Fashionista Statement: Thursday, May 13

May 13

Black skirt with red and green and grey images of Parisian scenes (Arc d'Triumph, shopping scenes, etc.) from Penney's that I ordered online a few years ago. You can't tell from the picture but the skirt is very full which makes me feel very pretty when I'm walking in it and it's swish-swish-swishing.

Black t-shirt from K-Mart or some place like that. Lime green sweater that I got for $6 from K-Mart last summer. I've never worn it because it's difficult to match, but this skirt works with it.

Eiffel tower necklace, bit silver earrings (click on the picture to see), and black flats. A closer picture with the awesome green knock-your-eye-out ring from Pier 1 (courtesy of my awesome cousin).

Fashionista Statement: Wednesday, May 12

May 12

Brown, gold, and cream shirt from Maurices that I was considering taking back. I bought it for the bachelorette party weekend but never wore it. After wearing it to work, I've decided I absolutely love it! I especially love the neckline.

Brown leggings from Wal-Mart $5.

Gold and brown gladiator sandals from Penney's for $12 (half off plus a coupon for $10).

Brown shrug from Maurices. LOVE this shrug!! I'm very fond of my sweaters and cover-ups!!

Fashionista Statement: Tuesday, May 11

May 11

This is a dress I bought in Portland when I was visiting for a bachelorette party weekend. It's strapless, zips in the back, and is a shiny material. I love it but it has a very odd shape. If I have gained even one pound, I can't wear it because it makes me look like I've gained 10 pounds. I'm very careful to only wear it on the day after I have had a limited amount to eat.

Paired with my favorite cream sheer-ish sweater from Target ($15), brown boots from who-knows-where (these are the boots I forgot I owned, so I went to Younkers and dropped $60 on brown boots that I "HAD to have", came home to put the new boots away, and discovered these in the closet. There are starving children in Africa, and Miss Rixie can't remember how many pairs of brown boots she owns. Shameful.), necklace from Penney's.

Fashionista Statement: Monday, May 10

May 10

I bought this dress from J.C.Penney's last weekend because I had a $10 off coupon. The dress was originally $60 but 50% off. Love the square neckline of the dress and the puff sleeves (which are currently covered up by my hair), but of course, my absolute favorite thing is the color. "I would rather wear a barrel than conservative apparel." Paired with black flats.

Fashionista Statement: Friday, May 7

May 7

The entire ensemble came from Target:

Skinny jeans (actually leggings but with a front button and back pockets; the zipper and other pockets are just a facade) that are my absolute favorite thing I own right now. $20.

Teal boyfriend tee $8.

Long semi-sheer cream sweater $15 on clearance rack. (I have a black one like--best $30 I ever spent. I get so much use out of them especially because I have SO many dressy dresses and this "dresses them down."

Scarf from Target $3 on clearance.

Fashionista Statement: Wednesday, May 5

May 5

I got this gypsy-style strapless dress from Target for $30. I rarely spend $30 on a dress unless it's for a special occasion because I own so many of them, especially every day dresses for work. I wasn't sure I'd really have enough opportunity to wear it because I never go sleeveless and it seemed so casual.

The first time I wore it I paired it with this sweater (also from Target) and discovered it appeared much dressier than I had imagined. Now I always wear them together. Cannot for the life of me remember where I got the scarf but I want to say Wal-Mart.

You can't see them but I'm just wearing black flats.

Fashionista Statement: Tuesday, May 4

May 4

I have had this dress since high school. It originally came with a matching cropped yellow jacket that tied below the bust. The jacket never really fit me well and yellow is a terrible color on me--my absolute worst color, especially pale yellow. I swapped the jacket with a lavender sweater I got from the Gap and paired them with white flower sandals I got from K-Mart for $14.

Another closer view.

Fashionista Statement: May 3

May 3

This is the shirt I wore on my first day of lead teaching during student teaching. Back then I paired it with pale pink tweed pants that are waaaay too long. I once had patience for that, but I no longer do (one of the main reasons I wear skirts every day). I have a pink skirt that would probably match better, but I like the blue. It felt springy, and like Stacy and Clinton say, it's good not to be too matchy-matchy.

The shoes are my favorite pair of shoes I own. I got them in Paris in 2007 and they are near and dear to my heart. They have witch points at the toe as well as giant flowers on the toe. They are sling backs with kitty heel, and they make me feel so pretty and feminine that it makes up for the blisters they give my little toes for three days after I wear them.

As for jewelry, I'm wearing a gold chain with my initial and big brown earrings that you can never tell I'm wearing because of my hair. Oh, well.

Fashionista Statement: April 28

April 28





A new favorite dress! Brown dress with empire waist and gold beading at the top. I love the unusual straps on the dress. I pair it with a brown shrug which shows little pockets of skin below the shoulders.

Fashionista Statement: April 27

Tuesday, April 27


One of my favorite dresses today!



Teal dress from Target.
Brown glimmery sweater.
Long brown and teal necklace from Spain (Gracias, Mamacita!)
Brown espadrilles with a flower on the toe from Paris (my favorite shoes!!)






I got this dress to wear to a bachelorette weekend in Portland and then, as the story USUALLY goes with me, I never ended up wearing. Typical!! But it's not a waste because I do love this dress! I've already worn it to work three times since I got it at the end of February which is a LOT for me!

Fashionista Statement: April 26

Monday, April 26



Black fitted to with keyhold in the back
Gold shimmery skirt
Gold flats with a kitty heel


(Check out the straight hair!!)



The gold skirt is very fancy. I solved this problem the first time I wore it by pairing it with a black T-shirt and boots. Now that it's spring, I thought I'd try sandals, but that did not look good at ALL, so I went with the flats. However, then it looked very fancy so I tried just another black T.

Fashionista Statement: Thursday, April 22

Thursday I wore one of my favorite dresses of all time!

White sundress with black sketches of girls in Paris doing Parisian things (like walking their French poodles past the Eiffel Tower. You know, Parisian things.) from Maurice's.

Black cami underneath the dress (a little lowcut).

Black cardi from K-Mart.

Black flipflops from Payless.

Black choker from Claire's.

Black ring from Target.

Fashionista Statement: Wednesday, April 21

April 21 was our Community Clean-Up Day, so I knew I was wearing jeans, a T-shirt, and comfortable shoes!!




Dark green thin zip-up hoodie from ??

Pink New York City T-shirt from NYC (courtesy of sister)

Dark blue jeans rolled up four inches at the hem

I accompanied the outfit with turquoise aviator shades.

Here's another shot to really appreciate my $4 pink Converse sneaks from Target (thank you, little girl section).

Fashionista Statement: Tuesday, April 20

Tuesday, April 20




White T with flowers on the neck from Target

Black flowered skirt from Target

Black flip flops from Payless

Black three-string necklace from ??

Also tried a shot with the jean jacket

I enjoyed this outfit much more than I expected to! It looks very nice in the pictures, even if I do look like death in a white t-shirt.

Fashionista Statement: Monday, April 19

Monday, April 19



Hot pink skirt with black belt from Maurices

White mesh long-sleeved T from Target

Hot pink tank from Old Navy

Eiffel tower necklace from Marc Jacobs

Black earrings from Target

My 28th Birthday

The best birthday I have had in several years! I was actually EXCITED about the day--last year I was excited about turning 27, and while the day itself was fun, there was nothing truly memorable about it (much like my last four or five birthdays).

This year the celebrations seemed to last all week and I was truly jazzed about my week!

Sunday: Birthday celebration for the bff Nicole, with her husband, son, and family at Ultimate Pizza Place. We played mini-golf, video games, Ski-ball, etc. and ate lots of food at the buffet. Very fun--first birthday "party" I'd been to in a long time. Afterwards back to her place for cake and ice cream and touch football. I was truly, truly awful at the football.

Tuesday: Birthday dinner celebration with Nicole and Jean. Mexican--yum! I had enchiladas plus lots of chips and salsa and cheese dip, and a strawberry daiquiri that had waay too much tequila in it. Then off to the movies: The Bounty Hunter. Jean gave Nicole and me bottles of wine--Moscata d'Ati (my very favorite wine!! Hooray!) Very fun!!!

Wednesday: my actual birthday. Lots of celebrations at school--kids singing and wishing me happy birthday, lots of fun! I kept telling them not to sing because it's always so embarrassing. They did anyway and I said, "I'm just going to awkwardly hand out candy like a moron!" (Blow-Pops!) Traci took me out for birthday ice cream. Karen and I went to Fiss after school. Celebrate!!

Friday: Birthday celebrations with the fam. Lots of high spirits as we took pictures and drank Smirnoff and ate Zeno's pizza--yum! Presents and Oreo ice cream dessert after eating--delish! Game of Trivial Pursuit with the whole fam minus Mom--I was in the lead the whole game but couldn't manage to get in the middle for the final question, so Brennan won in the end. Traitor.

Saturday: Lovely day outside! Whole fam (minus Mom, of course) outside petting the neighbor's dog (so cute!), then inside having McDonald's (salad with chicken for me, yum!) and lots of high spirits. Movie in the afternoon: Date Night with popcorn and drinks. Fun!!

Sunday: Back to Altoona after birthday weekend with the family. Dinner at Cheesecake Factory for Jean's birthday. Carpool with Nicole with a quick stop at the mall to pick up a present for her (B&BW).

Summer Plans

It's April. That's not too early to start thinking about summer, is it?

1. Rewatch Robin Hood Seasons 1-2
2. Watch Robin Hood Season 3
3. Watch Party of Five Season 1
4. Watch Party of Five Season 2
5. Go to Denver for Ashley's wedding/Fourth of July
6. Get recertified as a WSI
7. See many, many movies!!
8. Read Sense and Sensibility
9. Read Pride and Prejudice
10. Read Emma
11. Read Persuasion
12. Read Mansfield Park (okay, not sure that this one will happen, but I'm putting it here anyway)

New Year's Resolutions

New Year' Resolutions:

1. Write one paragraph a day.
2. Take a class over the summer.
3. Drink lots of water.
4. Pay off credit card!!
5. Take a trip.
6. Go to at least one concert.
7. Reread Pride & Prejudice
8. Reread Sense & Sensibility
9. Reread Persuasion
10. Read Emma
11. Read Mansfield Park
12. Read Jane Eyre
13. Read four nonfiction books.
14. Read four new Agatha Christie books.
15. See 25 movies in the theatre.
16. Read 80 books.

Masterpiece Classics

Obsessed with Masterpiece Theatre!! Here are the Masterpiece Classics that I have watched the last couple weeks:

1. Jane Eyre (4 episodes)
2. Wuthering Heights (4 episodes)
3. Cranford (4 episodes)
4. Little Dorritt (14 episodes)
5. Lost in Austen (okay, not technically a Masterpiece Classic, but a miniseries AND practically a Jane Austen, so it still counts)

Future Masterpiece Classics I am looking forward to:
1. Return to Cranford
2. Emma
3. The 39 Steps

Top Songs of 2009

3. I Gotta Feeling/Meet Me Halfway by the Black Eyed Peas
2. Fireflies by Owl City
1. Don't Stop Believing by the cast of Glee