3 days, 3 belted sweaters

As you've likely noticed I am a fan of belts. I wear them all the time at my high natural waist (very rarely at my pants waist) with dresses and t-shirts and tunics. But what I very rarely do is wear them over sweaters. However inspired by FLOTUS and Lesley of Fatshionista I decided to give it a go and once I started I couldn't stop. All of these outfits are from Thanksgiving weekend and I ended up rocking the belted sweater 3 days in a row. We were having gorgeous fall weather that allowed me to spend the weekend running around town in nothing heavier than a sweater coat, so it helped enable these outfits.

The first time I belted a sweater I wasn't planning on it. I was actually planning on wearing the top I wore the very next day, but for some reason I just couldn't make it work. It was driving me crazy and I was staring at my closet when I saw Saturday's sweater that I hadn't yet worn this season. I bought it a year or two ago from Brooklyn Industries, quickly became obsessed and kind of wore it to death which is probably why it has languished in my closet this season. I grabbed the sweater and finally my outfit worked. This may also have been the first time I've ever worn a belt with the buckle to the side.

Saturday's Outfit

Purple t-shirt is a hand-me-down from JLR
Leggings are Danskin
Sweater is from Brooklyn Industries
Belt is Primark
Boots are from some random store in Camden


Earrings are a hand-me-down from Ateqah and I'm kind of in love with them. They're crotched from a very fine string and I keep wearing things in this color palette which perhaps isn't as quite a surprise, but I keep being amused at how many outfits these earrings match.



On Sunday I ventured into Manhattan to meet my best friend who was in town for Thanksgiving and her family for the Jane Austen exhibit at the Morgan Library. I'd been wanting to go to the Morgan ever since they opened from their renovations a few years ago and while the building itself is stunning and worth the entrance fee, the exhibits themselves were not worth my time or money. I however was fabulous. I think you've seen everything I'm wearing on Sunday, but never in this combination.

Sunday's Outfit

Leggings are Danskin
Button-down is some random brand via Re/Dress
Sweater-coat/cardigan is from Banana Republic
Purple cowboy boots of my dreams
Belt is Primark
Headband is from Goldy Mac
Necklace is from Peacocks

I rocked the belted sweater look again on Monday once we had to head back to the office.

Monday's Outfit

Dress is from B&Lu, a small plus size retailer that you should check out if you've never heard of them
Cardigan is Old Navy via Mirka
Belt is from Accessorize
Tights are Old Navy
Shoes were purchased at the Fat Girl Flea
Headband is from Ross
Pretzel necklace was purchased at last years Bust craftacular

Saturday's photo credit goes to Nicole, Sunday's photo credit goes to Karen and Monday's photo credit goes to one of my lovely co-workers that I cannot recall at the moment.

I always dress up for the polls

I think it has already been well established that I'm a passionate person. And there isn't much in the world that I'm more passionate about than voting. I mean I truly love everything to do with voting. I love protecting the right to vote. I love helping enfranchise folks so they can vote. I love voter education and registration and empowerment. So as you can imagine, Election Day is my favorite holiday of the year. Even more than Halloween or Thanksgiving or Sukkot, I love Election Day. Shutting the curtain, ticking the boxes, pulling the lever {sigh}, it's perfection. Ok, apparently I'm passionate and a geek.

Sadly as much as folks seem to think it is, voting is not a right in this country. I wish it was, but it isn't. There is no affirmative right to vote in the United States, rather the Constitution merely says that you cannot be barred from voting due to your race or gender or age. Nowhere does the Constitution say voting is a right. Plenty of Americans of sound mind and legal age cannot vote and in honor of them I strongly encourage every last one of you that is able to do so, to exercise that right. Ok, I've now dismounted from my high horse.

All of this is a prelude to the fact that in my book Election Day is a reason to get dolled up. This doesn't mean nearly as much to me as it does to others as I sometimes feel the need to dress up when I go to my bagel shop, cause otherwise I disappoint the lovely men who work there who have dubbed me "hot pink lips" but an excuse is an excuse.



I think I mentioned that when I was on my sojourn down South in October I did a bit of thrifting. Thrifting in NY is both expensive and a bit of a headache and heartache as there's not nearly as much to go through when your size hits the double digit. That is very much not the case in Charleston where I picked up today's dress as well as 2 others for a grand total of $20.

We were driving into town, a bit lost and confused when we passed a thrift store and I made Ash pull over so I could do a quick "pop." I really like to "pop" into stores and within 15 seconds ascertain if there will be anything I want to buy, can afford and will fit me. I have it down to an art and a favorite bloomie saying when you're walking down the street with me is "can we pop in for a minute?" So we pulled over, Ash gave me 10 minutes and as I jumped out of the car I dropped my guide book in some sludge in excitement...oops. I then ran inside where I experienced a strong sense of deja vu, realizing I had been in the same store 8 years earlier on a post-college graduation road trip. I'm telling you people, the store spoke to me for a reason.

It was in that quick 10 minute "pop" that I found today's gem. A bright, ridiculous, beautiful dress. It is vintage Chadwick's and it was the first time I had worn it. The tights are from Old Navy and the wedges are from Payless, a store I don't really shop in but I was walking past it one day and saw these shoes in the window and I just fell in love. Patent, hot pink wedges, how could it not be love at first sight. The belt is from Primark and the headband...well that also has a story.

The headband was another purchase I made on my Southern trip, this one acquired at an arts and crafts fair outside Savannah. It was kind of hysterical because I got the headband at this booth labeled "bows for little girls" or something along those lines. I actually went a bit mad at the booth because their hair accessories were so much cheaper than in New York that I bought 5 for less than I would for one. It was also hysterical because the proprietor of the booth kept wanting to help and offering up suggestions about how "it looks real cute" when you put your hair in a ponytail and stick a barrette with a huge bow right in the center of your head. I kindly explained to her that it wasn't quite the look I was going for.

Headband detail


Belt and print detail. Perfectly matching nail polish is just a happy coincidence.

Photo credit goes to Ateqah, who among many other titles is my voting buddy. Sadly it is likely to be our last time voting together since she moved a few days after Election Day (just a few neighborhoods over, not to a whole new city). We started voting together last year on Election Day (which was just ever so slightly more exciting than this past one) because we were phone banking swing states for that one and we were supposed to tell folks to bring a friend to the polls so they didn't get frustrated with waiting and walk off. So last year we voted together and I was done in less than 5 minutes while she waited for over an hour and it turned out to be a good thing that she had a voting buddy. Sadly this time around turnout was waaaay less and neither one of us had to wait at all.

Apple bottoms jeans, boots with the fur...

As I've already discussed, I have a booty. A big one. Which is probably one of the reasons I love dresses so much. They are much easier to find and to fit my body than pants. When I do buy jeans/pants I often have to deal with the problem where to get pants to fit my ass, it is too large in the waist. Do not take this as a complaint as I both a) love my booty and b) hate when people complain about their bodies. It is merely an explanation of where I'm starting from.

But sometimes a girl wants to wear a pair of jeans and guess who came to my rescue? No, it wasn't Earl or Diesel or 7 for all Mankind, all of which I'm sure make lovely jeans that I'll never come close to fitting into. I have Nelly to thank. Who you ask? You know, the rapper from the early 2000's who inexplicably wore a band aid under his eye all the time and gave us hits like "Hot in Here." Yeah, you remember him now. Nelly's music hasn't survived so well, but he did create the line Apple Bottoms jeans and for that I am eternally grateful.

To quote urban dictionary apple bottoms are a line of "fashionable denim for women with voluptuous, curvaceous posteriors." They are amazing and have been immortalized in song. Many (or really most) of their designs are not what I would ever call fashionable, but they are indeed a line of jeans for women whose ass is way bigger than their waist and for that I love them. Plus, they have a plus size line. Woot woot!!!

One of most amazing things about these jeans that you can't see in the photo and that I really wish I had taken a separate picture of, is the blinged out belt and belt buckle that is built into the jeans. A built in belt with skinny jeans that have stretch to them is actually fairly smart and practical as the denim stretches out throughout the day and a belt will hold them up. But this belt has an enormous gold plated buckle that reads Apple Bottoms in script and it's not so much for form as it is for ghetto fabulousness. It's amazing, but not in a way that I would ever show to anyone, unless it was for a laugh.

What was interesting to me when I took this photo was that it made me realize I wear a fair amount of western/cowgirl themed outfits. Considering that I own both pink and purple cowboy boots you would think this wouldn't take me by such surprise, but just like my laundry, it does. I have had both these boots and shirt for years so I guess it's a long standing interest of mine.

Outfit details

Jeans are Apple Bottoms
Tank top is Old Navy
Cowgirl shirt is from Torrid
Boots are from Dorothy Perkins and I got them in the sales for 13 pounds, a fact I still brag about 5 years on.

The necklace is from the Bust craftacular which is happening THIS SUNDAY and if any of you live in New York you must go as it's my go to accessory shopping event of the year. Seriously probably any accessory of mine any of you have ever liked/coveted/wanted to rip from my body was likely purchased there. Check it out and then brunch with me and my friends afterwards.

Laundry musings

I just got back from almost 3 hours at the laundromat and I had a few thoughts to share with all of you.

1) I own clothing in every color under the sun. This isn't news and it isn't shocking, but somehow it is shocking to me every single time I do laundry. I am surprised at the colors in my cart and I do not understand why I am surprised, but I am. It's as if I forget that I own things in every color known to man until it's gathered up in my grandma cart for the world to see as I schlep it to the laundromat. Even my undergarments - socks, bras and panties are pink and red and blue, with just a little bit of black thrown in for good measure.

2) I think y'all would be shocked and horrified if you could see what I was wearing at this moment in time. I look like a hot mess. I do own sweats and I'm wearing them right now and yes they are magenta and while they can be cute, right now I am not. One of these days I'm going to be a real live grown-up and live in a building that has a washer/dryer in it. Also I'm going to write a post about my pajama zone and sweats zone rule.

3) Someone, someday will have to explain to me why it is that when you are at your very worst and feeling as unattractive as can be, that is the moment when multiple men decide to hit on you. When you're out for a run in the park or are hungover and headed to the bagel store or are doing your laundry in your sweat pants. Please, someone explain that to me.

Ok my list is finished. I'm about to head to the Morgan Library for the first time ever. I'm super excited.

Thanksgiving Fashion and Feasts

Since I wrote a whole long post about the things I'm thankful for this year, I figured I might as well post my Thanksgiving outfit, as well as some of my Thanksgiving treats. I made the most complicated dessert of my life this Thanksgiving and believe me, that is saying a whole lot. Also, I don't mean to brag, but I took a photo/spent Thanksgiving with a full on celebrity.

I have another reason to post my Thanksgiving day outfit. I was talking to a friend the other day and he told me he was looking forward to what I'd be wearing for Thanksgiving because I'm a mix of fashionable and practical. He then started hypothesizing about what I'd wear on Thanksgiving and he envisioned a hot pink juicy couture sweatsuit that I bedazzled with a turkey. At that point I almost hung up the phone on him, but he quickly realized the error of his fashion-hypothesizing and apologized. I think he got me confused with the stars of the The Real Housewives of New Jersey. The one good thing to come out of this is that when going to the Juicy website I discovered that their fairly newish plus size line is called Extra Juicy. I am dying from the love people, dying, esp since my friend Marissa has me in her phone as Juicy bloomie, tee hee hee.

Jason was right though, when I started planning what I was going to wear on Thanksgiving I did give it some extra special thought. I didn't want anything constricting - no jeans, in fact no pants of any kind. And then Jason got me scared about my ankles swelling...which I honestly don't know how much I'd need to eat for that to happen, but I decided to stay clear of boots as well. I am just going to state for the record that my feet did not swell.

So I decided to put together the least constricting outfit I could think of. The dress/tunic you've already seen before, it appeared for the first time back in September. The weather on Thursday was so lovely that I didn't quite have to winterize it, merely fallerize it, which yes is a completely made-up word, but it best 'splains what I was going for. The leggings are from Danskin and the cropped cardigan that I wish I had in a million, billion different colors is from Banana Republic. The shoes are a repeat from my last outfit post and the purple, dangly, sparkly earrings are from Accessorize and I love them to pieces, but they often seem too much for everyday wear, but I thought it'd be ok to whip 'em out for Thanksgiving.

But wait bloomie, aren't the leggings constricting? Doesn't it cut you off right in the middle of your belly, where all that delicious Thanksgiving food is going to be heading directly to? Well that's why I'm wearing a tunic that is so long so I can just pull down the band of my leggings and exhale loudly. See, I'm a smart bloomie.

As for Thanksgiving itself, it was delightful. I spent it with my friends who live right around the corner and it was lovely and delicious and lacking in any sort of familial stress and filled with delicious food and company. I made many things for dinner, but what was to be my piece de resisitance was a cranberry, caramel and almond tart that took an exceedingly long time to make. I think it looks better than it tasted, but others disagree with me. I wish all of you could be here to taste some of the leftovers.

Things I am thankful for

My friend over at Honey Living wrote a really lovely entry about things she is thankful for this year that inspired this post. I know that it's not really in line with this blog and it's kind of cheesy but I thought I'd give it a go, because I'm lucky and I have a good life and much to be thankful for and sometimes it's a good idea to put pen to paper to appreciate just how full your life is. It's long and there are no pretty pictures, so feel free to skip over it. I won't be hurt.

I am thankful for love. I am thankful that I give and get love in equal measure from so many people, in so many walks of life. I am thankful for my friends and my family and especially for my friends that are my chosen family.

I am thankful for Karen who has loved me for half my life. Who calls me out on my shit, who will watch the most ridiculous movie with me and promise not to tell anyone else about it, who doesn't bat an eyelid when I call her multiple times a day and who is the last person I speak to every night before I go to sleep.

I am thankful for my Barnard girls who have remained my touchstone for the past 12 years and have shaped my outlook on life. Jamie who can make me laugh harder than anyone and who I can tell anything to without fear of judgment. Mirka who can listen and process better than anyone I know. Dobs and her infectious exuberance for life...and nudity.

I am thankful for the friends I have known my entire life, some since we were in the womb. I am thankful for friends who share a common history and language, who need no explanation of how terrible I was at age 12 because they went through the experience with me. I am thankful that Josh and Joie live so close to me and are once again able to be a part of my day to day life. I am thankful to their parents for always treating me as a daughter, for the knowledge that I will always have a place to spend a holiday and for loving me through the years when I didn’t always deserve it.

I am thankful for friends that I have met over the past few years that have become part of my extended family. I am thankful that I can still meet someone like “the other Karen” and Joanna and make an instant connection. I am thankful for the knowledge that loving your friends doesn’t end when you leave college.

I am thankful for technology that allows me to keep in touch with my friends throughout the globe. Email, gchat, video chat, digital pictures and facebook allow me to know what is happening today in London and Jerusalem and Sydney, and for that I am grateful. I am thankful for cheap airfare and my passport and having a place to stay in so many cities throughout the world.

I am thankful for my President and First Lady and their two beautiful children who never cease to put a smile on my face every time I see a photo of them. Who help restore my faith in not just my country, but the people who inhabit it and elected him. I am thankful that “one of us” is in the White House.

I am thankful for my job that allows me to engage in work that I love and am passionate about. Work that allows me use my brain and think and be creative, all while attempting to make the world a slightly better place. I am thankful that I work with Nicole and that our strengths and weaknesses balance one another out, making us more effective at our job. I am thankful beyond words for the amazing and talented people I work with who have become my family over the years. I am grateful that the ACLU exists and defends people that others won't.

When so many people are suffering it is impossible not to be thankful for the things one often takes for granted. I am thankful for having a paycheck, health insurance and a warm roof over my head. I am thankful for the ability to comfortably pay all my bills, spend some on fun and fashion and travel and still save a little money at the end of the month. I am grateful that I am not in debt.

So this isn't completely unrelated to fashion, I am grateful for dresses and cardigans, boots and hair bows, leggings and tights, cashmere hoodies and crazy belt buckles, shoes and glasses and bags that sparkle, and living a life that allows me to express my creativity through clothing.

I am thankful for fatshion. That more retailers are making more and better and cuter clothes in a larger variety of sizes. I am thankful for fatshionista and the fat-o-sphere and for everyone fighting for size acceptance.

I am thankful and grateful that I love my body just as it is. I am thankful for my good health and mobility.

I am thankful to live in Brooklyn. That I have a community and not merely a neighborhood that envelops me every time I step out of my house. That I have friends who live nearby that I can gather in a moments notice and for locally owned businesses that let me pay with an IOU if I've forgotten my wallet. I am thankful that I do not need a car to live here.

I am thankful for my huge kitchen where I can cook and bake to my hearts delight for myself and others. I am thankful for my CSA and the two farmers markets in walking distance of my house, and the one near my office that gives me easy access to farm fresh food. I am thankful for the foodie scene in Brooklyn.

I am thankful for Prospect Park. I am thankful that it is right outside of my front door and I can go three times a day if I chose to. I am thankful that it brings me peace and comfort no matter my mood. I am thankful for the beauty that I discover there in every season, in all corners of the park.

I am thankful for Top Chef, Friday Night Lights, True Blood, How I Met Your Mother, Gilmore Girls and the West Wing because sometimes I want to escape from my life. I am thankful for the Sunday Times, US Weekly and Real Simple. I am thankful for all the terrible and trashy vampire books and movies and tv shows I have allowed myself to become obsessed with this year. I am thankful for the hundreds of books that line my shelves just waiting to transport me to another world at a moments notice.

I am grateful for the beautiful and healthy babies that are being born this year and that finally some will be born right here in NY. I am thankful that all these babies are loved and wanted and well cared for. I am thankful that I will have a hand in raising them, but that I will not be the primary person responsible for their upbringing. I am thankful that I am child free. I am thankful that I live in a country where abortion is legal and that I have access to contraception.

I am thankful for my family. For my father who is silly and likes to leave me the most ridiculous voicemails in the world. To my mother for loving us all so much, even when we're not as patient with her as we should be. For my sister who shares the same inner core as I do, whose friendship I value greatly, even though if she were not my sister we would never be friends. For my brother and his dedication to doing what is good and right and just. I am thankful for Sammy, Odelia and Liam for the hugs, kisses, laughs, tickles and drawings I hang on the wall, but most of all for constantly reminding me of the wonderment of childhood. I am thankful that their parents love and value them so much. I am thankful that Jodie will soon...ish be officially joining our family and will not be in Israel forever.

Thank you to everyone and everything that has given me something to be thankful for this year. I love you. I'd love to hear what you're thankful for.

Just a little bit of whimsy

I love playing dress-up. Costumes, wigs, insane makeup, you name it, I love it. I wish I could wear a purple wig every day, but technically I'm a grown-up and such things are frowned upon in an office environment. That's why God made weekends, isn't it?

Today's outfit isn't terribly exciting. I wore it this past Saturday and even though I ended up having the loveliest day, I didn't have anything too special planned when I originally got dressed. The weather was so glorious that the outfit was based around the fact that I just wanted to wear a sweater coat as my sole outerwear. Can I just state for the record how much I am loving fall in New York this year. The weather has been just beautiful - sunny and crisp and not too cold. I've basically been able to leave the house with just a hoodie or sweater-coat for the entire month of November, it has been amazing. Ok, now that I've gushed over Mother Nature, on we go.

Like I said, the outfit isn't very exciting. I just threw on some jeans (Z Cavarrichi via Ross if you can believe it), a long-sleeved t-shirt (Old Navy) and one of my beloved sweater-coats (this one is cotton and it's from Banana Republic). As usual it's in the accessories that it came together.

I considered wearing sneakers, but instead decided to go for some cute, purple flats from Office that would dress up the outfit a bit. The scarf is from a street fair and the earrings are a present from Mirka and I don't know where they're from. And the ears...well here comes the whimsy.

As I was contemplating how best to accessorize, I reached into my drawer of bows and feathers and hair accessories, originally planning to grab a hot pink headband. I realize for many of you a hot-pink headband with a bow would already have been too much, but that's my speed. As I was searching through my drawer I came upon the ears you see me sporting in today's photo.

I'm sure it will surprise none of you that I found the ears in the children's section of H&M. I bought them a couple of months ago, fearing that if I didn't I would suffer from fashion remorse, but not entirely certain that I would ever wear them on a day other than Halloween. But I saw them in my drawer, realized how well they matched my outfit and put them on and ran into the living room to ask my roommate if they were too ridiculous to wear out and about, or if they were the perfect level of whimsy? She voted for perfect amount of whimsy and that's all I needed to hear. The ears were a go!

I don't think I would have ever even thought about wearing ears, if not for inspiration from Elie. She's been wearing ears anywhere and everywhere for years, although I think she may have retired them at this point. Let me just say they were a hit! People kept smiling at me all day and I got a bunch of compliments (I did also get a bunch of weird stares, but that doesn't bother me). And I wore the ears all around town - I wore them to the movies and to lunch and out to an impromptu party at my local bar and even in front of my best friend who does not understand my fashion inspiration, but loves me anyway.

Photo credit today goes to Joie who took my picture after we saw Precious at BAM. She appreciated my whimsy and let me tell you, we needed something to giggle over after watching Precious, a movie which the blogs I read have dedicated more time to in the past few months than nearly any other topic save for Palin bashing.

Fashion Remorse

You're likely looking at this outfit and asking yourself what was that girl thinking? It's a bit much, I know. The "dress" is a vintage 80's tennis outfit that I picked up at a thrift store in Savannah with the original tags still on it. I stood in the store for the longest time unable to decide whether I should take the plunge and go for it. I decided since it was $3.97 it was worth the price of a cup of not very good coffee to not be plagued by fashion remorse.

Wait, don't you mean buyer's remorse bloomie? No, I mean fashion remorse. When you're in a store and you can't decide whether to take the plunge and make the purchase so you pass. And then you have remorse for what you didn't buy. It can be just as serious as buyers remorse or worse because sometimes I'm getting dressed and stop to think "if only I had those open-toe, gladiator Topshop booties this outfit would look perfect." But you don't, so the outfit is only at 85% instead of 100%.

I had fashion remorse several times in the past for things that I didn't try on and/or buy because I assumed they wouldn't fit me or look good on me because of my size. Nine years after the fact I still remember this dream cardigan I spotted in a store in Dublin that I handed off to a friend without even trying on because I just assumed it wouldn't fit me. She bought it and guess what I found out? It did fit and every time I saw her wear it I suffered from fashion remorse. Now I live by the wise words of Beth Ditto who years ago, before she was as famous as she is now, said something along the lines of "go in a store, try on the biggest size they have and if you bust the seams, fuck 'em for not making it in your size. " Rock on Beth. I love you.

So no more fashion remorse I say, especially because of my size.

Outfit details

Tennis dress of 80's awesomeness is thrifted. Detail below


Leggings are Danskin
Sandals are Primark
Cardi is Anthropologie via Jamie
Belt is New Look
Earrings are Topshop
Hair piece was purchased at Atlantic Antic and was another almost case of fashion remorse. This hair fascinator was $25 which was way more than I thought it was worth but I just loved it and with all the colors in it I thought it would be incredibly versatile. I walked away from it and then walked back to purchase it I wanted it that much.


Photo credit goes to Ateqah who took this for me outside of our office building.

Underneath the poncho

I know I promised to post a photo of what was underneath my poncho the very next day, but it would be generous to call this past week the week from hell at work and all I could even contemplate when I got home from the office was food, beer, some utterly mindless television to distract me from the "AAAAHHH" of work and sleep. Not much time for fatshion.

But I'm making up for it now cause I really like this outfit and it wasn't at all what I was planning on wearing when I woke up that morning. Sometimes I fixate on one article of clothing and everything is falls into place around that. Sometimes I'm lazy and there's a sweater sitting on a chair and I grab that. Today's outfit was a mix of those two things.

I had bought this skirt during Torrid's clearance sale for something like a whopping $9.74 or something equally ridiculous. Which is what convinced me to bite the bullet and purchase a purple denim, acid wash, mini skirt. When I told my best friend about it I thought she was almost going to disown me. It's ok, we have an agreement. She can think something like this is a nice bag and worth $100 and I can buy things like acid-wash, purple denim. At least most of my fashion risks are inexpensive...sometimes.

Anyways so I got the skirt and loved it, but wasn't sure what to pair it with. My friend Jamie had sent me this enormous box of sweaters in the hopes of urging me to do 30 sweaters in 30 days and I was slowly taking the sweaters from the office back to my apartment where they would inevitably sit on my armchair for a bit before being put away. That is where today's mustard sweater was sitting when I pulled out my new purple skirt and started planning my outfit. Once I had those two key pieces matched the rest of the outfit came together fairly easily.

The tights today are some random brand that I got at Pay/Half and the gorgeous brown boots that I don't wear nearly enough because I'm a total wuss when it comes to heels are from Evans. My necklace is Primark and the earrings are Topshop.

Photo credit goes to Mirka who took the picture in our local movie theater and I have zero recollection of what we saw and it's driving me crazy. Know how I said I was a wuss when it came to heels? I couldn't walk to dinner after the movie I was in so much pain and slowly shuffled the 3 blocks back to my house. If I keep wearing this much color and am unable to handle heels, I may just get kicked out of NY.

I'm not afraid to say I'm wearing a poncho

I have been dying for a new fall coat. My old one is a gorgeous purple tweed that I got at the Barney's Warehouse sale a few years ago which sadly doesn't fit me anymore and so one of the few things that I thought I really needed this year as opposed to just wanted/lusted after/impulse purchased was a new fall coat.

I live in New York so my coat gets a lot of use. I'm not just walking from the house to my car and then into my office. My coat needs to keep me warm as I walk 4 avenues to the subway in the morning and walk around town running errands or the 20 blocks to meet a friend for brunch. On top of all that, it needs to look good, preferably fabulous, at the same time. My coat doesn't get hidden in the car, it's as much a part of my outfit in New York as what I have on underneath.

Like many great wardrobe staples that come into our life serendipitously I wasn't looking for a fall coat the day I found mine. I was at Atlantic Antic, an enormous Brooklyn street fair on a gorgeous Indian summer day, when the last thing on my mind was any sort of coat and all I could focus on was flirting with the cute baker boy and booing Mike Bloomberg whenever I saw him.

I was walking with my friend Mirka when we stumbled upon Michelle, the woman who made her wedding dress who owns both a boutique and bridal shop on Atlantic Avenue. As the two of them caught up on how the dress fared at her wedding (beautifully I might add) I began to browse and I came upon a few ponchos. Naah I thought...a poncho? But the ever ebullient Michelle convinced me to try it on even though I was in a sundress, sipping a beer and couldn't imagine ever needing to wear a coat I let her convince me to give it a go.

I slipped it on and low and behold I loved it! The poncho fell perfectly, it was a great weight, a nice textured wool and black to go with everything. It seemed perfect, like it was made for me but I was nervous about the utility of a poncho. Shockingly I have more than 1 cape sitting in my closet (3 to be exact) but I never wear them because you cannot carry a bag when you wear a cape and since I live in NY and don't have a car with which to schlep my stuff, being able to carry a bag is a non-negotiable. But that's not a problem with a poncho as you have full and total access to your arms and can carry whatever you want. I was sold.

So far the weather has been so warm in NY this fall I haven't had too many opportunities to wear it, but when I have I absolutely love it! It's warm, the turtleneck collar makes a scarf unnecessary and I can wear it either with a triangle point in the middle or box shaped. I haven't accessorized it yet with brooches and pins but I will.



I have however learned some very important lessons about ponchos in the short period of time I have owned one.

1) It can wreak havoc on your hair and you must plan accordingly. No bows or ponytails when wearing a poncho.
2) While very sexy on, a poncho is not so sexy when you're putting it on. Aside from the aforementioned messy hair, it involves a lot of moving and shifting around which isn't so attractive, to ensure it is hanging properly.
3) Put your lip gloss on after you put on the poncho, or even better after you've arrived where you're going and have taken it off completely. It is likely to smudge/get stuck in your hair that is now flying in every which way.

And MOST importantly...

4) When you're wearing a poncho and you're on an escalator please take my life lesson and hold on to loose ends for dear life. I was at the movies last week when I nearly died by poncho. Seriously. I walking onto the escalator and the end got caught in the escalator rail. I started screaming for my friend or someone to press the emergency button but T-Pops couldn't find it so instead she just started pulling me down the up escalator and didn't know what to do. Luckily some kind stranger pulled my poncho free. The whole experience reminded me of Mallrats.

Even after all that I'd still recommend a poncho to anyone looking for a new fall staple. I love it!

Today's photo credit goes to Nicole who took it at what may have been the most boring street fair to ever hit the streets of NY which was taking place right outside of our office. Tomorrow I'll post about what I'm wearing underneath my poncho.

Madonna, circa 1984

No, it's not Halloween, just another day in the office. This outfit was inspired by the leggings I mentioned in yesterdays post that I wore home after my tights were shot. They're a bit insane I know, but I'd been eyeing them on Torrid's website for some time and when they finally went on sale I decided to grab 'em for $8.99.

These leggings are the sort of item that you have to base an outfit around. If you're wearing purple, green and black animal print anything, everything else must revolve around that. So it did. I wasn't sure what look I was going for but it all came together when I opened my draw of hair accessories and saw my hairband with a big, side bow. Aha! I was going to be Madonna, circa 1984. Once I'd decided on my inspiration, I decided to embrace it with full force. I was prepared for merciless mocking by my friends at dinner that night, but they were surprisingly not too bad. My co-workers absolutely adored my ensemble.

Outfit details

Leggings are from Torrid in a 1x
Tunic is a large from Tart via Loehmann's and is technically pajamas but I've never worn it as such, its always been worn either as a dress or a tunic.
Over that I have a wraparound shrug that is a hand-me-down from Mirka via Old Navy in a size large.
Jacket is a 2x from Forever 21's new plus line Faith 21 and even though Mirka teased me mercilessly when I bought it, I absolutely adore it.
Belt is from Accessorize
Shoes are from Office
Headband is from H&M
Necklace is from Primark

Sorry I don't have better photos to share with you. Today's photo credit goes to Josh who took it in the lobby of our friends building after dinner and he was all "what the hell am I doing?" so there are no detail shots of anything.

I winterize a picnic table

Remember how I said I bought 4 new dresses on my trip down South, all for a grand total of less than $35? Well this is the most expensive of all of my purchases, ringing up at a grand total of $10.99. I wasn't going to purchase it as it is strictly a summer dress and we're officially in fall in New York, but my travelling/shopping companion convinced me of its cuteness and to purchase now, for seasons to come.

I returned from my Southern jaunt and the weather was waaay colder in NY than it was in Charleston. I was planning on just sticking this dress all the way in the back of my closet so I'd have a happy surprise come April when I happened upon a dress I'd never worn before.

But inspired by some of the amazing remixing I've been eyeing in the flickr groups wardrobe remix and fatshionista and Ms. Lesley in particular, I decided to give layering over dresses a go and see what would happen. I love the pattern of the dress as it reminds me of a picnic and there's not much I love more in life than a good picnic. You can't quite tell from the photos in this post, but the dress has spaghetti straps up top. The sort of dress that with the pattern and cut I wouldn't normally even try to winterize, but I'm glad I gave it a go.

Outfit Details

The dress is from a store in Charleston that sold really low quality, crappy things. Ash was in absolute heaven there!
The cardigan is an xl from Old Navy
Belt is from Peacocks
Shoes are from Office
Necklace is Betsey Johnson
The tights are a mystery, I have no idea where they came from, but sadly I had to throw them out at the end of the day as the elastic was totally shot. Grabbing the top of my tights and holding on for dear life is not a sexy look. Luckily I had just gotten a package at work with some leggings in them, but...they were...well they were an animal print in green, purple and black. I looked a bit like a crazy lady on the ride home.

I love me some Halloween

I LOVE Halloween. Love it! Combine costumes, the opportunity to dress in an absolutely ridiculous manner, carve pumpkins, eat oodles of candy and you have a very happy bloomie. I wasn't allowed to celebrate Halloween as a kid, so I do it extra big as an adult.

For the past few years I've been dressing as fat cartoon characters. Last year I was Miss. Piggy and the year before that I was Ursula from the Little Mermaid. I was planning on dressing up as the Queen of Hearts this year but when we went shopping at Re/Dress I ended up trying on a pair of gold sequined hot pants that I loved and was convinced to buy them and make them the focus of my costume instead. All the lovely Re/Dress shopgirls tried to convince me that I should buy the hot pants and just wear them to brunch, but while I like to push the envelope, gold sequin booty shorts at brunch is a bit much even for me. See folks, I do have some limits.

Dani and T-Pops were trying to get me to be Lady Gaga since I was ostensibly going to be wearing underwear as outerwear, but I knew there'd be a million other Lady Gaga's so I passed and instead decided to make up my very own superhero costume. And so, I give you VOTER GIRL, here to save Gotham from term limit extensions, one billionaire at a time. It was a bit of a mouthful to spit out at a loud, crowded party and it was a bit of a geeky idea, but oh well, that's me. Can anyone guess who I'm not voting for this Tuesday?

Outfit details. The top and bottom are both from Re/Dress and the bottoms are from Size Queen. The tights are from We Love Colors and I have to say while I love the color selection I have been very unhappy with the quality of their product as everything has ripped at first wearing. Boots are from Duo and the wig is from years ago. The purple top is an old Gap tank top that I spray painted with my Voter Girl logo and I'm wearing my purple vote necklace. My cape I got at a Halloween store and with assistance from my wonderful co-worker we made some stencils and I spray painted the cape and added some NYS voter registration forms. It's kind of amazing, isn't it?



Finally, Halloween isn't just for the weekend for me, I bring it into the office as well. On Friday I dressed up for the office. This wasn't completely appropriate since I had a meeting that morning, but it was with an affiliate so I figured it was ok. My dress is a large from Forever 21, leggings are from Danskin and the orange cardigan is originally from Bendel's, but is a JLR hand-me-down (thanks love!). Wig again is from years ago, boots are Duo and the bat headband is from last Halloween.



How was your Halloween, what did you dress up as?

What now?

So September ended nearly a month ago and I just finished posting all of my outfits for the month on October 22. Now what? Do I do another month of 30? I could easily do shoes or sweaters or almost any type of accessory. Do I merely keep blogging my outfits, but this time only when I think they're really cute? Should I post outfits that aren't dresses? Most importantly do I blog dresses that I haven't worn in any of my previous Septembers and if I do are they then out of the running for next September?

I mean I still have unseen dresses that I've been wearing and photographing, but are they held against me for next year? So many questions people. I need answers.

I will say that I I've enjoyed blogging more than I expected and I'm sure to keep on blogging in some capacity, but what I'm not quite sure of yet. I will appreciate not having to blog on days like this and this when I'm not wearing anything particularly fatshionable or my hair is a mess or, or, or. But at the same time I think there is some intrinsic value in showing what we look like every day, because it is nearly impossible to always be well dressed or put together or looking cute. Even for me. And let's be honest, that's saying a lot.

Day 30, Take me out to the ballgame

So finally I'm posting the last of the 30 dresses. And you probably expected me to go out with some really great bang and instead you're looking at today outfit and thinking "what in the world was she thinking?" I know it's one of my most liberal interpretations of a dress and it's not stylish, but there's a story to it, I promise.

This past January Todd Drew, a beloved member of our ACLU family passed away fairly suddenly. Todd was one of the best people I've had the honor of knowing and working with. He lived his beliefs in every one of his actions, from how he treated the women who worked in the coffee shop to never owning a photo id because he believed that it infringed on his rights.

Todd was also the most passionate baseball fan I've ever known and he had his own blog Yankees for Justice. His tagline was "I believe in baseball and an equally free, open, just society for everyone" and it was the truth. He wrote all about the regular baseball things, but he also wrote about what the vendors at the stadium got paid and the impact of a new stadium on the neighborhood. He was the best type of person there was.

On the day he passed away we gathered in our office to remember him and our ED announced that we were going to go to a baseball game in his honor. And so we did and so I give you todays outfit. An oversized top in Yankees pinstripes that I had originally intended to wear in a much cuter way, but it was too cold for that.

The top I picked up for $8 at Re/Dress and is a 1x from some brand I haven't heard of and it's layered over a hand me down white t-shirt from JLR. The leggings are Danskin in an xl, belt is from Peacocks (I think), fake Uggs are from Target, the long necklace is from Primark, the short silver spoon one is from Urban Outfitters, baseball hat is from Danielle the ACLU swag fairy.

Now we apparently didn't follow all of Todd's rules at a baseball game (I didn't keep score nor did I refrain from eating or drinking) but I did sit during the singing of God Bless America (or whatever patriotic song they sing during the 7th inning stretch) and stand for Take Me Out to the Ballgame which was fun.

Read Todd's last blog about baseball and cancer here. We all miss you.

Day 29, Cowgirl Chic

The end is fast approaching...ok well the end actually came like 3 weeks ago, but the end of the month of dress blogging is approaching. Perhaps I've been dragging my feet because I haven't wanted it to end. I mean the blog won't end completely, but it will change and have less of a focus which is perhaps why I've been dragging my feet with posting the last few days of the month.

So here we are, second to last day and it's actually the last nice outfit of the month (you'll see why when I blog about the 30th). This dress is a petite xxl from Old Navy that I ordered when I went a bit tights mad and ordered from them last month. It turns out that they've changed their tights sizing this year and I don't like them nearly as much and am going to return all my unopened pairs. Tomorrow I will make my virgin purchase from welovecolors.com which I'm super excited about and I'll be sure to let you know they turn out. I was planning on returning this dress, but after much hemming and hawing and advice from 'cole and mo who loved it, I decided to keep the dress. I think it was a wise move, even if it is a bit short.

The dress came with a thin belt in the same plaid as the dress but I wasn't such a fan so I accessorized with another one of the belts from my closet, this one is once again from Primark. The purple cowboy boots you've seen many times before (I sometimes think I don't wear them that much, but this blog has proved otherwise to me), the purple cardigan is the same one from the previous day and is a recent H&M purchase and the tights are most likely Old Navy.



Nicole took this picture on our way out of the office, headed to the subway. Doesn't NY look lovely in the background?

Day 28, what I was supposed to wear to my picnic

Sorry for the backlog. I know it's October 16th and I'm blogging a dress from September 28th. This is a problem, but I was on vacation and I didn't bring my computer and instead frolicked in the gorgeous cities of Savannah and Charleston and ate and walked and shopped and had a wonderful time. More details in following posts, but I did purchase 5 new dresses all for less than $40 total (yeah for thrift stores in the South!) and will debut those in short time.

So today is the dress that I was planning on wearing to my birthday picnic but which didn't look all that good layered the way it would need to be in order to have kept me warm that day. So instead I wore it on Yom Kippur because you're supposed to wear white. You're also supposed to wear rubber shoes which I wasn't originally wearing that day, but the heavens decided to open up and descend upon Long Island so I took off my cute purple flats so I could cross the street and not have water up to my calves.

This dress is once again from ebay, from the same seller I've written about many other times and is a 2x. The cardigan is a new purchase from H&M and is a size L and everything else I'm fairly certain you've all seen before. Rain boots are from Laila Rowe, feather is from Fascinators NYC and the necklace I picked up at the Bust craftacular. Adorable redhead almost, but not yet quite 4-year old nephew is the best accessory in the world and you cannot have him. This was my last chance to see him for faaar too long so I snatched up any opportunity I could to be with him.



Photo I believe was taken by Shari at break fast at her parents house (not that I was fasting, I'm kind of a super bad Jew) and it was a great night filled with lovely people that I consider my family more than most of my flesh and blood.

I'm off on vacation

Hi lovely readers,

Today I head off for the week on a roadtrip to Savannah and Charleston. I'm sorry I didn't finish publishing all of the September dresses before I left for vacation, but now you'll have something to look forward to. Plus I'm sure I'll pick up a few cute dresses while I'm out of town.

I'll be posting next Thursday when I get back.

xx

Day 27, What I imagine I'd look like if I had kids

Sometimes I wish this blog didn't force me to post every outfit that I wear everyday because truth be told some days I wear outfits that are not worth blogging about and some days I look a wreck. Day 27 is one of those days.



I was exhausted from my picnic and my house guests and it was raining and I was babysitting my nephew and did I mention I was exhausted? After having a screaming match on the phone with my mother over movie times (why is that our family can drive us crazier than anyone else even over the smallest matters) off Liam and I went to go see Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs. I had not even heard of the movie as I never have any interest in seeing animated films, but LeLe said that's what he wanted to do and it was raining so off we went. Then we got there and he was scared by the dark and the previews (I'll give him that, Where the Wild Things Are looks scary if you're 4) and the meatball, but apparently popcorn cured him of all those fears, isn't that just amazing?

Remember how I told that story a few weeks ago about buying a dress from the juniors department at Loehmann's? Well this is its twin dress bought at the same time, same company, same size, merely a different pattern. I am wearing it with some black danskin leggings in an xl and my Melissa shoes because of the rain.

Lack of makeup, hair do and accessories are due to it being a gross, icky Sunday where your blogger would not have gotten out of bed if not for the worlds cutest 4 year coming to wake me.

Day 26, I throw a picnic and meet Fabio in the park

Every year for my birthday I throw a potluck picnic. Sitting in the park, surrounded by the people I love, listening to music, eating and drinking the day away - I honestly don't think it gets much better than that. My sister joined me for this years picnic for the first time ever and she kept asking me "what if it rains?" and I told her I wasn't worried. This was going to be my tenth annual picnic and I've never had bad weather.

And as the date approached I kept checking the weather...and checking...and checking. After the most glorious Friday I kept my fingers crossed that we'd have a repeat on Saturday. Suffice it to say we didn't. It was overcast and in the mid 60's which is cooler than it had been in months, but I sent out warning emails to everyone to come in layers and off we went to brave the park.

I give all this as background because it made me have to switch my birthday picnic outfit at the very last minute. I put on the white sundress I had been planning to wear and added a cardi and some leggings and ran out to get my sisters opinion. She took one look at me and told me I'd have to try again. When an Israeli says your outfit isn't so good, you know it's time to change. So off I went to rummage up a last minute, 30th birthday party worthy outfit that a) hadn't been worn before in the month of September and b) would be long enough for a picnic - I couldn't be flashing everyone all day long. The importance of thinking through an outfit people.

Luckily I had gone shopping two days before and whipped out some new, shiny pieces. The dress is from H & M and is a size 10. The denim leggings with a side zipper at the ankles (believe me that is something I never thought I'd ever wear) are from the brand new Forever 21 plus size line and are a 2x. I would like to point out that I on the same day I bought something in a 2x and a 10. The accessories are all British - earrings and sunglasses are from Primark, the belt is from New Look and the shoes are Office. In the photo with my sister you can see the navy sweatercoat I wore to keep me warm and it's a large from Banana Republic. There is not much I love so much as a good sweatercoat for the fall months.

I had a wonderful day filled with my adorable nephew (photo below to prove his adorableness), my far away sister, lots of friends, 3 dogs and a life size cutout of Fabio. No, I didn't bring Fabio to the park, but the folks having a birthday picnic across the field from us did bring him along. I like to keep my Fabio in my bedroom all for myself, I have a bit of jealous streak. We were surrounded by interesting groups. Aside from Fabio there was also a group of people with hula hoops attached to their heads and another group playing 3-legged soccer.



Every time I throw a party I have a mild (sometimes not so mild) panic attack that no one is going to show up. Do you suffer from this as well? I know I have friends and folks are going to show up and I am being totally ridiculous, but I always freak out none the less. Giving your friends a 6 hour time frame with which to show up also contributes to this as everyone shows up later in the day. Seriously, I have never been a girl to dream about her wedding, but the idea of folks rsvp-ing and 99% of the time showing up does sound heavenly to me. To prove I do have friends, here are a few of them enjoying themselves at the picnic.



Credit for the photo of me and Fabio goes to my lovely co-worker and friend Ateqah.