Outfit #149 - Double Quartet Fun

My junior quartet performed for the first time today, in junior schooling assembly.  Which is the cutest thing, really.  And then I had a catch-up rehearsal with the continuing quartet.  Both quartets are so much fun - very different, but buckets of fun.

Skirt: Sinerji (swap). T-shirt: Ambra organic cotton. Striped top: Quick Brown Fox. Cardigan: Levi's (from Jeannie). Stockings: Razza Matazz. Boots: Sandler. Earrings: gift. Scarf: Alta Linea.

I was so proud of my junior girls.  They played better than ever!  And the grade 6 girls have got one of their new pieces (which are all a step up in difficulty for them) together in just a couple of weeks.  Not to mention, they played at the AFTAs yesterday on 2 days' notice. 

The rest of today was pretty full - some work stuff, pt, picked up my 'race pack' (ie, bib) for Sunday's race, some Myer sale shopping, some practice - oh and here we are.

Outfit #113 - Wrapped in Stripes

Lots of stripes today.  Plus, the shirt is a wrap shirt, so there was no choice but this for the outfit name.  This top is yet another Melbourne-Jeannie item.  It's an interesting top, and for all the buttons (with buttonholes!), only 2 of them managed to stay buttoned after about 5 minutes.  And I'm not a huge fan of the sleeves yet.  I have a few more ideas for it though, so it's not going in The Pile just yet!

Shirt: Sisley (from Jeannie).  Pants: Portmans.  Shoes: Target.  Earrings: from Oxfam.  Bracelets: made by me.

After being so cold yesterday, I packed a cardigan for today.  But we had sunshine!  Lovely, warm sunshine.

 I do apologise for the crooked pictures.  I was hungry, and more interested in getting a photo done and eating than anything else.

Outfit #83 - Mono-ish

Outfit details:

Skirt: Sunny Girl (op shop).  Shirt: Lily White (op shop).  Shoes: Pulp.  Earrings: gift.

Wearing black, silver, and grey, I felt I was doing the monochrome thing, ish.  This skirt has turned out to be a fabulous find!  Even though the shirt is striped, from not much distance it appears grey - a feature I plan to use soon in some subtle pattern mixing. 

I'm always conscious of the hem of this shirt.  The shirt looks better overall if the hem is hidden, so today I was forever tucking it in...and was reminded of a viola joke every time.

Outfit #63 - I Wonder

Outfit details:

Skirt: Gina Tricot (op shop).  Stockings: Target.  White top: Ambra bamboo.  Purple top: Avocado (from Jeannie).  Shoes: Hot Options.  Earrings: ???

Yesterday, I had a great idea for an outfit.  I had my hands full with shopping and thought it was such a fabulous idea I wouldn't need to make a note.  By the time I got home of course, a crucial part had been forgotten.  I know it involved these stockings and skirt.  As for a top, though - I wonder what it was?

After last week's warm weather I was pleasantly surprised to have a chance to wear some warm clothes this week.  So chilly, in fact, that I wore my pink scarf and Dotti jacket to school.  I'm quite stumped for ideas for the next few days though.

And these stockings - finally I've got a shot to show the in between bits.  On probably their last wearing for the year.

Outfit #54 - Striped World

Outfit details:

Skirt: Gina Tricot (op shop).  Top: Tokito.  Stockings: Target.  Boots: Sandler.  Earrings: made by me.

I consider this skirt to be striped (well, self-striped anyway), and when teamed with the block stripe stockings and the stripey earrings, I was feeling like I was screaming STRIPES!!!  Maybe not that loud, but still.  Then my eyes began to pick up all the stripes I see in my world.  I won't share that list with you here, but trust me, it was long.  Sorry for the white face of over-exposure, too - time was limited this morning.

On Thursdays I don't have an early school morning, so just opaque (but not thick) stockings work just fine.  If only my legs were longer - and I had a mind to wear ridiculously short skirts - you'd be able to see more colour blocks. 

I confess, I actually wore pretty much this same outfit on Sunday.  Test runs are great.  Except I wore different earrings.  Today I was feeling a little bit icky in the throat so wasn't terribly enthusiastic about photos.  Or hair.  A big pile of veggies, plenty of fluids and an early night will, I hope, make me feel super again tomorrow.

Today's stripey photo:

I hadn't noticed until today that the material put down by the side of the railway lines is very stripey.  I took a good look around to check if I was being watched before taking this photo!  Did anybody else feel the light was different today? 

Outfit #43 - Groovy Stripes

Outfit details:

Skirt: Gina Tricot (op shop).  Blue top: Dotti.  Red vest: Grab denim (from Jeannie).  Stockings: Target.  Boots: Sandler.  Scarf: gift.  Jacket: Sportsgirl (from Jeannie).  Earrings: made by me.

I've had a couple of days break from blogging - there'll be an update or two tomorrow!  Meanwhile, yesterday involved a whole lot of walking and mountain-climbing, in not the greatest footwear.  I longed for a comfortable outfit for today, plus a chance to wear these stockings.  This seems to be my comfy skirt - I'm now officially on the lookout for another like this one.  And more boots.  Not the greatest earring photo...but you can vaguely get the idea.

So many compliments today!  A 7-yr-old looked up while doing her shoelaces - "ooh, I like your stockings.  And your dress.  Pretty much everything you're wearing today.  Oh, and my mum has those exact same boots!"  Staff compliments included "those are such groovy stockings!" and there were so many bows in the air at the ensemble rehearsal this afternoon as girls wanted to tell me how much they liked my stockings.  They stole the show.

And I did feel these were very groovy stockings.  I just wish my legs were longer so the effect of the stripes could be greater.  Oh well.

Outfit #23 - Six 'P's

 Meh.  Today's outfit was not a winner.  On the upside, this has reminded me that Proper Preparation and Planning Prevents Poor Performance.

Outfit:
Singlet: Ice. Top, Earrings: Sportsgirl (op shop).  Pants: Portmans.  Shoes: Pulp.  Necklace: gift from Jeannie - she's one of these talented people who can buy a necklace in an op shop, then rework it into a new necklace.  This was even in her blog here! 


Normally, I plan my outfits on Monday, if not before.  But not this week.  So yesterday I had a bit of a plan for today, but not anything definite.  Eventually I thought this combination might work, and as I actually got a sleep-in this morning (thank you, school camp for grades 6 - 12!), I didn't stress about checking it beforehand.   Of course I ended up with not much time to change the plan, so I was stuck with this. 

Benefits:  it was quite cool - as this was a warmer day than I expected, and my train was not air-conditioned this morning (peak hour - ergh), I was relieved I'd decided on a summery top.  Also, the necklace is great!  I taught with it, but then also played duets and practiced, no problems.  Woohoo!

Drawbacks:  these pants are now too big.  Cue Big Sad Face.  They're not outrageously big - I can still get away with it, and in a couple of weeks when the weather is cooler and I can wear a vest it will be ok, but right now... No.  Plus when I'm used to them being quite fitted, having them this loose is just a bit uncomfortable.  And it means I absolutely must wear heels.  Not that that's necessarily a bad thing, of course.  Although this morning, I got all the way to the station (including at least 3 thoughts about shoes) and it was only on the platform, checking out the shoes of the woman in front of me, that I realised my heels were still at home.  Good thing I had left earlier than necessary for work!  The workmen in my street smirked at me on my return trip.  And, the shirt and singlet combination - again, a bit too loose and floppy, at least for teaching.

One friend effectively worked out yesterday's expression (almost Zoolander - actually just from a model shot, once I stopped giggling).  Any guesses for today's head shot expression?

Outfit #14 - Stripes on Stripes

I have never worn 2 striped items at once.  Today was a debut.

Outfit details:

Shirt:  Lily White (op shop).  Pants: Portmans.  Shoes: Lipstick (op shop).  Belt: gift.  Earrings: Oxfam.


I quite like this shirt, and think I should incorporate it into more outfits.  The sleeves are actually puffy, which takes me back to childhood (yes, I wanted to be a princess, or at least living in a kingdom once upon a time).  It would be better if I can find more ways to wear it so the bottom edge isn't visible - it's not brilliantly finished, and my sewing skills are not up to altering that just yet.  However, wearing a tucked-in shirt is not a successful style option for violinists.  Sure, it looks great when you put it on, very neat and put-together.  But as soon as those arms are raised to hold a violin and make some sound, out comes the shirt.  Irritating.  That used to be the only thing I checked when trying on clothes - can I raise my arms without looking silly?  Now, I remember I need to be able to sit down or walk without flashing too much above the knee... I'm learning!

Stripe on stripe detail.  Very skinny stripes at the top.  Thicker (but still subtle) stripes on the bottom.  Pink mock-animal skin belt.  Piano and an attempt at sound-proofing in the background.













In 2 weeks there is a music festival at school.  One of my girls is super nervous about playing, so today I tried to get inside her brain, and give her some tips on performing.  It turns out one of the things that is worrying her is playing with an accompanist.  I'm not great on piano (really!), but I do what I can in the lessons to give the students an idea of what sort of sounds will be coming out when they have a professional on board.  It's really interesting to see which kids are totally unfazed by having another instrument play, and which ones just fall apart.  This particular child is fine, she's just letting her brain stress out a bit.  I reassured her that the accompanist for the strings for this festival is totally not scary.  Like a younger brother - for me, or an older brother for her.  He's the same age as my brother, they went to uni together, they're about the same height, and not scary. 
"Ummm.... how tall is that?"  Not that tall.  Not any taller than I am right now.  "Yeah, but you're wearing heels... Ooh, and they're platform as well".  So, definitely not any taller than me right now.

My coffee man was back today.  I only get coffee from there twice a week, and that only during school terms.  So when this coffee guy remembered my order (and that I play a stringed instrument) - from the middle of November - I was really impressed.  He has so much energy (yes, possibly chemically enhanced), tattoos, big discs in his earlobes, but he makes my coffee strong, he can make conversation before 7am, and there's always a nice parting remark.

Outfit #1

 So, very bravely, I reveal my first school outfit... As this was only a meeting, I dressed more casually than I would for school.  Plus, it continues to rain.  I don't want to ruin any shoes!  When I was about to take photos, I realised I very almost matched a painting - I was missing something green, but had blue, red, and black and white stripes. 

I found it exceedingly hard to take outfit photos.  Aside from getting feet and head in the frame, facial expression and enough of the front that you can see details proved problematic.  Hence the small photos. 

Dress: Ally (used to be Jeannie's).  Singlet: Ice.  Sandals: Hot Options (emergency purchase).  Earrings: Mombasa.  Pendant: made by Jeannie.  Zebra-print umbrella: no idea.