Friday, August 7, 2009

Build a Wardrobe

My goal with all my shopping is to end up with a nice wardrobe that will fit all my needs. I don't want to only wear brand-new stuff. I don't want to be the girl with a closet full of stuff that I've only worn one time (or worse, we all know it happens, never worn). To do that, I need a plan. Here is one part of my plan:

Part I

Stick to a neutral pallette. My colors are:

grey
navy
black

For interest, I'm adding in:

olive greens
pinks (probably not with the greens though)
ivory
white
possibly a new pair of khaki pants since I shrank my khaki bistros (boo - I loved those pants)
jewelry in gold tones

The grey, navy and black will make up the bulk of my bigger pieces: pants, sweaters, jackets and some tops. I'll add in the accent colors in belts, maybe a bag and tops. Perhaps a scarf but I'm really not good with scarves. Maybe something to tie on my the new grey bag I ordered.

I'm already struggling with this as I found a perfect brown bag at Cole Haan. The Whitney Zip Hobo with the awesome grommets. I love this! But I am resisting. It's not a bad price for a nice bag but I'm not adding brown to my wardrobe at this time.

I did order the J Crew Campo Messenger Bag in Slate - should get it next week sometime. This bag should work with most of my wardrobe. I like that it has gold-toned hardware on a grey bag.

Part II of my plan - identify what I do and what I need to wear to do the things that I do:

Work at Client Site: My current client is business casual. To me, this means pants and shirts. Generally, I have been wearing J Crew Slim Stretch Shirts (untucked) in a variety of colors with either black, grey or ivory pants. And with khaki pants until I shrank them. The grey pants I have are too hot for summer - lined wool. So right now I have black and ivory pants. I don't work at the client site every day, so I don't need a full month's worth of clothing, but I do need some variety. Two pairs of pants (and the black pair is looking kind of shabby) is not enough.

So on order I have one pair of Premium Stretch Bistro pants in dark pewter (yes! the same pants I shrank in khaki - I know I keep going on about this but I loved those pants!). These will be dry-clean only!

One pair of downtown denim trousers for casual Fridays. I hope these work out. I have been wearing my 7 jeans but I think those are a little tight for work. And of course my distressed denim is not work appropriate (even if J Crew does show it rolled with heels and jackets for work - maybe if I worked for J Crew I could wear that)

Community Meetings: this is casual, but I want to look nice. One issue is that we often walk to the meetings (every other month at the Methodist church, every other month at a nearby resturant). I don't want to wear sandals or other type of open shoe since I think my feet will get dirty. High heels are also out - it is maybe 6 or 7 blocks but we have to clamber over rail road tracks and walk in the street sometimes - not a nice stroll down a neighborhood sidewalk.

For shoes, I bought some Skechers that are sneaker-like. They are grey with silver sparkles. The sparkles are kind of old-lady looking to me (not little kid for some reason). I do like the sparkle though - when the meeting is boring I can move my foot to make the sparkles sparkle and entertain myself that way. These shoes go with my grey boyfriend and scout chinos as well as jeans and casual dresses.

I don't want to be sleeveless in the church (it is kind of warm in there but it doesn't seem right to me to be sleeveless in the sanctuary which is where the meetings are - probably no one cares though - may just be an old fashioned notion on my part). The resturant can be cool. We often go to the resturant after the meeting in the church. I have some featherweight cashmere sweaters that work great for this type of thing - light but will keep the chill off. Yes, cashmere can be perfect for Houston summers.

We also have committee meetings that are at people's houses. This is casual as well.

Parties: for the community, we are having a cocktail attire fundraiser in October, a Neighborhood Night Out party also in October and a Christmas party in December. My husband's company also has a Christmas party (although not sure if they will this year). I think I have outfits for the cocktail fundraiser (I have 2 lovely party skirts from J Crew that I have worn to previous Christmas parties - a silk black and ivory striped one and a blue and black silk and cotton taffeta one that I can wear different tops with). And my awesome grey patent Cole Haan high heeled Mary Janes. I love those shoes!!

If my husband's company has a Christmas party, I will probably get a new J Crew skirt. I have a hard time wearing dresses (I am long waisted and dress waists tend to hit too high on me). And skirts can be so versatile. I can't wait to see what they have this year!

Poker: we have a monthly revolving poker game with our friends. Casual.

More later on my wardrobe plan as I work it out.

Oh, yes -I have lost about 15 pounds this year so I have to get new pants (down a size or 2 there). My shirts still fit ok. I will probably lose about 5 more pounds so I don't want to buy a lot of pants at this point. Pants that are too big just don't look nice.

Thursday, July 30, 2009

rockin J Crew


Here is my neighbor on her 91st birthday. My husband took this picture for an interview for our neighborhood newletter. She is wearing the J Crew Ikat pencil skirt and the cotton-silk ruffle swirl tank in warm shell.


My husband told me she was also carrying a J Crew bag. I was all like "ooo, which one!" (as if he would recognize a J Crew bag and could tell me the name). He said, "no, like a brown paper bag with J Crew written on it and string handles." Oh, that explains how he knew it was a J Crew bag.


She was also wearing the white hat but removed it.


Thursday, July 9, 2009

I'm back...

OK, it seems from my last post as if I got drunk and fell off the face of the earth....well - perhaps - but I am back.

Saw Calvin again today for the first time since the last time - heh - by which I mean when he offered us popcorn in the tunnel. We were leaving our Civic Council meeting (meets in the historic Methodist church) and he was walking by. He's got cancer (as he's told D in the past) and has bandages on the back of his head and neck. He said "How you doin" to us and D say "fine, how are you" and he said "I am blessed."

Holy fucking cow. He is homeless (not sure where he is staying now that he isn't in the tunnel). He's got cancer. He's got bandages on the back of his head and neck (I can't imagine how it feels in this heat - my God the heat). And when he said it, it seemed like he meant it - not like it was a line to get some cash (D did run after him to give him all his cash - three bucks).

It was good to see him again. It did make me feel blessed.

On another note, I finally tried out the steamer I got a while back. Gosh, I wish I had used it this morning. I wore a featherweight cashmere sweater (freshmint, I think) and since I hand wash, it was a little crumpled looking. I steamed my ivory cashmere sweater this afternoon - looked like brand new. I steamed the white tee I wore to the Civice Council meeting and it looked ever so nice. My goal is to try to steam the tees I wear outside the house and of course my cashmere. It seems so much easier than ironing (which I suck at).

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Earlier drinking with friends was fun. Now drinking alone seems wrong....need more friends for more drinking!

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Vegas was awesome fun! But I did not score very high on the girlification scale. I think maybe minus 100? It was 4 couples and 2 of the girls spent a lot of the time shopping - sometimes all 3 of them. I spent my time hanging out with the stinky boys.

And I loved it! I can shop here - and I do. I've been to the Galleria since we've been back - to exchange some pants (size 8's for 6's - yay!) and spend some of my winnings! Well, not exactly winnings - but money I did not lose. I took $1,300 and came back with $1,000 - and I did a lot of gambling - I think I broke even on the gambling.

And I bought some shoes from Zappos (bought and returned for a larger size and got the new ones already!). And ordered some more stuff from the Crew online.

I played a lot of dollar video poker. I got a straight flush! I was awesome. I got dealt A-4 of diamonds and I asked my friend if I was going to the the 5. He said I was. And I did! It was pretty exciting. I had 4 of a kind like maybe 6 times also.

I lost my horse race bet but I have a golf bet still to come - I bet on Camilo Villegas to win the US Open next weekend. ha! We will see!

I polyvore'd everything I packed - but I never wore my dress jeans (didn't want to wear heels - I wore my pink converse sneakers the whole time except for one morning in the hotel I wore my skull flip flops). I never went to the pool. I never wore my nice strapless dress - but it washed up nicely so I ordered it in charcoal grey too. Because of the awesome shoes I got with the money I did not lose - a pair of shiny dull grey patent cole haan heels. They are over 3 inches and I wore them to work today with a new pair of grey JCrew pants (size 6!). They would actually be comfortable if they weren't so damn high (high for me). I think I will improve walking in high heels though?

ooooo - right now I'm wearing my favorite new pants - JCrew broken in boyfriend chinos. I would have gotten them even if they weren't size 4 (ha - yeah I had to ask the SA if he could get me a pair of these pants in grey in size 4!) ha! Anyway, the sizing has been all over the place for JCrew - these pants are something everyone is "sizing down in" but still cool.

Least girlified moment #1 - one of the guys, Crunk, saying "Jules, you're a dude. You're one of the dudes." ha. Thanks but no thanks. Although in Vegas I want to drink and gamble, not shop.

Least girlifited moment #2 - drinking 2 5-hour energy shots in a 3-hour period (all of us "dudes" did - it seemed like a good idea at the time - I honestly thought they were like my emergen-c thingies - vitamins - but obviously had some sort of stimulant in them. I don't do stimulants well - they make me cranky). And then yelling at the Cat for yelling at D (or so he said - we were all on the 5-hour energy shots) about wanting to have a nice dinner. Thinking about it, she probably didn't yell at him.

Heading out to neighborhood meeting now...

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

lunch

Today I'm having lunch with my mom and SIL to talk about my dad's 80th birthday party. My mom brought up the idea earlier in the year.

I know she has an idea of what she wants to do but she won't say what it is. I think, after some discussion with her and my SIL that she wants to have the party at my house. It will be mid-July so of course hot but I think we can still go up on the roof for cake and coffee after dinner.

Last week I called her and asked if she still wanted to do the party. Yes, she says. I say how about me and you and SIL have lunch one day to talk about it. She says "that is a WONDERFUL idea" like it is the bestest idea ever. I thought it was kind of a DUH idea. I mean you can't have a sit down dinner for 20 people with out some planning, can you?

Not sure yet what I'm going to wear to lunch today...

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

newsletter delivery

Yesterday D and I delivered the newsletter to our section of the neighborhood. It's a transitional neighborhood - old houses in good shape, old houses falling down, new townhomes, new houses that are quite spectacular, business and industry.

Our delivery area includes a street that is alongside the railroad track. I would never drive on this street - it doesn't seem right for cars but cars do drive on it and the trash truck even goes down it. I think it is one way on one side of the track and the other way on the other side of the track - but I'm not sure. Some of the mailboxes are on this street so we walk down it to deliver the newsletters. There is a collection of six or eight small shacks near the main road off the rail road track road. Some are not occupied (front door boarded over) but some are. We deliver there. Then head down the track (actually walking on the track because there isn't any other place else to walk - the street just kind of peters out but there are still mailboxes there). I keep looking back over my shoulder and down the track in front, checking for trains.

I always think about the mail carrier and what it would be like to be one. Some days, probably pretty nice.

Yesterday there was a white pit-bull looking dog about a block down on the track road. We took a detour and went down the side street. D went and got the houses we missed. Even though I have an excessive number of cats, I do like dogs. But pit bulls can be kind of scary.

Once, delivering another section of the neighborhood, there was a pit-bull looking dog on a chain - but the chain wasn't attached to anything. "That dog's not on a chain" is what I told D - even though technically it was. It was kind of menacing D - D had my men's J Crew messenger bag - that's what he carries the newsletters in. He was planning on using it to defend himself if the dog attacked. And I was willing to let him! I was right by a landscaper's trailer - I was ready to grab a hoe or shovel if need be. Luckily, D was able to back away from the dog and we went on with our route, skipping a house or two.

Newsletter delivery outfit:
J Crew khaki bermudas from a year or 2 ago
Purpley blue dri fit top from Target
Nike running shoes
bandaids on my little toes because of my earlier shopping outfit:

7 bootcut jeans
white J Crew perfect fit tee
new Skecher platform slides (which were pretty comfortable except for blistering my little toes)

I got a Dressy Jersey Strapless Dress in Marine Aqua - size M at the J Crew B&M.

I also got my J Crew order yesterday:
Fresh Mint featherweight cashmere sweater in XL - actually goes with the Jersey Marine Aqua dress in a weird way
Breeze perfect fit tee in XL
Cowgirl vintage wash jeans size 28
soft seashell cashmere henley in XL
And 2 pairs of size 8 pants that are too big - a khaki Bistro pant and a pewter Saturday pant. I'll return these to the B&M and see if they have them there in a 6.

Girlification factor: +7

wore shoes other than sneakers shopping
delivered newsletters
bought a dress

Friday, May 29, 2009

Maui Jim's

I had to get gas today - I don't get gas often b/c I don't drive very far usually and D gets gas for me a lot of the time. Yeah, he's awesome. I stuck my credit card in the slot but it did nothing. I looked at the pic and I was doing it right. I pushed some of the buttons and still nothing.

I went in to tell the clerk it wasn't working - I was annoyed. I expect things to work properly. I gave him my credit card and went to fill up. While I was filling up, I was looking at the display for the credit card. I could faintly make out a Thank you message. I lifted up my sunglasses and the display came into view. I couldn't see the display because of my Maui Jim's - which I love. They are my second pair of Maui Jim's - my first pair is in the Gulf of Mexico.

I told the clerk that the pump was ok and I couldn't see the display b/c of my sunglasses. He laughed and told me they were getting new pumps next month. I could see the gas dispensing part of the display fine.

I still love my Maui Jim's.

Volleyball is awesome!!!

We are playing volleyball again after not playing for 2 years. Thanks Jimmy for setting it up! Yay Jimmy! Last night was the second night. Playing better already. Had some really good sets - which is what I'm best at. Ha - I find it hard to bump the ball properly - every bump turns into a set.

Crazy John's wife played with us and he was either a little calmer or I'm tuning him out more. He brought a camcorder and since we have 4 guys the guys rotate in and out so they were recording for a while. Crazy John set me and I had a good hit over the net and my team goes crazy. Ha - I think they were hamming it up for the camera but it was fun. The net is super low which makes it easier to hit it over. It felt good.

My volleyball outfit was:

Navy JCrew long board shorts from several years ago. I wish they still made these.
Purple Champion dri-fit top from Target.
Brown rubber JCrew flip flops.

Hey, yeah, I know it didn't really match. But the dri-fit type stuff is so much cooler than cotton. And board shorts go with sand volleyball.

We won all 4 games - the first one we barely one. It's city ball, so we play to 15 points or for 15 minutes, whichever comes first. The other team had been ahead. Then it was my serve - I got all 3 or 4 in and we were up one point then side out. They served and side out. Then the ref called time and we won. It was good that I got my serves in - we needed all the points. I think the rest of the games were pretty much blow outs.

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Birthday

Had a good birthday weekend starting with a 2-mile run Thursday morning. To get to the running trail, we have to walk through a short tunnel under a rail road track. The tunnel is closed off from the road - making it sort of private. It's used by the homeless as a toilet and/or a place to sleep. Calvin (probably not his real name - just what D and I call him) has been sleeping there for a week or 2. He was sitting up on his bedroll eating a bag of microwave popcorn. He says good morning to us and asks us if we want some popcorn. We politely decline. I think he'd made the popcorn the day before. Because there isn't a microwave in the tunnel.

It was weird but normal. Like if someone dropped by my house just as I was popping a bag of corn, I would naturally offer them some.


Thursday night, volleyball. For the first time in 2 years. It was awesome to play again. Unfortunately, our team is the jerk team b/c we picked up this guy John who doesn't shut up. He is "just joking" but super obnoxious. We were beating the crap out of this team and he just won't shut up. Arrrgh - hopefully he won't show up this week but I know he will.

Today I'm going back to the eye dr. New contacts - not working out so great actually. Got my left eye set for near and my right set for far. Gonna have her set them both the same and pick up a pair of readers for when I need them. Yuck. But I think with the contacts different my eyes track wrong - like lazy eye. Not a good look for me.

Plus I'm going to return the Anthropologie dress. Don't think I will end up wearing it...unless we are going to have the party for my dad...heh. We'll see about the dress.

I got lots of nice presents from D - he had presents for me Friday (my birthday), Saturday, Sunday and Monday. It was a total birthday weekend! Got a book on Dali and a poster, a book by Henry Rollins, a Vince Vaughn movie (I collect Vince Vaughn movies).

Plus had a drink and then pushed the button to order my JCrew cart. Nothing from the new collection - a couple of feather weight cashmere sweaters, a perfect fit tee, a pair of jeans, 2 pairs of pants...I think that is it....

This morning went for a run - Calvin wasn't there. There was a stack of books in the tunnel - something by or about Billy Graham and another Jesus book on top. Don't know if they were Calvin's or not.

Haven't showered or dressed yet from my run so:

Girlification factor: +2 (for running!)

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

I got a pair of boot cut 7 jeans and a dress at Anthropologie. Neither on sale - but 15% off with my birthday card. And dress is dry clean only - so much for washable. But nice - dusty pink w/ embroidery. Where will I wear it? Who knows? 7 jeans are nice - shrunk enough in the length so I can wear them with heels and not have to have them hemmed. Perfect!

My corneas are beautiful (per eye dr). My teeth are pretty (per hygenist after cleaning). I wore:

pink J Crew perfect tee
new J Crew ragged jeans (forget exact name)
sneakers
pink striped J Crew tie belt from several years back
J Crew pearl necklace looped twice
for dentist, J Crew summerweight cashmere cardigan in snow - left it home for the rest of the day. It had warmed up a bit and the eye dr. is not super cool.

so with wearing pink and pearls and cashmere and buying a pink dress and taking care of my eyes and teeth -

Girlification factor: +7.

But today, work meeting so probably J Crew black cotton stretch boot cut pants (do not know name - kind of old) and long sleeved shirt and short black boots. Need something to spice up work wardrobe....

Oh and I've lost 14.9 pounds so far. nice. probably about 4 more to go.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

May 18, 2009

Today dentist and eye exam. Decided to do both in one day...we'll see how that goes.

Also - eye place right by Anthropologie so already decided to shop there today. And got a 15% off card for anything this month (it's my birthday Friday) and yesterday got an email saying today starts the biggest sale of the year! Looking for some jeans and maybe a top or 2. One thing to keep in mind - get something washable!

Girlification factor: +5 (taking care of myself!)

Monday, May 18, 2009

May 18, 2009 - First Post

First post.

Purpose of blog - track Girlification.

Current attire:
Men's Large J Crew Crab Grab graphic tee.

J Crew Vintage Slim Jean in Worn-in Wash (translation - I paid $73.50 for jeans with holes in them).

Beat-up Ugg short boots in Sand (I only wear these in the house and immediate vicinity - when I see people in the mall wearing them, it startles me and I think - hey, she's wearing her house shoes in the mall).

Girlified Factor: zero.

OK - changed blog colors to pink.

Girlified Factor: +1.