Beach temperatures all over the place. This means I have to pack for the rain, cold, heat, and anything in between. My husband and I will also be traveling to Baltimore toward the end of our trip to experience the Inner Harbor so I know that I want something a little more city-chic for this part of the trip, as opposed to beach bum ready. Another very important variable is that we are traveling with family and that means kids. I'm a kid magnet. Anything their hands touch mysteriously ends up on me so I opted for pieces that can be covered up, changed out, or even washed out in the sink (woo hoo cotton). I also am taking more than one outfit per day. I know that seems excessive, but last year I learned the hard way that some stains don't come out as easily as thought, sometimes you end up soaked for no reason (water balloons, perhaps), and sometimes you just sweat right though everything you are wearing. Gross, I know.

Four Dresses. A maxi and three shorter dresses all loose and comfortable.

Two Skirts. Both skirts are mid-length, flowy, light, and very comfortable.

Five Shirts.Three blouses and two tees that can be mixed and remixed. One blouse is being washed and I will be wearing it on the drive down.

Three Vests. These help remix things without making the outfit too hot.

Five Tanktops. I wear them under almost everything.

Two Pairs of Shorts. One is not pictured because I will be wearing it on the drive down.

Three Swimsuits. I can't stand putting on a wet suit, so this gives them time to dry. One is currently drying so it didn't get photographed.

One Variable. Something I wouldn't normally wear at home, but since the people down there don't know me (besides family) I can test this one out.

Four Belts. Just for some added variety, I figured I'd take my favorite belts. They are so small, they take up almost no room.

Eight Pairs of Underwear. Not including what I'm wearing down.

Six Bras. A plunge bra, a reworkable strap bra, and three other comfortable bras will be sufficient considering how much time will be spent in a bathing suit.

One Cardigan and One Hoody. Neither are pictured because one is in the wash and one I will be wearing on the drive down.

The Rest:

These things pretty much go without saying, but then again, without saying them they are the simplest to forget. Easiest way to remember all the extras is to think about a normal day at home and all the things you use. Now think about if you will use them on vacation. For example, I get up and get a shower (shower gel, shampoo, conditioner, razor, shaving cream) and then I brush my teeth and do my hair (toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, hairbrush, hairdryer, styling gel, hair spray). Looking over these things, I know that the hotel in Baltimore has a hairdryer and I won't use one at the beach, so I can cross that off my list. It doesn't take as long as you would think and no printable vacation list is going to be as accurate to your routine as taking the ten minutes to write down what you would need.

All packed!

Hopefully this was helpful. If it wasn't then let's all just pretend like it was. Okay? Awesome. Hopefully, you are all taking at least a week this summer to relax. Whether that's a week in a foreign country, a week at the beach, a week in the mountains, or even just a week spent at home in your garden, I hope your packing goes smoothly and your time is restful and enjoyable. See you in a week! (Unless I get bored and feel like posting some outfit photos.)

Summer Trends.

2011-06-10T10:00:00.001-04:00

Today's FBFF is all about summer trends. Katy (from Modly Chic) asks, "What are the top five summer trends that you are looking forward to wearing this season?" Well Katy, I don't know that I'm all that trendy, but I can tell you what I'm looking forward to wearing this summer.

Colour by dananbell featuring chain jewelry

1. Bright Colors. I have been wanting to wear bright colors since the trend first popped up its pretty little head; unfortunately, I have a hard time dressing bright and cheery when it is pouring down rain or freezing cold outside. This summer, I'm going to try really hard to break out of my earth tone and black box and be a little more unexpected. With the sun for inspiration, I am more than excited.

2. Beach Waves. I can't wait to rock the "I'm still damp and frizzy but you love me anyway" hair. There isn't anything that says summer to me more than long, free-flowing, wavy hair.

Sundress by dananbell featuring a floral tote

3. Summer Dresses. I love sundresses. I love dresses in general but sundresses are lovely. I hope to make a few that are extra flowy with some sheer layers. I have been seeing a lot of sheer lately, and I just love the way it looks for the summer.

Summer Loving. by dananbell featuring square sunglasses

4. Shorts. Honestly, I almost never wear shorts. I've never felt very comfortable in shorts and I could never find a pair that fit well. I finally cut off some old jeans and have been breaking out shorts on some of these hot days. I'm excited about styling them with heels, flowy shirts, big bags, and clunky accessories. This may not be a new trend for anyone but me, but I'm still excited about it.

5. Stripes. I have them to work out in, to sleep in, and even to wear out. I love stripes and I'm so excited that it is the season for stripes (especially nautical stripes).

So how about you all? What summer trends are you looking forward to wearing?

*As usual, check out the everyone else's response to Katy's question by stopping over at Modly Chic to see the list of all those who participated.

Summer Celebrations.

2011-06-09T20:37:00.000-04:00

It's officially summer. At least according to the thermometer outside my window, that said this season came with the spike of 90 degrees just a few days ago. From what I can tell, it's going to be a very roasty, toasty three or four months. That being said, how the heck am I going to dress for this very warm and sunny summer while still looking festive at the many celebrations summer typically brings? Coolly - I know that much at least.

First, we have graduation. Many of you have been through the college graduations of the year and are now getting ready to attend a high school graduation. Be it your niece or nephew, friend's child, sibling, or even your own child, the time for those teenagers to suddenly become adults is upon us, and celebrate we will. Only problem? Graduation itself. I don't know about those of you who have children or siblings in more affluent school districts, but here in podunk PA our local high school has no air conditioning. That's right, none. So when it came time to head out to my brother's graduation, the only thing on my mind besides looking good was staying cool. I don't know about you, but the heat really affects me. So what did I wear? I wish I hadn't been rushing (as always) and could have snapped a good picture but in any case, I Polyvored it for you all.

Graduation Attire by dananbell featuring beaded necklaces

Light colors, breathable material, shoes that don't make my feet sweat, and minimal accessories make this outfit cool and chic.

Aside from graduation, this is wedding season. It's barely June and I've already been a groomsman (yes, groomsman) in a wedding, missed a wedding, and sent in my reply to three others. Wedding attire is tricky, because the coolest colors (white and light beige) are off limits. Some people may not mind you wearing white to their wedding, but in my mind it's better to be safe than sorry. I tend to stay on the colorful side for outdoor or casual weddings and on the darker side for dressier weddings. I tend to wear the least climate-comfortable attire for rehearsal dinners. Let's face it, if you are in a wedding, your dress is more than likely a little restricting, your shoes are unrealistic for the amount of time you will be standing, and no matter how much AC the church pumps in, you will be dying of heat stroke before the happy couple says "I do". Why not practice dealing with all of this the night before?

Dress Rehersal by dananbell featuring a knit skirt

Last Friday, I wore an outfit very similar to this for a rehearsal dinner. The belt was restricting enough and the shoes high enough to prepare me for the next day. The church had no AC at all, so I don't think anything could have prepared me for that - except maybe a parka.

Summer Casual Wedding by dananbell featuring a belted skirt

Light, bright, and carefree for a wedding I will attend late in the summer. The cardigan is for a chill in the air, but seeing how hot it is already, it may not be necessary.

Summer Wedding - Dressy. by dananbell featuring jeweled handbags

A darker blue paired with gold and brown gives a more sophisticated feel, yet the material is still light and breathable. An outfit planned for an evening wedding Brian and I will attend.

Summer is a time for celebrating the sun, our friends, ourselves, and all the many things that come along with life. Unfortunately, it's not always easy to dress for the occasion when it is hot as Hades outside. Just remember to wear light, breathable materials, rock whatever style you chose, and no matter what, have fun. If there is one thing we know, the bride will be kicking off her shoes, the grad will be sweating like no other under their robe, and life's too short to always worry about what you are wearing when there is dancing and eating in the future. :)

Bloggers Are Sweethearts

2011-06-06T19:11:00.001-04:00

One thing that I have learned about the blogging community is the sweet nature of a lot of its participants. This is one community that knows how to share the love. As a reader (without a blog of my own) I was shocked to see the nice responses from authors on comments I had made, and after becoming a blogger I again am shocked at the advice, help, praise, and love that is given to new and different blogs. Rarely in the real world do we compliment people on the things we feel they are good at. Much like Anika, I have to ask "why?" It's such an uplifting and wonderful thing. I know this because I am currently on the receiving end of a rather large compliment.

The super sweet mom blogger, Brittany, from Changing Diapers and Taking Names, has given me a Versatile Blogger award. Before I explain how this works, I want to say a very special thank you to Brittany for reading, commenting, and now complimenting me. You are too sweet and have made my day. Check out her blog and read up on how to keep your sanity and still be an awesome mommy and have some laughs along the way. With weekly gratitude, books worth reading, and inspiring moms of the month, Brittany's blog is a one-stop-shop for the mommy blogger.

How this award works:
1. Thank the person who gave you the award by linking back to them in your post.
2. Tell us 7 things about yourself.
3. Award 15 recently discovered bloggers.
4. Contact those bloggers and let them in on the exciting news!

Seven Things About Me, You May Not Know:
1. I love people. Sure people make me angry, sad, upset, irritated, and all the other things that other people feel when they say that all too common "I hate people" phrase. Despite these occasional feelings, I love people. I am happier being around another person than being alone, and I feel that everyone has something they can teach us, even if it is from their mistakes.

2. I have a hard time sleeping or, at least, getting a regular night's sleep. My mind doesn't want to shut off at night and, although I love the morning, it's always a reminder that Brian is gone for the day so I'd rather sleep in.

3. I can't believe I am married. I don't know a girl more dorky, accident prone, or weird than me. How any man looked past my constant spilling of food or drink, tripping, terrible jokes, or plethora of other weird and nerdy traits in order to see something remotely sexy baffles me to no end. I am happy, nonetheless, that someone did. :)

4. My favorite ethnic food is Korean. I am obsessed. Mandu and Bul Go Gi are both delicious.

5. I like to craft. I have more than one full closet of crafting supplies. I like everything from knitting, to scrap-booking, to painting and back. I can even sew.

6. I am horrible at spelling, hence Brian edits every blog post.

7. I have partial hearing loss in my right ear from recurrent ear infections as a child. Certain tones of voice are really hard for me to hear (mostly men with very low voices). I always feel bad asking them to repeat themselves, especially when other people in the group are talking at the same volume and they don't have to repeat themselves.

My Versatile Blogger Awards:

Consume or be Consumed
Decoding Dress
The Curvy Model
A Reason To Be Fabulous
Dethrose Vintage
Paper Balloon Journal
Unusual Form
The Button Owl
Big Girl. Small Budget. Tiny Town.
Riding Pretty
The House In The Clouds
Blogging For Joy
Love. Life. Lace
The Thrill of the Heel
By Anika

Hair! No, not the musical.

2011-05-27T15:55:00.001-04:00

Hair! Circa 2004.

Today's FBFF is all about hair. Not the musical, the stuff on your head. However, there is a musical (no, not Hair) that showcased the power of hair this past week. You may not be a Glee fan, but one thing you can't deny about the last episode is that the girls of Glee know a thing or two about the power of a haircut. They knew that getting a new and extreme haircut would make Quinn, a Glee member and recent dump-y, feel better. How true is this? For me - phenomenally. Every time I'm feeling a little down in the dumps, I change my hair. A new cut, color, texture, or even style can work wonders for my mood. It's almost a metaphor for life. When things get bad, make a change. Even a small change can make a big impact. Maybe that's why I'm such a fan of changing my hair and, in turn, changing my attitude.

First SELF haircut. Mom was not happy. Around 1989.

Onward to the FBFF questions:

How often do you get your hair cut?
I, unfortunately, do not have a schedule for my hair. I know that that is terrible when it comes to split ends and the like, but I tend to get my hair cut when I need a change, when it's becoming easily tangled, or when my bangs are grown out and I want to keep them short. I know I should get it cut every 6 or 8 weeks or something like that, but sometimes that seems too soon and sometimes that doesn't seem soon enough.

Drastic haircut while dealing with the stress of looking for a new home. 2009

Do you go to the same stylist each time, try someone new, go to the cheap hair cutting chains or live it up in a salon?
I go where it is cheap. I am fortunate in the fact that my hair holds whatever shape I put it in very well, so I figure if it's a bit uneven, I can always curl it, throw it up, or go somewhere else. I have been so lucky that I haven't been traumatized by a cheap salon (*knock on wood*). I wish I had the money to go to a really nice salon that pampers you, but I'd rather spend my money on traveling or spending time with friends, and they don't seem to mind my cheap haircut, so it's all good.

Auburn hair from college. Right before my wedding in 2008.

Do you color your hair? How often? What’s your natural color?
I do color my hair. I have been coloring my hair since I was 13 (against my mother's wishes, just for the record). My hair color now is the closest I can get to my natural color. My natural hair color is a very very dark brown (almost black) with very rich coppery-red highlights. In the sun, it looked like the darkest brown-red you could imagine and inside it was almost black. I wanted to be like my friends and dye my hair blonde in middle-school and instead did "sun-in" blonde highlights. They looked awful but, of course, I kept doing them. My mother allowed me to get real blonde highlights around the age of 16 and I hated them. After that I dyed my hair a plethora of colors. I vividly remember my purple hair. Around college I decided I liked red and stuck with an auburn color until a few years ago when I decided to go back to black (if you will) and attempted to get as close as I could to my natural color. This color may last, or it may be red in a year, who knows. A friend has been trying to talk me into Henna hair dye and because it's all natural... I may just cave. As for frequency, I dye my hair when I feel I really need it (tips and roots are two completely different colors) or when I need a pick me up. I don't do it very often at all.

Blonde for a hot second. Brian was traveling a lot. 2009-ish

The one thing you always do to keep your hair looking great is…
Shampoo, condition, add a little extra moisture when I'm blow-drying, try not to blow-dry everyday, and try not to use a lot of product in my hair. For a while I used all natural shampoo and conditioner, but that left my hair knotty and a little gross.

Super Orange. This lasted almost no time. Around Halloween (at least it was the right season for orange)in 2009.

What hair trend do you love and wish you could rock?
The long fish-tail braid. I can't wait until my hair is long enough to rock one. I have been patiently waiting for my hair to grow for the sole purpose of being able to do a long loose braid. I just love how hippie it looks and how feminine. My hair probably won't be long enough for quite some time, but until then I have been rocking the twisted hair around the crown and a partial crown braid, which has satisfied this love of braids a little.

More recent. Really close to my natural color.

As usual, Katy, the creator of FBFF, has the master list of participators on her blog Modly Chic. Check out all the other fun hair-inspired posts and maybe find some new blogs to follow. Also, enjoy your long weekend! I know I'm going to get a little more organized and attempt to plan some posts. I really need this lazy weekend to get back on track!

PS. Hope you enjoyed seeing my hair through the years! If only I had digital pictures of my more wild colors and styles for you to enjoy. Scanning is for another day, I'm afraid.

FBFF- Blog Pet Peeves

2011-05-20T15:58:00.002-04:00

As it is Friday, there is another FBFF. This week's FBFF is all about blog pet peeves. Bloggers were asked to write their top five pet peeves. This was difficult for me. I have a few pet peeves that extend through the world of blogging, but since I read so many different kinds of blogs, it was hard to pick out five things. First, I think it's crucial to understand that blogging is an art and - as with any art - there is no wrong or right way to do it. Everyone has different goals. Some people want followers and some just want to share what they are thinking or doing. Since the motivation behind each blog is personal to the author, it's not really my place to criticize. Instead, I can only give you an idea of what I'm not digging. So unless your goal is to have me personally as your reader, don't take offense.

1. Music.
This basically extends through every blog I read. My biggest problem with music on a site is that I am a big Pandora user, so I already have music up and running. Trying to find the button to turn off the music on a site is made even more frustrating when it's over-top of something else. I don't get annoyed when someone puts a playlist on their site that you, the user, can start playing if you want to listen to it. Sometimes I'll even take a listen, but only because I have the chance to stop my personal music.

Image via University of Toledo
2. Content.
I know some people say that they want pictures and that is what they are looking for, but I am a content girl (content as in "Here's what's inside", not content as in "happy", though I am that, too). I read some blogs that have mostly pictures and a few phrases, but they are mostly street style in foreign places and the photos are fantastic. I like OOTD bloggers, but it's their stories and thoughts (and humor) that keep me coming back. In the same vein, I find it hard to read through blogs that are haphazardly thrown together, with a million spelling and grammatical errors. I like reading and thinking and I like blogs that help me to do so.

Image via Flying Cart via Full House
3. Attitude.
I have a hard time reading blogs that are closed-minded and vain. I have not encountered too many, but occasionally I run across one where the person reams on another person or group without just cause, and that hurts my hippie heart. I don't mind anyone having an opinion, or even a strong opinion, but I have a problem with calling names and being cruel for no purpose other than to gain attention. For example, Maura Kelly and her thoughts on "Fat People" really bugged me. She was unnecessarily cruel. I haven't bought a Marie Claire magazine since. I just can't support people like that. There is no reason to bash someone over a personal thing like weight. On the other hand, I have no problem reading blogs that review (with very strong sentiments) public policies, books, or even cultural issues, because they are things that do affect others, so the dialog an article spawns is very interesting, especially if the author is open to debate. In my opinion, intelligence is not something finite and there is always room for growth and new understanding. In other words, I don't claim to know it all and I don't like to read blogs that do.

Image via Adobe Flash
4. Flash.
Sometimes Flash takes forever to load or it's impossible to load on my phone. If a blog is mostly Flash-based and is so overloaded with pictures and graphics that it doesn't load quickly, I pass. Patient, I am not.

Image via Television Broadcast
5. Disconnected.
I read a few blogs where I know that if I commented I would never hear back from the author, and I'm okay with that because they are spectacular writers. On the other hand, I really like blogging as a format because I feel more connected to the author. I like to feel like there is a dialog and they would respond to a thoughtful comment. For instance, my husband's favorite author was Robert Jordan. Sadly, Robert Jordan passed away a couple years ago without finishing his most popular series of books. Robert Jordan's widow chose a young author, Brandon Sanderson, to finish Jordan's last book. Brandon Sanderson has a popular series of his own, and is well known in his own right. Brian read Sanderson's series and then emailed him via the publisher's website. To Brian's astonishment, Brandon Sanderson responded with a thoughtful (and quite long) email in return. In my mind, if a professional writer, who is quite popular and has just been thrust into a very stressful role, can email a fan, a blogger should be able to respond to a tweet now and again.

Again, these are just my personal dislikes. Most of my pet peeves have exceptions and I understand that not every blog has the same motivations. So while something may not be my cup of tea, who am I to judge? I promise you, I'm no connoisseur of tea. And, as usual, Katy, the creator of FBFF, has the master list of participators on her blog Modly Chic.

*Update* Apparently it was the TEN blogger pet peeves that you have and not the five. Oh well. I can't think of more and I feel ten might be a bit like beating a dead horse. That's just cruel. So I'm cool with just having five.

It's Okay To Change

2011-05-18T14:31:00.002-04:00

For years one single insult has haunted me - snaggle-tooth. I hate that phrase. It was something some very jealous girl said about me when I first started dating Brian (who she was completely enamored with) some eight years ago. The reason it bothered me so much was because I had never been happy with my smile. When my "adult" teeth first came in, my left incisor came in completely crooked and my right incisor was nonexistent. The crooked tooth appeared to be a small pointy tooth, because it was only seen from the side. My mom said that was the same thing that happened to her and it was fixed with a partial. The dentist said my teeth would only be fixable with braces and either an implant or a bridge. Unfortunately, we had little to no money when I was a kid, so orthodontics were pretty much out of the question. Thus, I lived my formative years being a pudgy girl with crooked teeth.

My sister and I. Appropriate because today is her B-day!!!
Happy b-day Miss!

As I've grown older I've accepted a lot of things about myself. I've accepted that it's harder for me than most people to lose that extra five pounds, and that my little bit of extra weight doesn't look horrid on me. I've accepted that my skin and hair will not always cooperate with my plans, but they turn out looking just fine. And I've accepted that I will always be very, very short, but at least I can wear heels guilt-free. I've accepted and rationalized all these things, and my attitude toward them has changed from dislike, to ambivalence, to realism, and finally to appreciation. However, one thing I have had a hard time accepting are my teeth. Predominately, the crooked tooth. I've seen hundreds of beautiful women with less than perfect teeth, but their smile looked unique or corky. They rocked the look because they had accepted their teeth and were never bothered by them. I thought that was awesome. However, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't see my teeth as corky or unique. I was just frustrated.

Only one tooth changed, but it feels like a whole new smile!

Yesterday, I had an appointment with my dentist, and he said we were finally going to fix that crooked tooth. Considering that Brian and I have big travel plans in our future, I don't exactly want to lock in to braces (which take years) and then have to finish with a new orthodontist, so this became the new plan of action. After a little bit of time in the chair and some Novocaine shots, my tooth looks completely different. I'm really happy with the result and with my ability to let myself be happy. I could sit here and ream myself out for "caving", but sometimes it's okay to change something about yourself that makes you miserable (provided you take the time to think it over and go about it in a healthy manner). It's great to accept yourself as beautiful the way you are, but when there is something that is consistently holding you up it's okay to make concessions, too. I'm not saying I'm okay with plastic surgery, I don't believe in risking life and limb over more impressive boobs or a flat tummy. However, dieting, dying your hair, getting a tan or even getting a manicure are all things we do to make parts of our body that we are less than thrilled about appear more attractive to ourselves. In other words, it's alright to make minor physical changes if it means a bigger and more impressive attitude change. An attitude change you just can't seem to get without a little give and take.

You can see where my incisor didn't come in on the right (your left).

After my appointment, he said we'd discuss how to fill in the gap the next time I came in. After much thought and being pretty pleased with the crooked tooth being fixed, I have decided to leave the gap, at least for a while. It doesn't really bother me the way the crooked tooth did, and - now that I'm not focusing on that one tooth - I feel much more comfortable with my smile. I don't want to mess with my other teeth to fill in a gap I'm not dwelling on. After all, one tiny dentist appointment adjusted my attitude enough to be not only happy with my tooth but to be happy with my smile, gap and all.

Paper Doll Project: Part Two

2011-05-14T11:18:00.000-04:00

The Paper Doll Project is a a blogging event where two bloggers are paired up to help each other with a troublesome article of clothing. You may have seen my post in March, when I participated in the first Paper Doll Project. Needless to say, I was excited to participate again.

My lovely partner was Ashley from Image Envy. She is a fashionista who makes modest styles, runway ready. She planned my outfit today and I am so thankful. This shirt has been problematic for me because it's so long and so straight. Ashley suggested belting it low, adding a sweater, wearing skinny jeans, and my motorcycle boots. I really liked the look but as the day climbed to from 75 degrees to close to 90 degrees, I altered the look to fit the day.

I styled a red and white pinstripe jacket for Ashley. I can see why she was having difficulty. I was a candy-stripper and red and white always feels very "hospital" to me as well. I Polyvored her jacket into four outfits. Jump on over to Image Envy to see what she picked.

Paper Doll Project by dananbell featuring a multi chain necklace

Unfortunately, this week has been so crazy. I apologize for my lack of posting. The internet went down at my lovely abode and since my I.T. man (the hubs) is away on business and I am computer-network illiterate, I have been internet-less for over three days. As I type this, I am sitting in my grandparents living room watching the Pirate's game, stealing their internet.

If you are interested in any of the other lovely Paper Dolls then you should check out Suze's list, over at Miss Vinyl Ahoy.

Happy Mother's Day

2011-05-08T10:00:00.003-04:00

Here in the USA it is Mother's Day, which means celebrating the most important women in our lives. Our moms :)

(My mom, sister, and I in Ocean City Maryland when Missy and I were little. Check out Mom's awesome 80's hair!)

To the women who inspire us in more than just our style choices, who have listened to our tearful phone-calls, offered us sage advice, sent us every kind of card on the planet (only to write a novel in it), watched us grow into ourselves, laughed at our lame jokes, and always accepted us for who we are... we love you. We love you so much more than you will ever know. You are our mothers - by birth or by right - and nothing can replace you.

( Mom, we need more pictures of us. This is really old!)

A very special Mother's Day to my lovely Mom, who has always been there for me and always will be. Mom, you are awesome in so many more ways than you give yourself credit for and beautiful in so many more ways than you can imagine! I love you :)

<3

My Feet Are Hot...

2011-05-07T10:30:00.000-04:00

Does anyone else have this problem? You're walking around on a reasonably cool day, but your feet are on fire. To avoid this, you throw on some flip-flops, but now you feel like a freak. You're wearing a sweater, which you swear to everyone who gives you that weird look "is lighter than it looks" but you know all they can see is how non-nonsensical your shoes are. You wish you could assure them that you are wearing weather appropriate attire, because your feet are freaking hot and your shoulders are, well, chilly, but you are pretty sure they will just chalk it up to crazy and walk away.

Well people, you are not crazy. I am right there with you, or maybe it's just me and I'm some form of mutant alien from the future. If that is the case, this little blog just got a lot more interesting... but I digress. This problem of mine is irritating. It doesn't happen all the time. Note: in snow my feet do prefer fluffy, lined boots, often with socks. It's usually just this time of year and in the fall that I have this weird feeling. I find that if my body becomes the slightest bit hot then it's my feet that suffer.

I decided that this outfit would be a good illustration of how I deal with said problem. The sweater is warm enough to resist the shoulder-shuddering chill of a persistent breeze but also airy enough to not become overwhelming if the sun is beating down on you. The shoes are open enough to allow them to breath when there is plenty more walking to do and yet don't look too sandal-y. I would say that shoes wouldn't be necessary but, despite my full-proof top, I will inevitably become hot from my husband, who has suddenly decided he needs to have an arm around me - the whole afternoon. Apparently, it's not clear I'm dying of heat stroke or that I'm a mutant alien (babe, now you know).

And now I will erase your memory of this conversation.
Sunglasses ready!
Damn...that only works in the movies.

Shirt: It was Brian's... now it's mine. Mwahahahaha
Jeans: T.J. Maxx (17/21)
Belt: Previously belonged to my sister but now also mine. Mwahahaha
Shoes: Thrifted
Bag: Thrifted
Sunglasses: Flea Market Find
Scarf: I think Walmart?

Apparently a very cheap outfit made of thrifty finds and stolen articles of clothing. Okay, not stolen, I'm not that badass.

Tap-tap-tap

2011-05-06T14:30:00.025-04:00

When I was a child, I was a very eccentric dresser. I'm pretty sure I was known by other children for being weird solely based on my clothing. Granted, I was completely weird aside from that, but not many kids could get past the clothes. I wore poodle skirts with great vigor and with these skirts? Saddle shoes. I mean, who doesn't love saddle shoes? Other 8-year-old children, apparently. I think this threw off most of the other little girls, because they couldn't understand why I would wear tap shoes to school. Talk about clueless. I still don't understand how shoes with soft soles that made no audible tap could be called "tap shoes", but I guess I didn't understand a lot about other girls my age.

From a 1963 issue of LIFE magazine. Not my grandmother. Although, she has the same hair cut.

More than anything else, these shoes were my very first fashion statement. I loved history and the photos of my grandmother in high school wearing saddle shoes with her wool circle skirt or rolled-up cropped jeans. She was my first style icon and, doggonnit, I was going to wear what I wanted. A lot of the attitude is still left in me, apparently. Considering my first real fashion statement came from a pair of shoes, I was very happy Katy decided to do a "shoe" themed FBFF. Alrighty, let's get to it.

1.What is your go-to pair of shoes?
In my mind, an outfit is broken down by color and metal. I pick the shoes that best fit the color and whatever jewelry I'm wearing. I really hate mixing metals (something I'm trying to overcome) which can make boot choices tough, and I have, in the past, had an aversion to black and brown, which I recently overcame. So my go-to shoes are not as straight forward as they may be for some people. I would say, overall, that in the winter I tend to gravitate to my brown motorcycle boots or black cowboy boots and in the summer my brown (completely worn out) leather sandals or my black ballet flats.

My go-to winter shoes.

My go-to summer shoes.

2. What goes into your shoe-buying decisions?
Buying shoes can be really tough for me. I have been really hard on myself lately when it comes to spending money, and shoes tend to be a larger purchase. If I am faced with shoes that are rather expensive, I need to think of at least a week's worth of outfits I would wear them with. The outfits need to be something versatile that I would wear again. If I'm faced with a ton of shoes at a thrift store, all within my price-range and all able to fit my feet, I tend to gravitate to either ones that could be a staple or could be a real statement piece. For example, I went to Goodwill on Sunday and purchased three pairs of shoes. A brown pair, a cream pair of heels, and a tan pair of boots. The boots are something I can see myself throwing into my normal Fall/Winter rotation and the cream/nude shoes will look great with any of my summer dresses. The brown shoes were very comfortable, and I liked the little bit of detail on them. They aren't exactly something I will wear all the time, but they will go well with a few, more strange items.

My latest thrift store finds.

3. The majority of the shoes in your closet are what color?
There are three major colors in my closet. Black, brown/tan, and gray. I don't have too many really striking shoes.

4. When it comes to designer shoes, what are your favorite brands and why?
Well, I don't really have designer shoes. My most expensive pair of shoes are my wedding shoes by Nina. They were $120 marked down to $60 at Macy's, and they don't see much wear. I love Charlotte Russe's shoes, Mossimo (from Target), and Payless. I'm not picky when it comes to brands because I don't really have the money to be picky. If I did, I would splurge on Alexander McQueen, Miu Miu, Manolo Blahnik, or even just Kate Spade (since that's mostly above my price-range at the moment). Although, I would also love to spend money on more ethical and ecologically friendly brands, like Tom's, but money and where I live tend to be a little restricting (I really like to try my shoes on before I buy them). My solution to this is thrifting. I keep an eye out for great brands and don't feel quite as bad purchasing cheap shoes when I know I'm prolonging their life and keeping them from a landfill. When it comes to athletic sneakers, I only have one pair. I have a dozen Converse All-Stars but they are not exactly great for working out, so after trying on every pair of tennis shoes in the shoe store, I settled on the Retones by Reebok. They are insanely comfortable. If you know nothing about athletic shoes (like me) I suggest them. It seriously feels like you are walking on a cloud. I just wish they weren't so ugly.

My only pair of expensive shoes.

5. If price wasn't an issue, you’d own which shoe?
If price were not an issue there is definitely more than one pair I'd own! I'd redo my whole shoe collection with one that looked a little more like this:

Dream Closet by dananbell featuring slip on shoes

Thanks to everyone for stopping by and checking out my FBFF answers! If you would like to see other bloggers' responses to these and other questions, you can catch them every Friday at Modly Chic.

The Blahs...

2011-05-05T22:21:00.001-04:00

If you follow me on Twitter, then you know I have been pretty sick. Somehow I got the flu. I got the flu bad. It was awful. I still feel weird. You know what I mean. That feeling when you are no longer nauseous or achy but you still feel off. I'm still off. To be fair, I'm always a little off.

This is so much more comfortable than sweatpants.

So, when the hubs decided we were going to my in-laws today so he could paint his mother's ceiling for Mother's Day I was less than enthusiastic. This is something we were supposed to do together, and he didn't expect my help, only my company. I begrudgingly agreed. Don't get me wrong, I love my Mother-in-law, I just don't like getting dressed when I'm sick, or standing up, or moving for that matter.

Brian insisted on a picture of my face, but with no makeup and still looking a bit flush, I resisted.

What do you wear when you feel like crap? I don't like to look awful when I feel awful because then anyone who sees you makes a big deal of pointing out how terrible you look. Considering I jumped at the very sight of myself in the mirror yesterday due to my pallid complexion, added concern for my appearance is really bad for my self esteem. Instead, I opted for grown-up pajamas, a.k.a. the maxi dress. Not too tight on my tummy (like pants), not so short that it shows off my (still) unshaven legs, and not too billowy that I look like I'm wearing the sheet I wish I were wrapped up in.

Dress: Old Navy
Shirt: Dots
Necklace: Forever 21
Sandals: Payless

The T-shirt

2011-05-03T16:42:00.006-04:00

A classic, the t-shirt is a staple in most people's wardrobe. Usually of the plain white variety with a more interesting neckline than circular, people build incredible outfits from simple jersey. I must admit I have a love affair with t-shirts. My favorites, however, are not ones I wear very often. So many t-shirts fill my closet, yet I very rarely show them off.

I have shirts from different cities, shirts with funny phrases, and shirts that are so ratty I use them only for hair dying. I am one of those people who has a t-shirt for every fun thing I've ever done and for every memory I've ever made. I have a t-shirt that belonged to my cousin who passed away. I borrowed it while spending the night as a kid and never gave it back. Although it's ratty now, I still wear it every now and again when I get sentimental. I also have a plethora of funny shirts that remind me of my SAI sisters or of inside jokes. My favorite of these is a shirt that says "Spelling Bee Champien". I'm sure you can guess why I got that one. My favorite of favorites is my Boston t-shirt. I know you've heard me reference my Boston t-shirt before and how comforting it is. The black jersey has turned a little red from being washed dozens of times, and there is definitely paint on one sleeve. No matter how hard I try to get rid of this shirt I can't. See, I have wanderlust, and this shirt represents one of the many places I've experienced.

This past summer my husband, his family, and myself went on our very first family vacation. We drove thirteen hours to get to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, where we soaked up some sun and spent some time together. This vacation was one of the best I've ever had. Brian and I did so many new and adventurous things (kayaking, parasailing, and fishing at night) and we also spent some quality time with his family. We spent a large amount of time seeing South Carolina and even made it to Charleston, which is the prettiest city in which I've ever been - so of course I needed a shirt. It's a right of passage. I had never worn this shirt until Sunday. I knew Sunday was going to be pretty chill so I pulled this baby out and relaxed in the nerdiest way I know how. Rachel Berry: watch out, I'm cramping on your Gleek style.

Geeky? Maybe. Very comfortable? Absolutely.

This has nothing to do with my post, but how lovely is my tree?!

Knee socks are just the little bit of warmth I needed today.

I know that wearing a t-shirt and jeans doesn't work for me. It's too boxy for my curvy frame. I know this style isn't exactly très chic either, but it's comfortable and weird and most days that's what suits me. I don't think there is anything wrong with wanting to show your inner geek if that means you get to wear one of your favorite shirts AND be comfortable. Also, I'm not always as concerned with looking fan-tab-u-lous as much as I am with being excited about my clothing, and sometimes my inner clothing-nerd needs to be satisfied too.

Hopefully, with much planning and saving, Brian and I will continue to add to my t-shirt collection. If I stop wearing them I can always make them into a blanket - my "wanderlust" blanket. Sounds pleasant, doesn't it? The only thing left is to plan where to go next. I am thinking New York to get an iconic "I Heart New York" t-shirt. Brian has been there but I, unfortunately, have not. *Gasp*! I know, I know, what a bad fashionista. Brian and I are working on remedying this and planning a long weekend trip to the Big Apple. It's just a matter of timing and money. Either way, I know there's a New York t-shirt waiting for me when I get there.

Royally Late

2011-05-02T22:18:00.001-04:00

Sorry for the delay everybody but, as mentioned before, I had a very important test that I was cramming for last week, hence the lack of posting (and the lack of gushing about the royal wedding!) After hours of studying, mental breakdowns, and tutelage from my brainy husband, I can now report I have passed my Praxis 1 reading and math with flying colors. I'm still waiting on my writing scores, but my fingers are crossed and my hopes are high.

My Friday evening attire. Who would have guessed my hair was a day old and my legs needed shaved?!

I did indulge on Friday morning, taking a break from studying and spending a few hours watching the wedding coverage. I, like the rest of the world, was so excited to see Catherine's dress and to see exactly what William would wear. Can we just say she looked more than exquisite and he looked rather dashing, if I do say so myself. I was also really excited to see what everyone else would wear to the wedding. There were so many hats! I ~~love~~ adore hats. I decided to do what I do best and Polyvore what I would have worn for the wedding. This is, of course, if I had been invited (still looking for my invite guys) and if money were no issue. It can be pretty tough to look classy and chic when you are plus-sized. You don't want to show shoulders or too much cleavage yet you don't want to look like you are wearing yards and yards of fabric. Here are my top five looks.

Royal Wedding 4 by dananbell featuring skull handbags

With this dress, I would have matched Will and have had a pop of color! I love these shoes. Any excuse to wear heels like these is a good excuse, and a royal wedding is the best excuse!

Royal Wedding 3 by dananbell featuring beaded necklaces

I love bright colors, and I am currently having a love affair with the color purple. Also, I love the neckline on this sheath dress and how a statement necklace would pop against it.

Royal Wedding 2 by dananbell featuring embellished dresses

I adore this clutch! It's like carrying a bouquet but being able to hide your lip-gloss, gum, car keys, ID, and money in something other than your bra. What? I'm the only one who does that? Awkward.

Royal Wedding 5 by dananbell featuring plus size dresses

I really love this shawl. I love Chantilly lace and the contrast between it, and the shimmery dress would be striking. I also love this necklace and bracelet. Having a dress that properly showcases accessories would be pretty sweet.

Royal Wedding One by dananbell featuring cream handbags

This is by far my favorite look. I adore navy and gold together, and the headband is fantastic! Why are hats, fascinators, and outrageous headbands not more popular? They are fabulous! Also, who doesn't want a pair of Alexander McQueen shoes?!

There are so many choices out there, but nothing compared to what I actually wore on Friday (and by "nothing compared" I mean that what I did wear was far less impressive). After all, I was going to a birthday party south of Pittsburgh, PA, not a multi-million dollar royal wedding! I gave a slight nod to the day by wearing some navy plaid (since plaid is most associated with the British Isles), a barrette I bought for my own wedding, and a necklace with pearls. Okay, so the pearls weren't real, although I have a ton of real pearls. What can I say? Only an invite would have warranted real pearls.

I don't know why the cell takes such bright photos. I swear I'm not this pale. Also, this hair piece was bought for my wedding. I ended up not wearing it, so William and Kate, I pulled it out for your big day. I know, thank me later.

My tartan skirt with woven belt. Brian didn't realize this skirt had a pattern until I told him. The pictures make the tartan more noticeable than it really is.

Motorcycle boots! Comfortable and very practical for covering stubbly legs!

The whole outfit. I didn't wear the jacket for long, as it was warm at my sister-in-law's. The shirt underneath was a plain 3/4-length-sleeve tee with a few buttons.

By the way, the party was fun, and I didn't even eat too much cake! How was your past week? What would you have worn to the royal wedding? Were you as glued to the television Friday as I was, or was it a little too over-the-top for you?

My outfit:
Shirt: Thrifted From My Sister's Closet (I'm devious like that)
Jacket: Lane Bryant
Skirt: Gap
Boots: Charlotte Russe
Belt: Thrifted
Necklace: Forever 21
Bag: Gift From Mother-in-law

Sixteen Again?

2011-04-28T15:13:00.001-04:00

Do you remember what it felt like to be 16? Maybe you were the haphazard, caution to the wind 16 year old, or maybe you were more like me. I was the girl who spent hours stressing about the SATs and college visits. I avoided drama because I knew much bigger things were ahead, even though I wasn't sure what. The SATs were my biggest enemy. I was terrified of all this mystical power they held. I was always thinking and saying, "I won't do well, I'll never get into a college, and my life will be ruined. Ruined!" I know that sounds dramatic, but I was a 16 year old girl! I didn't think anyone could understand that amount of pressure.

Me at 16 with my friend Christina. Literally, the ONLY picture I have scanned in from high school on this computer.

Fast-forward to last night. Sitting in my dining room at 12:30am, and I'm yelling at my husband, "I am going to fail my Praxis and then not get into grad school and my life will be ruined. Ruined!" Obviously, now I can understand his chuckling over my tears, although at the moment I didn't feel like anyone could understand the pressure of it all. Wrong, Dana - you understand the pressure. You've done this before and you'll do this again. This pressure is self-made. If I don't do well, then there is more to life than school and I know that from living ten years beyond that scared and dramatic 16 year old. So this morning, in the wake of an all-nighter fueled by Reese's Pieces and Arnold Palmers, I can share with you a new life lesson that I seem to be the last to learn: Don't sweat the small stuff, you are living proof you will get by.

Summer Loving. by dananbell featuring a studded skirt

On a side note, thanks for being such great followers. I'm sorry I've been slacking this past week. I do feel like I should study a little, considering they have a show (Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader) dedicated to showing how we forget things we don't use. The last math class I took was in 2007 so, aside from balancing my checkbook, leaving a tip, or trying to figure out what percentage off something will be, my math is a bit rusty. I did take the liberty of Polyvoring my current warm-weather looks for you all. They may not be ideal for my short frame, but I really don't care. I just love clam-diggers and stripes, and I am far too comfortable to care if these make me look short. Newsflash - I am short! Who cares? Anywho, I take the Praxis on Saturday, after which I promise to be a better blogger. Scouts honor. Okay, so I wasn't a scout, but my husband was and so we'll just trust me.

Holy busy week, Batman!

2011-04-25T15:08:00.002-04:00

Cleaning and Errands. by dananbell featuring sparkly shoes

Thursday and Friday's grungy old clothes.

So this past week I have been a major blog slacker. I have been so incredibly busy! Thursday, we had to reconstruct our sculpture for our gallery show, which took quite a while. We then had to drive it into the city and set it up. We were a bit confused where we were going, but finally made it to the gallery space and set up. Friday, we were going to head over to the gallery but gas prices are getting crazy so we did some running round in town. We went to the local army surplus store to get some bags to make into panniers for our bikes. Then we went around to a few thrift stores and then went to Brian's parents for a bit. When we came home, we had every intention of doing some major spring cleaning, but it was late and we were a bit tired so we only did a little. I spent all of Thursday and Friday in the same ugly outfit because I didn't want to get anything nice dirty and I was just too lazy to get dressed.

A Busy Saturday by dananbell featuring a button vest

Saturday was the busiest of all! We got up early and went to sign our old car over to someone who bought it and then went to pick up Brian's dad's truck. We picked up my mom, drove all over dropping off and picking up Craigslist finds (Craigslist is fantastic), and eventually made our way to the gallery. The show went really well. I loved everyone's pieces. One of the curators said that many people commented that they especially liked our piece, which was awesome considering I'm not a "real" artist. All of the art pieces were contemplative works based on the Stations of the Cross, and they were all made (at least partially) of recycled materials in honor of Earth Day. The show was featured in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette along with a very silly picture of Brian (and a separate picture with my hand with our piece, lol!). We still thought that was pretty awesome.

Our piece in the show.

My sister joined us at the gallery, and we all went to eat at the most awesome little French restaurant. Seriously, if you are ever in Pittsburgh, you should check out Paris 66. It's in East Liberty and it is so yummy. We sat out on the patio because it was such a nice day and every table had fresh flowers. I snapped a few pictures of what we had to eat. Brian had an endive and beet salad and I had croque madame. I recommend both - they were so good!

French restaurant Paris 66.

Brian's salad.

My sandwich.

After lunch, we went back to the gallery to pick up our piece and then drove back to Washington. I went to a party for a few hours, and then Brian and I met up again at his parents to dye Easter eggs. I forgot how much I love dying eggs! It made me think I may just try dying some old clothes. Really, I shouldn't be so intimidated. After dying eggs we visited with my little sister, who was in town and has recently turned 16. So there was much gift giving, laughing, and being silly, which lead into the night - we didn't get home until 2:30am. I'm still exhausted.

Easter afternoon. You can see my in-law's lovely tulips!

Yesterday, we went to my grandparents and Brian's parents. The day was definitely more chill, but I'm still tired. I'm pretty sure Saturday knocked me out. I had Brian take some pictures of my Easter outfit. He loved it! I don't think he's used to seeing me in bright colors. Maybe I should try to be a little more colorful more often? :P

Dress: Old Navy, Sweater: thrifted, Belt: Old Navy, Earrings: Panama Jack, Bracelets: Forever 21

I love these shoes. They are from Payless

In-laws flowers matched my dress perfectly. :)

How was this past week for you all? Did you do anything fun?

I Am Slowly Going Crazy

2011-04-20T15:58:00.002-04:00

I've been home for what feels like an eternity. Most days I'm absolutely antsy by the time Brian walks in the front door. It's hard being home alone all day, especially when you aren't cut out to be a housewife. I give real housewives insane amounts of credit. I am terrible at it (so I don't consider myself a housewife so much as a loafer). It is not an easy task cooking and cleaning only to know that there will always be more to cook and things will never stay clean. At least when I accessioned an artifact at work (back in the day) it stayed accessioned. That is why I'm excited to share my news; I had an interview today!

The interview was for placement through a nonprofit organization which I adore. I've got my fingers and toes crossed for good luck. I'm was really nervous but also really really excited. I'm not going to say too much more about it because I don't want to jinx it and honestly I don't know that they are real big on blogs or social media. I won't hear back for close to a month so at least the hard part is over. I did want to share my excitement though, so yay!

Notice all the clothes I tried on, thrown on my bed.

Ruffles on my cardi. I love that little bit of detail.

Fergie shoes. Shhhh don't tell my friend. LOL

I have been thinking about today since Monday morning when they emailed me. I haven't been thinking so much about the job or the actual interview as much as, "what the heck am I going to wear?!" I woke up this morning ready to do the crazy "there's nothing in my closet" routine but found myself oddly calm. My mind immediately decided upon these pants, my suit jacket, and the rest was supposed to fall together organically. It seemed like I had so much time. I even painted my nails, caught up on my reading, and watched last night's episode of Glee without panicking about running late. It wasn't until after I popped out of the shower and went to get dressed everything went wrong. My suit jacket had a spot on it. The other suit jacket looked bad with the pants and they were already ironed. I suddenly realized I had donated my black heels and the only black heels I have are for a wedding in June. (Shhhh, don't tell the bride I wore them for an hour.) I hectically finished getting ready (never fails) and made my way outside only to see that my husband's pile of scrap metal was blocking in my car. I was able to move it without getting too dirty or wrinkled and finally went on my way.

Lavender, gray, tan hybrid nail color. I really like it!

What a mess. I thought I had avoided rushing. Oh well, the interview went well and I should hear back within a month. What about you guys? Ever have a day that seemed to be going well only to have disaster strike at the last minute? What would you wear to an interview at a nonprofit? Do you get more nervous with lots of time at hand or does it dissipate? Would you hire me in this or would you pass? Are we now playing 20 questions? Yes, I think we are.

Pants:Gap
Shirt: Old Navy
Cardigan: New York & Company
Shoes: Fergilicious by Fergie
Necklace: Forever 21

PS. Sorry for the cell pictures but today has been nutty!

Love yourself.

2011-04-18T15:39:00.001-04:00

You've heard the saying, "You have to love yourself first", but how many people actually believe that? People always tell me how lucky I am to have a husband who adores me and who makes me feel good about myself. Some of my plus-sized girlfriends seem to be under the impression that I don't truly know how they feel about weight and size because I have a husband who constantly compliments me (only in public ladies, jk), or that I love myself just because Brian loves me. On one account they are right, and on the other they are a little off. I do have a loving caring husband, and I am so lucky to be married to my best friend; however, he is not the reason I feel good about me. Let me tell you a little story.

Years ago my husband, Brian, and I got into a fight about me doing my makeup up for a night with him. He said "Why do you put that crap on your face? You are beautiful without it and that lip stuff tastes gross!" I was furious. He had to be pretty stupid to miss that I was doing something for his benefit, and did he really think I liked tasting lipstick all day long? Clearly, I was attempting to make myself more attractive and appealing so that he would be happy. Even a dumb guy (sorry, I was young and feisty, lol) should understand that. He didn't. He went on that he didn't find that "more attractive" because I was already attractive without the makeup. I'm pretty sure the night was ruined after that (have I mentioned I can be a big old baby?) and it wasn't until the next day that I realized what the real problem was. I wasn't making myself up for him, I was doing it for me.

No matter how many times my husband said I was beautiful without the makeup, I just couldn't believe him. I felt more confident and put together with it and therefore self-conscious without it. I once again approached the topic with Brian. I tried to explain that I was wrong to get angry at first and that I used the makeup to make me feel good and more comfortable. It was a way to highlight the features I liked and conceal those areas I wasn't ready to show off. I hoped he could understand and respect my need to feel comfortable. He understood but encouraged me to change my mindset and attempt to see myself like he sees me. To attempt to actually like myself - all of myself. Was he nuts?

That is difficult when you've seen yourself everyday for years and know - far better than anyone - every single one of your faults. It was a very sweet thought, though, and together, without stepping on each other's toes, we gently walked the balance between my comfort zone and slowly sharing a more natural me. Every day I tried to focus on the things I liked about me, without using makeup to highlight them. Some days I could go the whole day fresh faced and free, and some days I would only make it ten minutes. Brian also began to understand that sometimes it was better for me to "put on a happy face" in order to keep my momentum and change my mood.

In the end, no amount of "you are so beautiful" coming from another person is going to make something you perceive as unsightly suddenly turn lovely. It isn't going to hurt, that's for certain, but no one can change your mindset for you. Compliments only make you feel good momentarily. We perceive ourselves in different lights more than once a day (more than once an hour, for that matter) so it is impossible to rely solely on other people to give us opinions on ourselves. YOU must be the one to change the way you see yourself. If there is something you dislike about yourself, take a moment everyday to try and see it differently. For a long time, I disliked that I was a bigger girl (despite diet and exercise), but, over the years, I was able to embrace my size and appreciate the clothing choices I could make with it. Confidence is a process. No two days are ever the same. Some days are good and some are bad, but if you keep trying to like you for you, then other people will catch your vibe. In other words, don't go on hating yourself, waiting for someone to come along and change your mind, because that will never happen. Love who you are now and, when someone comes along that loves you for who you are, you will be much happier.

It's Friday!

2011-04-15T13:23:00.004-04:00

No, I am not Rebecca Black, but I do share her excitement over a certain day of the week. The sun is out, the birds are chirping, and I will have an entire weekend with my husband when the clock strikes five. It's a beautiful thing. There seems like no better time than beautiful days like today to give a little gratitude. Which is why I think Katy must be a psychic. She had to know while choosing the FBFF questions at the dark, abysmal beginning of this month that this very Friday would be BEAUTIFUL. I'm on to you, Katy.

Before I hop into my FBFF questions, I wanted to show you the last of my maxi dresses. This one is silky and tropical and so incredibly comfortable. There is still a bit of a chill in the shadows so I needed to wear a jacket or sweater with it (it is a tube-top). I have to be honest - I haven't been too great about cleaning clothes, so this jacket was all I had left. This outfit is so comfortable and feminine that I really like it. Brian also seemed to really like it, but then again, his favorite color is green. I like the belt. I so rarely wear it anymore (I've had it since high school). When I do wear it, it's like finding an old friend and hanging out for the day.

I also found your flower! As was suggested,
I put it in my hair :P

Now to the FBFF questions, or shall I say topics. Apparently this is the one-year anniversary of FBFF. Katy wanted to do something about gratitude. I can't blame her! This community she started has been so much more than questions and answers. It has been a great way to meet people, ask questions, and really feel like you are part of something. She should be really proud. So my first shout-out before I start is to Katy from Modly Chic for starting this wonderful community. Thank you so much! Now, as Katy said, "It’s time to shine the spotlight and give credit where credit is due."

1. When it comes to me personally - I owe a lot of who I am to: my mother who has a "can-do" attitude; my grandfather who has taught me to always be a good and loyal friend; and, my grandmother who is artistic and incredibly smart. She is not like other women her age and, when people tell me I'm like her, that's the biggest compliment I can receive. I owe another portion of my personality to my college mentor who was critical but really cared about her students. She loved to play devil's advocate and, in doing so, taught me that not everything is black and white and that sometimes we need to be a little more open to new experiences and thoughts. So, shout-out to Dr. W :)

2. When it comes to me professionally – I owe a lot of who I am to: my husband. Most people would see a housewife attributing her professional life to their husband and think how sad that is, but Brian has been the single motivating force in me writing this blog, seeking further education, and attempting to develop the skills that make me truly happy. He has begged me to quit jobs that made me unhappy or where it was a "waste" of my time. In order to have more time to do what I love, he has encouraged me to take "me time" throughout the day. He knows me so well and really just wants to see me achieve my dreams. He knows that I won't get where I want to be just by working to work. He also assists by taking my photos from time to time, editing this blog, and being the bread-winner. He is amazing and I am so incredibly grateful for the love and support he shows me.

3. When it comes to the art of blogging, I’m grateful to these people for helping me through some rough spots: I am really thankful, again, to Katy for starting this community where I have met some really great bloggers who are eager to help. I am thankful to Joy from Blogging for Joy and Phoebe from Paper Balloon Journal for always reading and sending me thoughtful comments - I notice and appreciate the support. I am also grateful to other bloggers who have inspired me to take challenges like Kendi Everyday. I have not yet participated in the 30 for 30, but I have used her principles when packing or shopping. Because I was inspired by Kendi, I have avoided shopping or attempted to remix what I have to achieve a certain look. Also, I am updating my blogroll today so check back to see who I read daily. In my blogroll are people who influence me, entertain me, and inspire me - all of which I am thankful for. :)

4. One blogging challenge I’m grateful happened because it made me stronger was: In the sense that it is a weekly project that I tackle, I am grateful for this community and the FBFF questions because they make me take a more critical look at fashion, style, and community. One difficult challenge that I have overcome was dealing with negative comments and trolls. I feel I addressed it well and realized not everyone out there is a friend. I also learned that I don't really care what the "Debbie Downers" of the world have to say. I think these have made me stronger as a blogger and a person.

5. To my readers, I’d like to say thank you. Thank you a million times over. Everyday I come on here to new comments and messages, and I can't help but be blown away by the fact that anyone finds what I have to say interesting. I can't thank you all enough for coming, reading, and responding. I love the dialog that follows posts, and I love you all for being a part of it. Thank you, more than you will ever know.

See other bloggers answers to these topics and more at Modly Chic every Friday, where bloggers link up to share their thoughts on fashion and life.

Dress: Old Navy
Jacket: Lane Bryant
Shoes: Payless
Belt: No Clue
Necklace: Also No Clue

Country Girl?

2011-04-14T23:22:00.002-04:00

I am not a country girl if you were wondering. I don't listen to country music, the sight of spiders sends me running and screaming, and I can't sleep without a little noise. I do, however, love the free, hippie feeling of more "country" inspired clothing. I love rawhide necklaces, cowboy boots, denim jackets, and the occasional flower in my hair.

I have been wearing maxi dresses the last two days, and all I knew was that I was going to wear my "white" one (actually a light gray) today. I've only worn it once, and it looked very dressy the way I had it styled. Today, however, I just couldn't get past the "country" look the dress seemed to have. Maybe it was the sun, or the birds, or even the plan to go walking through the park with my sister-in-law that made me think "country". So I knew it was going to be a flowy, hippie mess of an outfit that called for running through grass and standing in the sun listening to the birds. The maxi was perfect for this because it was so comfortable and light that I can't imagine a better lazy day outfit.

I think there are a few things I might change in the future. I definitely wouldn't wear my glasses with it again. I actually don't know what possessed me to show you all my glasses today. Possibly because my eye felt like it had a sty and I knew I was going to be on the computer. I figured, "What the heck, my readers can meet my glasses." I should inform you they are very old, and while they can be helpful, they are certainly not a fashion statement. I use them mostly for reading or working on the computer - they cut down on the "the text is floating and looking funky" factor.

Why tell you all about my crazy glasses and my outfit that was not the most stylish thing I've ever worn? Because today was a great day, and my clothes did not effect that. No matter what I wore, today would have been a good day because it was spent in good company with lots of sun and some time just being outside (after all the rain and cold). I wore what was comfortable and never once did I worry that I could have done better, because sometimes good is good enough. I was clean, I was dressed, the sun was shinning and I'm alive - what more could a girl ask for? So my challenge to you tomorrow is to be less hard on yourself. Smile at yourself. Seek positive people and therapeutic conversation. Find something good about the day and focus on that. Realize how great life can be when you aren't too worried about how you look.

Dress: Gap (super clearance sale for one dollar!)
Shoes: Gift from sister
Jacket: Thrifted
Necklace: Forever 21 (gift from Husband)
Glasses: Old and practical.

P.S.: Funny little note: Brian and I were in Target when we heard an eight-year-old little girl ask her mother, "Mom, what's Seven Minutes in Heaven? I heard about it in a book and I have NO idea what it is!" Without laughing, the mother replied, "I don't know." The little girl persisted, "I think it's a game kids play, or at least that's what I think from what I read." The mother looked visibly embarrassed but responded straight faced with, "I still don't know and it's probably not a game for kids." Brian and I had to leave the aisle before we burst out laughing. Kids really do say the darnedest things.

Just For The Record

2011-04-14T01:06:00.002-04:00

This is not a maxi.

Today warmed up considerably, and, by the time Brian got home, I could actually wear something much more spring-y. I would be posting the maxi BUT Brian and I decided to head to a few places to look at bicycles. I would love to ride a bike more and drive a car less to save some green both physically and metaphorically. Anywho... I'm sorry ladies, but I am just not experienced enough to test ride a bike in a maxi. Maybe when the bike is mine, I'll test that out, but for now it's a no-go.

The grass was still a little damp from earlier. Oh well.

Your flower, my lovelies!

I did want to show you how crazy this weather has been. As you can see it was dark, rainy, and cold this morning. I was wearing one of my warmest sweaters! This afternoon however, I am rocking short sleeves and sandals and needed sunglasses because it was so bright. I took a few pictures in the sun and even picked you all a flower... well, weed.* Sorry, it went back to the hillside from whence it came. I knew that's what you would have wanted.

I like the looks of this one, but it's a single speed.

This one is a seven speed, but it's pink. Blah...

I also took a picture with a bike I liked the looks of, but was unimpressed with overall. There are just too many hills in Washington to have a single-speed bike, and I refuse to get a mountain bike. I wish I could find an affordable cruiser-style bike with more than one speed, whitewall tires and in any color but pink. I'm not a huge fan of pink. Any suggestions?

*The editor has informed me that said dandelion is a vegetable. Silly editor. For all intensive purposes we'll just imagine it's a flower. Also, thanks to said editor for taking my picture with a cellphone while being blinded by the sun. That's why he makes the big bucks, people.**

**The editor would also like me to inform you that he does not make the big bucks. Ok, party pooper.

A Chill In The Air

2011-04-13T14:39:00.001-04:00

Today is a dismal day. Gray skies, wet concrete, and a chill so cold you can see your breath. I was sort of disappointed waking up to this weather. I had planned on wearing this dress in a more summer inspired way, but sometimes you have to listen to Mother Nature (even if she doesn't listen to you). Why am I wearing another maxi? After yesterday's EBEW (Everybody, Everywear) I decided that instead of just a maxi day, I would make this a maxi week. Lots of people seem to be of the opinion that this length is not for shorter girls, so I'm going to do four days of maxi dresses to show them that it can work. I mean, why not? I have four maxi dresses and there were four days of blogging left for the week.

I love this dress. I bought it at Goodwill for four dollars and it hits right above the floor. It's definitely one of the most color-packed things I own. The only problem is that the dress is a halter top so I need to get very creative with ways to cover up "the girls". Today, it was simple because of the weather. I decided to wear this as more of a skirt than a dress and throw on my ultra-warm over-sized shrug sweater with a skinny belt. I got the sweater at Gabe's a couple months back for less than ten dollars, and I got the belt for fifty cents at Goodwill when I bought the dress. I threw on my woven peep-toe shoes to go outside, but to be honest I'm mostly lounging around today, so shoes inside are optional. Basically, this outfit cost around fifteen dollars, is toasty warm, gives me a nice dose of color and and is incredibly comfy. I honestly can't think of a better way to lounge around and study.

On a side note, I am really nervous about taking my Praxis. I need to do well to get into a Masters of Teaching program. Has anyone taken it? Is it insanely easy or should I be nervous? I always do horrible with standardized tests and I'm hoping this is the exception. I must be the only person I know who did insanely well in college but completely bombed the GREs. In high school I graduated with a ton of awards and honors, but my SAT scores were lackluster. There seems to be a pattern here. I am really hoping this test is the exception to the rule! Oh well, back to studying. See you tomorrow with another maxi dress!

Maxi-tastic

2011-04-12T14:02:00.005-04:00

From Curvy With A Side Of Confidence

So today is my first EBEW! I was so excited - I planned this outfit a week ago and we all know I'm not much for planning outfits. The theme is maxi dresses which I think is a really great topic for the short and curvy.

From Curvy With A Side Of Confidence

First, I'd just like to say that maxi dresses are insanely comfortable. Everyone says it's like wearing pajamas and they are completely right. Second, a maxi skirt or dress is perfect for those days when you probably should shave, but you only have a little stubble and you are feeling kind of lazy. You still want a feminine look, but you aren't really feeling like risking a miniskirt. What? You know you've been there too! You haven't? Awkward...

From Curvy With A Side Of Confidence

This maxi dress is from, you guessed it, Old Navy and it fits and flows great. It's got quite a deep "V" but I'm still young so why not?! I paired it with an old tank I had, my metallic belt (turned backwards), my cropped berry cardigan, bronze metallic shoes, my Forever 21 bow headband, and Brian's grandmother's necklace (my favorite). All of the clothing is Old Navy. I guess I shop there more than I think. The shoes are from Payless and the belt is thrifted.

From Curvy With A Side Of Confidence

Crazy little story about this dress: I almost didn't buy it. I went out with a friend looking for a casual dress for some event and saw this maxi. I grabbed it to try on and she immediately told me it was a "no no." She said something to the effect of "Aren't those dresses meant for tall, skinny girls? Won't that look weird on you?" I thought for a moment and then took it back to the dressing room anyway and (obviously) ended up leaving with it. Sure the maxi looks great on a tall skinny girl. Sure I'm only 5'2" (and 3/4" because that counts!) and I'm nowhere near a size 2. But guess what? I can still rock it because I know how to make it work for my body. A little belt here, a cardi there and voila, an adult pajama my husband won't be embarrassed taking me out in. Moral of the story: buy and wear what you like. Your confidence will make your clothing look great as long as it fits and it is clean.

From Curvy With A Side Of Confidence

PS. What do you think of the flowers Brian bought me to cheer up my rainy day yesterday?
Beautiful right? :)

A Minute To Breathe

2011-04-11T17:08:00.001-04:00

Holy cow was this weekend busy! I haven't had a weekend this full in what seems like forever. I mean, our weekends are usually busy, but there tends to be a little bit of breathing space. This weekend I barely had time to blink, let alone breathe.

Date Night by dananbell featuring a wrap belt

My skirt is from Fashion bug but it resembles this anthropology skirt. Gap top, military inspired jacket from sister-in-law, thrifted braided belt, Coach bag, and my Charlotte Russe blue suede heels.

Friday, Brian and I went to see "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" at W&J college. It's a musical about children (mostly misfits in awkward stages of life) in a spelling bee. It was hilarious. It was also free! The cast did a fantastic job, and we had a really great time. After the play, we went to get dessert and coffee. We met up with Brian's sister and a friend of ours and ended up staying at the restaurant until 2am. Suffice to say, we were exhausted when we got home.

An old Gap dress (it's purple, I swear) with my gray lace Forever 21 tank over it and black satin ribbon belt.

Old Avon jewelry Brian found at a yard sale.

New York and Company cardigan from Gabes ($5!) for the cooler morning and drive.

Saturday, I got up early to go to my friend's bridal shower. I drove two hours to the dress shop from which she ordered bridal party dresses, and I picked up my dress and also snapped pictures of my outfit (as promised) in the dressing room. The light quality in their dressing rooms was bad, so I apologize. I also didn't have time to charge my camera batteries, so these are with the cell. I promise, I'm going to charge the camera batteries before EBEW tomorrow. After leaving the dress shop, I drove another hour through the middle of nowhere to get to the shower. All the radio stations were country and kept cutting out so I turned off the radio and that hour was torture. (lol.) I was so tired and the lack of sound was not helping, but eventually I made it to the shower. The shower was nice; there were games and presents - of course - and one of the sweetest mother to daughter gifts I've ever seen. The bride's mother spent over a year cross-stitching a beautiful (at least 15" by 15") picture of a mother helping her daughter on with a veil. On the back of the frame she put the words to a song she used to sing her daughter. I'm pretty sure most of the bridal party was in tears. It was so precious.

Good times. by dananbell featuring embroidery blouses

Old jean skirt (I cut to make a mini), Old Navy linen top, belt from Merida Mexico, pink cascade wrap shrug from mother-in-law, bow wallet and long necklace from Forever 21, and borrowed brown flip flops.

After the bridal shower, much loading gifts into cars, and tearing down tables, the bridal party went to a local bar to get wings and beer. It was really fun. Lots of food (all delicious and terrible for me) and even more conversation. While hanging out there, we decided to head up north another half an hour to Edinboro. Of course I was all up for this, because I haven't been to my Alma Mater in a year, and I loved Edinboro. We bar-hopped and ended the night with pizza at John's Wildwood Pizza (an absolute must). Then we all piled back into my car and headed to the bride's house. I didn't get to bed that night until close to 4am. I can't complain though, because it was such a great time catching up with people.

A day at the zoo. by dananbell featuring a bow dress

Same white top and skirt as above. Black satin ribbon belt from Saturday,black flip flops from Khol's, Brian's grandmother's sand dollar necklace, new Charlotte Russe sunglasses, floppy black hat from Forever 21, and my coach bag.

Yesterday was equally packed. I got up early, ate breakfast and then made the trek home. I wasn't going to stay the night at my friends because we had plans to go to the museums on Sunday, but I figured I could just get up early and we would head out a little later than planned. We decided that because it was such a nice day, we would go to the zoo instead of the museums, and as soon as I got home we'd leave to go. I didn't have much time to change or anything so I just changed my belt and shoes and added a hat. It was a beautiful day and 5pm came quick. The zoo was closing and we weren't ready to stop hanging out, so we decided to grab dinner and play Mario Kart. I am terrible at Mario Kart, but at least that made it entertaining. We didn't get home until 10:30 and I slept today until one in the afternoon. This explains my lack of dress today. I am rocking jean shorts, a plain old tank, and frumpy hair. Sorry, but that is just not picture worthy. (lol.) Now I'm just going to surf my reader and study for my Praxis and, you know, take a minute to breathe.

Spring Showers.

2011-04-08T18:08:00.001-04:00

It has rained all day thus far, which really puts a bummer on my plans to take the dog for a walk. The only thing worse than walking in the rainy muck is the smell of wet dog. (Gross.) I just keep reminding myself "April showers bring May flowers". And I really like flowers, so I'll stay positive.

Speaking of showers, I am heading to a bridal shower tomorrow for one of my close friends. I am a groomsman in her wedding. That's right, groomsman. (My husband insists on groomsmaid.) Anywho, I was sort of unsure of what to wear exactly. I mean, should I wear her colors? Should I wear a dress? So many questions. I decided (since I have to leave a little early tomorrow) that I should pick my clothes out today. I was stuck on her colors being purple and green. I don't have much purple and green, and I'm not entirely certain it will be warm up north tomorrow, but I just really wanted to wear at least one of her colors. I started letting my creativity take over. No point in worrying - if I try something stupid now, I'm at home in front of the mirror. I started grabbing at really random combinations. Eventually I came up with this.

Spring Showers by dananbell featuring patent handbags

I figure I'll show you all the random pieces and then show you the finished project tomorrow. I'm pretty pleased with how it looks. It's really different, but really pretty. It has a sort of a 1940s-housewife-meets-1920s-flapper look. It looks classy but interesting, and I just can't stand boring, so that's pretty right on for me.

1940's House Dress, courtesy of Unsung Sewing Patterns.

1920's flapper dress found on The Fashion Spot Forum.

What do you think? Any suggestions? Not that I'll have too much time to test them out. Brian and I are headed to a play tonight, but stay tuned to see how it all turns out tomorrow!

Color and Layers

2011-04-07T13:04:00.000-04:00

The weather here has been crazy. One minute it's in the 70s and the next it is 30 and snowing. Seriously. Within minutes! I think that because of this bipolar weather, I myself have become a bit topsy-turvy, so I apologize in advance for this disconjuncted, rather random post. I'm a one-look-throughout-the-day kind of girl, and this weather has stretched my creative side to the point of saying "Uncle." Yesterday, the temperature maintained throughout the day and it was actually pretty nice. Hopefully it stays this way and I won't have to dress in weird layers to be prepared for that 30 degree drop or increase. Nothing says "classy" like undressing and redressing in front of others.

Weird Weather by dananbell featuring leather flats

What I wore Friday the 1st, Saturday the 2nd, and Monday the 4th. You can see my layers on the outer two and Saturday's outfit was just a tee and jeans without the hoody.

Friday through Tuesday was all kinds of weird. Friday is probably the best example of how spastic weather in southwest PA can be, in that it snowed twice, rained once, and had temperatures fluctuate as much as 30 degrees throughout the day. I polyvored some of the outfits I've worn over the past week so you can see how truly weird PA weather can be. Sorry I haven't had time to charge my camera batteries or to actually set up the camera. We've been catching up with friends, running errands, and traveling. I'm pretty sure I finally have a bit of time and hopefully some places to take pictures that are clean and not covered in 4" of dust or dirty clothes.

weird weather 2 by dananbell featuring plus size dresses

Tuesdays attire. Notice the progressive change to warmer layers. It just kept getting colder!

This past Sunday was a bit warmer of a day so I wore a skirt and shorter sleeves and left the messy indoors to snag a few pictures. I had the tiniest amount of camera life and Brian offered to take my photos so I didn't have to mess with the tripod (thanks Bri). So this is what I wore Sunday. All day! What a nice change of pace.

I have been wearing so much black and dark brown lately that I wanted to go a bit colorful. I bought these tights at a thrift store. Before you think "OMG gross" let me explain. Our local thrift store gets unsold merchandise from Target and Michael's. So these tights were brand new and only fifty cents! I have so few bright tights (something I'd like to remedy) that I was really excited to wear these.

I didn't really think about what I was putting on - I just grabbed a skirt I haven't worn in a while and one of my only clean tanks and then the only cover that had short sleeves. Brian said my outfit was patriotic. I wasn't going for patriotic but I see his point. Oh well, I still liked it.

Long time, no see...

2011-03-31T15:07:00.001-04:00

I am sorry my lovelies for my lack of posting this week. My mom had Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday off of work, which meant spring cleaning for my sister and I. She had us both over to clean out our old bedrooms and common areas so that (at a later date) she and I can convert her second floor into a giant (totally awesome) studio. The plan is to make a photography studio, digital art studio, art storage, and a meeting space for us to work out of. We're pretty excited for a place to do some freelancing. (And I'm totally stoked for a sweet photography space.) Unfortunately, we only made it through half of the upstairs. My sister and I have a ton of junk. Seriously, junk is the only way to describe it. Old school papers that were half-finished (whoops), broken Polly Pockets, and about a thousand and one random notes. Needless to say there is a giant trash pile, fairly large "donate/sell" pile and very, very little coming to my house. I did score some pretty awesome khakis from my sister which will need hemmed and a jean mini-skirt I thought I had lost.

Running Errands by dananbell featuring slouch boots

Victoria s Secret victoria secret sweater, $26
Truly Madly Deeply pocket tee, $24
J Crew hoody, $188
Gap skinny jeans, $70
Report slouch boot, $35
GAP wrap scarve, 78 EUR
Beret hat, $11
Estee Lauder Sumptuous Bold Volume Lifting Mascara, $21

Today, I had a ton of errands to run. I promise I didn't wear anything spectacular, or else I would have photographed it for you all. Instead, I Polyvored it because I needed a creative outlet, and I'm still not used to turning the camera on myself. I would take a picture anyway, but the house is kind of blah and the weather went from being a bright, sunny 60 on Tuesday to snowing yesterday. What the hey Southwest PA?! Get it together! I can't take this spastic weather. It made running errands miserable. However, I did end up getting my hair cut (finally) which is awesome. I had been putting it off because I hate spending money on getting my hair cut when I want to keep it long, but it was getting so gross at the ends. It took almost 30 minutes to brush through it last night because of all the knots. It isn't that different than it was before. It's just a little shorter with thinner bangs.

How has everyone's week been? Anyone else experiencing crazy weather or suddenly deciding to do some spring cleaning and purge what's in their closets?

A Feme FBFF

2011-03-25T14:50:00.003-04:00

This week's FBFF is about every guys favorite subject - feminism. I'm so glad Katy at Modly Chic threw these questions out there. It's something we don't normally talk about, but it will be really interesting to hear what fashion and style bloggers have to say on the subject.

Breakfast In Fur by Meret Oppenheim. Delicate meets animalistic. Image taken from MOMA

1. Do you think there is an incompatibility between feminism and a love for fashion?

I guess I identify more with the personal style forum than the world of high fashion so my perspective may be on the simple side. I think if feminism has given women anything, it has given them the right to decide what they love and what they want to do about that. I think any incompatibility comes from the media which tells us what we should love and how to be more "feminine" or more "sexy". Basically, if you love fashion, then you love fashion; there should be no implication that you are controlled by "the man", but I think if you are running around telling every other woman she is missing the mark, then you are missing the point. I can see that some women feel controlled in the fashion arena, but I wonder how much of that is their personal insecurity. Feminism can only take you so far; part of the journey is confidence and personal discovery.

2. There is more to each of us than a love for fashion; how do you incorporate every aspect of yourself into your blog?

I incorporate more of "me" than my love of fashion most days. I like to write about my thoughts and feelings on weight and style but also on confidence, which is something I have struggled with in the past. I write like I talk, and I don't really attempt to hide any of my personality because this blog is personal to me. The only things I steer clear of are religion and politics because (as I have learned in the past) I don't feel like this would be a good platform for that, and in real life I'm more concerned with not singling anyone out - so why not be that way on my blog?

3. With the fashion industry still being a male-dominated profession, how do you think it would differ if women played a larger role?

I don't know that things would change too much, aside from maybe pay scales. I think women are as capable as men of imposing their beliefs about weight, style, and attractiveness on other women. I also don't think fashion is as nicely boxed up like it used to be. I think there are so many more accepted styles for women, and we have a lot more freedom in our dress despite who's in charge. I think the biggest change would be in men's wear. As Madonna put it;

"Girls can wear jeans
And cut their hair short
Wear shirts and boots
'Cause it's OK to be a boy
But for a boy to look like a girl is degrading
'Cause you think that being a girl is degrading"
(What It Feels Like For A Girl- Madonna)

I think the biggest change needs to be in the way men view men's wear. Maybe having more women in the industry would change that, maybe not. We've already seen some changes with guys wearing skinny jeans, but in the small towns of America, where Walmart is the premier fashion mecca, men are being told to dress like men, which does portray that being feminine is a detriment. I think it's going to take something more than a gender change in the fashion industry to fix this, though. It's going to take everyone viewing gender as something personal, not something determined by others at birth.

4. How is your self-image and the way you carry yourself informed by your beliefs?

This is a very complicated question to answer. Religious beliefs don't really effect my self-image, how I dress, or how I carry myself. It's more of an introspection that affects my self-image. To explain, I consider myself a feminist, and I truly believe every woman has the right to do whatever she likes. A woman can work, stay home, get married, not get married, have kids, or not have kids and this does not imply anything about her person. However, as much I believe this, I do struggle with it. I am a housewife so I have moments of feeling failure and depression because I went to school for 5 years and got two degrees (anthropology and Art History) which I am not using. Sometimes I feel like I'm letting all the strong women of the world down by being tied up in this box I call "home". I'm allowing myself to be the stereotypical 20-something-year-old woman (aside from the kids). The only difference is that I chose this. I love my husband, and I would rather live in a place in which I cannot find work but can be with him than have a job I love and be without him. My husband does not expect anything from me but mutual respect (which is what makes the best relationships) and has encouraged me in all my endeavors. So the way I look at myself is with a very large microscope because I do have a lot of freedom. I want to make sure my decisions are based on the best intentions, and knowing that I am making good decisions gives me confidence. I have the opportunity to see myself as an evolving individual and the ability to be okay with that. Basically, I am very introspective, because I believe with great freedom comes great responsibility and with great responsibility comes confidence.

College Graduation. Hair, makeup, AND a degree?
Take that feminists of the past! LOL

5. Do you think clothing/makeup/hair helps communicate the truth about yourself, or are those things superfluous add-ons?

I do believe that clothing/makeup/hair helps communicate a type of truth about us. I think we all see the best and the worst in ourselves, and - whether we communicate one side or the other - the whole truth is never going to be fully portrayed - with or without add-ons. Either you look great and are not showing those deep dark sides of yourself, or you look plain and are hiding those beautiful sides of yourself. People are complex. When we get dressed or do our makeup or hair, we are dressing ourselves and making ourselves up in a way that expresses something honest about us, if even in a small way - a small tidbit of something so much more complex, if you will. If we are doing hours of makeup and styling and feel like crap, we might be portraying the "us" we want to be on that particular day. While that isn't us at the moment, it is still a type of raw honesty. We are literally showing others our desire to feel better. The same goes for throwing our hair up and not wearing any makeup. Maybe we feel free and relaxed and we are expressing that or maybe we feel like crap or maybe we think that look is sexy. A lot of what we do on the surface is based on what's going on inside. We need context to make sense of it (as my archaeology teacher would say). I think if you were a thoughtless automaton then everything on the surface would be entirely superficial, but we are humans with thoughts and personality and what is on the outside is pretty likely to mix with what's on the inside to give others a deeper look at us. I think we blame the status quo a little too much. I don't think women should feel bad about using makeup, hair, or clothing to express themselves or their desires. The world may expect you to dress nicely, curl your hair, and wear makeup but choosing to do so doesn't mean the world is making you do so - it just means that's how you express yourself.

I am sorry my answers were forever long. I have some really deep thoughts on feminism and gender equality. Basically, it can be summed up by saying: Yes, there is a greater opinion that seems oppressive, but that opinion is just perpetuated by people like yourself, and you have an opinion as well which is equally valid and equally powerful. Hope I've given you something to think about and I can't wait to read the other bloggers' responses. To read more responses, you can visit Katy's page at Modly Chic, where she has linked to all FBFF participants.

One of "those" days.

2011-03-23T16:50:00.003-04:00

What do you wear when it's one of those days? Do you wear things that are bright and cheery and try to cover up the fact that you have had more go wrong in the first hour of the day than the last month and a half? Or do you throw on whatever you can find that is comfortable and brace for the inevitable bad that is bound to continue? I can tell you honestly what I wear on those days because I've been having one for the last day and a half. Granted it's lasted longer than usual, but I guess that has just given me more reason to think about why I'm wearing what I'm wearing.

Rainy Days by dananbell featuring thick leggings

A L C scoop neck tee, $88
DKNY thick legging, 86 GBP
Anne Michelle high heels, $40
Glass necklace, $16
Rue21 scarve, $7.99

I didn't take a picture today because the whole first half of the day was cold, rainy, and gray. I apologize. I did, however, Polyvore my look before Polyvore decided to have a meltdown. I know, I know. It's so... black. I actually like this monochrome palette. It was terribly cold and rainy this morning so I wasn't really feeling bright and sunny. I know it's not what you expect to see as we make our way into spring, but it's so comfortable. I like to go with comfortable on my crap-tastic days. That being said, I still like to feel better about my clothing choices than I would feel in paint-covered sweats and a plain tank-top. I also feel more concealed in black. So bending to clean, flopping between the couch and computer, or even taking the dog outside in this weather, I feel like there isn't much to adjust. It's a look that works the more thrown together it seems. The way I look at it, sometimes you can dress to bring the sun out, and sometimes the weather reflects your mood, and sometimes when life gives you lemons you cut those lemons up, stick them in water, and say "screw the sugar, it's no time to be fancy." Today I'm going to take my cue from good-old Mr. Raincloud, dress in monochrome, and drink my lemon-water because darn it, this is no time for being fancy. Or for sugar.

Paper Doll Project

2011-03-22T13:28:00.010-04:00

When I was a child, I loved playing with paper dolls. My uncle and aunt were the main fuel for this obsession as they showered me with the prettiest and most unique paper dolls they could find on their various travels. Being artists, they knew paper dolls held various possibilities. I could easily rearrange outfits and even create my own with just a little paper and some crayons. As an adult, I must admit I still like the idea of paper dolls, and when Suze of Miss Vinyl Ahoy announced she was going to be starting a new blogging project called "The Paper Doll Project" where bloggers are paired together to style outfits for each other, I am pretty sure I was typing my response before the page had finished loading. The challenge is that the outfit is based on a tough piece of clothing your partner hasn't been able to style for themselves. Well, there's nothing like a good challenge.

I chose a pink jewel-tone top with matching belt that I bought when jewel-tones were the craze, but could never figure out how to wear it. Aside from with jeans and a necklace, which looked blah, I was at a loss. I pass by it frequently in my closet and always feel guilty, so finally someone else was going to take on the challenge. YAY!

I was paired with Kara from Unusual Form. Kara is a sweetheart who is really good with structure - no pun intended (she's an architect). Structure seems to be exactly what I needed with this shirt. She sent me three selections on Polyvore (the modern-day paper doll application). You can see those Polyvore sets here, here, and here. Based on what I had in my closet or could get easily, I chose two of the selections and sent her pictures last night. She and I agreed on this look for my final outfit. I'm so happy to finally show you the fruits of Kara's labor!

I actually made it outside today!

Pink Top with Belt: Dots.
Nerd Glasses Necklace: Forever 21.
Black Jacket: Lane Bryant.
Tights: Walmart? (I've had them forever).
Skirt: Thrifted
Black Alligator Pumps: Inherited from my Great-Grandmother.

Excuse my face, I have been sheltered from the sun for too long. lol

For Kara, I styled two dresses into a few outfits. The dresses are Tucker from Target and are very springy and very bright. I used Polyvore (of course) to style the dresses with items based on what she had on her blog archives. Here are my Polyvore sets for Kara. Show Kara some love and stop by her page to see which outfit of mine she picked to wear.

Tucker For Target Dress A by dananbell featuring flat boots

Dress B, Paperdoll Project by dananbell featuring dark green leggings

Overall, this was an awesome experience. I got to make a connection with another awesome blogger who shares my love of sewing and thrifting. I'd like to thank Liz (26 and Counting), Erin (Work With What You've Got), and especially Suze (Miss Vinyl Ahoy) for coming up with the wonderful idea and giving all of us who participated the opportunity to turn those problems in our wardrobe into wearable pieces. You can check out the other participants of the first Paper Doll Project below.

Paper Doll Project partners!
Windy City Fashion and Doc Starr Chic
A Fashion Fixation and Snappy and Savvy
A Monkey Fatshionista and Matters of Merry Making
After My Fancyy and Style Within Reach
Closet Confections and Diary of a Chic Mommy
Made by Maison and Queen of Oz
Unusual Form and Curvy with Confidence
Fashion Momma and Employed Panache
Better in Sepia and Silver Pool of Light Girl
The Brunette One and The Stylish Housewife
From the Mixed-up Files and Hope and the Dress Code
Second Star Style and Effervescent Evelina
Pieces of My Earth and The Average Girls Guide
Consumerism Killed My Soul and Fashion Frugality
Kate Olmstead and Lemon Drop Love
Oranges and Apples and Watch Me Dress
Skrush and Tart Lemon Drop
Lindsay Living and Elle Enchanted
Snappy Casual and Chasing Davies
Leaving the House in This and Sweet Laundry
Coffee and a Cardigan and Inner Cupcake
Stumble into Style and Image Envy
Miss Vinyl Ahoy and Ordinarily Urbane and Lori's Wardrobe

Try As I May...

2011-03-21T16:15:00.003-04:00

I can't figure out what to wear today. I have housework to do after my fun-filled weekend, and nothing seems photo-worthy today. So instead, on this oh-so-warm, yet shady Monday, I thought I would share with you one of the greatest lessons I have learned in my entire life. It has to do with self-improvement, trying, and confidence and it has shaped my outlook on life, success, and beauty.

Growing confidence takes patience but produces beauty.

When I was a kid, my mom would teach me daily with little phrases to live by, but the most inspiring was "give it your all". She'd say, "Dana, did you do your best? Did you try? If you gave it your all, I'm so proud of you, no matter the outcome." Even to this day, my mom tells me this as I lament my job seeking frustrations, artistic failures, and personal problems. She is the perfect example of this herself. She pushed through a divorce and - being left with two young children - went back to school, got a degree, got a job, raised us in a loving home and helped us through college. This is how my mother taught me to be confident. To be confident, not in all the things I received or all the good things that life brought my way, but in the person I can be if I always try. She knows life is unfair and there will be times I won't have the best shoes or the highest-paying job. There will be times I'll be short-changed. There will be times I try and fail. However, this is not a reason to look at the world cynically. These things give us opportunity to try to be a better person. To push through our struggles and be proud and confident in who we are despite the setbacks. There is plenty of good out there; the world is not all bad. To constantly try to be our very own personal best means we are, at least, achieving a small semblance of good, if only in ourselves.

How you think about yourself is absolutely important in being confident. Do you always try to be the best person you can be or do you put others down in order to raise yourself up? Do you jump on the bandwagon to make fun of something or someone and then wonder why life is filled with so many mean people? Yes, you may get recognition for being a witty jerk, but - at the end of the day - do you like yourself? Do you feel like you have contributed anything to the world? Ronald Reagan kept a plaque on his desk that said, "There is no limit to what a man can do or where he can go if he doesn't mind who gets the credit." In other words, if you are focused on doing your best and not just on getting recognition for being the funny guy at the cooler, your abilities are endless. People like Mother Theresa, Abraham Lincoln, and even Mr. Rodgers (shout out to my Pittsburgh Peeps) weren't out there trying to get every person to like them or to think they were the greatest person ever; however, they are considered among the greatest and most famous people the world had to offer. They knew that they only had one life and that the greatest confidence a man can know is based on that man's own soul (or woman, but you get what I'm saying). They gained respect by being examples of people who gave respect to all kinds of people and who always tried to be their own personal best without caring what others thought.

Standing out can be a beautiful thing.

In other words, don't compare yourself with others. We are all on different paths. We have all had bad days and good days. Our worst days are only relevant to our own lives - don't compare apples with oranges, just push through it. Try to learn from the bad things, and - if there is nothing to learn - just let them go. Always look for the positive. Life can be filled with negativity. If you can see the positive you can be confident in knowing you are a positive person who is realistic but hopeful. Give respect. That doesn't mean you have to like every person you meet. It just means that you should treat all people like your equal because you are no better or worse than anyone else. Confidence does not come from how you look. It doesn't come from your clothing, hair, killer new shoes, or favorite Louis Vuitton bag. It doesn't come from the multitudes of compliments you may or may not have received from handsome gentlemen or gorgeous women. It doesn't come from the great job you landed or the insane salary you receive. Confidence comes from knowing you are doing and being your personal best. It comes from knowing you have tried and will continue to try to be the best you that only you can be. It is really that simple.

Photos were taken by yours truly at Phipps Conservatory in 2009

It's Friday.

2011-03-18T16:08:00.001-04:00

Image from Unheard Voices
Before I launch into FBFF, I wanted to say how truly devastating the events in Japan have been and that my prayers and thoughts are with the people of those areas affected and the families of those who have lost someone. I cannot imagine the pain or despair you must feel. Many bloggers are taking today to participate in For Japan With Love in order to raise awareness and funds for the people of Japan. In true Dana fashion I found out about it this afternoon. They wanted bloggers to take today as a day of silence and post a link to their website where you can donate money to create shelter boxes. I strongly encourage you to visit the blogs that are supporting this project and to donate through the "donate" button in the upper right-hand corner of the site. I myself feel that my blog tends to be on the vacant side a little too much, so I'm going to blog in hopes that someone will read the above before reading the post and will go donate.

Now for FBFF. The theme this week is five most important blogging lessons you have learned so far. I haven't been blogging consistently for very long, but I have learned a few things.

*Scratches head and thinks for a second*

1. No matter how silly it seems, if you want to do something, do it. I wanted to start a blog. I'm sure half my relatives think I'm crazy for posting pictures of myself on the internet and giving advice on style when I "clearly" dress weird compared to other people in southwest PA, but I wanted to share my confidence with other people and to show other women my size or women that are curvy not to hate how they look and that being unique is a good thing. Yes, I feel silly with my tripod and shutter release button, taking pictures of myself, but I'm also happy I'm doing something I like to do.

2. Focus on the positive. I started to do a men's weekly post and my husband shared the link on a forum to which he belonged. The men that stopped by to comment were really harsh and at first, not being used to the blogging thing, I was heartbroken. I stopped blogging for close to a month. In that month I was bored to say the least. I missed blogging but I was scared to put myself out there again. In the end I read back through all the positive feedback I've had and really thought about why I'm blogging. It's a fun thing and I just need to focus on the positive and forget about the trolls that are having a bad day/week/month and that want to bring you down just to have a little fun. Delete the comment and move on.

3. Commit. I have commitment issues. My husband might not agree because he is the only thing in my life I have not had a hard time committing to. In college I received two degrees and a minor because I could not commit to just one. When we are going out to eat I make Brian pick because I don't want to commit to one place. I change my outfit a hundred times because "what if it rains" or "what if I end up having to walk a little more than I expect." I have a bag in my basement filled with unfinished sewing projects because I became busy with something else. When I started blogging it was like any other project. I was doing it but I wasn't committing to it. But what I have found is, if you find something you really like that offers you the ability to meet new people and become part of a community like blogging then you need to commit to it. I am trying, and it is still hard to focus some days, but the difficulty is worth the reward.

4. Embrace your own style. I look at other bloggers and think, "They are so edgy" or "They have such a different eye." I sometimes wish I could be more creative like them, but then I realize I have my own style and that is what makes me me. While I may be inspired by some of these bloggers, I have to be true to myself and embrace my own creativity.

5. Make friends. I'm still attempting this part, but I have learned how crucial it is to make blogging friends. There is nothing like the support or feedback of someone who's been there before. There is such a great group of people behind all those blogs you read. Getting to know new people that are interested in your interests is a really fantastic part of blogging.

Shopping Therapy

2011-03-18T00:18:00.002-04:00

There is nothing quite like shopping to take your mind off your troubles. My little sister, dealing with a recent breakup, was in serious need of some shopping therapy yesterday. What kind of a big sister would I be if I didn't participate?!

Got home a little late to take pictures outside.
It was dull out anyway.

The weather here has been so insanely weird. One minute it is bright and sunny and next it is the must dull shade of gray imaginable. The temperature is all over the place, so I opted for a sweater rather than a coat, as I hate carrying a coat when it's hot. Somehow a heavy sweater is nowhere near as awkward to carry around as even a light jacket. (I know, I'm weird.)

My orange bag I found at Gabriel Brothers
for next to nothing.

Miss (my sister) and I walked all around the mall hitting up our favorite stores which aptly played breakup songs (must be a marketing strategy), and I bought a few pieces of cheap jewelry while keeping an eye out for some wide-legged jeans. Miss took me into H&M, which I have avoided, assuming it was a store for the tiny. I was really surprised by the variety in sizes. I loved all the lovely floral prints, and their bags were adorable - I might have to make a trip back.

New ring from Charlotte Russe.
I like the retro feel.

We left the mall and hit up Old Navy. Although their stuff tends to be on the plain side, Miss and I always have luck in their sale section. I know they are cheap, but I have so many Old Navy pieces that I mix in with other things, and since I sew, I tend to keep my clothes in pretty good condition. I found two pairs of wide-legged jeans on the sale rack. I wasn't sure either would fit me, but they both fit and only need to be hemmed. They are a little baggier in the hips but I figure they are wide-legs, were less than $20, and I can always have them altered (cheap) if I don't feel like messing with them.

They aren't worth anything but sentiment,
but that's okay by me :)

Even though the weather was on the dim side, I brought the sun with me. I have this bright orange bag and I thought it would be fun with the teal tank I wore under my linen shirt. As I was getting ready, I noticed my great-great-grandmother's necklace hanging on my jewelry rack and I just couldn't resist. It's only the second time I've worn it. I wasn't going to wear the earrings with it because they are clip-ons and typically those can be annoying, but I tried and they didn't bother me so I went for it. There is something awesome about having a clothing, shoes, or accessories from a relative. I think it's because there is something so personal about clothing. They picked the piece, wore it, and managed to keep it all those years. I just feel so much closer to them when I wear their clothes than when I look at a picture.

I had to wear an extender with the necklace,
but it still looks great.

Yesterday was a good day and I'm pretty sure my sister was sufficiently entertained into forgetting about old what's-his-name.

Jeans: 17/21
Tank: Walmart? I've had it forever.
White Linen Shirt: Old Navy
Sweater: Old Navy
Shoes: Leslie Fay
Bag: Gabriel Brother's
Ring: Charlotte Russe
Necklace & Earrings: Vintage

Frugal? Me?...

2011-03-16T14:56:00.002-04:00

Guilty as charged.

At this stage in my life, I just can't see the point in spending tons of money on most things. This includes clothing. I occasionally splurge, but for the most part I shop sales and thrift stores for household items, furniture, and clothing. I buy the drug store brands of beauty supplies and for the most part they work. I want to be able to travel and pay down student loans, so my choices to save money are fairly logical.

My nails before any issues arose. You won't believe the trouble a little nail polish gave me. They would have been cute huh?

But am I really saving? Sure, I'm saving money to put toward all the trips I want to go on and I'm saving myself years of dealing with student loans, but I'm not saving time and sometimes that is more important. For example, last week I was attempting to get rid of my horribly chipped gray nail polish and replace it with some cute spring color. If one can't see the sun, they may as well attempt to paint it on their nails. Am I right? I really wanted to try a funky gradient. At first everything was going great. My nails were drying and I'd put the next layer on and finally I put the top-coat layer on (layer three), and I got on the computer and waited. My nails seemed dry to the touch, so I went to sleep. I woke up the next morning with two nails completely smeared. Weird part is, there was no nail-polish on the bed, me, Brian, or our clothes... bizarre. I attempted to repaint them. The nail polish wouldn't dry. I wasn't putting the coats on too thick, because I was wiping the brush almost totally clean before I used it. I, of course, began crying like a wee baby (can we say dramatic much?), I wiped away all my nails, and decided to just put on some of my quick-dry polish and call it a day. We were in a rush to go somewhere so I popped in the car with my nails wet. Twenty minutes later, my cheap one-minute dry nail polish STILL was not dry. Brian, my white knight, pulled the car over at a supermarket and bought me some nail polish remover. What's better than a dozen roses? A husband who knows how to avert a crisis.

Sale Sephora by O.P.I. nail-polish can be found here.

On a brighter note, I DID find four bottles of Sephora O.P.I. at Sephora on sale for five dollars each. They are normally close to ten dollars a bottle. I was so excited, I bought all four: orange, yellow, purple and brown sparkles. I celebrated this by painting my two-year-old niece's nails with the purple. It's lucky that O.P.I. nail polish dries quickly, because she wanted to touch her nails almost immediately. I think she quite fancied the color though, as she ran around and showed everyone her nails. She then came over to me, picked up the orange and pushed it in my direction. I painted my nails while she watched. (Too cute.) I used the brown sparkles on top. They actually appear more gold when they dry, which makes my nails super sunny. Now if only the weather would take a hint!

My nails currently. Using the Sephora by O.P.I. nail polish. Love it :)

As my husband always says, "Day, what's your time worth?" and honestly he's right. What is my time worth? Is it worth it to save four dollars for crappy nail polish that I spend 2 hours fixing, or is it worth a little more than that? I have since vowed that my time is far more precious than cheap nail polish, and so, as I slowly replace my nail polish stash, I will avoid the dollar-a-bottle nail polish bin. Even if it takes me until I'm 80 to pay off my student loans.

Salads Are Delicious

2011-03-15T15:36:00.001-04:00

My yummy spinach salad with carrots, red romaine and a tiny bit of Olive Garden dressing.

You may be shocked when you hear this, you may not even believe me, but as crazy as it sounds, most plus-sized women do care about their health. There seems to be a common misconception that women that are curvy or plus-sized don't eat healthy, don't exercise, and don't think twice about their health. From personal experience, this couldn't be further from the truth. Most curvy girls I know go to the gym more than my "normal-sized" friends and they also tend to eat less junk food. They tend to be the ones who sign up for charity walks and runs and often have a loathing for fast food. So why is it they are plus-sized? The simplest answer I can give you is because they just are. Sometimes you are the size you need to be and no amount of "healthy behavior" is going to change it. It's important to know that you are beautiful no matter your size. If you feel healthy and happy, then you most likely are healthy and happy. If you like yourself and take care of yourself then you don't need to fit a mold. Your uniqueness is your strength.

Why do I say all this? I have for a long, long time been very happy with my body. Sure, I have my meltdowns, but I wouldn't be a woman if I didn't. I don't really see myself as "too heavy", and I like the way my clothes fit. This unfortunately doesn't translate into my feelings about health. I have not felt physically healthy in quite some time. The crazy part is I don't drink soda, I avoid fast food like the plague, and I eat pretty healthy. So why does my body feel like it's at war with itself? Why do I feel like something is off?

I found out a long time ago I had IBS, and the doctor said that there wasn't much they could do for it, to just try to relax and work on being less anxious. It was like the doctor didn't even know me. Relax?! Ha! This is as ridiculous as telling a Dalmatian "try really hard not to have spots, okay?". I was basically resigned to a life of terrible stomach aches that seemed to come at complete random. Until last Thursday. I went to a new doctor and found out a powdered fiber supplement, and a low fructose diet along with regular exercise should be able to help my IBS along with some other issues I didn't know that I had. Did they seriously just discover this or did it really take years of switching doctors to get the simplest advice ever? Either way, I'm pretty thankful.

Since Thursday, I have thought a lot about losing weight and blogging. I like being curvy, and I enjoy being a voice for liking who you are right now. My worry is that I may slim down with this new diet and if that is so I want you all to know that this is for my health. I have no desire to look like a girl in a magazine, to be more "sexy," or to like myself more. I honestly like myself now (all except my dumb IBS). I just want to feel like I can do more without feeling sick. I switched out the bagels for oatmeal and the iceberg lettuce for spinach (apparently iceberg lettuce has a lot of fructose) and I honestly do feel better. Granted, it's only been a few days, but I definitely haven't had a stomach ache. I don't know if this means weight loss for me or not, but if it does then I hope to always like my body and always have confidence in my uniqueness. Really, being happy and treating yourself right are all that matter. Some days that will equate to healthy eating and exercise, and others to lounging around while eating the last piece of cheesecake and watching your favorite sappy movie. Either way, you are beautiful as long as you chose to feel it.

St. Patty's Day Parade

2011-03-12T16:42:00.003-05:00

One thing you may not know about me is that I'm half Irish. If you've met me in person, more than likely you know because I'm one of those annoying Irish people that believes being Irish is one of my best qualities, even though it's not inherent. You know what I mean. The person with Celtic stuff overtly in every room of their house, a "kiss me I'm Irish" bumper sticker, tee-shirt, and bag, and Flogging Molly on standby for drinking. So, of course, I love St. Patrick's day!

Today was the annual Pittsburgh St. Patty's day parade and of course Brian and I were there with bells on (no pun intended. Oh, because that's our last name. You know what ...never mind). Anywho, we were excited because the weather seemed to cooperate a ton better than last year when it rained the whole time and we left tired, cold, and soaking wet. We had very little trouble parking or getting into downtown which made the experience that much better.

The parade was pretty awesome. There were a ton of animals and free stuff. I don't know about you, but its not a parade without animals and at least free candy. Lol. I didn't get a ton of pictures of anything because I really didn't want to take my hands out of my gloves. I regret not getting pictures of the Irish Wolfhounds (my favorite) or of the super cute greyhounds with their tiny green caps. It may have been sunny and clear but it was still cold. I wore two layers and a coat and gloves!

I'm doing this from my phone (getting out of the city is proving to be more difficult than getting in to it) so I'm going to post pictures of the parade and what I wore. I don't know how the layout will be but enjoy :) We'll consider this a test run...lol

Shirt: Rough Hewn
jeans: Old Navy
Boots: Charlotte Russe
Belt: Thrifted
Necklace: gift
Coat: Miss Sixty
Scarf: AE (like forever old)

PS. Anyone notice the key-tars. Rockin'! LMBO

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.3

Finding the Balance

2011-03-11T09:39:00.001-05:00

Oh, hello followers and passers-by, I didn't see you there. LOL. As most of you know, it is FBFF. So once again, I answer some questions about life, fashion, and blogging. Since I'm completely caught up in what's happening in Japan, I'm going to jump right into it.

1. When it comes to prioritizing your life, in what place does blogging fall?
Although sometimes I miss blogging by a day or a few days, blogging is pretty important to me. I am home alone all day, everyday. I don't get to be very creative or do very much for me so this blog is sort of a safe haven. I get to express myself, be creative, and hopefully share my thoughts on being stylish and confident in your own body.

2. We all wish we had more free time to dedicate to blogging and all it entails. What are your tricks for taking advantage of the time you do have to be as productive as possible?
I attempt to focus. I would say just sitting down and focusing on doing a project works better than anything else. It's really hard to focus sometimes (like right now, watching this devastation unfold) so I turn off the TV, read and reread what I'm writing and then I let go. I think a big problem is letting yourself believe your post is finished. It's easy to doubt yourself, but I think the thing I like most about blogging is that every post is a lesson in letting go and not being too hard on yourself - and that is because there comes a point where you have to just click "publish". It's impossible to produce anything if you don't actually PRODUCE anything. So focus and not being too hard on myself definitely help me to blog more efficiently.

3. Have you discovered any shortcuts that make blogging easier or more time-efficient?
I wish. I'm excited to check out other bloggers' tips. I mean, I have a few, but nothing that is really helpful. I hate to say this, but sometimes, if I have a lot of time, the light is good, and the SD card is dumped and not filled with random photo projects, I take multiple outfit photos in multiple outfits and then store them. This helps if I'm short on time. I use an outfit I've already photographed and attempt to use it as an example of something I am wearing or something I love. I also keep a list of things I want to blog about that I can use when I'm running low on ideas. Recently it has been hard. I haven't been super strict with myself. This may have something to do with my lack of a workspace or the constant dim light from all the snowy weather. (I really hate this snow.) I also use Polyvore if I can't get a photo of my outfit and if it is something I want to share. I am so visual that I feel really bad if I don't have something visual along with my content; however, I also feel that content is important, so if I'm not feeling witty or smart, I tend to hold off on posting. I've been blogging for over a year but not consistently (I'm a slacker) so this year I'm delving into it a bit more and any tips will be great to read.

Snowy weather of Southwest PA. Grumble cakes.

4. Do you have an editorial calendar or something similar that helps you plan ahead?
Not really. I'm kind of spontaneous, though I do have a rough list (like the kind you scratch on a coffee stained napkin in a cafe). I'm sure a calender would help some, but I don't think I would follow a calender, and I would more-than-likely feel guilty if I didn't follow the calender I made to the letter. I'm kind of OCD when it comes to making plans and following through, so I find that if I don't have a firm plan I am much happier. To be fair, I tried to plan a week of posts and did not post a single word, and I felt terrible about it. I was so limited and felt so bad changing the "plan" that I just did not post. So, I find the list to be much more helpful. I can access anything on it if I need to, but, if I feel like talking about shoes and not weight issues, I can do that without beating myself up. I really am my own worst enemy. (lol.)

5. If time wasn’t an issue what would you be doing on/for your blog that you aren’t doing now?
I think my problems are less time related and more spatial at the moment. I don't have much space to take photos or to put my ever-increasing photo files. I don't have a work space because our office is currently gutted, and I'm not particularly fond of fiberglass insulation as decoration. If I had some space, I would be more dedicated to blogging for sure, because I do frequently have more time than most people. I certainly would have events. Pittsburgh seems to have fashion/style bloggers and fashion-interested individuals, yet they tend to be spread out and not in close contact. It would be nice to have some events or clothing swaps in this area, especially of the plus-sized variety (obviously for selfish reasons. lol). If I had more space to plan these things, I'm sure that that would be the biggest change I would make.

Someday this will be an office. Someday.

So those are my thoughts on blogging and keeping the balance. I can't wait to read all the other responses at www.modlychic.com. Stay tuned everyone! Tomorrow is the St. Patty's Day parade in Pittsburgh, so I'm sure I'll be posting pictures of my outfit, the snow, and my love for all things Irish!

Ode to Jean Leggings

2011-03-07T18:04:00.001-05:00

My fellow plus-sized ladies, you feel me when I say: jeans are hard to shop for and even harder to keep. No matter how long it takes you to find a pair of jeans you adore, it only seems to take a month to wear them out. Then comes, yet again, the inevitable jean hunt, because for some ungodly reason the place you bought those jeans you loved so much has discontinued your style, size, color, wash, whatever, and within only a month. Those jerks!

I guess I'll just take my bag and go elsewhere...

I, like every other curvy woman, have this dilemma. I have no butt, tiny legs, and a very large hip area that all seem to make finding jeans virtually impossible. I wear an 18 around my hips but then I'm basically floating in a sea of jeans everywhere else. I remember trying on jeans with a friend who just couldn't comprehend my problem. She has the opposite problem (small waist, bigger butt and legs). I went out and grabbed a pair of 10/12 maternity jeans (the ones with the ugly cotton belly area) and showed her that those fit because the band was stretchy and yet it was made for tiny legs. She was shocked.

I feel like a stylish pirate.lol

Obviously, I am not going to walk around in maternity jeans because I'm already a bigger girl and I don't really dig the elastic belly. My solution for the longest time was to buy skinny jeans. I thought, "At least they will show off my legs. I like my legs." Nope. People thought they were straight-legs and they gave the appearance of a 1950s teenage boy; rolled cuffs and all. So for the most part, I steered clear of jeans and stuck with skirts and tights or leggings. I love leggings. Only problem is that they can be so sheer you absolutely had to wear something longer with them. I don't have many mid-thigh length shirts and so my clothing choices seemed very limited. It was either swim in a sea of jeans and wear the top I like, or wear the same three tops with leggings.

I love my legs and I LOVE jean leggings.

Then came jean leggings. Although I'm still not comfortable with the term "jeggin" *shudders*, these are a godsend. I can wear "jeans" that actually show off my legs. They look fantastic with billowy shirts (that can be much shorter than those worn with traditional leggings) which hide my tummy and bigger hip area and they come in a plethora of colors, sizes, and brands. I am in love. I find that I wear jean leggings at least twice a week (if not more), and they are so much easier to combine with new things than shapeless jeans. I don't know if I will ever be successful in finding bootleg jeans that are affordable and actually fit, but for now I'm happy with my jean leggings.

P.S.: If anyone knows any places where I can find jeans that may fit, let me know. I'm not on the hunt so I can look at my leisure :P

Jean Leggings: Old Navy
Shirt: Old Navy
Ruffled Tank: Old Navy
Vest: Old Navy (apparently I shop there a lot? lol)
Shoes: Mossimo from Target
Bag: Cesca from Gabes
Necklace: Forever 21

Rainy Saturday

2011-03-05T15:40:00.001-05:00

It is another rainy day in southwestern PA. Thank goodness it isn't of the freezing variety, or I would have an even harder time trying to decide what to wear tonight. Brian and I are meeting up with some friends to go bowling and I'm always perplexed when it comes to clothing and bowling (I'm pretty sure it's those darn blue, red, and glow-in-the-dark yellow shoes).

Anywho, since I can't make up my mind about what I'm wearing today, I figured I would share an outfit I wore last week when my computer was being a doo-doo-poopy-head and I didn't even have enough wit to resort to grade school humor (see previous statement). So here is what I wore one cool-weathered day last week.

Close up of my twisted hair.

My basement is FILLED with books. For Real!

I started with my hair. I had been (and still am) looking at hair videos on YouTube. I love YouTube because most videos make you think you can do anything. Stay tuned for the post where I fly after building a flying machine from YouTube! Just kidding. I don't trust all YouTubers' advice, but if it's something simple and harmless I may try it. I found THIS post (by anneorshine) on how to do a twist in your hair, and I had to try it. It was surprisingly easy. It reminds me of all my bohemian summer dresses so I automatically thought of my jean jacket that I plan to wear with those summer dresses. Knowing I wanted to wear my jacket, I just sort of went from there. Now you know my great styling inspirations, use the force gently, people.

Scarf is from fashion bug - I believe.

90's grunge-ish

Shoes from my sister. She didn't think I'd like them and they are my favorite.

The necklace is from Forever 21 from Brian. It has a little key. I love keys!

I have not worn this skirt in a hot forever. Yes, I said hot forever. I don't even know where that came from, but I'm too lazy to remove it. Anywho, back to the skirt. I don't wear it often because of its ruffle. I am intimidated by ruffles. They look so cutesy, and I'm already so short. I really fear people will look at me and think I'm some kid when I'm actually closer to 30 than 20. The only reason I thought to wear the skirt is because it is kind of 90's grunge in pattern and color, especially mixed with the jacket and hoody. Overall, I liked the look - it was really comfortable.

So back to the question of the day - What the heck do I wear to go bowling?

Beauty Confessions

2011-03-04T17:46:00.000-05:00

Ok, so this is the first time I have participated in FBFF (Fashion Beauty Friend Friday). I joined the group like a million years ago, but with computer reformatting and absolutely no wit whatsoever recently, I haven't really been blogging. *Bad Dana!* So, after successfully putting GIMP on my computer and hopefully obtaining a sense of humor (one can only hope) I am participating in my very first FBFF. YAY!

Oh Dear. Beauty confessions of the sometimes beauty challenged.

This week the questions are about beauty products. For the longest time I didn't really have a clue what to do with makeup or even facial cleansor. My mom was a working, single mom and really spent very little time taking care of herself, so there was no one to emulate. She wore the typical 80's blue eye shadow, bright pink blush, and pink lips and I knew that wasn't me, but I wasn't exactly sure what ME was, so it wasn't until a few years ago I finally sat down and educated myself on facial scrub, moisturizer, makeup, and the like. These questions are kind of fun since I am still really new to this whole "beauty" scene.

Let's get started :)
FBFF Questions:

1. What's your favorite drug store makeup product and your favorite higher-end product?

Well, to be honest, I am pretty darn broke. Being an engineer's wife isn't as glamorous as it sounds, and I typically save money for handbags that I really want rather than attempting to explain to my husband why my lipstick cost $20. For some reason he understands spending money on leather but not so much on makeup. (Men.) Truthfully though, I can't blame him, and since he is so good at convincing me it's not worth the extra money, most of my products are drug store products. I think the most expensive bit of makeup I own is eye primer from Sephora, which is really nice, but since finding it there I have found it cheaper other places. I think if there is anything on my vanity that is "higher-end" it's my perfume (if that counts). It is Juicy Couture's "Viva La Juicy" and hopefully soon to be "Twirl" from Kate Spade, but I won't buy a new perfume without finishing my last bottle. My favorite drugstore product is really a toss up between two things. One is my Carmex lip-gloss. (Lame, I know.) But I have chronically dry lips, so lip-gloss is really important and Carmex seems to be the only brand that doesn't mess up my lipstick or lip-stain and that actually keeps my lips hydrated. The other is my L'Oreal True Match Naturale mineral foundation powder. I use it for a concealer as well as a foundation powder and it works AWESOME. I don't really have a lot of brand loyalty when it comes to make-up since I'm still trying to figure out beauty products so I like to change it up based on reviews for skin types. I watch a lot of Youtube beauty videos. :P

2. Is there one type of product that is your go-to, can't live without?
My Neutrogena Oil-Free Sensitive Skin Facial Moisturizer and extra virgin olive oil. I use the olive oil to take off my makeup and in a homemade facial scrub. When I started using it, I noticed much healthier, more clear, and more uniform-toned skin. I stopped using it (because I ran out) and suddenly broke out from using products and recently switched back to the olive oil and everything is clearing up. I love it. I use my Neutrogena as an additional moisturizer. It is so gentle and I have really sensitive skin so I love it. As for make-up, I can't live without really dark brown eye-shadow, primer, and a tiny angled brush. I have really REALLY thin eyebrows. I never plucked my eyebrows growing up, and when I roomed with a friend and she went to pluck her eyebrows I was insanely confused. I didn't even know that people did that. People always told me how thin my eyebrows were and they always seemed kind of patchy so I finally filled in my eyebrows two years ago on a whim and I will never go back.

3. What's the best hair product you've ever used?
Brilliant Brunette conditioner by John Frieda. Hands down the best hair product I own. My hair looks SO much shiner and healthy since using it. I also really like Regis Design Line Root Boost for when I scrunch my hair. It doesn't make my hair crunchy, and although I have sensitive skin it doesn't make my head itchy (for real, that happens!), so I like it all the more. On a normal day, however, I don't use any product except shampoo and conditioner. My hair usually cooperates really well.

4. Fess up, what's the worst beauty look you've tried to rock and look back at now with a little shame or apprehension that you actually did that?
I don't know that you would call the horrible looks I've tried anything except bad. LOL. I have tried so many just plain ugly looks I can't even begin to explain. I guess the worst would be self tanner. What a TERRIBLE idea that was. I am pale. I have always been pale and because I was tested for skin cancer at the age of 17 when finding a spot on my arm, I refuse to tan. I will go out in the sun and soak it in, but since I burn before I tan, I never tan because I refuse to let myself get burnt. I guess I thought I needed to be tan since every girl in high school wasn't exactly glowing in the dark, like yours truly, so I went for self-tanner. I was short, heavy and now orange. Oompa-Loompa didn't begin to describe it. I looked like a dirty hunting vest. It was awful and I totally learned my lesson. I am pale and honestly, it's kind of like I'm porcelain, so when I look at it that way I'm totally cool with being pale. At least Willy Wonka won't come looking for me or worse some sweaty old man hunter. *shutters*

You can kind of see my eye makeup here.

5. When it comes to beauty products, we all use the same basic products. What do you use that helps show off your personal flare and personality?
I would say it's a combination of things. I like my dark hair juxtaposed with my pale skin, so I maintain my hair color and attempt to keep it looking good and use headbands and clips to accent my hair. There are some days I don't wear any makeup at all so it's all my hair. I also really like eye makeup. I especially like shimmer eyeshadow. I have really wide expressive eyes, which while growing up I thought was weird and ugly but now have embraced, so I guess I use eye make-up to show off my crazy eyes. LOL.

So those are my beauty confessions. What crazy beauty confessions do you have?

PS. Go check out the other FBFF bloggers and their answers to this week's questions! Just visit Katy at www.modlychic.com

Drawing A Blank

2011-02-22T19:50:00.003-05:00

I have been sitting here for the last fifteen minutes with a sleepy puppy on my lap staring at this blank box trying to figure out what the heck I was going to write. I haven't felt witty lately because I've been too focused on applying to graduate school and figuring out what my plans for this blog are, and, you know, just plain having fun.

Scrabble thinks he might have the perfect post, but he can't type so, oh well.
I am thinking about getting a Masters of Art Teaching in secondary education focused in art. Talk about a mouthful! I apologize for making you read that ridiculously long degree title. Moving on: I like art, I like kids, I like planning and presenting information so this all seems like a natural fit. Even better if I can use this degree to do museum education. Nerdy, I know. Anywho, I need to do something or I'm going to go batty in this house with no reason to dress up except the occasional outing. A person can only see themselves in yoga pants so many times before they wear a cocktail dress to do dishes out of protest and since I like my dresses too much and hate doing dishes, I'm going to do something about this issue. Commence graduate school application process (oh dear).

My cell doesn't take lovely photos, but my business card and postcards still look pretty.

I've also been trying to figure out the many things I might like to do with this blog and in the style/fashion community in general. I would love to have a plus-sized style interview week, a giveaway week, and an accessories, beauty, and hair week. Along with these, I'd like to try having a couple clothing swaps, small at first, but eventually having a large one that benefits the Pittsburgh area Dress For Success. The logistics of that will take quite a wile so that's a "down-the-road" kind of thing. In the mean time, I designed a new logo (which I'm sure you noticed) and had business cards and postcards made. I also updated some changes to my subscription buttons that were malfunctioning due to the website address change.

Comfort Zone by dananbell featuring resin jewelry

Lastly, and most importantly, I have been out having fun. On Friday my Mom, Grandma, and I went to see "I Am Number Four". My sister worked on the costumes in the movie and what better way to support your family than to go see one of their finished projects. I liked it. It felt a little dull to start but it picked up and turned out to be pretty action-packed. It was really neat to see all the costumes in actuality that you had only seen in drawings and story-boards. Overall it was a nice day. I spent the evening with my mom, since Brian was scheduled to work a concert. We had a total girls night, watched "You Again" and ate white pizza. By the time I got home, I had absolutely no time to take a picture of my outfit, so I polyvored it for you. Two hours of stuffing your face with popcorn and curling up in the tiniest chair ever really requires nothing short of comfortable. So, basically, comfort rules when I go to the movies.

Geek by dananbell featuring high heel boots

Sunday, the hubs and I went to see Hair at Heinz Hall with brother and sister. The show was... interesting. I know music from Hair, and I have seen bits of the movie in the past, but I really wasn't prepared for the show's randomosity. The costumes were fantastic and the dancing was great, but I just couldn't get into the show. I'm more of an "Across the Universe" hippie lover. LOL. After the show we all went to dinner and I proceeded to stuff myself silly with bowls and bowls of soup. As it had just begun snowing *shutters* when we sat down for dinner, soup was the perfect antidote. We all had a lot of fun, despite the awkwardness of the show and the unfortunate weather downturn; however, I developed a headache on the drive home and decided my new obsession (Polyvore) and I would be having a Monday morning date, rather than attempting to photograph my nerd-inspired outfit. It was super comfortable (again, with all the sitting) and yet not too casual that I felt out of place at a matinée theater production. The first board is what my outfit looked like, without the same color scheme. I tried to stay brand true with the pieces, so what you see is either the same as what I have (in a different color) or a brand I would wear and very similar to what I wore. The second board shows more of what my color scheme was like (less gray, more camel).

nerdy 2 by dananbell featuring black suede boots

Well, I suppose I should apologize for the longest blog entry in history, considering I lured you in by saying I didn't know what to write and you probably thought it would be a quick picture-filled post. Oh silly reader, I am tricky like that. Anywho, have a great night and I'll post some pictures of real outfits real soon.

Winter

2011-02-08T16:06:00.009-05:00

The winter may not be over yet, but today it feels warmer, brighter, and happier. It's almost like spring is on its way and the faded white snow seems a bit cheerier. Why? Well, the massive amount of metaphorical snow dumped on my life at the end of last year has finally begun melting away and little buds of green life are springing up in its place.

Phipp's Conservatory a few years ago. I can't wait to do some more photography.

After the repair of $4000 worth of damage to our car, idiots having been dealt with, and the main part of our living area pieced together in a way anyone would deem livable, I finally feel like the dark cloud of 2010 has lifted and I can take the time to get dressed and move on with 2011. I want to say thank you for your patience while I waited for this pox to be lifted. So many of you have been so supportive and I can't say thank you enough.

Enough with the sappy - let's move on to the business of fashion and style!

Since the New Year started, I have been trying to give wear to those pieces in my closet that I pass by on an almost daily basis. Since I'm starting anew, I might as well give them a second chance, right? These are things I've had for years and just can't stand to lose even though I neglect them something horrible. Why I hold onto these things knowing full well I will pass them by almost everyday is beyond me. I have made it a goal to find a way to make them work or to donate them and give them a better home then in my closet where they collect dust. If I have never worn them, then I might just give them away on here. I mean, who doesn't love free clothes and giveaways?

The main problem with most of these abandoned clothes is one of three things: they don't fit and never have, they do me no justice but were lovely on the hanger or too affordable for my feeble shop-a-holic heart to pass up, or I have never been able to pair them with anything in my closet (perhaps out of pure laziness). So after purging a good bit of my closet and saying c'est la vie to all those things that just don't fit, I've moved on to those things that I've never been able to pair. Case-in-point, my denim jumper.

My Silliness can't be contained. lol

I have never liked massive quantities of denim. I remember I had a denim dress that I acquired from a cousin that everyone else seemed to like. I, however, cringed when it was the only thing in my closet. After much protest on the part of my mother, who thought the dress was flattering, I donated it and decided never to look back. That was before I found this jumper at Old Navy three, four, or maybe even five years ago. It was denim but everyone with me said it was so cute, it was my size, and as I say above, it was so affordable I figured if I didn't like it with something I had, I hadn't wasted much (oh the plight of the shop-a-holic). The problem was that I still had this weird aversion to denim and since my wardrobe was severely lacking in accessories at the time, I felt very "train-conductor-y" in the overalls with just a white shirt under it. No matter how much I tried to force myself to wear it, I always left the mirror feeling like I should say "All Aboard!". Being in a very distant mindset from where I am now, I just stopped trying. After sitting in my closet for years, I finally decided to make this denim overdose my mission.

I'd like to say I wore it with the white tee to prove a point to myself, but let's be honest - I had no clean shirts besides a white tee (how appropriate? Am I right?!). Now with a sweater, tights, boots, and a scarf I didn't feel like I was in denim overload. I feel like I actually balanced the look, and man was it comfortable! It's amazing to think how comfortable something can be when we go out of our comfort zone to try it. Even without the sweater, I didn't feel uncomfortable. Isn't it amazing how things look completely different with a few accessories?!

I still can't believe I have been neglecting something this comfortable for years because of some dumb fear of wearing too much denim. What a stupid self-imposed rule born out of who-knows-what that has kept me in my safe zone for far too long. I almost regret donating that denim dress! Then again, I did notice Lane Bryant now carries one just like it, and I do have a coupon... :P

Sweater- Old Navy
Denim Overall's - Old Navy
Tights - Really no clue, found them in my tights bin :P
Scarf - Target (ages ago)
White Scoop Neck Tee - White Stag (although I no longer shop at Wal*Mart)
Boots - Kohl's (also ages ago and in desperate need of a new insole)

Much Love

2010-11-30T23:54:00.003-05:00

Well ladies and Gents - I never thought I'd say this, but I'm going to need to step away for a small stint of time. I try very hard to keep up with blogging and to post regularly, but as you can see, recently it has been tough. Aside from the house, my husband and I have (as of recent) had some legal drama. All I have to say is please be careful who you are around while shopping this holiday season. Avoid people who are causing a scene and seem unstable. We weren't so aware of those around us and because of these road bumps, we are now in the middle of some crazy drama (like 13-year-old-girl crazy drama). Personally, I just need a break from the regularly scheduled program to regain my faith in people and to get focused.

Basically what I'm saying is that due to this funk we are feeling, I will not be dressing exceptionally well. LOL. More than likely, I'll be wearing my ugly Boston tee and sweats, curling up in bed with my loving husband and our puppy, and watching Christmas movies while drinking ridiculous amounts of hot chocolate and eating cookies. Without any good outfits or motivation, it might be a little while before I post regularly again. I'll still try to post here and there and I really appreciate those of you who keep checking back. Hopefully in a month or so this will all blow over and Brian and I can go back to believing mankind is lovely, fashion is completely doable, and blogging is entirely necessary. I love you all and I couldn't be more thankful for your readership so I wanted you to know that something is up and this break is far from permanent and should be far from long. Just know that in my downtime, while wearing ugly clothes and stuffing myself with comfort food, I still feel confident in who I am and so should you. Just know true beauty comes merely from acknowledging it's existence in yourself and even if I can't express it to you daily, I want you to know that.

Much Love and Thanks,
Dana

Recovering

2010-11-22T14:28:00.005-05:00

I spent a lot of time last week and this past weekend working on my in-laws new house. Lots of painting, cleaning, hemming, ironing, and moving. I can't say that I was looking at all fashionable. I was actually hoping for a more sweat-ridden-workhorse look so that I could focus on what I was doing before being moved to a new room to work on something else. One night I had wholly planned on blogging. I went to my brother-in-law's Thanksgiving dinner for school and wore a cute outfit to photograph when I got home. My mother-in-law got roped into watching kids and since she was busy packing I offered some help. I then (somehow) got roped into painting. I love painting, so I didn't mind. I wasn't really dressed for the occasion however, so Macy's donated the work clothes. LOL

Yes, that is a Macy's bag.

Painting, Painting, Painting.

I also spent last week recovering. Recovering from putting myself out there. It is really difficult to put yourself out there every week and expect someone to like it, anyone, let alone 50 people you don't know personally. But you guys are always here reading and after this long exhausting past week, I'm back and I want to say thank you for following, reading, and commenting. For all your support I am immensely thankful. I hope that you realize how lovely you all are and how much this little blog has meant to me. I promise more posts this week and maybe even a giveaway! :P

Personal Style

2010-11-15T21:51:00.005-05:00

Personal Style by dananbell featuring a sport belt

Just thought I should let you all know I am officially obsessed with Polyvore. I loved making fashion boards in fashion school and I certainly love making them without deadlines and grades. I thought I'd share with you my personal style board that I sent to Madison Plus.

I did it based on this funky outfit. I haven't worn it a ton, but it sums up my wardrobe quite well. Vintage but modern, silly but dressy - basically me in a nutshell. Just thought you'd like to see something fun that I own and that's not everyday wear.

Top - A.n.a.
Skirt - Isaac Mizrahi for Target
Neclace - Forever 21
Belt - Thrifted
Shoes - wild Diva
Birdcage Veil - Me

I said I was silly! (lol)

I thought I'd give you a close up of my shoes as well. I had to order these because, at the time, I couldn't find anywhere that had vintage looking metallic gold shoes. Pretty sure I ordered them from a stripper site, but they are comfortable and really pretty. I really love them and wish I had more occasion to wear them. Then again, when I ordered them I ordered them a little big, so it's probably better they are a once-in-a-while thing.

Dead Batteries.

2010-11-11T02:29:00.005-05:00

All I have to say is that dead batteries are no fun. I couldn't take a decent photo last night (despite attempts with my phone) because my Nikon finally lost battery power. I would have charged it and then snapped a photo but I was anxious to get into work clothes and get some stuff done. I still wanted to show you what I've been wearing in my down time (aka time away from painting, sanding, and renovation in general) even though I changed out of it before my batteries were revived. I have tons of things to sew around here and the occasional errand to run, so clothing not covered in paint is preferable, however comfort is a must!

I wore this the other night to sew some curtains and catch up with some college friends over coffee. I love how comfortable, warm, and quick it is. Switching between work clothes and comfy clothes happens a lot around here, so the easier the outfit, the better. There is so much to do around here, I can't promise I'll be posting daily, but I can promise lovely pictures of my house for all your sweet patience. :)

Sweatshirt - Walmart
Leggings - Charlotte Russe
Boots - Wet Seal
Tartan Bag - Gift from Sister-in-law
Scarf - Gift from Sister
Necklace - Target

Date Night

2010-11-09T13:34:00.008-05:00

So Brian made it home safe from Kentucky, and I was definitely going stir crazy in this house. Brian, tired from his trip, wanted to lay in bed and read, but I won over his romantic side and persuaded him to take me out.

I had no clue where we were going so it's sort of a hodgepodge!

We had no idea where to go when we hoped in the car and went driving down the main street of our little town. What is there to do in a tiny little town south of a small city that goes to bed around 8pm? I jokingly said, "There's a new tattoo place, we could get tattoos." Suddenly the car was being turned around and stopped. Brian grabbed my hand, drug me across the street and into the tattoo parlor. Thank God they were closing, he's crazy! He said we're going back this weekend, and I am not quite sure if he is serious. So readers, I might just be sharing a tattoo with you come next week. (lol)

I should have taken this at the beginning of the night before I was wrinkled and stretched out. Oh well.

After the tattoo craziness, we walked down to a local bar and grill and had a drink. It's been forever since we had drinks together (aside from the occasional beer with dinner at home - romantic, I know). After we left there we went to the local casino (since it is the only thing open late), grabbed coffee, and people watched. It was really nice to have a night out talking and enjoying each others company. Hopefully we'll be able to do it again soon! :)

I love this headband. I know it's childish, but it's fun.

Blazer - Lane Bryant
Gray Long-sleeve Tee - Stolen from Sister
Velvet Black Tank - Old Navy
Tartan Skirt - Gap
Lace Tights - Simply Be
Gray Booties - Charlotte Russe
Black Bow Headband - Myself (I just love making accessories!)
Small Gray Handbag - Forever 21
Pink Circle Scarf - Forever 21

Simply Be and Madison Plus!

2010-11-07T14:56:00.014-05:00

So Brian finally came back from Kentucky, which means I can finally show you the lovely dress I won from Madison Plus. I won the Simply Be Giveaway #4 on Madison Plus that was in celebration of the launch of the Simply Be 2010 Lookbook and Simply Be coming to the USA! I started reading Madison Plus right before the giveaways, and when I saw this dress, I just had to try for it. I have honestly NEVER won anything before. Well, correction, I won coupons at a Chinese auction, but since they for bowling and you had to buy three games to get one free, I feel they hardly count as a win. Any-who, I was so excited to get this dress.

I was super excited when it came in on Friday, and ecstatic when I opened the box and a pair of black lace tights fell out. I honestly thought I had only won the dress! I immediately tried them on. Unfortunately I couldn't photograph them, however I did try (crazy woman in her living room with an expensive camera on a floor lamp stand) and figured since I neglected this little blog while working on the house I would post them sometime this weekend. So here you are!

The dress is beautiful. It's a size 14 and yet it still fit! So I would say Simply Be runs a little big if you are ordering, so be aware. I'm not complaining though! I'm super excited about how well the dress fit. It shows off all of my curves but isn't clingy which I adore. It is also insanely comfortable.

I felt like I could wear it for work or a night out, so I tried it with a few different items I own. I paired it with my black kitten heels from Target, my black Coach bag, and a black and gold necklace that was Brian's grandmothers. When I worked in museums, this would have been the perfect dinner meeting outfit. Comfortable and classy.

Next, I paired it with my Great Grandmother's crocodile and suede heels (one of my prized possessions from such an awesome lady), a satin clutch from Old Navy, and a gold necklace and earrings which were also Brian's Grandmothers. It just had such a vintage feel that I loved it. Brian wanted to go out when he saw me in it. He thought it was the perfect date attire.

The dress was more lovely than I expected, and I really love that you can pair a lot of the vintage things I own with it. A vintage ring I bought at a yard-sale for a quarter, my Great Grandma's shoes, and Brian's grandmother's jewelry.

I also can't express how much I love the tights. I wore them Friday night and Saturday. They are so comfortable and I know I've said it before, but I LOVE lace. It was the most pleasant surprise for those to fall out of the package. (I'm pretty sure I squealed in delight.)

Positive is as positive does...

2010-11-06T01:48:00.006-04:00

I have sat here staring at this screen trying to decide if I should give attention to a comment posted on my blog entry "Balance". The comment is not there, as I made the decision to moderate it when I received the e-mail that an anonymous person had left a message and that the message was of a very negative nature. In essence, the comment was from someone with a degenerative disease that inhibited their ability to exercise or maintain aspects of their physical being (or at least that is what I gather), and this person believes that everyone has a responsibility to care for the own bodies as not to offend those that are unable to; that because we were given the gift of ability to control our weight (which, I must be honest, I do not believe to be entirely accurate), we owe it to those who do not have that ability to do so. That it is pure stupidity to neglect one's self and that it is a waste of a gift.

I have so many problems with this argument that I will not go into in detail because I feel that the poster was out of line. I agree we owe it to someone to care about our health and that someone is ourselves. I also agree we should be understanding and appreciative of the things we are given but beyond that, our health is personal and how we choose to spend our time is personal. Assuming people that do not run (or that are heavy - despite whether you know their exercise habits or not) are unappreciative is out of line and using words like "stupid" or "waste" is insulting. You do not know someone's life well enough to know what they do or do not appreciate. I just want you to know if you have to preface something with "Not to be mean, or yell" then you might want to take a moment and rethink your statement. I would not preface "You are tall" with "not to be mean" because I am pointing out a fact. Obviously this is your opinion and not fact and if you think it sounds mean enough to have to preface it with anything you need to rethink your statement. This blog is about positive vibes. It is about loving who you are, whether it be skinny, fat, curvy, in the process of losing weight, stuck in a rut, in the middle of the aging process or perfectly healthy. I will not tolerate comments that use profanity (bleeped out or not) or harmful or negative words to bash someone else's personal struggle with weight or body image. Everyone is beautiful and everyone has the right to see that in themselves without feeling guilty. I am just one girl sharing her journey, thoughts, and motivations and I would prefer to keep things positive. Discussions are great, but realize that words are heavy, and if you want your comments to be discussed here they will need to be a little less harsh. Calling someone stupid for being obese or calling them a waste for not running is uncalled for. You do not know everyone's situation (physically or mentally) and I hope that you will remember this before you push your opinions on anyone, or at least before you bash anyone. Everyone is more than just one thing and more than just one ability. Try focusing on what people do offer and not on stripping them down to what you think they should be offering.

Apologies to Kristy at Vogue Gone Rogue

2010-11-05T03:23:00.003-04:00

I feel so incredibly awful that I missed Kristy's contest at Vogue Gone Rogue. I was supposed to post an incredible fall outfit and the links to the other contestants sites. Being that my lovely husband and currently my photographer (since I STILL have no tripod and money is being budgeted for drywall instead) was asked to travel to Kentucky on business, I was unable to get a picture of this lovely outfit. On a side note, I really feel like only water system engineers ever have to travel to Kentucky for business. Well, water system engineers or jockeys.

Anywho, Kristy (at Vogue Gone Rogue) is a great blogger and since I think she is awesome and the other contestants are awesome, I would really like to post the links to their sites anyway. I hope you can find some other lovely sites to read. I know I have :)

Beyond Fabric
Brooklyn's Britches
Citizen Rosebud
Cup of Me
Fashion Butter
Fashion Coconuts
Green Gable
Haine Accesibile
Haute and Fierce
Indie Guest
Inspirafashion
Jorge Alexander
Little Fille
Living Doll
Manic in the City
Mannequin De Vitrine
Midwest Vogue
Ms. Fabulous
Obsessive Coolness
Pens and Lens
Riding Pretty
Stiletto Chic
Style Scrapbook
Tiffany's Corner
The Blog of Brunette
The Loud Mouth
Very Chic List
Vogue Gone Rogue
Vogue Inspired Fashion for the Real World
Young Dumb Love

Halloween

2010-11-04T23:13:00.007-04:00

So Brian is traveling and I STILL have no tripod. That makes posting outfits quite difficult. My camera is so bulky and there is nowhere to set it and get good pictures. Hopefully, some loving person will realize that my birthday is soon approaching and a tripod would be an ideal gift... hopefully...

On the bright side, I did receive a picture of Brian and me in our Halloween costumes from someone with an appropriately sized camera for parties and the like. It made me wonder if anyone did anything fun for Halloween? What did you go as? Share some pictures people! My inability to take photos is driving me nuts so provide me with some entertainment!

Brian and I went to an awesome party at a cemetery in Pittsburgh. It is by far one of the best parties I have been to and the costumes ranged from downright creepy to hilarious. Brian and I decided to go as Dr. Horrible (Dr. Horrible's Sing-A-Long Blog) and one of Dr. Horrible's groupies. It was Brian's costume pick this year since I picked last year and since being introduced to the movie by good friends and seeing the immense similarities between Brian and Dr. Horrible (Neil Patrick Harris - who we love!) the choice was a no-brainer. I stayed up super late Friday to create the lab coat, and to snap the picture of Brian, print it out and attach it to my shirt. I think it was worth it though. Everyone recognised Brian as Dr. Horrible right away!

Dr. Horrible and his groupies.

Brian and I as Dr. Horrible and an adoring groupie. What do you think?