Low-key

A low-key outfit for a low-key day.

Cardigan: Martin and Osa
Tee: Joe Fresh
Jeans: Reitman's
Shoes: The Bay
Necklace: Suzy Shier

I bought this tee a few weeks ago because its chiffon flowers reminded me of a J Crew tee. Here is a closer shot.

I was in the Superstore today and this t-shirt is marked down to $9.95. Yes, Joe Fresh is sold at grocery stores. It's a great thing!

Old Navy - 30% off

For all of you Canadians out there, Old Navy is offering an extra 30% off your purchase if you are wearing something red or something with the word "Canada" in it. I think it must be a pre-Olympics kind of sale. I hit up Old Navy armed with my red gloves. There were lots of new spring arrivals but I didn't have much time to shop as I was with an impatient RDog. We were looking for swim suits for RDog for next month's Mexico trip. He didn't have any luck finding a size to fit him (stop eating those M&Ms, RDog). I did, however, find this tank.

It's a simple ribbed tank but the petals around the neckline remind me of the J Crew garland cami from last year. I think it will be great for peeking out of a sweater or cardigan.

Then I saw this belt.

I already have this belt in pink but it is now marked down to $3.99 so I snagged another in a smaller size so I can wear it high on my waist.

I am going to return tomorrow for another hunt and for a price adjustment. I was ticked to see this tunic that I bought last week for $34.50 marked down to $15.99. I don't usually do price adjustments, but it's a pretty drastic markdown only eight days after my purchase.

Taming the volume

There was no outfit post yesterday because a giant snowstorm and a giant cold kept me inside in my pj's all day. I'm feeling better today and the roads are finally getting cleared, so I will be venturing outside the house today.

Blouse: Joe Fresh - I bought this silk blouse a few years ago when I was a larger size. I still love it so I tried to tame its volume with a belt.
Belt: Danier Leather
Jeans: Reitman's
Shoes: Naturalizer

All good

Cardigan: Martin and Osa
Tank: Old Navy
Pants: RW & co.
Shoes: Naturalizer

I had a much better day than yesterday. The work drama has been solved. Here's what happened. I teach three sections of grade 9 English, even though I do not have an English major. I always have one section of social studies (my major was history). Our school has a severe shortage of English teachers so yesterday I was told that my social studies 10 class was going to be replaced with an English 10 class.

This struck fear into my stomach. I literally thought I was going to be sick. I would be taking over a course in the middle after the students have already had two other teachers this year. I would be picking up next Wednesday in the middle of a novel I have not read and then moving into Julius Caesar, poetry, and Of Mice and Men. I felt very under qualified for this and worried that I would be setting these kids up for failure next year. I can fake it through grade 9 English but grade 10 is a big step up.

Luckily, a fellow teacher volunteered to help me out today. She is also a grade 9 English teacher and is an actual English major. She has also taught grade 10 English before. She offered to switch her grade 9 English with my grade 10. Thank goodness! So I had a much better day today. No wine will be needed tonight!

Full of crap-o

Cardigan: J Crew
Blouse: Cassis
Skirt: Thirfted
Shoes: Naturalizer

I had a day that was full of crap-o (work drama - I'll explain when it's all sorted out). I'm off to break my recent clean eating habits by drinking some wine.

It's like spring in January

I bought this skirt a few weeks ago at Old Navy on super sale ($3.50!). It's a bit thinner than my winter skirts so I thought it would have to wait until spring before I could wear it. Then I saw overcaffeinated, a fellow Canadian, rocking this skirt in different colors. That fact, combined with our unseasonably warm temperatures today, inspired me to give this skirt a try.

Skirt: Old Navy
Blouse: Tommy Hilfiger
Cardigan: J Crew Jackie - Looking at this picture, I'm not sure how I like the pale green with the black.
Shoes: Naturalizer
Belt: Danier

Mondays - bleh

Cardigan: J Crew's Jackie
Blouse: Banana Republic
Pants: RW & Co
Shoes: Naturalizer

Giveaway Winner

This giveaway drawing was supervised by Ruby.

There were 38 entries and random.org picked #5 which means the winner of the flower belt is

Meli22

Congratulations Meli. I'll be emailing you to get your details.

Thank you everyone who entered. When I first thought about a giveaway, I was worried no one would enter. Thank you all for visiting my blog!

That`s how I roll.

Shirt: Old Navy - I spied this last while in Old Navy on the hunt for bargains. I loved it so much, I bought it and it wasn`t even on sale. RDog, on the other hand, is not a fan of this blouse.Well, poo to you RDog, I like it!
I found some great buys at Old Navy too, like a skirt for $1.25. Old Navy has an extra 50% off their clearance. If you don`t mind digging around a bit (it`s horribly organized), go check it out.

Jeans: Reitman`s - Yup, I wore these yesterday. That`s how I roll.

Shoes: Naturalizer

Necklace: Forever 21

By the way, don`t forget to enter my giveaway.

Lucky

Cardigan: Banana Republic
Tank: from Beyond the Rack, I forget the brand name.
Necklace: a J Crew wannabe from EBay
Jeans: Reitman's
Shoes: Naturalizer

Today was not our scheduled jeans day at school but our district decided to have an extra jeans day to raise money for the relief effort in Haiti. My school district, which numbers 18,000 students and staff, is trying to raise $90,000 ($5 per person). The catastrophe has hit home for a lot of people around here. Not only are we feeling for the Haitians but also for one of our own. A former RCMP officer from our city, whose wife used to be a teacher in our school district, died last week in Haiti while on a peacekeeping mission.

After I mentioned the earthquake last week in my grade 9 social studies class and only one student knew what I was talking about, I spent a couple of classes looking at Haiti and what has and is going on there. Luckily, it tied in nicely with my last unit on the United Nations. Yesterday, one of my students, who herself has had a tough life already (most notably because she had a baby when she was 13), remarked to me that learning about Haiti has made her feel so lucky to be Canadian. We are all so lucky.

Thank Goodness for Husbands

Cardigan: J Crew - I noticed today that it is coming apart at the seams. This one of my favorite sweaters. It makes me so sad.

Blouse: Smart Set - I bought this little chiffony shirt on super sale back in the fall solely for the purpose of wearing it with this cardigan. Unfortunately, it was lost in the chaos that is my closet until now.

Pants: Gap

Belt: Cassis

Shoes: Naturalizer

I had a small blip in my online shopping ban tonight. Martin and Osa lowered a lot of their sale prices today and they have an extra 25 % off with the code 52352247. I saw this cardi, which I already have in yellow and love, for under 40 dollars. My resolve to not shop wavered. I told RDog about my lust for this cardi and my absolute NEED for a long blue cardigan. He found a sweater he wanted too so he bought both of them. RDog is the bestest. So technically the ban is still going strong. Whew, thank goodness for husbands who understand the thrill of a sale.

By the way, don't forget to enter my giveaway.

My First Giveaway

In celebration of my blog hitting 100 followers, I am hosting my first giveaway. The prize is an elastic, flowered belt from Kohl's. It is a size small and measures 27 inches long. Chloe over at The Chloe Conspiracy models it very well.

To enter all you have to do is:

1. Post for one entry
2. Be a follower for another entry. Just let me know in your post that you are a follower.

I'll be drawing for the winner on Sunday, January 24.

Oh and by the way, this is open to residents of Canada and the United States.

Cheerio!

Fooled ya

Today was one of those days when what I picked out to wear last night, didn't seem right in the morning. This sweater is a quick fix for such times. It's actually one top so it just appears as if I put some thought and time into layering.

Sweater: RW&Co
Pants: The Bay
Necklace: EBay
Shoes: Naturalizer

What up with that?

Tuesdays are becoming my mustard cardigan day. I'm still in love with this cardigan.

Cardigan: Martin and Osa

Blouse: Martin and Osa - This from last spring but worn for the first time today. I must stop doing that.

Pants: RW&Co - These are my new pants that I bought last Friday. I like them because they have a higher rise which is good for girls with long torsos. They are little bit long though. In the past, my problem with pants was that they were too short. Recently, the problem is that they are too long. I am 5'10" and usually wear 2 inch heals. What is up with pants being too long for me? I feel bad for the petite girls because hemming pants is a hassle. I have had three pairs sitting in my must sew pile for months! What up with that?

Shoes: Naturalizer

Revealing . . .

Blouse: Martin and Osa

Skirt: Thifted - I found this with the tags still on. Those are the best thirfting finds. With clothing made of fabrics like silk or wool, like this skirt, I take it to the dry cleaner. Since I only pay about $4 for my thrifted items, it's worth an extra 5 bucks to give them a fresh new start for life in my closet.

Tights: Spanx - I had planned on wearing a new ribbed pair of tights I got on Friday from RW&Co but when I put them on this morning, I noticed a HUGE tear. Poop on a stick!

Shoes: Same place as the rest of them, Naturalizer.

I am super stoked to see that I have 100 followers. Thank you everyone for visiting my blog. I always said I would do a giveaway when I hit 100, so stay tuned . . .

January 17, 2010 - yup, the date is my title

Cardigan: Martin and Osa
Blouse: Ella Moss
Pants: Cassis
Boots: Naturalizer
Earrings: Joe Fresh

Sales make it hard to resist

I'm still keeping to my ban of no online shopping but some of the sales are making it hard to resist. Martin and Osa has some new markdowns and they also have an extra 30% off. If I can't have these goodies, maybe someone else in the blogging world can.

Here are my sale picks.

Essential Cashmere-Silk Cardigan. I am a bit fan of M&O's cardigans and have this one in a mustard. For under $50, this is a great buy. There are only a few colors that have smalls and medium lefts so go snatch them up.

If you really want to indulge, go for this sweater:

It's the Long and Lean Cashmere Sweater; 100% cashmere and $105. I haven't tried it myself but it looks oh so cozy.

Twist Print Tuxedo Tank: super cute, super cheap, just the way I like it.

If I didn't have wide clompers, I'd be getting these: Carter Strappy Heel - $38.50.

My final sale pick:


Three Chain Ribbon Necklace.

Happy Shopping!

I found the energy to make a post, none left for the title

Blouse: Banana Republic (wrinkly, but this picture was taken at the end of the day - it happens)
Skirt: Thrifted
Tights: Spanx
Shoes: Naturalizer (Yay - new shoes!)
Bracelet: The Bay

No outfits, too tired

I have no pictures to share from today or yesterday. My inspiration is lacking. I'm going through something unfamiliar to what Danielle is feeling over at Fell 4 Fashion. I know my problem is related to my iron level. I've always had problems with iron and can feel it's low right now. I am just wiped out at the end of my day.The cold I have and the cold weather outside don't help matters either.

Never fear, I have something in mind for my outfit for tomorrow so I'll be back. Temperatures are warming up to above zero so I can wear a skirt! Yay!

In the mean time, I'll leave you with a picture of what is getting me through the days; thoughts of March Break.


We'll be in warm and sunny Los Cabos in 44 sleeps. Yes, I'm counting the sleeps.

Finding Inspiration

This outfit was inspired by Ema over at My closet, my baby and I. She posted some pictures of her wearing a sweet guava (pink) blouse with a mustard cardigan. As soon as I saw the picture, I thought, "I can do that!" I was worried that it might be too out there in terms of my normal color choices, but it even got the RDog seal of approval.

Blouse: J Crew
Cardigan: Martin and Osa
Necklace: J Crew
Pants: The Bay
Shoes: Naturalizer (new and on super sale)

Never to be seen again

Cardigan: J Crew

Blouse: Ella Moss - The neckline of the blouse aligned perfectly with my J Crew Lea Cardigan. I was able to pop the collar of the blouse up over the cardigan so the two pieces almost look like one. The only drawback was that the blouse had these little ties that covered the Lea's pretty, shiny buttons.

Skirt: Cassis -- I wear this skirt a lot but you probably won't see it much in the future. It took a ding as I hopped over an ice patch on my way to my car this afternoon. The little slit that pencil skirts have in the bottom became much longer. Off to the must mend pile it goes, who knows when it will be seen again.

Boots: Naturalizer

Bracelet: Banana Republic

Necklace: Gift from RDog

Running around town

Shirt: Forever 21
Belt: Reitman's
Jeans: Reitman's
Shoes: Naturalizer

It's all about the shoes

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Cardigan: Martin and Osa
Tee: Mexx
Necklace: Reitman's
Skirt: Nygard
Tights: Spanx
Belt: Forever 21
Shoes: Winners

This outfit is all about the shoes. I found these Wednesday night at Winners (the Canadian version of TJ Maxx). By the way, for the Canadian out there, Winners has some great clearance sales going on. This outfit started with the shoes and went from there.

Polka Dot Love

Skirt: Thrifted
Blouse: Banana Republic
Vest: J Crew (Jackie shell)
Boots: Naturalizer
Scarf: Le Chateau - A fun little scarf that I haven't worn in years. I love the polka dots.
Scarf Ring: Vintage from Etsy

Time to go shopping

Today's outfit was based around my need to wear my new clothes.

Cardigan: Martin and Osa from my recent order
Blouse: Forever 21 This is new too; it arrived last week.
Pants: Tommy Hilfiger - Maybe too much black. I seriously need some new pants. I have about 3 I like to wear.
Shoes: The Bay - This is something else I need to replace. They are getting a bit worn because I wear them almost everyday.

Looks like I need to do some shopping, not online though. I'm being a good girl and sticking to my online shopping ban.

Martin and Osa Sweater Review

My recent Martin and Osa order also included three sweaters. Here is what I thought of them.

First off, the Slouchy Open Scoopneck Sweater priced at $24.50.

I think some fashionistas could pull this off but it's not for me. It's really short and would need a tank top underneath to cover up the belly. It felt like I was going to an 80's workout class, all I need was some tights and neon legwarmers. RDog's comment: "It's makes your shoulders look weird."

Next, the Oversized V-Neck Sweater priced at $39.50. I think this could work for girls with less "junk in their trunk" than me. There is a banding at the bottom of the sweater that clings to an area of my body that I like to de-emphasize.

Lastly, the Sequin V-Neck Cardigan price at $49.95. This is the only sweater that I kept. I've been wearing the poop out of another M&O black cardigan that is longer so I felt like I needed a shorter option to spice things up a bit. I like how the sequins are understated which makes it appropriate for work.

Should I Stay or Should I Go?

My latest Martin and Osa order arrived today and I feel like sharing.

First off, the Leather Motorcycle Jacket. Currently $350, I snagged it for $105.

While it looks pretty hip left open. . .

. . . it's a pretty big disaster zipped up. It's way too tight. What do you think; should I keep a jacket that I will never be able to wear zipped up? I do live in Canada.

Next up, the Puffer Jacket. Not the most fashionable thing, but I could use a new roughing around the neighborhood coat. The kind I wear when making snowmen and taking hikes. It's currently $89.95 but I got it for $51.

I'm still undecided on this one. Do I really need it? What do you think? Is is a keeper or a return?

Lastly, the Wool Trench Coat. This is not longer available. I paid $75 for it.

This is already packed up in the box waiting to be sent back to M&O. Even though it had a lining, the wool poked through, making it very itchy to wear.

I've got the back to work blues

Today I'm back at work. Luckily, it's a teacher meeting day so it's an easy way to ease back into the school scene. I'm wearing:

Cardigan: Martin and Osa - One of the many lovely gifts RDog gave me for Christmas
Blouse: Ralph Lauren (thrifted) It didn't look right tucked in. My pants are too low and the shirt bunched up. It's super comfy this way but hopefully not too sloppy.
Pants: Gap
Shoes: The Bay

Now that I see this picture, I think I would like this more with my brown oxford shoes and plain pants instead. Next time . . .

Happy New Year

Happy New Year Blogging World!

I am not usually one to make resolutions but this year I am making a short term resolution based on a challenge issued to me by my husband. RDog has challenged me not to shop online for two months. Initially I said no; I said it would not work without some motivation. So he gave me some motivation. If I refrain from shopping online until the beginning of March, RDog will take a chunk of his next work bonus and put a nice sum of money on my student loans.

When I think about it, it is rather silly for me to be blowing my income on clothes when I should be paying more off my student loans and saving for our new house. I am still allowed to shop in real life stores as both RDog and I know I could not totally ban the shopping (I would go craaaazy). I really don't do much damage in real stores. My inner cheapness comes out and I don't buy much. It's like I lose all control when shopping online. There are also not a lot of places around here that I like to shop at. I go to The Bay, Naturalizer and thrift stores. I can't do too much damage there.

So no more online shopping for me. You're on RDog!