Girl Dresses Like a Kid for Fun

Tags

black and white filagree print dress, black jewel earrings, black tights, Mika, pointed lace up pumps

Well hello! It’s Saturday! But you knew that already didn’t you?

I’ve been having the best Saturday. Too bad I really can’t tell you about it. Yet. I’ve been out fulfilling one of my top secret list missions. If you’ve been following along this theme week, you now know all about my new project entitled All The Pretty Dresses and found thusly. You know that there’s a list of 100 movies, 100 books, 100 albums and 100 missions on the table for completion before my 30th birthday. Over the next two years I’ll be doing all these tasks and I’ve already begun some of the legwork and got the ball rolling on the project.

However, did you know there is one last and very very important component? Oh, but there is! And some of you may have guessed it already. But in case you haven’t. Here’s a little taste of what’s to come:

ONE HUNDRED DRESSES!

Indeed, indeed. As the title would suggest, this is very much a project about dresses. One hundred of them to be exact.

In many cases, or rather whenever possible, I’ll wear the dresses in conjunction with the stuff I’m crossing off my master list. With the exception of some of the more sporty events. I’m not going to deny that I’m a little crazy, (especially when it comes to the wearing of dresses) but I’m not quite crazy enough to wear a frock while I run a race or go indoor skydiving. I’m just not.

Some of the dresses will be old ones from my closet, as I have an already substantial collection (How many? Well…a lady never tells…) But also new ones as I see fit. The main objective really, is just to enjoy wearing a pretty dress while doing things that inform my life’s experience. It’s one of the major failings (I think) of the Closet365 project that I didn’t do enough living in the moment. Sure, I got to wear a lot of fun outfits and I have plenty of fond memories that happened in those outfits. But so often, I was already thinking ahead to the day after that, and the day after that. I didn’t get a lot of pause to simply savor the sartorial experience of it.

So now. I am a firm believer in the power of a great dress to transform your outlook on a day, an afternoon or even a moment in time. Today is a good example of that. Today, I got to experience something new and amazing, crossing one of the items off of my list. And I got to wear this dress. Which is also kind of amazing, if I do say so myself. You’ll read about it soon enough but suffice to say I loved every second of it. I’m already working through list items, quite quickly. Already I have awesome friends and family reaching out to join me. Making things possible. And it’s pretty damn incredible. I can’t even wait to see what the next two years bring. As someone pointed out to me, in the unlikely event that I run out of stuff to do before my 30th birthday, I can just make room for more!

As I work through the items on my list, I plan to enjoy every little part of the journey. Yes, I have a lot of stuff to cram into a two-year period. But I’ve built this new project on a far more vast time scale that this last venture. I can’t wait go out and experience all these adventures and what’s more, I can’t wait to show you all the pretty dresses.

Title courtesy of Mika – “Love Today”

Take My Badge but My Heart Remains

Tags

black poplin dress with brass buttons, brown bolero jacket, copper disc necklace, pointed lace up pumps, textured tights, The Black Keys, white basic tee

Evening friends! Did you have a beautiful sunshine day? Well… I didn’t. Mine was more cold and miserable. But it’s okay. I’m just being a whiner and maybe a little salty. But I promise I’m going to be over it soon. What do you guys do when you need to catapult yourself out of a funk? I’m open to just about anything.

Otherwise I’m just keeping busy. The good news is that I only work a half day tomorrow! Half day! I feel like a kid again! The way it works is that this time of year I’m required to work more days than not. My usual two days off becomes shortened. But in the event that I get to work a half day, it actually feel like less work! So I am going to super live it up. Just imagine all the things I can do with all that time! I can sort my laundry pile (Yeah right. It’s beyond sorting right now. I may just have to take a match to it.) I can go for a run outside before it’s too dark or cold. Maybe even catch a flick. (Who says flick anymore?) The possibilities are really quite endless. And then it’s on to Turkey Day! What are you guys all doing for the holiday. Tell me! Tell me!

I feel like I am going to a party in this outfit. After so many days in leggings and otherwise casualwear, wearing a dress feels all decadent-like! And tights too! Are we getting sick of textured tights yet? I still love mine, but it occurred to me today that I should probably invest in some regular old matte tights before the winter. Textured tights are fun in a special occasion/rainy day sort of way but too many days in a row feels like excess of a good thing. I don’t know. So I am going to be on the lookout for some more subdued leg coverage. Especially if our weather is going to persist in being torturous cold.

Take these pictures for instance.  I was excited to hit the railroad tracks, since I have done any photoshoots here in awhile. But just marching up the hill to snap a few photos, sans jacket, I felt like an Eskimo navigating the frozen tundra. By the time I was done, my extremities were numb. That’s the problem with an outfit like this. Cute for working indoors on a chilly day. Dangerous for anything beyond a short car to building expedition. I have not found a viable solution to this conundrum just yet, other than wear a GD coat. Pssssh. Why would we do that? Then no one could see The Outfit. Oh the perils of blogging!

That said, I’m glad I got to put this look together today and utilize two underused pieces I love. This cute dress and the little brown bolero. The dress only got turn in early spring and the bolero has it beat only by one. Ditto the shoes, actually. Now that I think about it. It’s a regular revival up in here. I even braved the oh-so controversial black/brown mix and I think I’m happy with it. The bronze in my buttons and jewelry seems to act as a neutralizing factor.

Just out of curiosity, does anyone actually ever read this far? Earlier this year a friend confessed that she only ever reads the text above the picture and skips the fashion talk down below. I guess I’m okay with that. Not everybody likes to watch the director’s commentary. But it might be constructive to know for the future. Tell me your thoughts. That is if you’re still reading…

Dress – 5.7.9
Bolero – Work
White Basic Tee – Work
Necklace – The Icing
Tights – Work
Shoes – Thrifted

Title courtesy of The Black Keys – “Tighten Up”

Hit the Dancefloor and Act Like There’s Nobody Else In There

Tags

black bangle bracelet, black mini skirt, black turtleneck, leopard patterned tights, Lil Mama, oversize white jacket, pointed lace up pumps

Bonjour! I acquired a few new readers recently, and this excites me greatly. Welcome! 

This might be a good time to introduce myself. I am Jenny. I am an odd and excitable little person. (In case the wearing of 365 different outfits didn’t tip you off.) In real life people describe me as quiet, demure and contained but inside I am just a really big spaz bursting with eccentricities. I love everything from pop art, to trashy magazines. I listen to classic jazz and bad bad bubblegum pop. If you offered me tickets to Burning Man and the Metropolitan Opera, I really couldn’t choose between the two. I make up words. I am verbose and sarcastic and campy as all get out. I am turning 27 soon, but I am pretty much twelve years old. In a good way and not in a creepy Mariah Carey Peter Pan sort of way. 

Current obsessions: the color white, patterned tights, big sunglasses, belts, watching “Lost”, gangsta rap (always), salt water taffy and counting the days until I can drink coffee again. Eighteen more to go! 

 

 

Things to stay tuned for: Tomorrow. I am wicked excited about my St. Patty’s getup. Also, the last week of the month. I typically do themes (January was 90s week, February I showcased my coat collection) and I have a fun one planned for my birthday. 

Nice to meet you! Now your turn! Say hello! 

 

 

Indulging multiple obsessions, today. White and tights. And a belt. But there is one first for me, here. Animal prints. Previously a loathed trend of mine, I converted for these tights and added the belt for good measure.  This is one of those outfits that makes me a little sad about the project. I would probably wear this for a week straight, otherwise. This oversized jacket is so luxuriously mod. I couldn’t help but bust out the GoGo shades and big accessories. 

Come to think of it, I’m envisioning a dream sequence where I’m wearing this. Riding around in a vintage Aston Martin with Andy Warhol as my trusty sidekick. Smoking cigarillos, ready to fight crime on the mean streets of San Francisco.   

Um. Yeah. I told you I was strange. 

Jacket – Thrifted (H&M)
Turtleneck – Ross
Black Mini Skirt – Max Rave
Tights – 5.7.9
Shoes – Thrifted
Belt – Work
Bangle Bracelet – Work 

Title courtesy of Lil Mama – “Shawty Get Loose” 

p.s. Extra pictures behind the cut