Outfit #152 - Clash of the Pinks

I still wanted to wear the not-really-mine-because-it's-on-loan pink scarf.  And I figured this pink knitted top would be lovely and warm.  At least I didn't go with red or something, because this combination was just a bit too much for my eyes when I had to look at it.  Thankfully it was cold enough that the jacket stayed on for much of today, shielding the eyes.

Dress: Country Road (op shop). Top: Kookai. Scarf: David Jones (on loan). Stockings: Target. Boots: Sandler. Earrings: Cose Belle.

I really had to wear these earrings today.  In a recent tidy-up I went from having a pair to having only a lonely one, and was so happy when I found the lost one caught up in a rug.

My first girl after school really liked this outfit.  Especially the stockings.

Outfit #151 - Colour, Step By Step

Today's outfit started out as tomorrow's outfit, and black and white. 

Top: Base Layers. Skirt: Country Road (op shop). Boots: Mina Martini (from Jeannie). Earrings: from Mombasa. Stockings: Ambra and Voodoo.

Step 1: I realised today was a good day to wear these boots (a very short day) and they would go with this outfit.  Days swapped.
Step 2: Add a pink scarf so I can get as much wear out of it before I have to return it.
Step 3: Add the maroon-ish jacket because it's the warmest option.
Step 4: Realise the stockings, being fishnets, would result in freezing legs.  Realise this would be a perfect opportunity to do some stocking layering with new colour block stockings.

Ta DA!  One black and white outfit has turned colourful.  I am really happy with the stockings result.  My legs were nice and warm and I like the look - much more effective than black and black.  This is only my second time layering stockings - and today someone found my site through search keywords 'layered stockings'.  Neat.

Outfit #150 - Apparently Crazy

A few weeks ago, I restrained myself and did not buy stockings.  Over the weekend, I took advantage of the sales and bought a ... few... pairs.  I contemplated some really crazy options.  I believe today's pair was rather conservative. 

Skirt: Gina Tricot (op shop). Top: Country Road (op shop). Jacket: Sportsgirl (from Jeannie). Scarf: David Jones (on loan). Stockings: Leona Edmiston. Boots: Sandler.  Earrings: Pandora (gift).

One member of the Fashion Police saw me and said, "I see we're wearing Crazy Lady Stockings today" - !!!  I tried to tell her they're not crazy, I'm a creative type anyway, but I was told she and I need to go shopping together.  I'm so glad that will never happen.

I also started the day (it was cold!) with a sudden agh! moment, realising I should be finding my gloves and a warm hat.  All I could find was one glove and my baker boy hat.  As it turns out, you need more hair to wear one of those.  I took a classic photo wearing it, but won't share it today. And although my envisioned outfit was the second photo, the reality for nearly the entire day (minus about 2 hours) was the top photo. 

My camera doesn't capture the colours so well so you get a close-up of the scarf/jacket/top - although the top is actually much more purple.  Right, now I'm off to find a warm hat and another glove.

Outfit #147 - A Foggy Oggl Day

When I opened my front door at 5:45 this morning to go to the gym, there was fog in my driveway.  I don't remember seeing this before.  I had fun taking photos of the fogginess all morning.

Dress: Jeanswest (op shop). Tank: Now. Stockings: Target. Boots: Sandler. Earrings: ? Scarf: David Jones (on loan). Jacket: Sportsgirl (from Jeannie).

I was really happy with this dress.  When I bought it over summer, my arms were not quite as lean.  I tested it out on Monday as was delighted at the room in the arms now.  Yippee!

Next time, I'll try to get a better detail shot of the trim.  Meanwhile, here's one that shows the actual colour of this jacket.  Minus the top of my head.  Deal with it.

And, my favourite foggy photo from this morning.  It seems whenever I have that "maybe I should sleep in instead of going to the gym" thought, I see something wonderful that makes it all worthwhile.  Thanks, world.

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 #144 - Benefits of Baggy Clothes

Dress: Don't Ask Amanda (op shop). Top: Tokito. Stockings: Target. Boots: Sandler. Scarf: David Jones (on loan from mum). Jacket: Dotti.

1. If tops bunch up, you don't look lumpy.
2. No need to suck in mid-section (although good posture is still advisable).
3. Comfy as.
4. Stretching is easy!  Not just lower legs or arms, but quads and hip flexors and pretty much everything. 

I've also noticed that I feel more like a creative person when I'm dressing like this.  And I do appreciate that I can wear all sorts of clothing styles to work - the only no-nos are denim and shorts, and I've added 3/4 pants to my list of 'not for work' clothes.

I only took this last photo to show the colour of the top, which looks brown in the main photo.  A certain sporting event is on tonight...  And to reassure myself that my face won't always look as weird as yesterday.  Phew.

Outfit #143 - Sore Almost Everywhere

Title says it all, really.  I could go through the list, but I'll just leave it at letting you know that yesterday's PT session was thorough.  I have ow-ies in places I haven't felt since the days I did circus.  Meanwhile, next time I wear this skirt I think I'll need to do some close-up shots.  Likewise with the top.  The skirt is a dark denim-type material with large buttons, and the top is black and white but looks slightly psychedelic in photos.  Unless I make the photo really large...  And then you can get a slightly better idea.

Skirt: Country Road (op shop). Top: Limited Edition. Stockings: Target. Boots: Mina Martini (from Jeannie). Earrings: gift. Scarf: David Jones (on loan from mum). Jacket (not pictured): Dotti.

These boots were much-complimented.  I have walked around Melbourne and my own neighbourhood in them, so I thought a Tuesday would be fine.  Er - maybe not.  If I'd worn flat shoes for the walk to and from stations, or if they didn't have a narrow wedge, or if I wasn't in pain from, you know, the neck down, it might have been different... But by the time I got home my feet were complaining.  Lesson learned. 

I do like them so much though that you get 2 photos of them.

I know my face looks odd here. The purple bits around my eyes seemed to be especially weird today.  I wasn't going to go nuts with concealer, mostly because I couldn't really be bothered most of the time, and then I have days like today...

Outfit #140 - Come Rain and Come Shine

When I left home this morning, it was raining.  By the end of quartet rehearsal, it was blue skies and sunshine.  It alternated like that all day.  Anyone would think we were in Melbourne.

Top: Dotti. Dress: Cue (op shop). Boots: Sandler. Stockings: ?

There were several other contenders for the title today - the least horrible being "What Up, Hair?" (it's a good thing I forgot earrings today, trust me).  I had coughing fits to and from work, I was meant to be at school 12.5 hours but was given a reprieve, I had less than 5 hours sleep so felt... not good...  So right now I'm snuggled up on the sofa with a cup of chai, looking forward to an early bedtime.

Outfit #139 - Con Anima

A slightly ironic outfit name, here.  However, the continuing junior quartet (so, this year's grade 6 quartet) is named Con Anima - which means 'with spirit'.  They had their first performance for the year today, in middle schooling assembly.  I am feeling anything but spirited today.

Dress: Tengdahl (op shop). Stockings: Target. Boots: Sandler. Scarf: Alta Linea. Jacket (not pictured): Sportsgirl (from Jeannie).

Although I feel like a million dollars in this dress, when it needs several layers underneath to make it warm and work-appropriate it bulks up quite a bit.  More experimentation required.  I did feel my outfit matched the weather today - grey and rainy and cold, for us.

Outfit #138 - Almost a Blockage

These are my colour block stockings.  And everything else was a block of colour too.  I actually wore 4 tops today, expecting to need to shed some layers during the day.  I didn't though, so I'll just list the top 2.  Non-block items were the scarf and earrings.

Skirt: Country Road (op shop). Blue top: Kookai (op shop). 'Plum' sweater: Tokito. Stockings: Target. Boots: Sandler. Earrings: Kinki Gerlinki (from Jeannie). Scarf: Atmosphere (gift).

You get a back shot today for the little bit of blue visible in the stockings.  My junior quartet girls commented on this fact (So Cool!  Oh, and your stockings are wonky).  That's all you get for photos though - I came home early from work, sick.

Outfit #137 - Snug As A Bug

I was nearly bowled over today by one of the grade 3 classes running back from PE.  Because I help out with their strings lesson, they all know me, so I had lots of smiles and waves.  One kid waved, grinned, and said I looked as snug as a bug in a rug.  Which was how I felt. 

Skirt: Gina Tricot (op shop). Tank (not really visible, but very necessary): Now. Top: Reverse (from Jeannie). Cardigan: Jeanswest. Stockings: Target. Boots: Sandler. Earrings: from Mombasa. Scarf: Atmosphere (gift).

Well, to be honest, my legs were a little cold.  Today was the first really cold day and I really enjoyed it!  Not least because I got to wear my favourite skirt.  Happy days.

I'm pretty sure this is the boldest I've been with pattern mixing.  Four - four! - in one outfit.  Striped stockings, animal earrings, floral scarf, and ...umm... something on my top.  I think of it as paisley, but it's more like stylised peacock feathers. 

Outfit #135 - Thank You Naplan

Today was the first of the NAPLAN tests for the year.  Which meant, for me, a sleep in and a coffee with breakfast.  These little things make such a big difference in my life.

Dress: Jeanswest (op shop). Belt: Target. Shoes: Pulp. Earrings: Cose Belle. Leggings: ?

The funny thing was, if it hadn't been for a call from school yesterday to check that rehearsal wasn't on, I would have turned up to an empty room.

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 #132 - Could This Be...?

Could this really be... At long... Last... Autumn? 

Skirt: Sunny Girl (op shop). Top: Ambra bamboo. Jacket: Kirx (from Jeannie). Earrings: ? Shoes and stockings: Target. Cardigan: ? (from Jeannie). Scarf: ? (from Myer).

This was the first day I wore stockings to school this year - not counting last Wednesday, when I was heading up into the mountains for a gig and would need the warmth.  And these stockings received such love!  One of the quartet girls even noted they, like, totally matched my earrings.

I did feel I was going rather 'animal' today - leopard stockings, deer (apparently) earrings, and what felt like a cat in the cardigan (close-up next time).

You may notice - if you're really on the ball - that I'm posting this just shy of midnight... On a school night!  After tonight's meeting, I stopped by a friend's place on the way home.  I was fed a totally delicious (second) dinner, and we watched the first half of Iron Man.  So, how's that for breaking out of the rut?!  And no, I'm not going to the gym first thing in the morning.  I am, however, really looking forward to a hill run in the evening.  No, I'm not being sarcastic. 

Outfit #131 - Back to Back Black

Yes, this is another black outfit.  Unlike yesterday's, though, today's version comes with splashes of colour.  Mostly because I wanted to wear these earrings.  And this scarf.

Dress: Jeanswest (op shop). Leggings: ? Shoes: Pulp. Earrings: Quick Brown Fox. Cardigan: Jeanswest. Scarf: ? from Myer.

This scarf is ... just.. beautiful.  It's a silky kind of material, and this green is my absolute favourite green. 

I think these earrings might count as my most interesting pair.  Definitely not something I would make on my own!  Although I see now this isn't the most detailed shot.  Next time, I'll do a close-up.

There was no way I could wear any other shoes with this outfit today.  Colour is in.  I'm just hoping that autumn will be in soon, too.  I'm quite sure that May should not be this warm.

Outfit #130 - Wedding Blacks

Today I played for a wedding, so went straight from school to Mt Tamborine.  All black - but I didn't want to terrorise the kiddies, so I wore these rosebud stockings.

Skirt: Miss Shop (op shop). Top: Ambra. Earrings: Pandora (gift). Stockings: Leona Edmiston. Shoes: Target.

Slightly weird photo today - as we were leaving the gig, I realised this was my only opportunity for an outfit photo.  Pat very kindly took a couple of photos of me (thanks Pat!) - but we both wanted, and needed, to head back, so we didn't stuff around getting a great pose or anything.

Just because I love these stockings, you get a special close-up.

Outfit #129 - Free Time, Anyone?

I had a lot of free time today.  At school for 8 1/2 hours, I taught for a whole 3 1/2 hours.  I was meant to have only a half hour break.  Ha.

Skirt: Sunny Girl (op shop).  Top: Regatta.  Shoes: Girl Xpress.  Leggings: ? Earrings: from Mombasa.  Necklace: (op shop).

In my spare time, I organised an accompanist for a girl with an exam soon, organised a catch up dinner with a friend (and, hopefully, the next chamber music project), sorted out performance dates for my string quartets, found some people who were born today (for trivia), and I practiced.  Because I practiced so much, the necklace was actually hardly worn. 

These shoes are getting better with every wear.  And this top received compliments galore!

If you desperately want a close-up of these rather sweet, bling-y beetle earrings, you can see them here