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Good things come in one hundreds! I checked in on Google Reader today to see how many subscribers I have. Since I don’t use Blogger and WordPress won’t let you install Google Analytics, Google Reader is my best gauge of my followers, and today I hit 100! Thank you very much to everyone who is reading, even you quiet types. It means a lot to me that anyone is following my insane little project. I really am having the best year because of it.

So this reminds me to remind you about something else important coming up. This is not an “official” announcement, but I am going to be doing a contest/giveaway to mark my 100th outfit when the time comes (and it’s getting very close.) The only reason for this informal announcement is a) I haven’t shopped for a prize yet and b) I want to give you a little time to brainstorm. For my 100th outfit, I’m letting the winner of the giveaway request the outfit. So. Start thinking about what you want to throw my way if you want to enter the giveaway. And I will let you know what the actual prize is, once I find it. Okay? Okay.

 Today’s theme week inspiration comes to us from Jennyland circa 1991.

Awww. First day of school. Third grade. Check me out. How I long for the days where it only took a backpack to haul all my crap. These days, I can’t get out the door without fifty million things to carry. This is a typical Monday for me. And yes, I took a picture for emphasis.

I have additional photos, because the first one wasn’t the best quality and apparently this dress was in heavy rotation back then.

This would be preparation for the one and only time I went skiing in my life. How do I sleep at night and still call myself a Coloradoan? Very easily actually. Although, I would still like to try snowboarding. Just not in this outfit.


I even brought back my psychotic face for you. This is how I “smile” for pictures, then and now. Completely exaggerated toothy grin. It’s prettier than my natural smile. Just trust me on this.

The truly interesting thing about this outfit, is that it happened completely organically. I bought this dress, before I even conceived my theme week. I just thought it was pretty. I love the floral print, the trim on the skirt and pockets.  It was innate. It never even occurred to me, what striking similarities it bears to my beloved childhood dress. Isn’t it funny how we can be drawn to certain things time and time again?

I kept as much of the original look in tact as I could, today. Including the hair bow. It’s a little hard to see, but I am wearing a black bow headband in both original pictures. Apparently I thought it was a good match, back then. Or maybe it had something to do with the fact that I was still recovering from the one and only (read: traumatic) short haircut of my life. In the time it took me to grow out my boyish bowlcut, I amassed quite the collection of girly headbands and clung to them for dear life. I remember the dress boots as well. I wore them a lot and thought they were cool. I think this was the tail-end of my Laura Ingalls obsession and I imagined they were something she would wear. Today, I just opted for my thrifted lace-up heels.

The rest of the styling progressed into something so girly, my third-grade self couldn’t help but approve of. I think knowing that this outfit was based on a childhood look made me feel childlike by association. But hopefully, out in public no one was any the wiser. If anything, I just felt super dressy for a Monday. A little like doing the Can-Can with my stockings and bows and full skirt. I didn’t actually do the Can-Can, but I did notice that a number of gentlemen opened doors for me today. Squeee for chivalry! I’ll take it.

 Dress – 5.7.9
Sweater – Amish General Store
Pearls – Target
Tights – Work
Shoes – Thrifted
Bow – Claire’s

Title courtesy of The Killers – “Jenny Was A Friend Of Mine”