Nah...

This is my favorite for the year.
It doesn't hurt that it's also one of my least expensive!

What I Wore Twice In One Day...

first, to a 3:00 p.m. country club wedding,




and then, to a 6:00 p.m. church Christmas party.






It's probably my favorite get-up of the year. 

I wish I could wear this to do the grocery shopping!  And that I had a decent picture.    But, of course, we were running late so I was left to do self-portraits.  (My husband is a very meticulous dresser.)  (And never mind the mess you see behind me.  :)

My tights, which you can't see, were new but were a blue light special.

My shoes, which you can't see, were old so they've fully depreciated.

My shirt and dress, both vintage, were thrifted for $1 each.

Altogether, I'd say I dressed for less than $20, jewelry included. 

Per venue, that's less than $10!

And if I wear it to the grocery store, that will be.....

Bling It On!

I hope you get it because it's hard to vogue when a g'baby is tugging on you!

She wanted to see if I could Bling It on the seesaw.

I could not. 

I've decided that it's only because I was wearing a dress.

But because this ensemble only cost me $2.25...


(wait for it...  wait. for. it.)


I can afford to Bling It On Again!

And next time, I'm blinging my spirit fingers.

Oooohhh, scary...

Not because I didn’t brush my hair.

Not because I’m wearing a white blazer
in the middle of October.

Not even because I’m wearing feathers
in spite of my age!



Clearly, now. I ain’t skeered to just put myself all out there and such.  Clearly, right?

From the start of this whole blogging excursion, I’ve had a master plan, a big picture in mind. I’ve wanted to emphasize good stewardship, ministry, gratitude - to place more value on values than on attire.

My Master plan has been to do this for Him.

If I mean what I say, then I have to listen when He speaks.

Sometimes His speaking is in the form of a question.  "How many pairs of black shoes do you need?" 

Just for instance.

One of the voices in my head keeps saying, "You will not laugh. You will not cry. I will teach you." Uh, I don't know, man. Some of the other voices are laughing. And I definitely feel like crying. Because change is hard. And it can be scary.

The scariest of all - at least for me - is to give up the reigns.

What makes it worthwhile, however, is that while the process may be painful at times, in the end I'm left with joy, peace, and gratitude. 

I may not be the American Dream Blogger, but that's okay. This is really about me and God.  And after that, of course, I have all those voices in my head to keep me company!

Think I’m crazy?  I suggest you hold out a bit before making that decision.  After all, I haven't even worn the potty collar yet!

What I DIDN'T Wear Today...

My husband said he liked my ensemble...     
even though I reminded him of John the Baptist.

I believe one of my daughters actually used the word "hideous" but I don't care.  I still like my nice, hairy jumper.

My favorite was when friends at church asked if I was actually wearing the potty collar.




I DIDN'T wear the potty collar.  Today.  But its day is coming soon enough.  It's necessary for me to wear it and, if you know me at all, you know that I'm right about this.

Now I'm assuming you'll be wanting the low down so here it is:  I recently brought home a detached coat collar that must surely have made it here all the way from 1973.  Poor outcast thing needed a new home, a new purpose in life, so I set it down somewhere whilst I thought on it for a bit.  It didn't take very long to determine its purpose (what did Twain say about the second most important day of your existence?!)  That collar's mission was to make my honey into a RRR convert.  Without any coaching or direction whatsoever, here's how my husband re-purposed it:

You see that I have something to prove, right?

Now, just one. more. thing... so that you all might have a little more insight into how I wound up with this hairy, hideous, urban-wilderness-wandering vest - and with Terry - please watch this, one of the all-time greatest scenes from one of the all-time greatest movies, ever:

It Was Funny Until...

I saw these little doggies.

See, there was this picture in a magazine the other day and even though I oughta know better, I snickered at the woman's boots.  Can you even believe it?!

Within a day or so, however, while at my third favorite place to be, I saw not the same pair, but a pair resembling closely enough that I was taken aback.  And then I was moved a-forward. Toward them.  I bought them.  For $2.



Yes, yes.  I've been meditating on just what that says about me that I could turn on a two-bill for a boot.  And I hope those thoughts work themselves out, show themselves off over at The Bending Tree.

But today is the first day of fall y'all and, for me, that means breakin' out the boots!  I'm celebrating the start of this new season and y'all should do the same...even if your boots are funny lookin'.

Honey Hates My Shoes...

However.

There's this rule that if you're wearing something old (nowadays, fashionably speaking), you must balance it with something new.  So when settling on my vintage Lester Square for The Tog Shop dress (lookey there, a maker reference!), I really had no choice but to balance myself atop my most Jane Jetson-esques.

Supposedly, this particular dress is of the 80s era but it looks 60s to me (as to most everyone who's admired it.)  If I'd worn 60s in my 20s - and I wouldn't have because I wasn't cool like that - but if I had, I'm pretty sure it would have been more Peggy Sue does...(not get it.)  I'm talking bouffant, plastic beads, go-go boots. 



Speaking of go-go boots, I gotta get some of those!  And looking at pictures of Jane Jetson, how many pairs of go-go boots did she have anyway?!  Wait.  This may turn out to be thematic dressing after all!  Maybe I still don't get it.

But I am fairly certain I wouldn't have worn this dress back then regardless of its era.  What's next?  The 90s?  (The actual era of my 20s.)  I don't think so.

But then, who am I kidding?  It's become pretty obvious, even to me...if it's a dollar, I'll probably do it.

Clue Two...

A pattern will begin to emerge. 
I will not refer so often to the designer of my attire but to the cost of it.

Why? Why? Why is this happening?

For answer, click here: Bargain Box

Three Trends I Can't Stop Noting...

1) The odd inclination to wear a skirt over a dress.

2) Skinny leopard-print belts.

3) Classic Missoni zig zag.

But will they amount to anything?

Shirt + Skirt + Belt = $2.25

(Or in other words, yes.)

 

3) Close enough.

2) Kid's belt.

1) My top's not quite a dress but would be if I were just two inches shorter.

These Boots Are Made For...

Maybe you say dry footing.  Maybe you say horse stall cleaning. 

I say tropical storm debris wading. 

see.  debris.

As we've dealt with TS Lee this weekend, it made perfect sense to me to break out my ultimate puddle-stompers.  The trouble was...my husband wouldn't stop laughing at me.  Apparently, these boots were made for tickling his ribs.

see. irony.

I gave myself the giggles with a wink at irony.

See, those boots cost me $2.
The whole deal cost me $5.
So everyone may laugh at me. 
But I'll do it again.

and see.  it really did rain.

There Can Only Be One Number One...

...and this wasn't supposed to be it.

My very first post was supposed to be about a jumpsuit.  In case you're thinking that sounds suburban, domestic, boring - hold your horsies for just a second.  I found that hideous thing in a thrift shop and instantly thought, "Jumpsuit, you’re gonna make me famous someday." Because I know that I can turn that monstrosity into hip-nosity. I’ll show you someday. I promise.

But as I started working this whole thing out, coming to the unavoidable, inescapable truth that blogging and I are made for each other...well, I thought I oughta make some things clear right up front.

Recently, I came across someone’s bedroom photo journal. Ohhh, it was pretty and neutral and clean and organized and inspirational and peaceful. Thank goodness for women who can not only manage such things, but who are also willing to share their art and ability with the rest of us.

You just need to know...t’ain’t happenin’ over here. And since - supposedly - a picture is worth the thousand words that you probably wouldn’t read were I to go that route...

Here are a few things that your sense of ocularity may or may not lead you to conclude: I only removed my so-called manicure bag (because it's straight-up ugly) and the bits of my granddaughters' (yes, two) crackers before taking this.  The shirt I'm wearing has an unusual smell (it’s old ... so like aged cheese, maybe?)

But most important is that I brushed my teeth first and that’s how you know I care.