Outfit #145 - Who Says You Can't?

I'm not quite breaking every rule in the fashion book here, but a few.  However, I feel the overall result isn't too bad.

Skirt: Sinerji (swap). Tank (only sometimes visible): Now. Long-sleeved top: Dotti. Dress (as shirt): Sunny Girl (op shop). Vest: Portmans. Stockings: Ambra. Boots: Sandler. Scarf (not pictured): Alta Linea. Jacket (only worn to school, not pictured): Sportsgirl (from Jeannie). Earrings: from mariachi.

I'm wearing a dress as a shirt.  Pattern with embroidery. Short sleeves over long. Black and blue.  Black and brown.  Who made these rules, anyway?!

Outfit #134 - With Tags

Yes.  I went the whole day still with the tags attached to this skirt.  And I didn't notice until I was checking the label for this blog.  So the chances of me repeating the experience were fairly high. 

Skirt: Country Road (op shop). Dress (as shirt): Sunny Girl (op shop). Tank: Now. Cardigan: Jeanswest. Shoes: Pulp. Earrings: gift from a student.

This year, I'm trying to buy clothes only when in Melbourne.  However, a few weeks ago it was as if there was a construction workers' battle of noise production, two neighbouring properties having work done, and my head just couldn't take it anymore.  I escaped to the city... and my favourite op shop...  Last night I firmed up the attachment of one of the buttons, and debuted the skirt today.  It was just as lovely as I had hoped.  And although I spent most of the day thinking patterned stockings would do better next time (oh, hello knees!), I was also thinking of all the possibilities.  Consider yourself warned.

Outfit #119 - Opinions

Several people commented on how I looked today.  All with a different opinion.

Dress: Caroline Morgan.  Tank (probably not too visible, but it's a layer): Ambra.  Shoes: Target.  Earrings: The Silver Shop (I think).  Bracelets: made by me.  Necklace: from Jeannie, I think.

When I got to school, I still had my hair out.  One teacher complimented me and asked to take photos as she's wanting something different for her own hair.  I got to grade 3, and one kid asked as I was tuning his violin, "Why is your hair so messy?".  I tied it back. 

Later in grade 3, one piped up with "I love your necklace".  "I love her bracelet".  "No, I love the pink one." "My favourite is the green one, it's so pretty!".   Feeling the love.

I am pleased to report I did another before-work gym session this morning.  That, combined with the rather windy conditions of today, resulted in the windswept/messy situation.  I get to go back to school this evening for a music festival, and I'm foreseeing an extra layer of long sleeves - it's getting chilly out there.

Not a Subtle Bag

This was another Saturday where I barely had a half hour to myself.  I used my half hour to sit on the courtyard steps, drinking coffee and enjoying the sunshine and the plants.  However, once I'd finished teaching I had 15 minutes to get changed and get to the Botanic Gardens for a gig, then to the cathedral for the final rehearsal then performance of Handel's Theodora.  I decided to use my bright floral bag.  It is not subtle, it is not black, but it does hold a lot of stuff.  I'm pretty sure nearly everything would have fit into my bright green handbag, but not the music as well.

After last week, when I'd done the "I'll buy something to eat on the way" thing which resulted in really bad food choices, I decided to pack dinner (including a fork) and a snack for today.  Plus an extra snack for just in case.  I was really good and actually ate the snack with post-gig coffee instead of indulging in fruit toast.  Also in this bag I packed a long-sleeved top, my black velvet jacket, and a black scarf.  The Theodora music (slightly bigger than A4) was the reason for the large bag so in it went.  My normal handbag things also made it in - water bottle, purse, phone, gocard, earphones, lip balm, and lip gloss.  I think that was about it. 

Although I like being able to fit music in this bag, I can't actually get anything out of it without using 2 hands.  And today I did feel seasonally mismatched.  I may have mentioned before the problem of having my brother take photos.  This was the least weird of the cast-offs.  You can still tell I'm laughing, but I'm not blurry which is a plus.  Also, I think in this one he'd actually told me he was about to take the photo, unlike several others.  Candid shots (at least for me) are usually very strange shots.

It was a beautiful day for a wedding - clear blue skies, a bit of warmth.  Gorgeous.  I snapped this last picture as we were leaving the gardens.  I missed out on a photo of a reptile swimming after the ducks which was disappointing, but Theodora awaited.

Outfit #9 - Creamy Floral with Black

2 New Things in this outfit.  One to be repeated... One if necessary, but with caution.

Outfit:
Tank: Ambra.  Belt: Target.  Skirt: Jeanswest.  Shoes: Pulp.  Necklace: op shop.  Earrings: some silver shop, somewhere.

Good new thing:  a ribbon in my hair.  Just wrapped around the bun, not even in a bow, but there.  It's really hard to take a photo of my own hair.

Not so good new thing: belt around hips not with belt loops.  Really annoying.  I kept pulling it all day, and whenever I bent to help a grade 3 it landed around my waist. 

These shoes are really old.  Well, in the last few years, anyway.  But old enough that the inner sole is starting to come adrift.  Not many more wearings left in them I think.  I've been running a lot lately and wanted to keep my legs happy, but there's very little support in these flats so maybe not such a great choice. 


This is one of my new op shop necklaces from the start of this month.  I can't wear it when playing properly, but for being a Helper and for easy lessons I love the weight of it around my neck. 

Outfit #8 - Black and Red Floral

Earrings - actually sandalwood seed pods.

Outfit:
Dress: Hot Options.  Brooch: gift.  Shoes: Hot Options.  Earrings: from Kuranda.

Shoes, with wedge and Bandaid details.

Yes, I like Hot Options.  I don't often go into Target, but when I do I nearly always find something to try on.  This dress was one of 4 (yes, 4!) that I bought all at once.  2 different styles, each in a different material.  I'm not totally sold on this dress design (a twin to the circle dress, found in outfit #5) - it feels a bit baggy around the middle and I suspect I need to fill it out more for it to look really good.

This is the other brooch I was given for Christmas, which goes so well with this dress.  Someone even asked me if it came with the dress.  All the music staff looked great today - house photos.  Which also meant I had a very messy day trying to teach all my kids when mostly they were being photographed.  Or, it turns out, their teacher was being photographed and so the class went AWOL.  Super.