Infomercial Mania!

I have been staying up until one or two in the morning for at least two months. My posts, which I had been doing at a somewhat reasonable hour, kept getting pushed back later and later, and, as I've said before, I'm a night owl.The first couple of months I tried to post as early as possible. I gave up that dream because it just didn't work with my schedule and my obligations. It's hard to say, "No, HaHa, I can't read to you right now. Mama's blogging... Dinner? You will all have to wait." I have said it once or twice. But I try not to.

Now, truth be told, I am not only blogging in the wee hours. I am folding laundry, I am reading some of the beloved magazines my mother-in-law and Ayiko so kindly pass on to me, I am viewing a movie Richard isn't in to, and, on occasion, I am watching infomercials. Hey, it's my alone time. I can do what I like!

I cannot get enough of P90X, Meaningful Beauty, or Joan River's riveting advertisement for "The Right To Bare Legs". I so wanted to pick up the phone for my extra tube of tubular leg-blemish cover up, but I did not. I also want a Shake Weight. I mean, you can get totally toned arms and abs in only 6 minutes a day! However, all this night owl stuff is going on hiatus because I am teaching for the next 6 weeks and I have to wake up two hours earlier than usual! Yikes!

Outfit:

Shirt: Another handed down gem from my cousin Taylor. Old Navy.

Floral Skirt: Goodwill. To The Max! Seen in: Showers!

Pink Slip: Goodwill. Calvin Klein.

Shoes: Airwalk.

Back To Class!

Today I had to go to school to get ready for the summer session. We had meetings and greetings. I found out that I will have an assistant who is a college senior. Man, that makes me feel old! As I was talking to her and some of the other college students, my cheeks started turning red. I felt like the old person trying to be down with the cool kids. What can I say? I am a middle aged woman with four children. To college age people, I am old.

I remember when I was in high school that I thought my teachers were so ancient. When I moved back to L.A. at the ripe old age of 28, I remember seeing some of my teachers and thinking that they were so young! The decade or so between us seemed inconsequential now that we were all adults. It really tickled me. How our perception changes as we grow more mature is fascinating. When I was 10 I thought that 40 was close to death, now I'm pretty sure it's 90.

Outfit:

Camisole: I've been wanting to wear this for a while, but just never got around to it. I found it at Goodwill. I decided to pair it with black, so that it is not overly sweet. I feel like this is an homage to The Pink Ladies. Grease was one of my favorite films when I was younger. I still love it to this day!

Tank: (Underneath) Old Navy.

Black Crop Cardigan: Clothing swap. Gap.

Jeans: I got these from a Big Sunday fundraiser. Bu from Malibu.

Shoes: Airwalk.

This outfit HaHa is wearing was put together by Richard. It is all handed down clothing. When I came home she greeted me at the door in this and I thought she looked so adorable!

1st and Hope!

It is 11:55 p.m. and this is the first time I've touched my computer today. Crazy, huh?! Especially for one who claims to be a blogger.  I couldn't help it. My whole day was chock full. I had an eye exam, errands, and Leo's last day of school. After we said our teary good-byes, I drove Leo home and took everybody to the park. I wanted to tire them out because tonight Richard and I were going to see South Pacific at The Ahmanson, and I didn't want them to cause any shenanigans while we were out.


I had never seen the show before, so I was excited. I was also looking forward to going out to dinner before hand at First and Hope Supper Club. Richard's mom graciously offered us a night out, so I have to thank her. And Josh. Josh got us the tickets to the show, and he recommended the restaurant, which was fun. All of the hostesses were wearing different silver toned dresses, and a bevy of servers swarmed around our table.We had a restricted pre-theater menu, which was a little lacking for me, but Josh assured us that the regular menu is fab, so we'll probably go back in the future.

Anyway, it's late and I am tired after having stayed up until 2:00 a.m. baking cookies, and still recovering. Although I feel much, much better! I've included a photo of Richard, who joined in on the Country Line Dancing that was taking place on the Plaza at The Music Center.


Outfit:

Maroon shirt: Goodwill. Antik Batik. In the day I wore it under a t-shirt, and rather than change this evening, I just lost the tee, tucked in the collar, and threw a gold jacket over it!

Tee: From friend. Crowded Teeth.

Gold Vest/Jacket: Walmart. This was purchased on another one of my trips to my mom's tiny Massachusetts town where Walmart is the nearest shopping locale. This was five dollars on sale. I am sure we walked into Walmart for sunscreen and I walked out with this.

Pants: Goodwill. Next. Did I mention that I have 4 brown pairs of pants?

Shoes: Airwalk.

Shoes: My Fresh friend's mom gave me these. Nine West.

We are all Hypocrites!

I was so happy when I heard that Giselle Bundchen had her baby boy in a bathtub in her Boston home. I was neither a fan nor a hater of the Brazilian goddess prior to hearing this, but this news sent her stock way up in my book, of course. When I read her recent Vogue article, I was really impressed. Not only is she beautiful, but she is down to earth, altruistic, and she is involved with saving the rain forest in Brazil, along with being a U.N. goodwill ambassador for environmental issues.

Imagine then, my disappointment when Richard showed me this article he read on Deciever.com a few weeks ago. The 20,000 square foot home they're constructing for three, or even 10 people, is crazy. Not to mention the fact that building a brand new home, in a city chock-full of available homes, flies in the face of of environmental conservation. I mean, it certainly looks like her new mansion is made of wood. Let's hope it's recycled! (yeah, right!)

You know, Giselle is not alone as far as the eco-celebrities are concerned. Harrison Ford, James Cameron, and even the poster man of global warming himself, Mr. Al Gore, all seem to be talking the talk, and not walking the walk. Well, do as I say, not as I do, is an easy web to get tangled in. Or, perhaps, as Richard tells me, "the 'crisis' of global warming only applies to the little people".

Outfit:

This outfit is fundamentally the same as yesterday, but with different pieces. One piece is the same, and that is the coral skirt. I got called to sub this morning, so I had to think fast. My main thought was "Don't repeat!"

Polka-dot shirt: This is an eighties shirt I deconstructed that I found at The Salvation Army circa 1991. I took of the shoulder padded sleeves and turned it into a shirt I love. I threw a shirt on top of it because I didn't want to traumatize the first graders with my hairy armpits!

Pink Sheer Polka-dot shirt: This shirt is from Forever 21. I got is several years ago when I was working in admissions. I love the delicate appearance of the shirt.

Coral Skirt: Thrift store. Old. Love the color.

Khaki skirt (on bottom): Goodwill. Also very old!

Shoes: Airwalk.

I got home at 5 with the kidlets. I had a lot of stuff to do, so I only took a few pictures, and did not pay attention to the mise-en-scene. (see sock on floor...) Anyway, please look on the photos with a forgiving eye! See you tomorrow! Oh, would you mind taking the pants poll? Thank you!

Black Kids on Bikes!

Today I finally got to go for a "Freedom Ride" with the Black Kids on Bikes! My friend Ayiko told me about it awhile back and we had planned to go last month but we were thwarted by a flat tire. The event was started by a film maker named James Spooner. He is the director of a film called AfroPunk and he said that he started Black Kids on Bikes as a response to other L.A. rides he attended where there would be 80 people and only three of them were black. He wanted to create a space where black kids didn't feel on the outskirts.

The ride was awesome and I met some really great people. We rode from Fairfax up to Sunset, through Hollywood and Loz Feliz all the way Downtown. The weather was perfect, people on the road were friendly, and the scenery was lovely. It reaffirmed my love for L.A. I do love this city. For better or worse. For richer or poorer. Traffic, budget deficits, high rents, failing schools, all of it. It still is my home. 

Outfit:

I needed riding friendly clothes, and it just so happened that I had these biking pants my cousin gave me last year that she had never worn, and I had never worn! Perfect!

Shirt: The good ol' wifebeater. Hanes. I wore these all through my pregnancies!

Black Demi-button down: From clothing swap. Old Navy. I only wore this to cover up my hairy armpits as I got my ride on!

Pants: From cousin. Columbia Sportswear. They have hardware on the side to hold the legs up so they can't get caught in the spokes

Shoes: Airwalk.

Belt: This is from a great 80's dress that I have since let go of. I needed it to hold the pants up as they are a little on the large side!

Kick Boxorama!

Every time I do a super lame post, I have to remind myself that I'm only human. I haven't been doing this blogging thing that long, and, out of 365 days, at least 30 of my outfits are probably going to stink up the joint. That said, when I look at yesterday's outfit, coupled with my bad pictures and writing, I think: "What if this is the first time someone is looking at this blog?" I have to hope they poke around the site and find some of my more thoughtful posts and cuter outfits. I also have to keep reminding myself that the purpose of this project is to wear 365 different outfits created with clothes I already own. It is not to be on the cutting edge of fashion, or to invent new trends. I am simply challenging myself to mix it up and be more creative. I am also trying to show that thrift store clothes can be stylish and versatile, and that I don't need anything new even though temptation abounds! Lots of people have offered me clothes, but I have to refuse this year. Nothing new, even if new is used.

This morning I got up at 6 a.m. to go to a Kickboxing Bootcamp class at Seido Karate Hollywood Dojo. I almost talked myself out of it at 5:55 because I love sleeping and I don't get enough of it. However, I also don't get enough exercise and I am turning 37 in four days. It is time to start improving my bad habits. I am old enough to know better!

Outfit:

After my return from the gym, I had to get ready quickly because we had a birthday party to attend. I kept on my exercise tank (Yikes!) and threw on these jeans. They are a little on the snug side, so I decided I needed something to cover my more out of shape parts. I also started off with a black sweater underneath, but it was hot when we got to the Zoo (where the party was), so I quickly took it off.

 Magenta Dress/Shirt: Thrift store. I got this in High School. I am not sure if it is one piece of a two- piece dress, or what, but it is designed by New Leaf  California!

Black tank: Champion.

Jeans: From friend. Express.

Shoes: Airwalk.



A kick boxing move from this morning. Not sure if I am cut out for it!

Jury Duty!

Richard had jury duty today, and he will have it for the next six days, which means I am on single mom duty. I had to get all the kids ready and out today, and bring entertainment and snacks for a full day out of the house. I left this morning with at least four bags of snacks, clothes, books and things I needed for the day. If Richard left the house for the whole day, he would bring one diaper and a package of wipes, but I always like to be prepared. We got home at 4:45 p.m. and I was completely spent. I was especially irritated because Leo knocked over a plant in someone's office when he shouldn't have been there in the first place. Hollis was a total trooper all day, and she kept me laughing by singing "We Will Rock You, which sounds like "Wee wuh, wee wuh, ah-ah!" when she sings it.

Outfit:

I knew it was going to be a park day, so I started with brown pants. At first I was just going to pair them with the cream sweater only, but I saw my maroon top peeking out of the closet, and I thought I'd try it. One of the things I am enjoying about this project is the new, unexpected, pairings of things I've tried in the name of stretching out my wardrobe. I turned the maroon shirt inside out, so that the white stitching on the cuffs would "pop". I really adore this maroon top and I can't wait to wear it on its' own. It has really lovely details!

Maroon Shirt: Goodwill. Antik Batik. Also worn in Into The Woods.


Cream Sweater: Old Navy.

Brown Pants: From friend. Lucky Brand.

Shoes: Airwalk.

Coat: From friend. Forever 21.


Both Leo and his friend Psipsina had incidents which led them to wear their 18 and 13 month old baby sisters' pants at the park. Even in pants 4 years too small, they look awesome! Ah, youth! You can also spot Erin, mommy and teacher extraordinaire, and Ajax in the background.

Spring Forward!

Today spring is definitely in the air. At least here in Los Angeles it is! It is one of those perfect days. Neither too hot nor cold, breezy and bright. It is one of those days when you understand why so many people live in Southern California. Although, some are apparently leaving as California falls deeper into an abyss. It is very hard to see the state suffering, when it has held such promise in the past. Now over 50% of graduating high school seniors can't pass an exit exam, and the state is close to bankruptcy. Yikes!

I am going to see The Piano Lesson at The Broad Stage tonight. This inspired me to wear something that could go day to night with just a few changes (namely shoes). The Broad Stage is actually located on the site where I attended Kindergarten through third grade! Madison Elementary was a fantastic PUBLIC school, and I have many fond memories of that place. It will be nice to be back on those grounds and feel the spirit of '79!

Outfit:

Dress: This is a Goodwill find, of course! This is the first time I've worn this. I am not sure what inspired me to purchase this. I must have been in a mood. It's very school teacher circa 1950. It is in perfect condition!

Shoes: Airwalk.

Funday!

Woah, boy, this is the latest I've ever published a post! I feel like a slacker, but I can't be a slave to my blog, right? It was a fun and busy Sunday. It started with waking up with the kids and keeping them in one room trying to stop them from using their natural volume level, which is the equivalent of shouting. I then came downstairs, made pancakes for the kids (we had our nephew sleep over last night), and rushed to get dressed before I had to get out the door to pick up pizza for band rehearsal.

Rehearsal went longer than it was supposed to, but we had a lot of fun and got to catch up. The people in the band are all very talented and they rock. I got to hear about Tim's second week on the "orange juice" fast. I had never heard of this one, but he has had nothing but orange juice for two weeks and he feels great. Previously, he had not been feeling well, which is why he started it. I also got to meet Marc's mom, who is a beautiful and looked too youthful to have a 30-something year old son. I got to hear about the new loves and new exes of some, and then we played and it was fabulous! Music is a balm!

I returned home and my wonderful and sweet friend Wendy (creator of I heart Guts) came by to visit with her amazingly adorable son. Soon after, another nephew dropped by for a quick hello and just as it was getting close to din-din, my amazing and dear friend Josh came by with his very sweet dog Eddie. Josh is the bee's knees and he is also the kids' godfather! I had to choose between blogging, or quality time with friends and family, so blogging lost. It is very hard for me to get dressed up on Sundays. I will try to get back to my project

Outfit:

Purple Tee: Coincidentally, Wendy gave this to me. It is from Crowded Teeth. This woman makes really cool stuff. Her site is great! I wore this shirt in Tuesday Review.

Purple Long Sleeve Shirt: Forever 21. I decided to go double purple in memory of fourth grade!

Jeans: From Cousin. Gap.

Shoes: Airwalk.

Sweater: Salvation Army. Express


This is Jordan who claims he is now taller than me. I say not quite yet!

Re-Discover!

I went on a field trip to the Re-Discover Center with Charlie's class today. It was a joy to see his class in action. They are an adorable and smart bunch of kids! I got out of bed later than I should have, so it was a mad dash to get out of the house on time. I grabbed my jeans and threw the rest of my outfit on quickly. I started with a "mom" top (from my admissions days), so I could look like I'm dressing my age for a change. I added the velvet jacket for fun.

When the kids and I got home they had to clean up before we could go to the library to check out a movie for Movie Night. When we got there, the security gate was down inside the building and a few people were gathered outside discussing how they keep cutting back the hours because of the furloughs. It was nice to have a political discussion with total strangers. While I was talking about the "Govenator" and California, the boys wee walking along a wall with a little boy who was entertaining himself. I love how children connect without hesitation. It was a very lovely moment of humanity!

Outfit:

Maroon Top: From friend. I.N.C.

Tank(Underneath): Old Navy.

Velvet Cap Sleeve Jacket: Forever 21

Jeans: From Cousin. Gap.

Shoes: Airwalk. I had to retake the pics from earlier today, so I snapped a photo of C&H! Charlie's totally awesome striped red pants are from Goodwill!!!

FaceHook!!!

I literally can NOT go on facebook without getting sucked into the vortex of voyeurism and commentary! I look at pictures of friends, click on their links, read their articles, and spend way too long in the FB universe. I love all the funny quips, interesting observations, and information that is being passed back and forth. That said, I avoid logging on due to the aforementioned facts. I actually think they should rename it "Time Suck".

I just asked some people in the faculty lounge as I wrote this, whether or not calling it "Time Suck" was offensive, and they said "No". They also said that they were all told they "had to" join facebook by family members and friends and now they are in the same predicament: addicted to the FB phenomenon.  It hooks you, it pulls you in, just like a hit of Ben & Jerry's!

By the way, I was informed that The Vagina Monologues that my friend is directing as a fundraiser for V-Day  has a cast that includes Marla Gibbs and Nina Hartley. It's for a great cause, so, go see it!

Outfit:

Long Sleeved Shirt: Goodwill. James Pearse.

Purple Racerback: Jack and Aimee.

Magenta Belt: From 70's dress I got rid of long ago... (Slightly wishing I hadn't...)

Jeans: From Cousin. Gap.

Shoes: Airwalk

Strawberries for Leo!

Last night Richard told me someone tried to hack into my blog! Besides the fact that I don't know who would want to do something like that, I also don't see what the person would do, unless they have a bunch of old photos of me shopping or in outfits I've already worn. Maybe they'll hack in and write some outrageous post that will get me shut down, or maybe it's these women who are doing something similar who snubbed me when I tried to join their group. Maybe they want to sabotage me because they see me as competition. At any rate, Richard told me not to worry about it. Richard also told me that my poses are getting "better". I replied that "better" means not looking at the camera. I am not particularly photogenic. I always pull bad faces because I worry about my crooked teeth and gummy smile. It's a shame that my years of braces didn't pay off.

A few people asked me about a necklace I wore several days last week. (Pictured here) It was made by my best friend's older sister who is like my big sister too. I guess I met her when I was 9 and she was 15! I didn't have any siblings, so I was in heaven. She is an incredibly talented singer and jewelry designer and she is also producing and directing The Vagina Monologues, for the third year in a row, as a fundraiser for V-Day. She has such a big heart so if you feel like supporting a great cause please go see it!

Outfit:

Purple Cami: Old Navy. (Under Sweater)     Green Wrap Shirt (Unwrapped): Clothing Swap

Purple Hooded Knit Pullover: Maternity Wear from Old Navy. The hood also helps to hide my problematic hair!

Grey "Editor" Pant: Express, but I got them at Goodwill, of course!

Shoes: Airwalk

Today Leo, Hollis and I got Strawberries at the Farmer's Market after school!

Sick Baby Trumps Blog!!!

It is very difficult to do much with a sick baby around. Hollis has been attached to me like glue for the past two days. It's kind of nice because she isn't climbing everything in sight or chasing anything with the speed and intensity of the Tasmanian Devil.

I have to figure out how to bake 2 dozen cookies while holding my little HaHa bear. (It is Staff Appreciation Day at Charlie's school tomorrow). I guess that's what slings were made for! Leo and I sneaked these pictures while Hollis was asleep in the car seat! That didn't last long!

Outfit:

Polka-dot shirt: From Goodwill. Forever 21.

Sweater: From Cousin. Mossimo.

Jeans: From same Cousin (see Comedy Tonight).

Shoes: Airwalk





I am deeply sad to hear about Alexander McQueen. He is a true fashion genius and legend. Tragic. He will be missed.

6 a.m....

I got called at 6 a.m. to sub today. Fourth grade here I come! Hollis woke up when the phone rang, so I had to wake up and get dressed while trying to "entertain" her. I threw this outfit together in a flash and tried to get out of the door as quickly as I could. Of course, with 3 kids this is nearly impossible.

Once I got on the freeway I was distraught at the HORRIBLE traffic. On the way to school we passed 6 fender benders! The final accident I saw included a teacher at the school I work at who happens also to be my best friend's boyfriend. What are the chances?! Today is the first time I have posted away from home, and I had technical difficulties.

Outfit:

Brown Shirt: From Goodwill.

Sweater with Floral detail: Goodwill. Lux.

Pants: Isaac Mizrahi for Target. I got these for 8 bucks!

Shoes: Airwalk.

Pee-Wee Part II

I got to be the bohemian music teacher today and I had a lot of fun. We read and sang "This Little Light of Mine" which led into a discussion of what the song meant, when it originated, and spirituals. I asked where in the world people might be singing spirituals right now and the children instantly said "Haiti". We talked about Haiti and what the children thought they might do to support recovery. One little boy really surprised me when he said, "Instead of getting presents for your birthday, you could get money and give it to Haiti". It was very sweet.

Outfit:

I decided to carry over some of the pink from last night. I like to wear jeans when I know I'm going to be moving around a lot with the children.

Shirt: I got this at Salvation Army when I was in high school. It was very eighties with ginormous puffy sleaves, but I took them off. It is a very pretty silk fabric.

Sweater: This is from a Salvation Army in Massachusetts. It is Express.

Jeans: From Cousin. Gap.

Shoes: Airwalk

Passive Hairgressive

On Sunday my mom called to tell me she got a Gmail account so that she could post comments on my blog. She also said that she "really likes it" and I'm "doing a great job". Of course, she has to like it. She's my mom. Not liking it is tantamount to being an nonsupportive parent or to admitting that you've raised less than stellar progeny. She also said "Don't take this the wrong way, but, why don't you get Paula to do your hair?" (Paula is Richard's sister. She is a hairdresser). For those of you who don't speak passive aggressive, I'll translate: "Your hair looks like crap." I would have to say that I agree. My hair often looks like angry gremlins spent the night rolling around in it and pulling it up by the roots. I've grown accustomed to it. I did have the thought that it was slightly moronic to have a style-related blog and have crazy hair. That said, I justified it by telling myself that I have 365 days to wear 365 outfits. My hair is not going to look good everyday. Nor are my outfits. Some days, many days, I'm just going be less than stellar.

Outfit:

Brown Tweed Jacket: I got this at Walmart when I was visiting my mom in Hanson, MA. Walmart is the ONLY retail store for miles. I kid not. When I visit my mom, we go there a lot. I got it when I was working in admissions because it looked the part. It was 5 bucks!

Sweater: Goodwill. I just loved the little details and it is super soft!

Pants: Goodwill

Shoes: Airwalk. If it rains, I'll be in my boots!

A Coopted Saturday

When you have children, even if you are fairly well prepared, there are many things you do not anticipate. One of these is the weekend take over of your time as their social lives eclipse your calendar. Back-to-back birthday parties, sports, school picnics, festivals. We are fairly picky when it comes to these things, but it can still be overwhelming at times. This morning I have to take Leo to a basketball placement test and C-dawg has a birthday party in Sherman Oaks. I would have loved to stay in bed today. It was one of those chilly mornings.

Outfit:

My entire outfit today, save the shoes, is comprised of hand-me-downs/ups.

Sweater: Inner layer, from cousin, it is Mossimo, from Target, I believe.

Striped shirt: Marc by Marc Jacobs. A friend's friend worked for him and got some loot. There's a little face peeking out.

Top sweater: From friend, H&M.

Jeans: Cousin. Gap.

Shoes: Three days in a row. Airwalk.